Today, we sat down with Leo Spauls to talk music writing, heroes, advice for musicians and much more! Be sure to check out his music below after the interview!
Here is the interview:
What is your inspiration to write your music? Is it your surroundings?
I believe no artist creates from a vacuum. I try to listen to an album a day, and when I don’t, I sometimes watch movies or read. If you want to become a writer, reading is the most crucial part. I suppose it’s the same about writing music. Practising an instrument is also a good thing. However, when a melody comes to you, you must write it down as soon as possible. If you don’t, you will certainly lose it. The best songs are written in a few minutes. The best is never to try to force it, be open to it, and it will come to you. Some artists use drugs to open up their imagination. I’m not saying that doesn’t work. But once you are open, you don’t need the drugs anymore. Surroundings play a minor part, I think. When I was younger, I had this idea of writing while travelling, going to Berlin or Paris, and working there. I don’t need that anymore. I write at home at the piano and record on my computer.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
I’ve been practising the piano since I was eight or nine, and when I was very young, I listened primarily to classical music. Then, as a teenager, I discovered David Bowie. The David Live In Philadelphia (1974) was the first album I bought, a rather unusual choice for a teenager in the ’90s. It made a big impression on me, especially Mike Garson’s piano playing. Now, several years later, Mike is working with me and gives me piano lessons. It’s like a dream come true. I also listened to Nine Inch Nails, The Sisters of Mercy, Suede, Pulp, and the entire Britpop scene. I still think that music is outstanding.
Is there someone you looked up as a hero?
David Bowie was and still is the most influential artist to me. I listen to his music frequently, and It’s lovely when I discover an interview or a concert I haven’t seen on Youtube. I had the chance to interview him once when he was planning his 50th birthday and doing a Madison Square Garden show. I would have loved to work with him. If I had believed a little more in myself back then, maybe that could have happened. However, working with Mike Garson is the next best thing.
If you weren’t a musician, would you be doing today
I would probably have continued working in a theatre in Stockholm. But I lost the interest to do that when I went on medication. Not sure if they want me back though, I was going psychosis a few years ago and lost my job at the Royal Dramatic Theatre. No one wanted to work with me. And there, you only get one chance.
What advice do you have for our fans out there that want to create music?
Every rule in the book is now gone. For a long time, there were these Golden Rules of Pop and how a number one hit was supposed to be written. If you are interested in knowing more about it, you should read “The Manual” by Jimmy Cauty and Bill Drummond, better known as The KLF. But these days, it’s all different. A beat and a vocal might be enough. You don’t need chords and choruses. Everyone can become a musician. The hard part is finding an audience.
Listen here:
