Your new EP ‘the wild’ comes out later this month, what can we expect from it compared to your last EP’s?
We tried to drip feed a bit of production in, purely because, when I started playing guitar i always wanted it to be in a band and always wanted it to sound big. We’re just sort of evolving the sound, just because thats never happened before, I’ve always been on my own. With my first EP it was purely on my own, and with my second EP we put a bit more production in, and with this one, we’re putting in a bit more. But it’s still very true to the first two EP’s. Theres one song which is recorded in one take with just me in a room with my guitar, like a harmonium. It still stays very true to the first 2 EP’s. We’ve just made the sound evolve a bit more.
There’s a cover of SBTRKT’s Hold On on your new EP, what inspired you to cover that song?
On my second EP I covered a Bombay Bicycle Club song and kind of changed it - their sound is a big bandy song and with me it’s just me and my guitar. I really like that process of changing a song and making it your own, and I wanted to do that with a song people would think i’d never cover. I also saw them at Latitude and that song jumped out at me. Every time I heard that song after I was like yeah man, this is a really good song, and it put me back in that place. I was just jamming on it and just seemed to work.
Your tour is coming up, and the Cardiff venue had to upgraded from Moon Club to Clwb Ifor Bach due to such high demand. that must feel pretty good...
It’s great. I’ve only ever been to Wales to write a couple of times. I’ve never really done any gigs there so I never expected the first venue to sell out. It’s a great thing to say oh I sold out my venue in Cardiff. I didn’t want it to be upgraded then only sell like 5 more tickets, and make the room look empty. But at the end of the day, I just wanted more people to listen, and more people to be there. And then it sold out again and it was just like, woah!
What’s it like being on tour?
It’s the best thing, it’s so cool. You’re in a different town every day, and I’ve never really been to many of these places, so it’s great to be in a new place with new food, or new weather. I get to be with the guys in the van and it’s loads of fun. We get to play a show every night and meet everybody. It’s a really cool, fun experience. I feel so lucky to be able to do it. It’s amazing.
You’ve also played with some other great acts who are getting big like Lianne Le Havas, that must be fun!
Yeah that’s great, Lianne is fantastic. I’m supporting her this month at Shepards Bush. The first time I supported her it was so overwhelming, but they were really kind and it’s nice to be asked to support her again. And it’s great to be able to play Shepards Bush which fit’s like 3000 people. I won’t be headlining there for like 2 years time really!
It seems like you have some pretty big things in the pipeline such as playing Bestival, what else does the future hold for you?
I think if I can just continue to do this, I will be very happy. If in 5 years time I’m still touring, recording, writing, and developing as an artist - that’s what i’m looking for. But these things happening now are amazing, I never thought these kind of things would happen. I’ve only been playing guitar for 4 years, so to be playing Bestival with Elton John and Wu-Tang Clan this year is incredible. I never really expected this to happen.
Lewis Watson's EP The Wild is out today (26th March).
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