The band Dirty Vegas took the world by storm.  You wrote a song “Days Go By” that was transformed from an acoustic track to a techno hit.  What were your original thoughts on manipulating your original cut?

I have always loved the idea of taking a song where you wouldn’t necessarily expect it to go!

So who was “Days Go By” exactly written about?

My then girlfriend Charlotte, who is now my wife (songs always win a girls heart!)

Any plans ever of maybe creating another Dirty Vegas release in the future?

Who knows!

Once the band split up you got back together with your long time girlfriend (now wife) and moved to Boston.  Why Boston?  I know it is an amazing city but I am just curious.

I have always felt that Boston has a very European feel to it.  It has a great music scene and I have discovered a lot of creative people live/work here.

How was the transition from London to Boston for you?

Very smooth!  The people of Massachusetts have been great to us.

How long before you decided it was time to release a self-titled album?

It kind of happened when I started to play friends some of the songs.  The more I played them, the more people said I must get this stuff out there!

Is there a possibility you may tour in support of this release?

Absolutely! I cannot wait to get out there and perform the songs in front of people.

Can we expect a follow up to This Town sooner than later?
 
Anything is possible.

Who would you say are your musical influences?

I would say that growing up it was everything from Pink Floyd to Marvin Gaye.  I was always listening to the Top 40 and raiding my brothers and sisters record collection.  So I got to hear Joan Armatrading and Neil Young [because of them]. When I heard Neil Young's After the Goldrush album it blew my mind.  

I am still amazed that the actor John Savage from the Deer Hunter agreed to perform a spoken word on the first track of your CD.  How did he get involved?  He is the last person I would ever expect to speak on an album, yet it seemed so perfect once I heard it.

Every guest on the record was someone that naturally came along. My manager was in a furniture store and spotted John. She told him about the song and he agreed to come along and we just spoke about his life experiences and the message of the song. That was one of many incidents that happened with the recording of the album.

Speaking of incidences, you were also able to recruit a violinist for the track “Smile” who in turn wrote a piece that was the favorite of your father.  Do you think that was pure coincidence or a calling?

That was another one of those natural moments with the record.  I still cannot believe that the actual guy that performed the solo parts of my late father’s favorite pieces of music, came and performed on a song about him!  A calling I’d say. And my old man is looking down laughing.

Can you tell me a little about your father?  Was he a music lover as well?

My dad was never a professional musician but my mother told me he had a beautiful voice as a young man, and people would often ask him to sing in pubs and parties.

You are definitely a multi-talented individual with the ability to play acoustic guitar as well as spin house sets.  Which do you prefer over the other?  

I am a very lucky person that gets to experience the buzz of a dance floor move to a pumping bass line as well as sing with an acoustic guitar in a small folk club.  Both have amazing energies that I find complete polar opposites but have the same rewards!

When did you learn to play guitar?  Was it before or after you learned percussion?

I learned to play the guitar quite late, I was around 21. I had been playing percussion, but needed to learn a melodic instrument to craft the songwriting.

In your spare time you continue to guest DJ.  What is different these days about the club scene as opposed to yesteryear?  Are there things you miss about the overseas club scene?

I think with the way the internet is now, you can hear a brand new track played in Ibiza (Spain) and [in] Kansas on the same night!  Gone are those days of the kid in the middle of nowhere ordering a track from a record store 6 months after it was first heard in NYC.

Do you still communicate with any of the DJs from the past you once toured with such as Sasha or Paul Oakenfield?

Sometimes you see DJ’s/Musicians that you have worked with over the years, I have been going to Ibiza for many years and there is always a familiar face there.