Ali Ingle is a Liverpool based musician who likes to use his cheeky scouse charm to ensure he's everyone's best mate, we caught up with Ali on the Royal Albert Docks for a walk and a chat, we ended up in the Beatles museum having a good look at the exhibits and reading the fascinating Beatles story. After a couple of hours learning about the 'Fab Four', we decamped to the coffee shop to indulge in a pot of earl Grey and a slab of carrot cake, we chatted about social media, Jeff Buckley and Colonel Sanders' secret recipe, here's how we got on....
Please introduce yourself and your music in one sentence....
Hello, my name is Ali Ingle and I create honest music for a generation of dreamers.
Liverpool has always produced some amazing musicians, why do you think this is?
I don’t know, maybe something in the water ? It could have something to do with the outlook of the people. The scouse charm and wit ? or maybe even it's a city of grafters. Music is something you have to really work at so who better to do it than a working class city.
How has social media aided your music and what have organisations such as Tilt Shift done to help you and what does that mean to you especially as they are a non-profit organisation?
Well as a musician I need social media to get myself heard. It is easily the most obvious promotional tool for any band or artist around today. It helps you to reach people all over the world in seconds so I consider it a very powerful weapon in any musicians arsenal. And when it comes to non for profit organisations whats not to like ? passionate people working hard to help you out. The world should be filled with them.
What three words best describe you as a musician?
Everybody’s Best Mate
Is there a lyric that when you first heard it sent chills and the mind racing?
“Sometimes a man must awake to find that really he has no one” - Lover You Should’ve Come Over - Jeff Buckley
Would you rather live with a dog that sings lullabies or a gorilla that can do sign language? Explain your answer
Sign language gorilla. The dog would get really annoying really quickly. Plus I hate dogs, they are just so pointless and you have to pick up their shit. Why would anyone want to pick up dog shit every day ? Also the gorilla would be the coolest companion to take everywhere with you. I think people would be well more impressed with my super intelligent gorilla that can basically talk over a dog that can vaguely bark twinkle twinkle
In your opinion, what is the BEST album/record ever released and why?
I always say GRACE by Jeff Buckley but then there have been some amazing albums I’ve heard in the last couple of years. Shallow Bed by Dry The River has got to be up there. There aren't many albums I'd play all the way through but that is certainly one of them.
Tell me a fascinating fact about you?
I used to have webbed toes until I was 16. I was amazing at swimming too but a doctor advised me to get them cut so I did.
Who designed the artwork for your EP ‘A Life Unlike Yours’?
I did. I got my Step Dad Dave Turley to take the picture and the rest was history. I think I can be a nightmare to work with. I have such strong specific ideas in mind for things. But I love creating things, music is just half of it.
Have you had any ‘Spinal Tap’ Moments? If yes, please share!
Aha not really to be honest. Although for my last gig i had a 10 ft robot with laser eyes built to stand over me. That's got an essence of Spinal Tap I’d say. Maybe it would have been better if the robot had been made ten inches tall ?
What classic song would you have liked to have recorded and why?
"Don’t think twice its alright" by Bob Dylan. I think its the most perfect break up song and I'd love to have created that little beauty.
You make all your own music videos, have you made videos for anyone else?
Yeh I’ve made a few now. It’s something I really love doing so I started up a bit of productions company to keep me busy when I’m not doing music. But being an artist myself I know how fussy people can be, luckily I haven’t worked with any nightmare people yet. Everyone's been pretty sound and we’ve made some pretty cool stuff. My own videos will always be the most important though.
Where did you record ‘A Life Unlike Yours’? What made you choose that studio?
It was recorded in Parr Street Studios in Liverpool by my good friends Rich Turvey and Tom Longworth. I have been working with these guys for a fair few years now and they have not only become members in the band but also dear friends. I always love what they do and if it's not broke why fix it ?
‘The Locker’ is a mesmerising track, what made you write this track and are you aware of how people feel after listening to your music?
Thank you that's a really nice thing to say ! Like most songs it just kind of happened. A pent up frustration of past loves or break ups I guess. It is a break up song, I just wanted a way of saying ‘get the f**k out’ without offending anyone. So then I thought of those old tv cop shows where some Maverick cop would get fired and they would always say ‘Clear out your locker’. It's amazing when people can relate to the songs and really listen to the lyrics. That's why social media is great. I can get feedback in minutes!
Name three people (alive, dead or fictional) that you would like as party guests?
Salvador Dali, Audrey Hepburn and Neil Armstrong. The eccentric artist, the beauty, and the rocket man.
There are many good bands and musicians out there, who would you ask the readers of Musicmuso to look out for?
Well I’m always genuinely surprised by how many people still haven’t heard of ‘Dry The River’, but there's some cracking talent that I am lucky enough to work with and call friends. One of me bests is ‘Yarbo’. He’s almost as good as me. And then there's an amazing female singer called ‘Maud The Moth’ who I watched in Spain recently. She blew me away.
If you could describe your music in the form of a fictional character, who would it be?
Moe Szylak from The Simpsons! It's misunderstood, sometimes ugly, sometimes moody, with an underlying charm and wit.
Do you think we can ever live in a world where a chicken can cross the road without having its motives questioned?
If the chicken was deep fried with the Colonel's secret blend of herbs and spices then there would be no questions from me!
What are your plans for the remainder of 2014?
Well I have gigs up and down the UK and am off to Germany, and I’ll be releasing some new music before the year is over. Some exciting videos coming up too.
The carrot cake was nice but all this talk about deep fried chicken was making us hungrier than ever, we bought a couple of postcards from the Beatles store and left in search of a well known high street chicken emporium, on the way, I quizzed Ali with a few quickfire questions....
Coffee or Tea?
Tea
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke
Drum machine or the real deal?
Machine
Mac or PC?
Mac
Fry up or Sunday roast
Fry up !!!!
Lemmy (Motorhead) or Ozzy (Black Sabbath)?
Ozzy
CD or Vinyl?
CD
Monopoly or Cluedo?
Monopoly
Car or Motorbike?
Car
Acoustic or electric?
Electric
Tim Minchen or Josh Homme?
Tim Minchen
Shower or Bath?
Bath
Tattoos or Piercings?
Tattoos
Robert de Niro or Al Pacino?
Robert de Niro
God or Google?
SOCIAL MEDIA
We'd like to thank Ali for sparing his time to answer our questions, we wish him every success in the future and we look forward to catching up with him for a beer when he comes to Exeter or Plymouth on his UK tour (hint hint!!)....
Interview by Mark Wincott