Some of the comments made by the BBC's Tom Robinson about this young Manchester based singer songwriter are;
"My favourite artist of the week"
"A true rock’n'roll poet"
"John Peel would have loved this"
We caught up with Rory at a Stockport Arts Centre where he had just signed up for a class of 'Gangnam Style' dance lessons by Psy's lesser known cousin Joo-Wun.
Before the lessons kicked off, we shared a packet of Jaffa Cakes and chatted to him about chickens, bedrooms and Willie Nelson, here's how we got on....
Please introduce yourself and your music in one sentence....
I’m a 14 year old Indie Punk Rock Singer Songwriter from Stockport in Manchester.
Being an unsigned artist how hard is it to get noticed?
It’s quite hard but if you are determined enough then you can do it you just have to keep going and pestering. Well that’s what I’m told anyway.
How has social media aided your music?
It's been a huge help. I think it’s amazing that you can reach millions of people however social media does also help other musicians that aren’t all that good e.g. that Gangnam Style got to number 1 because people thought the video was funny and ten the song was stuck in their heads but I digress. I think social media is a great tool.
‘The One Before The Next One’ is your latest album where did you record this and what made you choose that studio?
My Bedroom, because it’s quietest room in the house. When I’m not playing.
How and when did you decide that you wanted to be in a band/performer?
I don’t think there was really one moment but now I think about it it’s the only thing I really could see myself doing, and enjoying, in the future. I guess it was just a gradual realisation that it’s the thing I’m best at and it’s the thing I most enjoy doing so it’s what I want to do.
Which act/band made you want to get involved in music?
Again I don’t think it was one band. The band who inspired me to start recording were ‘Onions’ I remember we had the drummer Mr Vaughton for Religious Education one time when our teacher was ill and at the very end of the lesson he put one of their songs on ‘An IE or a Y’ and I heard him talking to someone and saying we recorded all our record (‘Pleasure Blast’) on a dying laptop with a few mics and leads in a flat. And I think that inspired me to do it.
In your opinion, what is the BEST album/record ever released?
The best, I think it’s got to be ‘The Very Best of The Stone Roses’. If I were to pick a song, I really like Patsy Cline’s version of Willie Nelson ‘Crazy’ I think that it's timeless and will be loved forever and ever.
‘Post Party Confusion’ is your latest single, what is the inspiration behind this?
I’ve never really been to the kind of party that is implied in the song so I thought it’’d be cool to write about what I thought it’d be like based on stories I’ve heard and on what you see on the television etc.
If you had a chance to put together your own ‘super group’, who would be in it?
On drums – Dave Grohl, Bass – Paul McCartney, Lead Guitar – Slash, Rhythm Guitar – Alex Turner, Lead Vocals – Eddie Vedder or Kurt Cobain. I think that would be … Interesting.
Tom Robinson has called you a true rock n roll poet, how does that make you feel?
Very special, that’s quite a big thing to live up to though. I have a long way to go (I think) lyrically until I become a ‘True Rock n Roll poet’
Do you own a record that you wouldn’t like to admit you have?
I got a B.O.B. record for my birthday once that I’ve listened to once. I also bought a Tina Turner record by accident.
What classic song would you have liked to have recorded and why?
I don’t think I could pick one, there are a few Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Beatles, Slash, Arctic Monkeys and many more riffs and songs that I wish I’d created in my mind but if theres one song I wish I recorded it’d probably be… Alive – Pearl Jam.
First gig you ever went to?
Jake Bugg, Manchester Apollo.
Name three people (alive, dead or fictional) that you would like as party guests?
Mad Hatter, Basil Fawlty, Rowan Atkinson.
There are many good bands and musicians out there, who would you ask the readers of musicmuso to look out for?
There are two I’d really recommend: Onions and VOY EUR. There are a few more that I would say but those two are my favourite unsigned bands about at the minute.
If you could describe your music in the form of a fictional character, who would it be?
Tough one, I’d say the kind of music I aim to write and that I’m writing now is kind of Mad Hatter/Basil Fawlty perhaps I don’t know why, I’m trying to write slightly Mad/Crazy music (Mad Hatter) with cynical/sarcastic lyrics (Basil Fawlty) that’s a good question though, never thought about it before.
Do you think we can ever live in a world where a chicken can cross the road without having its motives questioned?
Never, I think there are some characteristics in man that will be passed down from generation to generation until the end of time hopefully and questioning a chickens motives for crossing a road is definitely one of them.
What are your plans for the remainder of 2014?
I don’t really have that many. I hope to get gigging soon, then after that, release the record. And keep improving!
We were both struggling to master the dance moves to this uber annoying earworm of a song, we threw in the towel and decided to go share a chocolate milkshake, in-between slurps, we threw in a few quick fire questions....
Coffee or Tea? Tea, my favourite drink
Coke or Pepsi? Coke
Drum machine or the real deal? The Real Deal
Mac or PC? PC
Fry up or Sunday roast? Both
Lemmy (Motorhead) or Ozzy (Black Sabbath)? Lemmy
CD or Vinyl? Vinyl
Car or Motorbike? Car
Acoustic or electric? Electric
Shower or Bath? Shower
Tattoos or Piercings? Tattoos
Robert de Niro or Al Pacino? Robert De Niro
Oasis or Blur? Oasis of course
We would like to thank Rory for taking time out to answer our questions and we wish him every success in the future and look forward to posting newsworthy items as and when received from his press agent.