‘First, last, and everything in between’ is an interview feature where upcoming artists talk about some of the favourite music from throughout their lives and how it’s influenced them.
Manchester singer-songwriter, The Late Freddie Price released his first singles in 2023, and has been steadily building a catalogue of 60’s psych pop/rock and country-tinged tunes. Subsequently working with drummer, Kane G Turner, to flesh out the sound; the duo have a slew of releases in store for 2024.
Ahead of the release of their latest single, Freddie joined us to talk his musical favourites and what inspires him.
First song you remember falling in love with?
Samba Pa Ti by Santana – When I was 8 my dad went to Amsterdam and came back with a dvd of the Woodstock festival from 1969. I watched Santana play Soul Sacrifice on that and got totally obsessed with them – I wanted to take acid, I wanted to play like Carlos Santana. So I gradually collected their early albums and Samba Pa Ti was so moving, it still is as well.
I think most people really start to form their musical ‘identity’ as teens. What music would best define your teenage years?
Metallica, Pantera, The Beatles, The Stones, D’Angelo, Tame Impala, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.
Your earlier releases were as a solo singer-songwriter, but Kane Turner has been involved for the latest releases. What’s the story behind that?
I write the songs at home but Kane and I work together on them once I’ve finished the demo. He suggests changes to the structure of the songs, he’s usually right. He helps me weed out the good ideas, not only does he play drums but also piano, so he’s added piano to a track recently.
The songs change during the process, they grow and shift, or I might rewrite the lyrics, and we both have to be happy with a mix for it to be ready for release. But I can often change my mind after that point which is something I have to deal with. The lyrics are a solo project and the music is ours.
And why did you use ‘The Late’ in the name?
It’s a morbid joke, and I’m often late. But some people seem to think there is no birth and no death so maybe it’s not a joke at all, maybe we are all dead already…
What’s your go-to sad song?
I Fall In Love Too Easily by Chet Baker.
Go-to banger?
Elephants by Them Crooked Vultures.
Who/what are some of the key influences on your music?
I’ve recently come round to the idea that everything I see, hear, read, feel or experience filters through into my subconscious and any of it might come out at any time. At the moment I’m reading Essays on Zen Buddhism by DT Suzuki, which has taught me a bit about how everything I need to be who I am meant to be is already in me. This is helping me to stop second-guessing my ideas, and to be free to express myself with less judgement.
I’ve also been reading The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, which a friend who works at Waterstones kindly bought for me. That has taught me a lot so far about the process of creating, and it’s meant I’ve been letting songs change into something I didn’t expect over the process of writing them. He distinguishes between an artist and a craftsman; the craftsman has an idea and executes it exactly as he first imagines it, whereas the artist goes on a journey with the idea and lets it become something that is also new to him. It is more dangerous but as a way of life it’s more exciting, in my opinion.
Your guilty pleasure?
Girl by Destiny’s Child.
What’s next for The Late Freddie Price?
Releasing The Rollercoaster on 5/1/24. Releasing our next single on 19/1/24. And every two weeks after that. Gigs in February which will be announced very soon. And continuing to release every fortnight, but as part of a larger project called Colours of Love and Hope, which will be formally announced soon and will commence in February.
Finally. What’s the last song you fell in love with?
The Rollercoaster by The Late Freddie Price.
Freddie’s latest single, The Rollercoaster, is out now. You can listen via the links below.
And you can follow Freddie on Instagram to keep up with all his latest news and releases.
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