Liverpool native Michael Nelson, better known as the award-winning artist Banners has released his new single, Perfectly Broken. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Nelson has clocked up over 1.5 billion global streams on his music to date, had a number of high-profile syncs, including the movie After, the trailer for Love, Victor, and his breakout single, Someone To You has had over one billion streams.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I once captured Benedict Cumberbatch when he was a First World War British soldier on a horse and I was a First World War German soldier (not on a horse). When I passed my driving test, I got a telegram from Coldplay asking if I wanted to drive their tour bus. Like an actual telegram that a fella delivers. I once got attacked by a ghost... next question.
Also, I can't eat feta cheese because once, when I was a kid, I ate some and then threw up on the Seacat ferry from Holyhead to Dublin in particularly rough seas. That's not necessarily a thing about me, it's just I've always thought Ireland was at least partly to blame and where better to air these grievances than here?!
How would you describe your music?
My first thought about it is that it's often too high for me to sing comfortably. When I write my songs it's like I'm having a competition with myself to ruin my own life. Like a form of self-flagellation for past sins or something. Someone in the writing session will say "can you hit that note?" and I'll say "absolutely, yes." But then they pop me on a stage 10 nights in a row or live television at 7am and suddenly I'm not quite as cocky.
I generally try to write music that'll make people feel a bit better about themselves. Music to make people's day a little bit better. Sometimes I think that anybody with a microphone has a responsibility to try to effect change for the better, especially in these particularly strange times. But there's far more eloquent social commentators out there than me and I think if I can make people a little bit happier or provide a distraction for a minute maybe that's just as important.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I love Guy Garvey's lyrics and melodies so much so I listen to Elbow absolutely loads. I really like Regina Spektor and Joanna Newsom, MGMT, David Bowie, The Beatles (obviously . . . come on), Pulp, Nick Drake, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley. I've got a tattoo of Jeff Buckley on my arm. Is that a bit try-hard? I think it probably is, isn't it?
My dad is a record producer so when I was little, I used to pop in to the studio to see him a fair bit and I just thought that the bands who were in there with him were the coolest people. The first band I remember meeting in the studio was Gomez and I remember just wanting to be like that. In your little gang making music.
What was the first gig you ever went to and the first record you ever bought/downloaded?
I think it was Coldplay . . . I think. Just after Parachutes had come out. So, they were still a band on a stage. Before all the flashing wristbands and fireworks and Gwyneth Paltrow and stuff. Echo and the Bunnymen were the support band.
Yes! I love this question because the first album I ever owned was Hunky Dory by David Bowie and I think that only happened because the cool guy gods knew I'd be asked that question in the future. The second was a Lightning Seeds best of. Lovely picture of Ian Broudie surfing along the river Mersey on the cover. Pure is a really good song.
What's your favourite song right now?
I've been listening to Maggie Rogers' new album a lot. There's a song on there called That's Where I Am that I can't get enough of.
Favourite lyric of all time?
There's a lyric in Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell - "And I need you more than want you and I want you for all time." Although you could probably pick any lyric from that song. The best lyrics are the most simple. So simple that they seem obvious or like they've always existed. Like trees or breathing. Like you can't imagine someone actually came up with it because you can't imagine a person inventing something so perfect.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
You'll Never Walk Alone because I'm a top scouser laaaaaaaaa! I imagine I'm on a desert island (or maybe some sort of iceberg so as not to infringe copyright?) so at least that'd remind me of home and all my family and stuff. Also, when you take out all the footy connotations it's a really beautiful thing. The string arrangement by George Martin is unreal. There's me trying desperately to sound like a musician.
Where can people find your music/more information?
You can find me on the good old internet, on Spotify and YouTube and all those things. My socials are bannersmusic if you want to see someone still really trying and failing to come to terms with the social media demands on . . . well anybody I suppose. Thanks for having me. Slán go fóill!
