What makes Tenterhook a particularly pleasing musical find is not just his flawless falsetto, enchanting delivery and gentle building melodies but his simple love of sharing real stories that come from the heart. His new single ‘What I Like’ is the perfect example of this, tender with immaculate poise and awash in gorgeous melody, it makes it near impossible to not like what you hear. ‘What I Like’ will be released on 8th June, via Cartoon Records.
I caught up with the brains behind Tenterhook, Archie Faulks, to chat about his new single, the Communion New Faces tour and the future for Tenterhook.
You joined Frances, Charlotte OC and Freddie Dickson on the Communion New Faces tour this year, that’s the class of 2015 right there. How has it been touring the UK with all these incredible artists day after day?
Had a really wicked time. Everyone is cool and mega talented; have really enjoyed picking their brains about what makes them tick musically etc.
When you’re out on tour, do you always make time to go sight-seeing? Are there any places you’ve been to while out on tour that have really stood out to you?
I do my best to have a wonder around the town and get my bearings; its been so sunny throughout this tour that I have ended up sitting in parks most of the time. On this tour I really enjoyed Liverpool; really cool town and lots of stuff going on.
You’ve been playing to sold-out crowds a lot recently, how does it feel when you see that many faces in a crowd and they’re all there for you?
It’s always a bit of a surreal feeling, but I just try and go with it and not think too much. The fact that people are listening and connecting with my songs is special and I hope it continues.
You’ve accumulated a lot of love in a short space of time from the lovely people at BBC Radio and XFM, among others. Have you caught your music on the radio yet? If so, how does it feel?
I was in the van on the way to my first gig in St Albans listening to XFM and ‘Stereo’ came on. Obviously it’s a really great feeling and definitely made me feel a lot cooler but again I try not to think about these things and just get on with it.
You’re playing a fair few festivals this summer including Live at Leeds and The Great Escape, are you much of a festival goer yourself?
Yeah I love festivals, I go to Wilderness festival most years and have been to Reading and a couple of other smaller ones. Still holding out on Glastonbury as I hope my first experience of it will be on one of the stages!
When did music really become the passion for you? When did you first pick up the guitar or the pen even?
I started playing clarinet aged 7 and since then have been in various bands, choirs and orchestras so it just became a staple in my life. Since I started playing I have always written music and I used to busk all day on my clarinet making up songs. I picked up the guitar for the soul purpose of writing songs. So yeah, I would say my passion began when I started creating my own music.
What’s your songwriting process like? Are all your songs incredibly personal? Or are they inspired by people you know or maybe the world around you?
I don’t really have a set process; the beauty of writing is that an idea can come from anything! I have to make every song personal to me without doubt, I can’t play live unless I have an image of someone or something in my head as I sing otherwise I feel like a bit of an emotional manipulator, haha.
Which song of yours was the easiest to write and which one took the longest to write?
My new single ‘What I Like’ I wrote in 2 hours and just seemed to flow out of me whereas ‘London Heart’ ended up taking around a month to finish.
Looking forward in your career, how do you see yourself progressing as an artist?
My aim is to just keep learning and bettering myself; if that results in mainstream success that would be cool but on the whole just want to keep making music that i love and enjoying myself in the process.
In honour of your new single ‘What I Like’ I thought a little fun fact round about some of the things you like is necessary….
Favourite food: Pad Thai
Favourite album of 2015: Bjork- Vulnicura
Favourite song of 2015: Nick Jonas- Jealous
Favourite song lyric: “I know I’ve been a liar and I know I’ve been a fool. I hope we didn’t break yet, but I’m glad we broke the rules my cave is deep now, yet your light is shining through I cover my eyes and all I see is you.” (Damien Rice – ‘The Animals Were Gone’)
Favourite live band: Foals
Favourite tour memory: Playing to a sold out crowd on my birthday at Kesselhaus in Berlin supporting Asgeir
Tenterhook will be playing the following shows at The Great Escape this weekend:
