Continuing our coverage of September’s Featured Act Ed Tulllett, Tiffany Daniels speaks to the 17-year-old singer-songwriter about his recording techniques, aspirations and Bon Iver.
What was the first instrument you started to play on?
I started to play electric guitar when I was eleven.
When did the other instruments come into it? You play quite a few now, don’t you?
I think I bought my first acoustic [guitar] when I was thirteen. I still play electric. I was in various bands before I started to do my own stuff because now I’ve got full creative control over what I do.
What inspires you to write music?
I just love listening to music. Writing lyrics has been a release for me. It’s hard to say, it’s just something that I’ve always done.
When I got my acoustic guitar I started to write [material]; some of the stuff was so rubbish, but the new stuff I’m really pleased with and the release which I’m planning for later on in the year is by far the best [of what] I’ve done. I’m going to probably hide all my old [songs]! For example I’m going to get a physical copy of this release ready, which I’ve never had the inclination to do before. I really am behind this new material.
Ed Tullett for God Is in the TV by drunkenwerewolf
Your debut came out earlier on in the year…
I write so much, [and] because I do all my recording in my bedroom […] that means I can release loads of stuff. My first proper release was in February of this year, and then To Transfigure and Solve was released in July. Those two… My new stuff is a lot better, and in my opinion this will be my first proper, proper release, but I have released a few things online.
Were the songs on those two digital releases tried and tested, or do you write and then record almost immediately?
That happens sometimes. My lyric writing has come on so much recently and I think all the new stuff has been written in the last month or so, apart from one or maybe two [songs] that I’ve had for a while. I do like to write and record it when I can, but only because I like to get stuff down and hear it played back to me.
Do you think your writing has improved with age? Has that got anything to do with your progression, or is it just musical inclination?
Yeah I think my writing’s getting a lot more mature, especially lyrically. I mean I have new recording techniques that I’ve learned with trying out various different mics which makes [the recording] sound more natural. It’s a combination of things really.
Do you work with many people, if you were in bands but record a lot of your music at home?
All of the production is me by myself. In terms of people helping me, Ffion Atkinson has done a lot of artwork for me. She runs a photography website which we’re getting all of our [artwork] submissions from, which is quite cool. She’s got a lovely voice… Other than that I’ve had a guest vocalist or two, but it’s [usually] completely me in my bedroom.
Is art work something you involve yourself with personally or is it not really your forte?
I’ve never been able to draw really and I have camera but I’m not amazing at it. All of the other [releases] that I’ve [put out] I’ve helped with the design, but […] in terms of actually taking pictures it’s not my kind of thing.
Going back to musical collaborations, who would you ideally like to work with in the future?
The main person who I’ve taken influence from is Justin Vernon and his projects like Bon Iver or anything he touches really!
