Alex Hedley was one half of Swanage band Saturday Sun who released only one album ‘Orixé’ back in 2014 (Viva La Fleetwood Recordings) yet achieved in their short life many enviable accolades. They supported Sigur Rós at Eden Project, shared a main stage with Ben Howard, Jack Johnson and Spiritualised at Somersault Festival, and toured Europe numerous times; won Radio 1’s ‘Battle of the Bands’, and had an album track ‘Seagull’ go viral, with over 8 million plays to date on Spotify alone.
Following the disbandment of Saturday Sun, Alex has been touring extensively, playing headline shows across Europe – including a slot at Arctangent festival as guest vocalist with Nordic Giants and a support gig in Holland with The Young Fol. Now Alex is set to release new solo ‘This Life’ EP on 26 January via Cyber Nomad Records, preceded by the haunting single ‘Let It Roll On’ on 1 December. Both available digitally. We caught up with him for our 20 Questions:
Where are you and what’s the weather like?
Swanage, Dorset, weather is pretty grey at the mo.
What’s your favourite record in the charts?
I don’t follow the charts so I’m not sure. If Rage Against The Machine are doing that Christmas thing again then I’m sure it will be that I would’ve thought.
What are your favourite films?
The Shining, The Prestige, About A Boy.
What is your favourite book?
Clockwork Orange, The Galactic Pot Healer… that’s two but I couldn’t decide.
What are your favourite TV programmes?
Planet Earth, Blue Planet type things.
What was the first record you bought and where did you buy it from?
I think it was a tape of Jamiroquai someone got me for Christmas a long time ago.
Do you believe in God?
Not sure. I think I do in a way but probably not in the way most people Do.
Which football team do you support?
I don’t do football really but when I was younger Newcastle United for some reason.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, a dog named Willow.
Who would you want to play you in the film of your life?
Willow.
Vinyl, CD, Download or stream?
I like them all. They all do their job well!
Tell us about your latest record?
It’s an EP about me and where I’m from, trying to paint the pictures of my surroundings through sound.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
Neil Young, Tallest Man On Earth, Nick Drake, John Martyn. I would love to hear that.
When was the last time you cried
Ooh not sure. Probably when my last dog dies like three or so years ago.
What’s the best cover version you have ever heard?
I quite like Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana.
What’s the strangest thing that has ever happened at one of your own gigs?
I kept having to go offstage to be sick and then coming back on. like four times throughout a set was quite a weird one
Have you ever been starstruck?
I met Thom Yorke once and then I was, but he was in quite a bad mood and didn’t seem to like me very much. It probably didn’t help that I was wasted at the time!
What is your culinary speciality?
Risotto
The Royal Family: should they stay or should they go?
They can stay as long as they stop using stupid amounts of money on crap when there’s lots of people that need it
If you could change one law, what would it be?
The whole noise complaint thing is really irritating and I think there should be a rule that people aren’t allowed to complain if they live in an area of town where there will be venues etc.
