01Profile
A Micko Westmoreland Photo
Micko Westmoreland
Singer/Guitarist — London
03Interview
What is your name?
Micko Westmoreland
Where are you from?
Leeds originally - Kentish Town in London now.
What do you do?
Sing, play guitar, paper & comb.
Describe your style in three words?
1965 meets 1980.
How should your music be listened to?
It can be listened to in any place, in any way and through any stereo . When your music goes out into the world, it ceases to be exclusively yours, so you can’t be too precious about that stuff. Other people start to form associations and attachments like love or hate it. In an ideal world people would pay attention to it though. I wouldn’t like my stuff to become elevator music, but then that would depend on which decade or century it’s being played in and who’s in the elevator...
What do you miss about home when you’re on tour?
My knitted monkey, he’s too old to travel now.
What British music icons inspire your sound today?
Pete Townsend, Johnny Marr & Brian Eno (in their heydays).
Micko Westmoreland is known for his acting as well as his music with film credits including 1998's 'Velvet Goldmine'. His recent album 'Yours etc ABC' featured contributions from notable musicians including Mickey Gallagher from The Blockheads, Mark Bedford from Madness, Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey, Tony Visconti’s Holy Holy) and Phil Wilkinson (Jake Bugg) on drums. His new 'Remixes' album features tracks reworked by himself alongside remixers including Luke Vibert and Mike Paradinas.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
What was the first song you played on repeat?
'Monster Mash' - Bobby Pickett when I was about five.
A song from your favourite album?
'Guiding Light' by Television from Marquee Moon.
One of the best guitar albums of all time. Supposedly the band rehearsed intensively prior to recording so a number of the tracks are complete takes.
That’s one good approach, but for me the chord progressions and the overall composition are the things that have really made the record stand the test of time. I’m more than happy to keep side flipping and let the record draw me into the night (see playlist for more Television).
Song you wish you had written?
'Days' by The Kinks.
I went to see the theatrical Kinks show ‘Sunday Afternoon’ in the West End. The cast did an a cappella version of the song which really showed the beauty of the melody.
Anything written by Bob Dylan. George Harrison famously said that there’s more going on in one Dylan song than in most band’s careers. Ha!
'Trans Europe Express' by Kraftwerk
Simply because this track had such a strong influence on so many music genres. It even invented a couple. I have always found Kraftwerk’s conceptualisation fascinating. Their nostalgia for past visions of the future, just lovely. My first two albums were electronic and part of the new ‘Remixes’ album traces that era, I’m still really interested in technology and how it can colour and shape sounds.
A lyric that has inspired you?
‘Because you want to have your price
and something you could hold your faith up to
I don’t know how to tell you this
but you’ve got it coming all the way to you’
'Rhythm of Cruelty' by Howard Devoto (see playlist for more Magazine)
Howard Devoto’s lyrics are a common point of reference for me, they are multi dimensional whilst being poetic at the same time.
Often complex but also stunning simple at times. Good lyrics became a major inspiration for me, it encouraged transition in the music I make to a more song based format.
Every time you pick up a pen to write you feel a sense of responsibility, to try your best to uncover something new, to turn something around or upside down.
New bands you are listening to now, and why?
Don’t... I’m strictly records and tapes. I don’t keep music on the computer, it can all become a bit too convenient. Went to see Sleaford Mods at back end of last year though, they were great!
Some Velvet Morning - Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra
One of the most original studio productions of all time. The severe intercutting towards the end begs belief, sounds like it was recorded in two separate studios at different tempos - Genius!
Requiem Pour un C... - Serge Gainsborough
Serge demonstrates his versatility by reminding us that pure groove is more than good enough and sometimes all you need.
Oscillations - Silver Apples
Pagan abstractions, with notions of ritual and ceremony - ‘Electronic evocations"
Jackie' - Scott Walker
I love Scott Walker’s cover of Jacques Brel’s song. The instrumentation here reminds of wig wearing, thigh slapping Musketeers galloping towards the nearest inn.
Boris the Spider - The Who
One written by the Ox, John Entwistle. A necessary reminder to all musicians to not take the job too seriously.
03Interview
What is your name?
Micko Westmoreland
Where are you from?
Leeds originally - Kentish Town in London now.
What do you do?
Sing, play guitar, paper & comb.
Describe your style in three words?
1965 meets 1980.
How should your music be listened to?
It can be listened to in any place, in any way and through any stereo . When your music goes out into the world, it ceases to be exclusively yours, so you can’t be too precious about that stuff. Other people start to form associations and attachments like love or hate it. In an ideal world people would pay attention to it though. I wouldn’t like my stuff to become elevator music, but then that would depend on which decade or century it’s being played in and who’s in the elevator...
What do you miss about home when you’re on tour?
My knitted monkey, he’s too old to travel now.
What British music icons inspire your sound today?
Pete Townsend, Johnny Marr & Brian Eno (in their heydays).
Micko Westmoreland is known for his acting as well as his music with film credits including 1998's 'Velvet Goldmine'. His recent album 'Yours etc ABC' featured contributions from notable musicians including Mickey Gallagher from The Blockheads, Mark Bedford from Madness, Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey, Tony Visconti’s Holy Holy) and Phil Wilkinson (Jake Bugg) on drums. His new 'Remixes' album features tracks reworked by himself alongside remixers including Luke Vibert and Mike Paradinas.
04Playlist Notes
What was the first song you played on repeat?
'Monster Mash' - Bobby Pickett when I was about five.
A song from your favourite album?
'Guiding Light' by Television from Marquee Moon.
One of the best guitar albums of all time. Supposedly the band rehearsed intensively prior to recording so a number of the tracks are complete takes.
That’s one good approach, but for me the chord progressions and the overall composition are the things that have really made the record stand the test of time. I’m more than happy to keep side flipping and let the record draw me into the night (see playlist for more Television).
Song you wish you had written?
'Days' by The Kinks.
I went to see the theatrical Kinks show ‘Sunday Afternoon’ in the West End. The cast did an a cappella version of the song which really showed the beauty of the melody.
Anything written by Bob Dylan. George Harrison famously said that there’s more going on in one Dylan song than in most band’s careers. Ha!
'Trans Europe Express' by Kraftwerk
Simply because this track had such a strong influence on so many music genres. It even invented a couple. I have always found Kraftwerk’s conceptualisation fascinating. Their nostalgia for past visions of the future, just lovely. My first two albums were electronic and part of the new ‘Remixes’ album traces that era, I’m still really interested in technology and how it can colour and shape sounds.
A lyric that has inspired you?
‘Because you want to have your price
and something you could hold your faith up to
I don’t know how to tell you this
but you’ve got it coming all the way to you’
'Rhythm of Cruelty' by Howard Devoto (see playlist for more Magazine)
Howard Devoto’s lyrics are a common point of reference for me, they are multi dimensional whilst being poetic at the same time.
Often complex but also stunning simple at times. Good lyrics became a major inspiration for me, it encouraged transition in the music I make to a more song based format.
Every time you pick up a pen to write you feel a sense of responsibility, to try your best to uncover something new, to turn something around or upside down.
New bands you are listening to now, and why?
Don’t... I’m strictly records and tapes. I don’t keep music on the computer, it can all become a bit too convenient. Went to see Sleaford Mods at back end of last year though, they were great!
Some Velvet Morning - Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra
One of the most original studio productions of all time. The severe intercutting towards the end begs belief, sounds like it was recorded in two separate studios at different tempos - Genius!
Requiem Pour un C... - Serge Gainsborough
Serge demonstrates his versatility by reminding us that pure groove is more than good enough and sometimes all you need.
Oscillations - Silver Apples
Pagan abstractions, with notions of ritual and ceremony - ‘Electronic evocations"
Jackie' - Scott Walker
I love Scott Walker’s cover of Jacques Brel’s song. The instrumentation here reminds of wig wearing, thigh slapping Musketeers galloping towards the nearest inn.
Boris the Spider - The Who
One written by the Ox, John Entwistle. A necessary reminder to all musicians to not take the job too seriously.