INTERVIEW | NEW LONDON ARTIST JAMES O’HURLEY UNVIELS DEBUT SINGLE ‘EVIL’

“50% of it is probably real, 50% of it is probably fiction” – James O’Hurley

James O’Hurley’s debut single ‘Evil’ provides him with an enthralling entrance to the music scene. Recently, I got the chance to speak to the English singer-songwriter where we discussed this debut track, the next steps in his career, and the album he’d loved to have contributed to.

‘Evil’ itself is a short but sweet tune of just over 2 minutes in duration. When I asked James to describe the track in a couple of words, he used the words “fun, raw, emotion”. I think this description accurately depicts what you can expect to hear from the song. James’ voice is distinctive, with an innate ability to bring the words he’s singing to life. James said he “wanted it to sound really raw, rough” and that he “didn’t want it to be too overproduced”.

The track follows a more simple melody and will definitely captivate you with it’s catchy and repeated lyrics. “Well I’ve seen evil” is one of these repetitive notions, but one that summarises the song quite quickly. James mentioned that when he writes, “50% of it is probably real, 50% of it is probably fiction” and that he tends to “just put the two together”.

James’ debut track was written in one session along with another future tune, both from his upcoming debut album, set for release later this year. I was keen to know whether this spontaneous writing session was a theme for the rest of the album or if there was a particular process. James mentioned that the many of the upcoming tracks had “just come along really organically, really naturally”. James added that when he began “just picking up the guitar and writing songs again”, that he “just fell in love with it all”.

Musically, James O’Hurley’s work sits in an eclectic environment of influences. These include The Rolling Stones and many Liverpool based bands. He mentioned that ‘Evil’ and the other tracks are influenced by “a lot of stuff that I love”. James included that he loves “The Beatles, that kind of thing. I really love bands like the La’s”. Later on he added, “that Liverpool sound is really influential to me…it always has been”.

Along with a variety of musical influences, James O’Hurley has worked with a range of producers, each with an impressive portfolio of work. He said, “I’ve known Graham [Walker] for a long time…works a lot down at the Albion Rooms in Margate” before adding “it’s been great, he’s been a real help to me. He’s an amazing producer, he’s a really good friend”. James continued, “I played him some of the songs and he said ‘they’re great’, we should do something about them”.

I continued by asking if he thinks working with these producers has changed the recording process in any way. Graham Walker has previously worked with Pete Doherty from The Libertines. James responded by saying “yeah definitely, I’ve always loved The Libertines, always thought they were great”. He identified differences between their genres and styles, “I think what I do maybe is a little bit more acoustic-folk type sound”. He said he wanted a more “raw, catching the moment, just going with whatever suits the mood” feel. Adding onto this, he said “I think that’s the most important thing. I’m not really a big fan of over-producing”.

These influences, especially bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles can be heard in ‘Evil’. The blues-rock guitar style and James’ vibrant vocals give the track it’s raw and emotion-filled edge, as described by James himself. He also mentioned that the second single is expected to be “bigger sounding, a bit more of a bluesier rock sort of song” while adding that the feel of ‘Evil’ will “definitely be similar” to the rest of the record. However, he noted that “there’s a few songs on the album that fit the acoustic sound”.

I asked James what record he would have contributed to if he had the chance. He began by telling me about his family and how they have influenced his love for The Rolling Stones. I, myself, am a huge Rolling Stones fan so I was instantly intrigued. He told me that his “mum is from Dartford, and obviously Mick [Jagger] came from Dartford,” and added that his “nan actually used to work in a sweet shop that they used to come in and buy sweets from”. He continued to decide on the record he would have contributed on, “there’s just so many… I don’t even know where to begin” then ultimately concluded with “maybe Exile on Main St”.

With James, we discussed the addition of his upcoming album to his dynamic debut. He mentioned that he wanted the record to be made “so that playing it live, I can do it solo”. This sparked a chat about performing live shows. When I asked if he was looking to do this anytime soon, he stated “that’s been one of the things I’ve missed so much” before continuing with “I just want to get out and get on the road really, playing all over the country”. As a Scot, I was excited to hear that Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom was “a bit of a dream” for James. He said “it’s one of my bucket list things, I love Scotland anyway”. He also noted that there are places “that are on a, sort of, wishlist” like The Cavern, “I would love to play The Cavern to say I’ve done it”.

I loved this interview with James O’Hurley and thought it was a great chance to gain a valuable insight into his debut track ‘Evil’ before anyone else. I think the track is one so many people will love. It’s undeniably unique and it sets a strong foundation for James that I’m excited to see him build upon. The simplicity yet still detailed elements of ‘Evil’ make it a song that is easy listening but with a lot to unpack.