Tupelo Lime, is an American poet and musician who experiences life firsthand, influenced and inspired by the lives and communities of those along the way, each of whom helps define and shape Tupelo Lime’s journey.
We have had the pleasure of interviewing him and this has been the result.
Can you tell us a little about your experience? Where are you from and how did you get into music?
Tupelo Lime is an American poet and musician experiencing life first hand, influenced and inspired by the lives and communities of those met along the way each one helping to define and shape the Tupelo Lime journey. The decades of the 70’s and 80’s provided opportunities to absorb influences from the San Francisco punk scene, later to find solace in the Trinity Mountain region of California surrounded by the acoustic musical blends of Country, Folk and Blues. The purity of real music being made by real people became the pursuit and driving force for the musical tours throughout Europe and the UK. The wilted back roads of America and Europe, provided the backdrop for a romantic wanderer who has finally found a place on the dark Suffolk/Norfolk borderlands, using poetry and music to express the underlying emotions complementing the snapshots from global tales and adventures.
How is your sound evolving? What artists and genres do you enjoy mixing right now?
Tupelo Lime sound is classic Americana, and like that very broad nomenclature is constantly moving into different spheres. Influences currently are Todd Snider, Robert Earl Keen, Mexican rap/hip hop ( I know.. but …) Stephen Stills, the Rev. Gary Davis, Curtis Stiger and the Forest Rangers, Blind Willie Mctell, and always The Grateful Dead. Tom petty and Bob Dylan.
How do you feel that your music influences or impacts its listeners?
Tupelo Lime tracks have always been heavily lyric based. I hope that the story telling is showcasing the wonderful mosaic that his the history of the USA, both good and bad.
What projects are you working on right now? What can you tell us about your last project?
The EP “DUST”, released in 2021 was the last Tupelo Lime project. A solo acoustic and very unfiltered and raw sound that seemed suitable for a lockdown EP. An expanded Tupelo Lime band will release an EP in the late winter/ spring 2023
Has that sound changed a lot in recent years?
Over the last year or two the blues is creeping more into focus with Tupelo Lime songwriting, leading to a heavier alt-country sound. A bit more electric, a bit more influenced by the great country/ blues/ rock bands of the 1970’s and 80’s- The Band, The Travelling Wilburys, Manassas, the Byrds, Michael Nesmith And the like.
We all know that the digital revolution has affected sales, but do you think it has affected creativity?
No…. Songwriters and poets will always write, it is in our blood. Sales are almost irrelevant, live music is the heart of Tupelo Lime
Can you tell us about your present and future projects?
Currently in rehearsal, the Tupelo Lime band will begin live gigs in March 2023. Having toured Germany twice in 2022 . We plan on expanding that into Scandanvia and Eastern Europe over the next 18 months
Do you remember any album or concert that made you see everything in a different way?
I saw the Grateful Dead play a 7 hour gig.. that changed how I thought about live music
I heard Flipper play in SF in the early 80s- that changed what I thought about what was possible as a DIY musician
Since you got into this professionally, what has helped you grow the most, including believing in yourself?
The most elevating moment was when, in a live gig, the audience started singing back to us the chorus of Gravediggers’ Daughter. For a poet and a songwriter that is the most unimaginable feeling
How did you decide to embark on your project?
I am not sure there was ever a concrete decision. Things just happened…
How are you living in the music scene in your city with this cloudy pandemic situation?
The dark borderlands of Northern Suffolk are not known for having a music scene 🙂 but there are a lot of musicians living here- because it is cheap and studio space is cheap- so we connect with each other and keep each other going. A lot of them gave up, the rest of us just hunker down and drink beer and make music.
What are your favorite places to hang out in the city?
There are few places as raw as the Norfolk Broads on a foggy cold winters days to provide inspiration….
Have you had time to focus on making music, spending time with your family, or planning future projects?
I am very lucky in that my parter is an artist so she understands what it takes to be successful and has never once queried anything I need to do to keep on making music. I am also very lucky in that I have a wonderful PR person and a very cool artist support/ management company standing beside me on the journey and help me plan what the next day looks like
Do you have any final words of wisdom?
No…. 🙂
How would you present your work to someone who doesn’t know you?
Kris Kristofferson and Tom Petty meet Bob Dylan and Steve Earle on a dark and stormy night in the everglades
And your last project? Where did it come from? And where do you want to lead?
DUST came out of the lockdown. The reviews from that led to touring in Germany, Now the plan is to build on that with a larger band
What message would you like to convey to the public?
Value your small local venue, support I your local ndependent musicians. To quote J. Mitchell “ you don’t know what you got ‘till it’s gone”
How did your latest project come about?
Then new band came about because the three of us had been talking for a long time about working together, the influence we each had were very different , Jamie Scott on bass comes from a punk/ prog background, Marty Mayhem, the lead guitarist, comes from the school of hard rock and myself from the country blues scene… Makes for an interesting mix
What do you want to transmit in this work? What is the concept behind it?
Music is love
As for your studio, what is it currently made up of?
We are using the studio that Marty set up. It is on an industrial estate and is made up cool things to play with.
What is the one instrument you would never get rid of, no matter what?
My 2012 custom shop Gibson J45 Pure Voice
What was the last record store you visited? And what did you salvage from there?
Local used record shop.. A colored vinyl, pistol shaped copy of Take your Daughter to the Slaughter.
Do you have hope for the future of music? How would you like the future of the music industry to be?
I do not want the music industry to BE anything…. I would prefer it if it was not misogynistic. This is a boom time for DIY musicians, the opportunities to collaborate, build communities of fans and followers has never been so good.
Can you reveal some future projects?
A full on Country blues album..
What makes you happy?
Peace, love and music
What bothers you?
What,? Me? Bothered?
