Music Q&A: Kyle Falconer

What informs your music and songwriting?
Drama! Being pissed off at the world. Loving the world. Appreciating what I have. Hating what has been. Then coming to terms with it. Love. I’m a big lover of chords, I hear a chord in my head and then suddenly I have a full song over it. It’s already written before I’ve even touched the guitar or piano. It baffles me sometimes and don’t understand how it works, I just let the wheels turn and appreciate it.

How have you evolved as an artist over the years?
When I was younger a 7th chord is the furthest I would ever venture away from a major or a minor. But now I realise that I make up the feeling in the song. The chord doesn’t direct me; I direct the song. Sounds mental. But it’s taken me a long time to realise that. I think you have to go through hardship to write something that’s really meaningful and over the years I have been through enough and learnt enough to get me to where I am now with this album. I started really young as an artist. I sometimes look back and think I was in it for the wrong reasons – women, drugs, alcohol – although I love all my work I have done and would never change it. It’s got me to where I am today.

What are you up to at the moment artistically?
I’ve just released my first solo album, which I recorded at Paul Weller’s Blackbarn studio in Surrey. Just done an arena tour with Liam Gallagher, which was class! I’m just away to do my debut solo tour with full band for the new album. Touring my arse off until my bones are dry, which is the way I like it!

What’s on your rider?
Coco Pops, fags, beer – nae liquor, times they are a changing – socks and sannies.

What song do you wish you’d written?
I Can’t Make You Love Me, Bonnie Rait.

What’s your worst lyric?
“We are the cheeky girls, you are the cheeky boys, we are the cheeky girls, you are the cheeky boys. Cheeky cheeky.” Shite.