Sean Jeffery is a man of variety.  From impressing a crowd with well known and perhaps unexpected covers, to writing his own impeccably written songs, he is a recognisable presence in the Worcester

music scene.  Gigging regularly in several different venues, Sean offers something everyone will enjoy – good tunes, skilful musical talent and a repertoire wide enough to be wrapped around the city.

 

 

1.Thinking back to the beginning of your time as a musician, how did you start out finding your sound and developing your projects?

 

Sometime in the 1980s, a friend had a Yamaha keyboard and I started playing simple lead lines and it was obvious I could play by ear. I got my first synth just afterwards, started writing lyrics

and melodies, filled out with arpeggios and chords. My mum's then partner gave me a reel to reel recorder and an ancient mic, and I started recording tracks, multilayering stuff (but only so far before the tape degraded!); "College boy lyrics", as my friend

called them! I wrote a twee song about climate change called "Acceptance", for example... Fast-forward to the late 90s and I joined a heavy rock band as vocalist, wrote some lyrics and melodies, which brings me to picking up a guitar and teaching myself at

32. I always go with the rule of: if it works on acoustic guitar and one vocal, it's a strong enough song.]

 

2.You perform a very wide variety of songs, providing something for everybody. Which songs are your personal favourites to cover?

 

I like really going for it vocally on my cover of Rag n Bone Man's "Human". It's so different to the pop rock I usually play (although it does end up as more of a guitar rock track). Once in

a while I like to sneak Rush's "The Analog Kid" (my favourite song by my favourite band) into an acoustic set, but it's not really a party song!

 

3.Not only do you perform this massive range of covers, but you also write your own material. Your song ‘Echo Chamber’ has a very chilled out vibe with very well written and meaningful lyrics.

What are the influences for your own material?

 

I'm hugely influenced by the lyrics of Neil Peart and the music of Rush. Michael Stipe writes lyrics that are outside the run-of-the-mill, and I love the sound REM always make to go with his

words. Early Muse had a lot more emotional quality to them to match their songs, and Matt Bellamy doesn't take the obvious route lyrically. I'm a bit of a geek so I'm always trying to sneak in science references whenever I can. I try to write lyrics that are

a cut above the usual love song type thing but ironically, I sometimes end up back there anyway! But I write material I guess inspired by artists I like but influenced more by my geek-like thirst for knowledge! Quantum physics might be a tough one to put across

in a track, mind you...

 

4. You are actually available for bookings for events, such as weddings and parties. What do you love most about playing private events for people?

 

If the client tells me honestly that I've contributed to their day. It sounds a bit trite, but it's true - more important for their wedding day, of course. I wouldn't want to put a dampener on

that by being - how can I put it - unsuitable for their special event.

 

5.Finally, what can Worcestershire expect from Sean Jeffery in the near future?

 

Finally getting round to getting that album finished. And more originals gigs! Maybe even getting the band (Hitchhiker) back together...

 

Sean Jeffery will be bringing his skill to The Unicorn in Malvern on August 24th, and will be in Worcester at The Imperial Tavern on September 15th for Worcester Music Festival.

If you would like to find out more, visit https://www.facebook.com/seanjefferysongwriter/