Myspace Magic: Christopher Young

"It took a tatooed girl from Birkenhead to really, really open my eyes." Well, actually no, it didn't but Moz's line sprung to mind before getting in touch with the final Myspace Magic artist of 2009 and the comparisons have only just begun; Christopher Young is a complex piece of work but there is certainly a heap of quality in this man's soul. Here's what NME-E found out:

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
CY: My name is Christopher Young, I decided to start playing out of necessity rather than choice. I picked up a guitar several years ago initially with the end aim of getting it to sound like a guitar. I'm self taught and prefer to play according to feel, rather than to delve through vast textbooks deciphering the names of chords and which ones are supposed to be friends with others, etc. This is possibly down to my laziness and generally perversity but for the main part it gets me by.

My humble beginnings have blossomed into something much more indulgent over time, and my aim now is to produce something important, that isn't derivative, self-pitying or trite and to try and shrug off the ugly stigma that unfortunately gets attached to the idea of a singer-songwriter.

NME-E: Can you describe your sound?
CY: I try my very 'bestest' to sound just like myself, but it isn't always easy. I suppose if I had to categorise then Indie/Folk would be the most accurate description. I'd say it starts at Dylan and carries right through to The Smiths, grabbing on to Joy Division, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bright Eyes, Fionn Regan and Elliott Smith along the way. In addition, many poets and writers have been a big influence such as Simon Armitage, Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac.

Genres aside, what is very clear is that Christoper Young possesses a fantastic voice, one of those 'you're-haunting-me-and-I-can't-do-anything-about-it' types. Sheer bliss.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
CY: A 10 track album called 'The Painter'.

At present there are nine tracks available to listen to on Chris' myspace page. In the main, they are delicate pieces of his self-defined 'indie folk' sound and are well worth a listen. He's also kindly given NME-Europe permission to play tracks here, so there are two at the end of the article to give readers an insight.

NME-E: If you could choose a band/artist to support you, who would it be and why?
CY: Morrissey, you just have to listen to those great Smiths albums and (a couple!) of the solo efforts. He understands what being an artist is. And can still (albeit, not quite so often) write those lines that stop you in your tracks, oh that's when he's not too busy telling us how awful it is being Morrissey!

Awful as it might be to be Morrissey, he still IS Morrissey.

NME-E: What's your favourite album at the moment?
CY: Cass McCoombs; Dropping The Writ.

NME-E: Tell us about your objectives/prospects for next 12 months?
CY: To hopefully be picked up by a label, to release my album both online and in a few independent stores, to play some great venues that suit ME and to pickup fans sincerely interested in what I'm doing, to get more airplay and just to have some recognition from industry types and the like who can appreciate the work and singular vision I'm trying to get at.

Also I'd love to get my music into film and TV however independent and obscure it may be (I'm currently working with a local filmaker). Most of all though my aim is for my album to be received well.

I don't want much!

Well, you might as well ask!

NME-E: Any last requests?
CY: Visit my page for the release of my album 'The Painter' and drop by for a chat. www.myspace.com/christopherdebt

It can't do you any harm. NME-E has been there on a number of occasions already and seriously suggests you do the same. Meanwhile, have a listen to some of his work...

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