The Sheffield Scenester

We met up with Emily Ireland (aka See Emily Play) for a morning cuppa and a nice chat down at Henry’s, with her EP launch at The Library Theatre on November 20th it seemed perfect timing to find out exactly what makes Emily play…….

Sheffield Scenester: Why did you choose the name See Emily Play

Emily: It’s after the Pink Floyd song, my Dad used to play it me on record when I was really, really little, then when I was thinking about doing a solo thing it seemed like a really apt name cos it’s a song that I’ve known for most of my life.

Sheffield Scenester: How big a part did music play in growing up for you?

Emily: My Mum and Dad are not kind of musical, as in they don’t play instruments....but my brother is obviously very musical, he’s a bit of a musical genius, so it was good to have him around when recording my EP. But when I think back to when me and him were growing up, we had funny little songs for things like going to bed or swimming lessons, and in the car we’d have tapes playing . I’ve got funny little recordings of me singing nursery rhymes...so when I think about it even though my parents didn’t play; I was brought up around music. I’ve played gigs when they’ve been the only people in the audience; they’d transport my piano around so they’ve been very supportive which is very helpful actually.

Sheffield Scenester: So how long have you been playing then?

Emily: Well I’ve been playing piano since I was eight, I wrote my first songs and played my first gigs when I was about twelve/thirteen and pretty much carried on from there really. Yeah, I was kind of in a band with a few friends called The Illiodds; interestingly our first gig was a Battle Of The Bands which Jon Windle judged. He thought we were really good from back then, so in a way it’s gone full circle as I’m now signed to his record label.

Sheffield Scenester: So do you want to tell us about your EP then?

Emily: It’s my first EP and it’s called ‘Four Feet From The Door’ which is also the title of one of the tracks, I recorded it at 2Fly with my brother, so it’s just kind of me and him on the record playing all the instruments. It’s from the heart because that’s how I write really, yeah definitely, it’s the truth and I like to make sure people hear that. The way I sing is that I pronounce my words a lot, making it very straight forward because that’s how I like to write. In styles it jumps around a bit..but not so much as to be schizophrenic, but enough to make it interesting. One of the tracks is a bit jazzy while another has a country tinge to it, there’s also a ska beat in one, a little bit of something for everyone really. It’s quite a big thing really, because I’ve been playing on my own for the best part of two years now as See Emily Play, so it’s quite nice to get to the point where I’ve got a release, that actually I’m quite proud of!

Sheffield Scenester: You’re launching your EP on November 20th at The Library Theatre with a full band?

Emily; Yeah it’ll be with a full band, I’ve got Michael Breeze (x-Elephant Keys and proprietor of Brezzas) on drums, he’s going to bring a big sound which I like, then there’s Tom, my brother, he’s going to play guitar and finally Nick Wainwright (Cut Your Wings), he’s playing bass. A good group of musicians actually, I knew them all anyway and so just asked “Do you want to come and do this for me?” We found it quite interesting especially with Nick and Breezy, because it’s unlike stuff they’ve done before, and hopefully there’ll be a bit of a tour....so I’ll get to play out of Sheffield with them as well.

Sheffield Scenester: What would you say has been your most enjoyable gig that you’ve done to date?

Emily: Tramlines, this year, because as solo artist you get about three quarters of the crowd that will listen while the rest just carry on like you’re not there. I mean you have to respect the fact that not everybody wants to listen especially if they’ve gone to the pub, chances are they just want a drink. But this year outside at Henry’s you could of heard a pin drop, and it’s like “Oh gosh, I’ve got the crowd in the palm of my hand!” and I know when I’ve got a responsive crowd I play a better gig! But then the next day at SOYO was a complete disaster for me...but you take the rough with the smooth.

Sheffield Scenester: We first saw you as a shy opening acoustic for Dead Like Harry, now of course your stage persona has come on leaps and bounds since then….

Emily: Yeah, I like to think so, I mean everytime I write a song I try to make it better than the last one and also give it something different so you have a bit more variety. So I like to think my songs have got stronger as well as my performance getting stronger, definitely my stage persona has come a long way as well. An example of that is with the song ‘The First Time Someone has Ever Broken My Heart’, with its guitar build up then a kind of yell, because I wrote that when I was feeling kind of sad about something. Then afterwards a few other things came to light and the whole situation made me quite angry, so I sing it quite full on like I’m angry...but actually the lyrics are sad.

Sheffield Scenester: Yeah that’s what I like about listening to lyrics like yours, because you can actually tell it’s from experience, and you can empathize with how they’re feeling at the time….

Emily; Well I like to put a lot of emotion into what I’m singing.

Sheffield Scenester: So how is this band going to fit in around your work with Jon Windle?

Emily: As far as me and my time are concerned, it’s just a question of keeping them as two separate things and so I should have time for both. Because I’ve got Andy and Jon managing, they’ll know where I have to be gigging with Windle as well as when I’ve got time to do my own stuff, both are as important as each other, so it’s just a case of balancing it.

Sheffield Scenester: Are you studying at Uni now?

Emily: Right now I’m on a gap year, but next year I’m going to Manchester to study law, it’s a bit of a risk....but so far as the music is concerned it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, so it would be silly not to take the opportunity. I think it would be one of the things I would regret for the rest of my life if I’d gone to university this year! My parents have supported this decision as well without arguing about rising tuition fees and asking if I really want to do this.

Sheffield Scenester: Has working with Jon and Andy influenced you in any way at all?

Emily: To be honest I think it’s definitely two separate things, Jon and Andy are involved in the business side...but the creative process is all mine, they don’t really have any influence on that. I think it’s quite nice not to have pressure from them to be molded into something I don’t want to be.

Sheffield Scenester; If you could gig with anyone who would it be?

Emily: Anybody? Well I would love to play a gig with Ben Folds, I think he is my main inspiration piano-wise, I’m well into his music. Quite an interesting influence I suppose but yeah, definitely Ben Folds. With Sheffield based artists it is so difficult because there are so many good ones around but....Mabel Love are very good, my brothers band Q-Ship are very good, of course!

Sheffield Scenester: You just sited Ben Folds as a major influence, but are there any other artists out there you look up to?

Emily: When I think of female vocalists I have to say I’m well into Aretha Franklin, and maybe Kate Bush and her slight eccentricity, she is a bit of an enigma really. I think Eels for their kind of simplicity, I mean Mark Oliver Everett writes some really nice songs that are totally stripped down and I quite like that approach, after all you don’t have to have a zillion chords in a song to make it a good song……I firmly believe that!

Sheffield Scenester: So how does your song writing process work then?

Emily: I don’t really treat it as structured activity, my best songs have happened by accident and I never write anything down either so everything is stored up here (she said while tapping the side of her head). For me I’ll be tinkering away on the piano or guitar sometimes and I’ll stumble across a few chords that I like or something like a melody and then I’ll have a little play with it and then I’ll just sing. Whatever comes out of my mouth tends to be what’s in my head at the time, so after doing that for a bit I’ll get hold of a few lines that I like and then build the song up from there really. If it doesn’t start to flow then I’ll put it down and except the fact that it’s not coming.

Sheffield Scenester: Do you start writing a song on one instrument and then try it out on the other to see if it works better?

Emily: No I don’t kind of cross over, I think because it gives out a different vibe, the two different instruments have a whole different feel to each other and I like to set a different mood with them I think.

Sheffield Scenester: Which instrument do you actually prefer to work with, piano or guitar?

Emily: I think I’m a lot more skilled on piano so I probably prefer writing on that, but in terms of live shows it’s quite difficult to perform because you can’t stand up or move at all, you’ve got to do it all with facial expressions. I don’t mind doing that....but moving a bit, sometimes bobbing about can be a bit better and also they’re completely different, I think the songs I write on guitar are completely different to the ones I write on piano but they both have their pros and cons.

Sheffield Scenester: So where do you see yourself in a couple of years time?

Emily: Well I’d like to make a career out of this, I’d like to be comfortable enough just making music, doing something I really love though I do understand it is something that is really, really difficult!

And with that we finished our respective teas and cappuccino, chatting about Sunday dinners, oven burns and other such trivial subject matters. We’d like to thank Emily for her time as well as her very charming company, and we look forward to seeing her on November 20th. 'Four Feet From The Door' is available from 14th November.
Interview by Gail Buckthorpe Photos by Geoff Buckthorpe