George Stanford Interview (pg. 2)

Courtesy of Universal Music

Sindy: What sort of stuff did you listen to growing up?
George Stanford: A lot of blues, a lot of country music. My grandmother was a huge Sinatra fan, as I am. There was a lot of jazz and Latin jazz. I'm a huge fan of jazz.

Sindy: How about these days, what are you listening to?
George Stanford: I still listen to a lot of the same stuff - a lot of jazz, The Beatles, Hendricks... if I had to say something modern, I really like the new Kanye album.

Sindy: It's great, isn't it?
George Stanford: Yeah, it's a good one. I really like stuff that stands out. It twists my ear a bit.

Sindy: You used to play in the band Townhall. How does being a solo artist compare to your more collaborative days?
George Stanford: The same things that make being in a band great, make it difficult. You have four other people's opinions to work with, but through that process I learned what I like and what my sound is. But as a solo artist, I love having that free rein. I don't think I'd have it any other way.

Sindy: The realm of the male singer songwriter is a bit of minefield - the Chris Martins of this world are generally respected, but the James Blunts may sell a lot of records but aren't often taken seriously outside of the wedding DJ market. How do you tread that fine line?
George Stanford: All I can really do is make the best music I can, and try to steer the people on my team to put my music out to people who are going to understand my sound and appreciate it. You know, it's something I've put some thought into, but what I've figured out is that there's only so much I can do to influence the way people perceive me. I just need to put my efforts into making the best and most authentic music out that I can.

Sindy: What's the first thing you're going to treat yourself to when you become the huge recording artist that you're destined to be?
George Stanford: I would say... hmmm... I'm already addicted to buying guitars so I'll probably buy some crazy instrument that I've never been able to afford before.

Sindy: And finally, what advice would you give to young people who are interested in following in your footsteps?
George Stanford: It's a really treacherous field, but I think you need to learn the importance of - not cockiness - but confidence. You may not get the respect you deserve right away, but if you know you deserve it then you're on the right track to getting where you need to be.

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