Quirks Behind the Music

Quirks Behind the Music - Cal Ruddy

For those readers not familiar with you and your music, tell us a little about yourself and your sound.

I'm Cal Ruddy, a Singer/Songwriter from Liverpool. I'd describe my sound as Modern Merseybeat, I've got a very vintage vibe to my material and I take influence from a lot of different genres as I listen to a wide range of music. Rockabilly, Blues, Soul, Jazz, Punk Rock and Country bleed through into my writing process quite a bit and you can hear elements of these styles on my new EP Communication!

Which artists and experiences have had the greatest impact on you? Both with you and your song writing?

I've got a lot of influences from all sorts of genres as I have a really vast and eclectic musical taste. Top ones for me particularly in regards to forming who I am today as a songwriter would be Richard Ashcroft (both with The Verve and his solo stuff), Edgar Jones of cult Liverpool band: The Stairs. Also, James Skelly from The Coral with the more obvious fundamental influences such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave and John Lennon.
In terms of experiences? I write a lot of songs in reflection and time is a constant theme throughout a lot of my lyrics. It binds together my work to be honest! I write around the clock too so if something happens during my day or someone says something interesting I'll write it down and it'll end up in a song somewhere down the line. I'm weird like that!

So you've just released a new E.P. What was that experience like and what was the inspiration behind it? Do you have any interesting stories from the making of it?

'Communication' has been in the pipeline since April 2015 really! I did a rough, raw demo E.P. early last year called 'How To Rewind Life' just as a little collection of recordings to give out at gigs but it was piss-poor and didn't represent me or my sound accurately at all.
I took myself off to a little studio in Birkenhead and spent 4 months writing and demoing tunes for a planned single/E.P. release. I wrote 15/20 songs during these sessions. 'Maria' came from jamming on an old Gibson Hollowbody from 1954 ( I think) and was a standout track for the remainder of those sessions really. I recorded over 30 takes of the song and I've still got 16 of them saved
somewhere.
It was only in May this year I took the plunge and booked into Parr Street Studios to record a 5 Song E.P. I had a great core team for the production of this record. Chris Taylor produced it and he's done albums for The Coral and Bill Ryder-Jones and people like that. He's done work with Blossoms in the past I believe too. Amazing guy to work with, a great character. Justin Johnson played drums on the E.P. and he's known for his work on the country circuit. Simon Goulding provided bass guitar and we had Roo Walker in for lead guitar. The Daly Sisters a talented pair of twins provided harmonies on 'Breaking Your Little Heart' and 'Little Town Anywhere'. The dream team right there!

Out of all your songs do you have a favourite one? Is there one that you love playing the most or one that has a particularly strong sentiment behind it?

I get very emotional when I play 'Little Town Anywhere' live. I've had people (including myself) in tears with that one. It's a song about finding yourself and being comfortable with who you are.

Name your top three albums - try to make them by three different artists and no "Greatest Hits".

Ooooh! I'd say 'Urban Hymns' by The Verve, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds -'The Boatman's Call' and Neil Young - 'Harvest'.

Right - imagine you have missed calls from all three of those artists, saying that they love your music and want to work with you. However, you can only call one back, text one back and you have to ignore the other. Who would you call, text and ignore?

Richard Ashcroft's getting the phone call! I'll drop a lengthy, interesting text to Nick Cave because I know he loves a good novel and I'm sure Neil Young would call me back, he's polite enough that lad.

What advice would you give young musicians just starting out?

Get out and gig as much as you can! I've done a couple of hundred gigs in the last couple of years and it really pays off. You learn and hone your craft that way.

Do you have a favourite venue to play at? Is there a sentimental second home to you?

That's way too hard to decide on! I like Studio 2 and The Magnet in Liverpool but I'm helping out with and playing a lot of gigs down at Lennon's Bar. We've got a little movement going

Which local artists have caught your eye recently? Who would you recommend going to see?

My mates The Jackobins are one of the best upcoming Rock acts to go and see. They're fresh from Leeds Festival this year, I'm very proud of them. Top local lads! A band I gig a lot with called Ladies are making a great bit of noise and Jack McAllister is probably the best songwriter I have the privilege of knowing. All brilliant acts to see!