Singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner tells of injury battle ahead of Midlands dates

Oct 16 2009 by Andrew Coleman, Birmingham Mail

SINGER-SONGWRITER Newton Faulkner showcases his new album, Rebuilt By Humans, at Warwick Arts Centre on Sunday.

The 24-year-old from Reigate in Surrey returns to the region next year for a gig at Birmingham Symphony Hall on March 12.

His chart-topping debut album, Hand Built By Robots, was released in 2007 and has so far sold more than 750,000 copies in the UK.

We spoke to Newton as he prepared for the tour.

Is the first single from Rebuilt By Humans, If This Is It, the oldest song on the album? Yes, it’s quite old, relatively. It was written just before last Christmas. I like having everything written especially for the album. I’d written a few songs before I made the first album, but then when we were actually recording it, jumped in with a load of new songs.

Tell us about the room you rented to write songs in for Rebuilt By Humans. I rented a room in Knightsbridge. I picked an area of London that I didn’t know anything about, and I didn’t know anyone who lived there. I ended up behind Harrods in this tiny basement flat, and got loads done.

Were you worried if you went somewhere more glamorous you might get distracted? Yes, if I went somewhere I knew people and knew my way around, I’d think, ‘I can sit here and work all night, or I can meet my mates and have a drink’. Of course I’m going to go out and have a drink.

The new album’s title is a nod to the first record. Do you see them as part of a set? Yes, I like that idea of them being a pair. I think this new one has moved on a lot more, sonically. The songs are bigger and more robust.

Some of the drumming is military-esque. Yes, it’s great. We got someone in from the Royal Guards. He had his proper military snare drum.

Which song on the new album is your favourite? I’m particularly happy with Let’s Get Together. Some of that was recorded using the microphone on my laptop while I was in the flat. If you listen carefully, you can hear cars going past outside. It’s completely imperfect. I made a demo of it that had a really nice vibe, but then never got that in the studio, so I just did more takes on the laptop as the producer liked it.

What happened when you broke your wrist? That’s where the album title comes from. I was in France and slipped on some ice. It was Boxing Day. I fractured my radius and dislocated my whole hand. It was terrifying, because I knew it was a possibility that I wouldn’t be able to play the guitar in the same way again.

How long did it take to heal? I flew home the day after Boxing Day after having some horrific things done to me in hospital. I couldn’t have anaesthetic there because I was flying. So I had the operation, then kept overstretching it, and kept playing guitar. I wrote a lot of the songs with my arm in a plaster.

Is it the same as it was before? Yes, I’ve got complete full movement, which is not meant to happen.

TicketInfo

NEWTON FAULKNER

Sunday October 18: Warwick Arts Centre (024 76524 524). March 12, 2010: Symphony Hall, Birmingham (0121 780 3333)