An interview with Hometime

What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences?

I work under the name of Hometime. The name might give the impression that it’s a band but it’s actually a solo project. I took the name from the song and album of the same name by Alison Moyet. It’s dark and slightly neurotic and really eloquent. Other influences would include the pop genius of Max Martin, the gloriously melodic eclecticism of ABBA and the maximalist production aesthetic of the 1980s – especially giants like Trevor Horn and Andy Hill.

How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?

For me, the melodies and chord structures can often hint at a theme. I try to come to each song with an open mind but my bottom line is that I sing about something that chimes with my own life. I try to avoid words that I wouldn’t use in conversation. I’ve also come to terms with the fact that I’m not articulate enough to tackle politics meaningfully. So my material leans more to the personal than the global. Honesty is important to me.

How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?

For me, the melodies and chord structures can often hint at a theme. I try to come to each song with an open mind but my bottom line is that I sing about something that chimes with my own life. I try to avoid words that I wouldn’t use in conversation. I’ve also come to terms with the fact that I’m not articulate enough to tackle politics meaningfully. So my material leans more to the personal than the global. Honesty is important to me.

Why do you write the sort of music that you do?

Like I said, honesty is important to me when I’m writing. In my early days, I wrote lyrics that make me cringe now – not that they were especially bad lyrics (although there were some absolute stinkers!) but they said things completely at odds with my own values. They had no dignity.

How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?

Hometime is a new project for me and there haven’t been live shows. It’s been a while since I stood on a stage with a band and, after all this time, I think I’d need to wear brown trousers and bicycle clips going onstage! But my method would probably be the same: open with something loud, keep the tempo of the set on the high side and finish with the audience favourites. A live set can sometimes be a good opportunity to roadtest the occasional new song and gauge audience reaction. But with this project being so new, almost everything would be unknown by the audience. Apart from the singles, that is. So it would have to be intimate, I think. The songs on the album are connected by a theme – this was totally accidental, a happy accident – so the audience could come on a little journey.

How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?

Hometime is a new project for me and there haven’t been live shows. It’s been a while since I stood on a stage with a band and, after all this time, I think I’d need to wear brown trousers and bicycle clips going onstage! But my method would probably be the same: open with something loud, keep the tempo of the set on the high side and finish with the audience favourites. A live set can sometimes be a good opportunity to roadtest the occasional new song and gauge audience reaction. But with this project being so new, almost everything would be unknown by the audience. Apart from the singles, that is. So it would have to be intimate, I think. The songs on the album are connected by a theme – this was totally accidental, a happy accident – so the audience could come on a little journey.

What plans do you have for the future?

All energy is focused on finishing the album. It’s called “Past Imperfect.” The pandemic lockdowns gave me time to sit with the material and I think I might have come up with a couple of new songs that will replace material already demoed. I was very fixated on getting everything finished and released quickly but now I’m happy to take more time with things. The experience has been too enjoyable to rush it now and end it too soon.