The Velvet Hearts: How the Music Industry Works

Exclusive Interview with Blues rock Darlings of the UK South-East

Nov 1, 2009

Brit Rock 'n' Rollers John James Newman and Steve Jones talk exclusively about Elkie Brooks, how to make it in music, and how their songwriting relationship works

The Velvet Hearts’ John James Newman and Steve Jones have worked with some phenomenal musicians in their years in the UK music scene. With new album Into The World, finally out in the world, Suite 101 took the time to chat to the guys about their inspired songwriting partnership, how the music industry works, and why musicians are the most hopeful cynics around.

Elkie Brooks and Phenomenal Musicians

SJ: I got that gig through John’s old manager. I met him because I had a few songs on [John’s] album. He was managing Elkie and so I played a few tracks on her album. I ended up doing a week with her at Ronnie Scott's, a jazz club in Soho. I'd always wanted to play there! We were in Italy but I heard about it and asked if they needed a sax player, which they did, so I jumped on a plane the next day. Then Elkie asked if I wanted to join the band. I’ve now been touring with her for 5 years.

SJ: An income! And a job! I’ve got to play with some phenomenal musicians. The guy who produced John’s album did 6 albums and 6 world tours with Cat Stevens and he worked with Sting, Bob Marley…

SJ: I’ve had that experience with Elkie now which I was scared I never would. I mean it’s a musician’s dream to have a gig, a gig where you get paid alright money and there’s an audience.

How to Get in to the Music Industry

JJN: A lot of the people we’ve worked with, that we have good relationships with, are serious players in the music industry. Like the bass player for Craig David, we gigged with that guy in Holland. He’s a awesome musician. We just seem to be incredibly lucky with the people we meet.

SJ: A lot of that has been through the band. You meet people that are great, and you want to get them involved. It might sound simple but it’s that easy. People come up to us at Elkie’s gigs and ask us “how can I get into the music business?” and as John’s dad explained to me once, you just have to get out there and play. It’s the most frustrating thing to hear, but it’s the only way. You can’t just pass someone your resume and say “can I have a gig now?”, you’ve got to go and play and be surrounded by people that are great musicians, Good people get noticed, then that person joins a band, and from there you might get offered a session playing on a record. You’ve just got to make it up as you go along.

Musicians: Hopeful Cynics

JJN: It sounds a bit martyr-ish, but it’s a sacrifice you have to make. We could have chosen different careers and we could have been doing very well for ourselves. I love what I do, but you’ve got to be able to take the other side of it too.

Suite 101: I guess it’s the same with any creative career, you’ve got to be able to wait and work for opportunities that might not come.

SJ: Musicians are generally extremely cynical types, but they also have so much hope. They get treated like s%$t a lot of the time. But they always hope that one day their song is going to be played on the radio, or they’ll get that big break. There are guys from the '70s who think they can still make it. That is what musicians have in common.

Suite 101: You’ve got to love what you do, I mean you see a lot of people who just do a certain job for the money, but their souls aren’t in it. It’s like there are two extremes, be rich or be happy, and hope that one day you’ll find that you have both.

SJ: Like Bob Dylan says, you’ve got to serve somebody. Whatever you do you’ve got to do certain things you don’t like. But you make a choice. Noone answers only unto themselves. If they do they’re probably lonely!

Songwriting Partners, Beautiful Puzzles

Suite 101: Let’s talk about your songwriting partnership, which is at the core of The Velvet Hearts. What does each of you bring to that partnership?

JJN: Something that always puzzles me, and it’s a beautiful puzzle, is that sometimes Steve will come up with a verse and I’ll finish it with a chorus. I’ll come up with a verse, and Steve will say that it’s s$£t......I’m just kidding! No seriously, I might do the music and Steve will handle the lyrics, or vice versa. We tend to go with the spirit of whatever is happening.

SJ: ‘Maryanne’ was a really old song, like maybe three years old. It used to have a completely different chorus. We couldn’t seem to find where to go with it…

JJN:…and then one rehearsal, there it was, completely finished. It just came out. So we just kind of go with it, we don’t really take fixed roles.

SJ: John’s quite creative on that front. He has loads of ideas really quickly, and I’m more organised, I try to fit things into say, a pop song. I try to get the overall vibe of the song and work with that.