Since the release of his heavily-praised self-titled EP near the end of last year, singer and songwriter Adam Day aka County Line Runner has been riding a wave of praise ever since. And with millions of Spotify streams under his belt already, he has now returned to deliver his latest single 'Plastic Palm Trees'.
Produced by Bill Ryder-Jones and recorded at Yawn Studios in West Kirby, ‘Plastic Palm Trees’ is a soft yet soaring offering from the frontman, jam-packed with an uplifting atmosphere and heartfelt emotion. Now living life as a single father, this newest gem looks to capture that reflective life dynamic he has found himself in, channeling a warm and woozy vibe throughout.
So with his return very much on the cards right now, we sat down with him to find out more about his earliest beginnings and what has inspired him over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I don’t really get emotionally attached to the instruments I use. I started out on my brother's guitar and I ended up using that guitar at Brixton Academy. That was a nice moment.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
I quite liked a variety of different music. I’d listen to Oasis, Bob Dylan and then hip hop like the Chronic, Dr Dre or Snoop Dogg.
Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?
Yeah that was ‘Live Forever’ by Oasis. I think this song changed a lot of people's lives.
When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you like to listen to?
Transformer by Lou Reed is a good one.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
A lot. Sometimes people who just pass through quickly. The closer they are the more ambiguous i’ll make it and some of the time I’ll throw in something that puts people off the scent.
What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
I think recently it was our show at The Great Escape. It was one of the first times playing my songs with a new band and it went as well as it could have. I knew after that, that it was the start of something good.
Outside of music, what is your biggest passion?
I have a 3 year old son so if I'm not working, writing or playing I'm out with him somewhere, which is where I like to be.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
To be honest being a songwriter / musician doesn’t have much job security so I just take it as it comes. If I'm enjoying it and feel like I'm offering something good I'll carry on. It’s like a drug to me and it’s also some kind of therapy. It’s part of who I am so I think i’ll always do it in some kind of way whether it's shared or not.
And what advice would you give to other musicians looking to stay productive through the coronavirus lockdown?
I’d say don’t put any unnecessary pressure on yourself. There’s too much focus on being productive rather than the quality of what you're producing. Take it easy and let it come to you.
-County Line Runner's new single 'Plastic Palm Trees' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.