Interview: A conversation with Will Varley.
Having witnessed Will Varley perform and get signed to Xtra Mile Recordings after his supporting act for Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls at The Royal Albert Hall, March 2015. And with ‘Kingsdown Sundown’ just around the corner; his upcoming tour of the UK was a great excuse to call up the bearded bard and get to know how things have been coming along ever since.
At the time of calling, Varley was situated in Upstate New York, catching a break before he was set to perform for Clifton Park, NY. During his steady routine of “Sleep. Wake up. Soundcheck. Play – then repeat” - and with little opportunity or drive to absorb the wonders of each city he finds himself in during a tour - Varley joked that he would much rather be spending his time watching British daytime television but he keeps with what he knows best – traveling and performing.
This is a lifestyle Varley has been pioneering since the early 2000’s, but he didn’t choose the life of folk; the folk life chose him. He had ventured through so many bars and open-mic nights before he had even noticed he was touring - almost as if his progression was moved by state of inertia.
A story too common with many people is that they situate themselves with a lifestyle that’s convenient rather than fulfilling, or perhaps we can’t help but dwell on our earlier decisions, all the while craving the life that’s found on a different rung of the ladder that’s likely just as mundane once it becomes routine.
Where he does find fulfilment, however, is in the writing of his music and the acknowledgment that he has a tangible creation that will surpass his own lifetime. He fantasized –
“There’s a chance that someone 500 years from now, will pick up a record of mine on some kind of apple related product and converse with me through my music”.
The suggestion that a single person within the mists of our species’ seemingly daunting future could listen to Will Varley’s ethical and alternative moral perspectives is -*GASP* – a hopeful one.
Let the 4-minute 8-bit history of the world paint the picture for you. ‘Weddings and Wars’ should remind the listener that their selfish and inward-thinking existence is nothing more than menial when challenged against our entire spectrum. It should remind us that we as humans hold responsibility for this earth with the ability to broadcast one singular voice, a voice that is cumulative; no east and west, no blacks and whites, no male or female – one singular message. With each step that we take through our evolution, we should be reminded of square one and the silly discrepancies that divide us. But as humans, we will always struggle against the notion of change and blindly follow the blind who follow the blind. Everyone’s mentality revolves around few but themselves, it’s our means of survival. Unfortunately, this cumulative mentality promises a bleak existence for those, generations from now. A bold claim, or perhaps just food for thought? You decide. Either way, if just one of his songs can spark such an insightful debate then imagine what the rest of his catalogue can provide.
‘To Build A Wall’ is a single from the new album ‘Kingsdown Sundown’.
Its political connotations can be applied to very current events. Varley claimed to not have any specific political agenda. He just says it as he knows it – responding to his environment through music. He was raised on Bob Dylan and a mother with “An alternative way of thinking” that he feels inspired his mindset most dominantly. He promises more of this kind of content from the new album release.
Though his music can behave as a morbid reminder of the beasts that we are, Will Varley’s message should be applied positively, to teach you to seize your worth and to make best of future and present day – Seize the night.
You can catch Will Varley on tour during the following dates:
08/11 Glasgow, King Tuts
09/11 Manchester, Gorilla
10/11 Newcastle, Cluny
11/11 Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
15/11 Portsmouth, The Wedgewood Rooms
16/11 Bristol, Thekla
17/11 Brighton, Komedia
18/11 London, Union Chapel
23/11 Galway, Roisin Dubh
24/11 Dublin, Whelans
25/11 Belfast, The Sunflower
26/11 Cork, Cyprus Avenue