The interview: Chesney Hawkes

Chesney Hawkes is one of those rare musicians who the majority of people know nothing about. Most people in the room on Thursday night didn't know what he looked like (tall, blonde, surprisingly youthful) what he does now (song writing) and the name of that song...you know The One and Only.

After his Big D performance we caught up with him to have a chat about Yorkshire, gigs, song writing and what it is that makes that song so bloody catchy...

It's a floor filler but there's something about the song, the timing...I don't know.

It wasn't his first visit to Yorkshire, "Oh God no, I've done Leeds, Bradford, even York before" but how did he feel the gig went? "Really great actually, warm vibes and a very warm place!"

Whilst a songwriter by day, Hawkes has just released a new album on his website (as well as iTunes and is due to hit Amazon and possibly stores soon). "Over 8 years of writing this album I've written a song and gone yeah, that can go on the Chesney pile" but some of them were written for other people, Another Fine Mess (which he'd performed earlier that night) was originally written for Busted he laughed.

"It's an album of songs that I wrote for myself. I write and produce for different acts as my day job."

"The albums eclectic. If you were going to pigeon hole it I'd say guitar-pop. But it's emotional, lyrical..." Is it emotional because it's taken so long to write? "Yeah, when I listen to those songs it's quite diverse, and I'm very proud."

So we progress on to The One and Only (and I'm very excited). Has he ever just flat out refused to play it? "It's a song that raises the roof and you can't help but enjoy the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the crowd when I play it. I did have a slight love/hate relationship with it."

Has he ever refused to play it? "I went through a phase where I didn't sing it".

Which does he prefer, the public gigging Chesney, or private song writing one? "I love a lot of things about both, the process of creating both." For an act that gigged 80 times last year it seems he still has the demand.

It's a song that raises the roof and you can't help but enjoy the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the crowd when I play it.
Chesney Hawkes

The golden question, and what (if there were a concrete answer) would be the million dollar one - why is it still played in every club and at many student nights up and down the country, week after week? "If I knew I'd do it again! It's an uplifting song, and a floor filler but there's something about the song, the timing...I don't know.

And the student longevity? Again he's not sure, "It's adopted as a fraternity song quite a few times and I've been adopted by the students."

Which gigs have the edge? Students or Non? "I prefer student gigs. They're more raucous. W hen we do non-student gigs (which we do do) it's a very feel good gig. Often when we come off after a non-student gig we don't feel it's been as good, but most people would, there's nothing more raucous than a student crowd."

The One and Only

So there we have it, my last Yorker interview was with a musical legend, and a genuinely nice chap who was very patient (and lovely) despite the fact the interview was done when I was hoarse to say the least.

Afterwards we had a chat with him and his band (which includes his brother on drums) and all were curious as to what the occasion was and a general chat about York, graduating and how hot the gig had been (very). So as we went on to our lives and them to their next gig tonight, we all wished each other well and went on our merry way...

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