Will Joseph Cook

What was recording Sweet Dreamer like for you? How does it feel having completed a full length album after two EPs?

It feels great, making the album was a real statement for me creatively. I loved making the EPs too, but they were very much my first recording experiences, experimenting to find out what I wanted the album to be. 

How much does your everyday life impact your music and the writing process?

I always try and write about stuff that affects me on an emotional level; in most cases that is my day to day experience. In another sense, music is very much my everyday. If I’m not listening to music then I’m talking about it with friends, or watching interviews, videos and documentaries.

Which artists have inspired you throughout your life? Any standout concerts that have impacted your career?

Watching Phoenix headline the NME Tent at Reading 2013 was one of the best times of my life. There was a real atmosphere, it felt very personal for a big festival performance. 

You recently worked with Jack Steadman. How was that experience and which other artists are you finding exciting right now?

I was, and still am, a big Bombay Bicycle Club fan so having that creative relationship was very surreal. It happened very organically - I was making a tune that I thought his production would work really well on and just reached out. A few weeks later we were in the studio doing another 3 tracks together. Recently I have been really inspired by the latest Chance the Rapper LP and the Parcels’ Hideout EP. 

You’re about to set off on tour, including playing festivals. Where are you most excited to play?

Secret Garden Party will be a very special one for me. Not only is it my first proper main stage set but it’s also a festival I played and experienced on a much smaller level when I was 16. Returning there will definitely be a moment for me. 

Speaking of touring, do you prefer recording in the studio or performing live?

I think my natural habitat is very much in the writing and recording process, as that’s where my passion for music stems from - the initial creative spark of an idea. That being said, I do really love performing live. Having that connection with an audience is unparalleled by anything in the studio.

Finally, what inspires your music videos and how involved are you in the creative process behind them?

I’m always very involved with my visuals. It always bugs me when there is no marriage between an artist’s sound and their aesthetic. It’s just another avenue to explore and express myself in and so I always really enjoy it. 

Will Joseph Cook’s debut album, Sweet Dreamer, is available now.