This time on NAS 10 Questions we get to know Map of Autumn, AKA Tim Davies, a musician and producer from the South Coast of England.
Drawing influences from alt rock and indie bands of the 90s and 00s,Bloc Party,Muse, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Soul Asylum, Biffy Clyro) and then combining it with his love of instrumental post rock (Maybeshewill, This Will Destroy You, Sigur RΓ³s, Mogwai, Tides From Nebula), Tim creates his own brand of indie/alternative rock that can go from solo acoustic, to grunge, to post rock to large scale soundscapes.
The track “Go” is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists.
Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:
https://www.newartistspotlight.org/playlists
1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.
I’m Tim, aka Map of Autumn. I’m based on the South Coast of England. I’m working on some new material at the moment which I’m very excited about; however, I have an issue where I have about 10-12 finished songs which I’m very excited about too but can’t seem to decide on which to release next!
2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
I can remember watching Top of The Pops (UK music show!) with my mum in 2001, and the band Feeder were playing their song Buck Rogers. I would have been 14 at the time. I said to my mum ‘This is the type of music I like now’; something about it just hit me; the guitars, the drums, the energy…and I had found my nichΓ©. My sister had an old classical guitar that I began teaching myself on. I sat there for 11 hours with a ‘how to play guitar’ book, learning how to tune and pluck each string. I remember rushing home from school to practice guitar, and other interests like sports/football quickly became second place.
π―. Who are your biggest influences?
I was always into bands such as Feeder (of course), Biffy Clyro, Muse and Radiohead, but also had a penchant for emo when I was younger. Bands like Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional were a big part of my angsty youth. Simultaneously, I would listen to things like Portishead and Lamb; that whole dark and moody thing was very endearing to me. Singer songwriters like Damien Rice and Ed Harcourt I’ve loved for a long time, as well as 80s artists like The Blue Nile and Annie Lennox. I also grew up in church and played in church bands for many years until my mid 20s; the modern worship band vibe (which always seemed to draw on similar emo influences…in that it would employ a huge drum sound and have climactic builds etc) has clearly influenced my writing over the years. I have always loved technical post rock too; things like maybeshewill, Tides from Nebula, Enemies and Mogwai massively influence me.
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
I just love writing and recording. I was in an original band for a few years in my early 20s and then function/wedding bands for a few years. I miss that dearly and hope to one day carve out time for a new live act with a full set up. For now, I perform locally when I can acoustically, but mainly I push my music online through the socials and try and drum up some sort of fan base. I’m incredibly moved and touched when I discover that someone has gone out of their way to listen to my music. I have major imposter syndrome when it comes to singing, so I’m blown away when anyone mentions they like my vocals! I sort of do not believe them at all!
5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.
My creative process is varied. My older EPs are all instrumental with lots of time signature changes and no set format. For these I just set a metronome to something weird like a bar of 7, then a bar of 6, a 5 and then a 3 and keep jamming over it until I find something melodic or interesting. Then it grows and develops and becomes something I’m happy with. With my newer material (songs like Go/Mountain Top etc), I either write a whole track as an instrumental and then listen to it over and over until I find a tune or a hook, then the lyrics follow. Alternatively, I will have a lyrical concept/idea and then the ‘feel’ of that sets the tone for some musical ideas. I do everything myself at home, and usually write on acoustic or electric guitar, and then bring drums/bass other instruments in and build it slowly. The creative process is incredibly cathartic; I absolutely love it. It’s my happy place.
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
My absolutely favourite song is ‘Let’s go out tonight’ by The Blue Nile. I actually first heard this song many years, but as an alternate version by Craig Armstrong. I had no idea who the singer was, but I loved that vocal so much. It was beautiful. I was then driving home one night and listening to BBC Radio 6, and they were doing a 20 year anniversary play through of the album Hats by The Blue Nile. The original version of this song then came on and it blew my mind; I’d never thought to look up the song or find out who the singer was; I didn’t know it was a cover/alternate version. I can’t recommend the album Hats enough; it’s the ultimate late night chill album, and the song ‘Let’s go out tonight’ is just incredible. I’ll never tire of it; it’s perfect.
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
Don’t try so hard. Be yourself. Be authentic. Whatever comes out of you is valid and does not need to be loved or heard by anyone to be a valid expression. There’s the phrase ‘does a tree make a sound if it falls over in the woods and nobody is there to hear it?’. I’m an audiologist by profession, and the answer to that is NO it doesn’t, but it DOES create vibrations, and they can be felt!
8. Proudest accomplishment?
My song ‘Go’ was a really important song for me. Lyrically it means a great deal to me, and I’m blown away by the reception it’s received, in and outside of the NAS community. It reached number 3 in the NAS Top 20 and I could not believe it! It was such a big deal. I don’t ever expect anyone to listen to or care about my music, so I was very very shocked!
9. Just for fun! What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?
Unfortunately I can be quite an embarrassing person but I’ve learnt to own that over the years! These days, I am unapologetically myself, as much as is possible!
π0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
I’d say that one of my highest is also one of my lowest! My EP ‘curtains and a compass’ is, I feel, a great accomplishment of mine. It’s technical, melodic, and took a lot of time and is full of my passion for music. Unfortunately, nobody really listened to it which was disheartening, but I remember that music that I make is, primarily, for me. It’s a bonus if anyone wants to listen to it too!
Stream “Go” now
https://artists.landr.com/064837054315
and follow their socials
https://www.instagram.com/mapofautumn
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