NAS 10 Questions with Teley Irons

This time on The NAS 10 Questions, we get to know Teley Irons, a rock artist who is originally from Scotland, UK with influences such as John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and Cody Jinks. A songwriter and guitarist first and foremost, Teley is focused on making kick-ass music above all else.

The track "I Ain't Jumping Bail (Or Breaking Free)" is featured on NAS 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 am originally from Scotland and I am currently doing a lot of things.

As I sit here and write this (and I'll keep this focussed on musical 'currently doings' for now), I am finalising material for my new single going live next week, putting the finishing touches to a lyric video for that song (i.e. the lyrics!) and ideally finishing a song I wrote yesterday, taking straight into the studio to strike whilst the iron is hot.

2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?

I don't remember a time in my life when music wasn't present; I'm old enough to remember 'records' - LP's, singles and stuff you could actually touch, with sleeves, artwork, lyrics, and later cassette boxes and CD jewel cases!

My earliest memories include music playing somewhere in the house (often my old man blasting something on a big old hifi with speakers half the size of the room). Initially, I was indifferent to this music, learned to like (love some of it), rebelled against some of it during my teenage years, and ultimately went full circle to concede most of it was actually half decent and some of it, really quite good, stealing the best CD's he had somewhere along the way (returned now!). He clearly got any good taste he had, from me.

I am first and foremost a guitarist and songwriter and never really separated those from the off; the first song I learned and the first song I wrote were both done with a guitar. Good songs inspired me; kickass artists and bands inspired me, but mostly the need to create my own songs that tell a story - songs that tell a story, good lyrics and a good melody inspired me and as I've got older, that's been drawn from a far wider genre list and ever-growing pile of bands and artists.

𝟯. Who are your biggest musical influences? How would you describe your style or genre?

I become seriously interested in music in my early teens and that was mostly heavier rock, maybe some punk, indie rock and some other equally loud and rebellious stuff. Through all that, Slash inspired me to pick up and learn the guitar. I taught myself (partly because of circumstances dictated this would be the best way and partly because most of the guitar teachers around at the time were assholes, refusing to reach the music I wanted to learn, dismissing it as 'shit'). This, despite the artists and bands knocking this 'shit' out, selling out stadiums, arenas and such like (with a music teacher or teachers who couldn't sell out a two-person booth). I digress.

Songwriters have always inspired me; everyone from John Lennon, Bob Dylan and other legendary writers through to Merle Haggard, George Jones and so many more in that space. Recent influences definitely include the likes of Cody Jinks, Ward Davis and similar. I've always loved songwriters and musicians who write about the real world, real stuff and those who tell a great story. Probably why I gravitate towards such great country music more than ever these days; a story (a real story) about real life - it's like rock music with all the same shenanigans and stories, sex, drugs and rock n'roll minus the overdrive and distortion.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

This is hard. I'm too old to have any (mis)guided notions of being a 'rockstar'. Those days fizzled out many decades ago and frankly, I'm probably glad about that. The old me would never have done well in that world. Not a chance. Blessings and all that; count them. I count that one, with the benefit of age and wisdom.

I have no desire to tour the world and megastardom and even playing live these days is something I've largely avoided this last few years. My only real 'goal' is to put out the best versions of my own songs I can, without (too much) deliberation and ideally before I'm 233 years old, such is the way with the current singles-driven world.

All that said, I am a songwriter. I'd love some huge artist(s) to take my songs and blow them up. The obvious financial advantage is clear but I'd also dig someone being so heavily into one of my songs they rate it highly enough to record, release and play it above even one of their own songs - every recording artist can record (unless tied into a restrictive shitty deal) what they want to record - someone choosing to make space on a release for your work - that speaks volumes to me and that would be as close to a 'goal' as I'd have at this point.

5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.

Generally speaking (and I've done this every way there is to do it over the years), I start with an idea for a song, with a story in my head and what I want to say - something, a spark for an idea. I'll always try to write the lyrics first and most recently, in full too. Recently as in the last few years. I might change words here or there or even a line or two but mostly, I try to organically write the song in one go, keep it real - it's more raw but it's almost always first instinct that works best. When I wrote Liquor & Time with Josh Morningstar last year, he said the same and that was some sound advice he gave...ideally finish a song in one sitting. The odd word tweak or change is cool but we knocked that song out from no more than an idea I had to complete in two hours and I recorded it a week later!

That's the process to write the song and the chords, which I almost always try to do as soon as I've written the lyrics. If I can't nail the music, that's fine and I mess about with key etc to suit my voice, but that's less impactful to the song vibe than the lyrics and changes like this, I don't see as fundamental.

When I have both lyrics and chords finished, I go straight to my studio, put down either a piano or acoustic guitar track (always one or both to start with) then I add everything else I need. I'll get songs that have 40-50 tracks and some a few more and (recently) some with far less. Where a song needs something I can't do (fiddle, pedal steel, percussion etc) I'll get a buddy or get a session musician to do the track for me. It's all about the song though. Always. I don't give a shit about pigeonholes - they're good for birds and I ain't got no wings...so some songs may cross a genre line here or there. Like I say, I didn't invent genres and I don't really conform beyond looking for a sound I like, to suit the song.

I produce all my own music, period. I never farm my music out to anyone else. I take the view this is my music and nobody knows it better that me; no doubt there's plenty engineers out there with vastly more experience and skills than me but, I don't have limitless budgets and I've found unless you seriously pay, you probably won't improve your results too much with experience and studio craft refinement. I've been recording, mixing and mastering since Tascam 4 tape was a thing and I've been honing my studio craft for decades now. I've grown as a musician and multi-instrumentalist and I can probably figure out what I want myself, far more easily than asking someone else to do it. Having gone the other way in bands down the years, I can say it never resulted in a positive experience and I haven't had the luxury or money to find a studio who would invest the same time and effort I would in my music for the same return or payment...to nail the time I spend, would cost me many thousands I don't have so, I DIY the lot.

When the song is done and all instruments in, I add any effects and such like I need (I don't over do that) and then I re-mix it all from zero volume, pan as needed and final tweaks before I master the song myself too. Job done. Rinse and repeat. I love it.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

That's a hard question and one I struggle to answer. In fact, I can't answer (though I would say it's one from my main key influences, it'll change for any moment in time though I'll go back to a pool of songs I pull out for certain occasions, good and bad. You can bet Merle Haggard, John Lennon and a few others will be in that small group of favourites).

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music? 

Write a song in one go or at least, all the lyrics. Don't force it and don't come back to it and make wholesale changes. I got that solid advice from Josh Morningstar and he was right. We knocked out Liquor & Time together in two hours. Josh has worked with some great artists including Cody Jinks (another of my contemporary favourites and a big reason I got back to recording music) and he's got the gold discs on the wall for his efforts - from someone who penned a million copy selling song, you always listen.

He's on the money with it. Craft the song in one session if you can. Get it tight as you can. You don't need to record it but if you are leaving the room after an hour or two with a finished song, you're probably on to a good song. Doesn't always work and isn't always possible but I have noticed my very best stuff was done in one sitting (or as close as damn it) with next to no changes made afterwards.

It won't work for everyone but it worked for me and I highly suggest giving it a go. You might also find it keeps you focused to knock out even more good songs, more quickly, without forcing the issue.

"...he's got the gold discs on the wall for his efforts - from someone who penned a million copy selling song, you always listen."

8. Proudest accomplishment?

Again, I'm keeping this musical. I'm going for getting my music out to the world over the last year. It took decades to get music out there. I'm from the old school world where you couldn't put your own music out unless you had someone backing you; there was no self publishing and no social media, no streaming and no real strong independent scene as it is now. To get music out, you HAD to have a record deal (or shitloads of money) and I, had neither.

As I say, you could go independent (to a point) and knock out tapes, CD's and such like and sell them at gigs, maybe even get some space in a local record store...but you weren't getting worldwide exposure and you wouldn't have the opportunity (however small, slanted towards the bigger artists and badly paid) to knock out your stuff, from your own desk to suit you, any songs you like. With recording equipment, technology, and the means to make music to a high standard coming down in price, it's been a great journey for me. No, it's not free and no, it's not necessarily 'easy' but it's a lot cheaper than it was and with effort and time and some patience, you can learn the skills necessary to output decent recordings.

I see lots of negatives about lots of streaming platforms and I agree with most of that. However, I still cannot see a negative in never begging some bastard record company executive to even consider the 30 seconds of their precious time to even listen to a tape you poured all your blood, sweat, tears (and money) making. Merle Haggard talked about the need (or lack thereof) for a record deal these days not long before he died and that hit. Jinks has had all his success in SPITE of Nashville and there's many more.

Getting my music out to the world was my aim during my early teens and early bands. I took (more than a few) years to get the music out there as I do now but I can do that now. I don't count numbers as many folks do, I don't equate streams, followers, and such like with 'success'' either. I do appreciate people listening to my music - every single person who streams it, listens, reads the lyrics, whatever.

People digging the song (over and above the recording, performance and anything else), above all else, is what matters to me.

9. Just for fun! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?

How about promoting a song, getting it ready, going mad for artwork, video, social media and all that good stuff then clean forgetting you didn't finalise the upload and hit submit to the stores via your distributor?

Realising this maybe 4 days before go live date? THAT was a close call. Worked out in the end though and the song made it (just) - could have looked mighty stupid if that hadn't worked out though!

𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

Lowest point. Starting out in early bands, investing time, money and the aforementioned blood, sweat and tears, produce a demo and getting radio silence from all those bastard record companies. Not even a polite decline back in the day. When you haven't reached twenty years old, it's a reality check how shit the music industry can be and at a younger age, you see things very differently.

Highest point. Releasing music independently when I like, how I like, where I like. Paying no concern about those early boundaries and the creative freedom I have is like winning the lottery. Fair enough, I need to do (all) the doing as an independent artist but when it goes well, it's up there with the best feelings you are gonna have.

Stream "I Ain't Jumping Bail (Or Breaking Free)" now

https://open.spotify.com/track/0qpvj8GdyLbfJkX6d9U0Ot?si=5eee9b8d4c02478b

and follow their socials

https://www.facebook.com/teleyirons https://www.youtube.com/@teleyirons https://www.instagram.com/teleyirons https://www.twitter.com/teleyirons

Please share this post and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!