It’s time for another Featured Artist! At SongCast, we’re always looking for new ways to help promote YOUR music. Check out this week’s Featured Artist interview with Mike Weaver, as he discusses his label Armandaleg, and his new song “Alex”.

What’s your first musical memory?

My first musical memory is of hearing my mother preparing dinner while listening to BBC radio. It would be a mixed bag of stuff: The Beatles, Frank Ifield, songs from the popular musicals of the 1960s and so on.

What music inspires you?

Music was always in the house when I was growing up, so I listened to all genres. I suppose finding out about traditional music from both the UK and US influenced me most – but I can’t say one artist above another has inspired me to go in any particular direction. I like strong and meaningful lyrics, songs which tell a story.

What’s your latest track or album?

My latest track is Alex – a song I wrote in 1978. A friend recorded me playing this in the early 1980s, but the tapes were stolen from his car in Birmingham a few days after we’d finished. When he was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer at a fairly young age (50s!) I decided to have another go. And, if it could be sold anywhere, 50% of the royalties would go to the Prostate Cancer UK charity.  Thanks to SongCast Music for helping to get it out there.

What profession would you choose if you couldn’t choose music?

I’m not a full time musician, never have been. Friends of mine went that way and had successful careers in the business, but I chose writing and illustrating. It’s only now that I have come back to it – and a few people have now said they want to hear me play live again. It’s been a while!
This year will see me re-visit a lot of the old tunes – mix in some I wrote about ten years ago – and see what comes out at the other end. There are a few tunes written in the last few years, inspired by living on the edge of the Cotswolds – and perhaps one or two brand new things too.
I play a Guild D40 – a beautiful vintage model built in New Jersey, and for some songs I use a Spanish-made Rodriguez guitar.

Tell us more about your musical projects.

Armandaleg Music is something which hopes to promote live music and uphold the traditions of good song writing. Folk, I suppose, but we don’t want to limit it to just that. Acoustic, certainly. We’re getting a website up and running and an associate is looking at venues, one of which has asked for artists names to be put forward.  I live on the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire borders. There are now major auditoriums here, but a few good festivals. One or two of the theatres hereabouts present live music – but there are far too many tribute bands and clones of other bands. We want a showcase for original material…and hope the public support it!

A big thanks to Mike for speaking with us this week!  Check out his website.

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