By Steve Perrett

What are your earliest memories of writing songs?

Sitting in my bedroom with my Cort acoustic. Most of my earliest songs were crafted privately in my bedroom with my door shut. My mom was always complaining that I spent too much time in my bedroom writing.

Can you remember the first song you wrote?

I must have been about 11 or 12. It was called something like "Why don't we fall". I wrote it on piano and I remember playing it to everyone I knew. I thought it was the best song in the world then!

Is writing songs something you've always wanted to do? Or is performing more important

I've always wanted to write and felt compelled to write. There is something magical about writing songs. Nothing can take that away, but without the stage I feel suffocated. I feel like "what is the point of writing if the songs are never heard".

Who had the greatest influence on you in the early stages of your career,

and have your influences changed much?

Sheryl Crow. She was my entry ticket to female rock. I absolutely worshipped her. I could play every song off every album, I taped her when she came on TV, copied the way she played chords etc. That stopped when I passed on my first recordings to a manager and music biz expert and the first thing she said to me was "You sound too much like someone I've heard before. Sheryl Crow?". So I stopped listening to her and found some other influences in Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Coldplay, Anouk and various Jazz artists. I have set-up a home studio in Belgium and exploring by trying more experimental stuff using Reason. I'm also trying to write movie soundtracks for fun.

Does writing songs come easy to you? Or do you struggle with every note and word? Do you write with others in collaboration?

My best songs come effortlessly. It has taken a while to realize that. Normally when I'm in a mental rut, struggling with the writing process, the stuff that comes out is never genuine and sounds forced.

Is playing live important? Or would you prefer to be recording?

I adore the recording process. There is nothing more thrilling than going into the studio and creating and crafting a song. I love going to bed at night with the songs running through my brain and wondering how they will sound tomorrow, back in the studio. I get such a rush from creating music. Playing live on the other hand is nerve racking. I can't quite figure out why, but I get stressed out beforehand thinking about the sound, if I'm going to forget my texts (I'm a terrible perfectionist when it comes to music). But once I'm on the stage its like autopilot and I love every minute.

Do you play many instruments?

Many hmmm. I play guitar, piano, I can get around on bass. I played Horn while still at school in the brass band, and I'm itching to learn the Harmonica.

As far as my gear goes, I've got a Taylor 6 string, a Takamine 12 string and a Roland RD 600. I'm trying to find a way to get my electric up from South Africa.. I love that guitar. Picked it up for a ridiculously cheap price at a 2nd hand store.