Due to the nature of music, it can be a while between catching up with people who have made an impression on the overall music conscious of a city. In Stephen Langstaff’s case it’s not hard to see why. Over the last few years he has worked steadily and diligently in building up his songbook and it looks as though the hard work has finally paid off as Stephen is now able to concentrate fully on his passion. It is this work ethic that makes being able to pin Stephen down for a talk about music a pleasure.

In the past Stephen has supported The Bangles at the o2 Academy in Liverpool and gone on tour with some of Liverpool’s most famous musical names of recent times.

In May, Stephen will be performing at the recently reopened Liverpool East Arts Village Club on Seel Street. I was able to catch up with Stephen ahead of this gig and chat about his new single and how his life has changed in the last four years.

Hi Stephen, how are you?

“I’m good and very happy thank you Ian.”

It’s been a good year for you again, hasn’t it?

“Yeah, I’ve been doing some shows with some legends from Liverpool.  I believe that I’ve supported some of the great singer-songwriters from Liverpool over the past 25 years – Ian Broudie, Space, Cast and I’ve really enjoyed the Ian McCulloch show. He’s a true legend and he’s got attitude and I love that about him and otherwise, I’ve just been really enjoying work and the new material and the new musicians.  It’s just all galloping along quite nicely.”

You’ve been working a lot with the cellist Vicky Much from the Mono L.P.s recently haven’t you?

“She’s been coming in and collaborating, she’s an amazing player and it’s been great introducing the sound of the cello into some of my music.  It has a sort of grace and warmth about it.  It’s a nice offset to my voice.  On the track that we used it on, I enjoyed it being in there.”

It seems so many years ago now since I first saw you perform and you’ve been quietly chipping away at the Liverpool music scene. Since those early days the talk of your gigs has got bigger and bigger.  

“That’s lovely to hear!  You’re what I’d call an early adopter!  I’m really proud of those early things I was doing, trying to build myself up as a performer and I know it just feels that I’m now reaping a lot of the rewards materially now for putting in that time.  I love the Liverpool music scene, I really do.  It’s a great place to develop and I feel very grateful for it and anything else I’m doing around the U.K. and it’s really opened up for me. I’m just so excited about it and my confidence has never been higher and I’m realising my ambitions.  The thing about these Liverpool gigs is that they always remind you of the journey you’re on and you always feel that you’re further along the journey when you do a gig in Liverpool.  You always feel that it’s an extreme measuring tool – I love it!”

You’re going to be release this new song called Smile as a download, what’s the reasons behind that idea?

“Smile has been going down really well at the gigs and for that reason I just wanted to put it out there and make it into a bit of a calling card for the gigs that I’m going to be doing this year and then basically the reason for it is that so that we can sort of push it to the front of the stage.”

It’s not just a beautiful song, it’s a great song; it’s one of my favourites I must admit.  

“Thanks! It’s funny with songs, it’s one of those songs that no matter where I play it in the U.K. or elsewhere you usually do get some sort of a reaction to it each time.  There are some other songs that are emerging that now are having the same effect, some of the new ones, which is exactly what Smile is definitely one of those tracks that needed to be released instantly. It was the obvious choice really to do and to put out as a download and then to do some gigs around it to help it and to spread the Stephen Langstaff name around a bit.”

The way it’s been accepted by the audience is very reminiscent of the time when you were performing I Saw The Angels, which is, in my opinion, one of the best songs in the last ten years.  It seems Smile has been readily accepted as that song was.

“Yeah, it is! Smile is one of them.  I’m just pleased about it and the message that the song has in it as well.  Being an early single I don’t mind it being a download single because it’s got such a good message. Saw the angels was a song that first started getting me noticed in Liverpool. I like anthemic songs and that was my first draft of an anthem and I’ll always love that song for that reason. It’ll always be with me”.

You’re going to be performing at the Liverpool East Arts Village Club (previously known as The Masque) on 24 May, are you looking forward to it?

“I can’t wait to play there.  I’ve been to loads of gigs there and I’ve always wanted to play on the stage and just can’t wait for that one.  I’m looking forward to it.  I’m just happy with the way things are moving for me and the shows that are coming through for me are very exciting along with all the other ones I’m doing.  I’m just happy with moving forward and enjoying my life, I’m just enjoying being out there more than ever.”

The last time we spoke on the radio you were talking about quitting the day job, has that happened now? If so, was it a hard decision to make and was the progression quite easy?

“That’s gone! This is my life now – music.  It was always something I was working towards. The day job was always a means to an end.  I always knew that I would jump when the time was right.  The time came and I didn’t look back really.”

What’s next after the single, what’s next for Stephen Langstaff?

“Good question – more gigs and tours! More gigs, particularly in London and making an album. I can feel the momentum building in the newer songs. I can’t wait to get them down.”

Tickets for Stephen Langstaff’s gig at Liverpool East Arts Village Club are priced at £10.

Ian D. Hall