Welcome the feature where we ask musicians or bands five really tough questions about music! Today we speak to UK songwriter The Gleeman. The single Marie has recently been released and it is set to be part of the forthcoming debut album Something To Say. Another track that has been released is cover version of Andrew Gold’s “Thank You For Being A Friend” in support of the Music For Dementia campaign and Thank You Day. Today we give some tough questions to the musician.

What is the hardest lyric you have ever had to write and why? 

There are a number of songs where the circumstances informing the lyrics arose from a difficult place, but the hardest would be for a song called “A Better Friend” as the catalyst for it was a devastating bolt out of the blue and my feelings were incredibly raw during the immediate aftermath when I wrote it.

A good friend of mine took his own life. It was shocking and tragic.

I had seen him twice in the week before he drew that hard line in the sand. How did I not pick up there was something terribly wrong? The benefit of hindsight haunts me that he wasn’t quite his normal self, but no alarm bells had gone off at the time. The song is a tribute to him and his enviable character traits but also a reflection on my feelings of helplessness and guilt that, from what others have told me, is a somewhat inevitable process you go through after losing someone in this manner.

How did I not notice? If I had, could I have said something or done something that may have made a difference? Could I have been a better friend….?

What is the weirdest gift or compliment a fan has given you?

A urine sample in a little glass jar tied in a very pretty little red bow. You asked. Well, at least, that’s what it looked like. In fairness there’s a chance it could have been whisky (I’m a little partial to the stuff) but I was never quite brave enough to open it and find out.

Who is the best band or musician you have had the pleasure to share the stage with?

It’s hard to pick to be honest, could go for Cobain, maybe Hendrix, ooh possibly Prince, Elton maybe, but Freddie Mercury would give them all a good run for their money, until I found Bobby Ewing alive in the shower (possibly obscure-to-some “Dallas” reference, but we all have Google!).

What one of your songs has been the most difficult to rehearse for a live audience?

There are songs that are difficult to rehearse mostly due to my concern about my ability to perform them live in public without the emotions attached to them getting the better of me, “A Better Friend” above being an example. Another is a song called “Borrowed Time” which will appear on my debut album “Something To Say” along with “A Better Friend”. “Borrowed Time” is about another friend and how inspirationally he continued to live his life despite his terminal illness prognoses. Though I was reticent to share it with him, he had heard the song and I am thankful to my manager for persuading me to do so. I knew, however, that I wasn’t capable of performing it while he was in the audience, which despite his illness, he always was.

He sadly reached the end of his very positive assault on life very recently. I hope I get to a point where I am able to perform it live as he deserves that tribute.

Dream Collaboration and why ? 

I wouldn’t want to collaborate on my dreams, they are far too mind bending and surreal for me to try to understand and process, especially after eating cheese (it’s a thing),  let alone trying to work on them with someone else.