Music Q&A:
Josh Goddard

What informs your music and songwriting?
I take a lot of inspiration from R&B and soul music from the 1950s/60s. Artists like Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke are all massive influences on my music, which I hope comes through in the tunes. This style mixed with a modern twist, I think, makes something really interesting and catchy. I also grew up listening to my brother’s copy of Definitely Maybe by Oasis, still one of my favourite albums of all time, and there are a few nods to the them in my songs.

How have you evolved as an artist over the years?
I’ve been in bands since I was 14, started off very indie and then progressed to heavily 1960s-based. Both a bit of a musical hole for me as it was always 100 per cent one thing. Now all my influences have come together to form something that can’t really be put in one category, which I think works really well.

What are you up to at the moment artistically?
I have just been signed to ModernSky UK amongst some other amazing bands like Slow Readers Club, Spinn and The Blinders who are all doing some massive things at the moment. I’ve released the first track, Roll With Me, off my debut four-track EP Stumble. The others will all be released before Christmas with an album in the works.

What’s on your rider?
Alcohol and Black Halls throat sweets – an old soul singer said they were the best. Not sure if they work but they are a habit now – very rock and roll .

Tell us your most embarrassing or surreal experience.
Sitting next to one of my heroes Smokey Robinson in LA and thinking at first he was one of the Jacksons.

What song do you wish you’d written?
Hold On I’m Coming, Sam and Dave.

What’s your worst lyric?
I was in a band when I was 16 and we wrote a song called Silly Little Heads with the lyrics “We’ll egg your house, rob your car and steal your fence.”