What have you done since "Stooping to fit”? When have you started to work on these new songs?

Well, the Catchers continued to play live for a while after ‘Stooping to Fit’ came out. We did a UK tour with Dr. John and a few acoustic gigs around England . The band broke up slowly and it was hard for everyone as we had known each other for a long time, even before we all got involved in Catchers.

When it was over I took a break from music and worked in other areas for a few years. Eventually I realized that I was only fooling myself and that I needed to keep writing. I worked in a job until I could afford to buy enough equipment and start recording at home. I went through a process of sketching songs out, recording demos, etc. I wanted to be sure that I was happy with the music I was going to release.

Your new songs seems to be more "folk", less "pop" than the one you wrote for the Catchers; is that a voluntary choice ?

I think it stems from the fact that I am recording at home and I have limitations in what I am able to do. To be honest it frustrated me in the beginning because I was so used to writing for a group but I have come to enjoy working with restrictions. It has made me approach the instruments in different ways in terms of arrangement and my playing. For example instead of using percussion I’ve tried to play counter-rhythmic guitar parts. I would never have discovered those textures if I was writing for a band with full drum kit. I always look for ways to stop myself from repeating something anyway – whether it’s using different guitar tunings or by playing an instrument like the piano that I had never played before. I like working by ear and not really understanding how it works mathematically.

In terms of style – I think I’ve always had an element of folk in my music. If you listen to ‘Summer is nearly over’ or ‘When I Get Over You’ you can hear folk influences. As I progress and release more records you’ll hear that there is a lot more diversity in my sound. I have lots of songs waiting to be released that probably sound closer to the Catchers and lots that sound unlike anything I have released before. I want to keep challenging myself.

It seems that there is a lot of melancholy in your songs; what inspires you to write?

The songs that you will hear on the trilogy of EPs were partly inspired by ideas of home, of Northern Ireland , of my culture, my language - of the elements that make me who I am. I probably hinted at that on the two Catchers’ albums but it has become something that I am more aware of now that I am older. I found myself looking at my parents and realized that when I was born they would have been younger than I am now. I sent them a Dictaphone and a list of questions about their lives and their answers helped to inspire ‘Dressed for rain’ and ‘The Lockkeeper’s Cottage’. That’s my father speaking at the end of ‘The Lockkeeper’s…’

I’m not sure where the melancholy comes from. My friends like to joke that Northern Irish people only own winter clothes and don’t cope well in the sun. I grew up with a lot of rain – maybe that’s an element to it.

I think my voice suits a more melancholy sound. There is also a lot more scope in terms of writing lyrics. The pace changes and you are less concerned with everything having to have a punch to it. I’ve been using a lot of recurring imagery in the new songs. Light features quite a lot; light slowly changing and moving across the characters in the songs. Or I mention the world turning a lot. It’s the idea of time and change. I don’t think I’d be able to write that way if I tried to stick to three minute pop songs.

The first feedbacks on your EP are really good; does this encourage you?

Yes of course. It really surprised me as well. I haven’t released a record for a while and I hoped that people would like it but you can never tell. Each EP will sound slightly different I think so I just hope that people find something on each one to enjoy. It’s really just the start for me.

Your records have always been very well received in France . Do you know why?

I get asked this question a lot! I really have no idea. I’m very grateful for it though. It means that I have spent a lot of my life in France and I have a lot of friends who live there.

I have a lot of people to thank for supporting me. For example, Bernard Lenoir was a huge help in the success the Catchers had. The encouraging thing for me this time is that not only are a lot of Catchers fans buying the records and coming to the shows but a lot of people who only know me through The Sleeping Years.

You're touring solo for the moment; is it harder to play solo? Do you plan to tour with a whole band? If yes, what would be the "ideal band" for you at the moment?

Sometimes on a personal level you miss the company that a band provides but I don’t think it’s harder. The approach is just a bit different - I need to concentrate more on my playing.

I did a lot of acoustic shows with the Catchers and even supported the Divine Comedy on some dates on my own so playing solo is not that new to me.

When it works I think it’s more of an immediate, intimate connection with the audience. It’s very raw and uncomplicated so I have a little more room for my voice.

I can’t see myself touring with a band for the EPs. It’s something that I’d probably like to do with the following record. I did actually try and look for musicians in London but I couldn’t find the right people. It’s difficult to find the right combination of musicianship and personality.

My ideal band would be one that can be flexible. I don’t really like staying in the one place as far as sound goes.

What is your feedback on the gigs you have played in London and Paris recently?

It’s very positive. I’ve played a lot of different sized shows in London . I’ve played in a church, in an art gallery and in a lot of the more acoustic-orientated venues. The gigs up until this point have really been more for me to be able to try out the new songs and get comfortable playing them live.

Playing Paris again was a real pleasure. I really enjoyed both the shows at Le Divan du Monde and Pop In. The gig at Le Triptyque is being organized by Jerome Olivier who set up the 1 st gig I played at the Meeting People is Easy Festival. People like Jerome are hugely important to musicians like me. He’s doing it for all the right reasons. I’m even in the middle of writing something for his ‘Fugues’ project.

I think you plan to release a new album in a few months. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

I’m just releasing the 2 nd EP – it comes out on the 25 th June. I will have a third EP due out at the end of Sept or the start of October. The album will hopefully come out at the start of next year. The plan is to release the three EPs all extremely limited edition in handmade covers and then the album. The EPs are meant as collectors items. In the age of the mp3 I thought it would be nice to release something that is completely made by hand and signed and numbered. I work with a very talented group of designers called Pika Pika who spend very long hours making the sleeves. Even the envelopes we send them out in are hand-stamped.

Are you still in touch with the other Catchers members? What are they doing now? Has it been hard to stop the "Catchers adventure”?

Yes, I’m still in touch with them.

Peter lives in Australia with his girlfriend now. He has just started to drum again. It’s a shame he’s so far away because I would love to record with him again. You never know though…

Alice works in the music industry. She never sang again as far as I know. I think she just enjoys working for musicians now, fighting for their rights. Being in a band is not a career choice for everyone.

Many people have not forgotten this band. Do they tell you why The Catchers have left more souvenirs than the other bands?

It’s one of the most wonderful things about my life so far. I have had people come up to me at shows or email me through myspace telling me how much the records have meant to them. I have no idea why.

I can only say that the thing that made me want to write songs in the first place was because of how certain records affected me. I grew up in a very rural place and I had no-one around me that felt the way I did about a lot of things. Hearing music on the radio helped me to feel connected to the world or it helped me to escape.

I could never hope to understand it fully. After my music is released it takes on its own life and becomes something individual to each person. I’m just incredibly touched that people care about it the way they seem to do.

What can I wish you for the future?

Oh, that I am just given the opportunity to keep releasing records. And that I keep traveling and playing and meeting new people.