Oliver Marson's music exists in the same vein as art rock bands like Pulp, Sparks and the Divine Comedy. His music and live performance is engaging and fun with thoughtful lyrics. His signature croon, energetic shows and satirical lyrics commenting on the grisly truths of 2020s Britain have earned him a cult following in the UK. Playing sold out shows in Manchester, London and even Paris and Berlin and also supporting bands like the Big Pink, Ghum and IST IST. Self-produced by Marson himself, and mixed by Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, Hatchie), “Blue Dreams” offsets the pseudo-opulence of 80s aesthetics with the grisly truths of 2020s Britain in a smirking slice of New-Wave melodrama.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Oliver Marson, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What drew you to the music industry?
Just love for music, writing and performing. I still love it and just want to make music that is fun, thought provoking and connects on a deeper level.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
Can be stressful. At the moment, I am very flexible with work. I work in a bar, also sometimes work lifting furniture for a company called Atomic Interiors. If I am lucky I can combine work with my passion. I produce other artists. Have produced a band called China Aster and a project I can't really talk about at the moment. But it is all very exciting. Sometimes I also do extras work!
Your latest song is 'Blue Dreams'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I wrote this one when I was working in an office job, which is very rigid and although I was paid a lot better than I am now I had no freedom to do what I am doing now. I really felt trapped in this moment and the song is a dark twisted fantasy about burning down my office for the insurance money and running off to the seychelles (ever tongue in cheek). I was playing it at home on my keyboard. It was originally a piano track with a 6/8 beat. When I came to recording it, I reimagined it with an ebow and made a kind of Brian Eno sound from it. It's my favourite song I've done so far. Really comes from the heart.
What are your songs about?
My press release said that my music contrasts the opulence of the 80s with the grisly truth of the 2020s, which is true. I take a satirical and humorous approach to tackling the world we're living in right now. A lot of the songs are also personal and come from the heart. Songs about love, disappointment and joy. Its a mixture.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I'd probably still be working in marketing for some company somewhere.
How do you know when a work is finished?
When an audience receives a song, its not longer your song. The way people interpret it and how you process it is when its done.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I'm obsessed with Football and the poetry of the game. Talk to me about Tottenham or Maradona.
When were you generally fulfilled in your position as an artist?
I think being able to just write a song and play it live - never thought I would ever be able to pluck up the courage to do something like that. And I admire anyone who also gets up on a stage to sing in front of total strangers. It is a crazy thing to want to do.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Just keep going. Believe in yourself. Stay true to yourself. In the words of Nick Cave if your friends think that you should do it different, then you just gotta keep on pushing the sky away.
What are your plans for the future?
I have a show next wednesday (15th February) supporting The Big Pink. After that, who knows? Who knows what the future holds for any of us? I am just taking things one day at a time at the moment and enjoying the journey.