A Chat with Nylophone (22.06.2020)
Nylophone is an Irish indie-pop musician who has just released his debut single ‘Summer Feeling’. Before COVID-19, he taught piano and guitar, but spent the lockdown recording at home. We sat down with the man behind Nylohphone, Niall Woods (NW), to talk about the new single, his music and much more!
OSR: What is the story behind your stage name, Nylophone?
NW: It’s a silly play on words. A mixture between my name ‘Niall’ and the word ’Xylophone’.
OSR: What do you feel is the best song you have ever released and why?
NW: This is my debut single, so there’s nothing to choose from apart from this. The best is yet to come though. I’ll be releasing one song a month for the next 7 or 8 months.
OSR: Which instruments do you play?
NW: Until lockdown due to Coronavirus I made my living by running a small music school. I teach piano, guitar and drums there, but I also dabble on a few other instruments like concertina and banjo.
OSR: Is there an instrument you would like to learn and why?
NW: I’d love to be good at the violin/fiddle. I got one a few years ago but I have’t put enough time and effort into it. Maybe one day.
OSR: What is your favourite part and least favourite part of your career and why?
NW: Well I don’t have a music career (yet, hopefully), but really the only part I enjoy is making music, which is the only part I focused on until lockdown. The PR stuff is a bit of a pain but since I have a lot of time on my hands these days I’m giving it a shot.
OSR: Do you get nervous before a performance?
NW: So far, I’ve never performed my own music. I play a bit of jazz and Irish traditional at weddings and small restaurants as a side gig. I don’t get too nervous about them but maybe when I start doing my own music I will.
OSR: Do you tour?
NW: Not yet.
OSR: What is your biggest musical challenge?
NW: Laziness. Most of what I think of as my best songs I started on a whim and not because I was feeling inspired or loving the first bit I came up with. You just have to get started. Waiting for inspiration is a good excuse to go to the pub or watch TV instead.
OSR: Does the weather affect your creative process?
NW: If the weather is good I’m more likely to go outside than to stay cooped up in my room making music, but then again, I make most of my music at night when everyone is asleep anyway, so no not really.
OSR: What are your plans for any future releases?
NW: I’m going to be releasing one song a month for the next 8 months.
Thanks to Nylophone for chatting with us! You can find more about him on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
