Andrew McGregor - Creative Musician

I first met Andrew at a music festival in the Hawkes Bay [New Zealand] run by some friends - Mary KIppenberger and Peter Charlton-Jones. Here was a young man with a heap of talent. I got to talk to him about his creativity and began by asking if he regarded himself as a creative person.

"I guess I always knew it but it wasn't till quite recently that I realised that I am. It was at the Te Rangi Festival - at that festival it was just magic - just the setting. I wrote about three songs and in the month after I wrote another half dozen. They just flew out."

When asked about what it was that did that for him Andrew commented that "I think probably just being away from everything - like having to write a song for a gig - there's pressure and there was no goal here. Like - just write a song."

I asked him if that means he is more creative without pressure.

"A bit of both really. Like a while ago I got sick of playing the same stuff so I had 2 weeks to write three songs. But I think I write better songs without too much pressure."

I asked Andrew where the songs came from. His reply. "it's quite spontaneous. It can come from nowhere - just out of my head - I don't know where from. Other times I might be listening to a song and I'll draw inspiration from that. Usually new music that I've downloaded or heard on myspace - from a remote part of the world. I'll listen to anything."

When asked to give advice to a 14 year old with a guitar what would that advice be he replied "Listen and go and see as many different bands as possible across all different genres. As a musician you are only as good as your influences."

So for all you 14 year olds [of any age] that sounds like good advice!!