Singer-songwriter Henry launches debut solo work

Birdham's Henry Adams has released his debut solo EP, part of a new focus on his own work.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Feb 2016, 10:10 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 18:40 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Henry SUS-160902-111215003Henry SUS-160902-111215003
Henry SUS-160902-111215003

As Henry explains: “I am a singer songwriter who has grown up in Chichester, and since graduating from the University of Exeter in the summer of 2015 I am now back in the area playing and promoting my solo music. “Whilst at university I had the privilege of being in a number of bands, most notably an original songwriting band which I formed with some friends called Drive in Saturday. We achieved relative success, with our EP release being endorsed by BBC Introducing and performing at a few summer student festivals. At the end of 2015, we were lucky enough to support the Spike Edney All Star Band on their tour.

“More recently, I have looked to branch out and do my own work.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hence the new EP. Called Landed, it bears the mark of her heroes including Elvis Costello, David Bowie and Nick Cave and many more.

Henry SUS-160902-111215003Henry SUS-160902-111215003
Henry SUS-160902-111215003

“I was at the Prebendal and then went to Exeter and studied law. It was pretty heavy-going, but I am just at the stage of having graduated and enjoying now pursuing my music. I first started performing in Chichester in the open mics around here, and then I really did a lot more down in Exeter. I was a jazz singer in a couple of bands and then with the university jazz orchestra. Off the back of that, I formed a song-writing band, a rock band that had a reasonable amount of success, but now I am trying to do more of my own solo work.

“I am heavily influenced by Bowie and Elvis Costello. I am trying to go back to a kind of conceptual rock album album, rather than just the modern idea of writing individual songs. The EP is more of a collection of songs that belong together, songs just generally about what it is like to be under 25 now, just like Bowie was writing about what it was like to be that kind of age in the 1970s. There are songs on there that work fine as a single, but really they belong better together.”

As for Bowie, Henry approves of the commentator who said that Bowie’s achievement was to put the kosmos in the bus stop, in other words his ability to connect with an extra dimension: “The imagery that he creates is just so strong for me and for a lot of people. He writes stories that you can relate to. All of his albums, particularly the early ones, are ideas and lyrics and concepts you can really connect with. He was so much before his time.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Henry feels similar admiration for Costello: “I think lyrically and musically, he was always looking to reinvent what he was doing. I just love his music. It’s real social commentary, but also connecting with the art work.”

Henry’s EP, released on February 12, is available director from www.henryadamsmusic.com.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.chichester.co.uk/

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ChichesterObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @Chiobserver

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Chichester Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics:David BowieBBC