A Conversation With Cam Cole
A Conversation With Cam Cole
Hailed as “the most impressive one-man band you will ever see” by Unilad when they showcased him to their 44 million followers, Cam Cole is a singer, songwriter, busker and new age traveller from London, UK who roams around performing on streets and in venues as his one-man band show influenced by Folk, Delta Blues, Grunge and Rock N’ Roll.
Now touring extensively throughout Europe and America, Cam Cole found some time in his busy schedule to catch up with NSGs Billy Vitch to talk about his meteoric rise and career to date.
NSG: Good morning Cam and how are you? What have you been doing today and how’s that going?
CAM: Hey there! Had a show last night in Newcastle and got one tomorrow in Manchester so other than driving, restringing my guitars and getting stoned in the evening I am trying to do absolutely nothing today.
NSG: So let’s start at the beginning. Where did you grow up and what was it like?
CAM: I grew up in Hampshire in Guildford. It was really peaceful and quiet out there. I bought my first guitar at a car boot sale there for 4 quid and after some modifications, I still play it today so I guess I am carrying a little part of that around with me in my setup.
NSG: You are well known for your multi-instrumental shows with your foot drums, screeching guitars and unique vocal range. How old were you when you first took an interest in the guitar and what influenced you to want to learn it and music in general?
CAM: I can’t put a specific age or number on it, but I was always drawn to counterculture and people that were different. The real moment where I wanted to get involved more in it was when Nu Metal and the Garage Rock revival in the early noughties came around. That stuff just sounded so massive and I wanted to get involved.
NSG: How and why did you become a one-man band as opposed to being in a band with other members?
CAM: By accident. Never planned it! I was trying to get all these band projects going but they would all go nowhere. In the meantime, I was busking on the streets just to be able to pay for food and rehearsal studio time and stuff. And then people started filming that and through social media, it took on a life of its own. It then dawned on me that this one-man band show I just developed on the side and didn’t think too much about had something special and off it went.
NSG: This past year or so has been epic for you! You first came to prominence for your amazing street shows in London’s Camden Town and now touring Europe and the USA! Quite a transformation! Did you ever expect to be touring the world?
CAM: It’s mad innit? Well, I was ready to just travel Europe and the USA and busk on the street at some point. It was around 2019 when I asked Markus, the guy producing my records to be my manager. The first conversation we had was about the USA and he said “listen, you won’t even get past the border without setting this up properly”. And then Ted Lasso happened and throughout those damn Covid times with people stuck at home my social media got bigger and bigger and all of a sudden I was on a plane to Seattle to a sold-out show and a 26-date tour with stops in Mexico and Canada. So in a way yes I thought fuck it I’ll just pack my guitar and go, but I didn’t think this one-man band show would be bigger in the USA than it is in the UK and I would tour it over there the way I did. I am not too involved in the setup of all that shit, that’s not for me but Markus built a good team around me that seems to get me into all sorts of things so I am keen to see where this is all going.
NSG: What are you enjoying the most about touring?
CAM: Honestly seeing all these places and feeling the different vibes. Like New Orleans has got nothing in common with Los Angeles for example and it’s the same with cities in the UK, Ireland etc. So when you go on stage it’s always interesting to see how these different places shape the audience and how they react to what I do. You meet some absolutely crazy folks on the road man it’s wild.
NSG: Your new UK tour is called The “ALBION TOUR”, What does the name of the tour mean for those who don’t know?
CAM: It’s based on my song “Albion“, which is the first song on my 2nd album ‘Crooked Hill‘. It’s talking about coming home and rediscovering your surroundings and we thought that’s a fucking appropriate tour name after the year I just had.
NSG: You are described as a singer, songwriter, busker and new age traveller from London, UK who roams around performing on streets and venues as his one-man band show influenced by Folk, Delta Blues, Grunge and Rock N’ Roll. How long have you been a new-age traveller and what is it like? Like, where do you live? What kinda things does your lifestyle entail?
CAM: For a decade now. When I first came to London I wanted to be a musician and I quickly found out that was not gonna happen if I keep paying London rents. At the same time, I met all these awesome folks living in vans with this free lifestyle. So I saved up for a truck, converted it, became part of that scene and never looked back. I rent a yard where I park when I am not on the road. The freedom of just waking up in the middle of nowhere is amazing. So it’s very independent. Not the right lifestyle for everyone but I love it.
NSG: How would you describe your sound and who has been your biggest influence?
CAM: Heavy blues and grunge riffage with stomping beats. I am into Led Zeppelin and Rage Against The Machine and The Black Keys, The White Stripes etc. but also a lot of heavy rock, especially stoner rock. I am somewhat in the middle of all of that.
NSG: Now your new UK tour has just kicked off, what are you enjoying about being back in the UK and touring here the most?
CAM: Ah mate let me tell you the fact that I don’t have to drive for hours or days to get to the next show is awesome. The USA is amazing but man those distances get to you after a while.
NSG: If you could sit down for dinner with any three people from history, past or present who would they be and why?
CAM: Bonham, Ozzy, and Cobain. Why? Imagine jamming with them! Would be sick.
NSG: What’s your best advice on finding happiness and living a fulfilling life?
CAM: Learn to understand that the voice in your head dragging you down isn’t real and that you create all that noise. Which means you are in control. And then get off your ass and do shit!
NSG: How is the new year looking for you?
CAM: I have got 3 months off at the start which I will use to write songs. And then I’ve got a European tour coming, summer festivals all over the place, my 3rd album will come in August and from September till December I will be in the USA. I also built a solar-powered Sound System + stage that I am trying to launch parties with and am working on getting my own beer out too. Oh, and we have 3 EPs coming before the album with music videos along the way. Gonna be as full-on as this year.
NSG: Thank you so much for your time, we wish you all the luck in the world! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
CAM: Thanks to all that come to my shows or any other local, smaller shows. Times are tough, so you legends going out there and spending your hard-earned cash supporting new artists keeps us all going.
Praise for Cam Cole
“Cam Cole is clearly a genre-smasher and a game-changer in the world of guitar music, delivering mighty finesse, and innovation in equal measure.”
“Packed with electrifying guitar riffs, passionate emotions, and raw songs that hit their mark, Crooked Hill is a cathartic record for those looking for a way to release their frustrations through the power of pure rock ‘n’ roll and blues.”
“Boasting infectious raw energy and spine-tingling electric guitars, the artist propels us into his high-octane world and serves up his own unique blend of escapism and heavy rock.”
“Cam Cole’s sound fits in with the likes of Royal Blood and Rage Against The Machine, providing an escape from the mundane and a ferocious sound to help listeners release some of the pent-up energy anyone might be feeling in a time like today.”
ALBION TOUR 2022
NOVEMBER
17 – Night & Day – Manchester
19 – Boom – Leeds Yorkshire Post
24 – The Corporation – Sheffield
26 – O2 Institute 3 – Birmingham
27 – The Bodega – Nottingham
DECEMBER
01 – The Brickmakers – Norwich
02 – The Joiners – Southampton
04 – Exchange – Bristol
06 – The Hope & Ruin – Brighton
08 – Esquires – Bedford
10 – Powerhaus – London
14 – Limelight 2 – Belfast
15 – The Grand Social – Dublin
To follow Cam Cole on social media and to buy tickets click on the links below
