Indie Suite has often wondered whether musical talent is down to nature or nurture, or a bit of both. John James Newman and Steve Jones of British blues rock band The Velvet Hearts couldn’t have had a more musical upbringing, and have carved their own style and soul into the Hearts’ debut album Into the World. Indie Suite took the opportunity to find out more.
Sandy Newman and Marmalade
Suite 101: You’ve got some amazing musical connections between you both haven’t you?
JJN: Yeh, my old man, Sandy Newman, has been in The Marmalade for thirty odd years, so since I was born. They’re a big ‘70s band, and a big Scottish pop group. They had a number one with ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’. They’ve had hits over here, and in Germany. What can I say, he’s my old man, it’s all I’ve ever known! It’s just normal you know? We did a gig recently, just locally in this pub, and he wanted to do it, and people who came to that gig were like, “how did you get The Marmalade?!”, but for me, it’s just dad. He’s done some big stuff in his time.
Suite 101: Were you aware, in those early days at school when you first came together, that you [John] have quite an exceptional musical background?
JJN: To be honest, our upbringings weren’t that different. You know, I’d go to school, Dad would be away, just like any kid whose dad goes on business trips. Then Dad would come home, and be asleep at midday, because he only got in at 4 or 5 in the morning, quite similar to what I do now! I didn’t get dragged around to gigs. I mean, obviously I went sometimes, and I’d say “that’s my dad”! At school I was fiercely proud that my dad was in Marmalade. And all the teachers knew.
SJ: They were all like “watch this one!”
Acting or Music – How to Choose
Suite 101: Did you always know you wanted to take a similar route to your dad?
JJN: For me it was always going to be either acting or music. My brother, who is 4 years older than me, he’s an actor. He took that route, so I thought I’d do music. No wait, that sounds like I made a conscious decision, that’s not how it was, I just felt like doing music. And I think a lot of that must come from my dad. There were always guitars lying around, and there was all that showing off, I thought “I want some of that”.
SJ: John was always a bit of an all-rounder. He could play guitar, bass, and he was singing too, although he hadn’t quite found his ‘thing’. When he came back from the States, where he’d been playing in a lot of coffee shops, and writing stuff, he totally blew me away, because he was playing so soulfully. It became a whole different ball game.
JJN: I was playing bass and drums before that. I knew I could make noise, but when I went to the States I really focused on my guitar playing and my vocals.
SJ: Definitely, and you became a singer-songwriter.
Best Friends and the Genetics Debate
JJN: Dad was definitely a massive influence. We’re best pals. He’ll always be my dad, but we are more than that now we are mates. He lets me borrow his guitar!
Suite 101: So a bit of genetics, a bit of upbringing, and a bit of natural choice?
JJN: Yeh, definitely.
SJ: Yeh you can’t put it all down to genetics. Just because someone is a good musician and has a son or daughter it doesn’t mean the kid is going to automatically be any good.
Suite 101: Absolutely. But surely it increases the chances?
SJ: Now that’s a whole ‘nother debate!
The Velvet Hearts’ Into the World is available for download now from iTunes.
Further Reading
Check out what makes The Velvet Hearts shine performing live in this further exclusive interview.
Read more about how being surrounded by rock legends helped the band to develop its musical intuition in The Velvet Hearts: Blues Tavern Tales
 |
 |
 |
