(Interviewer: Nadeem Razvi): When did you start composing and recording music?

Royston Vince: Just after I left school - I had a little audiotape 4 track recording machine made by Vestax (I couldn't afford a Tascam!)  This would have been around 1985/6.  At the time, I had limited skills on the guitar and loved the layering you could achieve with a 4 track.  I was recording before I joined bands.

NR:  So you played live?

RV:  Oh yes - I ran the usual gamut of cover bands that played in pubs and clubs.  By this time I was learning to play the piano so either played guitar or keyboards depending on the situation.  Funnily enough I never sang which is surprising to me considering 'voice' was my first study at university. 

NR: You have a music degree?

RV:  Yes, I left school and got a job.  I then got into music in a big way and, after a few years decided to formalise my skills and completely immerse myself in the subject.  Which, of course, is the only way to become good at something.  I went right back to basics.  

NR: How about music at school?

RV:  No,  I hardly have any memory of music lessons at school and didn't respond to it at all at the time.  Eventually, I gave up the day job and did a music degree which was almost entirely in the 'Western Classical tradition' incidentally.  Of course, you don't need any of this stuff to become original or 'successful' but I actually think it helps to know a wide range of music. 

NR:  Quite a change.

RV:  Yes it was, but it was fabulous.  I got to know a load of music that had passed me by.  I think you can hear these influences mostly in my piano pieces.  I hear Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein and Claude Debussy particularly.  Though don't think I'm anywhere near their genius!  It's just that they were my favourites.

NR:  I was going to ask you about influences.

RV:  Yes well I have a million influences...ermmm....as mentioned there is the classical side, I'd probably add Vaughan-Williams to that list.  Miles Davis and a great guitarist called Steve Khan (son of Sammy Cahn) on the jazz side.  Jeff Beck is a class apart.  Brian Eno's music has given me a lot of confidence to take the approach I have.  Jimi Hendrix.  My greatest influence must be Pink Floyd - particularly the David Gilmour/Richard Wright side of their sound.

NR: Okay - your music - you do everything yourself?

RV:  In terms of composing, playing and recording yes.  This does have it's difficulties.

NR: Such as?

RV:  Well I've just about worked it out now but it is difficult to maintain an 'objective' distance from the music so I now have a number of friends who'll get a pre-master mix of a track and they'll give me feedback.  It works pretty well and I can avoid the 'cloth ears' thing that happens when you listen to your own music for too long. 

NR:  You master it too?

RV: No, no.  I haven't got the skill or the time for that.  It's mastered by a chap called Edward Vinatea in New York City.

NR:  How would you describe your sound?

RV:  Some reviewers have called it 'ambient' some 'neo-prog' both are close I think.  The main thing is it's instrumental and would suit a film soundtrack, albeit a film by David Lynch!

NR:  So where next?

RV:  I'm happy doing this at the moment.  Trying to find an audience for my music.  I'd like to play live again but only when I can do it properly.  the main thing is I am really content with what I'm producing - I've found my sound and am really happy about that.