Eugene McGuinness might just be the next big thing. He has a mini-album out, a cool music video and a burning desire to learn the violin properly. His stylistic-pop is catchy as it is clever and his live gigs are really a lot of fun. We are big fans.
We met up with him on a sunny day in a loud Cafe in Soho. Here are some of the best bit.
Roy: Why a Mini-Album? Why not an E.P.?
Eugene: Initially it was going to be a 4 track E.P. and I went into the studio and I recorded four songs in two or three days and I thought it was done and Domino said maybe do a couple more so we did another five so the 4 track E.P. turned to an 8 track mini-album.
Roy: So when does a mini-album become an album?
Eugene: It doesn't. When does a single become an E.P? When does an E.P. become a mini-album? When does an album become a double-album? I don't know. Maybe it has to do with the length of music rather than the number of tracks but like "Is This It" and my mini-album have a similar length, mine's slightly shorter. I don't know.
Roy: ...and after the mini-album, a full album?
Eugene: I hope so, I want to do that as soon as possible.
Roy: How long have you been making music for?
Eugne: It's a year and a half since I started doing solo, I was in a really rubbish band before that.
Roy: Could you sum up your life story in seven words?
Eugene: A sentence?
Roy: Yeah
Eugene: Um.... Saved by the bell the college years.
Roy: Is your music influenced by the visual arts? How?
Eugene: Well, my dad's a painter, he's an Irish painter and I thought I wanted to study fine arts. He's called Michael McGuinness. I suppose my parents were very encouraging, it wasn't really that whole "get yourself a real job" thing that my friends had to endure. I don't think I would have been able to do it without that. That has an effect of course. I thought I was going to be an artist up until when I was 17 and I realised I wasn't as good as my dad.
Roy: You could still do music and art...
Eugene: I don't think so. Not seriously. It can be a hobby. You'll have to be a superhero to do both. If I think about the time I devote to songwriting and...
Roy: How much time do you spend on music-making?
Eugene: I wrote a song on the Ukulele today. This guy called Yoharashi left a really strange comment on my video on YouTube and he said "Wow. What a great life you must have". It's sort of about that. I spend most of my day on music.
Roy: How about poetry?
Eugne: Do I read poetry? When people encourage me to talk about it, I say I do. Generally... I spend a lot of time on the lyrics. I don't think I'll write poetry.
Roy: Can you draw us a self portrait?
Eugne: Can I do three?
This is how Oliver Davis, my friend, used to draw me

This is how my little brother draws me

and the last one...
