Exclusive interview - with Kevin Mark Trail

Like The Sounds Exclusive interview with

Kevin Mark Trail

2010 is revealing a busy time for rising star Kevin Mark Trail whose 2005 released debut album 'Just Living' earned him respect and success in the music industry with with quality tracks like D Thames, Perspective and the oh-so flowing Ticket Line. He also gained acclaim recording and touring with Mike Skinner's The Streets as far back as the Original Pirate Material days.

Kevin Mark Trail has a really beautiful reggae and R&B inspired soulful voice, you just have to listen to Greenland, Poison, Just Your Smile, Robin and Bad Mind People from his 2007 released EP Sketches, It's a wonderful burst of truth and exploration blessed with folk and R&B, bind-ed with his ungoverned soul.

More recently, Kevin has been busy writing and recording his new album and promoting his new single Pathways in New Zealand, I think it's time we caught up with Kevin, so let's hear from the man himself ...
Addolorata : How old was you when you decided music was the way for you?
Kevin : I was 16, I was just about to study English Art and History, and then decided, I was gonna leave that all behind and study a BTEC in Music

Addolorata : You was working with Mike Skinner from the start on Original Pirate Material, how did you meet Mike and come to work together?

Kevin : I meet Mike through Johnny Drum Machine (John). Me and John were in a band together in college, call A Minor 9 lol. Him and Mike were friend's. Johnny got in contact with me, I met Mike sang on the tunes, the rest is history
Addolorata : How have you changed since then, what have you learned?

Kevin : I have changed loads, and am still learning. Enjoy life and don't take your self too seriously, and life and people change, don't be afraid of change
Addolorata : That's very true. On stage you and Mike Skinner come over as having a great rapport between you? What are your strengths in personality and character?
Kevin : My strengths? on stage we have fun, I'm there to support mikes vision, fill in the gaps, make the show the best it can be. It's important for me to connect with the people, it's not about me, It's about the people who have come to watch. I want to make people feel something, react.
I try to keep and open mind about people and life, I consider that to be a great strength, I plan but I'm also not afraid of going off road and see where it leads, I love adventure in all forms

Addolorata : You toured with Beverley Knight, what was that like?

Kevin : It was great, she's an amazing voice, tight band
Addolorata : What inspires you when you're writing, singing and making your music come alive?
Kevin : Life, I have lived most, if not all of my songs. I feel like singing and the songs need to be as alive as I am, growing and changing
Addolorata : That is a really good answer. To this day, what is your favourite Kevin Mark Trail song and why?

Kevin : They change, lol today Breathless, as I'm a romantic at heart, and I'm in love with the idea of love, today lol

Addolorata : I listen to songs like Green Land, Robin, City Boy, Just your smile, My gun and it's clear you have a true and beautiful voice, did you ever take singing lessons?

Kevin : I have had singing lessons, not to learn to sing, but to understand my voice. Just as you grow and change, so dose your voice, I'm still learning mine
Addolorata : Who are your favourite singers of all time?

Kevin : I have too many lol, any one who sings from there heart
Addolorata : Do you write your own songs?
Kevin : Yes I write my own songs, always have

Addolorata : And you play guitar, what was the first guitar you owned?

Kevin : I have only ever owned two guitars both Tanglewood, I play more piano than guitar

Addolorata : What are you playing now?

Kevin : Today I was playing through some new songs, as I have a show in New Zealand soon

Addolorata : What was the last gadget you brought?

Kevin : A Lacie Hard Drive, for my Album files back up

Addolorata : Is it serving you well?

Kevin : So far so good lol

Addolorata : I know you have been very busy since The Streets American tour came to an end in October, so tell us what you've been up to?
Kevin : I do a lot of youth/Teacher support work, so I've been doing that, in between traveling
Writing and recording for my next album,
Writing with a band called Part Time Heroes, a kind of trip Hop classical vibe
Working on a few Reggae tracks, one for a label in France called Special Delivery and another one with a UK Reggae producer called Curtis Lynch
Recording and performing with an artist called Nathan Haines from NZ
Producing and writing some tracks with a UK rapper called Lyric L
Writing with an indie band called Ledbetter
Doing some promotion for a a world music project I'm involved in called Hui-a in New Zealand
And I'm currently in NZ promoting the single Pathways, and getting some sun :-)

Addolorata : That is a lot of work! very admirable. Family seems very important to you, have they been of great support and encouragement to you?
Kevin : My family are great, I consider all my friends to be family, we need them

Addolorata : Who has been your greatest influence?
Kevin : Life, we are products of every thing we come into contact with

Addolorata : What is your philosophy in life? What is it that keeps you outside the box and excited about life?
Kevin : Live and let live, try and also ways be present. We're all in some kind of box aren't we?
Not knowing what's gonna happen next, not being able to control every thing, I love and hate it lol

Addolorata : Are there any new artists out there that you are feeling really positive for?
Kevin : Masiey Rika, Lady, Nathan Haines, all the people I work with

Addolorata : We'll be checking all of them all out. What's next for you?

Kevin : Touring NZ with Nathan Hanies, Exploring NZ, world domination, space travel, time travel, meeting Aliens, finding Atlantis, kids, grandchildren, Wealth and richness, politics, sex, love, truth, Africa, music, the universe! I want it all!
I wealth, health and happiness :-)

Addolorata : Hahaha, you go for it! thank you for a great interview Kevin.

Sketches EP is available now on itunes  SKETCHES EP - Here

Kevin Mark Trail is also on Facebook - here

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