Inspired #244 - Harry Heart
We caught up with Manchester pop artist Harry Heart to find out what inspires him and his new single ‘Guaranteed Peace’.
Who are your top three musical inspirations?
Kanye West, Jack White and Josh Homme. All three have an ability to change direction with each album and challenge their fans. They collaborate often (not with each other unfortunately), and they still have a clear identity even though they change their angle on each record. It’s the same reason so many people love Bowie, but these three were current when I was getting into music as a kid.
Is there a certain film that inspires you?
The most memorably creative film I’ve seen in recent years was Kubo and the Two Strings, anything by Laika studios really. Their attention to detail is almost overwhelming, it’s absolutely beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever been inspired to make music directly by a film, it’s more often books that give me ideas on the type of language to use in a song I’m working on at the time.
What city do you find the most inspiring?
I’m really lucky, I’ve lived in a lot of cities between Australia and the UK, and where I am always has an effect on what I’m writing. Fremantle in Western Australia was a really encouraging place to write music, it set a very different pace to what I was used to, a really gorgeous coastline too. That being said I’m now living just outside of Manchester by the Peak District, and tapping into those two worlds (city and scenery) is giving me a good blend of edgy and mellow ideas.
Who is the most inspiring person to you?
It sounds dramatic, but I come back to historic figures that stood by their cause really often when I want that bit of motivation. People like Galileo and Socrates. They cared so much for the work they set out to do, and ran the risk of execution to try and share something beneficial with the world. I’m not saying I’m aiming for martyrdom, but it’s a good reminder of what dedication looks like at its most extreme, so whatever I’m dedicating myself to, I’m sure the price to pay (if any) is laughable in comparison.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
I capitalised on a brief moment of anger at the studio one day. I was angry because another artist didn’t show up to a co-writing session that he’d requested, and this song just bludgeoned it’s way out of my brain very quickly when I realised my time had been wasted. I don’t get angry often, but I’ve learnt to start writing ASAP when these things happen, I can always get a decent song out of it.
How would you like to inspire people?
I’d really like to set an example of seeing ambitions through to the end, but I’ve got to get there first. I’ve written music for quite a few years, and I’ve seen plenty of bands and artists achieve brilliant things and then disappear in that time. I’m nowhere near the top of the mountain yet, and it’s taken a lot of discipline to get comfortable with a slow, steady ascent. If I can inspire someone not to quit when things are toughest, the same way that people like Russell Brand, Kanye West and Galileo (sounds like a weird set up for a joke) have done for me then I’ll be chuffed.