Alex Spencer has made a name for himself on the North West music scene since busking on the streets of Manchester as a young teenager.
Now, he is attracting attention for his own material, and is out on a headline tour which culminates in a homecoming date at Gorilla.
We caught up with Alex mid-tour to get the lowdown on life on the road and what to expect from his live shows.
He tells us about his latest single “Bucket List”, the Manchester music scene, and plenty more!
You’ve enjoyed quite the breakthrough at a young age, have you managed to take it all in your stride?
Alex: “It’s all happening so fast and at such a young age, but I’m enjoying each moment as it happens. I keep reminding myself that I really am living my dream life! From busking on the streets of Manchester I built up my confidence and got good with crowd work. It led to me performing for the Manchester City Squad at the Premier League Celebration in 2022, to then touring across the UK over the last couple of years supporting my favourite artists and headline shows. Those early years busking have allowed me to be really confident on stage and in everything I do.”
When did this all start out for you, has this been many years in the making?
Alex: “I’ve been working hard for many years and it’s been over a decade in the making. My dad got a guitar for his 40th birthday and he’d play the same songs over and over again. We all got really tired of it so I picked up the guitar and started learning songs. On a family holiday to Thailand when I was 10 years old, I built up the courage to get up on stage at a local open mic night and played a few songs I’d been learning. It’s what inspired me to start busking when I got back to Manchester. In the summer of 2019 I got on Market Street, and from there I was known as the “Busking Kid” in Manchester.”
Tell us all about your latest single “Bucket List”?
Alex: “‘Bucket List’ is probably one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written, because it resonates with me and my view on life so well. The song explores the concept of living your life to the fullest with your favourite people and making the most of every second you have in this lifetime. I initially wrote this song during the peak of Winter when I was missing the sun, summer and good vibes. It drew me closer to the idea of having something you love and making the most of it. Tick off that bucket list, do everything you can before it’s too late, TAKE RISKS. No dream is too wild, no dream is too silly or stupid, no dream is unrealistic… I want this song to resonate with everyone. I want to be the voice to inspire the youth, get out of your boring 9-5 job; there’s a whole world out there to experience. Money comes and goes, but some experiences are once in a lifetime.”
Can we expect to hear any more new music in the near future?
Alex: “So much new music is on the way. I’m really happy with how my sound has evolved and developed over my last 3 EPs. Growing up I was always inspired by music I’d hear around the house such as Oasis, the Beatles, and The La’s. The first album I remember listening to properly was ‘AM’ in 2013 when I was only six. Over the years I’ve been listening to so much different music from all genres, Sam Fender Catfish and the Bottlemen, Dave, Mac Miller and it’s had a huge influence over the music I write. I’m always experimenting with different sounds; I think at this early stage in my career I can do that. I’m excited for everyone to hear this next project, you can really hear all those different influences come through.”
How has life on tour started?
Alex: “Tour life is the best. We’ve played 4 shows so far and honestly they’ve been the best 4 shows we’ve ever played. Bristol, I’d never stepped foot in the city and it was absolutely mind blowing, and the London show was absolutely packed out, had one of the best crowds! I’m just excited to be getting round the UK playing headline shows in cities I’ve never been to before. It’s surreal hearing the crowd sing my songs back to me every night, we love bringing the energy and putting smiles on people’s faces. We’re touring with all our friends as well; there’s 9 of us on the road and we all basically go college together and are good mates so we have a right laugh.”
We’ve previously seen clips of your on-stage backflips. How did this become a thing?
Alex: “I’ve always flipped around since an early age, doing backflips off trees and park benches. We always had an inside joke with the band about me doing a backflip at one of the gigs off the drum riser. We played Robin Park last summer supporting The Lathums and Jake Bugg and the stage was perfect for it. In one of the songs I ran and did a backflip off the drum riser and since then its kinda become a thing that everyone wants to see.”
What else can people expect from your live shows?
Alex: “Big energy, a sing-along, a rave… I won’t give away too much but expect to have the best night and get involved!”
It all leads up to a Manchester headline show at Gorilla, what does this mean for a Manchester artist like yourself?
Alex: “Its mind-blowing. This is a huge milestone for me and I’ve been dreaming of this moment for years. I went from headlining small 50 cap venues working my way up to 600 at a hometown show that’s pretty much sold out – you know it’s going to be loud. I remember seeing The Lathums play Gorilla and it was one of the first ever gigs I’d been to and now I’m going to be headlining the venue. It’s crazy what can happen in 2 years. Who knows, in 2 years I could be selling out the Apollo in Manchester…”
Has the Manchester music scene been good to come through in?
Alex: “I’ve been so lucky to have grown up in Manchester, living and experiencing the local music culture, as well as listening to my dads favourite music from the 80s and 90s. I think if I never grew up in Manchester I wouldn’t be doing music. Manchester is growing FAST and I think its gonna be the new London.”
Is there any added pressure as a Manchester artist due to those who have gone before?
Alex: “Not really to be honest, I’ve never thought about it like that. There’s always gonna be pressure to perform well and write good songs, but I just go with the flow and enjoy the journey. I really look up to everyone who came before me, and it motivates me to be a better artist every day, I wouldn’t say I feel pressured though – luckily!”
What can we expect from Alex Spencer beyond this tour and in the years ahead?
Alex: “So much more music on the way, bigger shows, summer festivals, hearing me on the radio (I hope!). I really wanna tour Europe and the US, and my biggest goal is to chart with my debut album. I’ve supported some of my favourite bands and artists over the last 2 years all over the UK and I’d love to tour with more artists and keep growing my audience.”
For more information on music, merch and tour tickets, head to Alex Spencer.
Photo Credit: Kyle Roczniak
…
Follow us here:
You can check out all episodes of The Northern Chorus Podcast on Spotify, Apple and YouTube, including interviews, reviews, rankings, music chat and more!
