A joiner who has been hammering out tunes during his day job on a construction site has released his first EP.
Matt Cotterill, 30, from Macclesfield, is celebrating the launch of ‘Where Peaks Meet Plains’, which he has written alongside his day job as a joiner.
It is a profession not normally a source of inspiration for musicians but Matt says his work, which is often solitary, gives him time to think of ideas for his music.
Matt, of Bond Street, said: “I was recently on a job in Rutland and I took my guitar down with me.
“Obviously I had no time to write with the guitar while on the job, but I usually just jot down ideas on my phone.”
Matt added that while his colleagues on the building site are all very supportive, they do think he’s ‘crackers’.
Matt has recorded the EP with his band ‘CoTch’, made up of Dion Osbaldeston (drums), Ross Massey (bass guitar) and Gareth Price (lead guitar), who are also from Macclesfield.
Matt says he receives a lot of support from his friends and family, who all enjoy his music.
He explains that his musical influences are rather eclectic: “I grew up listening to the music that my mum and dad had on, mostly Motown, The Beatles and The Kinks.
“I’ve listened to all sorts – pop-punk, grunge and 80s music – though more recently I’ve been into electronic music like Bonobo. I got into rap while I was at high school and really liked Eminem but my biggest musical influence was Nirvana and Kurt Cobain.”
These wide influences are reflected in the EP, as Matt says he has enjoyed experimenting with different electronic sounds while maintaining a live, acoustic feel to the new record.
He has performed solo and with various bands over the years but feels his current line-up is working well.
He said: “We got the band together last year and it’s the best it’s ever been. We’ve got the right people with the right attitude, it’s great.”
CoTch will be performing at the Mash Guru on Back Wallgate on Wednesday, February 1 and their EP is available to download from iTunes or purchase from cotchmusic.com.
