James Heather: 'classical music shouldn't only be establishment music'

Pianist James Heather mixes a broad range of influences including electronic, ambient, orchestral, punk and rock music with the classical training of his youth to create his self-titled ‘pulse music’ style. In concert, audiences can expect raw emotion, not just from his music, but also from the stories he tells onstage.

Heather’s own story is quite remarkable. Growing up in a family of music-lovers, he learnt piano from an early age and created his own compositions, but didn’t release his work until a near-death experience and period of homelessness helped him build the focus he needed to pursue a career in music.

I met with Heather in advance of his upcoming concert as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Steinway Series to learn more about his non-traditional route into music and find out how launching a career without attending a conservatoire or music college can offer its own freedom.

© Ozge Cone

Could you give a bit of background on your career?

So far, I've had two albums, two EPs, a remix album and, in the last four years, I’ve started doing concerts too. I was in my mid-30s when I started, but I've been composing passionately since my early teens. I didn't rush anything out and it was meant to come when it was meant to come but, because I didn't really go down the professional music route for long time, I missed out on meeting like-minded people when I was younger. I felt a bit isolated in my own world doing my music – just me and the piano – but I dedicated my life to promoting other artists and I loved it.

I’ve got my own little radio show now on Soho Radio where I like to promote other artists. It’s good to step out of your brain and think about other people and give them a platform as well. It doesn't really matter how big or small you are, you can always be helping those around you.

How did you manage that transition from complete isolation to giving concerts?

Growing up we had an upright piano in my living room and, when my parents had friends round, I would play in the background really quietly, secretly wanting everyone to stop talking and listen to me. That's how I developed for many years, just trying to be the centre of attention, but without being obvious about it, and I developed my style. When I started performing live, I started to realise it's OK to showcase the full dynamics of the piano, because for many years I had just stayed quiet.

You have an in-depth understanding of music, but you chose not to go to a conservatoire or music college. What was your reasoning behind that decision?

I wasn't really in that world; my friends were drum and bass DJs. I did piano lessons and loved it and I did music at GCSE, but I didn’t ever really feel part of the classical world, I'm just far happier going my own way. I had a variety of teachers. My dad had a friend who was a fireman who knew honky-tonk piano so he taught me blues scales and I used to go round to my grandad’s for lessons. He was a keen hobbyist pianist, and was quite unorthodox for his generation, but he was a classical man – he had all the Naxos CDs. He taught me some basic rules of tonics, subdominant, dominant and how to change key and modulate. That would be our Saturday afternoons.

In school I got my top grade in music, so I did music and a couple of other A levels in college. The course was very theory-based, only half of it was composition and I remember the theory side really dragged me down because I just wasn't so into it. When it came to choosing a university course, I was doing much better in more cultural subjects, so I wanted to be a journalist and I did internships with National Geographical magazine, NME and Mojo, then worked at a record label. Music was put on the back burner, and the conservatoire world was never really an option.

How do you feel this route into music compares to attending a conservatoire or music college?

Not having a network was quite a big disadvantage. Through my radio show I meet a lot of composers and the majority of them have come up through the system and they have networks of creatives they met at university. I guess I was in a less creative world, but I'm learning now to collaborate more.

In terms of advantages my development has allowed me to be me and to draw on my experiences. At 28 I was hit by cement mixer when cycling home in London and I got caught between the two front wheels. I have a metal jaw, it ripped a lot of the skin off my body and I nearly lost a finger. I was in a coma and then in intensive care. I made a full recovery but emotionally, it takes a lot longer.

When I first recovered I felt quite high because I lived, but then at some point I got a little bit of post-traumatic stress disorder. I ended up having to leave my flat and I had a period of about a year where I was homeless, in a state of limbo while I waited for a house I was going to move into to become available. I kipped on friends’ sofas and for a while it was fun but then, for the first time in my life, I started to feel depressed. It was something I was very scared to tell anyone – I was trying to save face for months and months. Now I shout it from the rooftops, but back then I literally couldn't tell one person.

In the end I moved into a house, got my keyboard out and started composing. Before the accident I wasn't focused enough, but when I moved into the house I started really working on myself and not being beaten by what had happened to me. I'm so glad that I was able to go back to my original instrument and one day everything just clicked into place, and I realised this is what I’m meant to do.

I met my wife when I was getting better and that brought another level of confidence. She started doing some art to my music [Heather’s wife created all his album art]. So I said, “let's put this out” and it kind of went from there. Back then I had no idea if one person would listen or more, but I think it shouldn't matter if you have ten million streams or one. As an artist you’ve got to get to a place where you just do what you do, protected from any influences, especially the ones that dilute the art in any way.

Your unconventional entry into the classical world has helped you develop quite a unique approach – can you describe your sound?

I don’t really see my performance as a recital, it's more of a freedom, an unburdening of myself. The odd song is a bit classical but often it's more raw. I don't really approach the piano as a pianist, in my brain I’m trying to be a whole band – I'm a singer, I’m a choir, I’ve got strings, a rhythm section, bass – I'm trying to be everything all at once.

I've got a lot of respect for the classical world; I really admire the work ethic and the skill involved. I subscribed to composer magazines when I was a kid and I did music theory until I was 15, but I was always more interested in going my own way and not being too bound by rules and conventions. Even though I’ve got a lot of respect for it, it just wasn't for me.

There are classical pieces in your work, but also a mix of other genres, particularly electronic music – how do you feel these genres complement each other?

Through my 20s I was doing a lot of music that was more electronic but in the end it was going back to the raw piano that was my break-through moment. At this point I don’t put too much electronic sound into my music, but it's very much influenced by the sensibility of it because I've worked in the electronic music industry and I love it.

Classical music is often very structured, whereas electronic music is generally more ‘loop-y’. My music explores the tension between those two worlds. Some of my early songs are very classical in their form, and some of my newer songs are more 'loop-y’. I don't think I want to be really one way or the other. I want to appeal to a classical music fan, but I also want someone who doesn't listen to try it.

What kind of advice do you have for people deciding whether to go to a conservatoire or music college or follow a more non-traditional path like yours?

I think you have to just follow your heart. Amazing things can happen by going the conservatoire route, if that's the way your creative brain works, but I believe that classical music shouldn't only be establishment music, it can also be everyday music for everyday people.

I guess my route is slightly riskier, but maybe you can stand out more if you can make it work. If you want to really do your own music, maybe you can go your own way. There are no rules in music, that's the beautiful thing about it, you’ve got to get a bit lucky.

What can audiences expect from your upcoming concert (26 October) as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Steinway Series?

In this concert I want to showcase the piano, all it's emotional range and dynamics. I also tell stories on stage and when I talk it’s raw, and I try to get to the essence of stuff. Readers can expect an emotional experience, going from ambient and dark to happy and joyful. Even though I'm a solo musician on stage, I’m never lonely if I'm connected to the audience. I would just like to connect everyone and encourage empathy between all people. That's the message of my music, really – just pure idealistic utopian peace. It isn't really real life, but music is like magic to me.

Heather will be performing tracks from his latest album Invisible Forces in the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar room on 26 October as part of the venue’s Steinway Series. You can find more information, including tickets here.

Invisible Forces was released in April this year on Ahead Of Our Time. You can find more information, including links to buy the album, here.