Who is Master Solo?

He wrote his first boogie woogie track by the age of six. At 10 he led a full calypso backing band to play a cover of Europe’s the Final Countdown while on holiday in Barbados. A couple of years later and he was being chased by the Russian Secret Police.

By his late teens he had scored rave reviews in the NME with former band Overhead, and went on to write a book for children about mental health, illustrated with photos of his own body parts. Oh, and he holds a personal best for eating 24 bags of crisps in one sitting.

Add to that playing football with Maxi Priest, flirting with Emmy Lou Harris, and calling Dave Grohl ‘Dad’ and you start getting an idea why Master Solo’s song ideas come thick and fast.

“Dance Hall Music was written in 10 minutes flat,” said the Master, (aka Mark Jennings from Norwich). But despite a lifetime of bizarre events, his songs are firmly grounded in the every day.

“I’m inspired by all the little things that go on around me. Things that happen to my friends and family, stuff like my cat shitting, or being in love with Winona Ryder. It‘s just storytelling really.”

When it comes to his music, it’s hard to pigeon hole. 'Dance Hall Music', could as easily have been released in 1947 as 2007. It’s shaky on the old Joanna and dancing with American sweethearts. It’s the Broken Family Band without the drawling accents, or Chris TT without the politics. Firmly routed in alternative country, Master Solo also takes inspiration from the likes of Herman Dune, Neutral Milk Hotel, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Sebadoh, and the Folk Implosion.

Sporting an eccentric trailer park look, Master Solo took his acoustic guitar over to the States last year where his Brit edged country went down a storm in clubs and bars.

Dance Hall Music and Pop were recorded at the Sickroom Studios in Norfolk by Owen Turner (home to The Walk Off, the Broken Family Band, Magoo, Kaito & Bearsuit) . This is the debut single from Master Solo’s forthcoming album No Longer Solo.

Radio airplay already gained from Rob Da Bank on Radio 1.