Not only does Sean T. MacLeod make great, memorable music, he also has great stories and experiences. Today I want to bring attention to his latest single, Romeo, and latest album, New Start.

In this interview spotlight, Sean and I chat about surviving this chaotic world, working with Paul Barrett, his earliest music memories, and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

The world is going crazy right now. Let’s start with some basics. How are You? How’s the weather in Ireland right now? What was the last song you listened to?

Yes, the world is certainly upside down and inside out. I am well and because I use music and lyrics to understand and engage with social, political and cultural issues. I find it’s much easier for me to cope with the rather tumultuous changing times that the world is going through. The last song I listened too was Elvis covering the Neil Diamond song “Sweet Caroline” because I had to learn it for a gig.

What is your earliest music memory? Or a moment that sticks out for motivating you to write, record, and release music?

When I was 11, I heard someone singing a Beatles’ song and my whole life changed at that moment. I wanted to know everything about The Beatles, and I wanted to learn to play music and write songs and I’ve been doing that ever since. It was quite a profound moment, and I can remember very clearly every detail about it. It was really a destiny moment in my life.

What’s up with your latest release? You have any cool back-stories or inspirations?

The song ‘Romeo’ was written and recorded sometime ago but I’m only really getting around to releasing it now. It is just built around a very basic guitar riff which was pretty much the result of me trying to come up with something similar to the Smith’s song ‘This Charming Man’, it kind of grew from there. After recording it I thought it came out sounding quite good for a pop song so I just thought I would share it with other people and if they liked it then it was one more positive thing in someone’s life. The lyrics where also trying to do a kind of Smith’s type of thing but also, they are drawn from those unpleasant experiences I think many of us have when we go out hoping to meet someone in a night club or some similar environment only to end up feeling rejected or alienated at the place and coming home feeling rather dejected. But the song does end up with the hope that one day the right person will enter our lives. I think as a young person – a teenager or someone in their early twenties it seems to feel terribly important that we meet someone and can feel accepted.

Before the next question, I have to ask… what was it like working with Paul Barrett (from the band U2 for readers that might not know)? How did that go down?

Paul Barrett was a very talented guy who was always very abrupt and to the point and if he didn’t like what you were doing, he would just tell you straight out that it was rubbish and it didn’t work. He would rehearse the band over and over again until you simply couldn’t get the part wrong and then he would record you. He would more or less decide how the song would be arranged and how it would sound. If he liked your original idea that was fine, he’d let you keep it and you would feel like you had actually contributed but if he didn’t he would just re-write your part and tell you to play that. The results would be very polished and radio friendly because that was what he did. He made radio friendly pop songs and because he had such a great track record having worked with so many great acts U2, Sinead O Connor, Brian Eno, even Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan( I think mixing their work) you thought it would be best to just do as he said. Anyway, you hire a producer in order to do those things. So yes it was a great experience working with Paul and I liked him very much personally . He was very sharp and had a very wicked sense of humour. He didn’t suffer fools gladly and had a tremendous dislike of the music industry which is why he left it when he was still quite young.

And an appropriate follow-up, if you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why?

I know it’s a fantastical question which really kind of an imaginative way of saying who your favorite artists are but I wouldn’t really like to collaborate with anyone famous as such because I don’t think collaborations work like that. Famous people work together with not always great results and of course the opposite is true too but its best to work with people if the chemistry is right and you create something interesting. Most of the people in pop music that I admire were at their best quite a long time ago John Lennon, David Bowie, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, and there isn’t anyone so much around today that interests me so much. I like doing my own thing.

I know it’s hard…but favorite song (or artist) of all time? Or Top 3 if you can’t choose one…?

In terms of pop music it would be John Lennon and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

Where’s the best place to follow and support your music?

You can find and support me on Bandcamp and the usual social media platforms.

I appreciate Your time. Any last thoughts before signing off?

Just to say there is a New Album out too, ‘New Start’ which is available on Bandcamp and thank you for your questions and for taking the time to prepare the interview.