When did you decide that a career in music was for you?

If there was one specific moment, I remember going to Wolverhampton in 2000 to see Idlweild, and they were absolutely brilliant. The crowd were so captivated throughout the set, and I thought that being able to play music that meant so much to people seemed like the coolest thing ever.


Who are your musical inspirations and why?

There are many, but some of the most significant are probably:
Weezer - I love their ability to write great pop melodies, but make them rock out. It's like the best of everything when it comes to musical sound, and Ric Ocasek is probably my all-time favourite producer. If you notice lots of pop melodies in Midland Railway songs, with distorted guitars and lively drums, it's probably Weezer's fault.

Bright Eyes - Conor Oberst is one of my favourite lyricists of all, though because his lyrics are so good, the rest of his songwriting is possibly a bit under-appreciated. I love the way he can use music to make you feel things, in such a powerful way, with so much raw emotion (particularly in his earlier stuff). There is far more to music than technical perfection. It is unlikely he would have ever been winning many singing competitions, but his music works so perfectly as it is. If it were not for Bright Eyes, I am not sure I would have had the confidence to try fronting a band, or to let my walls down so much when writing some of the songs.

The Magnetic Fields - Stephin Merritt is another of my favourite lyricists of all, and he has written some wonderfully moving pop songs. I think the very dark humour is something I have possibly learned from him.


Can you tell me 3 things about yourself that people might not already know?

Other than guitars, the other stringed piece of equipment I am decent at using is a tennis racket. I have won a couple of tournaments at club level.

I really enjoy a good strategy game, and have a massive epic scale Warhammer battle planned for the day after our next gig.

Teddy, my fluffy ginger feline friend, is hanging out with me while I type this.


What song of yours best describes you and why?

Much of our new album is very biographical, but mostly in a way that was more a snapshot of a particular moment, rather than any sort of generalised description. I'm inclined to pick out An Attempt To Write A Song, as it kind of describes the search for meaning in life through trying to write and perform music, so I think it's a fitting way to end the album.


What has been the best gig you have done to date and why?

In June last year, we played Manchester Academy 2. It was our biggest, most prestigious venue so far, and it was sold out, and it was pretty amazing. The sound on the stage was a level above what we've been used to, and it makes me want to play more gigs like that.


If you could perform a gig at any venue where would it be and why?

Many of my early musical experiences were at festivals, so I would love to play on some of the huge festival stages. The Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury might be the most iconic, but I always loved going to Reading too. It would be pretty amazing to play either of those.


What has been your best achievement to date and what would you like to achieve in the future?

It is alwayys hard to know the significance of things until you have had time to see how they pan out, but finishing our debut album felt huge. We'd been working so hard to get to that point, and then we signed a digital distribution deal (with Golden Robot Records), and released a physical version (though Rare Vitamin Records), and we've had a lot of really complimentary press coverage about the album. We spent a long time being a relatively unknown band, and it feels like the work we've been doing is starting to really be appreciated, which is wonderful.


Tell me a story from backstage or after a gig?

We once played at a student festival in Manchester. As Sarah walked in to the dressing room, all the other people in there were clustered around a mirror snorting something from it. Across the room, Rob and I were deeply absorbed in a game of Magic; the gathering, and were completely oblivious to what else was going on.


What do you like best about being a musician and why?

It's a very different way of expressing myself to every other aspect of life. I think it helps me process a lot of the things I have experienced, and it is great when it also brings enjoyment to others.


If you were not in the job you are now what would you be doing?

I have a day job - we're not making a living from our music yet. Maybe that will change? I work as a counsellor in my day job, which can have some very rewarding moments. I don't think I'd want to completely give that up even if I were making enough money from music. Both the counselling and the music are able to hopefully make people's lives better, though in quite different ways.


What has been the best gig you have been too as a fan and can you tell us about it?

I always find this a difficult one to answer, as small gigs are so different to huge ones, and I probably notice different things now to when I was a teenager.

The best one I went to since the pandemic was Jimmy Eat World at Manchester Academy, in 2022. The set was amazing. The sound seemed perfect, and the crowd were loving everything they were doing.


What would your ideal festival line up be and why?

I went to Leeds in 2000, and that lineup seemed pretty ideal at the time. I could try to list all my favourite bands, but then discovering new stuff is part of the fun at festivals. As I'm a bit old for sleeping in tents, my ideal festival these days would probably be one where we get to play, and where I still get to sleep in a proper bed.


What would you say is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Probably to watch your opponent's racket, so you can see where the ball is going to be going before he hits it.

That is really specific, and only really relates to the points in tennis where everyone is near the net, but so many people give all sorts of contradictory advice about most things in life that it's hard to know what will work for you, but this tennis tip has served me well.


What things make you happy and what things annoy you?

Things that make me happy include: playing live, spending time with the cats, strategy games, sport (though that can also be disappointing).

Things that annoy me: lots of the personal admin needed for life generally - tidying and cleaning. I find all that really tedious.


What things do you like to do when you are away from music?

Work, play lots of tennis, play strategy games, hang out with the cats.


Do you think social media and the internet are a good thing in the music industry?

It has its pros and cons. It is much easier to send things by email than in the post, and it can be easier to keep in contact with people who like what you're doing.

It's quite widely understood how social media can be very detrimental to our mental health if we spend loads of time on there, particularly when people are able to present their lives as being wonderful. I think that might actually be even more applicable for bands, as no band is ever posting about the gigs they've played that went terribly. Every band tends to present everything they're doing as a spectacular success, and it can leave you feeling like everyone else is doing much better at it than you (and they probably are not).


How important do you think your look and image is when it comes to being in the music industry?

I think it depends on the person within the music industry. People have different tastes.

There do seem to be a significant proportion of people who have highly preconceived ideas about how bands should look and act, and what demographics they should be, so if you don't fit with those ideas, these people will overlook everything you do, which can be frustrating, but I think you have to work through it and find your audience. If you're making good enough music, there will be an audience for it.


Can you tell us about any tattoos you have and the significance of them to you?

I cannot - I get a bit weirded out by needles, so I have no tattoos or piercings.


If you run the country for a day what would you change about it and why?

I'm not sure how much of this could be done in one day, but I'd rejoin the EU, use the extra eco nomic growth that would generate to improve the infrastructure, particularly in the north. I'd prioritise funding HS2, the additional lines through Manchester Picadilly, and the East-West rail routes across the north. I'd introduce proportional representation, and some measures to address corporate greed. CEO salaries have risen at several times the rates of the lower paid staff during my lifetime, and that has a lot to do with people at the top choosing their own salaries, rather than any true reflection of the market.. I'd want CEOs to only be able to pay themselves more if they are also paying their employees more. I'd also like to do more to protect free speech and free expression. People across the political spectrum seem to have stopped defending the rights of others to say and do things they disagree with, and defending people's right to say things you already agree with is comparably easy, but does not mean you support free speech.


What would your ideal day consist of?

Some variety is key. Any ideal day would get less fun of it were replicated each day. I tend to particularly look forward to our gigs, so playing some music would surely be part of it. I have learned not to try to overload myself though. I don't like to try to do too much on days when I have a gig to play.


If you could say one thing to your fans what would it be and why?

Right now, I'm just very grateful to everyone who has supported us so far.


How would you answer the question Who are Midland Railway and what are the differences between you as a music artist and you away from music ?

Midland Railway are:

Nick (me) - vocals and guitar

Sarah - bass and vocals

Andy - guitar

Kat - multi-instrumentalist

Ben - drums

I think we are very similar when doing Midland Railway stuff to the rest of the time, and I think that comes through in our songs and live performances. Hopefully that makes our music a little more authentic and relatable.


What was the first record or song you purchased and why?

The first CD album I ever bought was Smash by Offspring. I had heard Self-Esteem on MTV and loved it. I still think that is a brilliant album and I am quite proud that it was the first album I every chose to buy.


What would say to someone thinking about becoming a musician and getting into the music industry?

A lot of people question whether they have the "talent", but I think working at your skills is way more important than your perceived natural ability - even singing is something you can practice and improve like any other instrument. You do have to be quite thick-skinned though, as most artists have faced a load of rejections at various points. It's not an easy ride, but the highs are better than anything.


If you could collaborate with any other band/singer or musician who would you choose and why?

I'd pick The Dolly Shakes. I'd recommend having a listen to their stuff on Spotify. Grr Arrgh is a song about Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it's brilliant.


If you could have written one song from history which would it have been and why?

Grr Arggh by The Dolly Shakes. I couldn't have written it more perfectly if it had been by me.


What things make you uncomfortable?

Loads of things. I often feel like I'm super nervous and anxious underneath but masking it well enough that other people don't always notice. I need lots of time away from people to recharge.


If you wrote a book about yourself what would it have in it?

The story of the band would be an interesting focal point. We have had a rather unusual journey to this point where we're releasing our debut album, and I think we have had to overcome more than our share of hurdles.


What has the rest of the year got in store for you?

Hopefully quite a bit, as we're only in February. We have a couple of gigs in the calendar. We're off to Liverpool on 8th March, then Middlewich, Cheshire, on 27th April, and Northwich on 2nd May, and then we'll probably be playing a few summer festivals. Our album is available to listen to now, and we're working on more recordings to release later in the year, but you can keep up to date with everything we're up to by following us on Facebook or Instangram @midlandrailwayband and links to everything are here: