A UoM student, singer-guitarist Joshua Parsons is no stranger to the music scene. Originally from Bristol, he has been writing music as both a solo artist and band member since his mid teens - prolifically too, with hundreds of songs and ideas in the works - as well as gigging regularly. This didn’t stop when he came to Manchester and he quickly formed Laguna Beach, an indie rock outfit made up of students and friends. In true spirit of the genre, Josh first met the drummer when the latter, while smashed, advertised himself as the ‘best drummer in Manchester’. Even though the band eventually split a year later, Josh remains as active, and as driven, as ever.
Describing his music as ‘60s funk pop’, Josh takes inspiration from a variety of artists including the Beatles, as a result of his grandad’s love for the band, and Robert Cray. He describes a pivotal moment in his life as seeing Robert Cray at the Albert Hall in London, where he was ‘blown away’ by the track ‘(Won’t Be) Coming Home’. This caused a stark musical change in Josh, and he quickly transitioned from acoustic pop to rock. Lyrically influenced by Tom Waits, Josh writes about personal issues, preferring to touch on human emotion and the pursuit of happiness rather than politics. The end product is an effective blend of funk and indie music, with catchy guitar riffs complementing the rhythm in such a way that you can’t help but dance to it. A one man band, Josh records all the parts live (including percussion) on a loop pedal using his guitar, masterfully dropping sections in and out to create texture and define the structure.
With new music on the way, watch out for a release in September.
Photography: Tilda Gratton (07/03/19)
