Rising Music Star Joe Keogh of Amber Run On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry

An Interview With Ming Zhao

-“Enjoy it.” You’ll have ups and downs. But you’re making art every single day. That’s a privilege. Do your best to enjoy the process as much as the result. Our second record was so difficult to make. We had been dropped by our label, and we weren’t enjoying each others company after spending 2 years on the road in each other’s pockets. But halfway through the process of recording it, we stopped caring about how it would do commercially and instead say in the message we were trying to convey. It’s one of my fondest memories making that record.

As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Joe Keogh, front man of the band Amber Run.

British indie three-piece Amber Run is: Joe Keogh (Vocal/Guitar), Tomas Sperring (Bass) and Henry Wyeth, who have amassed a dedicated fanbase with over 800million streams, a US platinum single and over 50,000 headline show tickets sold worldwide. The band met at the University of Nottingham and within their first year together self-released their debut ‘Noah’ EP, performing at Reading & Leeds Festival. Their first album ‘5AM’, produced by Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, Foals, Two Door Cinema Club) via RCA built lasting relationships with a fanbase who had found relatability in their deeply moving songwriting, and spawning the fan-championed ‘I Found’. Signing to indie label Easy Life Records in 2017 for their second & third LP ‘For A Moment, I Was Lost’ and ‘Philophobia’, the band continued building their fanbase organically, inviting open dialogues with songs that often cut to the quick of life’s more difficult moments as well as soundtracking Meghan Markle’s final appearance in the US drama ‘Suits’ with their track ‘Fickle Game’. Throughout all of this, their early 2014 single ‘I Found,’ has taken on a life of its own; currently sitting at a gargantuan 300 million Spotify plays, it’s been adopted by a new generation of fans on TikTok where more than half a million people have created videos inspired by the track. Offline, the band recently sold out their first Europe and North American tour dates, culminating in their biggest shows to date including London’s Roundhouse before signing to TRIPEL ahead of their forthcoming album, ‘How To Be Human’, out Spring 2023.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I’m not sure why but at primary school I found it hard at school to make friends. So I’d spend all my lunchtimes in the music rooms. I had a very supportive teacher at the time who let me use it when we had any free time. I felt safe there and enjoyed practicing. I won a singing competition in that time and that school and it was the first time I think I’d felt that I had something that was deserving of merit.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

There are plenty of stories! And when you’re living them, many stories don’t feel so interesting because they’re not on the big screen. They unfold quietly in front of you. Saying that, I still remember vividly, our label at the time telling us that our song I found, was not worthy of an a or b side release. We released it anyway and it’s now a platinum selling song. What I found the most interesting part of that was that, we are all making it up. Those at the top and at the bottom are just amalgamations of past experience, and that to create new narratives, you have to take action in things that you believe in.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

As stated above, I, and we, have made plenty of mistakes. But one that sticks with me is my own attitude to my band mates in the early years. Henry and I in particular did our best to put each other down as we were moving through our first and second records. We didn’t celebrate each other, but rather created an environment where creativity was incentivized by competition. I still remember the day when our friend, Ben, told us how toxic we were being to each other, and it was the first time in a long time I stopped and looked at my friend as collaborator and a person rather than a hurdle to be jumped. I regret that time hugely, but it’s taught me to listen, more than I speak and to trust the chemistry of collaborating with talented people.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Our long term collaborator Ben Allen. As a mentor and a friend, I have learnt so much. To unassumingly go about my work. To know and enjoy the good moments as they come, and see moments for graft and hard work as opportunities rather than hurdles. Ben had never mixed front of house before meeting us, he’d been in unbelievably successful projects, but we needed a hand in a position he was unsure of but lent in and helped us out. We haven’t let him go yet! He mixes our shows like he mixes records even though the two spheres are manically different. There’s never a show where people don’t comment on the richness of the sound.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Live. Laugh. Love.” No I’m kidding.

I heard a Robin Williams quote recently that resonated with me. “I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel alone.”

As a chronic co-dependent I found it enlightening the moment I heard it.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Working with rock royalty Royal Blood on their last record was unbelievably interesting for me personally. To work with dear friends and to see how their process differed from my own so much was very freeing. I still remember Mike saying “the songs have to be funny. You’ve got laugh at how good it is, or how true it is.”

I’m particularly excited to be working with a new artist called Myles smith this December. Such a powerful and truthful voice demands good songwriting, and I’m excited for that challenge.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

Any industry needs diversity to thrive in my opinion. But in the entertainment business — we are just story tellers. We just push air. And I for one don’t think that hearing the same story, recycled through the same lenses offer as much value as a story subverted and reunderstood through the interpretation of differing perspectives. But I mean look, I am, and identify as such, as a white, male, heterosexual person. Perhaps I am part of the problem. There is always more we can do to raise those around us up. For different stories to be told. I’d like to help with that where I can.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

-“Enjoy it.” You’ll have ups and downs. But you’re making art every single day. That’s a privilege. Do your best to enjoy the process as much as the result. Our second record was so difficult to make. We had been dropped by our label, and we weren’t enjoying each others company after spending 2 years on the road in each other’s pockets. But halfway through the process of recording it, we stopped caring about how it would do commercially and instead say in the message we were trying to convey. It’s one of my fondest memories making that record.

- “Do it for yourself.” On the most part — art perceived for others is not the art they or you need. The only tracks that have ever connected for us are ones with a motive that we wholly understand. They make sense to us and then because of that people put their own stories on top.

- “Stick around.” The entertainment industry is a transient melting pot of people. People come in and get spat out. Then turn up again. Try to see your place within it over a lifetime of work rather than a flashy 5 years. I’ve seen some of the most talented people I’ve ever seen call it a day too soon. (All for the right reasons. But still a shame)

- “Be kind.” To yourself and to others around you. Cynically, everyone’s on their way up and their way down all the time. Be one of the nice guys.

- “Have something that isn’t your work.” Music is a passion. It’s easy to entirely immerse yourself in it. To rate yourself: your personality and your relationships on the success of your artistic career. It’s not worth it. It’s not healthy. And it won’t help you.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Find other things you love doing and dedicate time and energy to that as well. I love sport. It gives me perspective to step away from the industry a few hours a week. Its built relationships for me where I’m not understood as the musician but rather just myself. On top of that, we’re all self employed. Do your best to work normal hours when you can. Don’t fall into the grit and graft culture too much. There are moments for it but there are equally as important times to stop, reflect and recharge. 50% of yourself all the time is half as powerful as 100% of yourself when you have the space to give it.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I’d like to help create a space for more music in schools. For people to see art as a valuable social and cultural tool in the world. For it to be as understood and respected as a career choice as accountancy or whatever. Kids have enough to worry about without people rolling their eyes at the possibility of them chasing a dream.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.

AOC! Her passion and dedication to the folk of New York. Find it so inspiring when others stand up for people that need it and dedicate themselves to the values of community.

How can our readers follow you online?

We are on all the online social media’s. The nature of the beast. Our website is amber-run.com for any shows / record news.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!