Meet Bournemouth-born UK Open Mic performer, John Lion:

Hi John Lion, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

26

Where were you born?

Bournemouth

Where did you grow up?

Dorset

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

Cold and rainy winter afternoons can be depressing, music allowed my creativity to escape

Where are you based now, and why?

London

What got you into making music in the first place?

I thought if my mate can play guitar, so do I!

What instrument/s do you play?

Piano, Guitar

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

Beatles
Kinks
Bob Dylan
Bowie
The Who
Oasis
Lou Reed
Blur
The Doors
The Stone Roses

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

10

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

Good songs always come easy, without even trying. That’s what makes songwriting so hard because you can’t force it to happen. Usually, music comes first then I try to find lyrics that would fit. I focus on the melody above all things and I don’t record what I write. But if I remember a tune the next day, after a week or months then I guess it must be good enough

Why did you get into playing in the first place?

I just wanted to express myself

What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?

I’m bad at remembering lyrics, so I sometimes end up playing songs I didn’t plan to play in the first place, only because I remember them better

What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?

A guy in the audience once fell dead drunk on my mic stand

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

My next releases: a folk EP and my next single

Do you have your own music video, channel or playlist you’d like to share?

Do you have music on streaming? What’s you main streaming channel to send people to?

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

tiktok.com/@johnlionmusic?lang=en

What other sites/profiles should people go to to find out more about you?

www.instagram.com/johnlionmusic/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instagram.com/johnlionmusic/?hl=en

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

Thank you guys for that opportunity and all these great nights across LDN!