Mike Lemin
Meet England-born UK Open Mic performer Mike Lemin:
Hi Mike Lemin, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:
Do you play solo only, or also in a group?
Group
What’s the name of the group?
Mike Lemin Band
How old are you?
111
Where were you born?
England
Where did you grow up?
Cornwall, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, London, and Reading.
How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)
Influenced by 80’s and 90’s music and a very multi cultural and binlingual (Cornish /Peruvian) upbringing.
Where are you based now, and why?
Newbury. It’s good for family – I have a daughter. And still easy to get to places all over the South of the UK.
What got you into making music in the first place?
20 years as a guitar player in indie rock bands, then switched to piano singer during Covid haven’t looked back.
What instrument/s do you play?
Singing
Piano
Piano
Guitar
Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?
Ben Folds, Elton John, Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey, Weird Al Jancovich. My songs have a lot of humour and comedy – I hope, and they’re about living in a dystopian Matrix, gelatinous cubes, and a comedy ballad for Jack and Rose from the movie Titanic.
Do you write your own songs?
Yes
How many years have you been writing songs for?
20
What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?
Sit at the piano. Noodle and hum and then if magic hits – start writing down and recording things.
How long have you been playing open mic nights?
10
Why did you get into playing them in the first place?
Practise and fun
What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?
Get out and do. More you play – the better you get.
What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?
Just the travel time and cost. And not being able to play for long . I do less open mics these days as I do more solo and band shows that last an hour plus, so an open mic is usually just some fun or a warm up.
What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?
Ones where you get everyone singing along and doing the call and answer. Or making up songs together, I use the method of – give me three things, a name, an animal and a situation and then make a song on the spot and get people laughing – quick and easy improv, that kind of thing.
If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?
Yes
What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?
I have a family so I keep the day job going. I’ve been a full time musician and a guitar tech in the past – fun but ultimately wasn’t sustainable enough.
What’s the one truth about you that people often find surprising?
My real age – I look way younger.
What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?
New album coming out and new live show for festivals.
Do you have your own music video, channel or playlist you’d like to share?
https://youtube.com/@mikeleminband
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?
What other sites/profiles should people go to to find out more about you?
mikelemin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mikelemin.com/
www.instagram.com/mikeleminband?igsh=Y3J3dnE3NHJuNzN0&utm_source=qr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.instagram.com/mikeleminband?igsh=Y3J3dnE3NHJuNzN0&utm_source=qr
youtube.com/@mikeleminband" target="_blank" rel="noopener">youtube.com/@mikeleminband
on.soundcloud.com/tNzD9zsvDxR8Njdi6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on.soundcloud.com/tNzD9zsvDxR8Njdi6
We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?
No thanks!