The Busker | ‘Paul McCartney... he’s the person who inspired me to write songs’

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Jean Paul: Brush my teeth

Dario: I usually check my messages to keep up with the others since I wake up the latest from the band.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

JP: Time will heal everything.

D: To never stop doing what I love, no matter what people say.

What do you never leave the house without?

JP: My phone!

D: Not that I’m a tech guy or anything but I always take my phone wherever I go.

Pick three words that describe yourself

JP: Ambitious, caring, passionate.

D: Creative, gentleman, oldschool... I asked my fiancée cause I couldn’t decide for myself!

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

JP: Releasing two albums with my best friends and buying a house with my girlfriend.

D: Two successful album launch concerts and playing at all major festivals around the island... these were all a dream when I was growing up.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

JP: Napping.

D: McFly.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

JP: In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

D: It is very important to share memories, dreams and successes. Otherwise they don’t mean anything.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?

JP: My house.

D: Probably my car.

What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

JP: Music can be more than just a hobby.

D: That life would be this great.

Who’s your inspiration?

JP: Paul McCartney – he’s the person who inspired me to write songs and his music was pretty much the soundtrack of the last 15 years.

D: Johnny Cash, but it would take me too long to explain why. What has been your biggest challenge?JP: 2018 – lots of stuff happening at the same time but I managed to survive!

D: Getting out of my comfort zone in certain performances or songs has been both a challenge and a learning experience. This is very important to grow.

Do you believe in God?

JP: Yes

D: I believe there’s something more powerful. Whether you call it God, the universe, love... it doesn’t really matter.

If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

JP: David Bowie – I would like to meet him and know him more.

D: Bob Dylan. He’s full of wisdom that no one really understands.

What’s your worst habit?

JP: Spending time on my phone.

D: Tearing string guitars was my worst habit before but now I have a new guitar so it doesn’t happen often.

What are you like when you’re drunk?

JP: Confident for sure.

D: On stage it’s super fun when I’m drunk, but I have no control so I might say a few cringey statements too. You need to be careful with that.

Who would you have play you in a film?

JP: I’ll let the director decide.

D: Ryan Gosling.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

JP: Arrogance and selfishness.

D: I deplore lies. I cannot stand people who are nice to you just because you’re there. Unfortunately there are a lot of them in this business.

What music would you have played at your funeral?

JP: The Beatles’ ‘In My Life’

D: A song by Elton John... not sure which one yet.

What is your most treasured material possession?

D: Right now it’s my Martin guitar. It has a big sentimental value.

What is your earliest memory?

JP: Listening to Michael Jackson in my mum’s car on the way to kindergarten.

D: Saturday mornings... My parents used to put on records (Queen, Abba or Simon and Garfunkel) while cleaning the house.

When did you last cry

JP: Last Wednesday. I thought my engagement ring wasn’t going to arrive on time!

D: Tears of joy at our album launch. Words aren’t enough to express the gratitude I have towards all those who support us.

Who would you most like to meet?

JP: Billie Joe Armstrong – I really like his views on music and politics.

D: Elton John... I’ve always admired him both as a songwriter and as a performer.

Who’s your favourite person on social media right now?

JP: Matty Healy.

D: I’d say Lady Gaga, but I don’t follow much.

If you could travel in time, where would you go?

JP: Late 60s/early 70s.

D: 1950s/60s.

What book are you reading right now?

JP: ‘I Am Brian Wilson’

D: I don’t have patience to read books… just short stuff here and there though.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

JP: Teleportation

D: Travel super-fast so that I can see the whole world easily.

What’s one thing you want to do before you die?

JP: Write a musical or concept album.

D: Go to India.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

JP: The 1975, Paul Simon, and us!

D: Right now in my car I have The Lumineers.

In the shower or when you’re working out, what do you sing/listen to?

JP: Songs I don’t usually listen to, like hip hop, R&B and electronic (I only sing to Dario or David to show them the songs that I have written…)

D: I don’t sing much in the shower. It’s like a chef who doesn’t cook when he gets home. I dance instead.