The Strawberry Thieves perform the songs of Donovan Jones (lyrics) and Oliver Whawell (music). The song writing partnership has produced songs in many different musical genres, promoted by the lyrics which were written first and cover a range of topics above and beyond the typical love song oeuvre. The songs were recorded during Lockdown on piano, acoustic and electric guitar, saxophones and GarageBand.
Where are you based?
Leeds, UK
How long have you been making music?
A lifetime.
What genre would you consider your music to be?
Progressive pop – but I’m informed it covers over twenty different pop genre!
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music
What are your biggest musical influences?
Roxy Music, Simon and Garfunkel, Space, the Divine Comedy
Are you signed to a label or are you an independent artist?
Independent
What have been the biggest challenges in your music career?
Getting to grips with social media!
How many songs or albums have you released to date?
Two albums – each with ten original songs on, plus one bonus cover track.
Can you tell us a few things about your latest release?
The first album “Interior Design” was a true indie project just to help get through lockdown. It wasn’t recorded with any audience in mind and the songs weren’t constructed with hooks or grooves as a starting point. The second album “Chill Out” is essentially a new and improved version – a similar range of musical styles is covered but there are more hooks and grooves. I had also learned a great deal about the whole recording/programming process so it is slicker too – hopefully in its favour.
Any plans for new music or upcoming projects we should know about?
The third album “Out in the Sun” is due out in May, hopefully to coincide with better weather. The title track has the potential to be a summer hit.
