Luke, celebrated for his role in Ulysses, introduces a mesmerizing solo track titled ‘Car Trouble‘, evoking the essence of The Cars, Weezer, or Jellyfish throughout, with an exceptional guitar solo adding an additional touch of allure and excellence.

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You can discover ‘Car Trouble’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

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Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

Myself and Tom have been friends for years but never actually worked together, then recently I did some session work for him and he offered to do one song with me to get off my arse (I hadn’t been particularly motivated to finish / put out new music etc. I kind of wrote a song to order and demoed it roughly at home, then we did a couple of days at Tom’s place where we remade it from the ground back up, much better of course, with the bits I didn’t like improved / changed and lots of great ideas from Tom arrangement and sounds-wise.

Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signalling that you were onto something special with this project?

As soon as the backing track started coming together at Tom’s, also when I did my first main vocal (which we used) when I did the ‘whoo-ooh-ooh’ bit at the end.

The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realise that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?

It’s very hard to do everything on your own, the right people to work with creatively help to spark great moments and help to give you an overview of what you are doing. The end result of music for me is to create a song or a moment that you didn’t know was going to happen – it’s magic.

Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?

I’m just happy that all the old Ulysses fans are enjoying it! (As far as I’m aware).

As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

It comes naturally to me but I try not to think about it to be honest!

Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?

Jonathan Wilson producing, Ariel Pink even though he’s a Trump-loon, and Paul McCartney on drums. Something good would come out, probably!

Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?

Sometimes you just know from the feeling, that’s it’s finished, sometimes you just have to stop when you’ve done the best that you can do.

Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?

I work hard on making the lyrics as good as I can do them. I always like to have some black comedy in there and some kind of human truth in a line or two somewhere.

Can you recall the last instance when you felt the immediate certainty of having penned a hit song?

This one.

With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?

Air ‘Ce matin-là’, James Gang ‘Take a Look Around’, Ariel Pink ‘Mature Themes’, Bobby Conn & The Glass Gypsies ‘Relax’, and Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich ‘Save Me’. Why? Because they are all Godlike.

Performing music before an audience holds a unique allure. What aspects of this experience contribute to the excitement and enjoyment for you?

When people truly lose themselves in the moment, it’s the best.

In a hypothetical scenario where you could tour with two other bands, who would be your ideal companions and what synergies do you envision?

The Black Crowes, so I can guest on some guitar with them, and Weezer so I can guest on some singing with them.

Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?

I see myself very near the bottom, along with many other good people (and bad). This is the new Independent situation.

With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?

There’s nothing quite like that moment when you first finish recording the definitive version of a great new song.

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, what exciting plans or projects are on the horizon for you?

Recording more new songs, making more new videos, also playing bits and bobs with lots of other people such as Nick Frater, Hector, Bingo Wings, Captain Francisco – lots!