Howarth, though just one man and his guitar, harnesses the strength of an entire band into every song and performance. Ahead of his long-awaited headline show at Yellow Arch Studios, this powerful singer-songwriter chats with Heather Swift of Exposed Magazine to uncover some of the magic behind his creative process.
How would you describe your music and who/what are your main inspirations?
I like a lot of older music. But I think currently Sam Fender is flying the flag for guitar music, and long may he fly that flag because I think he’s brilliant.
But I take influence from all over. I quite like Phineas, who is obviously Billie Eilish’s brother – he’s a fantastic songwriter. I just like really good songwriters. Doesn’t have to be amazing lyrically, but just great music … whether it’s giving you goosebumps, whether it’s just one line in a song that takes you to where you want to be by listening to that … that’s how I like to think I write my music in a sense.
I might be quite loud and a bit of a gobshite, and quite gravelly vocals, but I like to write songs where if you listen to it, it takes you to a place rather than me trying to force a place upon you, if you know what I mean?
What’s your songwriting process like are you more of a lyrics first or a sound first? What’s the process?
It could be either. I work in a construction site so I could be walking around the site and all of a sudden a lyric or idea will come to my head and I think, ‘I’ve gotta write that down!’ And then nine times out of ten it just sits in my notes section on my phone forever, never to be seen again. Or I’ll pick up my guitar and think, ‘these chords kinda work’ … but it comes quite instantly. Sometimes songs can fall out of the sky and you write it in half an hour, and sometimes you’re stuck with the same idea for months on end and then you just end up forgetting about it because you don’t think it’s gonna go anywhere.
I might be quite loud and a bit of a gobshite, and quite gravelly vocals, but I like to write songs where if you listen to it, it takes you to a place…
What can people who are going expect from your upcoming show at Yellow Arch Studios?
It’s going to be a full-acoustic lineup. All of the acts on the lineup I’ve played with somewhere over the years, so I’m looking forward to seeing them all. It’s going to be quite nostalgic in a sense.
Scholefield, in my eyes, is a bit of a lyrical genius. He’s really good, he’s been in bands for many years, used to be in a band called The Cartells… TC was also in The Cartells with Schofield.
I think it’s just going to be a really good atmosphere.
Thom Barnett, he’s a young lad that I actually came across at an open mic sort of thing in Kelham Island, and just thought, ‘this lad needs to be heard on a grander scale’.
It’s basically just all us old boys showing these young ones that we can still do it.
What’s next for you in 2025? Is there anything else you can give any hints at?
I’m hoping this year to get three singles out! To be honest I want to do a lot more gigs like this one at Yellow Arch because, I mean, the people that are on it are amazing. I want to do more shows like this that showcase me as an artist as well as other artists around Sheffield because I suppose I’m a little bit out of the loop and don’t know who’s good and who’s not. I like what Reverend and the Makers are doing by supporting unsigned artists, so yeah I’d like to do a lot more like that but also release a lot of new music this year! I’d like to get in the studio a lot more and have more things for people to listen to!
So you feel like Sheffield is the right place for your music?
I love Sheffield. It’s always got a place close to my heart because obviously I’m born and bred here and I just love it! I’ve played some of the most amazing gigs in Sheffield over the years. You know, I’ve seen bands come to Sheffield and claim that it’s their second home, you know – like Catfish and the Bottlemen, I saw them when they were on the way up, supported them twice while they were on their way up. Over the years I’ve had opportunities to support amazing artists at amazing venues (Milburn, Joe Carnall Jnr, I am Kloot). In Sheffield I’ve seen so many of the best gigs of my life. I think Sheffield is the champion of unsigned artists.
Any final words?
Yeah, buy tickets! Come to the gig!
Catch Howarth, alongside Schofield, Thom Barnett and many more, for their all-acoustic extravaganza on the 8th February at Yellow Arch Studios. Tickets (£6) available here.
