Where are you from originally?
Southampton in England, come on the Saints!

When did you move and where did you move to?
I moved to Melbourne in Australia in October 2007

Why did you decide to move there? Was the decision related to your music?
I decided to move for a few reasons, I'd had a bit of a crappy relationship break up and moving seemed better than shaving my head, I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere

musically at the time in England, maybe this was my own fault, I'd kinda hit a wall and needed other things to blame, I felt that a new start in a country where I knew only 3 people was best for me personally and musically, and thirdly Australia was the only place where my album had been released, it got some good reviews and Darren from Low Transit (label) invited me over to see how it would go.

In what ways is your new home country different from your old one?
The first thing I noticed is the free music street press, here in Melbourne as in most of the other big cities there are 2 quality music magazines, every Wednesday....for free! They have interviews, reviews, listings etc with both major bands and local acts, it made me feel like part of a community straight away. The major musical difference for me though is that people for the most part have been a lot more receptive to the quiet,

acoustic kinda stuff I'm peddling, it was hard to find an audience back home who didn't want to talk loudly about 'The Biggest Loser' or something while I was playing......apart from that, Australians say the word "Data" weirdly.

Did you have any particular difficulties when you first arrived?
I actually had a pretty smooth transition, apart from maybe a bit of a problem with Jetlag and getting severely sunburnt on one side of my face, but I've always been good at getting comedy sunburn so I don't blame Australia for that.

I had a friend here before I arrived and he took good care of me until I found my feet a

bit, then after about 3 weeks or so I met Alysia who almost overnight became my new partner in co-pilgrim. If I was having any doubts about being on the other side of the world by myself they were dispelled by finding Alysia, after that first practice I knew I had my the right decision about moving here.

How has moving to a new country influenced your music?
I don't think the physical land itself has influenced me so much as the people have. Alysia in particular has almost single handedly turned me from someone who was bored with music and therefore life in general to someone who feels completely invigorated and inspired, she has introduced me to so much new music and given me back an enthusiasm which I didn't have anymore. Within the first few months of us playing together we had scrapped most of the songs I had written before arriving here and compiled a completely new set, it is so good to be working with someone who understands what I'm trying to do yet has all of these fantastic songs and ideas of their own.

What tips would you give to a band/artist considering moving to a new country?
Check out what kind of scene there is for your style of music, take the right clothes and don't try to go to America because they won't let you in.

Interview & photograph by Paul Madden
www.myspace.com/copilgrim

Watch a live video of Co-Pilgrim performing at Hampton's Bar