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Tour Bus Playlist: Billy Lockett’s essential tracks
He'll celebrate his new EP with headline shows in early 2020.
Having spent 2019 travelling across the globe, including a sold out show at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and supporting both ELO and Lewis Capaldi, Northampton born singer-songwriter Billy Lockett is rounding off the year with the release of his Reset EP, featuring the recently unveiled Hard Act To Follow.
The EP represents a fresh start for Lockett, who returns to his original sound and an independent attitude. “When I signed to a major record label they pushed for me to make commercial pop records and I think it made my fans question my sound and it definitely made me question myself,” he says of recent turbulent times. “What I thought would be an amazing experience turned out to be an awful time for me.”
With Hard Act To Follow, Billy Lockett looks back at recent heartbreak through his newfound self-belief and confidence. For those who have experienced heartbreak at the hands of another, the chorus is destined to resonate. It’s a gut-wrenching account of a lost partner finding another, yet with a hint of self-assuredness.
“As much as it kills me to sing and listen to it, I needed to write this song,” Billy says of the track. “I truly mean every word in it and have never been this excited about anything in my career before.” There’s a light shining firmly towards the future.
With Reset due to drop on 22 November 2019, Billy Lockett has confirmed headline tour dates for early 2020, culminating with two nights at London’s Hoxton Hall.
Ahead of the run, Billy took time out to pick his essential touring tracks:
Ludovico Einaudi – Twice
“I discovered this guy when I was 8 years old and just totally fell in love, he’s the reason I play the piano.”
Radiohead – Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box
“This is probably the first band I got totally obsessed with and just wouldn’t listen to anything else at all for about 2 years. To be honest I’m still kinda in the Radiohead hole now.”
Oh Wonder – Live Wire
“A band I discovered recently and one of the first things I heard that really made me love simplicity in songs. It really encouraged me to get into producing myself.”
Bon Iver – I Can’t Make You Love Me
“This is the kinda song where I remember where I was the first time I heard it – it totally stopped me in my tracks.”
![Bon Iver - I Can't Make You Love Me (Live at AIR Studios) [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vw-4zHOhnKM/0.jpg)
Coldplay – Midnight
“I think this whole album Ghost Stories really hit me hard because you can really feel the pain Chris Martin was in when he made it.”
Bruno Major – Just The Same
“Bruno’s been a great inspiration for a long time, we grew up in the same town and whenever I have a difficult situation career-wise he’s a great mentor to me. His lyrics have always blown my mind.”
Benjamin Frances Leftwich – Tilikum
“I’ve been a huge fan of this guy from the beginning and am very proud to call him a friend. This song in particular punches me in the heart vocally and musically.”
Amber Run – I Found
“From start to finish this song is perfect, I love how it doesn’t try too hard, it’s effortlessly powerful.”
John Martyn – Lay Your Head Down
“This song reminds me of sitting and watching my dad paint when I was a kid (my dad was a fine art painter), whilst listening to random songs from his vinyl collection.”
Tom Odell – Hold Me
Tom was one of the first people I saw who made the piano look cool. I never played the guitar again after that.
Here are Billy Lockett’s headline dates:
30 January 2020 – The Joiners, Southampton
31 January 2020 – Roadmender, Northampton
1 February 2020 – Moles, Bath
2 February 2020 – O2 Academy 2, Oxford
4 February 2020 – Boileroom, Guildford
5 February 2020 – The Adelphi, Hull
7 February 2020 – The Cluny, Newcastle
8 February 2020 – Arts Club, Liverpool
9 February 2020 – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
11 February 2020 – Glee Club, Nottingham
13 February 2020 – Hoxton Hall, London
14 February 2020 – Hoxton Hall, London
Tickets for Billy Lockett’s live dates are available now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.
