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term plans yet because I’m focusing on this year. Yes, we shall see. I don’t know. I’m kind of
treading water at the moment, trying to think what my next thing is going to be. I always have
music.

BiTS: Let’s talk a bit about your song writing skills. How do you go about writing a song? Do
you get ideas that you put into music, or does it come along as you’re working or what
happens?

IS: It’s hard to explain. In my case, I’m not someone that usually sits down and crafts a song like
Jimbo does, for example. I usually have to wait until inspiration hits me, which could be
months, even years apart. Normally happens if I’m under some sort of pressure. If someone
else wants me to write for them, then it comes a little easier, or if I’ve got an album coming up,
then suddenly I start scribbling manically. But as a rule, I don’t often write. I just write when I
have to. Sometimes inspiration will just hit suddenly and then a song pops out sometimes very,
very quickly. Sometimes it’s ten minutes or half an hour or something.

Interestingly, next week, after Austria, I go to North Cyprus to a writing retreat where I’m one
of the tutors, so I better figure out exactly how to write a song between now and then.

BiTS: [Chuckling] Yes. I see what you’re saying.

IS: I particularly like co-writing because one of my skills is to take the essence of someone
else's idea and develop it into something. That’s something I really enjoy, even just a line that
they’ve got, and I’ll take that. The songs I co-wrote with Jimbo, all of them he came up with at
least the first verse and then I wrote the rest. Yes, that’s pretty much how it went.

BiTS: Despite the fact that people say, and you, I think, have said, this is not a blues album,
which I suppose it isn’t really, there’s a lot of bluesy feeling in it. Who are your favourite blues
artists? Who do you feel influenced by?

IS: Jesus, there’s so many. Obviously, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters – they’re the two
greatest of all time. I also love Charley Patton and Blind Willie Johnson. There’s so many.

BiTS: I hear strong sounds of Mississippi style in your guitar work.

IS: Certainly. Yes, that’s undeniable. Yes. I equally like country stuff, country songwriters. The
likes of [Kris] Kristofferson and [Townes van] Zandt. Guy Clark, people like that, so there’s a lot
of stuff going on [laughing].

BiTS: Ian, thank you, thank you so very much for talking to me. I won’t take any more of your
time.

IS: My pleasure, Ian. Thanks for calling.

BiTS: You have a wonderful day.

IS: You too. Thanks a lot. See you later.

BiTS: Bye.

IS: Bye-bye.