Ok….we have to admit it! Welovebearwood went a bit gooey when Metz Jnr finished his performance at Warley Woods Picnic in the Park with Sinatra’s New York New York, so we just had to find out more about him.
We caught up with Metz to find out about his music, his plans for the future, being Bearwood born and bred and why he thinks there’s a connection between Lightwoods Chippy and aliens.
How would you describe your music in one sentence?
My music is made to inspire the uninspired, relate to the masses and to speak my mind with new perspectives from life experiences, never the same always different. . . .
I adore playing with other artists and if I had a choice I would most likely go with the live music scene, working with other artists is packed with excitement and challenges however, I have progressed further in music independently because I can get more done solo with no ties, you'd of thought that working with more people gets you a faster work rate when in fact progress develops slowly. The two bands I am currently working with are seriously starting to put in the work and I have a feeling that my priorities will change to the bands but will never lose touch of my solo abilities.
We loved the fact that you finished your set at Warley Woods with New York New York. Why did you decide to finish with Frank Sinatra?
Aww thank you, I'm glad you did as it was a last minute selection! Everyone standing out there were so varied in age, it was certainly daunting to begin with. I just knew that with the set I had done I was still yet to touch on the oldest generations musical choice and Frank did it for me, I also absolutely adore Frank Sinatra's music, true legend.
Where does the name Metz Jnr come from?
Well Jnr is down to a senior and since me and my pop shared the same first name 'Metin', Metz was slowly developed into an alias that differed from my Dad’s. That name stuck and then found the stage, not too exciting but there is something hidden in the name. If you mumble or grumble the JNR as a word rather than an abbreviation you can pull out the word genre, which makes sense as I have always and continue to test my range and boundaries in all different types and styles of music.
If you had to choose between Sammy Davis Jnr, Harry Connick Jnr or Ray Parker Jnr (Ghostbusters), which one would you choose and why?
Sammy all the way, I mean Harry Connick is close but Sammy was in the Rat Pack, high rolling his way through the charts and world stage. He was one of the three most influential and talented men on the planet in that age and set the standard when it came to singing especially as an African American in that era, he had cojones, he lost an eye and became a Jew in one the most racist of ages, full props to such a man, although Ray Parker fought ghosts...
Why did you decide to film the video for ‘Where did the sunshine go?’ in Warley Woods?
It's amazing, I love the woods, it's over the road from me and the day was cloudy and perfect for the shoot, it was a quick vid and is old now, I have two brand new ones coming up this year, one of which was also done in the woods during the Rabbit Hole event we held during the Warley Woods's Mad Hatter Walk.
Which artist/artists inspire you and what’s your favourite album so far of 2013?'
My closest friends inspire me, that's serious, when I say K Chambers and Juggernaught are my best friends and two of my favourite artists, that's nice. Natty, K-os, Klashneckoff, Katie Melua, Lianne La Havas, Ben Harper, The Marleys... All of the artists I hold high up and there are simply too many to name.. And the album of the year hmmm, K-os 'Black on Blonde', get listening.
What do you think of the live music scene in Bearwood?
I think the scene here is below standard, the artists in Bearwood are awesome but there is simply no where in Bearwood offering a place of musical gathering other than the brilliant events at the park or in the Woods, we need a venue for live music and we need it now!
Where can we see you next perform live?
You can catch me at the BMX track in Perry Park for the BMX Brits championship on Sunday August 25th performing live with my band 'Dantanna', that will be awesome, also on September 14th you can catch me on a solo show at the well established Hare and Hounds where I will be supporting One Eye the amazing Birmingham based reggae band, please please come and show some support!
Born and bred Bearwood boy through and though, despite my different family backgrounds I can safely say when people ask where I am from it's either Birmingham to generalise or Bearwood for the locals :)
Please tell us your Bearwood All-Star. In other words what, where or who makes you smile in Bearwood?
I have to say it's always been the Lightwoods Chippy!! Although The Dog Pub and Lightwoods Park hold many childhood and adulthood memories I can never seem to shake off those delicious orange chips and why would I want to! Yum!
We like to ask everyone this question. What makes Lightwoods Chippy’s chips orange?
I always wondered when I was a child and never asked the family because I didn't want to spoil the amazing wonder I had for this strange and tasty chip. I still hold the wonder quite dear to me.
However I think I now know.... Aliens.
P.S. If you haven’t guessed it already (that's our excuse for the punny title of this blog post anyway) welovebearwood are big fans of 80s pop! Here’s one of our favourites from Howard Jones!
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