We caught up with 22 year old Sam Duckworth for a general chat about his latest album, life as a Glastonbury Pyramid stage performer, what he thinks about the state of today's music industry and of course, what he thinks about Kernow....

Interview and words by Laura Snapes 

Compared to the release of his 2006 album, Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly’s latest, Searching for the Hows and Whys, arrived to comparatively little internet fanfare. However, what it lacked in blogosphere buzz and bedroom lo-fi credentials, it gained from producer Nitin Sawnhey’s orchestral nous, and a few more years on Sam Duckworth’s side. Confronting themes from one night stands to the war on Islam, Searching… reaches beyond the endearing teenage scrappiness of its predecessor, exposing a 22 year old Essex boy concerned with the changing world around him… 

Stranger: Tell us a bit about your new single, ‘Keep Singing Out’. What’s it about?
Sam Duckworth: If you believe in something, or want to do something, just keep ploughing away, keep at it, as loudly, as strongly and as best as you can.

ST: Your album was produced by Nitin Sawhney – what made you want to work with him so badly?
SD: I love him! I absolutely love him! I always said, from day 1, I’d never work with a producer unless it was him. He’s been somebody who inspired me from the first time I heard him, watching him live, reading interviews with him, the guy’s amazing.

ST: Better Things features Kate Nash – how did that collaboration come about?
SD:I’ve known Kate for a while, so for me it was making a track with a friend rather than “popstar Kate Nash”, and in the time from when we first made it to when we recorded it for the album, she became really massive. It’s nice – she’s not changed a bit since the day I first met her.

ST: The pair of you broke through largely because of the internet, and you’re both quite interactive with your fans – but do you think the internet’s always good for music?
SD: It’s amazing on one hand, and really destructive on the other. It seems to have bred this culture of people being incredibly angry - people’s opinions get incredibly exaggerated by the internet. It’s a culture of people being overtly critical. Those are the only negatives though – you can find out about new bands, and communication is easier than ever.

ST: It could make music more disposable – Coldplay recently said that they’re giving away their new material so that no-one else can beat them to it.
SD: Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got time for Coldplay and Radiohead doing these things – they give it away, and they know people will buy their album. I feel for the bands struggling to establish themselves, because a precedent’s been set by the big guys that music should be given away for free. There has to be an element of respect – if someone built your house, you wouldn’t expect to get it for free. I think big bands should be saying, music is important, it’s valuable, but understand that we’re giving away our single for free because we’re in a position where we can afford to do so, unlike a lot of bands.

ST: Some artists have broken through from playing with you, such as Cornish favourites Sam Issac and Luke Leighfield – are you happy to act as a platform for new bands?
SD: Well when I was starting out, bands took me on tour because they liked what I was doing. I got to play with some of my favourite bands for that reason. With support bands, you give your fans the opportunity to like what you like, so it’s been amazing to be able to give these bands an opportunity.

ST: A couple of years ago you gigged down in Penzance, and you’re returning to Polzeath to play the Beach Break Live festival – is there anything you particularly like about Cornwall?
SD: It’s so mellow! So different to London. I’m sure most people must say this, but I’d move there in a heartbeat if it wasn’t so far away from everyone I know, and everywhere I need to be. I’d love to escape there, to be out surfing every day, to walk about and not be consumed by smog and people rushing around at 100mph.

ST:This year you’re playing Glastonbury on the Pyramid stage after the smaller stages last year – how does that feel?
SD:Scary! I’m so pleased to be able to do it, and so grateful that I was asked. The main stage at Glasto is a real heart in mouth moment. I’m very proud.

ST: There’s been a bit of a Glasto backlash this year – against the headliners, and the line-up in general being a bit bland – how would you respond to that?
SD: I find it funny when people say the line-up’s bland when you’ve got the best rapper in the world, possibly the best rapper of all time headlining.

ST: So you disagree with Noel Gallagher then?
SD: If Noel Gallagher cared that much, he should be headlining Glastonbury. It really angers me, because I love Jay Z, his band is probably the tightest rhythm section in the world, and Glastonbury’s always been a celebration of diverse and exciting music. All these bands who are complaining should be stepping up to headline the festival rather than just moaning about it in the press.

ST: Aside from Jay Z, who else are you looking forward to performing with over the summer?
SD: Massive Attack are on at the same time as Jay Z, so I’m gutted that I’ll miss them. I’m looking forward to Rage Against The Machine at Reading - that for me is going to be the best, I’m so excited.

ST: You’re quite an outspoken supporter of Love Music Hate Racism, what was it that attracted you to that organisation in particular?
SD:I’ve always been anti-racist, but to be unified by a moniker and an organisation which accepts all ages and all genres - which has a 30 year heritage, and is able to do things like the big carnival the weekend before the London Assembly Elections to say that we stand against the BNP, fighting racism - that’s a great thing.

ST: A recent survey suggested that over a third of the population think that celebrity support of a campaign or charity can be detrimental to the cause – do you worry that, especially with the target audience, the NME support of LMHR, that impressionable kids will jump on the bandwagon just because their favourite bands are doing it, without understanding any of the issues at hand?
SD: That’s where the responsibility of the artists and the publication comes in – it shouldn’t just showcase the charity as a bandwagon, but to offer reasons as to why people should support it. LMHR has always been fantastic – you can read an article with one of their ambassadors and come away with an understanding of what the organisation’s about. You know why people stand with them. What you’ve also got to remember is that charities don’t have money to spend on marketing departments, so regardless of whether the celebrity’s doing it for the PR, if it helps to establish the charity a little more then it’s important. What happens after that defines the issue. If a celebrity can bring a charity to the forefront, the charity should then take the ball and run with it, grow and expand – Chris Martin’s support of the Fairtrade Foundation for example.

ST: In January, you blogged for Observer Music Monthly saying how much you enjoyed the American electoral race, but you thought it was a bit of a circus. How do you feel about what’s happening with the London Assembly Elections?
SD: The Democratic race has descended too much into low-balling and in-fighting - the London Mayoral Elections seems slightly different – everyone’s come out and said what they’re fighting for without slagging the other off too much. Boris and Ken being the two main contenders, they’ve been quite dignified. Parties like Respect and the Left List have provided exciting and viable alternatives to voting for those two candidates. It’s become about the issues, rather than a popularity contest. Boris Johnson is a loveable buffoon, but you shouldn’t put a buffoon in charge of London, simple as that. For me, I just don’t want to see the BNP winning any seats. If that means having to cast a preventative vote, then fine. I’d rather Boris Johnson than the BNP, but I’d rather anyone else than Boris Johnson to be honest!