“Well, I used to be signed to Mike Skinner’s [The Streets] label back in 2005 and I haven’t seen him since maybe 2008,” lists Gleave. “It will be good to catch up. We had some good times on the road. Nero are also mates of mine and they have produced my single Stay Awake which you should be hearing Down Under soon. I also know Flux Pavillion, Feed Me and the Magnetic Man lads really well, so I can’t wait for that tour to start. And it’s in my favourite country in the world – all of my family live there!”
It’s pretty good timing too, since Gleave reckons Australia will get one of the first live tastes of his upcoming album set for release in September. Sounding like a grunge band making dance music, in Gleaves words, Example’s third offering features some of the biggest and best producers in dubstep, house, electro, trance and d’n’b.
“Believe it or not, it’s taken just eight months to make,” states Gleave. “My first album took me three years and my second album took me 18 months, so this album has been made relatively quickly. There’s 13 tracks all up, It’s all bass music. I’ve got some of the best producers in the world on here – Laidback Luke, Nero, Chase & Status, Faithless, and Dirty South. It’s pretty epic, dark and moody, but it’s uplifting. Lyrically, it is very personal and inspired by grunge music. A lot of it has been written on the road in those lonely moments on the tour bus.”
Because there are lonely moments, as fun and exciting as a life on the road sounds in theory, according to Gleave. For all its perks, fame and glory, life as an artist is riddled with temptations and vices that are sometimes incredibly hard to resist – Gleave likes to call it Playing In The Shadows. “I talk openly about my relationships, commitment, temptation, drugs, alcohol, partying… It’s kind of like an album about the fear of growing up and excess. This job, which I feel very lucky to do, also has its downsides. It alienates you from the real world sometimes and it can affect you personally. I know it’s affected me a lot, anyway. You can be surrounded by lots of people sometimes and still feel lonely. This job also has its vices and I’m constantly battling my inner demons. Especially in the dark corners of clubs late at night – hence the name Playing In The Shadows.”
As Gleave reveals, his third effort also sees him stepping even further away from rapping and moving ever so closer to more singing. As fans would note, it’s a trend that’s been increasing in his music especially since 2010’s Won’t Go Quietly, and not just when it comes to Example, either. “There aren’t that many people in the UK that do that,” Gleave says of making the switch from rapping to singing. “Yes, I mean I definitely started off more as a rapper. My first album [2007’s What We Made], I didn’t sing once. My second album, I sang five times. I’d say that was the real turning point for me, because Kickstarts off that record entered the UK chart at number three during the World Cup and became a nationwide summer anthem! This third album, I sing on every track and only rap occasionally. I suppose there’s people like myself and Plan B who started off rapping and have concentrated more on singing recently. In the US people like Drake seem to move seamlessly between singing and rapping. I just do whatever suits the track at that particular time. I don’t think I’m the best rapper or best singer, but I have a unique voice and, because I write all my own songs, it has an extra edge to it, I guess. I just consider myself a ‘dance’ artist, really. I sing, I rap… I just talk in tune sometimes! Really, I’m not restricting myself to just one genre. I’m exploring lots of things musically and my influences come from all over the place. I still listen to rap, but mostly old stuff from the ‘90s. I mainly listen to guitar music, dubstep and house producers.”
Because he’s the adventurous type, Gleave adds, jokingly. Except it’s not really a joke because this is one lad with a serious case of restlessness – or is that ADD?
“I’d really like to do a lot of extreme stuff, like raising money for charity!” he enthuses. “Maybe run a few marathons! I’d like to club Everest and swim the English Channel. We’ll see if I have the time. I tried stand-up comedy and that was the hardest thing ever! I still also want to be a film director and I’d like to try acting too! Right now I’d like to travel as much as possible and then start work on my fourth album as soon as possible too.”
