Matt Saxton

With his new single “Rough Patch,” Matt Saxton crafts a heartfelt reflection on love’s challenges and resilience. Blending folk, rock, and warmth, the track finds beauty in perseverance and hope.

1. Matt, the cover art for “Rough Patch” shows you sanding your house during lockdown — a powerful metaphor for the song’s theme. Can you tell us how that imagery connects to the emotional core of the track?
   The emotional core of the song is about smoothing out and getting through a rough patch in a relationship. Smoothing out the rough patches on my house felt like a nice and unique metaphor and cover photo, for the song.

   2. The song explores how a couple survives difficult times in their relationship. Was this inspired by personal experience or by stories you’ve observed around you?
   Personal experience!

   3. Your music blends folk, rock, and electronic influences with an uplifting yet melancholic tone. How did you approach balancing those moods and textures on “Rough Patch”?

   I wanted the song to have a classic rock / folk feel (acoustic and electric guitar, drums, bass, piano, organ) and not let the production get in the way of the song’s simple message.
   I think the saxophone solo before the last chorus helps lift up the song.
   I am a big fan of David Bowie and I really like the way he uses saxophone in some of his songs.
   It was also great to play the instrument again after many years without doing so.

4. Your previous single “Feel It Again” received praise for its intimacy and lyrical depth. How does “Rough Patch” continue or evolve that emotional journey?
Feel it Again is about falling back in love in a long-term relationship, so it is really the next chapter after Rough Patch. Though both songs ultimately are about pushing through and carrying on and therefore optimistic in their message and meaning.

5. As a multi-instrumentalist and producer, what was the creative process like for this single? Did you handle most of the instrumentation yourself, or collaborate with others?
I recorded the demo at home using Garage band but recorded the single at The Animal Farm studios in London with the brothers Ville and Mat Leppanen. They are brilliant musicians who get my music completely.
Here are the credits for the song:

Matt Saxton – Vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, keyboards, saxophone
Ville Leppanen – Electric guitar
Mat Leppanen – Drums, bass guitar, backing vocals
Mixed by Mat Leppanen
Produced by Mat Leppanen
Mastered by Hafod

6. “Rough Patch” speaks to perseverance and hope in love. What message do you hope listeners take away when they hear it, especially after the challenges of recent years?
You have actually summed up the message in the song very well, “perseverance and hope in love”.

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