It’s just over a year on from the metamorphosis of South Wales rockers Tiger Please into the “ambient folk/pop rockers” The People The Poet.
The band announced in early 2012 the name change which made complete sense with the direction they were going in. The band began collating fan stories in 2010 to form the content of their debut album ‘The Narrator’.
In both guises the band has always worn it’s heart on its sleeve with refreshingly honest heartfelt real life lyrics and music and, for those who haven’t heard of them before I recommend you check out the two releases under the Tiger Please name ‘They Don’t Change Under Moonlight’ and ‘Seasons’.
Not long after the name change the band announced a supporting slot on the Charlie Simpson tour and backed that up with a self released EP ‘ Thank you for Today’ containing four new songs that gave fans a taste of things to come. Further stand alone gigs plus slots on the 2000 Trees & Latitude Festivals gave fans a chance to hear further new material from the much anticipated debut album.
We caught up with lead singer Leon Stanford for an update.
So what have you guys been up to in the last twelve months?  It’s been a quiet year since the change of the name but we have been busy behind the scenes in preparation for our debut album. There’s a lot of work to be done when involving yourself in a concept album especially one which tells the stories of other peoples lives. If we were to rush the process we wouldn’t be just letting ourselves down we would be letting the people who trusted us with their stories down.
Where are you with the much anticipated release of your debut album ‘The Narrator’? Â We recently have had the album back in full and are all very proud of what we’ve achieved, We are still working on a release date and other exciting stuff to make the the wait worth it’s while.
How excited are you for the fans to hear it? I am very excited to show the fans especially the ones that the songs are about, a few of them would have seen the album tracks live but to watch them listen to their life stories on record is going to be an emotional experience I’m anxious and excited about.
What has the reception been like to the demo teasers of ‘Sing’ , ‘Being Human’ & ‘Because of the Blues’? Â We have always had a really supportive fan base always feeding us compliments and energy to carry this band going and the reception to the demo’s were no different. It’s been a very quiet year for us barely adventuring out on the road but when we have ‘Sing’ being the only familiar song in the set has gone down very well.
The story video for ‘Because of the Blues’ was very well received and the reaction to this song not being on the album has left the expectations for the album high, which was our main aim in releasing the songs which didn’t make the album.
‘Being Human’ is a song which so many people have personally told me they can relate to. I was asked a few months after the release of the Being Human demo if I would confirm the chorus lyrics to someone as they wanted to have a tattoo with the chorus lines, which was a massive compliment that someone actually valued the words like a piece of art that they wanted to wear proudly on their skin. Which is every musicians aim to inspire people.
With the debut album in the bag are you still writing for future releases? Â We have recently gone back to the shed where we write haha and I can confirm that we’ve already started writing and compiling ideas for a second album or release. We have gone back in the shed with no attachments, there’s no concept as of yet as we wanted to just write music for fun again, as the last couple of years have been very emotional.
What are the main influences of The People The Poet? Â Our main influences as a band would have to be Sigur Ros, Coldplay, Counting Crows, Bon Iver and Kings Of Leon, But we have a very wide spread of influences as we never wish to get tied down to one genre as it’s so much more exciting that way plus being a band that tells stories we need to adjust and adapt all the time to tell the story in the right way.
Biggest frustration with the UK music industry? Â If you enjoy music then buy music.
What’s on your iPod right now?  I have recently found myself listening to Radiohead and regretting being too drunk for their set in Reading a couple of years back to appreciate it.
Which band/artist are you most excited by for 2013? Â Greta Isaac who has lent us her beautiful voice for our debut album and the Lay-Lows who are another Welsh act who have recently released an E.P.
Favourite venue to play?  King Tuts in Scotland, mainly because they do a killer jacket potato and the Scottish really know how to make people feel welcome!
Which band/artist from history or present would you most like to share a stage with?  That’s a hard one, but Gary Barlow would be up there I’d enjoy taking Robbie’s place in Take That. Before starting Tiger Please I almost joined a Take That tribute band, I often wonder how different my life would be if I did.
What were your tour highlights from 2012?  Playing with Charlie Simpson and Sam Beeton on our first tour under the new band name was a brilliant experience.
The People The Poet have been steadily cruising along under the radar in the last 12 months, the buzz around what’s to come has been slowly building, and the band has teased us with demos of album and non album tracks. The People The Poet are ones to watch in 2013, check out their Facebook page for a listen to the tracks mentioned above plus a hidden gem in the rough demo of an album track ‘Not for Now’  in Peter Miles ‘Sounds of 2012’ link.
