Below is an email interview with Phil King. All interviews are published unedited.

Playing live is essential for me. As much as I love recording music, i believe I can get across more of the emotional intent and energy of a song face to face with the crowd. That’s why I love going to see live music so much. I also can adapt a set and a song in terms of the tempo and dynamic in response to each and every crowd.

I love playing ‘The War I Cannot Win’ live, because it builds throughout from a rolling start to a full blown conclusion, which gets a great response. It also came from personal experience so it reminds me each time I sing it of that particular moment in my life. Also ‘On My Knees’ is a very personal song for me and when I play it well, it feels like the closest representation of myself. Then there is ‘Give Me Some More’ which is just a party tune.

I find that hard. I take inspiration from so many things. There are elements of blues, folk, jazz, soul, and even rock and country in what I do. I guess thats called roots music!

I have recorded albums with ‘The Forster King Band’ a blues/soul band with a great electric guitar and Hammond organ sound, and also with a band called ‘Backyard’ which is live RnB, D’angelo influenced. I have written and released songs with Bristol band Unforscene, on Tru Thoughts, and hopefully will release more too. I have composed music for theatre, dance, TV and film, and at the moment I am on tour with a company called Theatre Rites, playing live music for a production called Mischief.

I’m not sure what constitutes ‘internet underground’. I use Myspace, Facebook and Youtube alot, also Last fm. They have all helped to get my songs out there. I havn’t really done much else online.