Mike Dignam, a singer-songwriter from the North-West of England who has been writing, recording and touring his own music, for the past five years. Mike took 15 mins to sit down and chat with us at MarkMeets for an exclusive interview.
Mike recently supported Tich and 5 seconds of summer on tour and has previously gigged alongside Lewis Watson, Gabrielle Aplin and Lawson too! He is probably best known for entering the iTunes singer-songwriter chart at number 5 with his EP ‘Live. Love. Sing.’.
Let’s kick things off Mike! What can you tell us about your upcoming 7 date uK headline tour?
Just that it is going to be me with my band playing aload of songs from both Ep’s that I’ve done plus I will be playing aload of new songs. It’s gonna be great cos all the people there will know who I am and will be singing along, stuff like that!
I love going on support tours though it feels really good to do a headline tour when you have got time to play your songs and chat with the crowd.
You mentioned about being known, last week you met Niall from One Direction (Mike supported 5 Seconds of Summer, who Niall is a fan off), did he give you any advise?
I was just talking to him about his knee injury really. We were just having a chat really, we didn’t really talk about music apart from him saying “Well know on being on the tour”. He was very supportive and hopefully he’ll be keeping in touch in the future. He loves 5 Seconds of Summer and thinks they are great.
Just to be around those kind of people is amazing to me as it’s what I’ve always aimed towards doing, it’s pretty incredible. One Direction are the biggest band in the world, it was surreal just meeting him and having a normal chat. He’s just a normal guy at the end of the day though he’s very successful.
When did you first pick up a Guitar and when did you know it was what you wanted to do?
I first picked up a guitar when I was probably 7 or 8, my dad got it for me as a present. Straight away I just knew as I loved it. That was all I ever did!! Anyone who knows me from school and growing up, it was just all I was about.
Can you remember the first song or riff you played?
I played Wonderwall by Oasis, that was pretty much the first song I ever learnt. I remember having guitar lessons in primary school and we all had to learn classical guitar or have a go at it and I came in and said “I’ve learnt this song” and played them Wonderwall. The guitar teach er was like “You can’t play that”. I though it was way more fun. I stopped having guitar lessons from people like that and kind of pigeon holing me doing jazz or whatever and go for it.
I always liked the pop songs and the big chorus tunes.
Have you got a name for your fans?
I haven’t really named them but they all wanted to name themselves, so it camed about that they would be called ‘The Diggy Crew’ I don’t know where it came from. They like it and it’s pretty funny.
Can we expect any merchandise on tour?
I’ve got a clothing line ‘Young Clothing’, which is named after one of my songs. I don’t want to do the obvious like taking my EP cover and sticking it on T-shirt and going “Buy this!”. I’m coming up with a load of new merch actually, I really want it to be more of a fashion line than a just a merch T-shirt.
Do you have Big expectations of yourself for your new EP having landed a NO.5 on itunes with ‘EP ‘Live. Love. Sing’?
You never know where it’s going to go do you but I would hope after doing the tour and all that stuff that a few more people might buy it.
In all honestly I just want to make the music and see what happens. I’m not signed to label, I don’t have any agents or big management breathing down my neck. My managers are my friends. We’re all just going round like a big family trying to play songs to people and it’s working.
You supported Tich on tour earlier this year, what is your favourite song of hers?
She has a song called ‘Kindgom’ that I really like, it’s a really nice song that she used to play on her stripped down set when it was just her on piano, that song is probably my favourite.
Do you have a crowd pleaser song or a cover than fans expect you to peform?
There’s a song called ‘Great Escape’ that is my biggest song and then ‘Young’. I’ve got a new song called ‘Days with you’ which will be my lead single. I’ve played it on tour and it’s gone down well with fans, so hopefully that will be another crowd pleaser eventually.
You have toured with a lot of people, do you ever play praknks on them to make the ‘downtime’ less boring?
Not really no, it’s very professional to be fair, we have a laugh and we get on and stuff like that but as far as pranks go, not really. It sounds quite boring though we just have a good time and chat. We’re all in the same boat trying to do the same thing on different levels and stuff. it’s all pretty cool and fun.
What can you tell us about 5SOS, do they play pranks on tour?
They’re pretty good lads to be fair, they’ve not done anything that I’ve seen. They are still quite shocked by the reaction that they are getting. They are not walking out into the afterparty going “Hey we’re like VIP’s”. They are like WOW, is this all for us, this is amazing. They have still got all that humble attitude going on which is really to see and it makes me like them as people even more.
You haven’t put a new video on youtube for three months? What’s happening??
(Laughs)!! I need to put a new one out soon. I’m just setting up a new studio and make a few new videos. We’re working on it, we”re defintiely gonna get it together and make my new music video very soon.
You are going to be performing with the likes of McBusted, The Vamps and Lawson at the British Summertime gig, will this be the biggest crowd you’ve played to and do you think you will get nervous?
It probably will be the biggest and I probably will get nervous!! I don’t know til I get there what’s it gonna be like.
I will take it all in my stride and just enjoy it.
It’s an amazing opportunity and I can’t believe that I’ve been put on the bill with all those people but you just have to go for it! Give them the best you can and have a good time.
Mike is working on new music and he will let you know when it all comes out. Mike’s career is going from strength to strength!
You can also book tickets to see Mike on his 7-date headline UK tour in July
Interview by Mark Boardman (Founder and editor of MarkMeets) plus freelance media journalist.
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