ANYONE who's caught a glimpse of the video for Kid Harpoon's new single Chasing Cars could be forgiven for not recognising him – gone is the shaggy hair, moustache and suit, replaced with a more clean cut look. But it's not just his image that's been neatened up. "In past year or so I've really thought about my music," he said. "Everyone kept calling me a 'folk troubadour' or whatever it was, but I hate all that. People like Bob Dylan – he was great, he was different. And there are people like Bonny Prince Billy, who's good, but 60 per cent of this new folk stuff is crap lyrics and crap music, but it's so inaccessible people think it's clever. "I've started thinking about what I really want to be doing. It's sharper, I'm not trying to be experimental and weird any more – I'm letting the songs talk for themselves." It's been a busy 18 months for Kid Harpoon, or Tom Hull to his mum. After releasing two six track EPs, fans have been eagerly awaiting his first long player, which he recorded a couple of years ago. And then scrapped. "I just wanted to start again. I wasn't happy with it any more," he said. "This whole thing started by accident really. I was living above a pub and I kept going down and doing acoustic sets, then this bloke asked if I wanted a manager and it just went from there. I didn't have any plans – all I know is I got fed up of it. I mean, how seriously can you take a man with an acoustic guitar? You walk out on stage and people sigh. "It got to the stage where I was playing music just to continue my lifestyle, y'know...the drinking, socialising, and it was getting too much. "Then I suddenly realised what I was doing. I met my girlfriend, decided to start again with the album, and it all sort of fitted into place. I think my problem was that I'm solo – in bands I think you've usually got the geeky one who no one wants to hang out with but they keep everyone grounded and make sure no one goes off the rails." After ditching his first attempt, Hull's record company XL sent him over to LA to work with legendary producer Trevor Horn. "That was amazing. He'd say George Martin is the greatest British producer but for me it's him every time – he's a genius. It took quite a lot of working out – he was working on Barak Obama's presidential song and the new Robbie Williams album – but when I got over there it was mad! I moved into his mansion, was picked up in a limo and David Hasselhoff came round for lunch. Then the next day I'd be at home in my flat, with the cat's litter tray stinking the place out." But the change did him good. "I'd always had this DIY, punk ethic of getting your friends involved and doing things your own way. But Trevor said something to me – 'when you're recording, you should be the worst player on your record.' It sounded weird to me to start with but then he got all these great musicians out for me to work with, like this bassist Reggie. He was late and when he came in I asked him if he wanted a cup of tea. I went off to make it and by the time I got back he'd already laid down his two tracks! Out there being a session musician is a career – it's not about ideas, it's about being good." He'll be unveiling some of these new tracks when he plays at The Enterprise on Monday. "I can't wait to play it to people. It's so proud of it – I really think it's good and I love listening to it. I'm really happy with the song writing – it's less about making each instrument sound amazing and more about the songs as a whole. I really hope people will listen to it and get something out of it. It's not about sales and fame – I just want people to listen to it and enjoy it."
Kid Harpoon plays at The Enterprise, Chalk Farm, on June 15. The single Chasing Cars is released on July 20 and his debut album is due for release in September.