Rising Northumberland singer-songwriter - THE EARLY PURPLE - is set to release his new single “Big Mistake”, taken from his debut EP ‘Summer Hide’ (due 12 May). 

STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE || YOUTUBE HERE

Pairing some of his most political lyrics to date to a sparse and affecting chamber-pop soundscape, “Big Mistake” is the quietly dramatic and hard-hitting new single from The Early Purple. Of the track’s visceral subject matter, Matt Saxon aka The Early Purple explains:

“This is probably the most political song I’ve written. It’s a social commentary about my hometown of Blyth, and how it recently turned blue after being Labour for as long as I remember. It’s a song about how small ex-mining/port towns like mine are left in ruin as residents are arguing amongst themselves about religion, politics and power and are just drinking their problems away.” 

With its lyrics inspired by Matt’s encounters with real people, couplets like “drinking the port of Blyth, until the mind goes blind / Piss on the door of the church as you walk back home” capture a stark snapshot of the state of affairs in a town that has lost its way; while its sparing guitar plucks and bare instrumentation only add to its underlying sense of desolation. As Matt adds:

“I never intended on writing from a political point of view but with the current situation of politics in our country, I wanted to comment on how it all makes me feel. A snapshot of the whole ordeal through my eyes, I suppose.” 

“Big Mistake” arrives as a second glimpse into The Early Purple’s forthcoming debut EP and follows the recent release of its title-track “Summer Hide”. Set for release on 12 May 2023, the much-anticipated 5-track release finds an artist grappling with intensely personal, and at times philosophical subjects, as he strives to create a collection that will resonate deeply with those who listen. As Matt explains:

“I’m not writing about getting p**sed on a Friday night. I’m writing about things that are incredibly meaningful to me. A lot of the EP is inspired by my Dad (who sadly passed away in 2020), but it’s pretty oblique so people won’t listen and think: ‘this guy is writing about his old man’. A lot of the songs are actually quite miserable, but I like to think I’m quite an optimistic person. I like to put a spin on things so they’re a bit positive. You go through a big break-up, life feels like s**t… but I’d rather spin that around and write about my mates being incredible instead.” 

An active member of the North East music scene for over a decade, Matt Saxon has cut his teeth on the live circuit while helping to bring other people’s musical endeavours to life. The multi-instrumentalist has performed at some of the UK’s best loved music venues and festivals whilst playing as a touring musician with the likes of Little Comets, The Dawdler and Grandfather Birds. 

Having collected a catalogue of his own songs over the years, lockdown allowed Matt the spare time and freedom to truly start work on music of his own. The multi-instrumentalist released his first single as The Early Purple last year and “Old Eagle” gained airplay on BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing, also landing him a coveted support slot with Danish chamber-pop outfit Efterklang. Having played a sell-out headline show at Tynemouth’s Watch House Museum before even having released a second single, The Early Purple has since unveiled follow-up tracks “The Way of the Sufi” and “Sea of Heavy”.  

Since 2021 Matt has also been hosting the ‘Hide & Speak’ podcast, chatting to a range of special guests whilst bird-watching in hides across rural Northumberland. To date the podcast has featured the likes of Sam Fender, Richard Dawson, Brooke Bentham and more. 

Now, with the ‘Summer Hide’ EP, he is set to release some of his most personal and intimate work to date. With the extended play arriving this May, The Early Purple is also set to play a large hometown show at Wylam Brewery in Newcastle a week before the release. Full details below. 

THE EARLY PURPLE LIVE DATES 2023
MAY
04 NEWCASTLE Wylam Brewery - Tickets here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
w/ https://www.theearlypurple.com 
f/ https://www.facebook.com/theearlypurple/ 
i/ https://www.instagram.com/theearlypurple/?hl=en