INTERVIEW: BUSTER

Coming from Romford on the edge of East London, BUSTER is an exciting new artist making electronic pop music that fuses elements of funk and R&B. Embracing his baldness as an instantly recognisable identity, what he lacks in hair he more than makes up for in sound, offering a rhythmic and fiercely catchy style.

Bringing us the first taste of his music, he shares his debut single titled “Steppin’ In (Out)”. Linking up with Naz Kalsey as a co-writer and co-producer, BUSTER drops an infectiously grooving first effort that captures the energy of disco paired with his uncompromising East London attitude.

Spinning a soundtrack for people who haven’t got things figured out for themselves yet, “Steppin’ In (Out)” champions those still finding their feet with a reassuring message of optimism. Full of punching beats and a colourful arrangement of synth-based instrumentation, BUSTER caps the track with playful vocal delivery and immediately memorable leads.

We caught up with the swaggering Eastender to find out more about his new release, his inspirations and what he’s got in store for the future. Check out our interview with BUSTER below.

How did you first get into making your own music?

By sitting in my garage in Romford on Fruity Loops mucking around with an old USB keyboard from about 2005.

What’s the backstory behind your logo?

The logo is something I came up with, acting as a constant identity for all my creative ideas. It’s all about me as a person, a big head, bald and slightly dopey.

How has your sound progressed since you first started?

As I said, we wrote up straight up Indie music at first, and we have experimented ever since. Ranging from electronic R&B and rock. We write when we are inspired by a specific song or just an overall mood for an idea I have lyrically and conceptually… this changes by day mind… Naz is patient with my erratic ideas at times.

Which artists do you draw most influence from?

My schtick is our sound is something Nile Rogers would have created if he was a cockney.

What artists have you been listening to most recently?

Mostly disco and funk music. Heavy on The Whispers and Taveres at the moment.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

Walking home from work sick and disillusioned of 2020s Britain.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

That you only have one life, and you best enjoy it until you can’t anymore!

What was the main inspiration behind your new track “Steppin’ In (Out)”?

I knew I wanted to make a song with a blend of sounds from the 70s/80s goof rap to a chorus that would be deemed pop sounding for the dull head suits. It’s a celebration of freedom and telling people out there that ain’t got their s*** together yet; it’s ok.

I am definitely not a rapper, and the point of the song was to copy a Sugar Hill Gang type thing, but it just turned into me doing a BUSTER type thing… the song is tongue in cheek and is a parody of the disco/rap cliches of the late 70s and 80s mixed in with some East London-isms.

How did you go about writing and producing the track?

The music pays homage to the sounds found in American 70s soul and funk from The Brothers Johnson to The Blackbyrds, especially in the percussion, blending with the then up-and-coming 80s synthesiser bass sounds that featured its prominence in RnB and pop. The guitars imitate the LFO-controlled auto-wah sound a lot of funk bassists were experimenting with during the late 80s/early 90s.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival and where would it be?

Prince, Michael Jackson and Sade at the London Stadium… it’s local.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the near future?

We are writing an EP that should be released by the beginning of next year, and it seems we are veering away from “Steppin’s” tongue-in-cheek approach; things can change, but currently, it is pure 2022 funky.

Listen to Steppin’ In (Out) below