At school, Sample Answer was a bit of a rebel. Starting out as a glam rocker wearing glitter, purple pants, and frills like Prince, he performed as a looper, mixing drums, bass, synths on his Casio keyboard whilst playing acoustic guitar. A version of 'Yonkers' by Tyler the Creator went down a storm at the school talent show, much to the distaste of the vice principal. He has come a long way since then.

 

“ 'My Band' by D12 was the first single I ever bought. I’ve always loved rap as a form of expression. Gorillaz’s Demon Days was my first album...there’s so many great songs... 'Kids With Guns' especially. What’s missing from the industry now that was so important to music a few years ago is the lack of live instruments. Digital has changed everything.”

 

Sample Answer’s music and work on the live circuit has been turning heads. Since moving to London in 2013, the Dublin-born singer has been busy. From couch surfing across town and doing an open mic night two to three times a night nearly every day for a year, he has gone on to support cult artists such as Pete Doherty, Larry Love

from Alabama 3 and Paddy Casey. “I used to sell self-made CDs, wrapped in lined copy book paper, held together with duct tape. Sold them on Camden High Street for a fiver. Sometimes I’d only sell one, maybe two at gigs, so had to live off that.” Using his guitar as his strongest tool, his own brand of slap rhythm and confident vocal delivery, Sample Answer took his skills from the street to the stage and worked hard to make a name for himself.

 

His debut EP Good Boy EP was released in July 2015, with the title track reaching over 2.6m streams online, and to extensive support from BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac and XFM’s John Kennedy. The official music video was featured on UK TV’s Channel 4 show ‘Sunday Brunch’ and The Independent described the EP’s second single, ‘Proud’, as a ‘fantastic tune’.

 

Sample Answer has performed at Latitude Festival, and supported the likes of Pete Doherty, Damien Rice and The Fratellis. He also went back into the studio to record his second release. In October of 2015, Textile Baby EP came out, which was produced, recorded and mixed by Iestyn Polson, who has previously worked with Patti Smith and David Bowie.  Sample Answer then joined Gabrielle Aplin on her sold out UK tour, and was on the road after that with The Milk. The single "Collision" was released on 18 March 2016, with the new "Collision EP" released 22 April 2016.