Alex Francis
After the release of his single “If I Can’t Have You”, English singer/songwriter Alex Francis played his first shows in the US and started gaining attention from RTL, a major French radio. He recently released his latest single “Say It Ain’t So, Joe”, a cover from Murray Head, originally released in 1975. Francis revealed two versions of the song, including an incredible acoustic rendition. With his soulful and powerful vocals, Alex Francis delivered an emotional and authentic performance.
Big things are coming his way, make sure to follow him on his exciting journey.
“Say It Ain’t So, Joe” is now available everywhere.
Photo credit: Max Patnell
Hi Alex, how are you? What have you been up to since our last conversation?
Hey thanks for having me! A lot of time spent in the studio these last months so I’m thrilled to have the new single out. I’ve also been playing shows in the US, specifically NYC and LA which has been a real thrill.
You recently released your new single "Say It Ain't So, Joe" - what made you want to cover this song?
This one carries not only a super catchy hook, but also a really powerful social commentary which I immediately latched onto when I first heard the original. It really resonates with the climate I find myself living in today and we were quite keen to find a song that “did that” that I could interpret to fit into the sonic world of where I am now as an artist, and to go with the new music we’ve been recording. I’m super proud of it!
I’ve also been really fortunate with the songs popularity in France and my version getting some really strong support from RTL who have broadcast it, notably Georges Lang who’s been really complimentary!
Could you describe the recording/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
We tracked this one together at the end of 2022 with my producers Mark Taylor and Patrick Mascall along with my studio band (Ben Simon - Bass, Connor Burnside, Drums) those guys are essentially my “team” when it comes to studio sessions so we had an awesome time experimenting and decision making as the song came together. We wanted to achieve something that felt like me sonically but also respected the compositional strength of the original.
What's your favorite lyric on "Say It Ain't So, Joe"?
If I go back to when I first heard it, there’s a line in the second verse that says:
“The image and the empire may be falling apart and the money gotten scarce, one man’s word held the country together but the truth is getting fierce”
As soon as I heard that I was 100% in on taking the song on - that line really spoke to me about the general feeling and climate of emotion that exists for me and my peers at the moment concerning the welfare of our country going forward.
In your opinion, what makes a good cover?
I think it’s so subjective in that a great song can be interpreted so many different ways because of a singular “strength” within it and how good it is a composition in the first place.
For me, I think a great cover stands out where the artist has stayed true to the identity of the source material, but has also been able to stamp something unique and true to themselves onto it to marry it all together. There is definitely such a thing as a bad cover, I know I’ve experimented with songs in the past and just not been able to have them fit! So I think with that in mind there’s a whole degree of experimentation and decision making that happens as well.
Could you list a few records that influenced the music you are making today?
Absolutely. I’m really enjoying the latest Theo Katzman record “Be The Wheel” - we have an ethos in the studio similar to that of Theo’s which is to try to stay as closely to the performance as possible with the way we are creating records at the moment. By that, I mean we’re trying not to labour over the performance element too much, rather allow what we’re creating to signify “the moment we are in” in order to become the document and give the record its own unique identity. We’re also trying to be very sparing about making too many edits or stitching things together in order to compensate in any way.
My friend Gareth Dunlop recently produced the latest Foy Vance record, “Signs of Life” and that one has been speaking to me similarly in its raw-ness. It incorporates sonic textures too (atmospheres, more cinematic sounds) but in a subtle, complimentary way and tends to let the performances drive it forward.
You recently took a trip to Los Angeles and played your first show at the Hotel Café - any favourite memories from this trip/show?
LA virginity lost! It was quite a fleeting visit for just a few days so I was thrilled to get a show in. Hotel Cafe is a dream, such a gorgeous spot and really suited to singer-songwriters playing stripped back, which is what I did. From the trip, travelling up into Laurel Canyon and Encino where things just get greener and even more naturally beautiful. From the show, the start of things to come with connecting to a new audience in the States and meeting local musicians in LA!
How did things evolve for you since the release of "If I Can't Have You"?
After that one came out, we actually got pretty heavily back into crafting away in the studio which has essentially lead the way to releasing “Say It Ain’t So, Joe”. Creating “If I Can’t Have You” was a really great way to affirm the sonic path that I’m going down now. It really helped us to “ground” the distinctive parts of the sound of me, now. I also played a run of headline dates in the UK last Autumn which was a great way to get to know the new music I’ve been working on.
What can we expect to hear/see from you this year?
More new music! “Say It Ain’t So, Joe” is just the tip of what’s to come. I’m really hoping to get back into playing live in Europe again this year. We’ve had a really encouraging response on the new single across the channel and I haven’t actually been back across since pre pandemic so it’s high time! I’m also really excited to be back at Secret Garden Party festival in the UK in July with a new band.