Start Listening To: Kipper Gillespie

Kipper Gillespie talks about his latest single "Bogman", self-producing, and embracing the raw, unapologetic sound of his "Crappy Go Lucky" music.

It was one of those days when London felt like it was wrapped in a constant drizzle - even though the sun was probably shining somewhere. I didn’t meet Kipper Gillespie in person, but his energy came through just as vividly in our online Q&A. The Northern Irish musician, known for his raw, garage-inspired sound he’s dubbed “Crappy Go Lucky,” spoke with a laid-back confidence about his latest single "Bogman," the joys of self-producing, and why perfectionism is overrated. From Slipknot to self-mixing, Kipper’s done playing by the rules - and it’s paying off.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

Hello! I'm just a wee fella from the North of Ireland. I've started calling my music 'Crappy Go Lucky', a term coined by the great Rainn Byrns. It's mostly upbeat, semi-cheerful music about the mundane and insecure parts of regular life. Living in London with a film degree and no desire to work in film can be awfully dull, especially working in hospitality sometimes.

Congratulations on the release of "Bogman"! Can you tell us the story behind the single and what inspired its creation?

The idea of "Bogman" actually came around after a brief conversation I had with a homeless lady no older than myself. She clearly had her problems with drugs. She told me she was originally from Derry and moved over to London 15 or so years ago. The song was originally called "Derry Was Her Hometown" and was written from her perspective, but the lyrics ended up coming off a little too brutal and vulgar for my liking, so I changed them slightly but kept her in mind throughout. Musically, it's essentially me trying to be as free as possible. Something I am really trying very hard to do with new stuff.

You recorded all the instruments for "Bogman" yourself in your home studio. How was the process of creating the track in this DIY setup?

Well, the drums were actually recorded in a beautiful studio just outside of Brighton, Farm Road, I believe it's called. But everything else was recorded in my house. This is the first release of mine that I mixed myself, which is a point I've wanted to reach since I started this project. All future songs are to be engineered and mixed entirely by myself. I'm very happy to have gotten to this point!

Spencer Withey has been a long-time collaborator of yours. What was it like working with him again on this track?

Spencer's great, really great. I'll honestly miss him being in charge of the techy stuff, although he'll still be my go-to mastering guy for all future releases because boy, did he smash it on "Bogman". He spent ages setting up the drums on "Bogman" and made them sound as beautiful as they do. Thanks for that, Spencer!

How does "Bogman" bridge the gap between your previous work on Dull Days and the new material you're working on?

"Bogman" is the start of me not limiting myself anymore. I'm so tired of writing something and thinking, "Oh, that's too obvious, I need to change that," or "It doesn't sound like this or that, so it's not good enough." I naturally write chord-driven, riff-heavy songs. When I pick up the guitar, nine times out of ten, a garage-y, punk-like sound comes out first, and I used to think, "That's not me; I can't use that." But not anymore. Goodbye to that guy!

The decision to self-mix "Bogman" must have given you complete control over the track. What were the challenges and rewards of taking on this role?

I like Dull Days. I don't love it. I'm proud of it, kind of. As I said, one too many times I had a song and scrapped it because it wasn’t what I had in mind. "Bogman," as well as "How Many Weekends?", have both been helpful to my process. Now I'm with the songs from writing them all the way through to the final mix. I didn't think I'd be able to do this three years ago, and here I am. It feels good.

What can fans expect from your upcoming performances? Will you be debuting any new material alongside "Bogman"?

Fans can definitely expect some new material alongside "Bogman". I'm really excited to play these songs live. I might even throw in some surprises—who knows?

Looking back at your previous releases, how do you feel you've evolved as an artist, both in terms of sound and personal growth?

I've definitely grown more confident in my sound. I’ve learned to embrace what comes naturally to me instead of forcing it into a box. Personally, I've become more comfortable with letting go of perfectionism and just letting the music flow.

What is it like working with Big Richard Records?

Big Richard Records has been there since the start, and it's great, what can I say? It’s a platform for me to stand on, and many of the gigs we’ve played and continue to play are BRR ones. It gives me a lot of freedom.

What do you love right now?

Good Sad Happy Bad. The first time I heard Shades all the way through was at a time when the songs just did it for me. The feeling I got from that album was exactly what I needed—extremely comforting, melancholic, and just downright beautiful. I can't wait to hear their new album. Last time I saw them, I was too drunk to remember half of the set, so I'll make sure that doesn't happen again because it's just not worth missing one of their sets!

What do you hate right now?

Whoever decided to use "Magical Mystery Tour" in the Minecraft movie trailer. I love that song to bits, and now every time I hear it, I think of that trailer. Cunt.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Slipknot's Self-Titled, or rather, their first three albums. Those guys are the sole reason I got so into music at a very young age. I never get tired of Self-Titled in particular—it’s just flawless. Can't stand what they’re doing now, though. Come on, lads. I don’t want to see them turn into another AC/DC, you know? AC/DC are sick, don’t get me wrong, but come on—time to get the slippers on, lads.

With "Bogman" now out and more music on the way, what are your hopes for the rest of 2024? Any specific goals you'd like to achieve?

Honestly, I just want to get my new album out, maybe two—or an album and an EP. Self-producing is hard but really fun. I’ve always said that if I had the choice between having a predominantly studio career or a live one, I’d go with studio. The creation of the song is a dragon so beautiful that it must be chased at all costs. It’s my favorite part entirely. And I’d like to get some really good shows booked in. We might be supporting Oasis, but I’m not sure yet!