They say good things come to those who wait, and The Leisure Society’s Nick Hemming has certainly tested that theory. After years spent working on numerous projects separately, the Burton-on-Trent songwriter began collaborating with his instrumentalist/producer friend Christian Hardy. Soon, with a little help from some pals, The Leisure Society was born and the long overdue breakthrough arrived with 2009’s excellent The Sleeper album. Hemming had served a lengthy apprenticeship and had the scars to prove it…

He first came to prominence with nineties indie rockers She Talk To Angels, a band that featured then unknown actor/director Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes, Tyrannosaur) and film director Shane Meadows (This Is England, Somers Town). She Talks To Angels didn’t go very far, but the short-lived band gave three young upstarts from the English Midlands the confidence boost to pursue their passions.

Having side-stepped university to become a full-time musician, Hemming then joined Creation Records hopefuls The Telescopes. Unfortunately, the band was already fragmenting and soon fizzled out. What followed for Nick was lean years spent odd-jobbing. Occasionally, he found an outlet for his creativity in old friend Shane Meadows, writing musical score for his first forays into film.

In early 2006 Hemming finally left Burton-on-Trent behind for London and began jamming with Christian Hardy. Holed-up in Hardy’s tiny flat and struggling to come to terms with a failed romance and life’s disappointments, Hemming channelled his melancholia into writing. The Sleeper was recorded, but it was the release of first single ‘Last of the Melting Snow’ that really turned heads. This sublime track was championed by such esteemed names as Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Brian Eno and soon received a nomination for the prestigious Ivor Novello award. At the time Hemming was still working to pay the bills in a carpet packing warehouse. Recognition had finally arrived.

Nick Hemming spoke to AU about the slow road to success…

The band’s second album Into The Murky Water has been very well received, as was debut The Sleeper. However, as someone who’s toiled long without recognition, would you swap critical acclaim for financial stability?

Well, it’s certainly nice to be recognised by your peers for the quality of your work, but you also have to be mindful of the business side. If you sell records, you can keep a large band like ours on the road and bring the music to a wider audience. For so many years I just got by, working odd-jobs and only in the past couple of years have I actually worked as a full-time musician. It’s amazing to be able to record and tour, without wondering where the rent money’s going to come from. I feel it’s important for me to remind myself of the past and not forget the lean years. We never know what’s just around the corner in life. Artistic credibility is also important. I like to bring a raw honesty to my songwriting and I don’t think I could deliberately write more commercial material just to make some money. It’s not as if I desire to be rich or anything. Being able to work as a musician is very fulfilling.

It’s fair to say that The Leisure Society’s material often has a mood of reflective melancholy. Do you tend to write songs when you’re in an unhappy place in life?

Yeah, I’m actually quite a contented person, but when there’s been turmoil in my life I’ve produced my best songs. I don’t even feel the need to write when everything’s going great. I find it cathartic to write when my mood is affected and not just in my own life, but the struggles of others. I was recently commissioned to write a piece about the shipyard closing in the town of Hastings. I immersed myself in the subject, spoke to fishermen and tried my best to relate to their experience. I think a lot of songwriters are inspired by the lives of others or the struggles of their own past. It’s really about creating a fertile environment to write. With our first album I had ample content; relationship break-up, a job I hated and so on. By the time it came to work on the follow-up, I was in a much happier place. In many ways Into The Murky Waters is a nostalgic record and touches upon the journey from struggling songwriter to relative success, whilst also being mindful and ever so slightly terrified about the future.

Into The Murky Waters was rehearsed in a Tudor mansion in Kent. Was there a particular reason for such a move?

We just wanted to have a little fun and take our time making the record. I was always envious of those Seventies rock bands setting up in old country piles and writing albums organically. I’d spent a while in early 2010 just touring around the countryside, sketching out songs and when we arrived in Kent I felt energised. It was great fun to rock out and experiment with expanding the band’s sound. I think it worked well. We were determined to record it quickly and for it not to drag on and on. Of course, Christian and I did agonise obsessively over the smaller details for some time back at my apartment! It was a really fun process and we’re very proud of it. Musically it has more scope and there’s more diversity in the writing. In many ways it was a more challenging experience, capturing life from a variety of emotional angles, everything from elation to fear.

What music informed your youth? From where did you derive your earliest inspirations?

Actually, growing up I was a big fan of rock music, classic bands like Guns ‘n’ Roses, the kind of stuff that most young lads are exposed to. As I became older I began to discover people like Nick Drake and explore the way they crafted songs. Really the band that stirred me to record was The Beach Boys. They’ve always been a major inspiration, a catalyst. I’m fascinated by the textures in their music, the beautiful arrangements and wonderful, rounded band sound. I’m also a fan of moddish stuff like The Jam, Kinks and The Who. I also love hearing new and interesting stuff.

The Leisure Society is a quintessentially English band. Do you find it strange how some acts feel the need to tailor their sound to a wider market?

It isn’t a conscious thing, it’s the only way I’d feel comfortable making music. I sing as I speak. Actually, a pet hate of mine is bands from the UK singing in an American accent! It just sounds false to me. Authenticity is important, not just for the audience, but also for my own sanity! It has to come from the heart. I write songs about everyday situations and emotions, which hopefully people can relate to.

You’re touring the new album as an eight-piece band. What can people expect from your live show?

We fluctuate between a six and eight-piece. It’s great fun, recreating the subtle atmospherics of the new record in front of a live crowd. Anything less would greatly diminish the impact of the songs. The shows we’ve done so far have been very well received and we’re getting a great kick out of the audience’s reaction. We’re just enjoying every minute of it. It’s always important to savour the good times…

Into The Murky Water is out now on Full Time Hobby.

The Leisure Society play the Black Box, Belfast on March 2 and Whelan’s, Dublin on March 3.