SAM ISAAC
SONGWRITER / ARTIST
The Sam Isaac show frequently resembles
an indie cottage industry. Friends make artwork, do recording, direct music
videos and carry clipboards. Perfect strangers sell his CDs. Sam's part of the
bargain is donning an acoustic guitar and making the music that is at the centre
of all of this.
Counting Bright Eyes, The Spinto Band and Ed Harcourt amongst his influences,
twenty-year-old Sam grew up in the sleepy town of Malvern in the West Midlands
before moving to East London in 2005. Having self-released two mini albums,
both of which recieved glowing reviews and national radio play, December 2007
saw Sam releasing his debut single Sideways on Big Scary Monsters.
Radio presenters took it to their hearts: it received several plays on Jo Whiley's
Radio 1 show, as well as Zane Lowe, Colin Murray and Huw Stephens'. The single
could also be heard on Radio 2, 6Music Xfm and Virgin Xtreme amongst other stations.
He has recently done sessions on Zane Lowe, Colin Murray and Huw Stephens' Radio
1 shows, Janice Long's Radio 2 show and John Kennedy's Xfm show. Sam tours constantly,
sometimes solo, sometimes with a full band.
In 2007 he was chosen as one of four unsigned acts to play BBC Electric Proms.
He played - with a string quartet - as support for Edwyn Collins' comeback gig.
He has also played support slots for The Pigeon Detectives, Scouting For Girls,
King Creosote and Ben's Brother and has toured with Kate Walsh. In March he
released his second single Fire Fire on singles label Another Music
= Another Kitchen, which garnered him daytime playlist positions on both Xfm
and 6Music, further plays from Jo Whiley, Zane Lowe, and Huw Stephens, an In
The Company Of half hour interview on Colin Murray's show and an Xfm Music:Response
session.
In May 2008 Sam was one of a handful of artists chosen to travel on a Bill Gates-funded
charity trip to South Africa on behalf of The White Ribbon Alliance, a charity
that raises awareness of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth.
Over the summer, Sam looks forward to a June tour, followed by festival appearances
at V Festival (Chelmsford and Stafford), Zoo8, Latitude, Secret Garden Party,
Truck and more. He is currently recording a new EP due for release in July.
Jo Whiley: "esoteric, tuneful soothing stuff...LOVE that record. A great
record" (on Sideways)
Zane Lowe: "Absolutely fantastic...brilliant"
Colin Murray: "Very special...beautiful"
"Beautiful, pounding love pop. Writing anthems that sound a little like
Oasis if they'd listened to Vashti Bunyan rather than Slade" - NME
"Sam Isaac is one of the most original and engaging voices in the land
of new British singer songwriters. Feels like the beginning of a very interesting
story" - Music Week (Mike Walsh, Xfm Head of Music)
"Fills up the room with a sweet, melancholy haze" - Time Out
"Warm, gentle vocal with wonderfully crafted arrangement" - Record
Of The Day