The Southampton music scene is one of the best on the south coast

Max Eames

I’m 19 years old and I live in Fareham. I’m studying a degree in Music Performance and Production at Solent University in Southampton.

I’ve always been a creative person and music just happened to be an ideal outlet for that. It all started from experiencing the joy of making music, usually from seeing other musicians on YouTube when I was younger. It got to the point where the call of music was unrelenting. So instead of trying to fight the urge, I went straight for it and haven’t wanted to look back since. It’s allowed me to play at some awesome venues with some awesome people, as well as coming to Solent to study music.

I’m a bass player. There’s a really cool quote that I heard from Thundercat where he says something along the lines of “You don’t choose the bass, the bass chooses you” and I’ve never heard truer words about my instrument.

The whole reason I picked it up was so that I could perform with greater fluidity and character. Plus, as a bass player I find myself being asked to be in multiple bands, branching out and publicising myself more than if I were to play a different instrument – which is a bonus!

I’m loving my course at Solent. The opportunities for me to play with and get to know other musicians, both like-minded and different, have been amazing and they’re so important in terms of making me a more rounded musician. The equipment available here is also top notch, especially in the studios. It’s all at a professional standard and we are expected to treat everything as such.

I’m getting plenty of experience, too. I’ve been fortunate to be asked to play with a few ensembles since I started my degree last September. These have included a couple rock-focused bands, playing tracks like ‘Life Is A Highway’ and ‘Rosanna’. I’m also getting the opportunity to branch out into some personal favourites such as Erykha Badhu, Anderson .Paak and more R&B, jazz and funk-focused inspirations. I’ve got to know some great songwriters too, thanks to playing at venues around Southampton.

My brother Oscar, who’s 17, is a drummer and together we’ve formed a band with our friend Noah Batten, called The BattenHatches. It all kicked off last summer, when we put on a haphazard improv jam at an outdoor event, and since then we’ve gradually built a set list and a brand. We’re primarily a blues-rock trio, but we’ve got some diverse influences from jazz, folk and metal, providing an interesting soundtrack to our high-octane live shows. We’ve performed at venues around Gosport and Fareham, as well as recently playing at The Joiners in Southampton. Safe to say we’re on a good trajectory!

There’s a lot of energy in our performances and we’ve had some questionable looks from audiences who wonder what we might have taken to perform in that way, but generally there’s been amazing feedback from the crowds.

It’s not like we’re new to performing: all three of us have varying levels of experience, and our attitude is that people have spent their hard-earned money to come and be entertained, so we’re going to entertain them. We’ve already got a following and as far as I see it, the only way is up. What comes will come, it’s all about being true to yourself and the art.

The scene around Southampton is one of the best on the south coast and I’m looking forward to seeing what names will be coming out of it, probably very soon. There are lots of fantastic musicians and professionals floating around this city – definitely some bright futures. Plus, you can hire venues to put on showcases and you might even be asked to perform through word of mouth, so it’s not like it’s impossible to get out there. My advice to other musicians is to just be professional and ready to play.

My plan is to pursue a career in music. There are so many avenues to go down, and my degree at Solent University is going to be vital in terms of my development as an artist and in preparing me to enter the music business. Through education, experience and getting to know other artists, it’s a vital part of my foundation as a musician.

You can find The BattenHatches on Instagram: _battenhatches_