Andrew Combs
It was January 29th 2015, when I first met American songwriter Andrew Combs. I was in the upstairs room in Paradiso Amsterdam and Justin Townes ...
Sessions
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Arborist
Two years ago, Dutch comedian and radio dj Dolf Jansen asked me to film a show he was doing with a band from Belfast, Northern ... -
Erin Rae
I’ve been filming sessions for this website for twelve years. In all those years, there isn’t a singer I’ve heard more peers express their admiration ... -
Michael Cassidy
The first time I heard Benbecula by the Scottish songwriter Michael Cassidy was in Amsterdam when Ryan Joseph Burns played me a mix on his phone. ... -
Tim Easton
About ten years ago, Dutch drummer Kees Schaper (from Tim Knol’s band) toured with American songwriter Tim Easton. A perfect chance for me to film ... -
Sofie Winterson
Learning and development are recurring themes in my conversation with Sofie Winterson. As a songwriter she continously seeks new methods and inspiration. That is probably ... -
Anthony D’Amato
New York City-based songwriter Anthony D’Amato has been on a streak in the past seven years and released three full-length records and two ep’s. And ... -
The Low Anthem
The Low Anthem recorded two songs from ‘The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depth Of The Sea’ for The Influences. Singer Ben Miller talks ... -
Close Talker
Sometimes there’s little time between getting to know a band and filming a session. It only ever happens though if I immediately like the music ... -
American Aquarium
It was Anthony D’Amato who introduced me to American Aquarium. The singer from New York – who’s releasing a new EP soon – said I ... -
A New International
Musicians often ask me who they should listen to when we finish filming a session. Almost a hundred percent of the time I recommend the ... -
Israel Nash
The times have been good for Israel Nash. He’s focusing on the positive, rather than the negative. In this session he covered Neil Young and ... -
Sam & Julia
After spending most of his childhood years living in Zimbabwe, Nicaragua and Ghana, Sam van Ommen moved to Amsterdam, where he attended a local jam ... -
Becca Mancari
Becca Mancari made one of my favourite records of 2017. There isn’t a mediocre song on Good Woman. In fact, someone should really start a petition ... -
Sun June
Last week I told someone to simply listen to everything that came out on the Austin-based record label Keeled Scales. She would like everything she ... -
Finn Andrews
There would be weeks where I didn’t listen to much else than The Veils. Their records formed an often welcome escape from reality. At times ... -
Josh Ritter
‘The first thing you’ll notice at a Josh Ritter show is his smile. It’s a grin of elation, a grin of communion, a grin of ... -
Fiskur
‘What I’ve learned from Scott is that kind of pride in songwriting; being able to put yourself into it, the drive and ambition for yourself ... -
Marcus Hamblett
Marcus Hamblett is a man of many talents. Not only does he play guitar, bass, trumpet and keys, he also produces records and sometimes releases ... -
Carson McHone
The Austin-based songwriter Carson McHone visited us in Utrecht’s finest record store Plato with her band to record two originals and a dangerously addictive Teddy ... -
Anaïs Mitchell
When Anaïs Mitchell recorded this session for The Influences in 2017, she toured as Josh Ritter’s support. She recorded covers of Bob Dylan and Rachel ... -
Man Of Moon
Ever since my friend plugged their song The Road, I’ve been listening to Scottish indie rock duo Man of Moon. During their European tour with ... -
Lilly Hiatt
When Lilly Hiatt’s third record Trinity Lane surfaced in 2017, something just seemed to click. Her songs and the records sound blend so seamlessly. ‘It ... -
Jerry Leger
TakeRoot just announced its first names for 2019, featuring Brandi Carlile, Nikki Lane, Erin Rae, Caroline Spence and many others. In november 2018 I got ... -
Emme Woods
In December 2018 we hosted our third live show at the always lovely The Glad Cafe in Glasgow. Five local acts performed a couple of ... -
Buck Meek
American songwriter Buck Meek has very quickly become one of my favourite musicians – both his solo and Big Thief records are on the top ... -
Bart Hoevenaars
Bart Hoevenaars isn’t a stranger in the Dutch music indie scene. In the early zeroes he released two record with postpunk bank MONO and toured Europe multiple ... -
Liza Anne
‘Every time I go into making a record, I’m trying to time capsule what it feels like to be alive. ‘Fine But Dying’ was a ... -
Douglas Firs
Douglas Firs is a Belgian band that has been around creating great music for years now, but it was on their most recent record ‘Hinges ... -
Jon Allen
John Martyn has somehow never before been covered in The Influences sessions. Until now, because Jon Allen recorded an addictive version of ‘May You Never’ ... -
The Deep Dark Woods
‘The first time I really listened to Bob Dylan changed my life.’ The Canadian folk band The Deep Dark Woods produces some of the loveliest ... -
Kim Janssen
A couple of weeks ago, Janssen and his band joined us at the Schenk Studio in Amsterdam to record two astounding cover versions of Vampire ... -
Hannah Epperson
There aren’t many feelings better than discovering new music and getting fully emerged in its beauty. When it happens, nothing else matters. Hannah Epperson’s ‘Slowdown’ ... -
Gregory Ackerman
Los Angeles-based songwriter Gregory Ackerman covered Jack Johnson and Neil Young for The Influences. ‘I’m inspired by anyone who is writing music that people can ... -
Demi Knight & Ryan Joseph Burns
When Ryan Joseph Burns came to Utrecht from Glasgow earlier this year, I set up a meeting with the Dutch country singer Demi Knight. After ... -
Awkward I
Awkward I is one of The Netherlands’ finest songwriters around. He recorded this new session, including a mind-blowing cover of Judee Sill: ‘What I particularly ... -
Judy Blank
‘When I see The Wood Brothers play, I know: this is it. Seeing them makes it easier for me to not care about things. Fuck ... -
Anna Burch
‘Writing ‘Quit The Curse’ was so fun, cathartic, and also the most important thing I’ve done in my life.’ Anna Burch debuted on Polyvinyl Record ... -
Down By The River festival, Sessions
Jerry Leger
Jerry Leger’s records stand side by side to John Lennon’s in my living room. It’s only fitting because Lennon’s the first association I got from ...
