Behind The Lens: Alan Garmonsway

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How would you describe your music to a first-time listener?

Hello! My music is a cross of rock and acoustic, with insightful lyrics observing life’s events. I play all the instruments myself, guitars, keyboards, bass and percussion, and have been described as being able to ‘move seamlessly’ between these genres without feeling stylistically scattered.

You're celebrating a major career milestone with a trip to the ice cream shop. What's your go-to flavor and why?

It’s a scoop of strawberry cheesecake and one of rum and raisin, both in the same carton! I go to the cinema quite a bit, and now that you’ve asked the question, I’ve just realized that is what I always order in the foyer before the show, or anywhere else! 

What do you want fans to take away from your music?

It’s something to think about, but with a good hook, be it lyrical or musical. It’s interesting how many times I’m in conversation and find myself singing one of my lines because it fits the conversation under discussion!

What about making music makes it fun for you?

Not knowing where the recording process will take the song. I usually write songs as just piano or guitar plus vocals. When recording, I’ll get a core of keys, guitar and bass to a click track (played live). After that you start to build the recording with my choice of instrument and arrangements. That’s when the song takes on its direction and identity.

Light and shade is also important to me in the arrangements. Suddenly dropping into an unaccompanied 4-part chorus, or adding an electric guitar to an acoustic track.

How do you know an idea is worth developing into a song?

I’ll pick a track on my latest album Money Buys You Freedom? This topic was suggested by a member of my songwriting circle one month. I don’t think I’d ever had come up with that as a topic, but my first thought was ‘or does it?’ So the concept of the song was in place. My second thought was a song being performed in a Burlesque club, a bit like in the movie Cabaret, where the singer is captivating the audience with a slightly sarcastic and in-your-face performance and then surprise humour to relieve the tension!

With all these ideas in place, it was then over to creating the piano chords – a minor key for stealth and build-up for tension. Then lyrics that challenge the audience to think and respond. After that, basically adding the instruments going through my recording process. 

With this particular track, I chose a repetitive piano arpeggio and an ‘urgent’ Hammond Organ sound to stab the point home – plus a key change in the instrumental to wind up the song for the final verse!

When do you decide to shelf an idea that isn't going to work?

A very interesting question. I’m not sure I shelf anything but at the same time only around 30% of my songs make it to release. What I do is start off a project then often just leave it for a while, perhaps just a piano and vocal but a decent pro recording. Maybe a while later I come back to it and if it fits the idea of a ‘next release’, I’ll work more on it. But at least I can start from the decent recording I’ve made.

There are exceptions in both directions. Some songs work so well, they’re straight through to the release stages, others I jettison quite quickly as not working, but in those there might be a nugget of a chord change or phrase that pops up later in another song!

I’ve used this approach for my last three albums and it seems to work. The first received Silver International Album of the Year with ISSA in Atlanta in 2024, the second Gold with the same organisation in 2025, and the Latest, An Elephant In The Room is currently entered for this year’s GRAMMY Awards® in the Alternative Music Album category.

Did you think a song was going to be less successful than it actually became?

Whenever you release something, it’s so difficult to predict which direction it will go. All sorts of things come into play – timing, the mood of the public, something that just captures a collective imagination. I think history is littered with famous bands whose iconic releases just started out as another song or album, not realizing it would capture the minds and souls of so many people.

For me, I guess Supertramp’s Crime Of The Century album. A fantastic band and fantastic album, but the impact it still has on people, especially in my adopted second home of France is incredible. We are talking over fifty years since it was released, but if you see a live local band in France, there’s usually a song from that album in there!

What's one lyric you find fans repeating back to you?

If you’re talking about my songs, it’s from the aforementioned track of mine Money Buys You Freedom. It goes "I’ll give you advice if you win the Lottery….Spend what you need and give….the rest to me!" This is the punch line after singing about how having lots of money can be bad for you! People have sung it to me walking down the street when they see me!

You're creating a song for an Olympian. What would you call it and what would it sound like?

It’s a song I wrote many years ago about Steve Redgrave, who won five consecutive Gold medals in Rowing for GB. Unsurprisingly it’s called Go For Gold and it’s a rocker of a song. But it has this arpeggio keyboard going on that is the rhythm of breathing as the professional athlete is doing their thing. I think I released it once a long time ago on cd, but it needs revisiting – it’s timeless!

If there was a museum dedicated to your life and career, what would fans find in the gift shop? Where can fans connect with you?

It sounds mundane, but the gift shop would have mugs with all my album covers on them! I do this already for three reasons. 

Firstly, in the days of streaming now, it’s great to have something physical to hold that captures all the work that you’ve done to get that song or album out to the whole world.

Secondly, it’s a celebration that you can share with others and a constant reminder to them of your work.

Thirdly, everyone likes a cup of tea or coffee and this may be their go-to mug for social occasions.

There is method in the madness! (Photo attached of a couple of my mugs)

Thank you for such insightful questions, I really appreciated answering them!