Grand Central’s new star will be drumming near you.

Jon Kennedy loves the drums. His first album for Grand Central Records is called Take My Drum To England. “Some famous chap wrote a poem and that’s the first line, which I thought was pretty cool. I had that in my head, ‘take my drum to England’, carrying my drum around. It’s a visual thing.”

Jon is the latest act on the Manchester label’s roster, sitting comfortably alongside the likes of Aim, Riton and Tony D with his soulful cut-and-paste melodies and hip-hop grooves. “I’ve seen it described as trip-hop but I’m not sure you’re allowed to use that word anymore,” he ponders. “It’s more soundtracky – there’s more layers and colours and harps, and things like that in it. Some of it’s close to DJ Shadow’s kind of thing.”

Jon spent years playing in bands before deciding that, rather than annoying other musicians by telling them what to do, he might as well do it himself. “It’s a natural progression really, because I’ve been drumming for 15 years and that’s how I picked up the other instruments. I kind of play them from a drummer’s perspective,” he explains. “The whole rhythm and the way the instruments are played reflect the drums. It’s all about the feel of it, as much as the tunes.”

Kennedy, who was initially discovered by fellow Stockport resident, Mr Scruff, is already very much part of the GC family, producing tracks for Kate Rogers’ new LP, who also appears on his album. “I like working with vocalists,” he says. “It’s that kind of music. It needs vocalists. Some of it’s quite chilled out and could easily slot into a downtempo chillout thing. But having the vocalists on it just shifts it away from that.”

Kate is also likely to appear when Jon begins touring with his full live band. “It sounds totally different from what you hear on the CD – we expand on it, mainly because I’ve got all these amazing musicians. Where I might have played three chords on the album, these guys are going off on tangents, which is good.”

And, living up to his reputation as a prolific songwriter, he already has another album on the way. “That’s all I do all day. I don’t eat, I just write music. I have to be told to eat, honestly. My girlfriend comes in and feeds me. She’s worried about my health,” says Jon. “Ideas are ridiculous. They’re always in my head and I don’t want to lose them, so that’s why I’m always working.” And good ideas they are too. Matt Walton 29 August 03

Jon Kennedy – Take My Drum To England, out now on Grand Central Records.

useful link: www.jonkennedy.co.uk