This week our Campus Celeb is Greg Russell, one half of folk duo Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar!
Name: Greg Russell
Year: Second
Degree: International Relations
Hometown: Chester
(Greg is on the left)
So, how did you first get into music, and when did it become more than just a hobby?
There was always lots of music in the house. My dad and mum both played and sang and I started going to musical things with them and enjoying music from quite an early age. I suppose my dad ‘introduced’ me to folk music and I sort of went from there. Playing solo for a while since I was about 16, and then it’s got a lot more ‘serious’ since being with Cia for about 15 months now. Debut album came out on Fellside Records in August and we are pretty busy throughout 2013 with gigs and recording the second album. There’s also a few exciting projects planned for 2014. It’s still my hobby and what I love doing, I’m just very lucky it’s become a ‘job’ as well.
You’ve been nominated for a BBC Young Folk Award, well done! How did that come about, what was the process and when do you find out the results?
Thanks very much. We were asked to go and play at a ‘semi final’ weekend up at the Brewery Arts centre in Kendal, in October, with 9 other acts. We spent a weekend there doing various musical things and it finished with a concert in which all 10 acts performed. From the 10 ‘semi-finalists’, 4 were nominated for the Young Folk Award, which is one of 9 awards (Best live act, best album, etc) awarded at the BBC Folk Awards, up in Glasgow on the 30th January.
What are your future plans concerning music? Could you see yourself choosing it as a full-time career?
Make sure I keep on enjoying it, doing new, fresh things etc. If the opportunities arose to do it full time then I’d love to do it. At the moment, its great being able to mix it with uni and do both, whilst keeping them relatively separate. We don’t do massive amounts between September and April due to school/uni commitments but then we are mad busy from April through to September, which is quite a nice way to do things!
Whilst at Exeter do you still perform/get involved in music?
I don’t play a massive amount whilst I’m down here. I go out to Folk clubs when I can, which are good fun and there are a few really good ones locally. And every so often we have a term time gig so we travel to where ever that may be.
What else are you involved in on campus?
Just cricket really!
What is your favourite thing about Exeter?
I love it! Great uni, great city, great mates, great pubs etc! It’s a similar size place to where I grew up, so I like that about it. Beaches, nice countryside within 20 minutes – I really enjoy it down here.
Finally, if our readers want to listen to your music or find out more, where can they go?
There are various things on You Tube, but the best place to go is probably our website – www.russellalgar.co.uk or our labels site which is http://www.fellside.com.