Unsigned artist Sam Draisey talks about forthcoming Midlands gigs

It is a hugely privileged position to be in, and Sam Draisey - who can count musician, gig and festival promoter, live sound and studio engineer, festival organiser and musician's union committee member among his job titles - is fully aware of that.

"It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m doing something I really love," he tells us. "I’ve worked in education for a few years but I’m leaving this summer to concentrate solely on music – I’m really excited about it.

"I like the diversity of having a number of strings to my bow when it comes to music, and that does seem to be the way the industry is going these days. It’s nice when other musicians come to me for advice on all sorts of things from recording and performing to distribution and copyright and I feel like I can help them."

Yes, some slave away for eight-plus hours a day at something which merely serves to pay the bills. But Sam, 29, from Wolverhampton, has other ideas for his life.

"I don’t aspire to be rich or famous, just to be able to live off what I do," he adds. "I get asked a lot if I would consider going on a TV talent show, but I don’t really think it would suit what I do, the type of music I make or the kind of person I am."

Sam is a busy man. Just playing music would give most of us enough to stay occupied. As a solo artist he has a new record he wants to show the world - releasing it officially on Sunday with a live showcase at Codsall's The Crown Joules.

"I class this as my third album, though it’s actually more like my fifth," he says.

He draws his inspiration from a range of artists as any singer/songwriter would. Notable influences include Frank Turner, Damien Rice, Jack Johnson, Cat Stevens, Paul Simon and the incomparable Johnny Cash, as well as other more traditional folk artists.

He also has extra cash flowing in through a successful wedding band called The Replicas for whom he plays bass.

But he has much, much more than just playing on his plate.

"I'm an elected member of the Midlands Regional Council of the Musician's Union, I run a songwriter's night at The Crown Joules every two weeks - one of which I'm hijacking for the album launch - and I've run recurring gigs all over the place over the years, including a monthly session at The Robin 2 for a while.

"I've gigged all over the region and supported acts like Ian Parker, Edgar Broughton, Bleeding Hearts and Under A Banner and played at various festivals all over the country."

He's also part of the committee that puts Codfest together every year and he is busy putting this year's event together for its usual September slot - though at the moment the exact date is a closely-guarded secret.

"Shhh, I’m not supposed to talk to the media about Codfest," he jokes, before adding: "I’m kidding, but we are very close to being at full capacity now without any real advertising, which I guess is something to be proud of.

"I’m on the committee that puts the festival together, as I have been since the start. My role is mainly to organise the music side of things, from booking the acts to managing the stages, helping to run the live sound and generally just being very busy about the whole event.

"You can find out more about this year’s festival – Codfest 8 – by liking their page on Facebook."

It has been a lifelong effort for Sam to get to where he is today, and he epitomises the hard work required to establish yourself in a crowded and often fickle environment where one minute's buzz-artist among listeners can be forgotten and one moment's enthusiasm from an artist can drain when met by obstacles.

"After singing all my childhood, I took up bass guitar at the age of 16, basically because the strings are further apart than on a six-string and I didn’t think I would be able to manage that," he jokes. "The first song I ever learned on bass was In Bloom by Nirvana, on Christmas Day 2004. By the evening I was jamming with my nextdoor neighbours Mick and Jack Edwards, who played guitar and drums respectively.

"In fact, Jack went on to play drums and congas for me on The List and Anthology albums," both of which are previous solo releases from Sam.

"A few months later I was asked if I wanted to join a newly forming band by an old friend of my dad. I learned a huge amount about playing live and working within a band from playing with Too Shrewd, and I still see it as an important part of my musical education. The band lasted for a few years before members started to move away."

To see that education put into practice, head along to The Crown Joules on Sunday to help Sam launch his new record. He will be selling CDs on the day, and it will go live on streaming sites such as iTunes and Spotify the next day.

The evening kicks off at 8.30pm, with free entry, and support will be provided by David Young & The Midnight Chorus and Brains For Breakfast.

For more information on all of Sam's projects, live dates and past and future releases, search for Sam Draisey on Facebook or visit www.samdraisey.com