Welcome through the gates of ‘Portrait of an Artist’. I’m setting out in the hope of documenting and shedding light on independent artists I admire for being torch-bearers of the creative spirit.

Being an independent artist in the modern age comes with its own unique horde of challenges that extend far beyond the craft itself, so I’m in awe of anyone who goes at it with unflinching gusto – especially those who raise the bar while doing so.

The format will be uncomplicated: a collection of portraits shot on film, and a quickfire round of questions related to the creative life.

For ISSUE #1 (the maiden voyage), I’m grateful to be able to introduce a collaborator and good friend, Luke Robinson, who I’ve had the pleasure of working in close quarters with on a few projects over the past two years.

We blitzed through a photo shoot in the low-light of his natural habitat, Shift (a subterranean basement beneath Cardiff city centre, which has doubled up as an arts space in recent years), and I loved reading his answers to a handful of probing questions.

Luke is a professional drummer who approaches his craft as a vocation like few others I’ve met in music. Watching him in action, chatting over coffees, and seeing how hard he works to further his abilities, it would be hard to deny that he’s a fully-fledged working artist who’s driving down the path towards mastery. He also takes an intentional and holistic approach to creativity; a true explorer of new music, books, and paintings. In my eyes, an exceptional drummer and a beacon of good taste.

Hailing from Cornwall and currently working out of Cardiff, he’s performed with artists such as Iona Luke, Gwen, Red Telephone, Tendertwin, Muriel, and Gene Madoc. He’s also a solo recording artist and songwriter, having released two enticing experimental EPs under the moniker Bulkier Noons.

THE INTERVIEW

•⁠ ⁠What do you love that no one else seems to get?

Spreadsheets. Spreadsheets can just make your life easier. Doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just simple, easy read lines. I make wishlists and shopping lists, albums I’ve listened to in a year as well as the boring numbers stuff for the wedding band I run.

•⁠ ⁠Name a film you keep returning to:

True Romance. Stunning, intensely vibrant film. I think about it all the time.

•⁠ ⁠Name a book that altered your world-view:

Going to be cheeky here and say “A Year with Swollen Appendices: Brian Eno’s Diary”. He kept a diary for all of 1995, and it inspired me last year to do the same.

Diary keeping is immensely rewarding and a genuinely positive step for one’s mental health. I don’t do enough of it.

•⁠ ⁠What characteristic connects your creative heroes?

Easy answer for me is risk taking. All of my favourite musicians and painters etc. strive to just be themselves and take risks when doing so to further the art-form.

Some examples: Stewart Copeland (any Police live gig, just listen to the effortless, reckless abandon with which he performs), Tony Williams (pure ferocity and completely unique phrasing, freakish level of chops freakishly early), Vinnie Colaiuta (watch the Blue Note Tokyo 1992 live gig with Chick Corea, enough said).

•⁠ ⁠Share one creative habit or routine that serves you well:

Really trying (where time permits) to seek out new stuff from all corners of the globe. It will help your playing, your songwriting, your knowledge of cultures.

•⁠ ⁠Share one principle for living well:

As the great Jim Keltner once said “when you’re working, work. When you’re not working, don’t work”.

•⁠ ⁠I know you love artists and paintings, so the big question here has to be, who drums like Basquiat paints?

I may get harangued for saying this but I’m actually going to go for Dave King from the band The Bad Plus.

Playful, unique, bright, intensely creative, punk fuck you attitude.

Try their cover of Blondie’s “Heart Of Glass” from the 2003 album “These Are The Vistas”.

•⁠ ⁠If you could only use one snare drum for the rest of your drumming life, across all genres, which one would it be?

Haha, I loved this snare related question. Kind of thing I lie awake thinking about at 3am.

I am going to go with my diamond in the rough, my dear old friend. My 1970s Pearl chrome over steel 14 x 5.5.

Loads of the original lugs have gone and been replaced. There’s rust on the bottom bearing edge. But it sounds fantastic and I just feel good when I play it. A real workhorse!

•⁠ ⁠What’s a project you’ve released or worked on that you want more people to know about?

I must say although it is hard to blow ones own trumpet I am proud of the 2 EPs I released in 2024 “I Can’t Turn It Off” and “Born In January” in 2025. They are meant as companion pieces to each other and the subject matter of them deals with me processing grief and coming to terms of personality traits about myself I find less favourable.

That being said of course I would encourage everyone to check out the Red Telephone album “Delay the New Day” myself and Dec worked on. Dec wrote almost all the songs and we pieced them together as a band, mostly in my mum’s painting studio in Cornwall. I am very proud of it and I know Dec is too.

•⁠ ⁠Share an aphorism or quote that you rely on to guide you through the chaos of life (can be your own, or attributed):

You are not the voice in your head, you are what listens.

Listen to Luke’s music, tracks he’s drummed on, and explore more of his work here: https://linktr.ee/rluke4479

Photos shot on Fomapan 400 & developed by Express Imaging, Cardiff.