Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner (born January 11, 1985) is an English singer… Read Full Bio ↴Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner (born January 11, 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and musician from Reigate, Surrey, UK. Known for his rhythmic guitar playing, Faulkner came to prominence in 2007, with the release of his debut studio album, Hand Built by Robots. The album was certified double platinum in the United Kingdom, and yielded the singles, Dream Catch Me, I Need Something and Teardrop. Following an accident, which resulted in his right wrist shattering, Faulkner released his second studio album, Rebuilt by Humans in 2009 (so called because he broke his hand whilst taking family and friends skiing, though he himself was not skiing he fell and broke his hand. His father flew some of the best surgeons in the world to come and repair it so was literally "Rebuilt by Humans")
Faulkner began playing guitar at the age of 11-12 with session guitarist Bob "crazy guy" Cranham and also attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where he spent 2 years gaining both diploma and the higher diploma award under the tutelage of Eric Roche.
His first band was a Green Day cover band, in which he played bass guitar. His experience on the stage grew as he formed Half a Guy, a funk rock group with a quirky edge, with fellow band mates Matt Buchanan, Dave Elvy and Nicola Crawshaw. Half a Guy recorded two demo CDs and managed 2 years before splitting. He then spent time recording and gigging under the name Newton Battenberg Faulkner, where he played the Lapagestock festival on the 11th June 2005.
Recent appearances on BBC Radio 2 as well as a publishing deal with Peermusic UK compelled the Independent on Sunday to tell its readers to "Watch this face". Faulkner performed at the 2006 South by Southwest music festival and at Guilfest 2007.
In 2006 he had a support slot for Steve Forbert at The Spitz in London, England.
Newton has recently been signed by [labelSony BMG records and on the 30th of July 2007 he released his debut album Hand Built By Robots. He supported James Morrison on his February UK tour as well as Paolo Nutini on his UK tour in April, and also John Mayer on his September dates in the United Kingdom. He also supported The John Butler Trio on a number of European dates.
In June 2007 Newton's second single Dream Catch Me was selected Jo Whiley's 'Pet Sound' on her daily Radio 1 show. This gave the track much exposure and was highly commented on by listeners to Jo's show.
Newton appeared twice at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2007 - once on the Friday on the Acoustic Stage and once on the Sunday on the Leftfield Stage. He appeared at V Festival 2007 in August where he played in the Virgin Mobile Sessions Tent - a venue much too small as people overflowed outside. He also appeared at the Connect Music Festival at the end of August 2007 on the Guitars and Other Machines stage
On July 29, Dream Catch Me entered the UK Singles Chart at number 16. The following week it had risen to number 7 with Hand Built By Robots entering the album charts at number 3. The song rose to #8 on 12 August, the album to number 1 on 26 August.
Eric Roche is undoubtedly one of Newton's biggest influences, both from a stylistic point of view (vis a vis the percussive use of the guitar's body) and through the use of tapping, uncommon tunings and inventive chord changes, such as in I Need Something and Ageing Superhero, from his debut album. This method of playing also shows heavily in the work of Jon Gomm and Pete Wailes, although with a slightly different feel in both.
Faulkner began playing guitar at the age of 11-12 with session guitarist Bob "crazy guy" Cranham and also attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where he spent 2 years gaining both diploma and the higher diploma award under the tutelage of Eric Roche.
His first band was a Green Day cover band, in which he played bass guitar. His experience on the stage grew as he formed Half a Guy, a funk rock group with a quirky edge, with fellow band mates Matt Buchanan, Dave Elvy and Nicola Crawshaw. Half a Guy recorded two demo CDs and managed 2 years before splitting. He then spent time recording and gigging under the name Newton Battenberg Faulkner, where he played the Lapagestock festival on the 11th June 2005.
Recent appearances on BBC Radio 2 as well as a publishing deal with Peermusic UK compelled the Independent on Sunday to tell its readers to "Watch this face". Faulkner performed at the 2006 South by Southwest music festival and at Guilfest 2007.
In 2006 he had a support slot for Steve Forbert at The Spitz in London, England.
Newton has recently been signed by [labelSony BMG records and on the 30th of July 2007 he released his debut album Hand Built By Robots. He supported James Morrison on his February UK tour as well as Paolo Nutini on his UK tour in April, and also John Mayer on his September dates in the United Kingdom. He also supported The John Butler Trio on a number of European dates.
In June 2007 Newton's second single Dream Catch Me was selected Jo Whiley's 'Pet Sound' on her daily Radio 1 show. This gave the track much exposure and was highly commented on by listeners to Jo's show.
Newton appeared twice at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2007 - once on the Friday on the Acoustic Stage and once on the Sunday on the Leftfield Stage. He appeared at V Festival 2007 in August where he played in the Virgin Mobile Sessions Tent - a venue much too small as people overflowed outside. He also appeared at the Connect Music Festival at the end of August 2007 on the Guitars and Other Machines stage
On July 29, Dream Catch Me entered the UK Singles Chart at number 16. The following week it had risen to number 7 with Hand Built By Robots entering the album charts at number 3. The song rose to #8 on 12 August, the album to number 1 on 26 August.
Eric Roche is undoubtedly one of Newton's biggest influences, both from a stylistic point of view (vis a vis the percussive use of the guitar's body) and through the use of tapping, uncommon tunings and inventive chord changes, such as in I Need Something and Ageing Superhero, from his debut album. This method of playing also shows heavily in the work of Jon Gomm and Pete Wailes, although with a slightly different feel in both.
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The Very Best of Newton Faulkner... So Far
Newton Faulkner Lyrics
Against the Grain I have tried but it's hard to fight it I can't…
Bohemian Rhapsody Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a…
Brick by Brick I'm hoping it'll all get better But it keeps on getting…
City Of Stars City of stars Are you shining just for me? City of stars The…
Clouds We're not the type To go out and find others Who are…
Don't Leave Me Waiting Everything that I'll ever need Is their in your eyes No more…
Dream Catch Me I close my eyes it's you And I know now who…
Foundations Thursday night and everything's fine Except you've got that…
I Need Something I need something to believe in 'Cause I don't believe in…
I Took It Out On You Of all the people in the world I took it…
I'll Be There When all the tears are rolling down your face And it…
Idgaf You call me all friendly Tellin' me how much you miss…
If This Is It No one move, no one speak Please don't say that its…
Indecisive Never done to it Time here hunts me everywhere I look I…
May You Never And may you never lay your head down Without a hand…
Million Reasons You're giving me a million reasons to let you go You're…
No Diggity You know what I like the playettes No diggity, no doubt Play…
Payphone I'm at a payphone trying to call home All of my…
Pure Imagination Come with me And you'll be In a world of pure imagination Ta…
Shadow Boxing If you're feeling what im feeling pass it on and…
Sponge Bob Square Pants Are you ready, kids? I said, are you ready? Who lives in…
Teardrop Love, love is a verb Love is a doing word Fearless on…
Up Up And Away You, I gotta slow down I'm hitting the ground And I know…
Wish I Could Wake Up I wish i could wake up By the ocean Where the waves…
Write It On Your Skin Take everything you know and write it on your skin And…