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.
I Need Something
Newton Faulkner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I don't believe in myself
And I'm sick and tired of getting nowhere
Guess it'll all work out
And I don't mind anymore
And I don't mind anymore
'Cause I ain't trusting myself
I'm scared of failure, so scared of success
I guess, it'll all work out
And I don't mind it anymore
And I don't mind it anymore anyway
And I need something to believe in
'Cause I don't believe in myself
And I'm sick and tired of getting nowhere
I guess, it'll all work out
And I don't mind it anymore
And I don't mind it anymore
The lyrics of Newton Faulkner's song "I Need Something" touch on the artist's self-doubt and lack of trust in his abilities. The repeated phrase "I need something to believe in" suggests a deep desire for guidance, purpose, and meaning, as he admits not having faith in himself. The line "sick and tired of getting nowhere" implies that he feels stagnant and unfulfilled, highlighting his frustration at his lack of progress.
In the next verse, he emphasizes his lack of trust in himself and his fear of both success and failure. These attitudes are often associated with imposter syndrome, a feeling of inadequacy despite being successful, which can lead to paralysis and a lack of action. However, despite these insecurities, he remains hopeful that "it'll all work out," suggesting that he still has some optimism for his future.
Overall, the song captures the emotional turmoil of struggling with self-belief and the need for external validation. It conveys a sense of longing for direction and purpose while also recognizing the difficulties of overcoming self-doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
I need something to believe in
I am in need of a strong sense of purpose or direction in my life
'Cause I don't believe in myself
I lack self-confidence or faith in my own abilities
And I'm sick and tired of getting nowhere
I am frustrated, exhausted and demotivated by my lack of progress
Guess it'll all work out
Perhaps things will sort themselves out, without any specific intervention or action
And I don't mind anymore
I have stopped caring or being concerned about something that previously bothered me
And I need someone to put my trust in
I require someone I can rely on, or confide in, to help me through difficult times
'Cause I ain't trusting myself
I lack the confidence or conviction to trust my own judgement and decision-making
I'm scared of failure, so scared of success
I am equally afraid of both success and failure, and the potential risks, challenges or responsibilities that may come with either outcome
I guess, it'll all work out
Perhaps things will turn out for the best, regardless of my reservations or uncertainties
'And I don't mind it anymore
I have accepted, or become indifferent to, a certain outcome or circumstance that previously bothered me
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: NEWTON FAULKNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex R
Anyone in 2020? Love this man's songs. The guitar is insanely complex. I mean harmonics in the middle of a song?! 🤯
I've been listening to him for years and feel like he's such a kindred spirit. ❤️
Rosserv123 Vigg
2021😂
Corrine
I seen him live once and he just came across as the nicest most humblest guy it was a small crowd and how he interacted with the crowd was just beautiful
Jaredslayyys
Lol 2022
Facu Molina
2023 and listening everyday
@Jaredslayyys
Sbusby88
Watching him play this is almost as enjoyable as listening. This is just pure talent. Take a bow Newton.
Ευθυμια Ζηκου
I have been listening to his songs since I was 7. Now i am 16 and i love him so much. And yes. This song is underrated and deserves more views. But look. We are here after all this time, still listening to it. This is how quality music works
Diesel 3188
vastly underated musician
Joel Jewkes
So true !!!
Artistic Skillz
It's actually criminal