THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Louis Baker

One-time Wellingtonian Louis Baker has done good, as they say. Hopes are understandably high for his self-titled debut EP because of its soulful sound and the maturity of his songwriting.

One of the tracks on the EP -- released on March 21 through record stores, bandcamp and iTunes -- is The Way which was written and recorded while he was at the Red Bull Music Academy in New York, and the other four songs were recorded in four days in London last year with producer Andy Lovegrove (Breaks Co-op).

Smartly keeping the sound of his Motown-infiuenced voice to the fore, the arrangements are simple and feature just guitar and strings.

Baker -- who has played and won crowds at Rhythm and Vines -- comes home for dates in support of the release (see below) but given his promise we thought we should, even at tis early stage in his career, flick him the Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire to see what he makes of it.

The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .

Drive My Car - The Beatles

Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .

Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Little Feat

Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?

Lennon, Nirvana, Madonna, Jay-Z

If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .

Perhaps Permaculture or, Water Conservation

The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .

'Both Sides Now' (Joni Mitchell), 'If You Want Me To Stay' (Sly and the Family Stone), 'I Couldn't Love You More' (John Martyn)

Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home?

A laser print of 'True Colours' - Split Enz

The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .

'The Art Spirit' - Robert Henri

If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . . (And you would play?)

That's a tough one... I would love to have the experience of playing along side Hendrix on a slow grimey blues - Voodoo Chile

The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .

The Godfather, Rush Hour & The Last Waltz

The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)

I don't actually download music. The last albums that I bought are - 'You've Got It Bad Girl' (Quincey Jones) & 'An Anthology of Tribe Records: 1972-1976 (Message From The Tribe) - Both of these are vinyl

One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .

'You've Got A Friend' - James Taylor

The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .

'Bitches Brew' - Miles Davis (or) 'Electric Ladyland' - Hendrix

You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .

No thing

David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where, doing . . .?

Traveling around the world, seeing, absorbing and writing as much as possible

And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”

Because it's the only body of work I've ever put out.