The Good Natured
An interview with singer and songwriter Sarah McIntosh
by Tina Hall
September 2010
Sarah McIntosh
The Good Natured (aka Sarah McIntosh) is not the typical work you’d expect from a 19 year old, especially with songwriting that tends to lean towards the darker side. The band is also includes members Hamish McIntosh and George Hinton. The new single Be My Animal is due to be released on November 1st by the indie label KIDS with Prisoner being the B-side. Both tracks were mixed by Adrian Bushby, who’s also worked with Foo Fighters and Muse.
Maximum Ink: There isn’t much about you out there yet. Can you tell us a little about where you are from? How does coming from where you have impacted your musical style?
Sarah McIntosh: I’m Sarah, I am 19 and I live in a village called Highclere in Newbury, Berkshire. Highclere’s a nice little village. It has its own castle where Peter and Jordan got married. Nice. I wouldn’t say where I live impacts my musical style at all, it’s probably impacted more by the way I have been bought up around my grandparents and parents record collection.
MI: How would you describe The Good Natured sound?
SM: I would say its electronic pop with a darker element, that’s how I see it anyway.
MI: What led you to form this band?
SM: I have always enjoyed music, I used to play the violin, the drums and sang in a youth choir when I was younger. I formed the band out of a love for music, but also a need to express myself.
MI: Did you always want to be a musician? What do you think you’d be if not that?
SM: Yes, I think so. I cant remember ever wanting to do anything else. I quite liked psychology at school so maybe I’d become a criminologist or something like that.
MI: Your songs have been called dark. Why do you think that is?
SM: I always find that I never want to write when I am happy, its always when I am sad or angry that I write by best lyrics.
MI: What do you like to do in your free time?
SM: See my friends and family, spend ages on the phone, watch films, go running, play keyboard and guitar.
MI: What is one little known fact about yourself your fans would be surprised to learn?
SM: I am very good at kayaking. Sweet.
MI: What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
SM: A Club NME gig we played at Koko Camden. It was full of people dancing and a few people even knew some of the words to my songs! Amazing.
MI: Where do you hope to see your career go from here?
SM: I’d like to get signed and have a successful album and go on tour!
MI: Do you find the music industry to be any different for a woman than it is for men?
SM: I think females tend to be put into the same category just because they are a woman, for example people will draw comparisons between two female artists when they are actually completely different. That’s just from my perspective, I have found I have been compared to female artists and I think but I am nothing like her, it is just because I am a girl?
MI: Where does the inspiration to write your songs come from?
SM: Anything really, things that happen to me, other peoples situations. Emotion.
MI: What projects are your working on at this time?
SM: Just writing a lot of songs for The Good Natured. I have a single Be My Animal out November 1st on KIDS (record label). You can check my blog, facebook, myspace and twitter to see things we’ve been doing, including pictures from the video shoot for Be My Animal.
Good Natured
CD: Be My Animal