‘Try it and see’ seems to be the unofficial motto for up-and-coming London band Magazine Gap.

The group formed in 2009 when Wimbledon-based singer-songwriter James Keen joined forces with drummer and producer Brian McCook, funk-rock bassist Tim Gyton and classically-trained concert pianist Alex Ho.

The band adopted an independent strategy of mixing an old school approach with a modern twist.

Magazine Gap have recently undertaken two tours of the United States, playing in the four largest cities, and finished their first headline tour of the UK and released their new album, Light and Shade, on May 2. Keen spoke to Melanie Attlesey about the band and the new release.

Melanie Attlesey: Where does the name Magazine Gap originate from?

James Keen: The name is taken from a major road in Hong Kong where I grew up, as did Alex, and one that I used to travel up and down quite frequently.

MA: How come Brian and Tim worked with you on your solo album in 2007, but the three of you, with Alex, only formed as a band in 2009?

JK: Brian & Tim are session musicians by background who I essentially recruited to help me record the No Coincidence album. Brian produced it as well. That album in itself became a musical journey we all undertook and laid the foundations of the band. Alex joined us for some live performances after that album was completed, and the more we played together, the more this distinct sound evolved that was very much the four of us and not a singer/songwriter with a backing band. I was delighted that the other three agreed to consolidate our endeavours formally into a band. It’s much more reflective of what we’re about.

MA: How would you describe Magazine Gap’s genre of music to someone who has never heard it before?

JK: We call it eclectic pop/rock simply because while it has a clear thread, there are so many different genres of music built into the overall sound, including but not limited to: pop, rock, folk, jazz, blues, country, funk, soul, hip/hop, R&B, with occasional African and Latin rhythms.

MA: What would you say your influences were, and how have they helped shape Magazine Gap’s style?

JK: My biggest influence is Paul Simon, who has spent his entire career travelling the world breaking down musical walls. The same is true of singer/songwriters like Bob Dylan and Neil Young who are always eager to try something new. The band’s ethos is simply one of experimentation, even if it might not work. You have to be prepared to try something new in order to achieve something different. The fusion, if you like, of our natural but different instincts plus the desire to keep evolving is at the heart of what we do.

MA: After your extensive tour, of what appears to be half the world, how are you keeping things fresh?

JK: Oh, there are so many places we have yet to visit and ideas we’ve yet to explore. We are on a journey, and Light and Shade is really just the first chapter. It’s almost frustrating that we have to walk before we can run, but that’s the nature of things.

MA: Are you looking forward to the release of your album and do you feel the 18-month journey was worth it?

JK: The album was a manifestation of that development, and evolution takes time. Eighteen months was the recording process of the album, but the sound was really created over three or four years. It was absolutely worth it. We worked out the other day that we’d covered 25,000 miles to record the album, but we loved it and wouldn’t trade those experiences, despite the hard work and painstaking process we undertake to get it sounding exactly as we want.

Visit magazinegap.com.