Jake Bugg has revealed that he has only been to seven gigs in his life, arguing that watching other artists perform distracts him from his own live show.
Speaking in this week’s NME, which is on newsstands now or available digitally, Bugg counts Kings Of Leon and The Stone Roses among the handful of bands he has seen.
“I think as a performer it messes with your head a bit,” he reasons. “You think, ‘What are they doing that I’m not doing?’ when you should just get on with what you do.”
Instead, Bugg prefers to focus on his own music. “I feel disappointed if I don’t pick up my guitar in the day. I feel like I’ve not done anything, I’m not being productive. Relaxing for me is writing songs and having my guitar there.”
The Nottingham-born singer previously said he’s not a “huge fan” of The Libertines and has questioned their motives for reforming.
Bugg also expressed his views on the possibility of a reformed Oasis headlining Glastonbury next year. “I was an Oasis fan [but] I’m not too bothered about seeing them, you know? I’d have liked to see them in 1995, but not now.”
In the same interview, the singer also reveals that he is already working on new songs for the follow-up to November 2013’s ‘Shangri La’ that he has shown to super-producer Rick Rubin.
Read the full interview with Jake Bugg in this week’s NME, which is on newsstands or available digitally now.
Jake Bugg will play five UK dates in October, including a major show at London’s Alexandra Palace. The gigs are some of the largest Bugg has ever played. Following the UK run, the singer-songwriter will be supporting The Black Keys on their October/November tour of arenas in Canada and the USA.
Gallery: 50 Geeky Facts about Jake Bugg
Jake Bugg will play:
Cardiff Arena (October 5)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (October 7)
Liverpool Echo 2 (October 18)
Bridlington Spa (October 20)
London Alexandra Palace (October 21)
IN PHOTOS: Jake Bugg’s Other Stage headline slot at Glastonbury
To check the availability of Jake Bugg tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.