It’s been a roller-coaster year so far for rising star, Newton Battenberg Faulkner (or Sam, as he’s better known to his friends). The 19 year old from Salfords, Surrey has one aim in mind - to put the musician firmly back at the forefront of popular music. The total antithesis of the ‘Fame Idol’, ‘Pop Academy’ school of artists, Newton is a young guy who can actually play and sing and do both at the same time! His outstanding guitar technique has already attracted interested from the prestigious Lewes International Guitar Festival, M Channel TV, Total Guitar magazine and a sponsorship deal with Ovation Guitars. Newton’s unique approach to acoustic guitar playing together with self-penned songs that range from the totally chilled to the furiously funky make for a “once seen never forgotten” experience. Oh, and did I mention the voice? It’s hard to believe that a voice as mature and expressive comes from one of such tender years……..but we are talking about Newton here so I guess, as with everything else about his music, the rules don’t apply!

He finished 2003 on a high, being the featured solo artist at the finals of the Riffathon - a nationwide competition to find the best rock guitarist in the UK - performing for the likes of Jimmy Page and Brian May. The question was how to maintain the momentum through 2004? The answer was simple – produce his first album! Never one to approach things half-heartedly Newton spent April in the world-renowned Jacobs recording studio along with his producer, Bob Cranham, working on 15 new songs.