Meet Neil Harvey

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Neil Harvey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Neil below.

Neil, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Being a composer/musician I think I am always looking for inspiration from wherever I can find it. Sometimes it will seem effortless, and I am able to tap into a stream of creative consciousness without any obstacles. Ideas will just flow and I can very quickly have a concrete idea developed in no time. However, many times, especially when I am working for a client and on a deadline I can’t just sit around waiting for the ideas to come to fruition, I have to deliver. This is when I need to be disciplined and ‘force’ the process if you like. That can be from looking at it from a completely different perspective and seeing if that opens up any ideas and creates that initial spark needed to set the ball rolling. Also by wiping the slate clean and starting over. I think it can be quite easy to labour over an idea and struggle to develop it when deep down you know that the best thing to do is forget it and just start again. I feel it is important to know when to give up on an idea that just isn’t working.
As I can’t just turn my creativity on and off like a tap, and because the best ideas often come to me when I’m not in ‘work mode’, I use my phone to record the idea. Whether it’s on the guitar, or simply singing the melody, or banging out a rhythm, having the ability to quickly record my ideas has been invaluable. There is nothing worse than having a flash of inspiration and not being able to record it before it disappears into the ether.
I feel that I am quite lucky in the sense that I don’t really struggle with being creative. I record/compose music every day and as a result there is always an idea lurking somewhere that seems to appear in front of me. I think I struggled in the past to understand why a particular idea may not be working, this was due mainly to a lack of confidence concerning the technical side of the recording/mixing process. Also with not having a deeper grasp and knowledge of the use of instrumentation. However, over the years and with a lot more experience, and a music degree, I have overcome these hurdles.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a composer and musician, and I work alongside singer and songwriter Caitlin Grey. We’ve been writing and producing together for a long time, and about five years ago we decided to make it official and launch our own boutique record label and online production company, HarveyGrey Music. It’s been a great way to open doors for people at different stages in their career. We work with established artists, but we also love giving up-and-coming songwriters the chance to get their ideas turned into fully produced, radio-ready tracks. If someone needs guidance beyond the music itself, we help with that too, anything from vocal performance technique, to the admin headaches, to promotion tips.
We also collaborate a lot. Recently we had a four-week run at number one on the It Is Now Radio charts with a track Caitlin and I wrote called A New Tomorrow. That one was really special, so we brought in UK soul singer Dave Goodridge, powerhouse vocalist Ryan Jenkins, and the men’s choir Blokes Who Sing, and the result was this big, uplifting, Lion King-style anthem. One of those moments where everything just comes together. I’d definitely love to do more projects like that.
Another recent highlight has been working with US Hollywood actor and former Atlantic Records pop/rock artist Gary Private. Together with Caitlin, we recorded a beautiful rendition of ‘Carry On’, a fantastic rock ballad written by Gary’s good friend Frank Stallone. That track has just entered the prestigious US DJ Music Chart at No.49, which has been really exciting for all of us.
Right now, one of our clients, Swiss/Croatian singer and model David Schaefer, is sitting at number one for the second week running with ‘Dancing in the Summer Rain’, a track Caitlin and I penned and produced. We’ve also had placements in the British gangster film ‘Lucas and Albert’ (which won Best Film at the 2021 National Film Awards) and in the World War II movie ‘Eleven’. So we’ve dipped our toes into the sync world too.
Alongside that, we release our own material. Celtic and folk music is very close to Caitlin’s heart, and her rendition of ‘She Moved Through the Fair’ has racked up more than 850,000 views on YouTube. There’s a big audience out there for that sound, and we’re continuing to explore it.
Which brings me to our newest venture… ‘The Prophecy of Flame & Frost’. This is something pretty different: it’s a fantasy-inspired concept album that we’re developing into a whole immersive experience with storylines, characters, lore, and membership access. Think Celtic and Nordic influences colliding with a big cinematic sound; massive drums, ethereal vocals, ancient-sounding chants, that kind of thing. We want it to be more than just an album; it’s about building a world people can step into, with music, poetry, art, and even some exclusive physical artefacts. It’s still in development, but it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting things we’ve ever done.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Determination (I was heavily into sport when I was younger, whether football, cricket, tennis. I think it taught me early on that you can’t win at anything unless you have the determination and fight inside. Over the years I (and Caitlin) have had many rejections but it hasn’t stopped us from pursuing our dream. I firmly believe that if you have the unstoppable belief that you are meant, and destined to do something, that you can and will succeed. If you really truly believe it, then it will happen. )

I am lucky as I seem to have a natural ability to hear harmony and counterpoint, I think I get it from my father. He had a great ear and would always sing the 3rd harmony to whatever song was playing rather than the main vocal melody. My great grandfather on my mother’s side was musical too and played in a brass band. That coupled with the fact that I live in Liverpool, England and pass Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields on a daily basis, I think I was destined for a career in music.

Musical composition has always come easy to me, however, the recording and production process was a journey. I remember way back when Caitlin and I signed a publishing deal and the publishers decided that instead of putting us in a studio they would supply us with some recording equipment so that we could produce our own demos. I remember sitting behind this large Allen & Heath mixing console completely clueless, not knowing where to start. Over the ensuing weeks I managed through trial and error to work out how to record and mix badly. When we moved into the digital age, audio recording and production was transformed. We had unlimited tracks and we could suddenly manipulate audio in a way that we could only dream of before. I still struggled with the process of mixing though, and it wasn’t until YouTube appeared, when other audio producers/mixers started giving advice and sharing their knowledge that I began to see a real improvement in my production work. I dip into tutorials almost daily to try and keep abreast of what the top tips are or latest techniques. Every day is a school day!

As for any advice I can give, it would be to never give up on your dream. Honestly, that’s the most important thing. The music business is tough, and you’re going to face knock-backs, whether that’s from labels, radio, venues, or even just people who don’t “get” what you’re doing. It happens to everyone. The trick is not to let it stop you. Get back up, dust yourself off, and go again.
Also Keep developing your skills along the way, whether that’s your songwriting, your playing, your vocal technique, or even learning the business side of things. Every bit of progress adds up, and it means that when the right opportunity comes along, you’re ready for it.
And try to stay focused on why you do it in the first place. If you love making music, then let that be your anchor. There’s a lot of noise out there.. people will always have an opinion, but if you’re true to yourself, your voice will find its audience. Caitlin and I have had our fair share of rejections over the years, but every “no” just pushed us to write something better or try a different path. That’s what has led us to where we are now with HarveyGrey Music, and even to new projects like The Prophecy of Flame & Frost.
So, don’t stop. Don’t overthink the setbacks. Just keep moving forward

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My mother has been a big influence on me because she has a fighting spirit that I find incredible. She has been through a lot, especially over these last few years, but in spite of that she just ploughs through and gets on with it without a word. Seeing that resilience in her has certainly taught me to battle through whatever obstacles come my way. My father was always very encouraging, from the first day I brought home a violin from school to begin my musical journey, to the day he died last year. He would patiently listen to many of my early (mediocre at best) compositions and would always have something positive and encouraging to say. He had a finely tuned ear and knew instantly if a note was the slightest bit sharp or flat.

As well as being my business partner and co-writer, Caitlin is a true friend. She is an amazing talent and I am truly blessed to be able to write with her. She has a wonderful voice coupled with a gift for drawing the listener in with her captivating lyrics. She is deeply versed in the writings of the ancient philosophers and has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of music, film and politics, a true force to be reckoned with. Music aside, Caitlin has been a massive influence and has certainly shaped the way I view the world today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://harveygreymusic.com
• Twitter: @NHarvey44
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaitlinGrey
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CaitlinGrey