As Teesside singer-songwriter Frazer Lambert unveils his new release, Lee Allcock caught up with him to speak about life, its challenges and more.
Tell me a bit about your new track, ‘Light the Road’, and how important its meaning is to you…
I wrote part of the track whilst my dad was really ill in hospital and finished it off, funnily enough, on his birthday. Sadly, he had a stroke and the upshot is that he keeps having massive seizures. I was trying to keep my Ma together with her health issues, so it’s a song about not only putting on a brave face but facing tough times head-on; lighting the road as it were, so you can see what’s ahead. I used to be embarrassed when I was younger about writing lyrics, but now I’m well and truly middle-aged, I don’t really care what others think. I’m not sure I write with a purpose but it’s more like letting the words just fall out.
It must have been a difficult time seeing your dad so ill in hospital…
Yeah, of course. It’s heartbreaking watching your parents grow older and suffer from health issues. Covid and lockdowns have turned them from active, social people into virtual recluses. That, in turn, feeds into mental health issues and ultimately, the depression that follows. Sadly, my Ma has now been diagnosed with dementia, which is yet another worry, but we’ve just got to get on with daily life and cope as best we can.
What did you learn from such a challenging experience?
I think I’ve learnt to let my folks do what they need to do and not nag them to get out and about. I’m certainly not the only one with family that aren’t in the best place and I won’t be the last – it’s just a part of life. There’ll be victories along the journey and we’ve got to take them and not dwell on the setbacks.
And how have you grown as a person?
I’m not sure I’ve grown and if I have, I don’t really know in what way. I’ve definitely written more snippets about life and loss, or rather the fear of loss. I haven’t really spoken about it much, so I suppose writing bits down will be a cathartic experience and some form of coping mechanism. I’m sure that’s probably the process, whether it be conscious or not. The mind can take you in all sorts of directions, can’t it?
It certainly can. And finally, a little bit of light-hearted fun to finish. If you were to climb Mount Everest, which musician would you take with you? And what would you talk about?
I reckon I’d have to take Bill Withers with me and we could chat about how much we both ‘dug’ our grandmas! I’d probably bombard him with questions about what flavour crisps are his favourite. He was such a brilliant songwriter and performer. I think he’d be good company and probably really chilled out if ever there was a disaster.
You can listen to ‘Light the Road’ now on all major streaming platforms.
