By: Staff
Tillerman’s “The Son Must Follow The Moon” is an incredibly empowering song that lifts your heart to the skies.
The music video opens with the gentle sounds of birds tweeting, and a clear sun gracing a beautifully lit sky. Surrounded by picturesque pastures and meadows, the artist begins to tell us a captivating story.
With lyrics like, “There once was a man who was down on his luck, he sat by the gate with a coin and his cup,” we immediately feel the depth of where this story is taking us.
With the best explanation coming from the band we found this quote about the powerful meaning behind this song:
“I've always wanted to have a crack at writing a gospel sounding track, (hence the addition of the choir). The subject matter in the song picks up on 3 Biblical accounts of the miracles of Jesus with a chorus focused on His death and Resurrection. The title of the track is a play on words, the Son following the Moon is a nod to Jesus' rising from the dead, after 3 days in the grave (the morning of the third day). To the average listener they wouldn't necessarily realise that this is a Christian 'Gospel' track, but to those who are in the know, they would pick up on the imagery. So, there is track here with something for everyone.”
The vocal delivery from this artist is nothing short of stunning. Clean and clear, the lyrics are delivered with such power and control that they perfectly match the intensity of the musical arrangement, keeping you completely fixated on the unfolding narrative. The song exudes a sense of empowerment, bringing tingles to your skin and a pounding in your chest. The delivery is raw and emotional, yet uplifting and honest.
Visually, it’s as if the words are climbing a ladder, each rung increasing in intensity and volume, until they rise above you. Then, the artist floats back down, gently descending for the next verse. This creates a tremendous sensation, allowing the listener to feel, see, and experience the music. Music that can create such a vivid sensory experience is an extraordinary achievement, and this song accomplishes just that.
The guitar work in "Tillerman: The Son Must Follow the Moon" showcases a dynamic interplay between electric and acoustic elements, creating a rich, textured soundscape. The acoustic guitar serves as the foundation of the track, offering a steady and rhythmic strumming pattern that evokes warmth and intimacy. Its earthy tone complements the folk-rock essence of the song, grounding it in a timeless feel. There’s a subtle intricacy in the acoustic guitar’s picking that adds depth, allowing the listener to sink into the song’s emotive core. Honestly, this is some truly killer guitar work! We found ourselves listening multiple times, each time focusing on a different instrument because we enjoyed it that much. The craftsmanship and attention to detail are so impressive that every listen reveals something new. Each instrument stands out, and together they create a sonic experience that's impossible to ignore.
This band is made up of Jon – Lead Singer, songwriter, rhythm guitar. Jon possesses a deeply emotive voice and fierce energy. His songwriting paints vivid landscapes of raw emotion and uplifting narratives, pulling you into each song as if you’re living the story alongside him. On rhythm guitar, Jon drives the melodies with precision and passion, blending rich tones with the intensity of his vocals. Whether he's belting out a powerful chorus or delivering a softer, introspective verse, Jon's voice has an uncanny ability to climb to new heights, leaving you hanging on every word.
Tom – Drums, keyboards, backing vocals. Tom is the versatile heartbeat of the band. On drums, he brings a thunderous yet precise rhythm, his beats grounding each song with a dynamic pulse that’s impossible not to feel in your bones. His backing vocals complement Jon’s perfectly, creating harmonies that elevate each song to new emotional peaks. Tom’s multi-instrumental talent gives the band its rich, layered sound, and his energy keeps the momentum alive, whether the song is soaring high or simmering with quiet intensity.
“You can find this on any major platform and see below for links to take you straight to some of the profiles. Make sure to playlist, stream, and share “The Son Must Follow The Moon” by Tillerman!”
Powerful Quote about this artist:
"Tillerman’s music speaks to the heart and soul with a raw, honest intensity. Their ability to craft emotionally charged songs that both inspire and uplift sets them apart as one of the most captivating acts of the modern era." – Indie Pulse Music
Wait….. there's more!
We caught up with this exciting artist, for an interview in:
“The Cage” Music Blog, to talk about music and learn more about them.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview
Hello Tillerman, we’re thrilled to have you for this interview. We've enjoyed diving into your music and learning about your work, but we're eager to discover even more about you personally and professionally.
Please tell us the names and roles of each band member.
Jon - Lead Singer / Songwriter / Rhythm Guitar
Tom - Drums/keyboards and backing vocals
Is there a story behind how you chose your artist / stage name?
Jon - We’ve had various names over the years, the core of the band is myself and Tom but there are also long time bandmates / collaborators, Iain and Shaun (bass and Lead Guitar) that we’ve played with for over 15 years. Our first name as a group was ‘Waring Green’ named after a venue we once played, then came ‘Satellite’ as we fashioned another musical identity. And then came ‘Tillerman’. This incarnation was after our hiatus where we all went off and had to get ‘paying jobs’. As a kid I really loved that Cat Stevens album ‘Tea for the Tillerman’, some great sensitive, melodic music. I just stole the name from that album title.
Could you share the inspiration behind your latest project? We were particularly intrigued by the double entendre of “Son / Sun” in relation to the moon. We’d love to hear more about the story and meaning behind this concept.
Jon - As a musician with a deep Christian faith, religious and Christian themes have always been a part of my writing within being overt. For this reason I was drawn to the songs of CAST (UK 90s Indie Band) who used lots of biblical references and in later years US Rockers Creed, although both would admit they aren’t ‘Christian bands’ and not all the members would subscribe to the same beliefs. I always wanted to have a crack at writing a ‘Gospel sounding’ song that has that ‘Americana’ feel, but with the influence of being written by a Northern British Band. ‘The Son must follow the moon’ is a play on words, it’s a statement on how Jesus (God’s Son) must rise again (after 3 days), just as the actual ‘sun’ rises after the moon sets. The 3 verses are three separate accounts of Jesus' ministry, Blind Bartimeaus, The Adulterous woman and the raising to life of Jairus’ daughter.
Can you describe the type of music that you play and the genre(s) you represent? Are there different styles within your genre?
Jon - I always say our music is ‘Retro-Pop/Rock’. Very inspired and influenced by my parents' record collections, the sounds of the 60s and 70s, The Beatles, Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles and then in more recent decades the best of Britpop with a sprinkling of Shania Twain in there (love her songwriting).
What is the spark that inspires your writing process the most?
Jon - It really varies, it could be the sound and resonance of a chord on a certain guitar, it could be an emotional mood, it could be pulled from an experience or as simple as a beat or lyric. Noel Gallagher (Oasis) describes songwriting as fishing, you sit there waiting to catch one that already pre-exists somewhere. Right place, right time etc. I kind of subscribe to that. You need to catch the magic ones. Songs that are hard to write and finish are usually not great.
We read this: “this was a collaboration between Tillerman, Nashville Musician Nicky Van Hines and The Itunu Gospel Choir based in Nigeria. It's the first time the track has been transatlantic and beyond.”
WOW! Ok, do we even need to ask? How did this idea come to be, and how much fun (and work) went into this tremendous project?
Jon - This sounds more fantastical than it is. One of the best things I’ve discovered over the last couple of years is Fiverr, my brother Tom had used this for a while but mainly for outsourcing work to freelance designers in the back of beyond. I started to explore what musicians and other creatives may be sitting there waiting for musical projects to work on. I’d used Fiverr before to source a gospel choir for backing vocals on our last single ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ and the final result was fantastic. When we were first starting out, having a gospel choir to sing on a track would have been an expensive logistical nightmare, however, technology has opened up a whole new world of resources for creatives. I found and approached Nicky (Van Hines) a Nashville based studio musician to come and play lead on this track, Nicky has worked with established artists such as country legend Vince Gill, currently with the Eagles. The Itunu gospel choir are also offering their services on Fiverr, these guys are in Nigeria and have their own studio. They sent over the many many stem files for us to take into our studio back home in the UK. Both contributions have really helped to give this track the feel we were hoping for when we wrote the song.
What part of the music-making process is the most stressful—for example, the creation, the actual release date, etc.?
Jon - I’m super impatient. Once I’ve written a song that I think is good, I want to get straight into the studio to make it sound like what it sounds like in my head, with all the bells and whistles. Then once that’s done, I am excited for people to hear it, so the wait to get it out there is excruciating. But as we’re on a label, there is a process, videos, artwork, press packs, photos, release strategy, marketing and so on. This release date usually has a lead time of 6 weeks on average, that’s the bit I hate! lol
Which of your already released songs is the most important to you or had the most impact on your life or career, and why?
Jon - Our last track ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ was written in response to our dad passing away, so that is always poignant and is very honest from myself and Tom. However, we recorded and released a cover of the famous Moody Blues track ‘Nights in white satin’ last year, and that song has historical and musical significance for us. When myself, Tom, Shaun and Iain were gigging during our early years we decided to add a cover into our set. The only song we could agree on was that. It is a song where we all meet musically, it’s a sweet spot for our own strengths as musicians and is probably a good musical snapshot of what’s best about Tillerman. We always wanted to immortalize the version we played live so many times.
There is a lot of technology available today. Some artists have described it as “overwhelming” or “too much.” The current climate of music is growing with computers being more prominently used for both creation and correction. Do you feel this has a positive or negative impact on the end result for music?
Jon - for me, referring back to Fiverr and the other musicians I’ve been able to call on, it’s been fantastic. Even some more basic tech in the form of hardware has been a real aid. I’m not super techy, Tom is, but I bought something called a ‘Spire Studio’ 8 track type of mobile pod device about 6 years ago, it’s paired with an app on my phone and I use this for all my initial demos and ideas. It’s from that we then build out the actual recording in the studio. So yes, technological advances are a huge blessing for creatives.
If a band (no matter how famous) were scouting for someone with your talents and you had the opportunity to audition, which band would you love to be asked for the chance to work with them?
Jon - Well, Oasis have just reformed and will be starting a world tour next year, if ‘bonehead’ the rhythm guitarist wasn’t free i’d definitely throw my name in the hat! And if dreams could come true, and if Paul and Ringo wanted to take the Beatles back catalog on tour, I'd definitely audition to stand in for John (RIP). But, to be honest, I’m a simple soul, I’d settle for being Shania Twain’s backing dancer. I’m sure I can rustle up some moves!
Creating music of this caliber requires immense dedication and skill. Your commitment to your craft is truly admirable. What elements of your dedication do you believe were crucial in bringing this project to fruition?
Jon - Well that’s very kind words there, and I think your reference to the term ‘high caliber’ has been key to the Tillerman project in general, since we reformed. In any walk of life you should aim to do things to the best of your ability. For us as a band, we have the reality of day jobs, families and other life commitments that means the music has a certain place in our lifestyles. We aren’t gigging, we are purely (for the time being) a studio band. So, because of that, we seek to make every release an ‘event’, we won’t put out numerous EPs and catalogs of tracks as the engagement just isn't there. So, with that, our strategy is to release our best material, and with that, produce a really high standard professional music video. We then use that to maximize engagement, win new fans and followers and to then have something that from a legacy perspective we can look back on and be very proud of. If we thought that our end product wasn’t appealing or up to ‘commercial standard’ we’d just be writing and recording for ourselves at home.
We read this: “The band soon were picked up and found a home with German based Indie label FBP Music Group, whom they are continuing to work with.”
We cannot emphasize how many bands dream of this. How do you feel this has influenced the shape of your careers?
Jon - Our label (FBP) is independent. For some, the dream or expectation is to get ‘spotted’ by a huge major who will chuck a tonne of cash at you and find out if they can sell you to the masses or not’. Don’t get me wrong, if the masses are your aim then that’s probably the way to go (if you're lucky). With our label, we owe nothing, we decide our own musical destiny, we get all the support we need and help to navigate our way around the industry. It also fits in well with where we’re at in our lives too.
When we first reformed and started the Tillerman project it wasn't with that juvenile naive mindset we had in our early 20s. It was purely friendship, being creative, being comfortable with who you are as an artist/songwriter and just being yourself. We went back in the studio with a desire to make something coherent for ourselves, something we’d failed to do the first time round. It was with no expectations of anyone else liking it. However, back in 2019 I casually submitted a couple of tracks to a handful of labels, more as a barometer to understand if our stuff was any good. To our surprise FBP came back and really liked our music, I think the track that hooked them in was ‘My Eden’. For me at that time and still to this day, it’s a vindication of our efforts over the last 2 decades. Someone, other than our mum and the dog, actually thinks we have something worth sharing. What you don’t want to be is deluded, people giving you lip service out of pity and because they’re your friend! That’s the time to stop! So that point in time was a moment where we all said, perhaps we’ve finally found our sound, this stuff is actually good, we’ll keep writing!
Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
Jon- Sonically, I’ve always been drawn to vocal groups, strings, songs that make you feel something. Bands such as the Hollies, Crowded House, the Eagles are all known for those very things. Having a brother to sing with allows us to try and come close to a similar end result. We both have similar vocal cords and sound the same when talking. So when we sing together or harmonize you get that cool, satisfying chorus effect on the vocals, it just blends really nicely. That’s a huge part of our sound.
What is the most inspirational thing a fan or anyone has told or shown you about your music?
Jon - When we released ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ earlier this year, we got a great response on social media and many messages from people who really empathized with the track and had also gone through loss. One woman said how she played it repeatedly and just sat and cried to it. For me, it was just beautiful to know you’d made something that was heartfelt and could move so many people. I think as a songwriter, that’s the chief aim of what you’re trying to do.
Most people love or hate social media—where do you land?
Jon - Well, back in our early years, all we had was MySpace! Only bands were on that, so the only way to get your stuff heard was gig, and gig and gig. As we aren’t currently a gigging band, social media is the main platform we use to build an audience. Social media of course has its dark side, but for creatives it’s a platform to showcase your wares! That’s why visuals and videos are so important to us, a link to soundcloud or spotify just doesn’t cut the mustard. You need to grab people so they stop scrolling down.
What's the best piece of advice another musician has ever given you?
Jon - Wear ear plugs when practicing, tinnitus is real folks! Our regular guitarist Shaun blames it on the drum cymbals, however . . . . lol
End Interview
We’re thrilled to have shared this artist's exciting journey with you and to have uncovered such inspiring details about them.
Now click the links below to experience their incredible work firsthand
Check out this latest release and listen to more of Tillerman on Spotify & YouTube.
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