Give this a go – swing by Scott McKeon’s MySpace page – sample a few tunes. Hear the intricacy of the guitar; the fullness of both the lyrics and the voice behind them. Now give me a range – how many years has Scott McKeon spent on road? How long has he been honing his craft, dedicating hour upon hour to his guitar slaying – sitting up at all hours of the night pulling together “the” song? Truthfully, he’s been practicing for some time, winning “Young Guitarist of the Year” from Guitarist Magazine in 1998 at the age of… 11. You heard right, Scott is only 23 years old and pumping out music that has him sharing the stage with the likes of Eric Clapton at Hyde Park Calling in 2008, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Joe Bonamassa and even played the Montreal Jazz festival. Not to mention… he’s shaken hands with Justin Timberlake in a toilet.

After a celebrated debut album (“Can’t Wait No More”), McKeon is releasing “Trouble” later this month on the 29^th. We asked Scott about the collection: “I wanted to combine all of my influences and find a place for blues guitar playing but also a place for my songwriting. I think it has elements of Rock, Pop, Soul and Blues and I was fortunate enough to record a song with David Ryan Harris… I feel I have taken a lot from the people that have inspired me, but hopefully I have come up with something that is my own sound. I think my work has a different edge because a lot of what I do is strongly rooted in the Blues, so I always have that side to my music, even if I'm writing a song with pop sensibility.”

Give “Trouble” a sampling online now if you can – I was honestly, blown away. He’ll be supporting the record with some touring through the UK and Europe, and expect to see him on this side of the world sometime soon. There’s a lot more below, so keep reading for the answers to the XXQ’s.

XXQs: Scott McKeon

PensEyeView.com (PEV): What goes through your head the minute you walk onto stage?

Scott McKeon (SM): I hope my guitar works and that I remembered to zip up my flies. Normally it's a mixture of excitement and nerves, then as soon as I get onstage and into the first few songs I’m fine. I feel more comfortable with a guitar than without one.

PEV: Hailing from the UK what made you first jump into the music industry there and what were you listening to when you were growing up?

SM: I grew up with music being the main force in my life. My Dad was a musician in the 60's and he first taught me to play guitar when I was about 4 years old. As I got a little older I would play in pubs and bars even though I wasn't really old enough to be in them. The first music I really got into was Rock n Roll, then when I was a teenager I discovered Blues music, as well as soul stuff like Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Bit of a mixture of stuff really.

PEV: What kind of environment do you surround yourself in to create music?

SM: I think it's important to be around like-minded musicians and if anything be around musicians that are better than me. It's like playing tennis against someone that isn't very good and winning every time - you're never going to get any better. But if you can surround yourself with people who are better, my theory is that I hope some of the magic will rub off on me, even a little bit! I've been very fortunate to get to know some incredible guitar players and musicians. Seeing someone like Robbie McIntosh play up close and see how he works in the studio, knowing how many records he has played on, it's really inspiring. Or getting to play next to someone like Derek Trucks, I just try and take as much as I can from it.

PEV: What can fans expect from a live Scott McKeon show?

SM: Playing live gives me the chance to really go for it, I try and play a song differently each time I play it depending on how I feel that night. Music is really an expression of how I feel at a particular moment, and I find it easier to express myself through playing guitar than I do with communicating with people. It's a release for me from everyday life, a form of escapism. I think people can expect an energy charged set that will be different each night.

PEV: Tell us about your first live performance. How have you changed since that first show to where you are now?      

SM: Well I remember my first live performance, at my school, when I was 5... I'm much taller now.

PEV: What do you find to be the hardest part about breaking into the music scene in the U.S.?

SM: I'm just starting out in the U.S. really but to me it's probably the size of the U.S that is the hardest. In the UK you can go from one end of the country to the other in hours. In the U.S. you could spend a month just touring every night in Texas.

PEV: What have you found to be the biggest difference and similarity between the U.S. and the European fans?

SM: Well I think the main difference is people in the U.S. and Europe, compared to the UK, seem much more open to different kinds of music. Plus the crowds are far more lively in comparison to English fans.

PEV: Tell us about your sophomore album, “Trouble” set for a March 29th release. What can fans expect from this work?

SM: With 'Trouble' I wanted to combine all of my influences and find a place for blues guitar playing but also a place for my songwriting. I think it has elements of Rock, Pop, Soul and Blues and I was fortunate enough to record a song with David Ryan Harris. We did a cover of a Babyface song called 'Talk To Me’. I'd always been a big fan of that song and also a huge fan of David Ryan Harris' work. I think on that song it really combines the soul/ blues thing, which is something I have been trying to do for a long time.

PEV: How is your work different than other music out right now?

SM:  That's a hard one to answer. I feel I have taken a lot from the people that have inspired me, but hopefully I have come up with something that is my own sound. I think my work has a different edge because a lot of what I do is strongly rooted in the Blues, so I always have that side to my music, even if I'm writing a song with pop sensibility.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about you?

SM: I once shook Justin Timberlake's hand in a toilet.

PEV: Was there a certain point in your life when you knew that music was going to be a career for you and you were determined to make it happen?

SM: I always knew from a very young age that music is wanted to do. I've been lucky in that sense. I can pinpoint the day, watching 'The Buddy Holly Story' when I was about 4 years old and I wanted a pair of thick-rimmed glasses and a sunburst Fender Strat. That was the day I knew I wanted to be a musician.

PEV: What one word best describes Scott McKeon?

SM: Hungry.

PEV: Traveling is now a large part of your life as a musician. How is life on the road for you? Best and worst parts? Any fun stories?

SM: I love traveling and seeing places; it's really amazing to get the opportunity to go to places you never thought you would get to go to. There's was quite a funny time when me and my and band had fallen asleep on a train somewhere in Holland and we didn't realise it was our stop. They managed to get off but just as I was about to get off the train, the doors closed in front of me and there was this moment of them looking at me through the glass on the train as it started moving. Funny now but not at the time. Worst part? Having to wear the same underwear more than once.

PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your musical career? What’s it like when you get to play at your hometown?

SM: My family have always been hugely supportive, playing in my hometown is always fun. There's actually a pretty good music scene in Bournemouth and a lot of guitarists.

PEV: What can we find you doing in your spare time, aside from writing and performing?

SM: Anything creative really, I'm pretty into design and photography. I like to think stuff like that is all coming from the same place that music is.

PEV:  Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?

SM: There's a friend of mine Tyler Bryant, who's based in Nashville who is a great young guitarist and also a singer from Nashville called Heidi Rojas.

PEV: If playing/writing music was not your perfect career, what would you most likely be doing?

SM: As long as it was something creative, whether that be photography, design, film. I'd like to be involved in that in some way.

PEV: If we were to walk into your practice studio/space right now, what would we find?

SM: A copy of Jamie Lidell's last album 'Jim', I love that album. As well as lots of leads, mics, guitars, guitar picks. 

PEV: So, what is next for Scott McKeon?

SM: Well we have a tour coming up in the UK and Europe in April, so getting ready for that as well as the album release on March 29th. Hopefully we'll be doing some more shows in the U.S. very soon.