Thanks to Ellie Byrne from https://nevolume.co.uk/ for her time speaking to me about my recent album release ‘Homecoming’
NE Volume Magazine // Interview
Newcastle’s Steve Luck unleashes new album.
“There’s a strong sense of identity up here”.
Steve Luck, a pianist and composer based in Newcastle, is known for his intimate, felted‑piano sound and quietly expressive modern classical pieces. His music has been streamed more than four million times and is regularly used on TV and radio.
Ellie Byrne caught up with him to discuss his new album.
‘Homecoming’ is an evocative title. What is the core personal meaning of ‘coming back to where you belong’ for you?
For me, this is tied up with the Northeast as a whole. There’s a strong sense of identity up here – a feeling of belonging and recognition that seems more pronounced than in other parts of the country. It’s the mix of things: the people, the shared history, the football, the Tyne Bridge, the pull of the Northumberland coast. All of it creates an atmosphere of familiarity, ease, and warmth.
A lot of my music is inspired by local places and stories, so Homecoming was about tapping into that wider regional pull. It’s the feeling of settling back into the landscape and the community that shaped you – a quiet acknowledgement that, for all the travelling and busyness, this is the place that still feels most like home.
The album is described as ‘music for slowing down’. Why do you feel this theme is so important for listeners today?
It’s not a Covid album exactly, but that enforced halt five years ago definitely shifted something. Everything stopped, and it made a lot of us look at life differently. For me, it nudged my writing into a more reflective place. And I suppose getting older plays into it too – you start paying attention to the small details and appreciating the quieter moments. That sense of stillness and clearer thinking became a big part of the music.
You recorded on a felted upright piano. Why was that specific, intimate tone essential for this album?
I’ve always been drawn to the soft, intimate sound of my felted upright – it’s a Yamaha in my studio – and that tone really shapes the way I play and write. Every little nuance comes through, encouraging a quieter, more thoughtful approach. There’s been a trend over the last decade, with people like Nils Frahm popularising felted or muted pianos, and I love how the instrument itself seems to invite space and stillness into the music.
With over four million streams, your music clearly resonates. What do you think makes modern solo piano connect so strongly with listeners?
I think it’s simple, direct, and leaves space for the listener to bring their own thoughts and feelings. The instrument is versatile – it can be bold and powerful, soft and intimate, classical or experimental – mirroring our own range of emotions. That openness allows listeners to connect with the music in their own way.
‘Homecoming’ is your fourth solo piano album. How did the experience of the previous three inform your goals and approach for this release?
I see Homecoming as a development rather than a departure. Over the years, I’ve honed my process – writing, recording, mixing – and the pieces themselves have become leaner and more direct, getting to the heart of what I want to say more quickly. The album has more clarity and cohesion than my earlier releases.
What is one feeling or perspective you hope every listener gains from hearing ‘Homecoming’?
A sense of ease. If someone finishes the album feeling a bit calmer, more grounded, or more connected to themselves or the world around them, that would be lovely.
You can listen to Steve Luck’s new release now at steveluck.substack.com.
