Published on 1st February 2022

Who’s this then?

This is Jack Coldrick, a 26-year-old singer and songwriter from Horsham. Under the pseudonym INK PIX, he is releasing his debut single on 2 February. 

What does he sound like? 

INK PIX (as we’ll call him) is influenced by alternative rock bands of the 1990s such as The Pixies, Nirvana and Radiohead. He also loves The 1975, a contemporary band with a polished, pop rock sound. He has combined these influences for his debut single, FR-END.

What does INK PIX mean?

He thought about releasing music under his own name, but as many other Jacks (White, Johnson, Savoretti, etc) were already established, he decided to do something different instead. One idea was to adopt the name Ink Pixels, and this was abbreviated for the debut single, recorded at QM Studios in Horsham, where he works.

That’s handy!

Jack has worked at the studio for five years. Having joined initially as a volunteer for its outreach programme, he now works full-time at QM. As well as helping to run a choir and workshops for people with learning difficulties and additional needs, he joins other members of the QM team to support the Horsham Blue Oasis Club at the Drill Hall. Jack also offers music tuition on drums, piano and guitar, as well as teaching production and recording skills.

So, he can play then?

Jack has played piano since he was six and later learned guitar and drums. He studied Commercial Music at university, giving him a broad knowledge of producing and recording, as well as other aspects of the industry. Whilst studying, he had the chance to play in several bands, although never as a vocalist. He said: ‘Everyone wanted to be a guitarist or a singer, but there weren’t many drummers and keyboardists around. This meant I got to play in different bands and learned what worked and what didn’t.’ 

Does he write his own songs?

Jack has been writing from a young age, but for a long time, singing was a problem. He said: ‘I didn’t have confidence in my voice and felt others were better vocalists. Although I loved writing songs, I couldn’t perform them in front of people.’  

How did he overcome this?

Partly through running the choir at QM Studios, as his confidence grew as he encouraged others to sing. The other factor was busking. Jack said: ‘You need a license to perform in Horsham, so I tried busking in Brighton initially. I made it too complicated, as I went out with a laptop connected to keyboards and it took half an hour just to set it all up, during which time I became more nervous! When I was finally ready, somebody came over and asked to sing with me and the whole thing turned into a street karaoke session. The next time, I just took an acoustic guitar and that worked much better. Now I sing in Horsham too, including on the Carfax Bandstand with a full band, as the Council is very supportive of live music of all genres.’

Does INK PIX sing his own material?

It is mostly covers, such as Creep by Radiohead and Today by The Smashing Pumpkins. But singing his favourite songs has given him more confidence as a performer. He said: ‘What is great about busking is that you go past the point of caring what people think. I don’t have the kind of voice you hear on The X Factor and there will always be people who don’t enjoy what I do. I sometimes sing Jeff Buckley, which is a challenge as he has a unique voice. Someone asked if I could stop singing Buckley’s songs, but I didn’t care. It was those kind of negative thoughts that used to stop me from performing and got in the way of what I wanted to do. So, now I don’t let it bother me.’

How come INK PIX is into 90s music?

It’s the edgy sound that excites him. He said: ‘I was born in the 1990s, so it wasn’t music I grew up with and I’ve had to discover bands from that era for myself, which I think gives you a deeper connection anyway. There has been a wave of 80s nostalgia influencing fashion and music, but now elements of the 90s are creeping into popular culture. Mainstream pop is very polished and stylised now, to the extent that original vocals are largely lost in excessive production. That is why my sound is alternative, as it offers a more raw and edgy sound.’ 

What is FR-END about?

The debut single is a metaphoric take on time, exploring time as if it were a friendship, highlighting stresses of everyday life. The song was first performed at an Open Mic night at The Malt Shovel and had an immediacy that made it an obvious choice as the single. It was recorded and produced by INK PIX and Rob Adams at QM. Jack said: ‘Playing live is a good proving ground for new songs. I felt FR-END had something about it and it’s great others think so too.’ 

Is an album coming soon?

INK PIX doesn’t like to revisit material written many years ago, so is focusing solely on songs penned in recent months. He has six new songs - enough for an EP but not an album – and intends to gradually release them as singles, rather than on an album. He hopes this will help him establish a following, alongside more gigs and perhaps even festivals in the summer.

Does he harbour big ambitions?

Jack’s aim is to reach a point where his full-time job is making music. He said: ‘Working at QM is one of the best jobs I’ve had, as it allows me to teach music and I’m lucky to be able to do that. It also means I can follow my own passion for making original music and at this time, my ambition is to keep going and see where it takes me.’

Further information:

FR-END is out on 2 February on all streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify. You can also watch INK PIX videos on YouTube.  

WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright/Sam Khan