My latest single ‘Heather’ has been out for two weeks now and the response has been amazing with loads of radio play and people streaming and downloading it from Bandcamp - thank you to you all for the support.

To mark the occasion I sat down with my friend (and co-writer of ‘Heather’) Guy Cooper to discuss writing lyrics, collaborations and musical influences…

When did you first start writing music?

I think I made my first attempt at song writing back in 1994 or 95. The first song was called "Need Them So". I wrote a few others after that, heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones, but I never really did anything with them.

How did you get involved with Secret Postal Society?

Well, our musical relationship began a long time before SPS was a thing! We started working together in 1996 when we formed a band that would eventually become Dayer, where we worked together for many years. After Dayer, we stayed closely in touch.

When I read about the initial SPS project during the COVID lockdown, I contacted you to say I had some guitar parts that were written after the old band broke up and if you needed any to form songs around, you were welcome to them.

Dayer photo by Al Davies

Lyrically, what is 'Heather' about?

This is a tricky one to answer. It was inspired by a dream I hardly remember. I woke up one morning with a vision on  standing in a field of heather. I couldn't remember anything about the dream other than that, but I had a feeling of happiness and also sorrow.

I couldn't shake the image from my mind. Over a few days, I started imagining that I had company in the dream. I starting coming up with words about common dream situations where you are with someone, but you can't catch up with them and they are out of sight. 

The lyrics were fictional until you messaged me to say you needed more words. I dug into memories and emotions I had locked away, perhaps for too long, about a real girl and relationship. The final words just flooded out of me.

I have actually spoken to the girl since, and she has read the words. She pointed out bits in the words which were close to things we did together, that I didn't realise. Perhaps it was ALL about her? I can't say to be honest, but one way or another it made me face my past and that was very cathartic for me.

This is your first time writing lyrics. What inspired you to start writing lyrics?

I had tried & failed to write lyrics in the past. I had stopped bothering and focused on guitar parts, but I have always had a deep love of "Story Tellers" in songs. I've always loved the way Midge Ure, Mark Knopfler, Mike Scott, Steve Hogarth and Jim Kerr could tell a story in a song and paint a vivd picture in your mind, even if it wasn't something you had experienced yourself. I've always tried to emulate that style in words. 

When in came to the music side of it though, I was always more inspired by the heavier or angrier sounds of The Cult, The Damned, The Rolling Stones or The Clash!

How did you find the lyric writing process?

Scary, stressful, unique, but ultimately cathartic. It's not as easy as you would think. I had no idea about the music, but I had to make sure the lines scanned and fitted together. As I was writing, I was singing them in my head to a totally different song by another artist, just to try and make sure they would fit to a pattern. 

You've previously contributed guitar riffs to two SPS songs. How has the experience of co-writing 'Heather' compared to the other collaborations?

Very, very different! With "Doll" and "Deadly Kind Of Love" I just gave you 20 - 30 seconds of guitar riffs, and let you run with them. I had little involvement after that.

With "Heather", it was a more significant input from me as the whole song is based around my words, rather than a few seconds.

Also, you let me have a say in the mixing of the track, and I did make a few suggestions.

What are your thoughts about the finished track?

I LOVE it and Im so proud of it!

I never mentioned to you that I was trying to emulate the writing style of so many artists from the 80s, but you created a song that wouldn't have been out of place in the 80s alongside The Waterboys and Simple Minds in particular!

Any plans to write anymore lyrics?

I find it best not to plan. Let it come naturally like this did. I don't want to put myself under pressure to create. If another idea bleeds through naturally, then I'll run with it, but I can't promise anything.

As we're getting closer to the end of the year, what's been you favourite new music of 2025?

2025 has been a hard year for me, and I've not been able to go to gigs at all, limiting my chances to discover NEW music, although I have finally got round to checking out Wolf Alice, who I am loving. 

I've enjoyed the new albums from Garbage, Turnstile, The Waterboys, Sprints, Bryan Adams, Deftones, Halestorm and Black Honey this year.

‘Heather’ is OUT NOW to stream and download from all major music platforms (except Spotify)!