A Shining Example

He's been categorised as a hipster doofus, ugly sexy and a failed stand-up comic. He's been ridiculed for his singing but has sold enough albums the world over to make a decent living. Elliot Gleave's nothing if not resilient. “Most of the time the stuff people write is wrong as they haven't done their research. I was never a failed comic. I did it twice for a laugh and was actually asked back,” he tells.

Gleave's been making “dysfunctional electro-pop” as Example for years, but it's only been over the last couple of years that he's busted through. Trace the start of his success to his 2009 single Watch The Sun Come Up, or the equally successful Changed The Way You Kissed Me. Last year's collaboration with Calvin Harris on We'll Be Coming Back firmed his pop star status. “I don't know if I'm a pop star – I'm just happy to be making music. Some fans think I'm pop star, others think I'm a rock star and others think I'm just some bloke who sings over the top of electronic music,” he says. “I've done enough now to exist in my own world.”

He has a point. Gleave's recently completed a tour of the UK where he played a gig in London to more than 18,000 people. “I don't think anyone of those 18,000 people cares what or how the music industry classifies me.”

Most of those 18,000 would agree that his popularity shows little sign of abating. As part of the unclassified British electro-pop pyramid alongside fellow hit makers Calvin Harris and rapper Dizzee Rascal, Gleave's experienced the highs and lows.

He says he wasn't a particularly nice bloke a few years ago and even made his dad cry. The confronting aspect of the music industry was a shock to his parents. “I told them what I'd been doing, what I'd been up to and the lifestyle I was living. It's been hard for them as they don't know much about the music industry, they both hate drugs and are not into partying or hedonism. So to see their son in this business was quite weird. We are a close family and I didn't want to disappoint them and knew I had to change.”

Gleave had been drinking and says he turned into a bit of “twat”. So he acknowledged his issues and sought help. “I had a lot of questions to answer and saw a therapist as I wanted to talk to someone who didn't know me,” he says.

The result of therapy sessions was a sharper, more focused and energised Gleave that resulted in his fourth album, The Evolution Of Man. “From the therapy sessions I had a load of new ideas about songs. So many artists have exposed their personal life in song, so I thought, why not tell the world what I've been up to?” he reveals.

The album, recorded before he met his current beau and former Aussie supermodel, Erin McNaught, is a full and frank affair that has more in common with stadium electro-rock than his previous dubstep and electro efforts. “Personally, I've grown up and changed. Musically, I've also changed, as electronic music is a bit boring at the moment. There are good producers but a lot of electronic music is mainly four to the floor stuff,” he says.

The bad boy come good continues to evolve, and in a big way. “I'm getting married in a month and my ambitions in life have changed since I met Erin. I'm now thinking of where we'll live and how best to support my family,” he says. He also reveals another album is in the works and that it'll pay homage to early '90s rave and acid house.

Although sketchy on the album's details, McNaught's influence is guaranteed: “The next album will be a lot happier and a lot less depressing,” he laughs.

Example will be playing the following dates:

Friday 26 April - The Hi-Fi, Sydney NSW
Saturday 27 April - Groovin' The Moo, Maitland NSW
Sunday 28 April - Groovin' The Moo, Canberra ACT
Friday 3 May - Palace Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Sunday 4 May - Groovin' The Moo, Bendigo VIC
Sunday 5 May - Groovin' The Moo, Townsville QLD
Thursday 9 May - The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Friday 10 May - Metro City, Perth WA
Saturday 11 May - Groovin' The Moo, Bunbury WA