Jake Bugg

His eponymous debut album hit the top of the charts on its release in October and his singles Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers and Taste It have been championed by BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 2’s Chris Evans.

Ahead of his fully booked Brighton show, the 18-year-old talks about his early bedroom songwriting days and plans for the future.

You talked recently about how making a number one album means you’ve actually achieved everything you wanted to. How difficult is that to deal with as an 18 year-old?

“Not that hard! When I was growing up, this is what I wanted to do, and when you’re sitting in your bedroom as a teenager working out songs and practicing constantly, you dream of success all the time.

“When success actually happens, you’ve had it in your head for so many years it doesn’t actually feel that weird. I don’t really know anything else, this is what I do, and it’s great that the music is connecting with people.”

Is the timing right for a renaissance in guitar-based music?

“Usually when people say guitar music is dying, is out of fashion and so on, that’s the exact moment at which it comes back.

“And it has felt over the last year that people have wanted some guitar music to latch on to rather than straightforward pop. Perhaps my timing was right but it wasn’t planned or anything.”

What advice would you give to anyone trying to take a similar path to you?

“Just get out there and do it. That’s what I did. The most important bit, first of all, is to write the tunes. Then do your gigs and practice. I had nothing to do growing up, so I sat in my bedroom and practiced and practiced.”

When you left your bedroom, you also started collaborating with Iain Archer, who co-wrote eight of the 12 songs on the album. Was it difficult not to have total control over your songs?

“I would never sing a song that I felt I didn’t ‘own’. I wouldn’t be able to sing it with heart.

“The actual process with Iain was quite easy, I’d pop round to his, we’d have a cup of tea and get the guitars out and that was natural – we’re both musicians, that’s what we do.

“Sometimes he came up with stuff I hadn’t thought of but the way I see it, Lennon needed McCartney, Simon needed Garfunkel. You need that second opinion or instinctive thought when you’re not sure.”

Are you working towards new material?

“Writing songs is what I love best, and when I feel like I’ve got enough new ones together then we’ll record it.

“It’s never difficult to find new inspiration. I’d never been out of England before recording this album but now I’ve seen different parts of the world, how different people live their lives, I’m looking forward to writing about it.

“You get little insights, little snippets of conversations in the street that feed into songs.

“It definitely won’t be an album about dressing rooms and airports! People want to hear a story. A great melody won’t connect if it has rubbish lyrics over it. It’s about being honest.”

Support from Hudson Taylor.

• Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Church Street, Monday, February 18. Doors 7pm, SOLD OUT. Call 01273 709709 for returns.