Dont Tell Ur Friends About Count to Ten with Nobody
Earlier in the year, we had a blast writing about everyone involved with the charity livestream event Charitindie. Featuring twelve artists, we went on to write about Uncle Emmington, and later interviewed five of these musicians for a piece around their favourite Taylor Swift songs.
Opening Charitindie 2023 was Count to Ten with Nobody, who has since released his second EP ‘Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me’. Here we’ll explore his career so far, concluding with a Q&A about his music past, present and future.
Image Credit: Tom Stavers.
Count to Ten with Nobody is the alias of Oxfordshire musician Edward Woodley, who began playing guitar when his Grandad bought him an acoustic at the age of fourteen. Ed took his artist name from a creepy vintage Sesame Street video in which the viewer is asked to ‘Count to Ten with Nobody’, voiced by a formless figure in darkness. Inspired by The Beatles and Cavetown, he released his single ‘Charity Shop Boy’ on YouTube in 2020, followed by the mini-EP ‘me&ur ma’ and single ‘Merlin Jeramiah, My Beloved’ in 2021.
Count to Ten’s sound and expertise progressed when he enrolled in a Level 3 Music Production course at Abingdon and Witney college. It was here Edward put together his 2022 debut EP, the three-track ‘pretty boy’. A change of direction would come with his standalone single ‘elf’ later in the year, featuring a more melancholic sound and his first music video reflecting his love of Halloween.
This artist came to our attention when Edward began posting pictures of his cat Harri daily on Twitter in a bid to open for an artist at their gig. This led to his inclusion as the opening act for Charitindie 2023, in which he played a four-song set where he would debut two of his new songs. Woodley’s next EP, the four-track ‘Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me’ was released in July 2023 and opens with its title track.
‘Dont Tell Ur Friends about Me’ is an EP that differs from its predecessor in that Count to Ten has returned to the acoustic-based sound of his earlier demos. This approach is simple but gives greater focus to Woodley’s lyricism, a cornerstone of his songwriting - ‘I think my blood’s set on leaving, it can’t stand to stay in the city, anymore.’
When compared to his performance of this track on the Charitindie stream, it’s clear that Count to Ten’s hand in production is slight, but the gentle reinforcing of his vocal with multiple takes and a harmony enhances his melody. This is a recording technique used to great effect across Count to Ten’s ‘pretty boy’ EP.
‘I’m so lost without you, and I, I can barely see my feet. Pavement Dandelions, holding hands on every street.’
‘Pavement Dandelions’ is the outlier on this EP, in a good way. Right from the beginning, Woodley uses electric bass to conjure a darker sound, a riff that is mirrored by electric guitar and eerily reproduced on keyboard. This all comes together with the introduction of a programmed beat, this EP eschewing the use of acoustic drums as heard on ‘pretty boy’. ‘Pavement Dandelions’ features more abstract imagery in his lyrics, ‘Growing grass out of the sky, he’s ten feet tall and he gets you high,’ not unlike some of Lennon’s late 60’s wordplay.
It was this track that Count to Ten chose as the single for this EP with a music video by Tom Stavers, who also shot Count to Ten’s Charitindie set and ‘elf’ music video. Still shy in his demeanour, Woodley succeeds in lifting the ghostly sheet seen in ‘elf’ to show us the kind of character that’s underneath.
‘Gingerbread, it’s always in my head. You’re gone before I’m ok.’
Venturing into dreampop territory, ‘Gingerbread’ is Count to Ten’s longest track in his oeuvre so far. Edward’s guitar parts are characterised by the fluid chorus sound, while his bassline is pointed underneath twinkling keyboards. Like ‘elf’, ‘Gingerbread’ is melancholic and introspective, almost placing the listener in his bedroom as he pens the track.
Woodley changes tact midway, mimicking a new guitar melody taken from his verse vocal. Emotionally, this moment clears the air with Count to Ten breaking into laughter mid-take, almost feeling like the EP should end here. The blend on ‘Gingerbread’ is especially pleasing to the ear, with all tracks on ‘Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me’ mixed and mastered by Ike Speare.
‘And why do I feel like I’m falling again?’
‘Gabriel’ is something of a bonus track on ‘Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me’, recorded on tape long before the creation of the other three songs, which were recorded digitally. This distorted, fuzzy take is included for the feeling it captures, like a demo not from the 2020’s, but somewhere decades earlier.
The complete take was made using a portable tape recorder with a built-in microphone, Count to Ten singing and accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, even including a bum note and the laughter that follows. With this recording, Count to Ten evokes the sound of the lesser-known music he cherishes from the 1960’s, that is a moment not to be replayed or polished.
In ‘Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me’, Count to Ten with Nobody continues to cement his sound in its title track and ‘Gingerbread’, while exploring further sonic possibilities with ‘Pavement Dandelions’. The latter gives a hint of self-reliance, shedding the need of a band to realise the potential of his compositions. In these new songs, Edward Woodley shows his confidence in his own production skills, an artistic trait that’ll only get better from here on.
Continue reading for our Q&A with Count to Ten with Nobody. We discuss his new EP and the way he produced it, plus his earlier works on Bandcamp, using Twitch as a promotional platform and his upcoming set at Surrey Pride. All this and more below!
Image Credit: Tom Stavers.
1. You recently put out your second EP 'Dont Tell Ur Friends About Me', is there a theme that ties these songs together? What fuelled the writing?
I wrote most of the EP in December last year to help process the feelings I had towards a few people at the time. It’s about the thoughts and feelings associated with 'friend break-ups' and reclaiming the trauma that comes from bad friendships.
2. These new songs were self-produced, what's your recording environment like at home? What are you using to get this sound?
So currently I record my songs entirely out of my bedroom. I use ableton on my pc, a rode NT1A to record vocals and various instruments. I usually record guitar straight in with my electric or electro-acoustic, same as bass and keyboard. I have a super old keyboard from the 80s I got second hand at a carboot sale that has some really nice sounds on it. I also purchased a tambourine for the EP but in the end I couldn't get a very good sound out of it.
3. 'Pavement Dandelions' is a different approach from the largely acoustic offering in this EP, what inspired this change of direction? How did this track begin?
So I wrote the song on my acoustic guitar at first, but it didn't really feel like the chords were powerful enough, so I thought I'd try building it up from electric. I added a deep bassline cause I really wanted a dominant motif to drive the song. Soon as I added the keyboard I had this nice juxtaposition, I felt it sounded a lot like a final boss fight song. I'm really happy with how it came out, it definitely encapsulates how I felt.
Image Credit: Tom Stavers.
4. I love the feel to 'Gingerbread', how did you get that watery, fluid guitar sound that runs through this song?
I'm not entirely sure, all my songs so far have been mixed by a friend. It's more that I find a cool effect in a song and I send it over and ask for that. I think for that song it was Octopus by Syd Barrett.
5. 'Gabriel' is a curious inclusion, the only track on this EP to be recorded on tape. What's the story of this one? Why not re-record it to be like the other songs?
Gabriel is definitely one of my most personal songs. I wrote it and recorded it late 2021. It's a song I wrote about a friend I caught feelings for. It was something that really affected me for a while so it felt important to keep the original recording. I feel it just has the right emotions for the way I was feeling.
6. 'i love it when your mine' on your 'pretty boy' EP has a similar feel. Is that engineered to sound that way in the studio or was that created more organically?
nope! I recorded 'ILIWYM' straight in and we added all the extra effects in later. It’s a really endearing track to me, so I wanted it to sound very un-perfect and home-y, like an old cassette tape.
7. Have you considered recording to tape more often? Maybe an EP in this style?
that'd be super fun!! I'd love to do that one day I think it'd be a lot of fun to make :D
8. On your Bandcamp, you have some earlier tracks such as the 'me&ur ma' mini-EP and 'Charity Shop Boy' on your YouTube channel. How are you feeling about those songs these days?
I think I released those tracks when I was in year 10, so they're not the best, but they meant a lot to me at the time. I remember when I made charity shop boy I sent it to my music teacher at the time and he didn't have anything nice to say about it, so I kinda gave up for a while. I don't really care for a lot of the songs I wrote back then because I think I'm a very different person to who I was then, but I'm very happy I did have the confidence to start putting my music out there.
9. You've been using Twitch in conjunction with more typical social media, what's been the most enjoyable part of using that platform?
I've really enjoyed using Twitch as it's helped me connect and communicate with a lot of people who support me. I haven’t been streaming games so much anymore as I don't have a very good PC but it’s been really nice for just talking or making announcements. I'd definitely like to stream a lot more in future.
10. One of the bands you were inspired by growing up were The Beatles. Which Beatle do you resonate with the most and what's your go-to Beatles album?
Growing up I used to relate a lot to John, and I definitely still do a little, but now I think I feel a lot closer to George. I think we have a similar interest in spirituality and I really admire a lot of the songs he created independently. I even got a tattoo of a drawing he did this year. I think my favourite album has gotta be the white album, but my favourite song is 'all my loving' because it reminds me of how the nurses played it in the hospital John Lennon died in. But rubber soul is pretty good too tbf.
Image Credit: Tom Stavers.
11. And what music are you obsessed with right now?
Right now I am loving a lot of spiritual 60s music. I love October Country, The Mamas and The Papas and Norma Tanega, but also a lot of poorly recorded tracks from bands that didn't make it very far. They just feel very haunting in the quality, it gets me in a very Halloweeny mood.
12. This is a space for you to publicly gush about your cat.
I LOVE MY CAT SO MUCH!! she is my best friend and the sweetest being I've ever met, I genuinely feel like she's my familiar sometimes. she took awhile to warm up to me but now she's super affectionate. she loves forehead kisses and being brushed and sometimes she sits like a little old man and my friends find her SO funny. I also think she can sense when I'm sad, sometimes when I'm upset she'll come sit by me and let me pet her for awhile. It’s very therapeutic. I will definitely be writing a song about her someday. ILY harri <3
13. You get given an unlimited budget to take your music in any direction you want to - what do you do with it?
I realised recently I'd really like to record a studio album. I recorded my first EP pretty boy in a studio where I had access to a drum kit, rather than generating drums in ableton. It felt super really and I know I have a lot of songs written already that I'd like to do that with. ooo and a big budget music video could be fun!! also I'd LOVE to go on tour oneday!! (ok that's it… and a new guitar)
14. You're currently preparing to play a set at Surrey Pride, how are you feeling about it?
I'm very excited to play Pride in Surrey!! I've wanted an opportunity to play my music to people for a while so it's really nice. I am a little nervous tho, like I'm going on right aftera DJ so there's gonna be a little change in atmosphere, but I know it's gonna be okay.
15. As well as playing live, I know you've carried on writing and recording, what more can you tell us about what's to come?
Yes!! I've got a few things planned, but I'm not sure how much I can say. I'm working with some pretty cool people on a few projects and I'm super excited to share them!! stay tuned 4 sum v spooky stuff >:))
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Stream and download the works of Count to Ten with Nobody on his Bandcamp page.
Join Count to Ten with Nobody on their Discord server here.
Follow Count to Ten with Nobody on Twitter @count2104, Instagram @count_to_ten_with_nobody, on TikTok @counttotenwithnobody and on Twitch @count210withnobody.
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