When I was growing up, there was a TV show about a kid named Lockie Leonard who liked to surf. I used to surf all the time and everyone already called me Lachy, so Lachy Leonard was my family nickname. I started doing open mic nights and busking and I quickly figured out that Lachlan James wasn’t very memorable, so I decided to use a stage name instead. Since so many people were familiar with the Lockie Leonard TV show and books, I figured maybe that would make it easier to remember. The only problem has been that a lot of people now spell my name wrong! I get called Lockie all the time.

Is Lockie Leonard the fictional character that reminds you most of yourself?

We do have a few things in common, but I think I’m most like Andy Dwyer. He loves being around kids, he’s really enthusiastic but not that bright, he’s a musician, and he’s kind of hopeless but in an endearing kind of way. I like to think I’m a little smarter than he is, but I’m probably a little less in love with my life too, so it evens out. The nice thing about Andy is that most of the time he doesn’t worry or question things. He knows who he is, he likes who he is, and he doesn’t worry about whether or not people like him or whether he’s good enough. I’d like to be more like that.

Do you prefer being in the studio or performing live?

They’re both really different, but I feel like I know what I’m doing more when I’m onstage. The studio is still kind of confusing to me, I rely a lot on other people to get my music sounding the way I want to. Onstage even though I have a band and there are a lot of amazing people behind the scenes to make it all happen, I feel like I’m where I’m meant to be. And there’s something great about the energy and feedback you get from a crowd that you don’t get when you’re in a studio by yourself. When I was younger I went through a phase of being really into U2 and Bono once said something like “It's a strange thing to need 20,000 people screaming your name to feel normal.” I definitely don’t think I’m that narcissistic, but I do kind of get where he’s coming from. There’s nothing like standing onstage and hearing people sing your lyrics back to you.

If you could go back in time to give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

My life has taken such unexpected turns, especially over the last few years. I think if I could tell my younger self anything it would be to put your heart into everything you do, because you never know where it’s going to take you. I didn’t have much ambition when I was younger. I still don’t really, but I’ve learned that the harder you work, the more opportunities come your way, so I put more effort into what I do now. You never know what the future holds, so all you can do is make sure you’re as prepared as possible. I’d probably tell my younger self to take guitar more seriously, too. I definitely think I’d be a better musician if I’d put more effort in when I was younger.

Is that the piece of advice you’d give to someone who wants to be a musician? Definitely. Do the opposite of what I did. Expose yourself to as much music as possible, and discover as many different styles as you can. Learn a couple of instruments, even if you’re not very good at them. Take lessons, learn the fundamentals. It’s like anything - if you know what the rules are then you know how and when to break them, but when you’re just starting out it’s better to stick to tradition. Learn how to write a song with three verses and a bridge before you start messing around with song structure. Don’t be afraid to do your own thing, but make sure you know what you’re doing differently and why you’re doing it.

Lachy Leonard is currently on tour with Ione James. Some tickets are still available for November and December shows in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.