Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, singer and television presenter, who first achieved fame broadcasting on the pirate stations, Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960’s.

He was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 at its launch on 30th September 1967. He has also worked for Capital London, Classic Gold Digital, Radio 2 and the British Forces Broadcasting Service. He was a regular host of Top of The Pops for more than a decade.

In 2002 he was the winner of the first series of the British reality show, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!

He has won two lifetime achievement awards from the Radio Academy, the second of which was to mark his 50 years in broadcasting. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Years Honours List for services to broadcasting and charity.

Whilst busy touring his Sound of the 60’s show, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he has to say.

Good afternoon Tony how are you?

I’m very well thanks Kevin, but more to the point just how are you keeping?

All is good at this moment in time but thanks for asking, and before we go on let me just thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

That’s alright, it’s my pleasure.

And I have to ask, just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

To be totally honest with you I would have to say that life at this moment is very good. Currently my Sounds Of The 60’s show is the most listened to music show on BBC Sounds now, plus all of the other shows are going really well. The theatre shows are selling out all of the venues which I have to say is terrific. So, I have to say that I really can’t complain about anything.

A friend of mine has told me that there is good news coming regarding the theatre show, is that correct?

Just who have you been speaking to (laughter). Yes, I have to come clean and say that your information is correct. We are going to continue with the theatre shows next year. We haven’t announced the dates as yet but we are planning on doing another 29 shows next year, all over the country. So, it’s all looking pretty good (laughter). Now we just need to track down your informant (laughter).

I have to ask, whose idea was it to put the show together?

The blame for that would have to be put squarely on the shoulders of a certain Leo Green (laughter). Leo went to the BBC and said, “why don’t we take the show out onto the road” and that was six years ago now. Initially we intended to do four or five shows but it went so well that we have continued with them ever since. Next year (2027) will be our seventh year. They kindly asked me if I would like to do another year to which I replied, “yes, absolutely, I love doing the show”.

You are bringing the show to the Royal Concert Hall here in Nottingham on Tuesday 22nd September, what can we expect?

Well, the show lasts around two hours twenty minutes or maybe a little longer. It really does depend upon how long I prattle on for really (laughter). We have got seven musicians who really are a terrific band, two great singers, and me (laughter). Basically, we are trying to invoke memories of the 60’s. Many moons ago I started off at the Bournemouth Pavilion as a singer and a guitarist when I was 18 years old so I talk about that. I talk about the time when I joined the pirate ships; Radio Caroline and Radio London being out on the North Sea for three years. And then I joined Radio 1 of course together with Top Of The Pops and all the rest of it (laughter).

So as you can see it’s a trip down memory lane but during the course of the evening musically, the audience hear 100 hits in medleys. When I talk about the early 60’s I introduce some early 60’s music, songs that I was playing on Pirate Radio and then Radio 1. So it’s like that and the audience will all know all of the words, because the songs have lasted for so long. I talk about Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra and all the people that I have met. I talk about Motown, so that’s what it is all about. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not three hours of me lecturing the audience about the 60’s (laughter). We all enjoy doing the show and I think it shows. We have fun with the audience, and I think that is why it has gone on for such a long time now. Luckily, we are selling out wherever we go, so I guess that is the reason that they want to keep it going next year.

How are the audiences reacting to the show?

The audiences have been absolutely terrific. The show has been designed for an older audience, who were bought up in the 60’s and who love 60’s music. Lots of people are putting on shows which are geared up for younger audiences, who sometimes forget that there are older people who also like going out. We currently perform the show on Mondays through Thursdays because I have to be back in London on Fridays to take care of my Radio 2 shows. I honestly don’t think that my audiences want to go out on a Friday or Saturday night. They are happy to go out on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

You have been quoted as saying that “the 60’s is the greatest decade for music”. Why does it appeal to you so much?

Well, I was bought up during the 50’s and 60’s and the 60’s were a very special time; The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Motown, Pirate Radio, the launch of Radio 1, everything seemed to be happening in the 60’s and that was my era. I lived that era; I started broadcasting in 1964 aboard Radio Caroline, and so for me it was a very special era. The music from the 60’ has lasted for such a long time; The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, everybody knows the words, everyone sings along with the music, and we all just have a very good time. I personally will guarantee that you will have a fun evening. Back in the 60’s I met Frank Sinatra and I also toured with Diana Ross, so, as you can imagine I have got a lot to talk about. I lived that era (laughter). It works really, really well and I love doing the shows.

You have briefly mentioned Radio Caroline, how was life at sea?

I loved it (laughter). I was bought up in Poole in Dorset by the sea and I have always loved being near to the sea. We would work from the ships two weeks at a time, and then have a week off, and as I say I absolutely loved it. I have to say that a lot of people didn’t last because they got sea sick and didn’t like it but I loved it, I have always loved the sea (laughter). I personally found it fascinating out there.

But you weren’t just there to enjoy yourselves were you; there was one particular reason for you being out in the North Sea.

Yes, that’s right. What our main objective was happened to be very special. The fact of the matter is that we were there to actually break the BBC monopoly because in the early 60’s all that we had were the old light programmes, the Home Service as it was called, and they played 45 minutes of pop music a day. Then we had to listen to Radio Luxemburg fading in and out every evening. So at that time there was nothing really for teenagers or younger people to listen to. So, when the Pirate Ships came along they altered everything and I am really proud of that. For me to be broadcasting with someone like Kenny Everett really was special.

How were you approached to get involved with the Pirate Ships?

As I said earlier I was a singer and a guitarist with a dance band in the Bournemouth Pavilion, a position I held for some three years. While I was there I saw an advertisement in the New Musical Express looking for DJ’s to work on Radio Caroline which was about to go on air. I actually wanted to become a singer, that was the idea, so I thought that if I became a DJ then I might to be able to get into the record business that way, which I actually did eventually (laughter). So, I replied to the advert in the New Musical Express. They invited me along for an audition at Caroline House, 6 Chesterfield Gardens, in Mayfair on the Friday and I was out broadcasting on the Tuesday.

What you have to remember is that I had never broadcast in my life before; in fact most of us hadn’t (laughter). We had quite a few Australians out there who had come over; they were used to commercial radio. So, that’s the way that I got into it. From there, when the Pirate Ships came to an end, I met a wonderful guy called Harold Davison who looked after people like Frank Sinatra, and who at that time was the biggest agent in the country. Harold told me that the BBC had heard me and that they wanted to offer me the breakfast show on a new station called Radio 1 and that is how it happened.

On the subject of the Pirate Ships, let me take you back to 2009 and the Richard Curtis movie The Boat That Rocked. In your opinion would you say that the movie was an accurate and realistic portrayal of life at sea?

No, no, not at all (laughter). Life at sea was absolutely nothing like the movie, nothing at all. I personally didn’t like the film. It portrayed a load of people getting drunk and having parties; there were never any parties on board. We were allowed to have two bottles of beer a day, and that was it. You have to remember that the North Sea is extremely dangerous apart from anything else. What I would say is that all of that business about parties and girls coming on board was completely untrue, the whole thing. For me, it was a dreadful film; I didn’t like it at all. We were all out there for a reason. Of course we had fun whilst we were out there, but at the same time we were there to bring about the downfall of the monopoly which at that time the BBC held which eventually we did.

You mention joining the BBC; did you finally feel like part of the establishment?

That’s a great question because to be totally honest with you I have never really thought about it like that funnily enough. The Pirate Ships had more or less come to an end, so there was no future staying out there in the North Sea. After three years I had had enough of the North Sea anyway (laughter). I just thought that being part of the BBC, the biggest broadcasting organisation in the world, was very special and I have to say that when I joined the BBC they couldn’t have been any nicer. I remember them saying to me, “we have never done this before, what do you need, we will listen to you,” and I said, “we need a self operating studio” which the BBC had never done before.

They had always had someone putting the music on for the DJ’s, we never did that. For instance we never had producers. Okay, we had producers when Radio 1 started, as they still do, but all in all they just listened to us. Kenny (Everett) and I basically told them what sort of studio we needed and they built it. They were brilliant, and they welcomed us with open arms. I personally feel that the Government had told the BBC that they needed to get a radio station on air. Obviously they quite liked having the monopoly, who wouldn’t, but they realised then that their monopoly had come to an end just like we realised that the Pirate Ships were coming to an end. So we all came together and produced Radio One.

Whenever anyone mentions Tony Blackburn, people automatically think of you listening to music 24/7 but that is not the case is it?

No, no it’s not as I don’t just listen to music at home (laughter). There is another side to Tony Blackburn (laughter). I like watching TV; I love Coronation Street, I really am a big Coronation Street fan but perhaps we shouldn’t mention that (laughter). I like being at home with my wife Debbie, and don’t forget I also do a hell of a lot of travelling with the show, places like York, Liverpool, and Bournemouth. Debbie comes with me and I have to say that we have a good time travelling around the country together. So, it’s not just me going out and then coming home.

We stay overnight in the city that we have played in and I am so very lucky to be doing what I am doing. I love what I am doing and I love the shows that we are doing now, and I am really happy to go onto Radio 2 which is the number one station (laughter). After all of these years it really is terrific. Radio 2 for me is a lovely place to be at; all the DJ’s are people who have made it, no one is trying to get a hold of your show, we all get along very well together. I am very lucky and I really do realise that.

You have now been in the business for 62 years, have you enjoyed the ride so far?

Oh yes, absolutely. I have enjoyed it very, very much. Don’t get me wrong, it is a tough business to be in, but I personally feel that my happiest time is probably now, funnily enough. Doing the shows that I do at the weekends, they have just given me another show called Sounds Of Soul, plus The Golden Hour which I do as well, three shows on Radio 2 which is great, and then touring the country with the theatre show; I really couldn’t be happier. Touch wood, all of the shows are doing really well, and that’s the main thing. Sounds Of The 60’s is the most listened to music show for the BBC on BBC Sounds, which goes to prove that there is still a massive audience out there for 60’s music still.

The music has lasted for such a long time; they really are such great songs. People who I have met over the years, people like Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, and I have toured with Diana Ross; I really have had a wonderful time. Whenever I hear people saying, “oh the pressure, it’s dreadful” I have to smile and say, “well I don’t think that at all, I have loved every moment of it” (laughter). Don’t get me wrong, there are ups and downs like there are in any other job but I think that my biggest up time was back in 1967 when we launched Radio 1.

I remember on my first show at Radio 1 a journalist said to me, “well what are you going to be doing next year” and I said, “well hopefully the same as I am doing now” (laughter). I know that I have been extremely lucky but at the same time I have worked hard at it. I have also tried to do my best, and the audiences have been terrific as well. I love it when people come up to me and say, “you have been with me all my life” and that is truly tremendous. I have grown up with this audience and they are coming along to say hello.

Putting you firmly on the spot, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

Well there have been so many to be totally honest with you. Winning I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! That was unexpected for me. I was 60 years old then and I can remember my Manager Nick Cannon ringing me and saying, “how would you like to be dropped into the middle of the Australian jungle and survive for two weeks” (laughter). I thought he was joking so I said, “yes I would love to” (laughter). I truly thought that it was a joke. Shortly after Nick rang me up saying that ITV wanted to see me so I said, “what about” and he said “about that show I was telling you about” to which I replied, “I thought that you were joking” (laughter). So, I went along to see them. They said, “do you like outdoor life” to which I replied, “not particularly, no more than anyone else.” They then asked me, “when you go away do you go camping” to which I replied, “no, I would much rather stay in a hotel” (laughter).

They then asked me, “what would you eat in the jungle” and I said, “I am a vegetarian so I haven’t really thought about it” but at that point I thought that they wouldn’t want me after that interview. Then a week later they contacted me telling me that they wanted me to do it (laughter). My wife and my mother at the time tried to talk me out of doing it, both saying, “we don’t think that you would do that very well”. I’m not particularly a party animal and I really do like my own company and a quiet life.

I told them that I had got to do it because these opportunities come up once in a lifetime and I couldn’t bear watching it and thinking that I could have been a part of that. So you have got to take these opportunities when they come along and I have to say that I absolutely loved it (laughter). So, I suppose that’s one thing. Being on the Pirate Ships and subsequently the launch of Radio 1 are highlights too. I’ve been very lucky to have had quite a few highlights during my career; some of the things that I have really enjoyed doing.

In 2024 you were appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Years Honours list for services to broadcasting together with your charity work. How did that make you feel?

That really was great, knowing that all of the hard work over the years had been recognised. We had a great day and it is always a good feeling whenever you are recognised for your work. So yes, that certainly was a highlight to remember.

Now I am a massive fan and collector of all things Motown and Northern Soul so I was wondering if it would be possible for me to speak to Lenny Gamble?

(Laughter) Lenny Gamble indeed you cheeky sod (laughter). Yes, that really was unusual. I was recording an album so I remember recording 29 singles and 2 albums, neither of which sold very well. We needed one more track to finish the session and I have always loved the track I’ll Do Anything (He Wants Me To Do) by Doris Troy so I recorded that. It is a soul song and in my opinion I recorded it without any soul really. The Northern Soul people released the track on a white label ‘promo’ under the name of Lenny Gamble. I was doing a radio show on Radio 1 and somebody rang me up and said, “you do know that you have got a Northern Soul hit” to which I replied, “what’s that” (laughter).

The caller said, “it is I’ll Do Anything and they have called you Lenny Gamble” (laughter). I thought, ‘fabulous’ and I listened to the record once again and still thought that it wasn’t that soulful but they seemed to like it. So, I set off to Wigan Casino as they wanted me to appear there. When they introduced me as Lenny Gamble and I walked out onto the stage I could see a look of disappointment on everyone’s face (laughter). The look of shame as they realised that they had bought a Tony Blackburn record (laughter). It actually did very well. I still to this day love the Doris Troy version of the record.

What was the first record that you bought?

Let me see, that was Cool Water by Frankie Laine, years ago now. I absolutely loved it (laughter).

The first live gig you went to?

That was at the Odeon cinema in Bournemouth where I saw Billy Fury, he was really great. I can remember thinking I would love to be doing that, up on the stage doing what Billy was doing.

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

Wow, just where did that come from (laughter). There are two songs that really get me emotional. One is a song called Love Is The Answer by England Dan & John Ford Coley. The second is Save The Children by Marvin Gaye from his What’s Going On album.

On that note Tony let me once again thank you again for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been great. You take care and I will see you when you get to Nottingham.

Thank you very much Kevin. Thanks a lot and I will see you up there in Nottingham.

Justin Furstenfeld, founder member, lead singer and guitarist with American rock band Blue October, chats with Kevin Cooper about his love for Penhaligon’s perfume, recording Approaching Normal, the 20th anniversary of their album Foiled and their forthcoming 2026 tour of the UK.

Justin Furstenfeld is the founder member and lead singer and guitarist with American rock band, Blue October. He is also a member of the band Harvard Of The South which is a fourpiece rock supergroup that released an EP in 2024 and their eponymous album in 2020. He has also released three solo albums.

Blue October have released thirteen albums, the first in 1998 and the last in 2024. Their most successful album, Foiled, released in 2006 was certified platinum in 2007 and went on to sell 1.4 million copies in the U.S. alone.

He has also acted in the action film, Section Eight, making his acting debut in 2022, with his original song, This Is What I Live For, being played during the film’s opening credits.

He has experienced problems with his mental health and was treated for depression in the late 1990’s and Blue October’s debut album, The Answers, was an expression of themes surrounding depression and suicide. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder which was exacerbated by his alcohol consumption. He has now been sober for a number of years.

Whilst busy rehearsing for their forthcoming tour, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Hi Justin how are you?

I am doing so good mate, how are you?

I’m very well thank you, and before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

No problem, this is perfect, I truly appreciate it; I love you (laughter). I am super honoured that you even want to speak to me so thank you so much, I truly am grateful.

How’s life treating you at this moment in time?

It’s frickin’ amazing bro. There is absolutely nothing wrong in my life. The only thing wrong in my life is that there is nothing wrong in my life (laughter). There is nothing wrong (laughter). Come on, we have got another day in front of us, I am coming over to Europe, I am coming over to the UK, it’s been too long and I really cannot wait. It really is going to be amazing. We are just super excited to come back over there to see you guys. It’s been two years now.

We must talk about the forthcoming tour, but can we start with the 20th Anniversary of Foiled?

Sure bro, go for it.

Well, I have played the album once again today and, in my humble opinion, I feel that it sounds as fresh today as it did twenty years ago. Would you agree with that?

Oh no man, it’s pretty sad (hysterical laughter). Whenever I listen to the album I’m like, ‘oh god it’s really sad’ (laughter). I have to put that down to the drugs, together with the women who we were hanging out with at the time. Don’t get me wrong there really are some beautiful songs on the album. It’s a nice, beautiful mix of different emotions, different sounds, and it has this kind of dreamy quality about it that I love. It was after that record that the band really started to get heavily into rock music, but I don’t really care for that sound. I personally like smooth, sad, depressing shit (laughter). So, the fact that this album did so well with that broad spectrum of different styles I would say, I am pretty damn proud of it.

I love the album and I currently have three go to tracks.

Okay which ones?

They are; She’s My Ride Home, Independently Happy and Chameleon Boy. I think that Chameleon Boy finishes off the album perfectly.

Wow. It’s pretty insane just how amazing it is that you and I are able to listen to music and play music for our entire lives. It really is pretty insane. I love being able to express myself both lyrically and sonically. I love being able to tour, and people keep showing up and listening to our music. If you really think about it that really is kind of special.

Putting you on the spot, do you have a favourite track on the album?

I would have to say She’s My Ride Home. That song is probably one of my favourites, simply because it is so dark and so weird (laughter). I also love Into The Ocean and Let It Go. Those three are most definitely favourites.

You released the album some twenty years ago now and I was wondering if you have any lasting memories of the time that you spent recording it?

Yes, I think that my favourite part of it all was me living in the studio with one of our engineers. I think what was so cool about it was that the engineer didn’t judge because at that time I really was a whack job; in fact I really was crazy. I had a big drug problem, a big alcohol problem, but I always kept music first. At that time, I didn’t have any kids, I didn’t have any repercussions, and I didn’t have any responsibilities. I think what was great about that time is the fact that I just didn’t care. I just wanted to lock myself in this house in California for five months and just write.

I was able to meet people who had attended the Woodstock festival and people who had lived through that time, the people who lived through that free kind of thing, where they just didn’t care. They just did whatever their spirit felt. There were no repercussions, it was just pure creative bliss, and that’s what I loved about it. Having said all of that, what was difficult was coming back to Texas, trying to explain it all later to the band (hysterical laughter). They were like, ‘what the fuck, one song is happy, one song is sad, one song is heavy, are you fucking bi-polar’ and I just said “Durr” (laughter).

In order to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Foiled will you be releasing anything special?

What, besides naked pictures of myself, perhaps a few photographs of me lying naked on a bearskin rug, butt naked, that might be some special shit for people to see (laughter). Maybe they will really want to see that as I look a lot better now than I did twenty years ago. I looked like a puffy penguin back then in that damn black and white suit. I had the alcoholic puff; you know what I mean (laughter). Being serious for a minute, I would have to say that we are releasing it on vinyl, we are teaming up with Universal Records, and we have three music videos that we are releasing that are just incredible.

There are some songs from twenty years ago, so it really is special to revisit some songs for back then. There is a song called Congratulations and the video is out. We re-did it, and for me it is very special to see a song come to life again after twenty years and for us to make a video where the band looks better than they did twenty years ago (laughter). It was pretty cool for us to be able to do that and then send it over to Universal who said, “damn what are you doing, you all look great” (laughter). I might even make a sex tape with one of the guys in the band but I’m not frickin’ sure, although it may help us to sell a few more copies of the album (laughter). Oh wait, I’ve got kids now so I can’t do that stuff (laughter).

In a top ten of Blue October albums where do you think that Foiled would sit?

Great question and I would have to say that Foiled is number one just because it gave us the legs to do whatever we do now. It also gave me the confidence as a producer to keep on producing. As long as I keep producing and I keep on following my heart then it always works out. It’s when I start thinking that I need to do all of these special things like hiring all of these big wigs, that when I get problems. For me it is perfect for me to keep it in-house with the band, and create with the band, then it always works out so much better; it is much more honest.

So, I think that Foiled gave us all the confidence to know that we can do it on our own and we don’t have to pay all of these hundreds of thousands of dollars to these big wigs who try to pee on our hydrant. They are like dogs; they have always got to pee on something. So, I think that Foiled would be first, then This Is What I Live For, followed by I Hope You’re Happy, Spinning The Truth Around, then I might go to History For Sale, you know, that kind of thing. My least favourite album, without a shadow of a doubt is Approaching Normal and don’t you dare ask me why.

You say that Approaching Normal sounds like shit. Wasn’t the album produced by the legendary Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame?

(Laughter) yes, it was and to be totally honest with you he was a fucking bad ass for a while; he just didn’t like me very much. The very first thing that he said to me when we met was, “oh wow, you’re a fat lead singer” to which I replied, “oh wow you’re an asshole” (laughter). It was at that point that I thought, ‘wow this is going to be great, let’s work together’ (hysterical laughter). The album sounds like absolute shit and he’s from the UK. Far too much money (laughter). As long as the band sticks with each other and really trust in each other I think that we can do things amazingly.

We have all learnt a lot over the years, and the main thing is that alcohol and drugs don’t help. Being healthy helps because now we have this craft and we have so many songs all the time. We own the studio, we own the label, we own our masters, we tour and we come to see you guys, and we no longer have to give 85% to some big wig label owner. I personally have two baby mommas, so I’ve got to do my thing. I’ve got three kids that I know of, but I could have some all around the world, who knows (laughter).

Moving on, let’s talk about the forthcoming tour. Are you looking forward to being back here in the UK?

I have to be totally honest with you and say that touring the UK is my absolute favourite. Come on, you know it is (laughter). Manchester, London, frickin’ Brighton; oh my god I love Brighton. Brighton is so creepy and weird in the winter, and I simply love it. Come on bro I love everything about the UK. Let me live there, I would love to move to London. Do you know what I like the most about the UK?

Well, I’m sure that it’s not the weather.

I love the weather over there in the UK because it is always frickin’ raining (laughter). It is always kind of cold, but what I like the most about the UK is that London has the world’s largest perfumery in the entire world, and it’s called Penhaligon’s. I am a perfume snob, and Penhaligon’s kills every other perfumery. It’s insane just how good Penhaligon’s is so I really do love the UK. You not only have the best perfumery you also have the best bands which kill every American band. Every American band wishes that they could be The Stone Roses, every American band wishes that they could be The Cure, every American band wishes that they could be Pink Floyd, every American band wishes that they could be The Smiths, every American band wishes that they could be Joy Division, but they can’t. I could go on; I could keep going but I won’t.

Wednesday 3rd June you are playing Rock City here in Nottingham, just what can we expect?

You are going to have the most amazingly emotional positive, heartfelt show. You are going to have two hours of just Rock ‘n’ Roll dreamy bliss. And then I am going to come out after the show, I am going to meet every person and shake their hand, and give them hugs and kisses and tell them, “Thank you so much for being here at the show and being in my life”. But, before that, I am going to spray on some Penhaligon, and I am going to smell really good (laughter).

Am I right in saying that this will be your very first show in Nottingham?

Yes, it is but please don’t panic as its going to be great (laughter).

And is this also the first time that you will playing the album in its entirety?

That’s right, from start to finish. I have actually just finished rehearsing today and I have to say that it sounds so good, but do you know why, because we are all sober and we are not fucking alcohol dependant these days (laughter). And I have to say that it is really nice.

On that point I will ask you, does the album sound different now that you are all clean and sober to what it did some twenty years ago when you recorded the album?

Yes, I have to say that it does. It sounds like really nice musical bliss whereas in the past it just sounded like regurgitated pain. Back then it was like, ‘oh man this is so difficult’ whereas now, it is just like, ‘man, these are really good songs’. These songs might connect with someone out thesre who has depression. The guys in the band are such good players; it was always me that was the problem. It was always me and never the guys. I always thought that everything needed to be sadder than sad can be.

Will you be playing Foiled in its entirety and then some hits, or will the hits be interspersed with Foiled?

That’s a great question bro. It is going to be the album in its entirety, that is fourteen songs plus the ghost track (laughter). Ghost tracks existed in 2006 and before that, but after that there were no more ghost tracks hidden away. After that we will come back onstage and do an encore containing Sway, Say It, Fear, Moving On, Home, All That We Are, Down Here Waiting, I Hope You Are Happy, which means that it is going to be a two hour long show and people are going to love it.

Is there any news on a new studio album?

Yes, there is, we have already written half of the new album, and once we get finished with the Foiled tour in America, we are going to be putting that album to bed, when we be releasing a brand-new album. We really just wanted to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Foiled first.

Your brother Jeremy is the drummer in the band, how does that work. Do you ever find yourselves in a position like the Gallagher’s do?

(Laughter) no not at all, we get along great. Now that I am not longer mainlining PCP everything seems to be connecting and we all now respect each other. He has kids, I have kids, he has a wife, but I don’t but that’s okay (laughter). We all do this out of a love for our children, the love for art, and it really is something special man.

Who has inspired you along the way?

That’s easy, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, Joy Division, Morrissey, The Stone Roses, Richard Hawley, all of the English bands inspired me. There are some good American bands, but you know…(laughter).

Didn’t I hear that you also like a little Marvin Gaye?

Of course, I love Motown. I love Michael (Jackson) I love Marvin, but I will tell you who I love a lot, when I was growing up it would always be George Michael. I adored George Michael in fact I still adore George Michael. He influenced my pop angle most definitely. He was a tortured soul, and people should just leave him the fuck alone. It all comes from jealousy.

The name of the band Blue October, where did it come from?

I just wanted the name to sound sad and cold. When I was a kid, I always thought that October was cold and blue is the saddest colour. I could make up some crazy story to tell you but these days I am not allowed to lie anymore (laughter). It was part of my program to recovery (hysterical laughter).

Justin, let me once again thank you for talking the time to speak to me today, it’s been great. Good luck with the tour and I will see you here in Nottingham.

Kevin, I just wanted to say thank you for being so kind, and wanting to reach out and talk to me, and most of all thank you for all the love. I can’t wait to see you. See you soon.

Simon Bartholomew (seen here on the right), guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Brand New Heavies, chats with Kevin Cooper about his Plan B, the last song or piece of music that made him cry, opening for the late James Brown and their forthcoming 2026 tour of the UK.

Simon Bartholomew is a guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Brand New Heavies, a band that became synonymous with the acid funk explosion of the 1990’s. Formed in 1985 with his school friend Andrew Levy, they have gone on to write the songs, produce them and to oversee the running of a touring and recording band.

Originally called Brother International, the band opened for the late James Brown at a concert at Wembley Arena after which they changed their name. They released their debut self titled album in 1990 but their breakthrough success came with the release of their third album, Brother Sister in 1994, which was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

Since the bands conception, they have had six female lead vocalists and have released a total of eleven albums.

Bartholomew has also written music for film soundtracks and has other side projects such as his work with Akimbo and 1ibear. He is also involved in music education and teaches at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford.

Whilst busy rehearsing for their forthcoming UK tour, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Good morning Simon. How are you?

I’m great thank you Kevin, how are you doing?

All is good thank you for asking and before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

You are very welcome.

How’s life treating you at this moment in time?

Life at this precise moment in time is very good. We are currently working our way through a new album, which we hope to release later this year which I have to say is very exciting. We have got a few festivals lined up together with a few support slots with Nile Rodgers and Chic. Also, what I am particularly looking forward to is a Japanese tour in April. There are offers coming in all of the time which is very cool.

Let me tell you that you have made me feel very old this morning.

Really, who is she (laughter).

We won’t go there (laughter). It was Sunday 1st May 1994 at Rock City here in Nottingham that I saw The Brand New Heavies for the very first time.

Wow that really is amazing.

Then the last time that I saw you was at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.

That would have been with the orchestra, yes?

That’s right and it really was fantastic.

That was really good, it really was lovely. Out of all of the shows that we did, we played The Barbican and The South Bank, Birmingham Symphony Hall really was a rocking show. It really was brilliant.

And, of course, you will be playing here in Nottingham at Rock City once again on Tuesday 31st March.

Yes, that will be great. We will be going back to the scene of the crime (laughter).

The Brand New Heavies have now been together for 41 years. How would you account for the band’s longevity?

Yes, we have and that really is an amazing thing. I would simply have to put that down to the fans and people in general. It really is a two-way relationship. Don’t get me wrong if people weren’t coming out to see us then I would call it a day.

I have to ask, 41 years is longer than most marriages. Do you and Andrew (Levy) argue at all?

No, we don’t really argue actually. Having said that, there are usually a few little things that we don’t agree on here and there but nothing substantial (laughter). I think that it’s down to the fact that we are happy to be working. We have a fantastic band, and I have to say that no two shows are the same. It is all still very enjoyable and very exciting.

You have had some fantastic vocalists with you along the way. Was it always going to be the case that you were going to leave it fluid and that you would let people pop in and pop out?

That’s a great question. We had a UK singer help us to make the first album that no one was really interested in. We pioneered a new genre called Acid Jazz but then the singer on that album went off and did her own thing (laughter). Then someone over in America heard the album, liked it, licensed it, and we added the single Never Stop which went to number three in the R & B charts and that was with N’Dea (Davenport) who at the time was signed to Delicious Vinyl as a solo artist. She had always wanted to do her own thing as a solo artist. Someone recently asked me “why do you always get rid of your singers?” but the fact is that they generally tend to leave (laughter). I personally look at the situation as being quite a healthy one really, that we are able to do that.

Looking back to 2015 Jan (Kincaid) left the band. Was that a blow?

Yes, it really was because he left the band three days before a really important show in Sweden. Jan left the band at the same time as the singer Dawn (Joseph) so we had to find a drummer and a singer. The management did really well in managing to persuade N’Dea to come back for that show all the way from Japan where she lives. The show did go on and we saved the day. It was strange really because Jan left the band, but he had plans to continue the band.

However, if he was intending to do that, I personally felt that I couldn’t continue. Jan at that time really was a bit naughty in the way that he went about things. Having said that, I saw Jan recently at a school reunion and I went up to him and punched him in the face (laughter). No, I didn’t I gave him a great big hug (laughter).

In 2019 you released your 11th studio album, TBNH, were you pleased with the fan’s reaction?

Yes, I was. For that album we really went back to the classic old school Heavies. We put some strings on there, we got the best guys in, and we really tried to record a classic Heavies album. It really did have everything; a funk tune, a disco song, and some really old school soul music.

What was it like working with the late Angie Stone?

We actually worked with Angie remotely, but I have to say that the work which she sent back to us was truly phenomenal. She really was a fantastic singer.

I love what you did with You’ve Got A Friend. Did you ever receive any feedback from Carol King’s management?

No, actually, well not that I know of. It would be very interesting to hear what they think of it (laughter).

Do you still get a buzz out of touring?

Yes, I do, I really do. I think that touring is phenomenal. The Brand New Heavies are like a family, and I would swear that over the years I have spent more time with these guys than I have spent with my own family (laughter). You go away for three weeks solid, three months even in the past, and you are on tour buses, you are in every state of mind that you could possibly be in, you are all together; it really is fantastic. It is almost like a military operation (laughter).

After 41 years in the business, you must have seen many changes. What is the one thing that has taken you aback?

I personally think that the internet has had a massive affect upon the music industry namely it takes away money from artists from record sales. You could almost say that the artist getting 10p on the pound on a record sale whilst the record company is making a lot more, although maybe that’s not the end of the world. The internet is a wonderful source allowing you to find different genres of music online and I have to say that is how a lot of our new younger fans have found The Heavies.

We have groups of 20-year-olds coming to see us now, who have found us and our music on the internet. Also, I think that before the computer you had to play the drums, you had to play everything, whereas now, with a computer you can make a song within minutes. That has made me look back to older music really. It is what it is, but I do feel that it has stopped the journey of musicianship developing.

Whenever you are on stage performing, what do you think of the people who are filming the show on their mobile phones?

I totally understand if they want to film a few bits and pieces because they call it living life through a lens. I am happy to have seen some artists back in the day and you keep that memory fixed in your mind. It almost becomes a part of your DNA so much so that you can revisit it. However, I do feel that it is better to be in the moment, enjoy the gig and have a good time. Forget your phone, go to the gig, let go, have a good time, let your hair down and leave all that technology behind for a minute, forget about your worries, forget about your cares and live in a bubble for a minute.

In your opinion, what makes Rock City a must play venue?

That’s easy, it’s because it rocks and it’s in Nottingham (laughter). We tour a lot and we play all manner of venues but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter where you are because you are doing this thing.

With an ever-increasing back catalogue, just how hard is it for you to put a set list together?

That’s a great question. People who come to see us generally want to hear the hits, so we tend to stick to those. London Records re-released the Brother Sister album so we sort of focus more on that. If you went to see Led Zeppelin you would expect to hear Stairway To Heaven, even though by now they most probably hate it (laughter). So, you have to try and satisfy that section of the audience whilst throwing in a few lesser-known tracks that are funky and good to play live. The secret is to keep it varied and interesting.

Putting you on the spot, do you have a personal favourite song to perform live?

I see the set as a show and therefore for me, it is all one thing which builds up to a finale. To me they all merge and become one song if that makes sense. I feel that starting with Have A Good Time is perfect because it gets everyone going, over say Stay This Way which is an emotional experience of love (laughter). If we just started with Stay This Way I don’t think that it would have the same impact as is does later in the set. So, it is hard for me to pick one favourite song because I see it more like how you structure the set and how you build up to each song and how we put it into the order we chose. Naturally, we always try to finish with a bang, we also have a disco section, and the set list is really organic. So, I have to let you down and say that it is really hard to pick just one song (laughter).

What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

That’s easy, this interview of course (laughter). But coming second to that back in the very early days The Heavies supported the late James Brown who over the years has been a massive influence on us. I’m not just talking about its A Mans, Mans, Mans World or Sex Machine, we had all the records and people were playing the rarer cuts. At that time, he had a record label called James Brown’s Funky People and it had things like Lyn Collins’ Think (About It), Bobby Byrd’s I Know You Got Soul, and things like that. So, for us to meet James Brown and support him really was quite something. We were sound checking at Wembley Arena, and I looked round and he was leaning on my guitar amp whilst nodding his head.

He was wearing this amazing two-tone olive-green suit with a Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken tie (laughter). We all got to shake hands with him, and he was digging our stuff. That’s an accolade. We had this amazing horn section, and he approached them to go on tour with him (laughter). That I feel is quite a moment to meet James Brown. Also, for me, seeing everyone at a gig having a good time really are ongoing highlights. To see people crying at certain songs whilst having a good time and then saying thank you afterwards, then that makes it all worthwhile. One person said to me “I saw Madonna in her heyday, and you were better” (laughter). Get in. So, there you have a headline, The Brand New Heavies better than Madonna (laughter).

Do you have a favourite place or venue that you like to perform in?

Everywhere we play it is our intent to make people have as good a time as possible. It was amazing going to Japan; that really is another world. The food is so different, and I have seen that place change over the years. We toured Europe last year and it was all good. When you are on the move you are literally waking up, driving somewhere, going to a venue, checking the sound, eating, playing, sleeping or partying regrettably, and then repeating. So, where you are, the cave that you are in becomes the place where music happens. So, as you can imagine, there is not just one favourite place.

It’s great to play outdoors at festivals, especially when you are playing to thirty thousand people, seeing all of the bands that we grew up with and who we have influenced along the way. I feel that playing outdoors is a nice vibe. Sometimes, a smaller venue can create some incredible energy. Having said that some of the venues that I don’t like much are the plastic sheeted sports halls, I much prefer an old theatre. It just feels cosier, more conducive; the energy of them is so much nicer than playing in a sports hall. For example, the O2 is fine but at the end of the day these places are all the same. Give me somewhere that has got a bit of character any day of the week, the older places that have got history. Places like Rock City, a place that has got masses of history, let’s have it (laughter).

Did you ever have a Plan B just in case music didn’t take off for you?

When I first got some money from a publishing deal the first thing that I did was to get a roof over my head. I thought if this doesn’t last then I’m buggered (laughter). I did have a Plan B once; it was to design toys for Kinder eggs (laughter) no I’m joking with that one. I actually went to Art College thinking that if music didn’t work out for me perhaps I could be making films not Hollywood films, odd films perhaps, something within the arts sector.

Testing your memory, what was the first record that you bought?

The first record that I bought was a 7” single when at that time I was very much into Rock ‘n’ Roll and I think that it was this awful Woolworths album with a picture on the cover of a Teddy Boy combing his hair back (laughter). The tracks were all cover versions, so they didn’t have to pay the artists and after that I went off to get hold of the original versions, swiftly (laughter). I did have one really wonderful double album called The Many Sides Of Rock ‘n’ Roll and that is the album that led me to play the guitar.

It was a double album which had a newspaper insert and there was an advert in there for Levi jeans, which was a drawing of a man sitting on a wooden crate playing a guitar. I imagined myself in a school playground at about 12 years of age surrounded by girls playing the guitar, totally ridiculous (laughter). That was when my interest in the guitar first started. I taught myself to play songs from that album, songs like Summertime Blues, C’mon Everybody, and Great Balls Of Fire, all of the classic tracks of the time. That was a quick fire question with a long fire answer (laughter).

Who did you first see performing live?

As I mentioned earlier, I was a big Rock ‘n’ Roll fan, and back in 1976 I went along to the Rainbow Theatre here in London before it was closed down by Frank Zappa being pushed off the stage. My grandmother had made me, based on a dressing gown, a midnight blue Teddy Boy suit with a black velvet lapel. And I went to see Jerry Lee Lewis who I really was a huge fan of. The irony of it all was that he played Country and Western all night because he had gone all religious (laughter).

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

(Laughter) that would actually be a song that I am currently writing for the new Heavies album. Other than that, I do have a lot of feelings for a Traffic song called The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys which has Steve Winwood on vocals. To me, it has a spiritual energy to it; it is a bit loose, and it really is a wonderful piece of music. It really is superb. A few years ago, I had broken up with someone and Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley really did get me going.

On that note Simon let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been a pleasure.

Great stuff Kevin. Thanks very much and you have a good day. See you at Rock City.

Midge Ure, a Scottish singer, songwriter and record producer, chats with Kevin Cooper about the achievement of Live Aid, playing the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham, his 2026 A Man Of Two Worlds UK Tour and his latest album of the same name.

Midge Ure is a Scottish singer, songwriter and record producer, who enjoyed particular success in the 70’s and 80’s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids, Visage and as the eventual lead singer of Ultravox after John Foxx had left, helping the band attain high chart positions for the six following years before disbanding.

In 1984 he co-wrote and produced the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas for the supergroup Band Aid, which he organised with Bob Geldoff. The single sold 3.7 million copies in the UK on its release and has since become a staple amongst Christmas songs and is the second highest selling single in UK chart history.

He organised Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005 both with Geldof. He also serves as an Ambassador for Save The Children.

He joined Slik as a guitarist in 1972 and in 1976 they had a number one single in the UK charts with Forever And Ever. Ure turned down an offer to join the Sex Pistols in 1975. In 1977 he joined former Sex Pistol bass guitarist Glen Matlock to form Rich Kids. The band disbanded in 1979.

In 1978 band mate Rusty Egan and Ure formed Visage with lead vocalist Steve Strange. Utilising the use of their synthesiser, they released their second single in 1980, Fade To Grey. Ure also collaborated with Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott and also helped them to complete a US tour following their guitarist Gary Moore’s abrupt departure. He also co-wrote Lynott’s biggest solo hit, Yellow Pearl.

In 1979 he joined and revived Ultravox, assuming duties as singer, songwriter, guitarist and second keyboardist. Their first album involving Ure was released in 1980 and from it was released the title track Vienna which became a huge hit. The band went on to release a total of eleven albums.

In 1982 he released his first solo single, a cover version of Tom Rush’s No Regrets. The following year he recorded the David Bowie track The Man Who Sold The World. In 1985 he released his debut album, The Gift, which was followed by a further seven solo albums.

He has also been the recipient of five honorary degrees.

Whilst busy rehearsing for his forthcoming UK tour he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Midge, good morning, how are you today?

Hi Kevin, it’s great to speak to you once again and I am very well, thanks for asking. More to the point how are you?

I’m very well thank you, and before we move on let me firstly thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

Oh no, thank you.

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

Life at the moment is good. I really can’t complain. At a time when most people would be thinking of me hanging up my guitar, putting away my touring outfits, and quietly putting my slippers on, there is currently a massive demand for live performances (laughter). It’s fabulous; I still love it so I still do it.

Before we talk about the current tour I have to ask you, have you seen your old sparring partner Rusty (Egan) lip-syncing to If I Was on YouTube?

(Laughter) no, I have not. This is an entirely new experience for me (laughter).

Rusty had obviously stopped for a coffee, If I Was came on the radio and there he is, merrily lip-syncing along to it (laughter).

Oh God, well only Rusty would do something like that (hysterical laughter).

(Laughter) swiftly moving on, let’s talk about your forthcoming A Man Of Two Worlds UK Tour. Are you looking forward to being back out on the road here in the UK?

Very much so. For the last few years I have tried to figure out how I could possibly go out and play some of the instrumental stuff that I have both written and recorded over the years. How would I do it, what format would it take, would anyone go and see it? And this tour, I think, has kind of ticked all of the boxes. As you will no doubt know, A Man Of Two Worlds is named after an old Ultravox tune, but the Two Worlds that I am talking about are the songs that people know me for together with the instrumental stuff which gives me a chance to play some of it.

So, I have devised a way where I can take the audience on a little journey, when I can play the songs that they know and love, in a block. So, maybe a segued block, maybe they will simply slip into each other for maybe ten minutes or something. Then play an instrumental piece and then another block and just join all of these sections together in a flow which will just take people on a, not a linear journey, but a journey of both highs and lows, in textures and dancing, sitting down and closing their eyes, all of that stuff, all in the one show.

The Man Of Two Worlds Tour will reflect the idea of combining instrumentals I have done over the years with songs, album tracks and fan favourites side by side taking the audience on a journey. Songs seamlessly segued together interspersed with various instrumental tracks inviting the audience to close their eyes and drift away or get up and dance; however the music takes them.

I hear that on this tour there will be no amplifiers on stage, is that correct?

Yes, that’s absolutely correct. The reasoning behind that decision is that with no amplifiers on stage, the sound we aspire to achieve is as close to studio quality as possible and that, alongside the visual atmosphere, the lighting and staging creates, makes the perfect environment for this specific tour.

How long will the show last?

To be totally honest with you I am not quite sure yet. The stupid thing about me doing this stuff is that you come up with a concept and you scratch your particular itch about doing it, then you tell people what it is going to be like, then you have to figure out exactly how you do it (laughter). So, even on the last tour, the Catalogue Tour, my poor musicians were still asking right up to the week before rehearsals, what the song list was, and I kept changing it (laughter). It really is a horrible process. So, at this moment in time, I have a selection of songs together with bits of music that I want to play, but that may change between now and when we actually start (laughter).

I have heard that you are about to release your first new studio album in twelve years also called A Man Of Two Worlds. What can you tell me about it?

(Laughter) yes, you are absolutely correct. I’m delighted to announce that my brand-new album, A Man Of Two Worlds, will be released on 8th May. It will be my first album of new material, as you correctly point out, in twelve years. The album has been partly inspired by my lockdown exploration of instrumental music, and it is divided into two distinct halves; World One: is Music, which features eight instrumental pieces whilst World Two: features Songs and consists of eight brand new vocal tracks. And that, I’m afraid, is all that I am going to tell you (laughter). If you want to know more, come to the show (laughter).

When you and I last spoke, you mentioned that you had started listening to Scala Radio, where they play a lot of instrumentals together with movie soundtracks. Is that still that case?

(Laughter) well remembered. Yes, that is still the case and in fact I did a program for Scala Radio called The Space where I got to indulge a little bit, because as you know Scala really is a classical station. However, I wasn’t just playing classical music, but I started playing some of the neo-classical composers from Iceland, Germany, Scandinavia, and whatever. I even instigated slipping in bits of Mick Karn, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck into this big textural ambient, atmospheric music. And yes, I do still do that although the program isn’t quite as wide as I would like it to be but it’s getting there (laughter). I noticed recently that Radio 3 have programs now which do exactly that. They play a variety of different types of filmic, cinematic and ambient music in varies shows and that’s a good thing.

Whenever anyone mentions Ultravox and instrumental tracks, I immediately think of Astradyne which, in my opinion, is a brilliant piece of work.

Thank you. I totally agree with you and there is a distinct possibility that Astradyne might just resurface because a lot of the instrumental things that I have written are quite textural and ambient. However, you can’t have too many of those together or I will be very aware of putting the audience to sleep (laughter). So, the idea of doing the odd instrumental section means that Astradyne just might make a re-appearance somewhere during the evening.

Let’s face it; you opened many a show with Astradyne didn’t you?

I did, yes. Ultravox did, and I have to say that it was a great opener; it was a great way to break the ice with people. It’s dramatic, and it has that wedge effect that I talk about. As you know, it starts with a click and then builds and builds and gets bigger and then finishes the way that it does. It was a great way to segway from that to your first song.

When you are in the studio, do you intentionally set out to write an instrumental piece?

Yes, I recently finished an album of instrumental music, and I started it during lockdown. I just thought ‘okay I am going to indulge myself here’ and I started specifically writing instrumentals. A hell of a lot of people think that an instrumental track is simply a song that you can’t write decent lyrics for (laughter). Let me tell you, it doesn’t work that way (laughter). There are many an Ultravox tune that you could lift the vocals off and do a remix and yes, it’s got something and you could use it as just a piece of music.

Having said that, an instrumental has to have the melody, the countermelody, together with the structure that makes it work without lyrics. So, it is a very different thing, I think, although most of the songs that I write start from the seed of an idea and it starts with an atmosphere, a chord sequence or whatever and then you build a song on that. I write songs in a very different way than most normal songwriters (laughter). I’m not saying that it is any better or any worse, I’m just saying that it’s different. I use all of the tools in the studio to help me create the atmosphere that I need to create the song.

Listening to an instrumental piece of music or reading a book is almost identical because you make it your own. It can take you to wherever you want it to take you. There are no restraints.

It’s the soundtrack isn’t it. I had never thought of that, but I do it a lot. I put music on and then read a book, and I hadn’t actually thought of that. I recently did a talk about a world without music, and what it would be like if you could imagine a world without music. And then you think ‘okay Jaws, can you imagine Jaws without that music’ (laughter). It just wouldn’t work. It’s not nearly as ominous or scary or psycho without those screeching violins.

Music is such an important thing. It is the soundtrack to what it is that you are actually doing. Music, for all of us, is what we have chosen as our particular life playlist; they are the soundtracks to our individual lives. We choose what we hear when we are down, we choose what we hear when we are up, we choose what we hear when you need to escape the reality that you are in at the time, and music is the vehicle for that. So yes, I hadn’t actually thought about sitting down and listening to instrumental music in those terms, but I do it (laughter).

It’s funny that you mention Jaws because someone recently wrote, ‘how do all of these people get eaten by a great white shark, can’t they hear the music (laughter).

(Hysterical laughter) not underwater maybe, I don’t know (laughter).

You will be playing here in Nottingham at the Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 30th May.

That’s right, and I have to tell you that I can’t wait to be back in Nottingham. It really is a remarkable city.

I can remember reading a quote from you saying that whenever you and Ultravox played at the Royal Concert Hall it was one of the best venues acoustically that you had ever played at.

That’s right, it really is a brilliant venue; it’s a beautiful place. We didn’t do it on the last tour for some reason, and I have to say that I missed it. You are at the mercy of other artists when it comes to booking venues and you see it. Whenever you announce a tour there is always someone saying, “hey but you are not playing Scunthorpe” or “you are not coming here” or “you are not going there” (laughter). You have got to understand that these places are not sitting empty waiting on me (laughter). You are dictated as to where you are going to play by who else has booked the venue. So, yes, I am really looking forward to playing the Royal Concert Hall once again. It really is such a lovely place.

The last time that I photographed you here in Nottingham was when you played Rock City.

Yes, that’s right, the last time that we played in Nottingham it was, as you say, at Rock City. Equally brilliant I have to say but in a very different way. There is something about doing standing venues which not all of the audience want I have to say. It really is a divided audience. Half the people can’t stand up for the whole time, and don’t want to so they won’t go to a standing venue, whilst the other half don’t want to sit down because they do want to stand up and dance. In a way I am trying to cover all bases with the forthcoming tour where you are allowed to do both (laughter). You are not dictated to at all, you can choose what you want to do (laughter).

When I first read that this tour would contain some of your instrumental tracks, I started to think what other instrumental tracks springs to mind, and it was Green Onions by Booker T & The M.G.s.

Of course, Green Onions by Booker T, well I will let you into a secret, I won’t be doing that (laughter). To me instrumentals are like everything from The Shadows. I was a guitar player so that was it really, the sound of a guitar, that distant haunting twang all the way through to what you hear coming out of Iceland now. To me, that is all instrumental music, or film soundtracks. As you know I really do love film soundtracks.

Do you have any thoughts on a support as yet or won’t there be one?

To date, I haven’t actually had that discussion. The boys will be there; the Band Electronica guys will be there as they are in the band. They have opened up for me now on a couple of tours, whether they want to or whether it is the right thing to do, or whether we do a longer set ourselves; I’m really not sure. Let’s just say that at this stage it is a decision to be had.

I know that over the past few months you have been bombard with questions about Live Aid which no doubt you have had enough of so all that I will ask you is, are you proud of what you achieved.

Oh God yes. It is not for us to be proud of it; I am proud to have been a part of it. I am proud to have been allowed to be in there and still be in there. It achieved more than Bob (Geldof) and I can answer. You have got to talk to any journalist, you have to talk to the people who survived that famine, you have to talk to people like yourself who went out and bought the record, that’s the achievement. I will probably never meet these people; I will never meet the people who bought the record. It was at a time when the world seemed to care and it all came together at one point to have a unified voice, and that is the achievement. The other achievement is that there are people alive today who wouldn’t have been alive had the audience not gone out and bought that record. That’s the bottom line. So, me still being a part of it is a major achievement really, I suppose.

Taking you back to the 25th March 2024 we sadly lost Christopher Thomas Allen (Chris Cross). I will give you the last word on that Midge if I may.

It was the end. The idea that Ultravox may get back together and play something again, was always dangling, even though Billy (Currie) had always said that he would never do it. I think that there was always a chance that we might have done something. However, with Chris going a little light went out in my life there.

Midge, on that note let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been a pleasure as usual. You take care and I will see you when you get to Nottingham.

As always, it’s been an absolute pleasure Kevin, stay safe and do make sure that you bring your camera (laughter).

Saul Davies, multi instrumentalist with Manchester band, James chats with Kevin Cooper about the effect that Brexit has had on the music industry, plenty of ginger, carrot and broccoli abuse on their live touring rider, their latest album release Nothing But Love…The Definitive Best Of James, and their 2026 Love Is The Answer headline tour.

Saul Davies (seen here third from the right) is a British musician, best known as a member of the rock band James. He is a multi instrumentalist whose primary instruments are the violin, guitar and percussion.

He joined James in 1989 after the bands guitarist, Larry Gott, saw him playing the violin. He was invited to join them in the rehearsal room when he immediately impressed the other band members. The rest they say is history.

Davies ended up remaining with the band throughout the 1990’s and his creative input became more prominent towards the end of the decade.

Following the departure in 2001 of the bands lead singer Tim Booth, the band became inactive. They reformed in 2007, and Davies was confirmed as part of the reformed line-up and was a band member for their reunion tour in April 2007. Since being reunited the band have released a further seven albums making a total of eighteen.

James has earned themselves a reputation as a live act and have built a solid fan base. In 2025 they released Nothing But Love, a three disc career spanning box set.

Whilst busy rehearsing for their headline tour, Saul took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Hi Saul, how are you?

I’m very well, thanks for asking Kevin, but more to the point how are you doing?

Well, I could moan but no one would listen (laughter).

(Laughter) I know that feeling very well believe me (laughter).

Swiftly moving on (laughter) let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

That’s not a problem, it’s cool. Thank you for having me.

I last saw James four years ago now at the Royal Concert Hall here in Nottingham. You and I had a chat before the start of the tour.

That’s right, I remember. It’s always nice whenever we get to play up there in Nottingham; the Royal Concert Hall really is a beautiful and amazing venue. Obviously, this one is going to be a bit different, going into the Arena (laughter).

I will warn you that it can be bloody cold in the Arena (laughter).

Is it really? That’s ridiculous (laughter). How can it be cold in there, don’t they turn the fucking heating on (laughter).

What makes it so cold is that you are actually sitting on top of the ice rink.

Is that what it is?

Half of the audience are virtually sitting on top of the ice.

Perhaps we should do a winter woolly to sell in the merch stand just for a laugh (laughter).

I remember the time that Tim (Booth) took ill just before the show here in Nottingham, and you had to cancel.

That’s right; I actually think that Nottingham is the venue that we have cancelled the most because of illness. Thanks for that, I now have to tell you that I have developed a sense of trepidation, and you are telling me that it is fucking freezing in there as well.

Just to make matters worse, the dressing rooms are actually colder than the Arena (laughter).

Are they? We are old men; we demand fucking heat (laughter).

I told Suggs before Madness came to town and he said, ‘fuck that I’m not coming’ (laughter).

(Laughter) we will definitely turn up, although we will most probably cancel (laughter).

Anyway, down to business and just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

It’s good, yes, and I think that we are all, all the members of the band, are all in a good headspace. We are very much looking forward to what is coming up. We have all taken a bit of a break after a very big year last year. I think by and large last year was viewed by all as a great success. It has been cool to have a bit of a break, but it’s always nice whenever we are all back together.

Now a little bird tells me that you are about to start writing for a new studio album. Is that right?

Just who the fuck have you been speaking to (laughter). Yes, you are quite correct; four of us are getting ready to start writing what will be the final writing session which I suspect will be our new studio album.

And you have had some good news this week, haven’t you?

Yes, we have, we really have. This week, our latest single has been given the lofty status of being Radio 2’s record of the week and was put onto their A-List. We really do have some good stuff coming up. We are playing Radio 2’s Piano Room together with a few acoustic things to do so we are busy; we are starting up once again. It was a hugely gratifying year last year, which I feel has given the band the momentum as we head into 2026. It won’t just be this year; there will also be things happening next year in 2027.

So, everything is good, I feel that we are all in good form with each other, and I don’t sense that there is any disaster waiting just around the corner. It has often been the case that when our band has had good moments, publicly good moments, when we go out into the half-light of the world, in order to see if anyone likes us, when things have been going well in that way, we tend to mess it up in one way or another (laughter). However, this time I am not feeling like we are as vulnerable as we have been in the past. Having said that, something awful will most probably happen this afternoon (laughter).

Just remember to try and avoid hyperthermia when you get to the Motorpoint Arena here in Nottingham (laughter).

(Laughter) fuck that, I’m bringing some fingerless gloves with me.

We are going to talk about the forthcoming tour but first, can I take you back to the 12thof April 2024 and the release of your eighteenth studio album Yummy?

Yes, of course you can, let’s go for it.

Were you pleased with the fan’s reaction to the album?

Yes, I was, very much so. We all know don’t we, those of us who work within the music industry, one way or another, you don’t have to sell the number of records that you did back in the day in order to get to number one. Nevertheless, we got a number one album which I personally feel is remarkable. It is a testament to the record; it is a good record, and it’s testament I think to the relationship that we have with our fans as well, I think. Also, I have to say as well, we have now got good people around us who help us. It’s not very sexy, it’s not very interesting to talk about that stuff but it is actually true.

With regard to that, I understand that you have had a change of management recently.

(Laughter) just who is that ‘little bird’ that you have been speaking to (laughter). Yes, that’s perfectly correct. Our label On Going really is super supportive of what we do. They allow us a totally free range and allow us to do whatever we want in the studio which is amazing. That is exactly how it should be. These people are proper music people; in fact, we are surrounded by really good music people and that is really important. It is slightly old school in some ways but that is what we need, as we are an old school band in many ways.

We are in some ways but Yummy doesn’t sound like it simply because whenever we are in the studio we are not but whenever we play live, we really are a throwback. We get up there, we make a fucking racket, half of it is improvised, we put smiles on people’s faces, they buy a t-shirt or they don’t, and they go home (laughter). It’s really dead simple. But the record, the record could be anything in a sense; I mean where do you end up? You have got a bag of tunes that you have written, and where they might end up is anybody’s guess. Having said all of that I feel that Yummy is a good one, I like it.

You have mentioned that you are writing for a new studio album. Do you have a release date as yet?

Oh, I don’t know yet, we have got to make it (laughter). What I will say is that we will get some recording time this year, but I expect that the album will be released sometime next year. We have a documentary coming out on Netflix later on in the year so as I said earlier, there really is a lot going on which generally sheds a really good light on the band. I think that we as a band have changed quite a lot, over the last four or five years. The girls came and joined us a little before that, both Debbie (Knox-Hewson) and Chloë (Alper) in their own brilliant ways found a way to really add to what it is that we are doing. We really have changed a lot.

We, as a collective, have never suffered from a lack of confidence; it is almost like there is a joy that we share with each other whenever we go on stage. We actually and genuinely look forward to it now. People often ask me, “do you ever get nervous” and a little bit shamefully I say, “no” because I really do like it (laughter). As I alluded to a little earlier anything can come along at any point and deflect people away from what it is that they want to do. We lost a hell of a lot of stuff that we were doing, and we had to pick it up and do it all over again, and fortunately we have been in a position to reschedule everything again.

Just going into December, the whole band got sick, and that’s no joke as you get older. Just when you think that everything is swimmingly beautiful, is often the time that things will go array (laughter). I think that the tendency we have got for courting disaster, is certainly offset a little bit I think nowadays by the fact that we are very tight with each other. Also, we all share a very heathy vision and collective vision of just what we think that James is at the moment. In a sense we always have but at the moment I think I sense a very strong adherence to what we think James is because we are a band of principles in some ways as well.

Without wanting to speak high and mighty about that, music does come along with a message sometimes, and we are all very committed to that. We are also very committed to some core principles upon which we base our music; don’t over rehearse, keep things fresh, enjoy the mistakes, don’t get freaked out when things go wrong, the best part of a night will happen surely just after everything is a disaster (laughter). What you have to remember is that James really is an authentic band.

Coming up to date, Nothing But Love…The Definitive Best Of James, I have got the three CD version which equals fifty-eight tracks. Just how long did it take you to whittle them down until you reached those fifty-eight tracks?

Oh God there were a lot of arguments I can tell you (laughter). It is a really nice collection of stuff, and I think that for anyone who comes to James new, fresh through Yummy and thinks, ‘oh I’m going to look further into James’ then Nothing But Love really is a great introduction. I think that the way it is presented is beautiful, especially the vinyl, that really is a great thing for people to have. I have to tell you that it was a really expensive thing for us to put together, so it is not without cost, which is an absolute shame but that’s the way it is.

It’s definitive in the sense that we have done it, but it can’t be definitive simply because we are still making new music and I think that there are some significant catalogue songs that didn’t make it on there (laughter). I feel that this collection is a really good addition to our catalogue of albums that we have released, and I have to say that I think that the artwork is especially appealing. It looks really fresh to me and the music really does sound good. You have got a span there of almost forty-five years of music, and it sounds bloody good even the earlier stuff.

I think that there is a lot of value in the fact that this collection exists. Of course, it ends up taking the form of a greatest hits collection. There are a lot of songs on there that everybody knows; singles and stuff, but I don’t think that there is any shame in that either. I feel that it appeals to the kind of people who buy these kind of records thinking, ‘oh yes, that will be cool as I will get everything in the one place’ but you have to remember the people who have been with us for a generation or two (laughter), those big songs have in a lot of cases marked big moments in those people’s lives and because of that, those songs become hugely important to people and I personally think that is a very important and remarkable thing to be involved in.

Taking on board the ever-increasing back catalogue of work that you have at your disposal, just how difficult is it for you to put a setlist together for the forthcoming tour?

I have to be totally honest with you and say that it is honestly really difficult. You have a lot of competing ideas on that very subject but, at the end of the day the shows that we will be playing in April, Doves will be on stage for an hour and then we will be playing for two hours which for us is a really good amount of time. So, we, the band members who are involved with making the setlist should be able to find a really nice balance between what we think that people want to hear and what we think we should play and I think that is okay. Every night we change things around a little bit, night by night, so throughout a tour we will get to play pretty much everything that we have rehearsed and a few other things (laughter).

We also like to try out new things at the soundcheck as we move along throughout the tour. I think that one of the things that we, as a band were all reminded of was at the back end of last year in September and October, we did a tour of America and we were the only band on stage, and as such we played two sets; we played our 1993 album Laid interspersed with a few other tracks so we were actually onstage a very long time (laughter). And I have to say that I felt that it showed us at our very best. The longer that we got to play, the more we were able to gel as a band, which was great. The problem with playing festivals, which we often do, is that we find it limiting because we never get to play a full set. So, this tour in April, for me is a good one. We have given ourselves two hours to play and I personally feel that we should be able to play a pretty good set in that time.

You have mentioned the forthcoming tour, Love Is The Answer; are you looking forward to being back out on the road?

Yes, I am, massively. I am genuinely happy with the choice of venues that we have chosen to play, what is especially gratifying to me personally is the fact that we haven’t played Nottingham for a while, so we are going to be putting on a big show up there in Nottingham. So that will be great that we are going to be doing that. It is very seldom on a UK tour that we get to play Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds together. However, on this tour we are going to play all of those three cities which is hugely gratifying to me. I really do love playing in Liverpool and it often loses out a little bit as we are going to be playing Manchester, and if we are playing Manchester then we have to play Leeds (laughter) so I think that for us to play all three cities really is great. So, in answer to your question, I truly am buzzing to get back out there.

I understand that due to demand, you have increased the size of your VIP meet and greet?

I would love to know where you are getting your information from (laughter). Yes, that’s right, we are. As you know we do the VIP soundcheck things, and this time we’ve decided that seeing as there is a lot more demand for that which far outweighs the amount of tickets that we had put up for sale, usually somewhere between 80 and 100 tickets depending on the size of the venue. However this time we thought ‘fuck it, a lot of people actually want to go’ so we have increased that side of things. For a lot of us that really is our favourite part of the day where we get to play in front of, it might be 100 people, it might be 200 people, whatever it is we actually play three songs, songs which might be in the set, songs that might not be in the set (laughter).

Also, it’s great to speak to people as well, because people bring along with them some most unbelievable stories. We will do a Q&A and get to chat to people. It is quite remarkable some of the things that people tell you, and they are happy to tell you in front of their fellow fans. It was at one of these events that I became aware of a very powerful James community. They support one another in their love of James which I find really cool. The most significant part of that part of the day is that it gets us ready for the gig having properly played three songs, in an Arena, with a light show.

Okay, there is nobody there but there are enough people there to ensure that the energy level within the Arena goes up significantly and there is an adrenalin buzz and it is one of the things that guarantees that when we actually hit the stage at 9 o’clock or whatever it is, it guarantees that we are all up for it. It means that we are all involved in a long day but what a privilege it is for us to be able to do it. That genuinely is how I feel about it.

Do you still get a buzz out of touring or has it now become a necessary evil?

No, not at all, I love it, I really love it. Personally, I don’t like travelling on the tour bus; I really don’t sleep very well on a tour bus. I like to have some time away from everybody. I think that we are all better served like that; 24 hours being with each other is insane (laughter). For me that really is too abnormal. I like getting off stage, having a salad and jumping into my car and driving halfway to the next gig. I usually find myself in a small hotel in the middle of nowhereand go for a run in the morning, that’s what I tend to do (laughter).

I will go for a run first thing in the morning, get into my car and drive the remaining hour or two to the venue for the next gig. That’s my day and I love it. I genuinely feel like some weird travelling salesman, but I love it (laughter). What a job to do. When you are a kid and someone says to you, “what do you want to be when you grow up” and you reply, “a racing car driver” No one ever says that they want to work on the bins do they (laughter).

On the subject of bins, didn’t you recently have what we will call an encounter with one of your bins?

(Laughter) just where the hell are you getting your information from (laughter). I recently leant over my bin a little too far and I actually found myself falling into my bin outside my house up here in the North of Scotland. (laughter). I actually managed to crack a couple of ribs. I am sharing that snippet to the world through you as an admission of old fartism (laughter). However, all was not in vain as I did actually manage to get the last bag out of the bin.

Going back to the original point I was trying to make, whenever someone asked you, “what do you want to be when you grow up” whenever you replied, “I want to be a pop star” or “I want to be a musician” then what you found was that people would beat that idiocy out of you by telling you that you should “get yourself a proper job, you can’t do that” but we all made it (laughter).

Do you ever get the opportunity to have a walk around the cities that you are playing in or is it a case of arrive, soundcheck, gig, onto the next venue and repeat, arrive, soundcheck, gig, onto the next venue?

As you can imagine, that literally depends upon our schedule. There are times when we have been somewhere for a couple of days, in fact on the forthcoming tour I believe that we are staying in a couple of places for three days, so that then gives you the opportunity to get to see the city. When my Achilles is not hurting, I do love to run, and there are times when I will run through a city and I get to know somewhere a little better.

It’s quite funny when I go for a run before a gig and I have to run back to the venue and there is hundreds of James fans parked outside (laughter). Someone will always see me and shout out, “hey up, how are you doing” and I think, ‘oh Christ’ (laughter). I usually shout out, “come on everybody let’s all go for a run together” and that seems to calm everybody down (laughter).

If music hadn’t have worked out for you, did you have a Plan B?

(Laughter) yes, I did and I was going to be a very bad comedian.

And just how far did you look into that?

Not too far as I also had that beaten out of me (laughter). I soon got fed up hearing, ‘you’re just not funny’ and seeing the same message written on all of my birthday cards (laughter). That was quite funny actually. Here’s the thing, you are not supposed to laugh at your own jokes. I often say to people, “at least it’s better than nothing”. I really don’t know; I went to university, I did all that, stupidly, like most people did forty odd years ago, but it didn’t get me anywhere did it (laughter). I went to uni and studied law when I thought that I was going to be a lawyer and change the world but once again, that was beaten out of me (laughter).

I should have said that was beaten out of me via boredom (laughter). Actually, I did do a degree in Archaeology and Ancient History at Manchester University where I did manage to achieve a joint honours degree. Maybe that’s the long-lost skill that I bought to the table when we wrote some of the songs in the early days of James (laughter). I really don’t know as when you are young you just fall into stuff don’t you unless you have an unbelievable talent or passion for something. I have always had a talent for music. I have always loved music; it is the one thing that I always did alongside everything else that I did in life.

Having said that, I never thought for a second it was something that I would do that would actually pay the bills and take me around the world; I had no idea. I never thought, like the boys in Oasis, that I was going to be the best thing since sliced bread. They became the biggest band in the world whilst sounding like somebody else (laughter). They are amazing aren’t they? I never suffered from that kind of arrogance; I am using the word arrogance in a good way here, it is a powerful motivator. To return to your original question I would most probably have ended up doing God knows, something really boring no doubt like a teacher (laughter).

I have to tell you that I first became aware of James way back in 1985 when they opened for The Smiths on their Meat Is Murder Tour.

Really, wow, I suppose that a lot of people would have done. That really was a very significant tour. I joined the band as you know in 1989 so unfortunately; I missed that tour as I wasn’t around. For me, it was nice in 2024 when James toured with Johnny Marr across America and it was interesting to hear him talk about ‘what that lot were like’ (laughter). Sadly Gavan (Whelan) the drummer is no longer with us, and James (Lawrence “Larry” Gott) left some while ago now.

Obviously Jim (Glennie) and Tim (Booth) are still with us, very much so, and it was interesting thinking about the fact that back in 1985 ‘that lot’ had been together for a while even then. It’s quite remarkable really. I personally feel that opening for The Smiths back then did our band a huge service. Morrissey and Johnny had simply come across James and thought that it was marvellous. I honestly believe that both Johnny and Morrissey were on personal missions to take James out to the world. Can you remember which venue you saw them at?

It was at the Royal Concert Hall here in Nottingham.

Wow, that’s amazing. Do you remember what it was like; do you have a lasting memory of the gig?

It was extremely loud and Johnny’s guitar playing was on point (laughter). Speaking to people after the gig everyone said the same thing, James should have been headlining.

Wow, no! What you have to remember is that at that time The Smiths were at the absolute height of their powers then. If people were saying that after the gig, then that really is amazing.

I have been told that you came across James in rather strange circumstances, is that correct?

(Laughter) I will have to find out who it is that you have been speaking to (laughter). Yes, that is perfectly correct and a rather funny story. The first time that I saw James was at Trafford Park in Manchester. Back in 1986 I could hear music in the distance and I thought, ‘what’s going on’ so I clambered over the fence, walked across the park, and I saw these eight loons playing and it turned out that it was James. I managed to catch about half of the set and I thought to myself, ‘well that was interesting’ and three years later I was in the fucking band (laughter).

At that time I really was literally a poverty stricken student and I remember very clearly and I do quite often joke with the rest of the band about this. I realised that if I picked up all of the bottles that were on the grass, whilst Simply Red were headlining, opening their set with Money’s Too Tight (To Mention) and also finishing the set with Money’s Too Tight (To Mention) which strengthens your earlier point about bands not having enough material of their own and they have to do a few covers. As you know that isn’t a Simply Red song it’s a cover of The Valentine Brothers (hysterical laughter). I went back to my flat and got a handful of black plastic bags. I filled these with empty bottles, took them to the corner shop, and got all of the money back (laughter).

And just how did your very first meeting with James work out?

I finally got to meet them in late February 1989 but at the point I didn’t realise that it was them whom I had seen back in 1986 (laughter). It eventually dawned on me and I said, “hang on a minute, I have seen you nutters before back in 1986 at Trafford Park” (laughter). Meeting them was so idiosyncratic and so very different from anything else, it really was very weird (laughter). They had just come out of a cult, they had all been involved in a cult, the whole thing really was mad. What attracted me to them was their total abandonment and desire to be creative and just do stuff really was remarkable. That’s why they wanted me to join them, because I was a fellow traveller down that particular road doing that.

Whenever we talk about the music business we automatically think about Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll so I have to ask, what is currently on your live rider?

Not a lot (laughter). We have finally managed to get rid of the chocolate cake, which was put there by my ex-wife about 25 years ago so let’s get rid of that (laughter). We also managed to get rid of Bombay Mix. I have absolutely no idea who demanded that, but it has finally gone; it’s like eating landfill (laughter). You could use Bombay Mix to fill the holes in the road, what else is it used for? Surely nobody eats that stuff do they, if they do, they must be mad (laughter).

We no longer have any booze on our rider; we have a dry backstage really. There is no alcohol back there. There is a hell of a lot of ginger, carrot and broccoli abuse (laughter). We really are a healthy bunch, and to be honest with you there isn’t really any Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll anymore. You have to remember that we are all far too old now (laughter). Well, there are certainly no Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll as far as I am concerned (laughter).

As a touring band, just how has Brexit affected you?

It really is not good at all, no, no. Brexit makes things much more difficult, it makes things much more expensive, and also it flies in the face of what the artistic community has always done, to communicate as a global entity, a live music industry. You will have noticed, no doubt, that the number of American artists coming over to the UK is now ever diminishing and that is purely down to the increase in costs since Brexit. It is all down to the cost rather than the practicality of making it happen. To be totally blunt with you, Brexit is a balls up.

On that note Saul let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me, it’s been enlightening. I will see you at the Motorpoint Arena here in Nottingham on Tuesday 14th April as I will be photographing and review the show.

Shit, I’d better have a shave then (laughter). It’s been really nice speaking to you again Kevin. Let’s see if we can grab a moment before the gig in Nottingham.

That would be fantastic and don’t forget to bring a woolly cardigan with you (laughter).

Fuck that I am going to buy a pair of fingerless gloves or better still a heater (laughter). See you in Nottingham and thanks for all of your help.

James Walsh, vocalist, singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist and front man of the band Starsailor chats with Kevin Cooper about the bands 25th anniversary, supporting U2 at the Stade de France Paris, their latest album Where The Wild Things Grow and their 2025 headline UK tour.

James Walsh is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist and front man of the band Starsailor, named after the title of Tim Buckley’s album.

Starsailor are an English post Britpop band formed in 2000. The band comprises Walsh, drummer Ben Byrne, bassist James Stelfox and keyboard player Barry Westhead. They have released six studio albums and have achieved ten top forty singles in the UK.

After the release of their fourth album, All The Plans in 2009, the band entered into an extended hiatus until 2014, during which time the members were involved in individual projects. Announcing their reunion in May 2014 by performing a worldwide tour and releasing a fifth studio album, All This Life in 2017 followed by Where The Wild Things Grow in 2024.

In 2009 Walsh started recording his first solo album working with Suzanne Vega. His first solo EP, Live At The Top Of The World, was released in 2010. His debut album, Lullaby was released in September 2012.

Whilst busy preparing for Starsailor’s headline tour, James Walsh took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

James good morning, how are you?

Not too bad thanks, how are you today Kevin?

I’m good thanks and before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

That’s alright.

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

(Laughter) not too bad thanks. We have just recently had a new baby, so we are having lots of joy together with sleepless nights (laughter).

Congratulations.

Thank you.

We have got a hell of a lot to talk about, so if I may, let’s start off with March 2024 and the album release of Where The Wild Things Grow. I have to say that I love it.

Thank you very much.

Were you happy with the fan’s reaction to the album?

Yes, I was, absolutely. The longer that you go on, then the more beloved the older albums become. On the other hand, it also becomes a damn sight harder to put something new out into the world and get a good reaction. We all put a lot of work into that album; we put a lot of work into getting the balance right. We like to keep things fresh, trying out new ideas, so we weren’t just rehashing old ideas. We were also trying to maintain the elements which made people get into the band in the first place, and I really do feel that we managed to get that balance right.

How would you describe the album to me?

(Laughter) why not ask me something difficult. The best way that I would describe the album is that it is an album of extremes. There are heavier moments like Into The Wild which ranks amongst some of the heavier stuff that we have done. Then there are the lighter moments like Hard Love and Hanging In The Balance, which are amongst the most delicate stuff that we have ever done.

At the time, a lot of your fans were saying that it was some of your best work to date. Would you agree with that?

Yes, I would, absolutely. I think that all you can do really is that whenever you record something new, is to try and do your best to make it better than the last thing that you recorded. You just have to keep moving forward. Whenever the fans are saying things like that it really is flattering and encouraging knowing that the album went down so well with the fans.

I currently have three go to tracks which are, After The Rain, Hard Love and the title track Where The Wild Things Grow. I personally feel that those three tracks are fantastic.

Thank you so much, thank you. I have to say that I really do love After The Rain, I really do love playing that song. I have to tell you that it was a joy to write as well. Songs don’t always come so easy but that one was one of those that just flowed and as I said, it really is so much fun to play.

Would you say that After The Rain is your personal favourite track on the album?

Yes, I think so.

You have mentioned writing, where does the inspiration come from?

That really is a good question. I have recently been doing some solo gigs and one of the songs that I put out recently was based on a photograph by Bruce Davidson, of Coney Island, New York, and whenever I introduce it to the audience I always say that after twenty-five years of my own emotional turmoil and experiences, you sometimes have to look outwardly and find other things that inspire you to write. So being totally honest with you I would have to say that it is still seventy percent things that I am feeling or things that have happened in my personal life whilst the other thirty percent comes to me after I have seen a film, after I have read a book or as I have said, after I have looked at a photograph.

Whenever you are writing for Starsailor or your solo work, does it require a different headspace?

That really is a great question. I would have to say, yes, a little bit. I have to say that it is impossible not to have the other band members in my head and wondering what they are going to make of this idea, or this song. I often try to second-guess if they are going to tell me that I need to write another verse here or do I need to revisit the middle eight (laughter). It really is quite a different experience but equally enjoyable. My solo stuff can be a bit more of an introspective singer-songwriter kind of experience. I can let the ideas, words and the melodies flow.

I have to say that perhaps there is a little more word craft involved whenever I am writing for me when compared to the band songs. With the band you have to try to make sure that everyone is able to express themselves in the song, and that the writing process is a collaboration between the four of us rather than something that I have created and totally envisaged, and the other three members are just filling in the gaps. I think that with the band it is more a case of all four of us all playing an equal part into just how the finished product end up and not simply an idea that I came up with.

Coming up to date, on the 3rd October you released Starsailor with Strings: Live from Liverpool. Whose idea was it to record a live album with the addition of strings?

(Laughter) I would have to hold my hands up and say that it was something that me and James (Stelfox) the bass player in Starsailor are guilty of (laughter). First of all, we both thought that we have played so many anniversary gigs, released a number of compilation albums, with this year being our 25th anniversary we decided that we were going to have to do something special. It was after the gig in Manchester with Joe Duddlle for the Trussell Trust and we were really impressed with how quickly he was able to put together these string arrangements for five or six different acts, of which we were one.

It really was a great line-up. We immediately thought, ‘that’s the guy to work on this idea’ and luckily, he was up for it as well. Joe really is so easy to work with, he is a really nice guy, and it was so exciting to do it at The Tung Auditorium, Liverpool’s state of the art concert hall especially with its connection to Yoko Ono and the late John Lennon which really was the icing on the cake.

Did any songs not work with the strings?

Not really, though I think it’s more a case of some songs worked better than others. Every song worked to some degree, and then some songs were absolutely made to be for strings. The arrangements wrote themselves and then songs like Alcoholic, Poor Misguided Fool and Way To Fall were probably the easiest ones for us to do, and the easiest ones that Joe latched onto. Maybe songs like Lullaby and Tell Me It’s Not Over needed a little more work, but they too ended up sounding great in the end.

Is it something that you might go back to?

Yes, it is, in fact we are already thinking of doing a few more shows like that next year. We are just trying to make sure that they work budget wise (laughter). It is obviously something that if budget was no question, then yes, we would do a full theatre tour with the strings. I just love the sound of strings playing together. I think it lends itself well to our music which is quite lyrical and emotional. So, in answer to the question yes it really is something that I would obviously be interested in doing again.

That was obviously a project where things came afterwards; the songs were already there and the strings came afterwards. It could be interesting to involve a string arranger at a much earlier stage when a song is in its infancy, and maybe if it was right for the song we could perhaps bring the strings in earlier, even before the band. Again, trying to keep everything fresh, seeing things in a different kind of way and see just what comes out of it.

That could lead you down a totally different path, couldn’t it?

Yes, it could, absolutely (laughter).

Martin Fry of ABC fame has now been living off the string arrangements for their album The Lexicon Of Love now for over ten years (laughter).

(Laughter) excellent. Maybe he has got some advice for us on just how to make it work on a tight budget. Or maybe he manages to sell enough tickets at larger venues (laughter).

You briefly mentioned that 2025 is your 25th anniversary, can you believe it?

No, not really. Obviously and even more scarily the last 25 years have simply flown by. I feel like a lot of people, that the time that we lost to lockdown messed with everyone’s idea of time. I feel that has added to it, and I find that it feels slightly surreal.

If someone had told you 25 years ago that you would still be writing and recording today, what would you have said to them?

(Laughter) to be totally honest with you I’m not sure. It is great that 25 years on we are still attracting people who are still interested enough in our music for us to keep creating and recording, something which I personally am incredibly grateful for. For me, playing live is our bread and butter. To be totally honest with you I would find myself in a bit if a panic if I wasn’t able to do it. I simply do not have the capacity to do a different job, and this is something that I chose to do. I think that I would really struggle with life if I wasn’t able to do what I do. If I couldn’t get up on stage and do the occasional gig, I don’t think that I would cut it in an office, a factory or wherever it may be. Obviously, I feel incredibly grateful that we have had so much success doing it, but I do feel on a fundamental level that being a musician and a songwriter actually manages to pay the bills (laughter).

What would you attribute to the longevity of the band?

This is going to sound so cheesy, but I really do feel that it is down to our friendship and the understanding of each other’s roles within the band. We also all totally understand each other’s sensitives and moods. I think that the balance between the band life, career, your home life, and your family are so important as well. There are also moments in life where that path has to take priority when you have got a new baby or whenever someone is going through a happy period, getting married for instance, or someone is going through a bad phase like getting a divorce, things like that.

Having the ability to say to someone, “you take all of the time that you need in order to focus on that” just so long as someone keeps the cogs moving, is answering all of the emails and carries on having all of those ideas whist someone has got something else going on (laughter). Over the past 25 years there has been enough time for everyone to play together, be focused together, and I have to say that things have worked out really well. That level of understanding is, in my opinion, really important. It is when people start accusing other members of the band of not pulling their weight that the cracks begin to appear.

Do you still enjoy touring?

Yes, I do, most definitely. I have to say that we had an amazing time there in Nottingham, when we played at the Splendour Festival this year. Also, the gig in Liverpool was very special to us. For me, if anything, touring just gets better and better. There isn’t a machine behind us anymore, whereas when we first started out it was amazing, but we also had this big label pushing us into people’s faces (laughter). Don’t get me wrong, we all are incredibly grateful for that, because it was that which set us off on this path. Whereas, I feel like now, the people who are still coming to the gigs and have made the effort, especially when everyone’s lives has so much more going on, so the fact that people are still making the effort we are all incredibly grateful for.

You will be back here in Nottingham on Thursday 20th November playing Rock City. I have to ask, just what makes Rock City a must play venue?

Let’s see (laughter). Right, firstly it’s the history of the place. They have an amazing sound system up there, and I love the layout of the venue. Nottingham is just a great city. We have done quite a number of gigs over the years with Tony (Foster) guitarist with Spiritualized who I have to say is a bit of a local legend up there in Nottingham. And I have to say that Tony has joined us on quite a few gigs. We have used his studio in order to rehearse, so we really have spent a lot of time in Nottingham through that, and we have got to know a lot of the people up there and we really do always enjoy coming back to the city. It really is a community focused place.

Am I correct in saying that Ed Harcourt will be opening for you?

Ed is another good friend of ours, as well as being an amazing musician. So yes, Ed will be joining us in Nottingham.

Are you always writing or do you set aside a specific timeslot?

(Laughter) a bit of both really. My elder daughter has just started school so I have got from 9am to 3pm when I can concentrate on the writing. I have some duties to carry out with the newborn as well (laughter), so, as you can see; I have a bit of time in which to do it (laughter). Occasionally, in the evening, I will pick up the guitar, and find a nice few chord sequences, melodies and things.

You mentioned earlier the number of albums that you have released, with an ever growing back catalogue, just how hard is it for you to put a set list together for the tour?

Good question and I have to say that it is becoming really difficult. I think particularly because we have enjoyed the success plus, we have got a real mix of fans. Quite a lot of our fans really are hardcore, and they really do know ever word to every song on every album. Having said that, whenever you play slightly larger venues, you know that there are a lot of people there who know Alcoholic or know The Love Is Here albums and they don’t really know much beyond that. So, we have to try to cater for all of those different types of people. Generally, we have always thought, ‘well the vast majority are going to know us from our last two albums so we will focus on that but then we must make sure that we don’t leave out the hardcore fans with a nod to the deep cuts and other albums’.

Putting you firmly on the spot, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

That’s a good question. I can see why you leave it until later on in the interview (laughter). I think that it would have to be the moment when everything colourist into one magical moment and that was when we were supporting U2 at the Stade de France in Paris and at the same time our album Four To The Floor was number one in the charts in France. I think that as far as a magical, stars aligned sort of moment it really is hard to top that.

From a personal point of view, just how disappointed were you when you were trying to work with the late Phil Spector?

To be honest the first sessions that we did with him didn’t go too badly. We actually managed to get Silence Is Easy and White Dove out of those sessions. But then when we tried to continue working with Phil it definitely felt like something wasn’t quite right. He was very hard to communicate with, he started wearing different wigs every day, he appeared to be heavily medicated, and you just knew that something wasn’t quite right. Obviously, what happened with that poor woman getting murdered put a very dark cloud over everything.

What was the first record that you bought?

That was Parklife by Blur.

Who did you first see performing live?

That was the Boo Radleys.

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

That was the last track on Double Infinity which is the new Big Thief album and the track is called How Could I have Known.

What is currently on your live rider?

(Hysterical laughter) it’s pretty boring to be honest with you. Don’t laugh but the most unusual thing on there is my love of liquorish (laughter). I really am a big fan of liquorish, not so much liquorish all sorts, but the proper black kind. I love it when we play in Holland and Belgium because liquorish is absolutely everywhere, the proper black, natural liquorish (laughter). Other than that it’s the usual suspects, I quite like pale ales and IPA ale, then for the rest of the band its lager, gin, crisps, sandwiches, all the stuff that you would expect really (laughter).

On that note James let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been a delight.

No problem Kevin, nice chatting with you. You take care and I will see you up there in Nottingham. Bye for now.

Lauri Johannes Ylonen, (seen here at the front), a singer song writer, best known as being the co-founder and front man of The Rasmus, chats with Kevin Cooper about recently playing a show in the Ukraine, playing dates with Metallica, their latest album Weirdo and their 2025 UK Tour.

Lauri Johannes Ylonen is a Finnish singer songwriter, best known as being the co-founder and front man of the Finnish alternative rock band, The Rasmus.

He initiated the project of The Rasmus in 1994 whilst still at school, along with bass player Eero Heinonen, guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi and drummer Jarno Lahti who was later replaced by Janne Heiskanen who passed away in 2022.

Playing songs in the style of rock and funk, Ylonen became the lead singer, composer and song writer of the band. In 1998 after having released three albums Heiskanen was replaced by Aki Hakala. And when Rantasalmi left the band he was replaced by guitarist Emilia ‘Emppu’ Suhonen in 2022.

Best known for their 2003 hit single In The Shadows, the band has sold over five million albums worldwide and 350,000 albums in Finland alone and has also won numerous awards, both domestic and international. The band represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song Jezebel.

In 2011 Ylonen released his solo album, New World but The Rasmus have released eleven studio albums with the last, Weirdo being released in 2025, and whilst busy promoting that album, Lauri Johannes Ylonen took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Lauri good afternoon.

Hi Kevin, so finally we get to speak with one another (laughter). How are you keeping today?

I’m very well thank you and I have to say that it is good to finally get to speak to you. How are you today?

I’m good thanks. I am currently in Finland back in my home so yes, I am feeling very good.

Well before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

Of course, it’s my pleasure.

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

Life at the moment is good. Obviously, we have recently released our new album Weirdo, so as you can imagine this is a very busy time for us. I am currently doing interviews all day every day (laughter) but yes, life is good. We are all excited about the forthcoming tour where we will be going to some very cool places including Nottingham right (laughter).

Indeed you will, indeed you will (laughter). However, we really must speak about the album, Weirdo, and I have to say that I have been playing it now for a few days and I think that it’s fantastic.

Wow, thank you.

Are you happy with it?

Yes, I am, I am very happy. In fact, I have to say that it is far better than I was expecting it to be. I was happy with the songs as they were written, which is for me the most important. We really did spend the time making sure that they were just right. Having said that, when it came to the production of the album, we felt that in a couple of places the whole thing felt a bit flat, so we did them over and over until we were all satisfied with the end product. So yes, I was really happy with the songs, but most of all I was really happy with the chemistry within the band.

You mention the chemistry between the band, but I have to say that it’s not always been like that has it?

(Laughter) no, that’s absolutely correct but this time, there really was a perfect balance between all of us. As a band and as a group we are all really feeling great which is fantastic because we haven’t always felt like that. It used to feel like an old relationship that had run dry, especially when Pauli Rantasalmi left the band back in 2022. At that time, we realised just how many issues we had and felt that it was time to move on with our lives. Emilia “Emppu” Suhonen joined shortly after Paul left, and this is the first album that we had worked on together with her from the very beginning. It’s great to have her energy together with her attitude and her skills on the album.

Putting you firmly on the spot, just who is the Weirdo?

Am I a weirdo, yes damn right I am (laughter). Just Google the name and you will see (laughter). Every picture of me is weird in some way so it’s a good way to check if you are a weirdo or not (laughter). I have always thought of myself as being a weirdo. I enjoy it and it is a great way for me to express myself and my feelings. Being a weirdo is an invitation for people like me to recognise me, to come to me and to find me especially back when I was a teenager. Back then there was no social media so, for me, it was very important how you looked and what you put on when you went to school, what band t-shirt did you put on, that kind of thing.

It also included other things like how you wore your hair, your make up, and all of the stuff like that. It’s all about expressing yourself and I have always been very brave doing that when it came to expressing myself even when I was called a weirdo or whatever, and so were my friends. There weren’t that many people like me but yes, there were a few; enough for me to have a good childhood and it was those people who eventually formed The Rasmus when we were just 15 years old. And I have to say that for me to still be doing this with my best friends after all of these years really is quite something. We want to bring back the word weirdo, after all of these years, but in a positive way, not a negative way. I actually am quite proud of being a weirdo (laughter).

Well, I have to say that at this moment in time I have four go to tracks, they are Dead Ringer, Weirdo, Banksy and Love Is A Bitch. I think that those four songs are absolutely fantastic.

That’s great, thank you. It must mean that we are doing something correctly (laughter).

Do you have a favourite track on the album?

Yes, I do. You can always tell which of the songs both the fans and the audience appreciate in that moment when you play a song live for the very first time. I have to say that I felt a lot of warmth and thanks coming from the audience when we performed a song called Break These Chains. That song itself is very typical of the Rasmus sound, but I think that we have updated that to today’s modern sound in the fact that it has energy and to me, it sounds really solid. Having said all of that we haven’t played all of the songs as yet, so there is a good chance that I may change my mind (laughter). Obviously, I like all of them, and I look at different songs differently.

I’m told that there is a particular song on the album that is very personal and very special to you. Is that correct?

(Laughter) just who have you been speaking to. Yes, you are quite correct in what you say. There is a song on the album, in fact it is the last song on the album, which is called I’m Coming For You. I wrote it for my teenage son. I wanted to tell him that perhaps I haven’t been the best parent, or at least not a perfect one, and I really do find these things really difficult to say to him, so I wrote the song. For me, it is hard for me to say these things to him. However, writing a song about it, I was able to say the things which I needed to say. That song really does feel personal to me and it’s out there.

From writing to recording, how long has it taken you to put the album together?

I would have to say that it has taken us maybe two years. These things always take time (laughter). Please don’t get me wrong, we have had the album almost ready for the past year; it’s crazy. We are very fortunate in the fact that we had so many countries releasing the album at the same time, so as you can imagine, it takes an awful lot of time to set these things up. That’s why I have already moved onto the next album (laughter). As you have most probably guessed, I am a very impatient person (laughter). Every time that we drop an album I am closing an era or a chapter of my life, and releasing the album is a good end, like a period. That was that time, and now I’m over it, so I am moving onto the next one.

I understand that it wasn’t all work and no play (laughter).

(Laughter) I really do have to find out just who you have been speaking to. That’s right, we actually wrote the song over in Greece, on a very small, beautiful, very quiet island called Folegandros. That has become a place where we go quite often. Every June it is time for us to go there and write songs. It has become a sort of tradition for us now. I don’t think that it has anything to do with our music, it just happens to be a quiet, nice place where we can go, concentrate and write new songs whilst getting away from everyday life.

Warm sun, clear skies, blue ocean and Ouzo a plenty, it’s a hard life but someone has to do it (laughter).

(Laughter) as you say it’s a hard life, but someone has to do it so why not let that someone be Rasmus (laughter).

You have already released six singles off the album, are there plans to release any more?

What can I say, some tracks just happen to feel like singles, but you have to remember that people just might start liking some other tracks. For us that helps a lot because we can see which track is trending and which track is not. We have been talking about recording something live in the studio but for now, I don’t know (laughter). We currently have no plans to do any of this, but I know that there will be sometime later down the line.

Tell me about the current tour?

We recently played a few shows here in Finland, and we will be touring all of this year and mostly all of next year. There are plans for us to go over to Australia for the very first time in January next year, together with lots of shows in America. We haven’t been to America now in a very long time, but we recently signed to an American label so that has opened doors for us over there, so we are all very excited to see just how things go for us over in The States.

Do you still enjoy being out on the road?

I love it, its fun (laughter). I love it whenever we do a bus tour, as I have always found it romantic whenever I find myself sleeping on a bus, driving to the next city overnight. It’s great when you are able to have a few drinks with your friends, and you keep going on what seems to be a never-ending road trip (laughter).

A lot of the fans are already saying that Weirdo is your best work to date. Would you agree with them?

Wow, it is always nice whenever I hear that because I always feel like that whenever something new is out. Every time that I write a song it’s not like I feel like, ‘oh my god, this is the best song that I have ever written’ (laughter). Joking aside, that really is a good feeling, and it emphasises the creative process, especially whenever I find myself crying to my own songs (laughter). Please don’t get me wrong, that’s why I do it. So, in answer to your question, I always feel that the latest stuff that we put out is always our best material to date.

But ask me the same question in five or maybe even ten years from now, then let’s see if I agree (laughter). Like I mentioned before, that feeling within the band, that enthusiasm, that hunger, all of that is really good at the moment. At the beginning of 2000 I had a feeling that something was about to happen, and I now have it again. That is what I am excited about.

You produced the track Rest In Pieces on the album. Is producing something that you would like to get more involved with?

Yes, I would. I have previously done a few bits and pieces but yes, I would love to. I worked on it myself and I have to tell you that track wasn’t even supposed to be on the album (laughter). We were almost finished mixing the other songs and then I had an incident with an old friend of mine. He said something really nasty to me which made me really angry so I wrote the song one night and it was at that point that I thought, ‘oh this is good enough, I have to get this on the album’. So I went into the studio, recorded the vocals and did the best that I could with the production. When you have a good vision, you really can do a lot. That drive really can take you far. I really do wish that I could learn more about production (laughter). I’m so happy with that song because it was a very instant one.

Do you enjoy your time here in the UK?

Yes, I do. It is always a pleasure whenever we are over there in the UK. We have a good solid fan base in the UK, so it is always a pleasure to return to the UK to play a few shows. The fans are great, and it already feels as though we know all of their names and that they are all close friends of ours (laughter). For me, it is nice to be a tourist, walking around a city, drinking something local and eating something local (laughter).

On Saturday 6th December you are playing Rock City here in Nottingham and I have to ask you, in your opinion, what makes Rock City a must play venue?

For me, I think that it is because as soon as you step out onto the stage at Rock City you can immediately sense the history of the place; such a lot of music has happened in that building. It really does make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You are so close to the audience that it really does feel as though they are all around you as you perform. I love Rock City; it is one of the old-school venues and long may it continue.

How many of the new songs have made it onto the set list for the current tour?

At the moment it is six which some people will say is quite many (laughter). Obviously, we do play all of the old hits, plus we play a couple of rare ones like From The Beginning but most of the focus is on the new material. What we are finding is that the new songs sit nicely with the older songs, whilst they are a little more solid and a little harder than the previous Rasmus material, plus I have to tell you that it feels really good to play them live.

You have been in the business for over 30 years now, have you enjoyed the ride so far?

I have loved it. As the late Ozzy Osbourne once said, “if it is time for me to go, I’m grateful as I have had a great life” and I have to tell you that when I heard Ozzy saying that I thought to myself I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever. I have been so very lucky, but I have been working really hard and sometimes I forget that I have sacrificed so much to get to where I am today. When I was younger, I was basically an arsehole. I ruined a lot of things for myself and also for the band. So, I can honestly say that I have earned everything that I have the hard way.

Putting you on the spot, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

In January 2003 we released the song In The Shadows from our fifth studio album Dead Letters, and that has become the song that everybody knows, and everybody now recognises The Rasmus because of that song. That song has enabled us to continue writing, recording and performing for another twenty-two years since. Sometimes having a huge hit can be a burden, but in our case, we always treated it like that song guaranteed me artistic freedom and it still pays my bills (hysterical laughter). It is one of those things that most bands will never have or achieve throughout their entire career. Most bands don’t even like to talk about their most famous song(s) but I personally feel that is childish, come on (laughter). For me there is no other song like In The Shadows, it really is unique. There really is something very special about that song and I am so proud of it.

Where is your favourite place where you have performed?

Wow that is such a hard question for me to answer. We recently counted up all of the places where we have performed, and it was well over eighty countries that we have played. So, let me think (laughter). Around eighteen years ago we toured South Africa where we had the chance to tour with Metallica in three different cities, in three different stadiums. I have to say that for me that was truly amazing, because I grew up listening to Metallica. Listening to Metallica was how I learnt to play the guitar. It was listening to those guys that got me into music. At that time South Africa really was not only a diverse country but also a beautiful country. We were told that it really was a dangerous place and that many bad things could happen to us, so we were aware that South Africa had its problems, but it also had the most beautiful nature, and many interesting things.

So that would have to be up there as it really was a great trip. This once again shows just how lucky we are being able to travel to all of these wonderful countries, to see the world, play our music which I have to say is all good for the soul, understanding how the world works. You can see it all on TV and social media but it’s not the same as when you actually go to these places; then you really understand better. We recently played a show in the Ukraine where obviously we saw all of the hostility there, but when we were actually there we thought, ‘wow is this really how the war happened’. It really was a crazy trip. We spent four days in the Ukraine where we actually managed to raise a lot of money for a local children’s hospital.

It really was awful to see what is really going on over there, but also it was good for us to see it because we were reminded that this was everyday life for these people; they are still battling day after day. We made the trip, and I have to say that we really did gain something; we learned something. We gained an experience plus we were also in a position to do some good. We raised some money plus we made some of the people feel good, and we managed to give them hope in the middle of the crisis. That was all down to the power of music and the power of the band.

On that note Lauri I will once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been educational.

Thank you very much Kevin, it was really nice talking to you. You take care and I will see you in Nottingham.

Neil Hannon, founder member of The Divine Comedy, chats with Kevin Cooper about writing the soundtrack for the movie Wonka, supporting Burt Bacharach on tour fifteen years ago, the release of their latest album Rainy Sunday Afternoon and their 2025 forthcoming UK tour.

Neil Hannon is a singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland. He is the founder and front man of the chamber pop group, The Divine Comedy, and is the band’s only constant member since it formed in 1989.

He also wrote the theme tunes for the television sitcoms Father Ted and The IT Crowd as well as the original songs for the musical fantasy film, Wonka, released in 2023.

The Divine Comedy achieved commercial success in the mid to late 1990’s with the albums Casanova in 1996, A Short Album About Love in 1997 and 1998’s Fin de Siecle. In total he has released twelve albums with the thirteenth, Rainy Sunday Afternoon, being released in September 2025.

In 2004 he performed alongside The Ulster Orchestra for the opening event of The Belfast Festival at Queen’s. The following year he contributed vocal’s to the soundtrack of the movie version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. In 2007 he won The Choice Music Prize for his 2006 album, Victory For The Comic Muse.

In April 2012, Hannon’s first opera commission Sevastopol was performed by The Royal Opera House in London. The piece was part of a programme called OperaShots which invites musicians not typically working within the opera medium to create an opera and was based upon Leo Tolstoy’s Sevastopol Sketches.

Whilst busy promoting the release of their album, Rainy Sunday Afternoon, and their forthcoming tour, Neil took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Good afternoon Neil, how are you today?

I’m good Kevin, you?

I’m very well thank you, and before we move on let me say thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

It’s no trouble at all. Thank you for taking the time to get to know exactly what we are up to (laughter).

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

It’s alright (laughter). It’s been worse.

We must talk about your latest album Rainy Sunday Afternoon.

Yes, we must so go on, I’m ready (laughter).

I absolutely love it; I can’t put it down.

Crikey, thank you.

I think it’s great, it’s playing in the house, in the car, it’s everywhere.

(Laughter) you need to be careful with that, or else you will find that it will spoil all other music for you (laughter).

Are you happy with it?

Yes, I am, in fact I think that it’s genius (laughter). What you have to remember is that I make records with a vengeance, and I cannot avoid thinking that they are God like afterwards; otherwise I simply wouldn’t bother making them (laughter).

Would you say that it is your best work to date?

Nah, I wouldn’t say that (laughter). For me, it is not possible to rate the albums between each other. I think this album is number thirteen, and I know that I have put the same amount of care, attention and energy into all of the other previous albums. If you treat everything with equal honesty and you do the best that you possibly can at the time, then rating one against the other really is a futile thing to do for the artist. Let me just say that I am very pleased with how this one turned out. Having said that, on their own merits and criteria all the other ones worked out pretty well too (laughter).

On the release of their last album Dark Matters, I asked The Stranglers bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel the same question and he told me that he was still searching for the perfect album. In your opinion does the perfect album really exist?

(Laughter) it is impossible mostly because AI could knock you up the perfect pop album in seconds, and it would be horrible and not worth listening to simply because perfection is not what we are after, well not me anyway. We are actually looking for humanity, and flaws.

From writing to recording how long did it take you?

Well, it is quite hard for me to say because I always have a bunch of stuff lying around that I have been toying with and there are always some songs which didn’t get onto the previous record, so they naturally come into the equation. The oldest song on this album is Achilles which is now some eleven years old. I wrote that song around the centenary of the First World War beginning, hence the poetry involved. So, there were other things that were lying about, together with lots of half written ideas.

I suppose that when I thought to myself ‘right, I could most probably see myself clear to starting a new record now’ (laughter). That would have been around April or May of last year, 2024 and I suppose that for me the time that it takes for me to make a record is really the time from when I say to myself, ‘I’m going to make a record’ to the time when I say, ‘right, I like those mixes’ (laughter) and so that would be about nine months.

Where does your inspiration come from?

It’s all different, it really is for example Achilles is this weird mash up of mortality, war, and mythology, which are just things that interest me really. And then The Old Man is about my old man who died a couple of years ago. Then, The Man Who Turned Into A Chair is about me never getting off my arse (laughter). I’ve been sitting in the same chair watching the test match for days and the wife says, “if you don’t get up you are going to turn into that chair” (laughter). That’s where that comes from. I could go on. So, they are very disparate, all of the reasons.

Well, I have to say that I currently have four go to tracks on the album, they are Rainy Sunday Afternoon, All The Pretty Lights, Down The Rabbit Hole and, of course, The Man Who Turned Into A Chair, which I have to say I think is totally brilliant.

(Laughter) that’s brilliant, thank you. I never know just how these things are going to go down and it’s weird to say but that is not my concern (hysterical laughter). Having said that I think that my Manager would prefer it if I was concerned (laughter). But, I always know that as long as I am amusing myself or entertaining myself or just working through things that I need to think about then I always assume that other people are like me, and will kind of benefit somehow from my meandering thoughts.

Whilst I was listening to the album I wrote in my notes that The Man Who Turned Into A Chair sounded like it belonged in a sixty’s movie soundtrack.

Thank you, that’s not a bad thing to hear at all.

Do you have a favourite track on the album?

From day to day there is always something different that I listen to. I very rarely listen to much of the record after I have made it but I have to for rehearsals and playing live and stuff. The thing that I have found myself putting on and actually enjoying and not turning off is I Want You. It is very kind of slow and empty, and sort of slightly weird and I enjoy it (laughter). I like the fact that the instrumental bit after the second chorus sounds a bit like (Joseph Maurice) Ravel or (Jean-Baptiste) Forqueray. I love all of that French 19^th Century classical stuff.

Thinking about the forthcoming tour, how many of the new songs will make it onto the set list?

At this moment in time, I think that we will most probably do about six, maybe seven. I would love to play the whole album but that would mean that I would get about one track from all of the other records in (laughter). Making set lists gets harder and harder every time that we go out. Nobody ever tells you that the more albums you make the harder it gets. So, I literally find myself playing one track from my favourite albums; it’s awful. So, you have to moderate the new album a bit, so that people get to hear some of their favourites, but they will never hear all of their favourites, it’s impossible.

That is unless we do a Bruce Springsteen kind of set list and settle in for a four-hour concert (laughter).

(Laughter) yes, that’s right or I could do just what we did a couple of years ago when we played all of the album in The Barbican (laughter).

I have to ask you, after a good few years in the business, do you still enjoy touring?

I have to say that despite the years, I absolutely love touring. For me, playing live is the only time that I am really energetic in my life (laughter). I regularly come off stage thinking, ‘oh my God, I can move’ (laughter). The comradely is totally amazing. The band is basically all of my best friends, and we don’t get to go out as much as we like; you do what you can and then you do all of the other stuff. So, whenever we go out on tour, it’s like a party for the first three days, then we all realise that we are all in our fifties and so we have to slow down otherwise we won’t get to the end of it (laughter).

Putting you firmly on the spot, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

(Hysterical laughter) the really boring answer is sitting here talking to you knowing that I have still got a job at the age of fifty-four (laughter). Having said that, I suppose that the answer that people most probably want to hear is that I fulfilled every ambition that I ever had when Something For The Weekend went into the charts, which meant that we got to do Top Of The Pops. That was back in 1996. So, everything after that has been a bonus (laughter).

You were recently invited to write the soundtrack for the movie Wonka. How was that experience?

I have to say that it was pretty hard work. PauL King the director is a really hard task master, but he knows what he needs, and I was desperate to give it to him (laughter) perhaps I could have phrased that better (laughter). Let’s rephrase that and say that I was desperate to provide him with what he needed (laughter) that doesn’t sound good either (hysterical laughter). Joking aside, I loved doing it, and when Paul suggested it to me, I felt like ‘Ah, this is a dream come true, this is just perfect for me’ simply because I, like many of us have, grew up on Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory together with the original songs. I later found out that they were all written by the late Anthony Newley who I have to say was a hero of mine. For me to get the opportunity to walk in those footsteps and to live out my Lionel Bart dreams, it really was great fun. It really was hard work, but we got there.

Is it something that you would like to do more of?

Yes, it is but I would have to say just give us a few months (laughter). I just need to relax after the last one for a year or two but yes, I would love to do it again (laughter).

What was the first record that you bought?

That would have been the single Vienna by Ultravox.

Who did you first see performing live?

I’m going to skip all of the crap which in my opinion doesn’t count, for example various local Am Drams and choirs and things (laughter). The first show that I went to of a rock n’ roll type was U2 at Croke Park in Dublin back in 1987 on their Joshua Tree tour which is weirdly huge for a first show (laughter).

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

Wow, just where did that come from, it really is such a great question. It would have to be Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte which when translated into English means Pavane For A Dead Princess and is a work for solo piano by Maurice Ravel, which he wrote in 1899 while he was studying at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Fauré. I feel that it is one of the most beautiful things ever written. Every time that I hear it I just feel like, ‘oh here come the waterworks’ (laughter).

I had the privilege and opportunity to chat with the late Burt Bacharach, and I asked him the same question. Without hesitation he replied, “that’s easy young man, it was The Stranglers cover of Dionne Warwick’s Walk On By”. I asked him if the song had moved him so much to which he replied, “no, it was bloody awful” (laughter).

(Hysterical laughter) he’s wrong; Burt was wrong, it’s a fucking great cover. I love Burt Bacharach, and I was so very proud to be able to support him in Lyon some fifteen years ago now. It was like all of my dreams had come true. I got to meet the guy, and it really was fantastic.

On that note Neil, let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it really has been delightful.

Thank you, Kevin; I’ve loved speaking to you and thank you so much for getting in touch with me. Come and say hi when we get to Nottingham.

Dan Haggis, drummer with the English indie rock band, The Wombats, chats with Kevin Cooper about working with new producer John Congleton, the last song that made him cry, the release of their latest album Oh! The Ocean and their forthcoming 2025 tour of the UK.

Dan Haggis is the drummer with the English indie rock band, The Wombats, who were formed in Liverpool in 2003.

The Wombats released several EP’s before releasing their debut album A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation in 2007. This was followed by The Modern Glitch in 2011, Glitterbug in 2015 and Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life three years later. Their fifth album Fix Yourself, Not The World was released in 2022 and was their first number one album, topping the UK Albums Chart within a week of its release.

In 2008 they were nominated for the Best New Band award at the NME Awards. At the same time they won the Best Dance Floor Filler for Let’s Dance To Joy Division. They have been nominated for several other awards including Best Album for A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation.

Whilst busy rehearsing for their forthcoming tour, Dan Haggis took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Dan good afternoon, how are you?

Hi Kevin I’m fine thanks mate but more to the point how are you doing?

All is good thanks for asking, and before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

Cool, it’s a pleasure.

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

At the moment life is pretty hectic (laughter). We recently released out latest album, Oh! The Ocean. It was actually released on Valentine’s Day, but please don’t read anything into that (laughter).

Correct me if I am wrong but hasn’t the album been recorded for a while now?

(Laughter) just who have you been talking to? (laughter). Yes, you are absolutely correct; we actually recorded the album last summer, and then you have this slow burner where you are mixing, mastering, and making music videos. There is all that stuff dotted around then all of a sudden in the last couple of weeks leading up to the release we have been rehearsing loads because we have never actually played most of the songs on the album live. So, as you can imagine it is all systems go (laughter). We have just had a listening party at the Sea Life place down in London so as you can no doubt imagine there is a lot of spinning plates at the moment (laughter).

We must talk about the album so I have to ask you, where does the title come from?

It was just after we had finished recording the album, Murph (Matthew Murphy) went to the beach in Los Angeles and I think that he had had a particularly crazy morning at home so he just sat there and had felt that he was right in the present moment and he could see what was in front of him very clearly. I think that before then, you can often sit on a beach but there is so much chaos going on in your own mind and all around you that you don’t really have a moment to properly look at the thing that is in front of you. Obviously, you suddenly realise ‘wow, that ocean there stretchers on for thousands and thousands of miles’ including the unknown parts of it.

You realise the wonder that nature can give you, and if you are actually there to notice it that felt like a pretty good analogy really for the album together with the mental state that we can find ourselves in whenever we are anxious or depressed or trying to escape from the now, or whatever your vice is. So, it felt like it summed up the album pretty well, Oh! The Ocean like ‘shit, its right there in front of me’ (laughter). It made us realise that we all need to be a little more mindful in life and maybe our existence will be a little easier.

Well I have to tell you that I have been playing the album now for a few days and I think that it is a great piece of work.

You have actually listened to it?

I have, many times now.

That’s great. There aren’t many people who have heard it so it’s great to hear that you like it, thanks for that.

My favourite track at the moment is Swerve (101) I think that it’s brilliant.

Nice one. I was just practicing that one today actually; I was playing along to it on the drums. We all love all of the songs but that one is most definitely a grower.

So I can take it that you are all happy with the album?

Yes we are, we are really happy. It was a case of whittling down which songs to record from fifty or so.

And I understand that you bought a new producer on board?

Yes, we did, that’s right. It was a bit tricky beforehand but once we got into the studio with John (Congleton) who as you correctly point out, was a new producer who we had never worked with as The Wombats before, it was so refreshing and great to work with him to be honest. Me and Tord (Øverland Knudsen) have a side project called Sunship Balloon and it was John who actually mixed our first EP and our first album and ever since then we were like, ‘oh it would be so great to get to work with him again’ and his name popped up for this Wombats album, and obviously because we knew that he was amazing we were like, ‘oh my God that would be so cool’ (laughter).

So it really was great to get back into the studio with him. His whole outlook on recording and his ethos around music in general was really refreshing for us. I personally think that John bought out a totally different side to the band. After this many years of making music it really is great to have that sense of renewal, freshness and new excitement that goes with working with a new person for the first time. We are all super happy with how the album turned out.

Would you say that Oh! The Ocean is your best work to date?

(Laughter) I think that inevitably I would imagine if you looked at interviews around each album that we have ever made we would most probably say “yes, it is” (laughter). Whatever your latest thing that you have created as a musician and as an artist whatever it is that you have made, you kind of get the most excited about that and everything else just disappears in your mind. You get so hyper focused on this one thing so I guess that the easy answer will be yes (laughter). However, the slightly more longwinded answer would be who knows. It feels great at this moment and we are really excited to have captured what we did in Los Angeles during those six weeks in the summer of last year. To be totally honest with you, I always feel that every album that we make which I am involved in is a little sonic photograph of that time and it can only just be a good thing. It always feels like there is something fond to look back on with them and I certainly have lots of fond memories about making this album.

Perhaps I should come back in five years time and ask you the same question again (laughter).

(Laughter) exactly. It does feel like it’s a really good album, and I am really happy with how it turned out. It has got such a lovely feel to it. From the bands perspective it feels as though it floats along in a really lovely way.

Do you have a favourite track on the album?

I actually currently fluctuate between a few; The World’s Not Out To Get Me, I Am, I really love that one. Reality Is A Wild Ride I love the way that grows towards the end of the song. I get goose bumps every time it gets into that second half of the last chorus. I just absolutely love that. Blood On The Hospital Floor is, for me as a drummer, is just so much fun to play. It is proper upbeat like punk; it’s like going to the gym that one for me. It’s the same as that adrenalin rush that you get when you have been on the treadmill for ten minutes; it’s like that sort of feeling. So, in answer to your question, there are too many for me to pick from, sorry.

Are you enjoying being back out on the road?

Yes I am, very much so. We haven’t really played a lot of these songs before so we now have a nice mix of excitement, finally getting to play them in front of people. I love seeing the people’s reactions to the new songs. There is also the trepidation of are we going to manage to get through the song or are we going to totally fuck up (laughter). However, for me, it is mainly excitement to be totally honest with you (laughter). This is our first full arena tour really, and it really does feel like a milestone, which our career has been building towards. And we are really excited to be able to bring the new songs into arenas around the UK.

How many of the new songs have made it onto the current set list?

To be honest with you we are currently playing between six and eight of the new songs but that all depends upon just how long a set we have got. Some of them are 45 minutes whilst others are an hour. But I think that it will stay at between six and eight of the new songs. We obviously want to play a bunch of the songs from the previous albums. So when we get between an hour and 30 to an hour and 45 minutes, we most probably won’t be able to fit anymore than seven into the set. That’s what usually happens but we will see. I personally feel that seven would be a good balance.

On Tuesday 18^th March you kickoff the UK leg of the tour here in Nottingham at the Motorpoint Arena.

Yes we do and I have to tell you that we are all so very excited.

What can we expect?

What can you expect (laughter). There is going to be a new stage design that we the band haven’t even seen as yet. Our lighting girl is concocting it as we speak. We keep getting small glimpses of it and we are like, ‘wow that looks cool’ (laughter). So that is going to be fun for us to see because Nottingham will be the very first time that we have ever seen it (laughter). With regards to the songs, there is going to be a chunk of the new album for people to hear, together with a best of from our last five albums. It will just be one big long party and a celebration of life.

You formed the band back in 2003, and here you are some 22 years later. What would you put the bands longevity down to?

I think that us keeping the same three people together for all of this time without any changes really does feel like a family unit, which really does help us get through the great moments together with the difficult moments. Also, all three of us just love making music, getting in a room together and pressing record on what we have written, getting up there on stage and touring the world. I think that we are lucky in that respect because the three of us really do love doing that. Obviously, every time that we put an album out, we cross our fingers and hope that the Gods of music smile down lovingly upon us and so far we have been lucky that they have.

If music hadn’t worked out for you, what do you think that you would have been doing?

Wow, where did that come from (laughter). If making a living from actually being in a band hadn’t worked out then I couldn’t have seen myself not writing and recording and perhaps maybe teaching a bit. I feel that music would have been involved in some way. Apart from that, maybe working for a charity or something.

What was the first record that you bought?

That was Reckless by Bryan Adams. And I have to be honest with you and tell you that it was on cassette (laughter). I bought it second hand back in 1991 from a record shop on Bold Street in Liverpool. I had just seen the movie Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves and it was like, ‘oh I quite like that Bryan Adams song’ and I just saw Bryan Adams so I bought that album.

Who did you first see performing live?

That would have been The Rankin Family and Mary Black, who played Irish folk stuff. The Rankin Family are Canadian but they sing in that Gaelic Irish tradition. They really were absolutely amazing. They played at The Philharmonic Hall here in Liverpool. My mum’s side of the family are from Ireland so that was always playing at home. So, I have very fond memories of that. They were the most amazing musicians, beautiful harmonies, and I ended up standing up and dancing in the aisles and stuff (laughter). It really was such a lovely occasion. It definitely got me thinking, ‘I want to be involved in this in some way’ (laughter).

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

I would have to go back to when my Grandma died. I drank a lot of whiskey, on my own, and I listened to a bunch of songs that she loved, and I eventually found myself listening to Rufus Wainwright. There is a song Dinner At Eight and that song always gets me. Plus the fact that my Grandma had just died, that song is all about Rufus and his dad; it’s about a family moment. It was great because that song combined with the whiskey really did help to unleash the tears which had stubbornly refused to come out of my eyes. So, thanks for that Rufus.

On that note Dan, let me once again thank you for taking the time, it’s been great. Good luck with the tour and I will see you here in Nottingham.

Thank you Kevin, I will see you when we get to Nottingham. Thanks a lot mate.

Dave McCabe, an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and front man of indie rock band The Zutons, chats with Kevin Cooper about Mark Ronson and the late Amy Winehouse covering Valerie, working with Nile Rodgers, their latest album The Big Decider and their 2025 tour of the UK.

Dave McCabe is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the front man of The Zutons, an English indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 2002.

He was a member of the Liverpool band Tramp Attack with Brookside actor Kristian Ealey. The band released their debut single Rocky Hangover in 2001.

McCabe left to form The Zutons, who released three albums before quietly disbanding in 2008. Their debut album Who Killed The Zutons? was released in 2004. They released their second studio album Tired Of Hanging Around in 2006 with the singles Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love? and Valerie, both of which reached number nine in the UK singles chart.

In 2015 he launched his solo career with the release of his debut album, Church Of Miami, which was compared to the likes of Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode.

The Zutons reformed to play several one off gigs between 2016 and 2023, when the band announced that they intended to release their fourth studio album. After a sixteen year gap between studio albums the band released their forth studio album, The Big Decider in 2014. The album was produced by Nile Rodgers and Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds.

Whilst busy preparing for their forthcoming tour, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Good afternoon Dave, how are you today?

I’m fine thanks Kevin, how are you today mate?

All is good thanks and before we move on let me firstly thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

That’s alright mate, thank you.

And just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

I have to say that life at the moment is pretty good. I’ve been up since five o’clock with the baby and my eyes are slowly shutting but that’s alright (laughter). Apart from that its all-good mate.

I have to tell you that the last time that I caught The Zutons was last December at the Motorpoint Arena when you opened for Paul (Heaton).

Ah right, okay.

And I thought that you were absolutely brilliant.

Thanks mate, thank you.

Being totally honest with you, I had forgotten just how good The Zutons were live.

(Laughter) to be honest with you, that’s alright, that is kind of what we are currently trying to do; we are trying to remind people of just what The Zutons are all about.

We must talk about your latest album The Big Decider.

Must we (laughter) alright, go on then.

I can’t stop playing it; I think that it is a brilliant piece of work.

That’s cool to hear, so tell me, what songs do you like?

Well at this moment in time I have got four go to tracks. They are Creeping On The Dance Floor, The Big Decider, Rise And Best Of Me. I think that they are absolutely fantastic.

That’s great. Well thank you very much.

And there are no McCartney’s on there, there are no fillers (laughter).

There are no McCartneys?

That’s right; there are no fillers on the album. Paul was great at putting two good tracks on an album and then the rest were fillers (laughter).

Do you mean with Wings and stuff like that? I don’t like to shoot people down, but I know exactly what you mean (laughter). When you listen to John Lennon’s albums, there’s a bit more going on isn’t there. It’s funny how this conversation has gone onto the fucking Beatles straight away (laughter). You just can’t help it, they are everywhere aren’t they (laughter).

There must be something in the water because Liverpool simply produces band after band after band.

I don’t know, I’m from Mosely Village which is kind of the outskirts of Liverpool, and we get called woolly backs which refers to a non-Liverpudlian person who travels into Liverpool. So, you would have to ask a real scouser about all of that stuff (laughter).

Coming from Nottingham all that I have got to gauge the success of both cities on is Paper Lace and Jake Bugg (laughter).

Who the fuck are Paper Lace? (laughter).

Right, here goes (laughter). Paper Lace is an English pop rock band formed in Nottingham in 1967. Their claim to fame is that they achieved success in 1974 when they had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the number one hit Billy Don’t Be A Hero. There you go, you know now all that there is to know about Paper Lace (laughter).

Thanks for that, I think (laughter). That is going to bug me now (laughter). I’m going to have to Google Billy Don’t Be A Hero and find out just what I am missing (laughter). In answer to your original question, the simple answer is, I don’t know why that is the case, I really don’t. I feel like Liverpool sometimes gets a bad rep and sometimes it creates a bad rep. It seems that if you want to be a footy player or you want to be in a band, Liverpool is a good place to go for it, if you know what I mean. People want to go for it, whether they are dealing drugs, or they are doing whatever it is that they do, robbing banks some years ago, the people of Liverpool simply go for it. I think that is the thing with Liverpool, or more to the point, the thing with scousers.

I recently interviewed Andy McClusky (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) and I asked him why he thought there were so many great bands in Liverpool and he said that it was because “we all want to get out of Liverpool”.

(Hysterical laughter) he’s most probably right in what he says although he is from The Wirral, so he probably doesn’t have a fucking clue what he is talking about (laughter). I love OMD they really are great aren’t they.

Getting back on track, your latest album, are you happy with the fan’s reaction to it? A lot are saying that it is your best work to date, would you agree?

I have to say that I feel that the latest album is as good as our first album. The first album is still most probably the songs that you play as much of off any other record that you do, if you know what I mean. Our first album seems to be the standard, and I think that you can say that for a lot of bands. There are only a few bands, and they are usually massive, massive, massive bands, bands like Fleetwood Mac or The (Rolling) Stones who would never play any of the stuff off their very first record. As a record I really do like the latest album.

I have actually put it on and listened to it a few times, and I have to say that I really like the second half of it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the first half, but the second half goes off into this acoustic thing and rather than it going off into a big, massive crescendo, it does, but in a different way, and I am really proud of that. It shows that you don’t have to rock hard in order to get attention if you know what I mean.

The first time that you play the album, the first track Creeping On The Dance Floor, grabs you by the balls and takes you on a trip.

Yes, I feel that it does but for now, that is for you to say. For me, I know everything about the album, and I have been inside it, and I have also been outside it, so if you are saying that then it is basically job done. That is exactly what I wanted this album to do. It is very much meant to be a record because there were other songs that were upbeat, that we never put on this record. We were looking at it going, ‘oh right, there is this, this and this’ but because we saw the album as a total record then those nine songs ran the best. We could easily have put another three or four songs on it

But it just felt right to end it where we did. I personally feel that people these days, even people like Pink Floyd and Talking Heads, a lot of bands don’t seem to have twelve songs on every record, but they have seven or eight songs which are really good. That is what I want to aim for in the future, I don’t want to feel that because we are signed to a major label that we have to put twelve songs on an album in order to fulfil my contract. I don’t have to do that and I’m not going to do that.

If I put you on the spot and asked you to choose one, do you have a favourite track on the album?

At the moment I would have to say either Rise or Best Of Me. To be totally honest with you, I could have picked any song from the second half of the album.

Who or what is The Big Decider?

The simple answer is I don’t know (laughter). I never even wrote that line. It was our keyboard player, Neil Bradley who wrote that line so I will have to ask him and when I find out I will let you know (laughter). That song is all about taking chances in life, and sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes you feel better for it, while you sometimes regret the choices that you have made in life. So, that is what it is, The Big Decider, it is a maze in order to get where you are going. That’s what life is all about isn’t it, if you know what I mean. Sometimes you have to take the long way round, whilst sometimes it just all falls in your lap.

How long did the album take from writing to recording?

Oh god, that would have been about ten years (laughter). Being serious for a moment I think that it was about two years, but that was because lockdown happened. We started writing for the album back in 2019 and then lockdown happened. We could have carried on writing but we never because it was like we were all trapped in a house. Because of that writing became a chore. I went into rehab in 2019, came out, and then 2020 started. To be honest with you I wasn’t in the greatest of moods; let’s be honest because I was battling my drug addiction. So, it was at that point that we seriously started writing for the album.

I had a load of songs scattered here there and everywhere but it was then that lockdown happened, so I started drinking again. I was battling with myself. I think that the other two members of the band at that time simply didn’t want to be around me much. So, I would say that lockdown together with my personal issues are the two main reasons as to why this album took so long. At that time, you couldn’t physically get into a studio anyway as they were all shut. So, let’s blame lockdown as it sounds better doesn’t it (laughter).

Without delving too deeply into things, since coming out of rehab, has your style of writing changed; are you now seeing things in a different light?

Wow that is such a fucking great question. Yes, my writing style has changed because I actually write songs now. I no longer write a bit and then leave it for a year and then go back to it. I actually try to finish them now, if I feel that I can’t finish a song I will ring other people up and ask them if they want to finish a song for me. I now see writing songs as a hobby rather than a chore that I have to do and getting off my tits (laughter). I have to say that for me, writing is once again fun. It’s an exercise and the more that you do it, the more you get used to it and the bigger the chance that you have of writing a really good song. The more that you have got a guitar in your hands the more chance there is of you getting it.

Are you writing all the time?

Pretty much, yes. I can’t say that I write lyrics all the time, but I definitely write melodies. Lyrics change such a lot, because that’s the one thing, when I was younger back in 2003, I would be writing lyrics just because you would always be writing the first thing that came into your head. You don’t have any kids, you kind of have loads of energy, you are running around, getting into all kinds of trouble, trying to get out of trouble. So, I think that at this age now I don’t even know what I write about, you tend to make things up to reflect what’s going on deep inside you. Sometimes you write stuff that is really personal, but you kind of sum it up in two sentences. Its like, ‘I can’t do this because of that’ (laughter).

Then it’s, ‘what am I going to write about now’ (laughter). You have to get into character in your brain, where you have to find a way to do it. Don’t get me wrong, I still haven’t mastered it. No one master’s it do they really. I don’t think that I am particularly good at it, but I think that I am now in a better place to be better at it than what I was. What I would say about it is that I don’t think anyone ever turns around and says, “I’m a good songwriter” until they are many years down the line. And I have to say that a lot of those years, for me, I wasn’t even playing the guitar. I was just being reckless so, that’s why I have spoken about it a lot.

I once read that Bob Dylan writes a new song every day. All that I can say to that is that he must write a hell of a lot of bad songs (laughter).

(Laughter) I totally agree with you on that. But what I would say is that it is good to do that and the person who wrote that comment most probably does not know Bob Dylan personally. Dylan most probably writes more than one song a day; I imagine that he writes lyric upon lyric upon lyric. That really is writing songs. Having said that, it all depends upon what you want to class as writing songs. To me, a song is words and music, and within that there is such a big scope; there are no rules. Look at The Prodigy, they write music, they write songs, they write songs but what are the lyrics (laughter). They can write it in one sentence. They have mastered that, or should I say they did master it. So, I take my hat off to people like that who can really do it.

I feel sorry for songwriters in general because they are always trying to reinvent the wheel.

Yes, we are, I totally agree with you there, but you don’t have to look at it like that. I never look at it like that. I say that because we are not in Kraftwerk, so you are not a brand-new thing with synthesizers everywhere. To me that doesn’t exist. I have to own up and tell you that I don’t listen to that much modern music together with modern production. So, for me, I am not trying to reinvent anything. I am just trying to do my version of the music that I like. In fact, I am not even trying to do that, I am just seeing what happens. If you have got a song that you think sounds like Lynard Skynyrd, I can definitely tell you that it is not going to sound anything like Lynard Skynyrd by the time that you are finished.

For a start, you are not in Lynard Skynyrd nor are you from the South of America (laughter). So, in reality it is not going to sound anything like that. It is always going to turn out like how you are, and if you are trying to reinvent yourself, that really is tough and I feel that you can get obsessed with it to the point where if you want to change your style then why not start singing in a Cockney accent or start singing like you are from Nottingham (laughter). All of this is what goes through your head. So, in the end, you just have to discover new chord progressions and new melodies, and I think that’s how you reinvent yourself.

Sometimes you have to do that and then you get back to whatever it is that you were doing. It’s like Neil Young; you don’t really want him to stray too much do you, because otherwise that is not what you want, that is not what you signed up for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying whether that is good or bad, it all depends upon who does it. U2 have been going for years but they still sound very much like U2 in a good way. When Bono starts singing; that is the sound of the band, so as soon as he starts singing that’s what it is, similar to Oasis.

Do you know the difference between God and Bono?

No, tell me.

God doesn’t walk around all day thinking he’s Bono.

(Hysterical laughter) that is fucking brilliant by the way (laughter). That really is fucking funny isn’t it (laughter). I really do love U2 but if you are that famous, and Bono is especially that famous, then you are going to have jokes written about you. That is all part and parcel of the deal. I’m not saying that Bono has to find it funny, but I can’t help but find that funny (laughter). Anyway, enough about U2 lets fucking talk about something else (laughter).

You are about to go out on tour here in the UK, how many of the new songs will make it onto the set list?

I reckon about six simply because if you start playing the whole record in a set of fifteen or sixteen songs, you can very quickly and easily alienate people. I have always wanted to do that, play an album in its entirety but the reality is about five or six. We will most probably play them all on individual nights, but if you play all of the new songs, it depends really. What we will most probably do is ask the fans through social media which of the songs they want to hear. That is most probably the best way of going about it.

Do you still enjoy touring, or has it become a necessary evil?

I love it. For me that is why I am in a band. I love playing to an audience. Also, I like studios now where | never used to but I must be honest with you and tell you that I still find being in the studio very hard work. With a gig the hard work has been done already, and you are just turning up and enjoying yourself. Not much thought goes into it, you just turn up, you play your songs the best that you can, and you fuck off (laughter). There are no deadlines, and you are not doing a Bono, talking shit between fifteen songs (laughter).

Monday 7th April you are here in Nottingham playing at Rock City. What, in your opinion, makes Rock City a must play venue?

At Rock City it feels like the crowd are all around you, it feels like The Warriors, where at the start of the film where the hero gives the speech in the park, it kind of feels like that. It is one of those type of venues and it is called Rock City. It’s like fucking go’hed (laughter). Whenever we see the words Rock City, we feel like we have got to rock, we have to bring the fucking gig (laughter).

What can we expect from the gig here in Nottingham?

What can you expect, let’s see, you will see six people who are rather enjoying themselves (laughter).

Working with Nile Rodgers on the new album, how was that?

It really was a breath of fresh air. He really is a lovely fella. The only problem is, he has far too many stories, fucking hell, half of the time that we spent together in the studio we were just talking and not working (laughter). He was telling us about all of the people who he had met in the past, people like Miles Davis and people like that. He was really funny, really calm. I can’t remember him ever saying a negative word in all of the time that I was with him. It really did feel like we were moving forward, and I think that’s why he has done what he has done in music.

You mention him talking. Last summer he headlined one of the Forestry Commission gigs here in Nottingham and the major point of complaint was that he would do one song and then spend ten minutes telling you how he wrote it, who he wrote it for, where he was when he wrote it, and he went on and on and on. He actually did more talking than playing.

Oh god. I honestly do not know what to say about that, it speaks for itself. Basically, he did a Bono didn’t he (hysterical laughter). You would never catch me talking like that. Because of my accent no one can fucking understand a word that I am saying (laughter). I may as well be speaking a different language (laughter).

Putting you on the spot, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

That’s easy, my wife and my son. There you go.

I can’t speak to you without mentioning that song.

Go on.

How did you feel when Mark Ronson and the late Amy Winehouse covered Valerie?

That really was amazing. That really was one of the biggest compliments that I have ever received in my life.

Is it true that you wrote the song in twenty minutes?

Yes, maybe twenty-five minutes, there or there about. I wrote most of it in my head then went in and wrote the rest in my bedroom at my mum’s at the time.

Do you ever get bored playing it?

In a word no. Having said that I did at one point, but I don’t know why. I think that I was just fed up with everything. I wasn’t just fed up with that. But no, I never get tired of playing it. That song is a massive part of the band, it’s a massive part of the set, it is the biggest hit that we have had ourselves, and then someone else had the biggest hit with it. Then Amy became immortalised due to circumstances that were really unfortunate. So, the song has turned into this other thing now. Anyone could get up and sing it, and everyone would fucking sing along to it. You walk past pubs in town, and you hear women singing it.

When I was younger, I was into Nirvana and Heavy Metal, and I never thought that when I was older, I was going to write a song that my mum and my auntie were going to be singing for the rest of time. But that is exactly what we have done, and I have to say that I am kind of proud of that. When I was younger, I would dream about writing a Smells Like Teen Spirit or a Bittersweet Symphony, but I have to say that I am quite happy with a Valerie (laughter).

Will we be seeing any solo work in the future?

Probably not. It’s fucking hard work. I’ve got a fucking band, and I just want to use that (laughter). How many bands do I want to be in (laughter). When I toured my solo work, I had my mates with me on tour and that was the fucking problem, we were always drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that I did it, I’m glad that I was in Spinal Tap mode for a while but I’m glad that is over. I can now carry on being a Zuton.

Testing your memory, what was the first record that you bought?

That was Basket Case by Green Day on CD.

Who did you first see performing live?

That was The Verve who were supporting The Smashing Pumpkins at The Royal Court here in Liverpool 1n 1993.

What was the last song or piece of music that made you cry?

Fucking hell this happens all the time. You are not going to believe this, but it is Sailing By which is the Radio 4 shipping forecast theme. Whenever I listen to that piece of music, I always start fucking balling, but they are happy tears. Happy drug filled tears, happy come down tears (laughter).

On that note Dave let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today. It’s been enlightening. Good luck with the tour and I will see you at Rock City.

Thanks Kevin, that was great because there were some great questions and we had a laugh. You take care and make sure that you come and say hello when we get to Rock City. I will see you later. Cheers for now.