Seal performing his Standards 2018 Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Monday 19th February 2018.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Seal took to the Royal Concert Hall stage last night to promote his latest album, Standards and to perform his take on some old time classics.

With a stage packed with vintage retro theatre spotlights, bathed in a warm violet light, Seal, tall and imposing, dressed casually in black opened with Luck Be A Lady Tonight.

In a career spanning three decades, and racking up over 30 million record sales worldwide, this Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award winner enchanted the crowd with his velvety voice. I Put A Spell On You showcased his raw and gravelly vocals, although the high notes did pose a challenge.

Ably assisted by a very tight band and the use of backing tapes to bring the music to life, he masterfully delivered Gershwins They Can’t Take That Away From Me and Cole Porter’s I’ve Got You Under My Skin. Pouring his soul into Rodgers & Hart’s My Funny Valentine, this 30s show tune emerged as a fans favourite as they applauded the brilliant trumpet soloist.

But it was his 90s hits that some audience members had been shouting for which received the biggest reception, and he did not disappoint as Kiss For A Rose mesmerised the crowd, and Future Love Paradise with its pounding immense bass changed the tone of the show completely.

With the opening chords to Killer, the audience were on their feet for the first time, and as Seal launched himself from the stage and entered the crowd, singing the song standing on someone’s chair in the middle of the stalls, he caused a female frenzy.

Closing with Fly Like An Eagle, an impromptu Move On Up and Life On The Dance Floor, it was Crazy which brought the evening to an end. Seal had definitely brought the glamour of old Hollywood straight to Nottingham, but it was his own songs that had brought the house down.

Duran Duran with special guest Seal, perform their Paper God tour at The Capital FM Arena Nottingham on Friday 11^th December 2015

Images and Review by  Kevin Cooper

When Duran Duran and Eagles Of Death Metal performed the former’s hit Save A Prayer on TFI Friday in November, it seemed no more significant than two bands of two different eras having a good time. The song however, subsequently became the last completed by EODM in the Bataclan in Paris before terrorists opened fire killing 89 people. So without doubt this song was going to play a large part in last night’s proceedings and it most certainly did.

But opening for these poster boys of the New Romantic movement was Seal, who had a huge impact. Taking advantage of the main acts fantastic light and laser show, Seal was never going to be a mere support act. Also touring to promote his latest album 7, he began his set with new number, Padded Cell. Showing that his voice has lost none of its brilliance, he quickly treated this crowd to old hits, Crazy, Killer and Kiss From A Rose.

Unfortunately, his set was way too short, as he bounded from one end of the stage to the other. Seal was a real gem and was in danger of stealing the show. If he tours in his own right, it would be a shame not to catch him.

In the 1980’s Duran Duran were synonymous with white suits, big shoulder pads, yachts in videos and big hair, and at the time might have been destined to become one of pop’s flash in the pan acts; instantly successful but quickly forgotten. Yet here they still are, decades on, touring arenas to a largely middle aged audience, and promoting their 14^th studio album, Paper Gods.

To a fantastic backdrop of colours, shapes and smoke, Simon Le Bon clad in white trousers bounced around the stage to opener Paper Gods. But it was the old hits that had this crowd screaming, as Wild Boys was followed by Hungry Like The Wolf and A View To Kill being introduced by a snippet of James Bond videography on the canvas backdrop.

There were more tracks from the new album with Last Night In The City and What Are The Chances being crowd favourites, but it was the funk tones of new single Pressure Off whose studio version features the strings of Nile Rodgers, that brought this crowd alive as it closed flamboyantly retro fashion with a blizzard of yellow confetti.

There was a slight lull in the middle of the set when they played the slightly bland Only In Dreams and Love Voodoo, but many of the audience without doubt relished the opportunity to have a few minutes sit down. We could have done with a few more old hits and maybe a few less of the new ones. Where was The Reflex and Is There Something I Should Know? for example.

But they could be forgiven anything by the time we came to the spine tingling, singalong, sway along highlight that was Ordinary World. Finishing the main set with a mash up of Danceophobia, Too Much Information and Girls On Film; this crowd went wild.

For the encore Duran Duran came back to deliver their massive hit, Save A Prayer. Dedicated to the people who had lost their lives in Paris and announcing that the proceeds from the EODM cover version which rocked up the charts, will go to “something that brings people together and is peaceful”, had the whole Arena cheering. When the first chords were played, there was a sea of shinning lights from the audience which was without doubt a goose bump inducing experience which will linger long in the memory.

When the immortal party anthem Rio hit the sound system, for the closing number, there was not a person seated as they were covered in carnival coloured confetti.

With just four of the original members; Andy Taylor being absent, Simon Le Bon is still the main focus. Whilst musically they are just as good, Le Bon’s voice seems to have lost a little of its raw edge, but on tonight’s showing these wild boys are still a force to be reckoned with.

Seal chats with Kevin Cooper about his friendship with Simon Le Bon, working with Trevor Horn, his new album 7 and supporting Duran Duran on their forthcoming Arena tour.

Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel, better known by his stage name Seal, is a British singer and songwriter. He has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and is known for his numerous international hits, including Kiss From A Rose, which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Batman Forever. He was also a coach on The Voice Australia in 2012 and 2013.

Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards; winning Best British Male in 1992. He has won four Grammy Awards, and an MTV Video Music Award. As a songwriter, he has received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award, for Best Song musically and lyrically, in consecutive years for Killer (1990) and Crazy (1991).

Taking time out from his rehearsals for the Arena tour with Duran Duran, he had a chat with Kevin Cooper, and this is what he had to say.

Seal good afternoon, how are you today?

Hello Kevin how are you mate. It’s nice to speak to you.

Before we go on can I just say that in July this year I was fortunate enough to photograph you at the Cornbury Festival and I have to say that you blew me away. I thought that it was the set of the weekend. Anyone who can sing Grace Jones’s Slave To The Rhythm as good as you can has to be a little special in my eyes.

Thank you Kevin that is a huge compliment, thank you. I remember it really well. That was the one that was set in the lovely grounds of a stately home. It was great to be there.

Let me just thank you for taking the time to speak to me.

It’s my pleasure Kevin.

And I have to ask how is life treating you?

Life is treating me really well. I am here in the UK about to start the tour supporting Duran Duran. I am truly excited to be playing on the same bill as them. It will be really cool for me to get out and see the fans once again. Then I am scheduled to go on the Jo Wiley Show later on BBC Radio 2 which I am very excited about. So I have to say that life is currently very, very good Kevin.

I understand that you and Simon (Le Bon) have been friends since back in the day?

That’s right Kevin, I have known Simon for a long time now since we first bumped into one other whilst we were out and about on the road.

How did you feel when you got the call asking you to support them on their forthcoming tour?

It was really nice when they asked me if I would like to come over to the UK and join them on the tour as their special guest. I am really looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.

I have been playing your new album 7 for a few days now and I have to say that I find it both powerful and emotive. I think that it is simply a wonderful piece of work.

Thank you very, very much Kevin. It’s always nice when people enjoy your work. It is especially rewarding hearing that when you take into account the amount of work that both Trevor (Horn) and myself put into the album. It was simply the best that we could do. We both felt that it was the best that we had and it was quite challenging but at the same time it was awesome. I would not have wanted the album to turn out in any other way. We don’t have a formula for making these records so the process is different every time. We just loved it.

So am I to take it that you are you pleased with just how it turned out?

That’s the thing Kevin, I am pleased with all of it and I don’t have a favourite track on the album. I love it all. I started out with about fifty-five tracks to choose from for the album and only eleven have actually made it onto the record. So as you can see from that we literally put everything into the making of this album. The eleven tracks on there were the eleven best tracks which we had so there isn’t really a single individual favourite on there. I just love them all (laughter).

Were you happy with just how well the album was received?

I was Kevin yes but I have to tell you that in this day and age, your work being liked is a bonus. Having your work liked is almost like the icing on the cake. First of all you have to be happy with the record that you make; you have to be 100% happy with it. Once you are in that situation where you feel that you have made the absolute best album that you can make then if people like it then that is a bonus. It’s nice and it’s great that they acknowledge what you feel is good. However that is no longer the driving force behind it.

You have entitled the album 7 however have you not recorded 9 studio albums?

(Laughter) I have called the album 7 because in my opinion it is my seventh real studio album. However you are quite right in some people’s eyes Kevin. Some people would argue that there have been 9 studio albums but I would argue that there have been a couple of Greatest Hits albums in there so I feel that this is number 7(laughter).

On the strength of the album will we be seeing a full-blown Seal tour of the UK?

Yes Kevin absolutely. Once again that is a result of the album being well received by the people out there. That is certainly one of the bonuses.

I recently interviewed Burt Bacharach and I said to him that I thought that something magical happened whenever he worked with Dionne Warwick. Would you agree that it is the same whenever you work with Trevor Horn?

(Hysterical laughter) wow hang on Kevin. You are now comparing us to Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick. That is a pretty high standard for us to live up to (laughter).

Ok let me put it another way. Do you think that something magical happens whenever you work with Trevor?

(Laughter) absolutely Kevin, absolutely I think it does. I just think that he has got my number and he knows just how to bring the best out of me. The main thing is that Trevor enjoys working with me. I simply think that he is the best producer that I have ever worked with.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

God Kevin there have been so many. Something that springs to mind is me singing My Girl for The President and the First Lady at the White House; that has to be up there. Working with Trevor is always amazing and for me to be able to spend almost two years with him making an album is wonderful.

I have to ask you about nerves. In April 1992 you performed at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for Aids Awareness at Wembley Stadium. There were 72,000 people in the stadium and the concert was broadcast live on both television and radio to 76 countries around the world. It had an estimated audience of up to one billion. Were you nervous?

Yes Kevin I was, especially singing someone else’s song. I have always loved the song Who Wants To Live Forever and Freddie Mercury, in my opinion, was arguably the best live performer that has ever lived, certainly in the rock music genre. He was one of the most incredible singers that I have ever come across. It was nerve-racking but I absolutely loved it. Funnily enough Kevin I watched that again the other day on DVD (laughter). Thinking about it that has to be one of the highlights of my career, singing on stage with Queen, at Wembley Stadium honouring the great Freddie Mercury.

Would you say that Kiss From A Rose was the turning point in your career?

Yes Kevin I would definitely say that it was. It is the song that turned me into a household name globally.

On that note let me just say thank you for taking the time to speak to me and good luck with the tour.

Thank you very much Kevin. You keep taking those pictures and I will see you in Nottingham.