COCKnBULLKIDAdulthood

WILLIAMDDRAKETheRisingOf TheLights

THURSTONMOOREDemolished Thoughts

THEWAIFSTemptation

WHEN Anita Blay, akaCocknBullKid, appeared onLater With Jools Holland in2008 she seemed on amission to reclaim RnB fromthe charts and give it asassier, more cutting edge.With a major label behind

her, her debut is a poppierproposition as she sets hersights higher than thehipsters of East London.Peter, Bjorn and John’s

Peter Moren, Metronomy’sJoseph Mount and ShaznayLewis all contribute.And while their mainstream

melodies lighten the darkeredges of heremotions, theydon’t drown outher convictionto tell her story.

JS

3.5

DRAKE is probably bestknown for his nine years onkeyboards with The Cardiacs.His fourth solo outing is as

eccentric as ever, with plentyof fine knob-twiddling andivory tickling, augmented withhurdy-gurdies, harmoniums,mellotrons, phillicorders andminimoogs.There is a definite British

psychedelia vibe – think SydBarrett or Robyn Hitchcock –especially in some of thelyrics. Also a darker prog rockside (Peter Hammill), evenjazz and classical moments.It’s very Eng-

lish – whimsicalyes, but alsocomplex, under-stated andtasteful. SFO

4

3.5

AS a prime mover in SonicYouth, Thurston Moore haslong made music thatconfounds his listeners.Whether it’s waves of post-

punk noise or moments ofmelodic clarity, he’s a compel-ling artist.His latest album is a thing

of delicate beauty filled withpastoral reveries performedwith soft vocals and backedby understated guitar, stringsand percussion.It draws comparison with

an album by the man whoproduced it – Beck’s sublimeSea Change – with songssuch as theserene Bene-diction show-ing Moore’sstrength anddepth. SC

4

HOTGIGS

NEWMUSIC

NNEEWWMMUUSSIICC

PETER DOHERTY — tonight, Barrowland,Glasgow, 0141 552 4601

THE KOOKS — tonight, The Ironworks,Inverness, 0871 789 4173

THE HOOSIERS — Sunday, King Tut’s,Glasgow, 0141 221 5279

MAYDAY PARADE — Tuesday, The Garage,Glasgow Tuesday 0843 2210100

BASED around the talents ofJosh Cunningham and sistersVikki Thorn and DonnaSimpson, The Waifs havebeen together for 19 years,hailing from Australia but nowresident in America.Temptation is their sixth

album and it benefits from aback-to-basics approach,although The Waifs havenever wandered far from theirfolk rock/Americana roots.Cunningham’s new-found

emphasis on Christianityresults in perhaps thealbum’s most affecting track,Temptation, with its strippeddown, bluesy gospel flavour.The Waifs’

style could feeltoo smooth tosome ears butit’s classy.

SFO

THE plan was for Suedeto reform for one nightonly – a TeenageCancer Trust gig at TheRoyal Albert Hall inMarch 2010.Then they intended to“disappear off into the sunsetafter a great gig, for a greatreason in a great place”.But things didn’t go according toplan. The one-off show turned intothree gigs, a tour and festivals.Now, 14 months on from thatmomentous show, the band thatstarted Britpop are about tore-release their five studio albums,one a week, starting with their self-titled debut on May 30.“It’s been amazing. I’d have tosay the Albert Hall was my favour-ite show I’ve ever done in 20years,” says Brett Anderson.Tanned after a post-CoachellaCalifornian holiday with his wifeJodie, Brett looks healthier thanthe pale, long-fringed waif weremember from the height of Suedemania.He and bassist giant Mat Osmanare sat with SFTW looking back attheir 14 years together and alsoahead, though somewhat apprehen-sively — as Mat stresses: “We don’tplan too far ahead any more. It’sone day at a time.”

MagicalBrett says: “There was somethingreally special about that night atthe Albert Hall. We’d been awayfor seven years and so it was asense of putting the record straightabout the band. It sounded great,we played great songs. It was amagical evening. And since then weplay every show like it’s our last.”Brett is still very serious in hisdelivery though not as prickly (heeven laughs seven times in ourhour of chat — I’m counting).But it was Brett’s haughtinessthat sometimes got up people’snoses. “We polarised people and Iliked that,” he smiles.“I remember winning the BestBand award at the NME Brats andgetting booed by people. It waslike, ‘Yes! Bring it on.’ I loved thatSuede were hated by other bands.“We weren’t some grey little bandthat were mates with everyone. Inever wanted to be that. I wasn’t anetworker but arrogant? Whenpeople are insecure, it’s easy tothink they’re arrogant — maybethat’s why we got a reputation ofbeing quite moody.”Back in 2005, when SFTW metBrett to talk about The Tears, theband he formed with originalSuede guitarist Bernard Butler,Brett told us: “I finished withSuede because it had run out ofsteam.”Now he says: “I don’t regret it atall. It was completely true at thetime. The reason we called it a dayin 2003 was because there wasn’tany gas left in the tank and Ithink that was quite a bravedecision and the right one.”But now the band have found arenewed enthusiasm.Brett says: “It was unfinishedbusiness for us. There was a periodwhen Suede were quite unfashion-able which always frustrated mebecause we’d made some amazingrecords and were a very key bandin our period. For a few yearsthere was a lack of respect.“Looking back there’s lots ofhuge, huge down points. We’vedone some incredibly stupid andcareer-destroying things. We’veroyally destroyed ourselves and ourmyth regularly.“I regret the last album A NewMorning. It didn’t have thatrestless, questing energy. We weretired and it would have been betterfor us to have gone away at thatpoint.” In 1992, Suede were hailedas the “Best New Band in Britain”with an obsessive following. Theirself-titled debut album wentstraight to No1 in March of thefollowing year and went on to win

the 1993 Mercury Prize.“It was a great time for us,” sayslanky Mat.“A Suede gig would be like thistiny knot of insanity. Suede fanstended to look quite odd comparedwith the rest of the people and soat our gigs, we were surrounded bythe same bunch of freaks, a mess ofleather and lace.”Brett says: “Six months before wewere on the dole eating bakedbeans for tea.“Then all of a sudden we were onthe cover of every magazine withpeople desperate to get a piece ofus. The first flush of success is amagical time for any band.”The remastered albums are a treatfor fans old and new. They includeunreleased demos, songs, DVDextras, almost three hours ofpreviously unseen live footage, TVprogrammes and two hours of brandnew interviews. Each release has a32-page booklet, including a notewritten by Brett.“A lot of love went into thosereissues,” he says proudly.“They became a labour of loveand a bit of an obsession for me.January to March of this year, Iwas up early every morning, on thecomputer trying to source things. Iwas calling friends up, saying ‘Haveyou got that old video you filmed ofus at Sheffield in 1992? Have yougot any old photos?’”And even though he’s not part ofthe reformed Suede, founder guitar-ist Bernard Butler, who quit theband in 1994, played his part in thereissues.Brett says: “He was very muchinvolved in the whole process ofreissuing the first two albums. Wedid a lot of remastering togetherand talked about what we wanted

on the record. Hebrought in loads ofdemos of Dog Man Starand we had a couple ofdays of going throughthese dusty old cas-settes and listening to

them, going, ‘Christ, I don’t remem-ber that’. But for the live shows,well he doesn’t believe in reunions. Idon’t think Bernard wants to spendhis life touring.“Personally I’m just glad I nowhave a relationship with him again.”It was tension between Bernardand Brett that saw the guitaristquit. Their second American tour in1993 — where they were known asThe London Suede following a law-suit from a US singer of the samename — was tough, Bernard grievingfor his father and being homesickwhile the rest of the band partied.“Bernard was far more affected bythe negative sides of success thaneveryone else,” explains Mat.“He was much more uncomfortablewith a lot of the press andespecially a lot of the more frivolouspress. We liked the idea of being inthe tabloids and Bernard didn’tenjoy touring. He just wanted to sitand make great records. For the restof us this was just the life and wewere enjoying it. He found quiteearly on that he didn’t really wantto be in the band.”He was replaced by 17-year-oldguitarist and huge Suede fanRichard Oakes, who had sent ademo tape to the band’s fan clubafter hearing about Bernard’s exit.Keyboardist Neil Codling joined in1996 and third album Coming Upthat year went on to be their biggestcommercial success: A UK No1 withfive top ten singles and their biggest-selling album worldwide.But the partying and indulgencewas becoming a problem for Brett,who would develop a crack andheroin addiction.

LaddishHe reveals: “It was towards theend that I felt as though my life-style was compromising my work.“The first three albums, I dealtwith it in a funny sort of way. Thewhole lifestyle inspired what I wroteabout and the kind of people wewere. It wasn’t until towards theend I felt it was compromising it.“Every day I thank myself forbeing able to know when to stop.”Suede may have initiated Britpopwith their debut album but havealways been keen to keep theirdistance from the lager-swilling, lad-dish scene it became.Brett says: “Britpop becamedistorted into a beery cartoon.“It became a patronising view ofa nostalgic working class fantasymade by middle-class boys. AndSuede WERE working-class boys whowere documenting our life.”After their Brixton shows, theband embark on a summer offestival dates including Latitude —but then what for Suede?Mat says: “We’ve got nothingplanned past the summer. It’s theblankest of blank diaries and we’renot intending to put anything in.”Brett adds: “I have a new soloalbum out in September which Iwill be focusing on. In regards to anew Suede album, well, we’ve beenin the studio and been talkingabout the kind of album we mightwant to write, throwing a few ideasaround but that’s all.“And that’s the nice thing aboutall this. We don’t have to do it. Ithink our main opponent now is ourpast in a funny sort of way.“We’d been wiped from historyand our last album had left a sourtaste in lots of people’s mouths.“I’m just glad that since that gigat the Albert Hall, we’ve changedpeople’s perceptions.”Suede release re-mastered andexpanded versions of their fivestudio albums from May 30. Theyplay Dog Man Star tonight andComing Up tomorrow at BrixtonAcademy.

JACQUI SWIFT

HEADLIGHTWHO: Ewan Donald (vocals), EwanMurray (guitar), Mitch Bain (guitar),Rachel McLennan (bass guitar/vocals), Jamie Donald (drums)WHERE: New Deer, AberdeenshireFOR FANS OF: Snow Patrol, Blur,EditorsJIM SAYS: There’s a conspiracy the-ory doing the rounds that you’ve gotto come from Glasgow/Edinburgh/Central Belt to get a slot at T In ThePark’s T Break stage for unsignedbands. Not so. And I should knowbecause I’m on the selection panel!I’m making this point because a

band like Headlight — from tinyNew Deer — can use the small townthing as a selling point.When I asked guitarist Mitch

where they are from the responsewas “Aberdeen/Glasgow” almost asif you need to be from a bigger cityto be taken seriously. Havingattended New Deer’s wonderful Wiz-

ard Festival for the first time lastyear, I got a real buzz about thatpart of the world. It would be wonder-ful if they had some local heroes.I was first drawn to Headlight’s

music when I heard their strikinganthem This Is My Empire.It’s epic indie pop destined for a

bigger stage. Their new EP ColourMe In should appear in July. Can’twait to hear it.MORE: facebook.com/headlightbandQ Jim presents In:Demand Uncut,Sunday 7-10pm on Clyde 1, ForthOne, Northsound 1, Radio Bor-ders, Tay FM, West FM & WestSound FM. See jimgellatly.com

6 SFTW Friday, May 20, 2011 Friday, May 20, 2011 SFTW 7