Seeds. Because of John Peel, it happened really quickly for us. He got on board really early and gave us a momentum that propelled us through the next 10 years of our career. We didn’t have much time to sit around after that. How did you become a Radio DJ? We did the Inspirals full time for 10 years from 85 to 95 and because we worked at such a high level internationally we were always in front of a microphone being interviewed or performing. Te first person to ask me to do some radio was Janice Long. She was setting up a little station in Liverpool, and shr asked me to get involved. Because I wasn’t nervous being in front of a microphone I said I’d do it. It started from there, doing loads of stand-in jobs for people. In 2003 when the Inspirals got back together I did an interview with Tom Robinson at 6Music and at the end he said you sound really good on the radio, I’m going away in August, do you want to do my show for two weeks? So that
“It’s been a massive bonus being born and operating in Manchester”
was my first serious radio job. Because of that, people in the North started offering me jobs so I was suddenly in demand as a stand in DJ. XFM wanted to start a Manchester station so they came to me and asked me to help build it and present a show. I never set out to be a radio presenter as I didn’t think my voice would work on radio. What gives you more pleasure, performing with the Inspirals or being a DJ? Tere’s nothing like being onstage and performing songs that you’ve written to thousands of people you’ve never met and getting their reaction. Tat’s quite a unique thing. But you spend weeks and weeks writing the songs, weeks and weeks rehearsing, weeks and weeks recording it and marketing it, and then you eventually get to do the gig a year after you’ve written the song. Tat‘s when you get the excitement of looking into people’s eyes and seeing them reacting. So it’s a long process before you get the final kick, whereas with radio or club DJing you put the tune on and you see the reaction immediately. I couldn’t say which is most exciting out of being a radio DJ, a club DJ or being in the band to be honest with you. I suppose being on the radio you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to wear, although I
religiously have a shave and wear smart clothes when I turn up for the radio which is weird isn’t it? You just never know who you’re going to bump into on the way in, you know! I always get smartened up. I’m still a bit of Mod I suppose! My favourite Inspirals tracks is I Want You feat Mark E Smith which I own on 7”, one of my most treasured records. You also worked with John Cooper Clarke on Let You Down on the new album. Tey’re both very charismatic Manchester men. What influence has the city of Manchester had on your music over the years would you say? Oh, massive. A massive influence, not just because that’s where we live and that’s what we’re stuck with, but some of the things we’ve written about over the years are very much Manchester pictures really. Wherever you live is going to influence your songwriting. Manchester is probably the most important music city in the world in my opinion for bands like Joy Division, Buzzcocks, the Stone Roses and more recent stuff have inspired us over the years. It’s been a massive bonus being born and operating in this city. Which Manchester acts would you recommend we check out at present? Blossoms are from Manchester, they’re doing really well and I think they’ll do well internationally. Catfish and the Bottlemen again are going to go far. Tere’s a band called Nude, they’re really unusual. I’m doing two weeks on BBC Introducing which is giving me a chance to hear some of the cutting edge stuff happening in Manchester at the moment. It seems to be as productive as it’s ever been
outlineonline.co.uk / December 2015 / 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64