True colours

Rip It Up, Issue 243, 1 November 1997, Page 22

True colours

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“I was nearly born in New Zealand,” Simon Fowler announces halfway. through the interview. “My dad wanted to emigrate there when he and my mum got married in d 957. But my, mum is really close to her family so they stayed in Birmingham. I often wonder what would have happened, I suppose I’d have been into Split Enz.” And Crowded House as well! “They did some good songs. I wish I’d written ‘Four Seasons In One Day’. And that one that goes ‘Hey now, hey, now...’ “Hello, I’ve just seen Michael Caine go off in a' helicopter outside my window,” digresses Fowler. “We’re in Chelsea Harbour in London. Directly opposite ,this hotel there’s a very tall tower with a great big triangle at the top and that is Michael Caine’s penthouse flat. Behind it he’s got a helicopter pad coz he’s got a restaurant down here.” He’s done alright then. “Fucking hell, yeah. He must be the richest English actor ever.” J iu o) uluxxj. uig.- 9 Oa, l . 4 t . . ■" ? .. . » ' Michael Caine, a relic from the swinging 60s, a decade Ocean Colour Scene have been accused of plundering for their solid, reliable English R&B outlook. And it sells, last year’s album, Moseley Shoals, sold over a million in Britain and Marchin’ Already looks like doing the same sort of business. You'll soon be as wealthy as Michael Caine? “Well, I’ve got a car now, a 1965 VW Carmen Ghia. I saw a programme last night on the E type Jag and I want one of them so we’ve got to make some more albums.” L ' J J

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the audience were all in their 20s, but within about three months of putting out ‘The Riverboat Song’, the front row had halved in age. I was old enough to be most of these kids’ dad. And at signing sessions there’s kids of 10 and 11.” . So this is the lot of ‘The Big Star' on Marchin'Already? “Well,* that’s about lots of different people and there’s some of me in there. But it’s about not wanting to be trite. I wanna sell more records than Oasis but I don’t want to be a trite LA big star.” So what's the band’s chances of cracking America? “At the moment we’ve got a better chance of getting a blow job off the Pope.” So you’re guite hopeful, then? “[Laughs] The problem is we’re leaving our American record label because it’s I I - ’ J

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whmrkmm they’re grunge but they sound 1 like Abba or Ace Of Base. They’re spew. And there’s never; anything coming out of Europe. ' cl C7 i3sp-T^BP ,B '■■aiwuMßEsr £ jrTx3S®w There’s that ‘Barbie Girl’ thing and they should 'be put down.” T They're massive over here, second only to Elton John. “Ah, good old Reg.” What do you think of his Princess Di remake of ‘Candle In the Wind'? “I went to the funeral actually. I stood t outside opposite Downing Street, by the cenotaph, so I heard ' him singing it. Everyone was in tears so I still don’t know what I think about that. I don’t think anyone does. It’s just beginning to lose its wrench to the country. I’m not a royalist and I know this sounds bollocks, but it was like losing someone you knew or in your family. Over the whole country it was] unbelievable, there’s never been I anything like that in my life. Elton had to release the song and 1 he’s giving all the royalties to charity. So he’s a top bloke really although he needs a better, tailor, and go on a diet and comb his ; syrup more.” He’ll be knighted. “Yes, Sir Elton l of Watford. He’s just been awarded the Freedom of the City of fe Watford And he's back into football involvement with the club, and you'll be delighted that England have just qualified for the World Cup. “We watched the game just before we went on for our first night in Brixton. The .."' * •^ , **T ,t; »*** , Tir* - TT*. -^"*"‘**r"'.'***“* , f"** , * r 7KS^ ,; ref played' five i minutes injury time and 'm.-'W ? ■ 1 mail »Miriii'-- , J »»»-'4HHr” Sfessai^2#'»® J ' Chris O’Malley was saying, ‘you’ve got to 1 get on stage,’ and I was saying, ‘fuck off, I’m not going until this match is 1 finished ’n rrsaTFTMh y w 1 ; wb'.'sm ;tb» And there .was ’ nearly, two goals jin i the i last » ; , two 1 minutes |so I went on stage basically a nervous wreck. I never want to prepare ■rigjSm. M... ■«,«'. WinttUMHi'.rJs j for a T gig like that again. I was so wound up, if we’d lost I’d hate to think what the gig would’ve been like.” GEORGE KAY

GEORGE KAY