Forked tongue
Philip Dorward talks balls to Ian Broudie. head Lightning Seed and stalwart of Liverpool’s pure pop scene.
Nice simplistic bloke is the Lightning Seeds‘ lan Broudie. Sure. we could have talked politics and finance but nah. football is more fun. Topics of initial discussion are: the FA Cup; rivalry and racism; how he‘d rather have Duncan Ferguson playing for his team than l’iric Cantona — although he admits that Cantona has made a good team a great team.
Broudie‘s connection with football has now extended beyond his lifelong fascination with Liverpool. Many of you pop/football aficionados out there will have noticed that the Lightning Seeds 1992 hit single ‘The Life Of Riley‘ has been borrowed by the BBC ‘s .l'lalr‘h ()f'l‘he Day as the buoyant background for their weekly goals round-up. Why is that a highlight for Broudie‘.’ ‘Well it‘s one of me favourite songs and I like the fact that more people enjoy it now than they did three years ago.’
Br'oudie cony admits that its successful because it contains the essential Lightning Seeds element. timelessncss. It could be a future Trivial Pursuit CI) question: sort out these three Lightning Seeds tracks into their appropriate year of 1989. 1992 and 1994: ‘Lucky You’. ‘Pure‘ and ‘The Life Of Riley'. Broudie doesn‘t really have a great plan that all his songs should retain their freshness. other than the fact that he likes to make records that can stand the test of time.
‘lt’s a funny one. timeless,’ muses Broudie. ‘You‘d like to think that if you were watching The Rock & Roll Years in a decade, then you could be part of a
particular time. But on the other side of that is the fact that as records grow older they sound crap. Like, I'm not meaning to be nasty about Spandau Ballet. but their records sound horrific now. A lot of ()()s/7()s records sound good. but Jethro Trill don‘t. For me. I think that The Beatles. apart from the early Stones stuff. are the only band who never sounded bad. I hope I sound that good and that people don‘t throw
away my records. I suppose calling me timeless is all
right. but it could be just that people recognise that I’m not part of any trend.‘
Certainly Broudie is not part of the Elastica/Blur scene. but neither is be anywhere in between Crowded House or ()asis. Up until now The Lightning Seeds have remained in a league of their own: Broudie‘s own private concern. His three— album discography of Clam/r'tlr‘knulmld. Sense and Jolllfir‘ulirni may seem skimpy but that sure as hell isn't out of laziness. Not for nothing has Broudic acquired the reputation as being one of the hardest- working men in pop. When he‘s not playing with hirnself(!). he's twiddling production knobs for the likes of The Fall. Terry Hall. Dodgy and Sleeper.
Now, though. after playing live and making
w '
Jalli/iealinn. Broudie has a new verve. It may have taken him six years. but at long last he now views The Lightning Seeds as a long term concern. He's feeling a bit excited about it all. believing this is the start of something curiously new.
‘Playing live with Chris, my drummer. and Martin. our bass player. has really changed my perspective on everything. They are great musicians who add so much. and I really want to capture that for the next LP. In the raw the new songs I'm writing are similar to the old songs. but different. I could be proved wrong but ljust feel we’ll be taking a different direction. more definable. I‘ve always wanted The Lightning Seeds to be a group. that‘s why I called it The Lightning Seeds. I feel at last it‘s developed and we have a new lease of life. which I‘m glad about because I don‘t think I could have recorded a fourth album on my own. I‘m dead excited now because I get to make another album.‘
Soon then. it‘ll be 4-0 to the Lightning Seeds. Things could be even more marvellous. Oh. lucky us. (Philip Dorward)
The Lightning Seeds play The Garage. Glasgow (m Mon 22.
Lightning Seeds: iolly Scouse pop
Regarding Henry
Marking the tercentenary of the death of Henry Purcell, Edinburgh University’s Music Faculty is mounting three concerts entitled ‘Purcell And His Time’. Although at first the series’ label of ‘Historical Concerts’ might indicate academic stuffiness, it actually promises a lively and enlightening way of learning more about the music of Purcell and his contemporaries.
‘We decided last year, as part of the Faculty’s centenary celebrations, to
try to revive the idea of concerts in St Cecilia’s using period instruments,’ explains Christopher Field, Dean of the Faculty. ‘There had been some very successful “Bach at St Cecilia’s” concerts in the 70s, but the tradition was started by Professor fliecks, the Faculty’s first Dean, 100 years ago,’ he says. At the time, the concept was highly innovatory and, in the words of one early graduate, ‘made the dry bones of history come alive.’ ‘We also wanted to have a theme,’ says Dr Field, ‘and since 1995 marks the 300th anniversary of Purcell’s death, he seemed an obvious core.’
The University is fortunate in having, in as unlikely hideaways as the Geography and Physics departments, A expert cornet players, an 7" ethnomusicologist who plays sackbut, and several early music specialists, Dr l
Henry Purcell: tercentenary celebrations
Field included, within the Faculty. ‘The first concert is centred on Purcell’s vocal music and in Edinburgh-based soprano Libby Crabtree, who has sung with The Sixteen and The King’s Consort, we have a very good singer in some of his theatre and single songs. The other two concerts are purely instrumental and also feature the music of John Hingeston, who was Charles ll’s keeper of musical instruments and to whom Purcell was apprenticed.’ The concerts are open to all and, says Dr Field, ‘I hope they will be instructive and widen people’s knowledge of the period as well as providing some pleasant summer evenings’ music.’ (Carol Main) Purcell And His Time is at St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh on Sat 27 May and 3 and 4 June.
32 The List 19 May-l Jun 1995