T IN THE PARK

Man of the year

Paolo Nutini has just experienced the biggest year of his life. He talks to Mark Robertson about the many high points

You’ve had a busy time, touring the world in support of your debut album These Streets. What’s been the highlight?

Appearing at Madison Square Gardens? T in the Park? Sharing a stage with the Stones?

No. Being at Celtic Park for the league trophy getting presented in May. I was sitting next to [former Celtic superstar] Lubo Moravcik in the stands. He said. 'So. they tell me you're a big star‘.” and l was like. ‘No. no. no. You're the star here!’ He gave me his shirt. Such a spot on guy. I got to go into the dressing room after the game and they were trying to get me to sing. I wouldn‘t so they picked us up and launched us in the bath.

It wasn’t all great fun this year, though. What about the show in Swindon where you were accused of being drunk?

I wasn’t. I‘d had a couple of drinks but I leave the partying until the aftershow. It was an insane night. We were in the dressing room three floors up and there was a big group of people outside. I shouted out the window to them and they shouted back up. I went back in. Next thing I know there‘s a guy at the window! He‘d climbed up the pipes to get in! So we let him in and he shouts ‘Come on up!‘ and the girls start trying to work their way up in their heels so I had to go down. Then later someone complained that l was drunk. Swindon. man. Crazy place.

How did you handle touring America?

It‘s weird and hard. The label want you on TV so we did Jimmy Kirmncl. Craig Ferguson. Jay Leno. The Today Show and Conan O‘Brien. all with the same song. It‘s the way to do it apparently. The funniest one was The Morning Show in Australia. We were standing there ready to go. waiting for the cue when it comes up. “Breaking news! Tsunami! Sydney Beach area to be cleared. Watch for updates . . . And now. with “New Shoes". it’s Paulo Nutini . . .‘

What were your best experiences of America?

South By South West was tremendous. I saw a guy called Simple Kid do a great acoustic cover of ‘Paranoid‘ by Black Sabbath. He had a video of Sabbath playing on a projector and he looped it so it was him singing in the background and they’d only come in on the chorus. Another highlight was playing a gig with The Stooges. Iggy came up after and he was like ‘Hey! It‘s the

16 THE LIST 21 Jun—f) Jul 2007

kid with the voice'. It was amazing. A close

second after my manager and I ran to the top of

the Rocky steps in Philadelphia.

So who have you met this year that lived up to your expectations?

Paul Weller was amazing. The Stones were great too. Most live up to your expectations and are totally cool. It’s the younger ones who are weird sometimes. I met Joss Stone. We were playing on the same bill and she must have overrun her set by about 40 minutes. She just wouldn‘t stop singing. You'd see her on the plane or walking around the hotel looking like a young girl and on stage she‘s twice the height. the hair’s twice the size. A transformation.

She’s obviously been subject to the marketing machine big time . . .

I think the American media is just a big bullshit machine. Saying things like “Oh. 'l‘imberlake‘s great in his new movies'. Big surprise he was a trained actor before he was a singer. l‘ergie turns up in a Tan‘antino film and plays the role as well as any other nice looking. big chested woman in America. It's no surprise. she‘s a trained actress. It‘s like this stuff with Britney Spears. Someone has obviously said she should have a breakdown. shave her head. go away fora bit then come back and say she‘s okay. It smacks of a manufactured publicity stunt.

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What did you make of Amy Winehouse?

As much as I respect her I mean I think it's a very creative record I could probably reference every sound on that record. The whole way through you're just waiting for it to break into ‘Baby Love‘ but instead it goes off somewhere darker. The plan was to have us touring America together but I said no because I kind of knew I would be playing second fiddle.

Any good fiction written about you this year?

I guess there‘s the ‘l‘ratellis rift"? ljust said that I thought they were being bigheaded by saying ‘Thank fuck for the liratcllis‘ at the Brits. It wasn‘t a big deal.

The implication was that they are the saviours of Scottish music. Surely there is space enough for everyone?

Yeah. we should all be flying one flag.

What have you been doing to relax?

I took my Dad's old record player and I put it up in my room and dug out some great old records. Just sitting in my room chilling out. Doing sketches of tattoos I might get. My plan is to get one but I haven‘t found anything that means anything to me yet'

Paolo Nutini plays Main Stage, Sun 8 Jul