Michael Head has been known as Liverpool’s nice misplaced songwriter and a genius.
Speaking to him on the cellphone early one spring morning – he’s at residence, close to town’s docks – I ask him if he’s proud of the genius tag.
“Somebody as soon as stated to me, ‘That music you’ve written is f***ing genius – anybody might’ve finished it!’ And I went, ‘Yeah – you’re proper, lad. Good on yer,’” he says.
“I believe genius is when one thing is finished in a specific method that’s totally different to the norm – it’s off-centre. I simply love writing.”
After a 40-year profession that takes in The Pale Fountains, Shack, and The Strands, Head, who’s 60, has simply launched his second album with The Red Elastic Band, and it simply may be one of the best factor he’s ever finished.
Dear Scott – the title references creator F. Scott Fitzgerald’s time on the notorious Hollywood lodge, The Garden of Allah, when he picked up a postcard on strolling in and addressed it to himself – is a surprising and exquisite assortment of story songs.
Comeback single, ‘Kismet’ – written in regards to the kindness of strangers and primarily based on a real-life expertise, when Head discovered himself stranded in the midst of nowhere with a useless cellphone – is joyous and jangly guitar pop, ‘Broken Beauty’ has a blue-eyed soul really feel, full with lush, Easy Listening strings and Bacharach trumpet, ‘Fluke’ is a hazy and dream-like journey by L.A, soundtracked by cinematic strings, and ‘Gino and Rico’ is a beautiful jazzy shuffle that will go well with Richard Hawley’s velvet croon.
‘Freedom’ is a folky acoustic ballad, and ‘American Kid,’ with horns and a hovering refrain, is written a few buddy who was “born in a excessive rise in Kirkby” and is obsessive about Hollywood tradition. It namechecks classic US actors John Garfield and Ida Lupino, in addition to Elvis, Tarantino and De Niro.
The file was produced by Bill Ryder-Jones (The Coral) who offers the songs wealthy, vibrant and imaginative preparations.
“He’s finished an incredible job. It’s not a case of him understanding the songs – he simply will get them,” says Head. “We’re on the identical web page and in tune with one another. The songs simply advanced.”
SH: In 2019, you introduced you have been going to place out an album known as New Brighton Rock, however your plans modified on account of COVID, didn’t they?
MH: Yeah – I’d been writing songs since then. I’m writing on a regular basis. Eighteen months in the past, me and the lads [from The Red Elastic Band] went into the studio with Bill and did about six tracks after which lockdown kicked in. We didn’t see one another for 12 months.
When we obtained again collectively, what we’d finished previous to lockdown sounded improbable.
Dave Pichilingi [CEO] of [record label] Modern Sky stated, ‘Do you need to end the album off?’ We have been like, ‘Yeah – undoubtedly,’ as a result of we’d financed the primary bit ourselves, with gigs and we’d finished some T-shirts.
Initially the album was known as New Brighton Rock as a result of I’d been engaged on a brief story… I’ve been doing brief tales for 20 years, in my spare time. I’m going to do one thing with a writer within the close to future.
I wrote the story New Brighton Rock about 15 years in the past and I cherished it a lot… I wrote a music, however it didn’t go on an album.
New Brighton Rock was a working title [for the album]. When I used to be out on my bike, somebody shouted ‘New Brighton Rock’ to me on the street, and I did flip spherical.
But the album ended up being known as Dear Scott…
I’d seen a Jay McInerney documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald, which fascinated me – his persona, his letters and his sense of humour appealed to me. He was the king, however he’d had just a few ups and downs.
When all his associates have been attempting to crack the brand new medium in Hollywood, he went there to try to have a go, however when he arrived at his lodge, it was the unsuitable place for him, as a result of he was sober and all people round him was in an extreme atmosphere. When he obtained to the counter on the lodge, he wrote a postcard to himself: ‘Dear Scott…’ He didn’t stamp it – he simply put it on his mantelpiece.
One of the songs on the album, ‘Fluke’, was impressed by considered one of Scott’s brief tales known as The Homes of the Stars.
The album is fantastic – it’s a stunning file.
Thank you, man.
Several of the songs, like ‘Fluke’ and ‘Kismet’, point out journey – it appears like fairly a transient album…
Yeah – that wasn’t intentional however it I suppose there’s loads of motion. I exploit my unconscious quite a bit once I’m writing. Some of my songs are pure reality and a few are pure fiction – I like to combine it up. ‘Fluke’ is a few PR lady who will get a possibility to go to L.A. She’s instructed that she’s obtained to return again, however she loses her cellphone so she will be able to go there. I’m fascinated by Hollywood films, and I’ve tried to encapsulate that – she’s dreaming in L.A.
The strings on ‘Fluke’ sound very cinematic…
That was Bill Ryder-Jones, mate.
Why did you resolve to work with him?
I’ve identified him for ages, since he was in The Coral – we’ve performed at a few festivals, and we at all times obtained on very well.
I really like his stuff and he’s a stunning fella.
One of the lads within the band, Nat [Nathaniel Cummins – guitars] works quite a bit with Bill.
One day, earlier than Bill obtained concerned, we have been going by the songs – Nat had made a studio in his flat, so we obtained the songs into form there. Nat stated, ‘What about Bill producing the album?’ I stated, ‘That’s proper! Let’s ‘ave it – all day!’
That was that – Bill was up for it. It was pretty making it. He lives in West Kirby, on the Wirral – he has his personal studio there. It’s a fantastic atmosphere – in the event you weren’t within the studio, you can go for a stroll.
For the primary a part of the album, to let you know the reality, I used to be consuming. Then lockdown occurred, and I obtained sober and extra centered – it was sensible.
The lads within the band are so grounded and so stunning – they’re level-headed they usually’re half my age, however they’re like mates.
I stated to them as soon as, ‘You don’t half get the brand new songs’, and considered one of them stated, ‘Mick – me ma and me uncle performed us your songs. We grew up with them, so we all know the place you’re going’.
All my life I’ve been actually fortunate with folks I’ve been in bands with.
Mood-wise, I believe the album is a constructive one…
It actually is. When me and the lads met again up [after lockdown], we went for a stroll down the seaside and stated, ‘Let’s end the album’. It all opened up once more – it was meant to be.
It’s as if the celebs aligned…
There you go, lad.
On that observe, the primary single from the file was ‘Kismet.’ It’s in regards to the kindness of strangers and somebody who helped you once you have been stranded and wanted to cost your cellphone up…
In the olden days, earlier than cell phones, in the event you have been stranded, you both needed to discover a pink phone field or knock on a door. You needed to have cash as nicely, or you can reverse the costs…
A few years in the past, I used to be in the midst of nowhere, with no energy on me cellphone – you don’t realise how a lot you want it till it’s gone. I had no cash – I used to be in a little bit of a state of affairs, and it actually was in regards to the kindness of strangers. I noticed someplace – it was like sanctuary and salvation in a method.
I stated to a man, ‘All I want, mate, is a few minutes cost for one name to avoid wasting meself’.
He was actually good – he was closing the place up, however he charged me cellphone up and gave me a little bit plate of meals. And then he turfed me out. He stated, ‘That’s on the home.’ I made the decision and I saved meself.’
‘Broken Beauty’ is considered one of my favorite tracks on the file. It’s nearly a soul music. Your vocals remind me of Dr. Robert from The Blow Monkeys. You’re singing in a distinct type on it…
He was boss, Dr. Robert. It suited the way in which the music was going to develop, however it wasn’t intentional – I simply sing it the way in which it ought to be. I really like the backbeat guitar and the trumpet on it.
Another spotlight for me is ‘American Kid’, which is sort of probably the one music ever written to say US actor, John Garfield. It’s one other music that references Hollywood and American tradition…
It’s about two associates rising up – one of many lads is fascinated by Hollywood and he can’t actually speak about the rest, although he’s into soccer and every thing else.
As they become older, he turns trans – they’re nonetheless finest associates, however he finds his different life extra fascinating and fulfilling, in addition to nonetheless going to the match. It’s about real love inside friendship – like avenue brothers.
When Shack reformed, you have been championed by Noel Gallagher and signed to his label, Sour Mash Records. Did you take pleasure in that interval?
Yeah – it was useless good. It was of the second. In Shack, we at all times had a ball once we have been enjoying festivals with Noel, whether or not it was onstage, backstage, or mooching round. I met a great deal of folks I wouldn’t have usually met.
You’re a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, however you’ve by no means actually crossed over into the mainstream. Why do you suppose that larger success has eluded you? Are you fairly comfortable being a cult artist and doing your personal factor?
I’m comfortable doing my very own factor – I can operate and get on with my life. Sometimes in rehearsals, we are saying, ‘You know what? It’s all in regards to the songs.’
Lately, I’ve loved getting again into writing – new songs and brief tales. What does the mainstream entail? I’m not about supplies and cash. What is it that I’m lacking out on?
Obviously, all of us want cash, but when I received The Lottery, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. I had a good suggestion once I was youthful, however that’s one other story.
Who are your songwriting heroes?
Arthur Lee, Bowie – his lyrics are up there for me – and Joni Mitchell.
We talked in regards to the stars aligning for the brand new album.
Shack’s unhealthy luck has been well-documented, as have your personal private battles with habit. Do you suppose you can’ve been larger if issues hadn’t labored in opposition to you, or was it par for the course?
Probably par for the course – it was the local weather of the time. The planets weren’t aligned. There was loads of mayhem within the ‘90s and the 2000s, however it was stunning mayhem. I wouldn’t have it some other method, however I suppose we might have finished issues in a different way typically.
Dear Scott by Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band is out now on Modern Sky UK.
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