Not every interview the ed asks me to do fills me with glee, but on this occasion, when his email popped into my box and I saw the words Elbow in the title bar, I allowed myself a smile. This wouldn’t be the first time that I’d interviewed Guy Garvey, lead singer from the band. The last time we chatted was just after the release of their debut album ‘Asleep In The Back’. At that time the experiences the band had suffered at the hands of the music industry had him well fired up; “I wouldn’t go anywhere near the fucking music industry. Cause they’re fickle, bullshit spouting wankers and they’ll keep you stringing along for ages like they did with us.”
He seemed more at ease this time, like a seasoned professional ready to take on the inquisitive journo. But some of the old fears still remained, like being worried that one day he’ll wake up and find he’d lost the talent for writing gritty songs which mean real things to real people - though baring all emotionally when writing can be quite uncomfortable, he insists that good songs have to come from the heart if they’re to have any substance; “But that’s real song writing, rather than chewing gum bullshit. You expect to write something that perhaps you’re uncomfortable with sharing but it makes for a better song. My only responsibility when I’m writing is not to anybody and or anything else. It’s more important that the songs sound good above anything else, including my feelings or other people’s feelings. It’s about being charmed and impressed with other people’s songwriting, especially when it’s honest - that’s what allows you to tack it to the wall and let everyone see it. The best songs are always the most honest.”
The new album ‘Leaders Of The Free World’ is full of honesty. So much so there are one or two songs on the album that Guy actually feels uncomfortable hearing let alone singing; “The song ‘My Very Best’ is probably the one I’m most uncomfortable with. To be honest I’m not into talking about it - I will say that it’s about trying and failing.”
The title of the album was based on an observation of George Bush, and how childish and spoilt he looked when it was announced he had just become president. We spoke about George W for a while and the conversation turned to the occupation of Iraq and the current mindset of Muslim hysteria; “No! I don’t think we should have gone to war, it’s an illegally moral conflict and I think the people of Great Britain didn’t want any part of it. They made their feelings clear by the biggest public demonstration this country has ever seen and we were ignored. Innocent blood has been and continues to be spilt in our name by our elected leader. Probably the worst thing to come out of this is the way that Muslim people are now fearing for their lives because of the actions of a handful of people who have hijacked their faith in the same way that Bush has hijacked democracy and Christianity for his own end. I think it’s awful. The finger needs firmly pointing at Tony Blair, I think he needs to get out of office and whoever succeeds him needs to apologise for his actions and withdraw our troops. Maybe then we can start rebuilding a fractured society. I can’t believe that after all this time there’s now the kind of division that causes racial hate crime in this country. I think it’s fuckin’ terrible!”
I shouldn’t say what I’m thinking in this space here, but I would have to agree with him. I truly believe that we have to have mutual respect for our fellow humans, real wealth can be found in people, not objects and things. These days we don’t have enough time for each other, and in this sentiment I think Guy might agree with me! He told me of an old woman whom he stopped to help whilst he was in London, “She was lying in the street pissed as a fart and people were stepping over her”. He couldn’t believe that no one would stop to help so he stooped down, gathered up her spilt change, helped her up, and waited for an ambulance to arrive. “Don’t these people have mothers?” he asks me. He has countless stories like this to tell. He is sensitive to the world around him and is passionate about the things he believes in. For me, this is the essence of Elbow – it’s what makes them special. Guy sees, absorbs and the band becomes a conduit for his emotional responses. He is one of five, and draws his inspiration from them as much as he does from the things that stir him. He’s been spending time collaborating on a few small projects with other people, more recently producing a track with a fellow band member for Editors. He is currently compiling a selection of songs with Jimi Goodwin from Doves, but he has no desire to go solo or ‘do a Phil Collins’; “We all really like each other and we like playing together. It fuels us to keep going - it must come across in the music as well. It comes from a bass level of mutual respect for each other. They never stop wowing me you know!”
And when I ask him have things changed for the band financially since we last spoke he laughs out loud; “No it hasn’t, not really. In fact we’re even further into debt.” He’s one of the most honest pop stars I’ve come across to date, but did he really expect me to believe that? If it is true, I’ve no doubt his fortunes will be changing for the better in the very near future.
‘Leaders of the Free World’ is out on the 12h September.
Hendricks