The Wildheart man talks about revisiting the band’s p.h.u.q. album 20 years on, and reveals he has a “game changer” coming in November.
You recently voiced a wish to cease working under the Wildhearts banner. Does that mean you’re approaching this tour for p.h.u.q. with mixed feelings?
Earlier this year we [The Wildhearts] had a whole recording and touring plan, but then something personal happened that affected some band members’ relationships; or, more to the point, mine with them. But I’m not going to go into the details in public.
So there won’t be any Wildhearts albums coming in the future?
I wouldn’t even know what to write about. A bunch of forty- to fifty-year-olds still unable to get along? Yeah, count me in, it sounds like a riot.
Writing your forthcoming autobiography, were some nasty emotions dredged up from the p.h.u.q. era?
It’s more of a look at the period between the first Wildhearts recording, Mondo AKimbo A-Go-Go [1992] and the album that saved my life and my career, 555% [2012], than a real autobiography. But yeah, there was lots of confusion circa p.h.u.q. No one had a plan for us, and we hardly helped, with substance abuse and using company funds to make porn movies.
When can we expect the book, and can you put your hand on your heart and say it’s going to be one hundred per cent truthful?
Hopefully by October, and it’s truthful in that it’s my opinion of what went down. Certain people didn’t want to be written about, and even threatened court action, but their absence doesn’t hurt the book.
It’ll be a tough tour, with your other group Hey! Hello! opening the show.
I can get into shape pretty quickly. Which is handy, as Hey! Hello! are the most explosive band I’ve ever played with. I’m placing a lot of faith in Hey! Hello!. A second album is written and, let’s face it, the world needs a new headline act, right? Now you’ve got one.
What else is in the pipeline?
All sorts of things. But we’re launching a complete game changer in November. I won’t jinx it by saying too much now, but we’ll be talking again before the year’s end, that’s for sure.
Wildhearts Tour Dates
Sep 17: Nottingham, Rock City
Sep 18: Manchester, Academy
Sep 19: Newcastle, Academy
Sep 20: Glasgow, ABC
Sep 22: Leeds, Academy
Sep 23: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
Sep 24: Bristol, Academy
Sep 25: London, Shepherd’s Bush Empire
