It’s a bright morning in LA when Luke Spiller appears on Zoom. “Life’s pretty good,” he says cheerfully, tousling his morning thatch. The Struts frontman has come a long way since growing up in a religious family in England’s West Country, and he’s got the musical memories to prove it. “I even made a list,” he says proudly, “so I don’t forget anything.”
The first music I remember hearing
It was Stevie Wonder, I Just Called To Say I Love You. My dad is a gospel singer-songwriter – like a preacher – and I remember travelling to various Christian camps when I was a little kid and this being on. I have vivid memories of wearing typical little-kid clothes and hearing this.
The first song I performed live
It was Song Of The King (Seven Fat Cows) from Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which is sung by Pharoah. He’s pretty much Elvis Presley, and it’s a rock’n’roll song. I was picked to play him at school. It was significant for me because once it ended, the audience applauded. I thought: “Wow, I can do this.” I’ll pull it out now and again and it’ll take me back to figuring out my moves in my bedroom.
The greatest album of all time
I could have said so many things, like [Meat Loaf’s] Bat Out Of Hell or [Queen’s] A Day At The Races, but for me it’s David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. It’s one of those records you have to listen to from beginning to end, and have an experience with it. It’s the perfect combination of words and music, but also what was going on culturally at the time – this fascination with all things space and sci-fi. He captured that perfectly.
The best live album
Queen, Live Killers. I loved the way they managed to take these complex studio recordings and make them work live.
The singer
Shirley Bassey. For me she’s the quintessential siren. Talk about absolute raw talent and deliver. When I hear her voice it literally sends shivers down my spine. People compliment me on being a singer, and I have no problem with that [laughs]. But when I hear her, I’m, like: “No, that’s a real singer.”
![Shirley Bassey “Light My Fire” 1973 [HD-Remastered TV Audio] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/siRk5S9gzJA/maxresdefault.jpg)
The songwriter
Jim Steinman. Whether it’s Meat Loaf or Bonnie Tyler or Celine Dion, when you hear those singers you can feel his personality. He has a style that is totally his own. I adore his solo album, Bad For Good, but the only thing that lets it down very slightly is Jim’s voice. So during lockdown I had this mad idea of getting the tapes for the album, digitising them and then singing over the album. I actually wrote a letter to Jim Steinman before he died explaining what I wanted to do, and he said yes.
The guitar hero
I have to go with Brian May. His playing isn’t only highly original, but kind of flawless, and he’s an incredible songwriter on top of that.
My cult hero
Scott Walker, hands down. I was dating a French girl who introduced me to [Belgian singer] Jacques Brel, and through that I discovered Scott Walker’s English version of Brel’s music, which led to Scott’s 60s solo albums. The instrumentation, the recording and, of course, his voice are all immaculate. I completely admire his voice but I kind of loathe it too, purely out of jealousy because I’ll never be able to get that kind of silkiness.
My guilty pleasure
There’s an Enrique Iglesias song called Love To See You Cry, which I absolutely love. It could be a Chris Isaac or Neil Diamond song. The lyric is really intriguing, he’s sort of pushing his lover to become upset.
My biggest disappintment
I know this band as people, and I absolutely love them and their music, but I’d have to say The Darkness’s Pinewood Smile [2017]. It wasn’t a disappointment as such, it’s just one of those records every band has – they’re good, but they just don’t compare to the bar they’ve set for themselves – and that one fell short.
My Saturday night party song
I literally cannot help but start moving when I hear Jackson Browne’s Everybody’s Baby. It’s pure early eighties – a little bit of slap bass, some great organ playing, such an infectious groove. I love to listen to it when I’m putting on my little mod suit and getting ready to hit the town in LA – which is usually about five times every week.
The song that makes me cry
I Know You By Heart by Eva Cassidy. It just has so many attached memories. I’d smoke a couple of cigarettes before the morning bell at school and I’d listen to that song and dream about my future. And later on, with the relationships I’ve had – that song is talking about no matter what happens, there’ll always be part of you I know through and through. It still hits me.
The song I want played at my funeral
It’s going to be two songs: Friday Night by The Darkness and Nevermore by Queen. Friday Night reminds me of a crucial point in my life where me and my friends were just becoming old enough to get up to no good, and that song became an anthem to us. Nevermore is a song I used to smoke weed and get really high and listen to. I still love it.
Luke Spiller's debut solo single Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine is out now.
