June 3rd sees the release of Love
Undercover, the
debut album by James Skelly & The Intenders. Skelly is best known
as the main vocalist and songwriter in The Coral, a band that have
released a string of critically acclaimed albums, gaining
Mercury nominations and the respect of their peers along the way.
It's now three years since the last album Butterfly House. With no
new Coral material on the horizon, having abandoned sessions with
producer John Leckie for a sixth album half way through, the
various members have kept themselves busy with side projects and solo
albums. James' brother (and Coral drummer) Ian recently released his
his album Cut
From A Star, a
record that maintains the Coral's gentle psychedelia. Hot on its
heels comes older brother James' effort with new backing band The
Intenders. It's an altogether more soulful, rootsy affair. though
with just enough of The Coral's folk-rock to keep the faithful happy.
Keen to point out that it's a group effort, the band will be touring
throughout the summer (dates below). We caught up with James prior to
the album's release to talk soul music, psych bands and gap years.
Harmonic Distortion – The album's
opening track “You've Got It All” was co-written with Paul
Weller. How did that come about and what's he like to work with?
James Skelly - He sent me a demo,
but it had no words on it. He asked me if I could finish it, so I
wrote the words and the chorus, and then we finished it in his
studio. Ian loved the song and thought it would be right for the
album, so I rang Weller and asked him if I could use it. He said yes.
HD – There's are real live
band dynamic on the album, and I know you're keen to point out the
rest of the band's input on the album. Who have you got playing on
the record and was there an instant chemistry when you all first got
together in the rehearsal room?
JS - I played guitar & vocals,
Paul Duffy - guitar, organ, & vocals, Alfie Skelly - guitar, Nick
Power-piano, Ian Skelly - drums, James Redmond -bass. We've all
played with each other before and we're all close friends, so it was
very natural.
HD – You've worked with some
big name producers in the past, whereas this record is self-produced.
You obviously feel at home in the studio, are there any plans to do
any more production work either for yourself for other artists?
JS - Yes, I love being in the
studio and I've been working with a couple of young bands, Sundowners
and The Circles, It's something I’d like to get into.
HD – Without going as far as
to call Love Undercover a soul album, there's a definite Northern
Soul/R&B vibe going on. Would that be an indication of what
you've been listening to recently?
JS - I've always loved blues and
soul music, I go through phases but that’s what I always go back
to.
HD – I'm really enjoying your
song “Searching For The Sun”, could you tell us a little bit
about how you wrote the song and what inspired it.
JS - I've had that song for a
while, we demoed it with The Coral, then I demoed it. I ended up with
something inbetween the two versions.
HD – The songs on Love
Undercover
come across as less oblique than your songs for The Coral, there's a
tenderness and warmth to a lot of the songs too. It seems to me these
songs are a lot more personal than much of your previous work, would
that be a fair observation?
JS - I'd say the songs are more
direct. I wanted to get to the heart of the matter. I thought the
lyrics on Butterfly House were as good as I was going to get in that
style, so I felt it was time for a change.
HD – I'd say there's a good
case to be made for having one of the most instantly recognisable
male voices from the last decade with Love
Undercover
containing some of your best vocal performances, there seems to be a
real sense of spontaneity and joy in them. Who would you say were
your main influences as a vocalist?
JS - Van Morrison, Steve Marriott,
Ronnie Spector, Dion DiMucci, Bob Marley, Sam Cooke, John Lennon, Ben
E. King, Robert Johnson, Willie Deville, I could go on, but I'll
leave it there.
HD - Would you say there was less pressure and expectation on this record than say there would be on a Coral album?
HD - Would you say there was less pressure and expectation on this record than say there would be on a Coral album?
JS - In a way, because I only had
to answer to myself, but I'm my harshest critic, so it didn’t make
a big difference.
HD – Sorry to bring up the
C-word but I have to ask, it's three years since Butterfly
House was
released, is there likely to be another Coral album or tour at any
time in the near future?
JS - Yes, I hope so, it has to be
right though, I wouldn’t want to do it just for the sake of it.
HD – Your song “I'm A Man”
has that Arthur Lee-style Mariachi vibe on it, I'm assuming you still
dig Love, Beefheart and all? Do you keep up with any of the current
crop of psychedelic flavoured acts such Temples or Jacco Gardner?
JS - I've heard Temples, it's good
but there's a lot of lo-fi stuff around, I’m waiting for a young
band to come and smash it.
HD – The song “Darkest
Days” is a sublime ending to the record, with warm sentiments that
characterise much of the album. Do you find yourself getting more
drawn towards introspection as you get older?
JS - I've always been like that,
I'm just hiding it less these days.
HD – You've been releasing critically acclaimed music for over twelve
years. So many flavour-of-the-month bands have come and gone, yet
you're still around, without courting the gossip columns, and still
making great music. What do you put this longevity down to?
JS
- I'd still be doing it even if no one was listening. It's all I
know. I get the impression a lot of bands are just on a gap year.
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