The Charlatans

The Charlatans from Northwich, have created the brit pop scene, but differently from all the other bands of that period, they have survived during all these years and now they are pubblishing their 10th album. You Cross My Path is the record with which Tim Burgess’s band recover the energy and freshness of the beginning. Memorable rivals of the Stone Roses, they have influenced many bands, above all Oasis, even if the Gallagher’s bothers would have make themselves killed before admitting it.

Why did you decide to let people download your record for free trought
the Xfm website, before decided to release it physically?

We believe that more and more people are listenig to music but no one
wants to buy cds.
Downloads are huge, everyone downloads for free illegally we just made
it legal and we did ours because we wanted to stick two fingers up to the record indust
We wanted to get into as many peoples iPods as possible

What have brought you on these fresh and energetic direction
reminiscent of your early years, after the americana and folk influences
of your recent albums?

...Quitting drugs.
I was on a slippery slope towards becoming mediocre.

Is vengeance the subject of the single You Cross My Path?

Yeah! Kinda

How did you get in touch with the art of Faris Rotter, singer of The Horrors?
Have you suggested him to do something in particular for your cover or did you
let him free to do what he wanted?

I Met Faris on holiday in beachy head, east Sussex.
He told me he was in a band and I loved them as soon as I heard them.
When I was asked to do produce 'The Hatcham Social'
single, I was told Faris was doing the artwork.
I became actually a fan of his Edward gorey inspired art and actually
bought 3 pieces of his when he had an exhibition (he later told me he
would have given them for free) When the charlatans decided on a black
cat for the sleeve of You Cross My Path I thought a drawing by faris
would be awesome.
I was really glad he seemed keen to do it.
He asked what style
I told him I liked a blackbird/crow drawing he had at the exhibit He
said 'that is the only info he needed'
He drew me '5 cats on fire'
I said nothing
I think it is really awesome by the way...

Charlatans are one of the few bans that starting his career in the brit
pop era have continue making music without losing credibility, it was
hard to achieve this results?

I Personally think I will always be true to myself therefore I can
only be credible.
I am the real deal, if you don't believe me listen to our new record.

How do you see the music biz change since early 90's?
Who win the battle now: money or music?

The money has to come back to the musicians it will be a slow change
but we have been starved by the fat cats at the head of the
corporations.
Good music is made by people who are hungry, not people who are
starving,penniless,homeless and with bills to pay, and a threat of
jailtime over their heads. You don't have time to make music when you're an alcoholic trying to
take the pain of your own reality away. I know, I have been there.

Did you pay attention to the music scene around you now a days?

I love music and have always been interested in the music around me.
Today I am listening to paul weller's new album 22 dreams My favourites
and our opening act tonight 'The Hatcham Social' Ulterior are a new band
from Leeds check out their single 'Weapons' Its genius. Also I like to
shake it a little to Tiao Cruz ft Luciana - 'come on girl' (which is a
little worrying but hey.!!!)

If The Charlatans would be a new band today who do you think would be
their antagonist?

We can antagonize and have antagonized people with one word, a simple
song or a summer haircut. We just want respect from our peers. We have seen off our competition from the past, that unfortunately is just a fact of life.

The Charlatans gig are amazing, how did your reach these sound
perfection? Are you a fan of details?

Tony is a fan of 'Detail' Mark is a fan of 'Feel'
Martin is a fan of 'Muscle' and I a m a fan of 'Spirit'
Jon keeps us all in time i.e keeps the beat.
Guess that is our sound if you break it down into specifics.
For the new record we were very specific with what we wanted.

I grown up listening brit pop, I regreat the entusiasm in music of that
day, which is your best memory of that period you had?

I was obsessed with all things factory (Manchester record label) the
best memories were actually working in a chemical factory (ICI) and
listening to all this great local music (New Order, The Wake, 52nd
Street, ACR) I Could dream all day with my headphones on.

If the new album will be the soundtrack of a movie, wich movie would
be?

A movie about a person living in los angeles writing an album about
growing up in Manchester.

Is it true you will be release the album in a vinyl 45 box set? Do you
think the vinyl will hit the road again after the mp3 invasion?

There was talk of a 45 box set but we changed our minds and went for
the more common 12'' 33rpm.
I do love vinyl

This is your 10th studio album, do you have any feeling about it?

Yes I feel/we feel that is a contender for being our strongest record
to date.
We have come to realize that over the years the charlatans have released
albums that have really changed peoples lives (wonderland/telling
stories/us and us only and some friendly) and we are very respectful of
this.
But with the situation surrounding this record giving it away for free
etc we felt a certain revitalization and we feel the spirit of the
record really cuts through in a time of much blandness.