There’s an upbeat energy to the performances on Consequences Coming. Do you still get a buzz from making new music?
Yeah, there’s life in the old dog yet. When you’re getting ready to do something, it’s like, “Do we have to?” But as soon as you start playing, it doesn’t matter what age you are. There’s the whole arduous songwriting process. You get half an idea for something, then you’ve got to fill in the blanks: “What’s this about?” But then it starts coming together, and you get really excited about it.
There are recogniseable elements in the songs that seem to have been trademarks of your style since the Pistols days; the songs are concise and have a strong sense of melody.
Yeah, I do think I can write a catchy tune, [which] is what enables somebody to pick up on the lyric. Lyrically, I like to write like I’m having a conversation with somebody; “Here’s a word in your ear, matey.” People like Springsteen and country singers write a story within a song. That’s bollocks to me. Good for them, but I don’t work that way.
Lyrically, the title song and Head On A Stick offer your take on the political events which unfolded as you recorded the album over the last two years.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Record Collector.
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This story is from the August 2023 edition of Record Collector.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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