GBINTERVIEW

S The NorthSHEFFIELD’S FAVOURITE MUSICALtar SON, RICHARD HAWLEY, TELLS MATT FROST ABOUT HIS MOST CHALLENGING ALBUM TO DATE ... For years, Richard Hawley seemed pretty content as a sideman. Having emerged in the early ’90s with promising yet ultimately ill-fated indie band The , Hawley went on to lend his considerable skills to Pulp, alongside the odd smattering of session work for everyone from to . However, since shifting to centre stage in 2000, unleashing both his velvet rich voice and achingly beautiful songwriting on an unsuspecting public, the solo career of Mr Richard Hawley has burned ever brighter with each subsequent release. His third full-length album, Cole’s Corner, released in 2005, earned Hawley a Mercury Music Prize nomination, while 2007’s Lady’s broke the top 10. So, where does he go from here? ➔

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Gutter Pressure “The juxtaposition of those two awley’s latest album, titled words ‘Truelove’ and ‘gutter’ – that Truelove’s Gutter, is set for seemed to me to somehow sum the “Once the issue Hrelease in late September record up,” says Richard. “A lot of 2009. But what effect has the things in life are meant to enrich us, unexpected – though not undeserved experiences that we have, but very of ‘the single’ is – commercial success of Lady’s often they end up not doing so, they Bridge had on this new record? end up taking stuff away and you dispensed with, “I was deliberate about what feel a sense of loss rather than I didn’t want to do, which was gain. The whole record for me was it’s immensely repeat myself,” explains Hawley, about not shying away from anything as we sit sipping tea in the control musically or emotionally. It was room of Sheffield’s Yellow Arch the toughest record to make.” liberating” Studios, which serves as Hawley’s Listening to the exquisite home from home. Truelove’s Gutter, Hawley has “The success of the last record certainly stayed true to his vision completely threw me. I wasn’t and held nothing back, whether expecting that at all,” he continues. in terms of some dark, emotional “And, being a bit longer in the tooth, and personal subject matter, the I was very conscious that it would let-them-breathe length of the have been easy to do another album songs or the experimental sounds of three minute radio-friendly pop from a range of rarely-heard, songs and possibly – for want of esoteric instruments that crop a better expression – rake it in, up across the record, among them but I just didn’t wanna be guilty of the Megabass Waterphone, musical creative cowardice. saw and glass . “I wanted to dispense with the issue of the three-minute pop song Galore because, worldwide, there’s kind owever, a Richard Hawley of a cult of getting obsessed with record just wouldn’t be the soundbite. Things are getting H a Richard Hawley record shorter and shorter and it’s like without a shed-load of superb guitar reading a sentence rather than tones, tasteful licks and beautiful a whole book, do you know what guitar solos. I mean? I wanted to make a record “I used a lot of Gretschs [on that was like a listening experience Truelove’s Gutter] because they’re from beginning to end… something just my favourite to play,” that had a mood to it.” says Richard. “I’m a fairly big guy and, though I love Telecasters and Silent Partner I love Fenders, I find I wrestle with hankfully, Hawley’s record them a lot more. Gretsch sent me label, Mute, were thinking song, but I’d reached the limits of up the 125th Anniversary – the T along the same lines. my exploration with that. I think I’d one with the ‘jaguar tan’ finish on “I spoke to Daniel Miller, the head become fairly proficient at it and it – and I used that a lot. of the label, and he’s a fantastic I just wanted to do something else. “It’s got these TV Jones bloke… he is someone you can go for Once that issue of ‘right, where’s Power’Tron pickups on it… although a pint with!” enthuses Hawley. “We the single?’ is dispensed with, it’s I never really think, ‘Ooh, it’s got were discussing the record and he immensely liberating. There’s no them pickups, therefore it must said, ‘Have you got a rules there. I just wanted to push be good!’ The proof is always in the record in you that you’d myself as a writer and, as a guitar pudding. You can read as much as like to make but are player, I wanted to let go and play, you want about a guitar but the slightly afraid of?’ which I did to a certain degree on proof is always in ‘plug it in, play it’. I said, ‘I’m not afraid of certain tracks. And I pushed myself “I used the 6120 with the P-90 making it, but I don’t as a lyricist and as a producer and in it a lot too, and I used the old know whether it’d sell everything. I think it’s important to Nashville on a few things. I’ve also anything,’ and he just keep wriggling… for your own soul.” just got a Gretsch 6196 [Country says, ‘Well, can you Club] in cadillac green that I used make that one?’ Not Shy Away on the track ‘Ashes On The Fire’ And it was like red he album title, like most – that’s got some right balls to it! rag to a bull! It of its predecessors, Then the old lake placid blue ‘63 was like, roll your T was inspired by Sheffield. Fender Jaguar – that’s unreal, sleeves up and Truelove’s Gutter was an ancient that. When you play an instrument get really stuck Sheffield street named after an like that, you can see why people into the music. innkeeper who used to charge local piss their pants over the pre-CBS “It’s an art and residents to pour their refuse down Fenders, because they’re just a craft to write a pop his river-bound gutter. a universe apart. ➔

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“There are other guitars that guitarist in Hawley’s band] a lot I used, though, like an old Silvertone n Hawley has built up an – the idea of it sounding like one impressive collection of from the ’50s with lipstick pickups lap steels over the years guitar almost. They used to detune – the sound of it is so amazing – and their guitars because they didn’t an old Burns, a little black Nu-Sonic, have a bass player in the band. The which is on some stuff. It’s got that intricate weaving that they do is ‘hrrraaang’ to it, you know?” so beautiful when you listen to it and it’s quite hard to fathom and Make It A Double definitely very hard to master. hen it comes to amps, “It’s about leaving space for the Hawley likes to double other player instead of just trying W things up, using different to get your shit across. It’s the art amp combinations to get different of leaving room for someone else, tones. “I always use two amps and me and Shez do that a lot. It’s together and record it in stereo, a gentlemanly thing – it’s not about but separate them off quite a lot, ego, it’s about complimenting each so if you want it to be mono, you other. On ‘Remorse Code’, there’s ➔ can make it so,” says Richard. “I’ve got a Fender Prosonic that’s “I prefer to use amp a right warhorse – it’s been around the world with me, that has. I bought it the first week I started tremolos if I can” working with Pulp. The Prosonic dipping into a bit of distortion, is kind of the mainstay but I use there’s one particular pedal he it in stereo with either a Fender never tires of turning to. “I really Deluxe or with an old 1963 Fender only ever use one distortion pedal, Tremolux. The Prosonic’s quite and that’s this Ross pedal that harsh. I don’t mean that in a bad I got when I was 13, when I swapped way, but it’s sound is very direct it with my next-door neighbour for so adding the Tremolux kind of a fishing reel,” says Hawley. softens that off. “It’s got this creamy distortion “I also use what I call a ‘double but the control knobs fell off years Wemmy’ for anything where I need ago. That’s got a great sound and a bit more aggression. I’ve got two it has to be maintained regularly. WEM Dominator amps that I picked I have to make sure that it’s clean up for 30 quid each, and they’re because it’s pretty knackered – it’s great. They just add an immediate been stomped on so many times edge to things. They’re fantastic if – but I’ve used it throughout you’ve got a guitar with single-coil my career from my first pickups like the ‘63 Fender Jaguar ever band right up to – you plug that in and it’s ‘Hello!’. last week… but I’ve I also use a Burns Orbit 2 amp never been able to a lot. It’s a transistor amp but it’s find another one.” immense. The fucking volume off it’s unreal – it can kill ya!” Country Gentlemen Delay Lines ichard ichard Hawley’s tone can Hawley often be found swimming R cites many R around in various echoes, rock ’n’ roll guitar tremolos and delays, but it’s the greats as significant effects on his vintage amps that influences – Gene he turns to first when seeking the Vincent guitarist Cliff right vibe for a particular track. Gallup, Scotty Moore, “I’ve got an old Dunlop Univibe and Eddie Cochran and also a Boss Tremolo but I prefer to use Buddy Knox, whose solo in the amp tremolos if I can,” he says. ‘Party Doll’ was the first thing “You get some really interesting Richard ever taught himself as effects when you use two in stereo. a six-year-old. Because they’re never in time, you However, it’s the recordings of get this kind of sound that’s chasing harmonica player that itself and it’s quite interesting. he singles out for special praise. I also use an Electro-Harmonix Holy “The interplay between his guitar Grail reverb, which is great and players was so intricate – it was can be quite extreme.” like weaving,” says Richard. “That’s When Richard Hawley feels like influenced me and Shez [Sheridan,

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a lot of the intricate acoustic stuff before we part, Hawley is very keen ATKIN AFFAIR and if you listen to a lot of my other to point out that the contributions stuff, there’s a lot of interplay. Shez of his bandmates – keyboard player HAWLEY ON HIS custom is a great listener and it’s all about John Trier, guitarist Shez Sheridan, atkin ACOUSTIC listening more than you talk – listen drummer Dean Beresford and to the other musicians! It’s definitely bassist and co-producer Colin Elliot Richard Hawley wrote the an art that I’m definitely still – should not be underestimated. majority of Truelove’s Gutter learning all the time.” “I couldn’t make the music that on his Atkin OM acoustic, I do without Colin and the lads,” he which he believes is one of Family Ties says. “They’re never overbearing, the best acoustic guitars he’s wo of the biggest influences their influence is always subtle and ever owned. on Richard Hawley’s life have they’re gentlemen, all of ’em, and Two bespoke Atkin jumbos, been his father, Dave, who I have a great laugh with ’em.” with Everly Brothers-style T pickguards and ‘Hawley’ inlaid sadly succumbed to cancer in 2007, As the interview comes to and his uncle, Frank White – both a close, we thank Richard for across the fretboard, come a Sheffield guitar legends. his time and apologise for close second. “I can genuinely Dave Hawley played guitar having taken up so much say – as a guitar player that’s with Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy of it. “It’s alright, it’s okay been playing since I was a boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, – I’m just talking about – that Alister [Atkin]’s acoustic Memphis Slim and a host of other guitars and I could sit here instruments are the best that top American blues artists when all day talking about guitars. I’ve played,” enthuses Hawley. they toured the UK back in the That’s what it’s all about, “They’re on a par with a lot of ’60s. Frank White, meanwhile, innit? When all the bollocks old vintage stuff that I’ve had played with Dave Berry & The is gone – all the airy fairy the pleasure of playing – old Cruisers for several years, during shite – it’ll all be back Martin D-18s and [] which time he became famous for to just loads of J-200s – and it’s because his use of the DeArmond volume spotty herberts they’re made with love. That’s pedal, an early precursor to the sitting round the fundamental difference. wah. The sounds his father and playing guitars. It’s a bespoke piece of uncle used to get out of that early That’s what it’s equipment that you buy DeArmond unit would help produce all about.” GB that’s made with love. one of Hawley’s favourite guitar I just can’t say enough moments on the new record. n Truelove’s about Alister as a person “[Frank] and my Dad influenced me Gutter is out on and his guitars. And I’m on one big sound on ‘Open Up Your on not being sponsored, by the Door’,” he explains. “It’s a different September 21st and way. I have to pay for the pedal to the DeArmond but I’ve got Hawley’s UK tour fuckers! But they’re worth one that was kind of a re-make of commences on every penny…” it called a Shadowtone because, October 1st. Visit obviously, used to use www.richardhawley. it and the sweep is very subtle on co.uk for more info it. When I played that solo on there, that was a lovely moment. We just sat still and kept listening to it over and over again. I was supposed to carry on recording something else and I just said, ‘One more time! Can I hear it again?’ “I played that on an old [Gretsch] Country Gentleman through the DeArmond-type pedal. That also had the Digitech backwards pedal that I use a lot – but very subtle – then I also used a [Roland] Space Echo and, I think, a compressor.” Spotty Herberts ith Truelove’s Gutter, Hawley has W produced one of the records of the year thus far: a dark, beautiful, intensely creative musical journey into the rugged depths of the human soul. But,

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