We chat with Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds
NSG’s David Lancaster caught up with Ian Broudie to talk about legendary Liverpool venue Eric’s shooting a music video with Robbie Fowler and The Lightning Seeds headlining LFC’s Anfield stadium!
Ian Broudie grew out of the 1970’s Liverpool music scene playing in the band Big In Japan, he is better known as the singer, guitarist, and leader of 90’s Brit-Pop band, The Lightning Seeds.
The Lightning Seeds dominated the U.K. music charts right through that decade and beyond, having huge hits with the singles Pure, The Life of Riley, Lucky You, Sugar Coated Iceberg, and of course, Three Lions with Baddiel and Skinner. In amongst all that, Ian has also carved out a reputation for himself as one of the worlds leading record producers, working with bands such as Echo and The Bunnymen, The Fall, The Coral, and The Zutons.
DL: Hey Ian, thanks again for the interview opportunity. You grew up here in Liverpool, you’ve been at this now since you were very young, what made you get into music, to begin with?
IB: I’ve loved music since I was a little boy. In 1965, when I was 7 years old, The Beatles were everywhere and Liverpool was buzzing. I had 2 older brothers who bought records and they had a little white transistor radio tuned to Radio Caroline, a pirate radio ship that played wonderful records that enthralled me.
DL: Back in the late ’70’s you were in the legendary ‘Punk/Performance-Art’ band Big In Japan with Holly Johnson, Bill Drummond, and Jayne Casey, a sort of supergroup in reverse I guess, did you have any inkling that you were all destined for greatness?
IB: Even though Big In Japan has lived long in the memory, it was a pretty short-lived band. It was a great time for me, all centred around Roger Eagle’s club, ‘Eric’s.’ I met so many great people there and I had so much fun.
DL: You played a good few shows at Eric’s, what was it like playing there, and what was the buzz like around that scene, so many great bands that you were rubbing shoulders with, it must have been so exciting being amongst all of that?
IB: Most days Big In Japan would rehearse in the afternoon in Eric’s, in the evenings when the club would open and have a show on, I would finish rehearsal then help “load in” the amps and guitars of the band who were on that night, for their sound-check, then later that night, “load out” after the show. In between, I would sometimes DJ, but mostly I’d hang out with the other Eric’s regulars who would eventually form bands likes Echo and the Bunnymen, Wah Heat!, Teardrop Explodes, etc.
DL: In the early ’80’s you start working as a record producer. Early on in your career, you work with Echo and The Bunnymen on their first two albums, how did that come about? ‘The Cutter‘ is an amazing song, a masterpiece I think. Did it take yourself and the band a while to get it sounding that way??
IB: Ha, it’s a long story.. but in short I was very reluctant to be a producer but the Bunnymen and Bill Drummond eventually talked me into producing the band but under the pseudonym ‘Kingbird.’ The Cutter’ was very very tricky to get right and we recorded it twice, in the end, I played the guitars and put in the intro, coaxing the melody out of an Indian violinist called Shankar. I wrote the midsection with Ian McCulloch and finally, it all came together with his amazing vocals.
Ian Broudie
DL: What makes a good song?
IB: There are so many different ways to approach songwriting and everyone has their own unique personality. It’s surprisingly difficult to recognise a great song if you’re writing it or even hearing it before anyone else. Spotting one early and having a strong opinion is a talent in itself.
DL: Late 80s and you form The Lightning Seeds, you record some great albums, Cloudcuckooland, Sense, Jollification, and Dizzy Heights, having major hit singles too with Pure, The Life Of Riley, and Lucky You. The 90s must have flown by in a whirl for you? Were you part of “Brit-Pop” or “Cool Britannia”??
IB: Initially when I started writing and recording the songs that became The Lightning Seeds it was quite tough as I’d been in the studio producing but had no band of my own. At that time the current Liverpool bands like The La’s, The Pale Fountains, The Bunnymen, The Real People, etc, all had major record deals and were being promoted massively. I recorded mostly at home which was very rare at the time before “music software.” I signed to a small indie label who pressed 500 copies of ‘Pure’ and expectations were pretty low. Gradually and thrillingly things came together after that. I am very much a product of Liverpool, but The Lightning Seeds seemed to sit alongside “Britpop” quite comfortably.
DL: Now, I’m not gonna mention the Three Lions song too much as you’ve probably been asked a trillion questions about it already, but outside of music, it is well known that you are a big Liverpool F.C fan, so it was obviously a blast for you shooting that music video with Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler, any funny stories from that shoot, any mishaps??
IB: It was good fun filming the video and re-enacting the Wembley ’66 scenes. I was supposed to grab Robbie Fowler but I was a bit shy, paranoid I’d injure him or something so Frank did it.
DL: Shortly after the Three Lions period The Lightning Seeds headline the Hillsborough Justice Concert at Anfield, a big fundraising event in support of the Hillsborough families. It must have been very emotional for you on so many levels, but a dream to play Anfield?
IB: Yes, it was before the powers that be had recognised this as the worthy cause it obviously was. Liverpool the city, the fans, and the families felt like they were very much under attack so this was a very emotional night, culminating with You’ll Never Walk Alone with the families and the unbelievable crowd, a moment I never forget.
DL: As The Lightning Seeds slow down a little, heading into the 2000s, you start producing 2 new local bands, The Coral and The Zutons, two amazing finds Ian, both so succesfull, how did you come to work with those bands?
IB: Yes I had paused The Lightning Seeds as it felt like the end of our second chapter and I was a little bit lost and unsure what was next. I heard some demos of the then unsigned band The Coral. I started working with them to some degree as a return to my roots with The Bunnymen, which was more of a collaboration than producing can usually be when major labels are involved. I thought it would be fun and it was and I immersed myself in developing The Coral and The Zutons creatively.
Ian Broudie: LIMF(credit: Warren Millar)
DL: ‘Dreaming Of You‘ stands out as a song from that time, was that song fully formed when you first met the band? I hear that The Coral had spent about 2 years getting their songs together??
IB: ‘Dreaming Of You’ was pretty much fully formed when I heard it, but the band and (their label) Deltasonic didn’t want to record it on the album… Thank goodness we did! From then on the task was to just get a great version on tape. I thought it was crucial that it sounded effortless to retain its charm and as everyone relaxed we got it.
DL: One of The Zutons said something about you saying that they were a bit of a strange band so they should have a strange sound, what’s your memories of working with The Zutons, and did you purposely develop that “slightly odd” sound?
IB: Yes it was hard to bring out the real character of The Zutons, I loved the quirkiness of Dave and Boyan’s songs. I worked with them for quite a while and tried to encourage more of their own quirky character (underpinned by the brilliant rhythm section of Sean and Russ) and when Abi joined it all came together.
DL: Do you think being a good singer and a good musician is still important and as relevant now as music seems to be all about the beat these days?
IB: Yes it’s still really important and I’d say it’s probably always been about the beat.
Ian Broudie
DL: So, I haven’t mentioned the lockdowns yet, I know it’s been really crap for everyone having to re-arrange shows and tours and stuff. You have the Jollification 25th Anniversary shows coming up this year, where and when can we see you live, and have you got anything else on the agenda??
IB: Yeah, it’s been a weird and rubbish year, hopefully, we can play festivals this summer and then release our first new album for a long time and then follow that with a tour.
DL: Once again thanks for giving us the chance to interview you Ian, good luck with the new album and the live shows.
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