There are few bands that have met with such initial poor fortune as the Wild Swans, and yet who have managed to come back after a long absence so remarkably and successfully. The Liverpool band, which is focused around vocalist Paul Simpson, formed in 1980. They seemed destined for early major success, touring in support of Echo and the Bunnymen on their ‘Heaven Up Here’ tour across the UK in the Christmas of 1981, and releasing their debut single, ‘The Revolutionary Spirit/God Forbid’, to critical acclaim in early 1982 on Zoo Records. Internal tensions, a lack of manager and the folding of Zoo Records, however, lead to their break-up shortly afterwards in sudden acrimony. Paul Simpson went on to form Care with the Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie, with whom he released three singles including 1983 chart hit ‘Flaming Sword’, before reforming the Wild Swans to unhappy effect with original members, Ged Quinn (keyboards) and Jem Kelly (guitar), in 1985. Their 1988 debut album, ‘Bringing Home the Ashes’, which Simpson told Pennyblackmusic in a previous album that he “can’t abide”, was unfocused and suffered from an overkill of 80’s production values. Paul Simpson:Interview Paul Simpson talks to John Clarkson about his forthcoming memoirs 'Incandescent', his post-punk group The Wild Swans and his memories of late 70's/early 80's Liverpool and its bands Wild Swans:Static Gallery, Liverpool, 23/7/2009 Guest writer Alan O'Hare watches the reformed Wild Swans make a stunning return to the stage after a twenty one year absence at the first night of a two evening residency at the Static Gallery in their home town of Liverpool Wild Swans:Interview Legendary 80s Livepool band the Wild Swans have recently announced their return in a new incarnation.
John Clarkson speaks to singer Paul Simpson about the band's reformation and its first single and release in twenty years,'English Electric Lightning/The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years' Wild Swans:Interview Often seen to be one of the great lost British bands, seminal 1980's group the Wild Swans have just released a double retrospective CD, 'Incandescent'. Singer Paul Simpson and guitarist Jem Kelly talk to John Clarkson about the band's stormy history.
Two 12' Vinyl, 180g discs packaged in a brand new gatefold sleeve with new artwork and inner bags. This fantastic collection of one of the great Liverpool bands of the 80's contains the classic original versions plus the recently discovered lost USA remixes of 'The Revolutionary Spirit' and 'God Forbid' plus a BBC Session (Kid Jensen, John Peel and Janice Long), rare demos and live recordings most of which have never been on vinyl before. Formed in 1980 when singer Paul Simpson left The Teardrop Explodes, the band signed to Bill Drummond and David Balfe's Zoo Records. They released only one record, the single 'Revolutionary Spirit' the labels last ever release. Perfect in a way.
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'Revolutionary Spirit' is an epic like a Thomas Wolfe novel, Citizen Kane or something. A song far too grand for a mere 7 inch single. For whatever reason, that incarnation of the Wild Swans did not release any other records. This added to the romantic appeal of the group. For we knew little about them, we knew they had crawled out of the same cultural bunker as the Teardrops and the Bunnymen.
The had performed the perfect act of oneupmanship releasing a record of such magnificence and opulent splendour it made all the 'Rewards' and 'Rescues' seem ridiculous. But we knew little else, so this was fine. Few records really capture a moment in time, but this does. A time when music was a voyage of discovery and in a way the ignorance was part of the bliss, that mystery, it fed that desire and fulfilled the notion that you had discovered something special. Music was a lifestyle, a cultural choice, not the deposable commodity it has become today, it really meant something. Where did it all go wrong???
Cult Liverpool musician Paul Simpson’s memoir Incandescent documents one of the most potent periods in the city’s cultural history and the part he played in it. It explores Paul’s earliest experiments in music with school friends and future stars of Echo and The Bunnymen, and the part he played in legendary Liverpool punk club Eric’s. It documents his friendships and working relationships with, among others, Julian Cope, Ian McCulloch, Bill Drummond and Ian Broudie, and the making of ‘The Revolutionary Spirit’, hailed by many as one of the greatest of all independent singles. But more than just a list of achievements, Incandescent is also an explanation of what Paul didn’t do and why. Battling depression in a business renowned for its cold-bloodedness, Paul always strived to create art without compromise or loss of dignity – often to the detriment of his career. Be it co-founding, naming and then leaving the Teardrop Explodes, fronting the Wild Swans, sharing a flat with Courtney Love or simply surviving the 80’s with honour when the pop bubble burst, Paul tells his story with coruscating honesty. For him, being in a band was never just about a cool haircut and a pair of vintage trousers, but about discernment, knowing when to say no as well as yes, and the belief that – in the right hands – art can be a greater revolutionary force than politics.
With that as his guide, he set off in pursuit of a life less ordinary, a journey he now documents in Incandescent with insight, an eye for detail and wry humour. Liverpool based musician, writer and artist Paul Simpson’s career began in 1977 when he met Julian Cope at Liverpool’s Eric’s Club and formed the Teardrop Explodes. The band recorded the now legendary Sleeping Gas EP on Bill Drummond/Dave Balfe’s Zoo Records but, frustrated behind the keyboards, Paul left to form the Wild Swans, whose debut, ‘The Revolutionary Spirit’, Drummond cites as the label’s best single. Championed by John Peel and Kid Jensen, the band toured the UK before imploding. Paul began working with future Lightning Seed Ian Broudie, releasing three singles as Care.
But missing the full band format he reformed the Wild Swans and recorded a BBC radio session that led to Seymour Stein signing them to Sire Records. Two albums followed: Bringing Home The Ashes (1988) and Space Flower (1990). When the band dissolved again Paul embarked on a life of eclectic creativity, recording instrumental music as Skyray, a spoken word album The Dream Diaries (2005), and writing for radio. In 2009 he formed a third incarnation of the Wild Swans and recorded the acclaimed Coldest Winter for 100 Years (2011). In 2013, while on holiday in the jungles of Sri Lanka, Paul contracted a virus that damaged his lungs, putting his singing career on hold. He now lives in in Waterloo, Liverpool, where he writes fiction and paints in oil. He has not ruled out recording one last Wild Swans album.
Satan Dies Screaming (Julian Cope’s Cornucopea - Part Two) Sunday 2 nd April 2000. I’m in bed watching Forbidden Planet when my mobile rings. It’s Liz at the Royal Festival Hall. She tells me she has been trying to reach me all day and would I like to play ‘Sleeping Gas’ on stage with Julian tonight?
My silence stretches from here to the moon. “You don’t sound too keen” she says. We only met for the first time yesterday, so festival organiser Liz hasn’t quite got the measure of me yet.
She’s yet to discover that no matter how positively I present, I’m as negative as an electron. I kid myself that my auto-response of Nein-Danke to just about everything I’m offered is discernment, but the truth is it’s fear.
A still active phobia from childhood about being caught up in events beyond my control. I performed to an almost full house at the festival last night and no one died, so what am I scared of? Well, it’s been 21-years since Julian Cope and I last played on stage together and a lot of dirty water has flowed in and out of the mouth of the Mersey since then. So this invitation is a big deal for both of us. Because I’ve been drinking Malbec since 11am, and because I love Copey to bits for asking me, I’m absolutely horrified to hear myself say “I’ll be right over.” Julian beams as I arrive.
We hug and I scan the vast stage, wondering where the keyboard is. I’d kill to play his M400 Mellotron, but I’m anticipating some sort of high-end Yamaha portable, duct-taped to a stand.
His grin widens Loki style, as he gestures to the leviathan that occupies the entire rear wall of the venue. Holy mother of Odin. Does he mean to tell me that I, Paul Simpson, two-finger Joe, am expected to play a song I haven’t heard in ten years and haven’t played in over twenty, to an audience of over two-thousand people, in a venue renowned for having the best acoustics in the world? On one of the largest and most spectacular pipe-organs-in the country? This Satanic torture device could block out the sun.
It has four, five-octave keyboards, 103 drawer stops, dozens upon dozens of thankfully disabled bass pedals and an unbelievable, 7,866 individual pipes. The organ I played with The Teardrop Explodes had vibrato and an on-off button. Replied: Hi Daniel.
The Wild Swans 1977
Publication is dependant on how quickly it gets funded. It will also be available as a paperback from certain retailers a short while after the Hardback appears. The advantage of the hardback is you can get it before everyone else, have your name in the book and have the option of having it signed. Pledgers also get access to my 'shed' where I will be posting pieces not necessarily included in the book and pledgers enter into conversational exchanges with me. Many thanks Daniel. Best wishes, Paul. Join in the conversation.
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