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X-clusive: The Charlatans Prepare New Album

added 17 November 2006 at 17.41

As The Charlatans ready the release of a new singles album and kick off their Greatest Hits UK tour, Tim Burgess from the band spoke exclusively to Xfm about the band’s legacy and starting work on a new album.

With their greatest hits ‘Forever: The Singles’ hitting shops last week celebrating the band’s 15 year career, Burgess recalled the first rehearsal he had with the band.

“I was in a band at that time called the Electric Crayon Set. 
We had our own couple of tracks but it was mainly Iggy Pop, Led Zeppelin and The Doors songs, and I went down to this rehearsal not really knowing what this new band wanted.

“I thought the band I was in was amazing but you know this took it to somewhere else really, and I thought this is really it.  They asked me to a cover of ‘Lucifer Sam’ by Pink Floyd and I instantly knew it was different. 

As for the group’s impressive but tumultuous career, Tim finds it difficult to pin down any one highlight.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done so far,” he explained, “And you know its been colourful, y’know? It’s had its up and downs.

“Musically you know, looking back a high point would be around the time of 'Tellin’ Stories'. But it was also a low point cos know we lost our keyboard player then as well [Rob Collins was tragically killed in a car crash on July 22, 1996] Kind of like a double edge sword really.

“But I’m really proud of how together we were back then at the start, and how concentrated we were and how much of our sound we already had.  And that really makes me proud.”

However, the compilation should in no way be seen as the end of The Charlatans.

“I’m going to come back with another Charlatans record,” Tim confessed, “I keep getting asked to do a solo record and I think I’m going to starve people of it.  Wait until they’re really, really going for it, but I will do another solo record yes.

"I always thought people hated it so I just kind of put it away, and when i was doing the DJ tour with Alan [McGee] so many people come up to me and ask me if I’m going to do another one.”

As for what the new Charlatans record will sound like, its, well, its pretty obvious…

“I have been thinking about how its gonna sound it but i’m quite happy to just let the idea come, but we’ve got one song that everyone is really happy. It does sound like The Charlatans.

“Well you know sometimes we like to go on missions?  Like with ‘Simpatico’ we wanted to do a ska kind of thing and with ‘Wonderland’ we wanted to do a punk thing.  It’s kind of good and its kind of stretchy, but now I feel that I have enough information in me now to go out and make a full on Charlatans record.  Embracing everything but playing to the trend as well.” 

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Tagged as The Charlatans, archive

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