WITH his Brit award-winning band TheFratellis “officiallyon its holidays”,
singer Jon Lawler could be for-given for kicking back and relax-ing.But not a bit of it. This month theGlaswegian re-emerges with his newgroup Codeine Velvet Club and anentirely new sound, homaging theorchestral pop on the 1960s.CVC are are essentially a duo, featuring30-year-old Jon and his fellow Scot, theburlesque singer Lou Hickey. They werepaired up by Jon’s wife, initially to helpout with a song for her friend Lou’s nextsolo album, but something clickedimmediately and an “intrigued” Jon waseager to continue working his new foil.“I wondered what else we could do,” heexplains on crackly mobile phone linewhile shuttling between radio promosessions.“It seemed to make some sense to giveit a go. Before long we had an album.”The sweeping strings of their debutsingle Vanity Kills suggest CodeineVelvet Club are pursuing a cinematicpath, creating a soundtrack for someimaginary Bond-like film. Jon soundsuncertain that this was their originalintention. “I was not overly consciousthat it was [the case],” he says. “Mostpeople I know have got pretty largerecord collections. I don’t know anybodywho sticks to one thing.“At the time we were writing thesesongs I must have been in that kind ofmood. You have to let it go that way. Ifwere to make another album it might notbe in that mood.”Critics have noted the influence of JohnBarry, though again, Jon says, this wasunconscious. “I did not own a JohnBarry record until 10 days ago. Thatmusic can be quite general, without
being a fan of one exponent of it. Youcan’t watch a film from the Sixtieswithout it seeping into your head. It wasmore general than [John Barry].“The other example I’ve heard was LeeHazlewood and Nancy Sinatra. I’d neverheard of Lee Hazlewood. I should beembarrassed about that but I’m not. Tosome people listening the influencesmight seem obvious, but it’s probablythe case for most people that write ormake music that there’s not always adirect influence. The orchestral, JohnBarry thing was more general.”He adds: “We were trying to put as
much as possible into the record, asmany colours as we could. There werenot any rules on a particular style thatthe album should have.”In an attempt to get under the skin of theproject Jon, at one stage, stayed at theChateau Marmont, the hotel on SunsetBoulevard that has played host toeveryone from Greta Garbo to LedZeppelin. The actor John Belushi died ofa drug overdose in one of its gardenbungalows. It was there that Jon wroteseveral songs.“There was definitely an intention at onepoint of trying to creep into Hollywood,”
he says. “That was half-conscious, halfjust having more fun. The last couple ofsongs that I wrote for the album weredone there – one made it on to therecord, the other didn’t. I was a little bitconscious of trying to find something towrite about. That probably won’t everhappen again but there was somethingabout tapping into that place that madesense.”Another of the songs on the album, IWould Send You Roses, was salvagedfrom an aborted collaboration withRoger Daltrey. “He had suggested oneof the times that we met that we shoulddo some stuff together,” Jon explains.“Once I got over the state of shock ofhim saying that I went home and got towork on a couple of things, one of whichwas I Would Send You Roses. But itnever happened. It meant we were ableto use it for this. It’s good, it breaks upthe album nicely. It’s a complete blastwhen we play it live.”Now the band are readying themselvesfor their first tour (which calls at theCockpit in Leeds on Friday, November20). To date they’ve only played fourgigs and the reaction was initiallypuzzlement. “Nobody knew what toexpect,” says Jon. “One of the greatthings about starting something fromscratch is, if you are lucky enough, youget to see an audience changing. Theywent from bewilderment to huge grins atthe end. It’s rewarding.”As for whether Codeine Velvet Club willcontinue beyond this album, Jon isunsure. “I guess it will all depend onhow this goes. Three things mighthappen – it might go well and well keepthat going, it might not or it might take awhile to build up.“After all that hard work we put in itwould be a shame to stop at that point.”Hinting perhaps that the Fratellis’“holiday” may be more than a temporaryvacation, he adds: “I’ve no concreteplans at the moment – other than to dothis.”● Codeine Velvet Club is releasedon Monday. Tickets for the gig atat the Cockpit are available fromJumbo or Crash Records or fromwww.lunatickets.co.uk.www.codeinevelvetclub.com
2 YORKSHIRE EVENING POST SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14 2009 24 seven
STEVE HACKETTOUT OF THE TUNNEL’S MOUTH★★★✩✩JIM McCARTYSITTING ON THE TOP OF TIME★★★✩✩PETER BARTON & JERRYDONAHUEFALLEN★★✩✩✩Out of all the former member ofprog rock band Genesis, it’sarguably guitarist Steve Hackettthat has enjoyed the most rewardingsolo career, turning out anassortment of well-received rock,solo acoustic guitar and orchestralworks.Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth followsthe rock album template andfeatures the now familiar mix ofadventurous world music-flavouredprog and theatrical rock workoutswhere Hackett – assisted by talentedplayers including old pal Roger Kingon keyboards and pigtailed ex-Kajagoogoo man Nick Beggs on bass– once again proves he’s got a waywith spooky chord progressions andscorching, goosebump-raisingguitar solos.You might even detect someheightened emotions on songs likeEmerald And Ash that appear tostem from the recent sad collapse ofhis 32-year marriage to Brazilianartist Kim Poor.wwwwww..hhaacckkeettttssoonnggss..ccoomm
By coincidence Hackett also pops upon the new solo album from former
Yardbird and Rennaissance manJim McCarty, his first in 16 years.Although primarily a drummer,McCarty’s been stockpiling a bunchof warmly melodic songs and lovelyinstrumentals which includeKnopfler-esque shuffles and mellowold-school psychedelia.Delivered by a bunch of highlytalented players, with pianistDonald Quan’s energetic and fleet-fingered skills taking the lead on
many of the tracks and featuringMcCarty’s quietly introspectivelyrics sung in a homely voice not farremoved from Ozzy Osbourne’slatterday careworn tones, Sitting OnThe Top Of Time is a must-have forRenaissance fans.EEAASSYY AACCTTIIOONN
Also making the most of theopportunities that the internetafford in extending their careers areformer The Animals man Peter
Barton and Fotheringay andFairport Convention guitarist JerryDonahue.Unlike the focussed efforts fromHackett and McCarty, their bluesysax-bolstered boogieing and US-stylesoft rock balladry suffers fromweedy production and an obviousinability on their part todiscriminate between what isclassic and what is hopelessy dated.OORRGGAANNIICC MMOOUUNNTTAAIINN
musicTaverner 44Simon Jenkins enjoys agood grilling at Angel’sShare
Walking 55Frank Wilkinson finds aserene green oasis nearDoncaster
Gardening 66The secret life of leaves
Books 77The latest titles reviewed
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Take a break 1100Puzzles and your stars
TV choiceCelebrities gear up forChildren In Need 1111It’s a jungle in there – alook back at I’m ACelebrity... Get Me OutOf Here! 1122Doctor Who says don’tdrink The Waters OfMars 1133
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NO RULES:Jon Lawler
and LouHickey
NO RULES:Jon Lawler
and LouHickey
HAYLEY WESTENRAWINTER MAGIC★★★★✩I used to be of the opinion that ifyou were describing something as‘classical crossover’ you wereusing 15 letters more thannecessary when the word ‘pap’would suffice.So, it’s either my advancing yearsor an early injection of festivespirit that’s led me to enjoy thenew album from young Kiwisongstress Hayley Westenra somuch. That, and the fact, thatafter being exposed to Sting’s gruffseasonal offering this sounds likea flypast of heaven on the back ofSanta’s sled.Westenra, who’s so clean cut shemakes Mary Poppins look likeBetty Page and has a voice tomatch, is facing strongcompetition from the likes ofKatherine Jenkins, Faryl Smith
and Susan Boyle in the classicalcrossover charts this Christmas,but her effort, with its integrityand modest lack of showboating,deserves to lead the pack.Yes, it is very sweet and at timesslushy, but never cloying orinsincere, and it manages to coversome interesting terrain, from theentirely choral The CoventryCarol to the gently poppy All WithYou and Peace Shall Come.Following the winter theme of thetitle, the album’s not entirelyfocused on Christmas tunes andthere are surprises like an icilybeautiful version of JoniMitchell’s River. Those that are
festive numbers are either notobvious choices or are given freshtreatments, like the twinkly takeson Veni Veni Emmanuel andCorpus Christi Carol.DDEECCCCAA
SSoommeeVVeellvveettmmoorrnniinngg
albumsmartin ross
