Step into the captivating world of football and music with our special guest, Russ Pritchard - bass player for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. As a true Liverpool local, Russ paints a vivid picture of growing up in a city where football and music are intertwined in the culture.
We delve into the exciting realm of band formation and music evolution while Russ shares his unique insights from his musical odyssey. From his early inspirations rooted in his dad's record collection to the inception of the Zutons and his eventual association with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Russ's tales are as fascinating as they are inspiring. We touch upon the bittersweet journey of Liverpool FC's historic Premier League run that was cut short due to the pandemic.
The Liverpool Connection is an LFC podcast that aims to bring the story of our wonderful club to as many fans as possible around the world. The history, the passion, the music, the people, the City – we want to share perspectives on and off the pitch. We're delighted to have you here with us, be sure to Like and Subscribe with Notifications on for our latest podcast.
🔊 Listen to The Liverpool Connection Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/785459
📲 Follow The Liverpool Connection on Social Media:
💻 Website: https://www.atxreds.com
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📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxredspodcast/
Daz O'Connor, Steve Wilson, Nik O'Connor, Glenn Kewley, Julian Lane
Step into the captivating world of football and music with our special guest, Russ Pritchard - bass player for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. As a true Liverpool local, Russ paints a vivid picture of growing up in a city where football and music are intertwined in the culture.
We delve into the exciting realm of band formation and music evolution while Russ shares his unique insights from his musical odyssey. From his early inspirations rooted in his dad's record collection to the inception of the Zutons and his eventual association with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Russ's tales are as fascinating as they are inspiring. We touch upon the bittersweet journey of Liverpool FC's historic Premier League run that was cut short due to the pandemic.
The Liverpool Connection is an LFC podcast that aims to bring the story of our wonderful club to as many fans as possible around the world. The history, the passion, the music, the people, the City – we want to share perspectives on and off the pitch. We're delighted to have you here with us, be sure to Like and Subscribe with Notifications on for our latest podcast.
🔊 Listen to The Liverpool Connection Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/785459
📲 Follow The Liverpool Connection on Social Media:
💻 Website: https://www.atxreds.com
🐤 Twitter: https://twitter.com/atxredspodcast
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atxredspodcast/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxredspodcast/
Daz O'Connor, Steve Wilson, Nik O'Connor, Glenn Kewley, Julian Lane
Hi everyone and welcome to another story episode of the Liverpool Connection podcast. I am Darjeel Houst. I'm chuffed to have this lad in. I've been after him for a while, not stalking him because that's a bit weird, but just, I've always liked the band that he used to be with. But we've got the bass player for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and if you don't know about Noel's band, I don't know where you've been living, but he also was bass player for the Zootons. It's Rush Pritchard. I am eight happy to have you on. I'm going to talk lots of 40 and lots of lots of musical influences and all that good stuff.
Speaker 2:Good to be on Nice, to be on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, you're back home. So you know you're not. You're not sweating bullets like you were a couple of couple of weeks ago when you're over in America.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was pretty hard. It was a pretty, not to be all, it was a hard rock and roll life, but it was just a bit hot doing the gigs and all that. I mean it was a bit sweaty and it's kind of like the only thing that I'm not really the only sort of situation and not that keen and doing the gig in where it's just absolutely pissing my true and sweat. But now it's great. I love touring America, love touring America. It's boss, it's kind of built for it. Really, you know, as you know, obviously we're being over there, but it's a, you know, massive roads, massive bus, massive busies, but that's it. So you know it's been good. It's been good and it's good to be back.
Speaker 2:Though it's nice to be back and it's nice to get excited for this 40 again, because, because it was like the last seven weeks or so when we were there, we were there for the Champions League finals. Well, actually, because he went to Champions League final thing. So it must have been like the end of May. Yeah, it was the end of May, june, that we went and but it was like footage just off then and it's off the cards for the bit there's. No, I just don't look at it for the while, don't listen to the sports. I just leave it for, trying to leave it for a month. You know what I mean. But now I've come back and it feels like, you know, there's a lot of transfer talk and all that and the team are off, you know, doing the training camps and all the rest of it. So it's exciting again and it's like it feels like a really good start, like do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:It is because I mean, like after last season, I didn't want to talk about football and nothing you know, which again is hard to do when you have a football podcast.
Speaker 2:You've got to, you've got to grin and bear it and we've been having such a good time and I think this is the quandary that is Liverpool, in a way, like we've been having since clock came in and was successful quite quick, you know, and the dream of having the sort of dream manager came around, because, you know, I don't know how old you are, like I'm 44. So we've had like a while of shit. You know what I mean, like you know, and just and sort of always wondering I wonder if we will get the guy you know who'll do it and all that and be. And he's like I remember when he arrived, I remember saying, funny enough to some of the lads on Seoul I was like, if we don't do it with this guy, I reckon we might not ever do it, because he just seemed so perfect and Rafa seemed perfect and didn't and failed, obviously, if you like him in the league. But I just thought.
Speaker 2:I just thought we'd end up being like the Chicago Cubs or something If we didn't do it soon, if we didn't, if it got you know what I mean, if it got to like 40, it's just going to be fun, silly. So so, yeah, so it's been. It's been, I think, because we've been having such a good time and seeing everyone else having a good time, you think that we'd have the logistical plans in place to keep the team fresh, and I think that's where we've clearly failed. Isn't it really Hoping to? At the end of my stage? You know what I mean. Yeah, I mean like.
Speaker 1:I mean I think it's true, like but we really sort of you know, been sorting this crap out about three seasons ago and we've just led it, you know, at the best.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a weird one like that, because you think, like I can't understand why, if you know, because people say maybe clops too loyal but maybe is I don't know but you know you can't be look at like you know city getting rid of Gundagon and all that, you know what I mean Like he's just been ripping it off, absolutely ripping it off. He's gone. Like I know, I know it's got to the situation and the contract and all that. You know it's like it's a big time for him to move and all that. But like you'd think if that was at Liverpool, we'd be, we'd be, we'd be shitting ourselves Like what are we doing? Getting rid of this guy? You don't know what I mean, but he's got, he's got the culture of refreshing the team really, really right. But you know I've got a lot of fighting clop. I've got shits on the fighting club. I think I think he's going to, he's going to come back really fighting this year.
Speaker 1:I do too. I want to go back to the younger Ross. You know when, when, when did you really start supporting Liverpool?
Speaker 2:When I was about four or five, I reckon. I mean, you know, as far as I can remember, I suppose it's always been there. Me dad lived by the ground when he was a kid, so he was a big Liverpool fan and we didn't used to go very often when we were kids. We used to go like on a. We used to work a lot, me dad, so we used to go in the week, like the week nights, like in, like the Rumble, those couple or whatever and things like that we'd end up going to normally as a fan. I can remember coming home from me Nans after the 86 Cup final with like a teddy bear or something that was like dressed up or whatever and sticking that out the car. So I was always obsessed with it, with footy, and then I played a lot of footy as well and yeah, I just loved it and I still I still do love it now. I love, I love, I have.
Speaker 2:I quite like getting into religions, arguments with people who say, oh, isn't it shit? Now it's changed and you know the money's come in and spoiled it. I'm like no man, it's brilliant, it's like it's a multi-billionaire, like high end. Everyone's like gotta be super high tuned. Do you know what I mean? It's like I think I mean obviously it has changed and I suppose when people park back to it being better than they're dying or like they just don't like the change. But I think the change is good in football and it will. It will forever change.
Speaker 1:It will. You know, we can't be left behind. But do you remember your first match?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it was Oxford in the couple or something like that, in the bar 1986 or 87. Something like that, in fact, I think, because Rush left in 86, didn't he? And I think his last game was against Oxford. I might be getting this mixed up, but I think it was at that. For some reason, I was either at that or I phantomed a couple of memories together to make it like it was Ian Rush, but I seem to remember Oxford in the midweek in a cup or something like that, most unglamorous. Really like me, dad to take us to something like that.
Speaker 1:So was it mostly your dad, the tuck yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah. My dad. And then later on, when I got to being about 11, my uncle, who's a big blue. He married into our family through my dad's sister and he had a he's well, he's still got a barbershop on County Road and they they're all blues like, but I used to work in the barbershop sweeping up on us about 11. So he used to take me to derby games and stuff like that at Goddison, which was always a brilliant thing because he was just he was, he was really.
Speaker 2:I mean, my dad was into football, but not as much as my uncle. My uncle played a lot. So I used to play a lot with my uncle and we used to, he used to take, he took us to like the four, all of Goddison and stuff like that. We always talk about that as a, as a mad memory Like, because I've got a great memories of that being in the top balcony at Goddison and being just an insane game. You know what I mean. I think that was Kenny's last match, is it? Or the one, the one before his last match, something like that. I think he left after we got beaten. He played, something like that.
Speaker 1:Who was your favourite player growing up?
Speaker 2:Growing up, I mean John Barnes, I think anyone of our age when that 80-18 kicked in, you know what I mean. Like I'm saying, I can remember 86 and I've watched the 86 come final so many times as a kid that I could talk to the talkies, but I suppose being eight or nine by that time, or 10, or something like that. Now, you know, when we both bought Barnes, beathley and Oldridge, like that team obviously going to win the league and everything else, yeah, that team was wild, you know what I mean. And like Beathley, do you know what I mean Beathley? Like Mann Wheeling, you know what I mean. The whole team was just wild.
Speaker 2:But I think Barnes, he just had that skill, didn't he? You know he could take people on. I still think I know the game's very different now and people taking people on is not really encouraged that much, but I still think if you've got someone who can beat a man, however they do it, it's exciting and it changes the picture on the pitch in split second as opposed to a one-two taking a bit longer, and it's a bit more telegraphed. What's going to happen. Do you know what I mean? So, yeah, john Barnes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for me it started Kevin Keegan, because I'm a bit older than you. I'm older here, I'm 53, august. Yeah. Yeah, sometimes I feel like I'm 60, sometimes I feel like I'm 21,. You know, just depends what day of the week it is. But yeah, keegan was mine. But then, you know, once Barnes came, I was like I've never seen any player like him before. Like there's a difference between, you know, sometimes watching FUTI on the telly and then actually being in the stands watching him play. I mean, everyone was on tiptoes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was ridiculous, like. Funny enough, I've just remembered. Then we did the soccer six once. This is going back a while ago. I go to the school against Neville Southall as well, this soccer six, which is amazing.
Speaker 2:But anyway, john Barnes was on one of the other teams. He was on our team. I can't remember his team, he was on. Anyway, we played against him with every team. It might have been the dark, let's just hold my back. Anyway, we played against him and you know you're playing against like there's a lot of ex-professionals there, so the level is really high, obviously, and even though they're old, you know it's ridiculous, like. But John Barnes did this pass and I still don't know how it happened. I don't. You know I could see what he was doing when I seen what happened, but it was like he bent physics for a bit for a minute and honestly, it was wild like being on the pitch with it, because it was like, you know, I played a bit, but it was like seeing that, seeing that level with that. You know they, obviously they don't need to have any kick-up, they're not even trying. It was wildly wild.
Speaker 1:That soccer aim was with the Zutons, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:Soccer aim we did with the Zutons, yeah, but this was a soccer six. Thing. It was like an aim and that was with the Zutons as well, but it was like a challenge, sort of celebrity, sort of fuzzy match that they used to put on.
Speaker 1:That must have been a good laugh if that was the dark.
Speaker 2:Scoring against level south. All the good of them was fucking wild.
Speaker 1:I love Justin Hawkins man. His podcast Absolutely boss Like he's. Just he looks like he could be a lad that you could just have a pint with, you know yeah definitely I think he is, isn't he?
Speaker 2:I think he's very. He comes across very sound on it, yeah, and he's kind of he's not copying, but he's doing a good fit Like has this good music podcast I've never seen on YouTube Rick Beato does, and he's doing a bit. He's not copying. I'm not saying he's copying it because he's not. It's a bit like in that thing but I do like the way he does it, justin, and he shows his. I think what's good about some of those things with people that are famous or whatever is it shows that he's a fan of music. Yeah, because musicians do tend to be fans of music. Do you know what I mean? And they're not. They're not as like, they're not as pigeonholed as music fans sometimes, if you know what I mean, they're like you know music is just music really. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:Did you see the one? He did the little review of Rick Ashley at Glastonbury? No, no, when Rick Ashley was on the blossoms, I mean he looked like a proper rock star. He really did swing the microphone, but I mean just seeing Justin's face reacting to that just made me feel like, you know, not all rock stars are up their own arses.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, not all.
Speaker 1:Of them, Just some of them. So I'm speaking of, like you know, your musical direction. I mean, when did you first? Did you have you always played bass, or did you start with guitar?
Speaker 2:No, I was able to start with guitar and bass really about the same time. Funny enough, I played for Liverpool when I was a kid, for a little bit 40, when I was about 13, and didn't last very long, that's about six months. And then when that finished I can kind of quite remember because I thought I was going to be a 40 player, opens a lot of points. I was like I'm going to be a 40 player, I was kind of always one of the best and all that and so all that you know on that level. But as soon as I got to that Liverpool, it was like, oh, they, I felt completely out. I was like, oh, no, this is not, this isn't me, these are well effective. It was just they were a lot more serious about it than me.
Speaker 2:And so I got jibbed off for about six months by Steve I write, and then. And then I remember thinking, well, I'm not just going to get a job, I'm not doing that. And I could sort of see in me mum and dad that they just had jobs and it was just hard, you know. And so me and my brother used to play guitars and I was like, well, I'll just, I want to do that, then you know what I mean. And I sort of set about trying to do that really and I'm still still trying to trying to work it out now really, yeah it's, it's, it's not not to think.
Speaker 1:I think every kid in in in Liverpool thinks they're going to play for Liverpool at Everton. I mean, they do. That's what we do when you're young. You kick the ball around in your street, then you go to the park and then you get picked up by you know that's all.
Speaker 2:You know. It's such a I mean, it's such a competitive world for Paul, isn't it? You know, I do feel sorry for the lads who, like I said, I was always really good in my little groups and when I got up to that stage it was like, oh, now these, excuse me and I even felt at the time, oh, these are much more serious and, you know, most committed. Even at that age I felt like these are more definitely more committed to this thing to me than me. And then, you know, I feel sorry for the lads who, the lads who really, really pushed themselves and you know I've got, obviously got an amazing talent, because it's like point of a percent or whatever to get through.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I mean? Like Trent set up that academy thing, or like none in the academy, like a bit of a thing to kind of catch some of the lads who don't make it. Because you know it's brutal, isn't it? It's brutal, like it really is brutal for the lads trying to get through, like, and I think, in Liverpool and like most sort of working class cities, I suppose football's a big deal in it. Do you know what I mean? So I think, and you know, and you know the girls as well, and I think you know everyone's playing. It's a big thing now and for these you know it means a lot to people. So I think people want to be involved in it, do they mean? So that's why you know there's a local feel by ours and you know there's teams playing on every weekend. You know like the grassroots football's still pretty strong in places like Liverpool, I think.
Speaker 1:It's tough though, because you know I mean in the 80s and probably early 90s, you know for the kids like wanting to play, you know professional football, you're 100% committed, or you know sometimes 75, but you've got your parents on your back like you've got to do this for us, and then it fails and then the kid goes into obscurity. He doesn't know what to do with his life and now at least there's a fallback. You know you do have like psychologists and all this to help these kids. You know because what a few years ago, that man City teenager who didn't make it to do it God bless his soul and all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's tough you know it is tough, but you know.
Speaker 2:I think, hopefully within an age now where things like this get highlighted more and you know, the realities get highlighted more and that's all for the power of the coach really, because young people I've got kids and all that, you know and there's sort of kind of teenagers and that now, and you know, trying to make your way in life, it's hard, isn't it? I mean, I often people often say to me oh, you've done well and you know, played in some big bands and all that stuff. And I have and I have worked and it doesn't get me wrong. But also I can recognise that.
Speaker 2:You know, you get a little break sometimes and some people I know plenty of good musicians you just don't get to break. You know what I mean. And it's the same with the Fussy, isn't it? If you're, you know, whatever the stars don't align, you might not be as committed as the next guy next to you who's in the team and you know well, you're like Billy Kelly from Everton and you end up on that wrong path in that way or whatever. Do you know what I mean? You know there's plenty of ways to fuck it up, isn't it? I mean, it's a lot easier to fuck it up. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, I can only imagine, like you know it's, either you're playing football, you play, you know the scouts are there, and you have a really, really shit game. And same with the musicians. Same with the musicians as well. You have a really shit game.
Speaker 2:Well, you've got to get lucky and I'm really sort of like I was really happy to see the trend has done that because, like you know, he's such a like, he's such a good local lad in that way and, like you know, you know, he's living so many lad's dreams in this city, do you know what I mean? And beyond, of course. But, like you know, he's been in the team since he was 18, or whatever, and under the name of the manager and you know, and he's won it all already and he's like 24 or whatever he is. Do you know what I mean? He's not even mad at you.
Speaker 1:I think that's the thing. We forget how young like Scent is. We forget how young Curtis Jones is as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jones has, you know, had the backlash from a lot of people just saying he's not good enough and the only reason he's in the squad is he's a scouser, which is absolutely stupid to say. You know, Jürgen Klopp is not going to let you. Oh, oh, curtis, because you're a scouser, I'm going to leave you in the team.
Speaker 2:Some of the things that for some football fans say are just fucking absolutely ridiculous, and you know what I mean. Like we just said before, this is a multi-billion-pound industry. I think someone's going to go. Well, yeah, we actually keep him because of this little thing. Like I mean, instead of getting someone who's going to try and help you win, it makes it about winning, right? Yeah?
Speaker 1:I think people don't really think about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's funny and I mean it's such a weird thing being a 40-fant and we're all guilty of it. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I'm not, but we all act like we know a lot more than we probably do. I tell you what I mean, because you know.
Speaker 1:Got a black blagget sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, totally, but I miss being. You know some people think I hate it when people say he's not even trying. You know, when people say that about sitting in place, like fuck off man, do you think he's not trying? I met Sean Dights the other day right and at this gig in Nottingham and he was really impressive, right, and I'm obviously a big Liverpool fan, but he was really nice to meet him and he, like I said, he was really impressive and it was like he was really nice and you know we had a good chat for a while about Evan and football and general and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:But the big Like he was a very nice guy but the big takeaway I got was if you fuck around with him, mate, I tell you now, you fucking eat your eye. He was like the worst bouncer because he was being really nice, but there was just an air of if you say the wrong thing at any time, I'll fucking eat you alive. So, like God, help the Evan players. But like the point being is that, like football is so competitive, there's no, like you're saying as well, there's no room for any. You know, or we just do, we let this guy in because of this little reason. Liverpool players, like any players in the Premier League, you've got to weigh in your players, haven't you?
Speaker 1:Of course you have. So, from going back to your musical roots, what were you listening to as a kid? Because I know that your first band, the Big Kids, was more like Soul.
Speaker 2:Mm. Yeah, well, when I was a kid, like do you know what you mean when I was really young, when I was like 15, you know I'm a bit younger than you, but like when I was like 14, 15, like 95, there was a lot of oasis in the van and what-out. You know what I mean and that was really exciting because they were the two biggest bands in the world and they were both really exciting bands. You know what I mean and you know. And there was a load of other great music as well. But, like I often say, like I'm really happy to have been a teenager at a time when there was two. You know, great bands can be great bands and all that. But like, when you get a band like oasis or in the van, you sort of they change society a little bit. You know what I mean. The kids, there's like a new dress sense that's borne out of it. And like you know, when you're seeing a Grunge kid and you're like, oh, you're into the van and you're seeing someone with a Liam A Cut, your all-your-intero oasis, do you know what I mean? It was such a and then it became, then it sort of jumped the shark quite quickly and all the rest of it. But in that moment, when the match has just been lit and there's, you know, there's two bands like really really on the edge of their you know their greatness or whatever like that. So I used to love that and then.
Speaker 2:And then, yeah, just a little bit on the big. You know, like everyone at that time I suppose, I got into those bands of the moment and then quite quickly so you start looking back into your dad's record collection a bit more and stuff like that, and then getting into a lot of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, james Brown and stuff like that and obviously the Beatles and the Stones and stuff like that, and then it's just one big sort of family tree of music. Then isn't it really in terms of, like you know, one thing leads to the other, leads to the other, leads to the other, and I'm still sitting by the loads of records here. It's just like an endless thing really. It's just never going to stop. In terms of what I'm into and the big kids was about, yeah, one of my first bands. I was in Medeca. I was a very soul-y sort of thing.
Speaker 2:What Edgar does is really good and he was an amazing bass player like at Jones. Once you check out his music on the Apple or Spotify or whatever, because he's really good and he's kind of quite a. He's known in cult circles, I suppose, but in some ways he's quite unknown, but he's an amazing bass player. So for me I've been a young musician he wanted me to play the bass and I was like fucking hell, this could go weird, because everyone loves Edgar, rightfully so. He's one of my favourite ever bass players. Never mind, like you know, never, ever, do you know what I mean? It's just incredible.
Speaker 2:So I was kind of worrying that people were going to be like what the fuck are those stupid kids doing? But thankfully it kind of made me, sort of threw me in the deep end and a swan, if you know what I mean just about I do remember thinking like this is going to I could fuck this over here, but suppose it's one of those moments, maybe, looking back on it, the good that went wrong but didn't. So it was a good thing for me, confidence being sort of given the bass player role by such a good bass player, if you know what I mean, and then with the Zutons, how you were already mates with quite a few in the how are you Sean from?
Speaker 2:it was in the big kids with us as well. Like we went to school together and stuff. And then so with Liverpool being quite incestuous anyway in the music scene in a good way. So we were in the band with Egger and Egger was like 10 years older than us, which was always fine. But like I think Egger split the band off, I think just because he had an offer or something like that, and then we sort of I mean sure, we were like we're going to go and do something somewhere together because we had a good mate and we played well together and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:So Dave McCabe was in a band called Tramp Attack and Dave split up around the same time. So we found him and said let's start a band. And he was already with Boyan, he also used to go to our school and so they were kind of playing together and they were two guitars and we said, well, yeah, we're two guitars, we're the bass player and drummer, so that makes a band. So you know, it's kind of like that's where it goes in the end. It's like you've only got to come up with a name and that's it really. So we kind of and you know, we were pretty shit at first and all that stuff. It's just like any good band. We didn't really know what we were doing because we'd never really set out to start a band before. We just always played with other people. But then Dave started writing really well and we started sort of writing with him really well and then it took off from there really. It was all quite organic and lovely and all that stuff, yeah, and then he went full story.
Speaker 1:You couldn't really pigeonhole the Zutons either. You weren't exactly rock and roll, you weren't indie, you weren't, you know, even that spaghetti western kind of style, and then you had the folk to it as well. So you couldn't really like go all right, you put it in this genre of music.
Speaker 2:There's a bit of soul in there as well, with the Zutons tunes. There's definitely a few minor sevens and stuff like that. We sort of give it a bit of a solely twinge, but and yeah, I think that's one of Dave's and the bands you know, it was quite. It was always quite hard to put a finger on it, which was good. And then. So then that thing that carried on till about 2009,.
Speaker 2:The time we did a couple of records and then we sort of hit a bit of a bump really, and then we kind of like said, why don't we jib it for a bit in 2009-ish, I think? And we sort of said, well, we won't even announce it, we'll just stop. You know what I mean, because it's like, well, if you don't announce it, then it's like it hasn't happened. You know what I mean. You can always just start again. Don't worry about the press if you don't know me or whatever.
Speaker 2:So we did that and then I've got, like I said I've had kids for a long time and I was like, and I was kind of ready to leave anyway, if I'm honest, not for any reason, just for, you know, wanting to move on, I suppose. So once it kind of finished, weirdly, my mate Maca. He bumped into him in the recording studio and he said, oh, I'm going to play guitar, I would know, in his solo project. And I was like, oh right, so. And then, literally about a week later, the Zootones spittled up and then I brought me Cruciate Ligaments playing Fuzzy for the second time and so I had to get that fixed and that was the end of my career. And that was the end of me for the career after the second one. But while I was getting that, while I was recovering from that, I thought I was like, what am I going to do?
Speaker 1:And it was a bit.
Speaker 2:You know I was like early thirties, I suppose then 31, something like that. So you know, a classic sort of like you know life moments, I suppose, for me. And he's like you know what do I do? You know, I wanted to do something different and all that. And I did me like. I said me mate said about Noel's band and I had his number I mean, we're mates or not and just had his number from him coming to our gigs from time to time and I just thought I'll give you the text. And I thought, well, if he doesn't want me to do it, he'll say he's got someone else. Or if he's got someone else, he'll say he's got someone else. So I thought, well, it's not really a bad outcome here. It's either yes or no.
Speaker 2:And I was like yeah, I don't think it'd be that, but even if it was that, like so what? And then I did it and I literally had to go to bug for the shit because I felt weird. I like sparked a physical reaction and then, and then, and then he texts me back within about half an hour or something and said yeah, that'd be amazing, I'll phone you tomorrow, and I've been in the band since then.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's got to be crazy, though I actually said, as a 15 year old, listening to Oasis, who were the biggest band on the planet, then, you know, did I know? It sounds so cliche, but were you going? I like one day. One day I'll play with this.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, it was never like that, because you don't you know that's just not that you don't imagine that. You know they'd ever split up on all that Oasis or whatever I suppose it was definitely. It was definitely a part of me that band, definitely a part of me wanting to be in a band. What do you mean? So like that's a special thing, and but then you know we got that on. You sort of quite quickly realize what it's about and you know, as in the music industry, and so we I mean made that, we've made our own success and all the rest of it. When we did, and you know so, no, it was never obviously gone for that.
Speaker 2:But I do remember, like before I went down for the first rehearsals in about 2011 or something like that, I do remember kind of sort of like trying to get myself ready to picture them in the room, just because because I was like I played, I played music with loads of people. Do you know what I mean? And ultimately, music is just music and people. It's a good level of people. You know it doesn't matter how successful you are. You know the music tells the truth. Do you know what I mean? If something's not working, or if something's you know and generally musicians agree to go, yeah, it's not working, you know so. So I kind of thought like well, it's going to be the same as it is with anyone. Really, I imagine and it was, it was really the same and he's been great from day one. Really it's been just the same as any any scouts that have been in a band with, basically.
Speaker 1:So what do you? What do you do? When you first met him, Was it like more of like a jam session, Like let's jam.
Speaker 2:Well it was. It was he'd already recorded the first record in LA, I think, and so we've been sent that, and he was like laying all these songs, laying X other ones off, or he's a back Catholic or something. And then we went for a rehearsal in this small rehearsal space in Shepardsport and it was me, noel, and my mate Mac, and I was playing guitar at the time and there was a little camera set up like video and us, and we just ran through the songs, just like sort of the three of us with no drummer, which was obviously a bit weird, and he's like I'd learned it off by heart. Anyway, I was sort of like I quite quickly realized that this might be a good thing and, like you know, I like I said I wanted to do something really different anyway, and this felt really different.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I mean? This felt like a whole new chapter and a whole new bunch of people, and you know, and and it was exciting because it was his solo project and all the rest of it. So I was really, I'd really done my homework. I mean, I really knew the songs inside out a bit too well really, if anything, and so, like that night after the first three years he was like he texts me and he was like this is going to be brilliant, we'll go around the world. You know all the rest of it.
Speaker 1:I was like, ok, sounds it 14 years later, you're still going around the world with him.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, it's brilliant. I feel very lucky. I've got to say I do feel very lucky, like especially like like we haven't obviously haven't done it for a while with the pandemic and that, and then we're doing this. We've just done seven weeks in America and that was the first proper tour we've done since the pandemic. And you do realise how lucky we are to go. You know travel to different countries and people turn up to the gigs and you know what I mean it's. You know you sort of get a re appreciation of how lucky we are. So it's such a great job.
Speaker 1:Well, there's no point being a musician if you can't play live, you know. So that's what I wanted to do as well. You know. I know Noel. I've listened to quite a few of his interviews and he said during lockdown he'd already had that album already sorted.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he's got a couple more models as well, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just amazing where you've got some people that were very productive during lockdown and then others that would just like sit on the couch and just eat the crisps and drink. How was it to you?
Speaker 2:Well, it was funny for us because in 2019 we finished in the winter and we'd just been in Australia with you two supporting them on the Joshua Tree tour, and then we did our own show in Thailand on the way home I think that was in like the November or something like that.
Speaker 2:Something like that and anyway. So we'd been touring for about five years at that point without any problem. Like you know, we've been home and all that. But I mean like without like six months off or anything like that, so to kind of need a proper time when you've been touring or something. So we'd had this quite busy five years and so we were going to have two years off, basically, anyway, something like that. So I was like fucking hell, great, I've just done all this work. I wanted to start my own project a little bit. I've been working on that in the background and I was like okay now.
Speaker 2:So then we turned into 2020 and I'm like right, we're going to win the league. Like we were playing, due to play Glastonbury that summer 2020 before McCartney. So I was like we're going to win the league. We're going to win it by about April. I mean, I've won the best summers in my life. Then we're going to play Glastonbury before McCartney and I was so and then I'm going to have like two years off after that. I mean, I'm going to have two years to myself to try and finally get around to getting a record to get them myself, which will never fucking happen, but I'll be constantly working on it. But I was like, okay, so at least I'll you know, this is some good time to do it now, and I was excited for that. And then, obviously, with what happened I remember in the March right, that's the long story. I get into this a bit much like so. Then. Do you remember when we lost to Wofford?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And that was the first loss one. And I remember saying to me lad, me, lads, me, lads 22, and I was quite so, it was like 19 or something, and I said there's going to be a blip. There's got to be a blip. I'm not having it that we get because we've won about 29 out of 29. I had me a stupid dog 28 out of 29. I said there'll be a blip. I'm telling you now, I've never seen it where there's not a blip.
Speaker 2:And then we lost that game. And then we lost to Athletic Hall Madrid in the week, I think it was. And then. So then we were out of that. And then we played Bournemouth at home and we were two on down Right. I don't know, I'm watching it from the back room. I was fucking. I was like we're going to fucking lose it. I couldn't believe it. I was convinced at that point we're going to lose it and we come back in that game to be three, two up, a million clears, one off the line. Do you remember he runs back just about, catches in, clears it off the line, and once he did that, we're fucking on, we are on. This is fucking happening this way. Now, when, when it got stopped right. And then Glaston, we got pulled, like about the same week.
Speaker 2:I don't reckon I spoke for about two weeks. I couldn't. I just me me. Mrs says that you had. She says I reckon I had a breakdown.
Speaker 2:I was so ready for, like this, it was a perfect summer coming. Perfect, like do you know what I mean? Like oh, we are. I had tickets the game when it got stopped, the full team. We were meant to play Palace on the Monday, mm, hmm Well, the next game was Palace. I remember that because I had tickets, so I've got a connection to the club. They had tickets. So I was like, got the tickets, so it's all fucking on Could happen against Palace on the Monday or whatever it was.
Speaker 2:And it was so shocking, honestly I was so it was distressing, right Apart from that, I was all right Once, once, once, honestly. I know disrespect to anyone. I shouldn't say things like that. It's because people lost people and all that. But I was so angry that the full team had been stopped and I know there was a pandemic going on and I've taken it very seriously. I'm not an idiot about the pandemic at all but because I was just so selfishly like angry that the full. I was like I can't believe, like I was shocked. I was in shock because everything was so right, like that season do you know what I mean? And I was waiting for the thing to happen. All the whole time I was like something's too right this, do you know what I mean? And obviously I didn't make it happen, but like it was like saying to me that I was like this is like a.
Speaker 1:This is like aliens of London.
Speaker 2:I've never fucking heard of a pandemic. I was 42 at the time. Whatever it was fucking pandemic. The fucking black death was fucking years ago. That's never happening again and obviously it was fucking more full of rest of us because it might fucking happen again as well. But you know. So once that got sorted I felt all right about it. But I mean, it's still a sore point to think that there were full fans. Remember they were milling the talk about it recently before he left and he was saying you know, I think, yeah, I think we're moving on a little bit from the pandemic, but I think, like Klopp's Mission for this next three years, you got three years left 26.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So three seasons? Yeah, it's got to be to at least win one Premier League in front of the fans, do you mean? Like as it doesn't mean like he's got to do that, I mean like that's what he'll want to do, do you mean?
Speaker 1:Of course I mean. That's what I think. That's why you know we did the. We did the. You know city tour with the FA Cup and League Cup.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:If you're not a Liverpool fan, you don't understand why we actually did it. It's because you know thousands of well millions of people never got to actually be there. You know I'm with you as well. You know pretty selfish as well, because you're just like this isn't right. This is not fair. You know COVID is going around, you go. This isn't fair. We've waited years for this. We want to be there, I mean, and it was sad to just see in the stadium, nobody in there.
Speaker 2:It was sad, right, and it is a sad reality that that's how it played out. But also, as much as that is the case, there's a bit of me that goes you know what Life is mad? And, like you know, that's a good example of how mad life can be. A team waits fucking 30 odd years and then there's a pandemic and then, like you know, we were all outside the grounds and all that that might and all that, and it was magic. Do you know what I mean? And it was kind of the tainted in it because everyone was a bit worried about who was going to catch it and give it to your man and all that. But you know, it was still magic and it was kind of weirdly special for it, I suppose. Do you know what I mean? But I'm convinced they'll win it again. Come on, like I think so as well.
Speaker 1:I mean, you know, and again you know, with the with city doing what city do. I think we would have won it maybe a couple more times as well, but you know.
Speaker 2:I don't have any grudges about that, because you know.
Speaker 1:They're a good team. They're a good team, they're a good team.
Speaker 2:They're never a good team, they're a record breaking team, just like we were when we won the Premier League. I often like to remind I've got a lot of city fans, obviously, and United fans. Like you know, we won it in the quickest time ever. That season People give it when people start chatting the asterisk bullshit. And if you want to give it that the real asterisk is the season after, because it's a whole season with a lot of people, it's a whole season with our fans. You know what I mean. So if you get and I don't even think that's a nice choice because he's not playing full so you know the um, you know we won it in the record number of games. I mean how standing that scene is, what a way, so good.
Speaker 2:But, like I said, I'm convinced he did it then and he'll do it again because he's done it at Dortmund and he showed he can do it with us. And I think what's mad is that and I hope I'm right about this, could be wrong, but I think you know he went from being like 7th or 8th to being in the Champions League final and coming fourth in the season. You know what I mean. So you know I think we can go from a poor season last season to absolutely challenging against FATALY. I do think it'll probably take a year. I think there's a few too many new heads this season to be taken down properly. I mean, obviously I'd like to see us do it, but I think we'll get back on the Champions League this season and I think we'll challenge the year after.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm with you with that. So how's the banter in the band Like who? Obviously I know Noel's a city fan. Who's?
Speaker 2:the other big fan. There's not many of the big footy heads in the band really. Yeah, chris, gem and Mikey aren't really that fussed, really, because Gem's a bit of a top-notch man because of his son and Mikey is a Brighton fan because of his son and Chris, I'd say, is a Liverpool fan because of his son. He's not particularly asked. No, obviously, noel, big city guy. And yeah, it's funny, right, because when I joined the band, we weren't really rivals right In 2012. Puzzled City didn't really have anything about us. So it's funny because it's actually developed whilst we've been in the band. Do you know what I mean? And I remember one time at the start of the band, when we go to Italy, he's like a god working in Italy, like a genius. I'm kind of used to seeing how people react around him now because I've been around him for so long, but when it was the start, it was like, oh wow, you know he's fucking onto the guy, but you know they're literally like weeping in the streets and all this madness. So, anyway, so we're in Milan and we watched Liverpool V-City and I think it was I don't know if it was, I can't remember it I went to Ballateli, scored a dead long range goal for those against them. Was that at home? I think it was to equalise, to make it one all. Anyway, because we've been getting beat for a bit and we've equalised All these fans, you get the fans waiting in the lobby but they're not allowed to go anywhere past the lobby. And we were like in the bar so they can sort of see through into the bar but they're not allowed in. So then when I've gone, we've scored and I've jumped up and I've gone like grabbed them and all these fans have seen it and he wasn't into it. So I had to like sort of quite realise that, like you know, it's a public image, it's a thing, and we and also I thought like it's a bit of a dickhead move anyway, sort of you know, you've got to kind of be respectful of your friends. You know the other team thing and all that. But now it's funny, we don't really talk about it that much. You know about football. We do talk about football, talk about football a lot. We don't really talk about the Liverpool city thing. Because he's a really solid I'll say that I hope that he sees it one day. But oh yeah, he's a very competitive beast and yeah, now it's good. It's good, it's good, especially if it's really I mean, it was wild.
Speaker 2:You know, like there was, you know, those champions, those three quarterfinals, and you know that we had with them and all the rest of it. Like my lad was at the one that we, when we beat them at home and I think we ended up beating them away and the salagal you know what I mean. My lad was at that one like, and we watched that again, funny enough, again in Milan, but this was a couple of years later and fucking hell it was. You know, like it's just a big deal. You know, because you know we're both. He's a really passionate city fan, a very passionate football fan. A Champions League, you know, is the biggest. It feels, it just feels electric. You know. I know I'd rather win the Premier League, you know, but those midweek nights, you know it's fucking wild, you know, like so yeah, I mean, there was nothing like that.
Speaker 1:That. That you know, when we went to the Etihad and we, you know, beat them, they scored early with eight, eight zoos. So all up in the air like, yeah, and then you know, bobby scored. And then Bobby scored the winner, that's right. Oh, like I went crazy, I mean because you know at that time we're watching two of the best teams in the entire world. I mean it was like boxers going back and forth.
Speaker 2:No, definitely, and funny enough, me and my son and his mates went to the City Game at City. It was in the January, just after Christmas. It was right at the start of January. I think it was the first year we really challenged them. So the year before we won the League, whatever.
Speaker 2:So going into 19, I suppose 18, 19, and we played them in the January at their ground and we got beat 2-1, and it was like just like. It was the one, I think it was the one where it was like nearly in by a millimetre and all the rest of it and stones cleared it off the line. But it was just. It was the best game I thought I ever went to. Had been to a lot of fucking games before, so you have seen some great teams come to Anfield and all I've seen them all and I feel but it was just and even though we lost I mean my lad was fuming because we lost and I was like you know what, I'm a bit gutter than that but like that was amazing, like that was wild and the fact that we're competing on that level with the team it would also on that level is fucking an amazing thing to see, like I mean.
Speaker 1:It's just too heavyweight. You know, and you just watch, you know. You watch all of last season and you could just tell Arsenal weren't going to win the league. You just knew it like that's just a juggernaut.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean I know what you mean, but like when the other those couple of games, like that one against Villar, when they were like 2-0 down, then 1-4-2, and there was another one at the F is it possibly a police? Call the Emirates when they came back against someone as well, and I thought I mean I do think they probably missed a chance with not having your or her last season and all that, but I think they put a great face after the season together. Man, do you know what I mean? I think it'd be interesting to see what they're like this year really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I mean, you know the valid quality, the quality of the players and the team. The journey's still out on habits, but yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, we're bringing in Rice. You know they've got a young team, I mean Saka. I think he's an absolute gem.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, definitely. He's electric, isn't he? We have a lot of young players in the league Saka Odegaard, the young Hungary squad. I think they're definitely something to look out for. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:But never count us out. You know, that's the thing. Like I would think the fire's been lit again.
Speaker 2:It looks like it hasn't. When you like have watched some of the inside training things and all that they've been putting out and clubs talking a big game like, do I mean? And I don't think he's the sort of guy to do it without feeling that he's got something that's going to back it up. Do you know what I mean? I think Nunes' second season, you know, and he had a decent enough start last season and then we had to do some bad attention and all that. But you know, good enough, decent enough calls, I'd say, for the first season and enough of a first, because people problems, you know what I mean. Well, the people away he does and all that. I think he'll kick on a bit this season, hopefully. And you know we never see what happens, won't we? I suppose?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that quote. I really do Great, great. Yeah, I think a lot of people just don't really. You know, there was lots of things that like made last season shite. You know too many teams Whale Corp, but I mean every team has that. You know, not everything.
Speaker 2:But I think it's all decided though. You know what I mean. It's like you know, like cos that on top of? And I didn't like when, at the start of last season or before Christmas, people were talking about Liverpool and saying like, well, it's the hangover from nearly winning the quadruple and that, and I'd be like nah, I don't reckon you know, and I'd sort of brush that off a bit. But then the more the season went on, I thought, well, yeah, it does make some sense, because a team's kind of at the end of a cycle in terms of its you know, members and, like you know, they were nearly hitting an absolute peak of peaks and they were fucking close, man, you know what I mean. And it's like and they failed, and like it's understandable. I suppose there's that on top of the injuries, the Whale Corp, the Shaw pre-season, like you said anything, it was a perfect storm of shit that I was off earlier.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think they'll be ready to go again. You know, I can't imagine, like I think, what other supporters. We don't really picture these players as like me and you like people.
Speaker 2:Like humans. I'll totally talk about.
Speaker 1:Like robots. Like Van Dijk said after the Whale Cop he's like he's, we're treated like robots, like we can play, and play, and play. And I can't imagine playing 63 matches, every match possible, losing the league by a point. And I'm pretty much playing. You know, majed off the park for a while, kuzwa is their man of the match. Well, they're the player of the game.
Speaker 2:They're more shot-downs than I get from Oblin.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they have won and score. You know, I mean I can't, I mean it hurt me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, they're the same, such as look-up ones, like definitely.
Speaker 1:But I think they'll go again. I really do. I think the fire's burning and, you know, hopefully with a few, at least two more players coming in, I think.
Speaker 2:Oh no, definitely, definitely. I mean, we're in for Laviator Day, aren't we? But I think like, well, I mean, it's only 19 in. I think there's got to be another more experienced six coming, because you know, fab's, while he adds a bit of an off-season, like a lot of people last season had, his best was fucking wild, like, and I think you know it's such an important position these days on the pitch. I think having someone who's tall, who can do the job, so they can win aerial battles as well, it's such an important thing. And he had a bit of a turn of pace in some weird ways over the short space. You know what I mean. He could make stuff up quick. You know what I mean If he had to get back, and obviously his awareness was so good as well. I think you don't want to be starting a season with a prospect in that position. Like, I just think we need to find someone.
Speaker 1:And I don't know, what do you think about the prospect though the Shattich? We already have one, that's exactly what I mean.
Speaker 2:That's what I mean. We've got him and I think Lavi is just a prospect in here. Really, I don't think he you know, I don't know that, but I don't think he's well, he's not. You know, he's not 24 and knows exactly what he's doing. You know what I mean, which is I mean it'd be amazing if we could find a way to try and go back in for two or many, but it doesn't seem like there's doesn't seem to be any noise. But yeah, like I said before, I've got three things in. Little people will do well that they'll get it right this season.
Speaker 1:What I want to ask you now, like I always ask musicians to come on, you're, you're like Best of all, a line up Friday, saturday, sunday, alive or dead, who would you have as headliners?
Speaker 2:OK, a Friday night and a Saturday night, a Sunday night? Ok, that's a bit of a shock, ok. So I think for a Friday night, I think Friday night is the most exciting night to go out Like. Oh, like, I think it's just the end of the week and Saturday night obviously a big party night anyway, but for some reason I always find Friday more exciting.
Speaker 2:So I'll put Nirvana on the Friday night and that'll be wild, because it's like the start of the weekend and I mean like kind of be mental sort of thing. I put them on and I'm not going on Saturday. I mean you have to put. If you've got a chance to put the Beatles on, you've got to put the Beatles on, haven't you really? Do you know what? I mean? I'm promoting this thing for one night only. I think I've got to put the Beatles on Saturday because they're big time. You've got the tunes they can pull off a Saturday night, and on the Sunday you want something a bit more chill though. So I reckon I'd put Bob Dylan on Sunday. I'd have Nirvana, the Beatles and Bob Dylan and loads of other boss stuff.
Speaker 1:Man, that's a killer line up. I'd go pay to see that though. Yeah, yeah, or jump to the fence, either or yeah, or dig a hole under the fence, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's hard to blag your way in now. You've just got to find like a hole to you know, go under.
Speaker 2:I know, not the same as I was in our day.
Speaker 1:You see, these YouTubers, like you know, I saw the one like who did, the one that was under a little like like ditch.
Speaker 2:Really right boss.
Speaker 1:He went under it and he went over. Then he was watching. You know the security like what time they switch Right yeah yeah, yeah, then he got over, and then.
Speaker 2:I'm also taking the YouTuber over as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like, well, you're doing differently than anyone else now, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's going to be more security where you just popped in. So, yeah, that's a dump.
Speaker 2:I think you can get walking and you think that's a way to do it, but I wouldn't know.
Speaker 1:So what are your predictions for next season then, or this season coming?
Speaker 2:This season coming, I think. I mean I'd like to think that we challenge for the title and I do think that's possible. I do think it's possible because I think Jagan's got it in him to turn a team, a team's fortune to run quite quickly, especially with new faces. But I think realistically, I think, with what looks like it's going to be a whole new midfield of, like fairs, teamers and people who are stepping into the midfield, if you like, from time to time, I think it might be a big ask to ask us to challenge against City what will be an incredible City team again, undoubtedly An Arsenal team have improved. Chelsea have got a great manager, haven't they? They've got Pocs now, haven't they? So does every chance that he can whip them together quite quick. Do you know what I mean? So there's obviously a lot of onionite. They've got a decent thing as well. Fortunately, it seems to be galvanising them a little bit.
Speaker 2:I think we will come a third next season and I think we should be happy with that. I think we could win a trophy along the way, which obviously would be nice. It would be nice to win the Europa League. I think it's a double in it. Yeah, it's a final it should be boss. That would be mad. Yeah, it would be excellent for me. So I think we'll come third. Yeah, I think we'll come third and win the Europa League. Fuck it. There you go.
Speaker 1:There you go. Yeah, did some Ross. Anyway, do you want to check out Ross? He's with Noel's band and then maybe he'll get off his arse and actually do his own album at some point. Hopefully you don't need another pandemic to get that sorted out.
Speaker 2:Well, I didn't finish it in the first one, so if we get a little more see if it happens, then Hopefully I will release some music sometime. I do love writing music, but it's just getting it together to being one feasible idea really. But, like I said, I've never really aimed at it before the pandemic, so it's something that's definitely in my sights. Hopefully it'll be out soon.
Speaker 1:There you go out soon. Two, three, four, five years, maybe ten. It'll be worth it, though, right, that's what you have to see.
Speaker 2:You've waited 30 years for the league. You can wait a bit more for my solo record.
Speaker 1:There you go. I appreciate your coming on, mate. Like I say all the time, like and subscribe. I appreciate everyone that's listening and we'll see you later.