“The first time I’ve every played with another band’
W0 rlad
As part of the Charlatans TIM BURGESS found fame with one of Britain’s most celebrated acts. But what does it mean when he goes solo? Words: Henry Northmore
he Charlatans are huge. They survived the crest of the wave
that would smash most baggy acts on the rocks of fickle
tastes. Their performance at this year's T in the Park showed they were still bristling wrth rock muscle and their music has continued to shine from ‘The Only One I Know' back in 1000 to 2001 's Wonder/and. Few bands can survrve the imprisonment. then death, of a founder member. as they did wrth keyboard player Bob Collins. but they had the strength to carry on.
Now frontman Trm Burgess is gomg solo. which leads to the rnevrtable question: rs this rt for the Charlatans? ‘N()' is his definitive answer. “We're working on a really modern rec0rd. doing a lot of the work vra computer.' he says in soft northern tones.
His apparent nerves belie the Jagger-esque rndre-poster-hoy that prowls the stage and nonchalantly hangs from the mic at gigs. But then this rs his debut solo show. ‘I'm looking forward to rf.‘ he says. ‘But I‘m kind of nervOus. it's the first trrne I've ever played \‘.’liil another band. I'm dorng rehearsals next week and it should be all right by then [nervous laughter]. It's kinda weird though, cos no one knows any of the actual songs.‘
lBe/reve. his album of COuntry vra Manchester With a dash of indie, sounds a bit like rt was made by a northern Flying Burrito Brothers and isn't released untrl 8 September. 'The difference rs that the Charlatans experiment and work stuff out as a five-piece. whereas here I drdn't need to experiment too much. I wanted strings and brass at the same time and I got quite exerted about that.‘
His new lrfe in LA. hrs home for the last five years. seems to suit hrm well. ‘lt's a different place and I'm livrng it and documenting rt in my own peculrar way. My personal life is good. I love walking the streets of LA. which isn't something everyone gets to do. I don't really hang out in the sunshine. but I do like to know it's Outside
Liquid Room, 0870 169 0100, 12 Aug, 7pm, £15. Check out our T on the Fringe 2-for-1 pint offers on page 12.
IF YOU Llls'E THE SOUND OF THIS. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
I Best of T-Break T on the Fringe showcases a quartet of local fledgling acts who appeared on the T-Break stage at this year's T in the Park. Expect molten rock. acerbic pop and spaced out psychedelic twists from Alyssa's Wish. the Silver Pill. the Michael Rattray Allstars and Raar. Liquid Room, 0870 169 0100, 70 Aug, 7pm. £5.
54 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 7—1-1 Aug 2003
Scotland's biggest ever opera project has been hard work, but worth every second of it
A perfec circle
In 2000, we interviewed the director, conductor, set designer and male lead from Scottish Opera’s Ring cycle. Four years and 17 hours of opera later, they report back. \N'orils: Kelly Apter
The Director
Albery. (iiven that this vacation deficit stems from an involvement in one of the most exciting cultural events in
Scotland‘s histon it's hard to feel too sorry for him. But when you learn that the director has three children. all of whom live in his adopted home of 'l’oronto. it does indeed seem quite a sacrifice. Has it been worth it'.’ ‘()h yes.' he says. ‘Well for me it has. Whether it has for them is a different matter.‘ His colleagues at Scottish ()pera claim nobody could have done the job half as well. The cast love him. And as for the public. well. we've been handed one of the most accessible Ring ( ‘vr'lm ever staged. So. sorry kids you can have your dad back next year.
In 2000. when I first interviewed Tim Albcry. R/u'r'ngu/rl was barely into rehearsal. At that stage he confessed to almost turning down the project. finally agreeing when his agent pointed out that the chances of him being asked again were ‘very minimal'. Now. with all four operas under his belt. is be proud of the end result‘.’ ‘()f course I am — who wouldn't be'." he says. ‘liven if it was terrible. id be proud that we got the whole damn thing on. But in fact we still don‘t really know what we‘ve got. We've done all four. but it‘s not until that week in fidinburgh. when they happen one night after the other. that we'll really know what it feels like to do the Ring (yr/cf
Albery‘s success stems from his desire to produce what he calls ‘a very human Ring'. (‘haracters which. on paper. seem otherworldly have been given real and identifiable character traits. Similarly. the set fuses underground fantasy with modem day reality. When Siegfried tells his life story to the hunters in (Mirenlr'imnm'rmg. it's not in a forest. but a trendy bar full of suited men and three rather desperate Rhine Maidens. ‘The modern equivalent of hunting is going to work. and our chorus is very much like middle-income executives.‘ says Albery. ‘And you think of those Rhine Maidens. hanging out in a singles bar unable to entice men any longer because they've got no gold. People who don't like it think we've dragged it down to a more banal level. But for me. heroism is in the everyday struggle. and therefore l’m quite happy for Siegfried to look like a nonnal person. And that gives you access to it.'
‘ I haven't had a summer holiday for four years.. says Tim