New album from British rockers The Charlatans
BRITISH indie band The Charlatans ( far right) will release its 13th studio album today, having brought a host of guest collaborators on board to help out.
The album, features the core quartet of vocalist Tim Burgess, bassist Martin Blunt, guitarist Mark Collins and keyboard player Tony Rogers, with contributions from the likes of The Smiths’ legendary guitarist Johnny Marr, former Jam frontman Paul Weller, crime writer Ian Rankin, and actress Sharon Horgan.
Two of the original band members – Burgess and Collins – spoke to Reuters about the project, as well as the death of drummer Jon Brookes in 2013 from a brain tumour.
A fourth member, keyboardist Rob Collins (no relation to Mark), died in a car accident in 1996. Burgess: “It was quite social. You know, we asked him over, to come over for a cup of tea really.
“And, you know, bring your guitar kind of thing.
“And he did. And, you know instead of staying for an hour he stayed for five hours and ...”
Collins: “Instead of doing one track he did three.”
Burgess: “Yes, instead of one track he did three, so it’s very nice.
“The whole album for me really is, you know, is a social thing and it is very much about keeping your friends close.” Collins: “Well, after Jon died we were a drummer short in the group.
“So that was what first led us to recording with someone that didn’t grow up with the band, I mean as a band member.
“I suppose, in a way, it kind of opened our ears to the prospect of inviting new people in that ... haven’t been there for the last 20 years.
“So in a way, you know, the loss of a member maybe broadened our horizons to turn something into a positive.” Burgess: “The idea of the song really is that ... if the machinery is like the ruling class, then it’s a bit fragile, bit broken, made out of plastic.” – Reuters