Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’m a changed Guy these days
ENJOYING QUALITY TIME WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS AND THE ODD GLASS OF RED NOW THE CHOICE FOR ELBOW’S FORMER SELF-CONFESSED PARTY ANIMAL GARVEY
After struggling with depression in his 20s, Elbow frontman Guy Garvey told how he’s never been happier since becoming a husband and father. The charismatic Manchester rockers are returning to Dublin later this month with John Grant for a massive gig in Dublin’s 3Arena some 12 months after their two sold out shows in the Olympia followed by a summer gig at Live At The Marquee in
Cork.
Following the release of Elbow – The Best Of last year, Guy, 43, said Irish fans can expect to hear a blistering set of hits. “We’re going to be digging out songs we haven’t played for a while and having John (Grant) along we can perform the duet we did with him,” he told RTE.
“Old school fans will be happy but we’ll also be focusing on the new album Little Fictions also.”
The band have released seven studio albums and have cabinets full of awards – two Ivor Novellos, a Mercury Music Prize, a BRIT award for Best British Band.
Garvey confessed that life on the road is a lot different to the hedonistic early days of Elbow who have been playing together since the 90s.
“I’m proud of every moment, we’ve had such a good time. I’ve different priorities now and longevity has become a concern.
“The party has changed. It used to be vodka red bulls out on the town in Manchester and now it’s excellent company and a nice bottle of red. I never used to understand wine drinking but these days I love me wine. I think Brando said just before he croaked in The Godfather ‘I like to drink wine more than I used to.”
He added: “We all have kids now and some of them are even approaching the age of when we met each other. You never know some time in our 60s or 70s we might decide to hit the road for a year.
“It’s much more fun and sporadic gigging like this. Plus it’s the size of the venue. It used to take three or four months to tour the UK and Ireland and now, of course, you can do it in six or seven days.”
Speaking about his darker days, the One Day Like This hitmaker said: “You quite often don’t see it from the inside but I was a deeply unhappy young man.
“I always had great things in my life. It’s a mistake to think you feel one way at any one time. I think most of us feel several emotions at the same time.
“In the background there was a little hum of unhappiness throughout my 20s certainly. But now in my mid 40s almost I’ve never been happier,” he told Dave Fanning on 2FM.
Guy married his wife, actress Rachael Stirling, daughter of Diana Rigg, in 2016 and the pair are parents to 10-month old Jack.
“My little boy is a joy I never imagined, I have an amazing relationship with him.
“I was told I’d feel love I never felt as I became a father but I have felt it I’ve just been on the other side of the bargain. It reminds me very much of my feelings for my own dad in reverse. I’m also very much in love with my wife who’s also creative.
“That in itself is another source of inspiration and another reason to sit down with a pen.”
Elbow play Dublin's 3Arena with very special guest John Grant on Saturday February 24, Tickets from £50 available on Ticketmaster