Daily Mirror

Journey of innovation

-

Even before Goldie set off to live with his wife and family in Thailand five years ago, he’d had one of the most remarkable and inspiratio­nal careers in Britpop. His revolution­ary 1995 debut album Timeless reached No 7 in the UK chart, attracting the attention of David Bowie. Later, he became a Bond villain, a reality show TV star, a pal of Prince Harry and received an MBE.

But prior to the innovative jungle album’s release, Goldie – aka Clifford Joseph Price – had already played for the England ‘B’ Team at roller hockey, and been a sculptor, jeweller and graffiti artist.

He says: “Twenty-three years ago, when I suggested to [his label boss] Pete Tong and everyone else that Timeless was a classical impression of something, people thought I was as mad as a box of frogs. And of course, low and behold, I’m not.”

Certain proof is supplied on Goldie’s guest star-studded new album The Journey Man, his teaming with The Heritage Orchestra allowing him to explore his musicality to the full. Life in Thailand obviously suits him.

“There isn’t the fear-mongering that happens in Europe,” the 51-year-old explains. “Fear leads to a lack of freedom. I see people on the streets in Thailand selling things from carts who look far happier than rich people in their Bentleys in the UK.”

Although domestical­ly happy now, Goldie admits that the demands of his career mean he hasn’t always been the best parent to his five children, one of whom, Jamie, is seven years into serving life for murder.

“I had to learn the hard way, but now I enjoy it more than ever,” he says.

Goldie evidently has never wanted for self-confidence, but validation has come from many people, not least Bowie, who became a pal and a fan. The pair even composed a tune, Truth, together in 1997. “Bowie picked out one particular line of mine from the song, ‘Tomorrow for you to know. And sorrow hides in sculpture’,” Goldie explains. “He said to me, ‘Did you know Michelange­lo said that every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it?’

“That was an affirmatio­n for me to keep on doing my art.” Thriving in the aftermath of punk’s cold hard shock to the system, the goth rock scene was far wider, and its effect much longer lasting, than critics supposed. This excellentl­y packaged and annotated 4CD book illuminate­s a misunderst­ood era with famous forefather­s (Nick Cave’s The Birthday Party, Joy Division, The Damned and The Cure) lining up alongside cult favourites (The Chameleons, Inca Babies and Cocteau Twins). Sometimes gauche, but the moody theatrics (Clock DVA) and musical eruptions last the test of time.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom