Alone Naturally Is The Way Gilbert Works Best
Oct 26 2007 by Peter Grant
Peter Grant talks to star Gilbert O’Sullivan about his Irish Festival gig
MAYBE it’s because I’m an Irishman that I love Dublin best," sings Gilbert O’Sullivan in his song January Git.
So it’s quite apt that the singer-songwriter is appearing in this year’s Cain’s Liverpool Irish Festival.
"I am looking forward to this tour because last time around we couldn’t get a venue in Liverpool, and so this is going to be great because I have a loyal following in the city.
"I always try and play Liverpool on my tours."
Gilbert will be bringing along a string quartet for this latest trek.
"The first half of the two-and-half-hour show will have strings attached " the second half with band, including saxophone and backing singers."
He will be singing a large selection of classics from his greatest hits collection, as well as songs from his latest album called A Scruff At Heart, released by Bygum Records.
"That’s me " a real scruff,’’ he says. "I am a scruff at home and that’s how I dress all the time.
"I don’t go out much and I am not one for the red carpet and those celebrity events.
"I always feel you are on your guard when you go out " people seem to be writing about what you are wearing instead of what you are doing.
"I work and write alone in my studio, just me from nine-to-five and I give myself a lunch break."
He says he is very disciplined in his work. He is serious about his craft, but he says he does have a sense of humour.
"I liked the idea of the American songwriters in Motown " it was a job and they clocked in and clocked out. People like Gerry Goffin and Carole King."
Gilbert was born Raymond O’Sullivan in Waterford, Ireland.
He is the Uncle Ray referred to in the number one hit Clair, about the daughter of his one-time manager Gordon Mills.
Gilbert lived in Ireland until he was seven, when the family moved to Swindon.
Now, in 2007, the former art college student and graphic designer is as popular as when he made the succession of hit singles and albums that established him as a star.
His songs have intelligent "sometimes enigmatic lyrics" accompanied by great melodies.
Nothing Rhymed, No Matter How I Try, Alone Again (Naturally) and Get Down have put him in the Guinness Book of Hit Singles.
It was in 1966 when Gilbert made his debut, but record chart success would not happen for another four years.
After a variety of jobs he decided music was his career and he carefully developed his own image.
Leo Sayer had his Pierrot, Gilbert’s was a working class, street urchin. A pale young lad with a pudding basin-haircut, short trousers " a scruff basically.
It got him noticed and he went on to become an international success.
One of his songs, We Will, was covered by Andy Williams but the US superstar didn’t understand Gilbert’s colloquial line "I bagsy being in goal".
"I remember that as a popular Liverpool phrase,’’ says Gilbert.
"I still write about the things around me; songs about what I see and hear.
"Why would I write about ‘heading down a freeway’ or ‘getting my kicks on Route 66’?But I love hearing those type of songs.
"So when Andy Williams wanted to record We Will, I said he could change that one line to an American football reference " something like, ‘I’ll be a quarter back’. ‘’
Gilbert lives in Jersey with his family and enjoys rare ventures overseas to tour.
He is big in Japan and Europe and, of course, the UK where he still packs out venues.
Gilbert spent nine months working on his new album and is already thinking of the next one, which he says will have a Latin feel, inspired by the late Peggy Lee.
"She brought out an album of Latin" inspired music. I like that idea."
And multi-talented Gilbert has already designed the cover
"I am concerned by packaging and how something looks. I like the old vinyl records where you have a gate-fold sleeve. Now it’s CDs, same idea just a bit smaller."
A Scruff at Heart features 14 new songs packed with trade-mark puns as well as love songs and some social commentary, too, notably on Iraq and the growing trend of violence by young girls.
He has also tried new keyboard techniques and this album sees him pounding away with pulsating piano.
"I always try something different with every new album.
"If you’ve been around as long as I have you need to try different things.
"You don’t want to go into the studio with the same rhythm section otherwise those who have your previous albums will think they’ve heard it all before.
"I am sure Paul McCartney and Elton John go in a with a different attitude to each and every album.
"I’d love to hear McCartney do a whole album of just him and acoustic guitar, or with a string quartet."
Gilbert says the concert will feature everything from his early days in 1966 to the present day.
"People say why don’t you do cover versions and I say I do . . . I cover my own songs."
Cains Liverpool Irish Festival, Liverpool Philharmonic, November 3, 0151 709 3789
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