Right Said Fred
Next week Right Said Fred get set to make their big UK comeback by going head to head with Steps for the number 1 slot. Already a massive hit in Germany "You're My Mate" is making waves on the Box and MTV. We caught up with lead singer Richard Fairbrass to reminisce about the mad characters of pop, to take the mickey out of Radiohead and get serious about the BBC's programming of "marginal issues" such as gay and religious issues. They're our mates:
Q: "You're My Mate" is going head to head with Steps.
Do you think you'll make the top spot?
A: I have little or no time for that nonsense know as
Steps!!! I think anything would be better that rubbish. Frankly, a more
meaningless pop band I can't think of, off the top of my head. You only
have to listen to the original of "Chain Reaction" to know that there's
no point in doing that track. That track was a piece of work the first
time round and Diana Ross did an absolutely amazing job so why people would
touch it I don't know.
Q: Who do you think is going to win the chart battle
the week before - Kylie or Posh?
A: Well I haven't heard the Posh Spice single and have
no intentions of doing so. The Kylie song didn't knock my socks off as
much as the last one she did. But I like Kylie - I think she's cool and
she's a trooper!!!! Of all the options that were given, as limited as they
are, I'd go for Kylie.
Q: You must look around though and think where are
all the mad characters in pop music nowadays?
A: Well its what happens when record companies start
making bands!!! If you wanna step out of line and do something a bit odd
it never going to be done from the chairman of the label down. Its going
to be done by inventive A&R guy going out to a club on a Monday night
and finding something strange. That's how it happens and it doesn't happen
when you start putting things together over the television or by advertising
in stage magazine for 5 boy dancers.
There were always manufactured bands. The Monkees were
a manufactured band. Take That were. But its just not very inspiring anymore
and its got a bit bland. There are lots of other bands out there doing
some interesting things but most of it is not to be found in the boy band
/ girl band arena.
Q: So what do you listen to then if its not in your
face pop?
A: I like particular tracks and its never really specific
bands. I really like the Gorrilaz stuff, the Wheatus single and the new
Travis single. I didn't like the previous stuff I'd heard but "Sing" is
pretty good. The problem is if you're over 25 you remember a lot of the
songs and most of its covers - so its hard to get really excited about
a new version of "Lady Marmalade"!!!!
Q: Where do you come up with the ideas for songs. You
can't expect us to believe you sit round for hours labouring over the songs
can you?
A: I actually think its a good thing not to listen to
too much music. I really do. I don't think you should listen to too much
of what everybody else is doing otherwise you just end up consciously or
unconsciously copying it. Its good if you can to let pop music wash over
you without specifically listening to one thing and trying to copy it.
We've always just tried to write a street level no pretence
kind of pop song. With "You're My Mate" we wanted to write a song about
just being mates - there are lots of love songs out there right now but
there aren't that many songs about friendship. Once we had that idea we
knew where we wanted the song to go.
Q: It must have been great to get these Ivor Novello
awards and having the old fogies going "Music - its not like it was in
the old days"?
A: I think there is good things about the old days and
really terrible things about the old days - the problem is you only remember
the good tracks. There was plenty of shit around in 1965, 1975 and 1985.
I never regarded the Ivor Novello awards as being very worthwhile and the
reason I say that is they were awarded for being "the most played songs
on radio". I mean we were very pleased about the radio play but I didn't
see why we should get an award for it.
Q: Its good to have a fun band around again because
there so much depressive music around with the likes of Radiohead and Coldplay?
A: There was a really good episode of the Simpsons the
other week and they had Smashing Pumpkins in it. Bart Simpson was going
to a Smashing Pumpkins concert with Lisa and she says to Bart "Isn't This
Great?". And Bart said "Well I think depressing music is like shooting
yourself". Its easy to be miserable but you need it all because you wouldn't
want every band to sound like us.
Q: Aside from the band you have done a lot of TV. Is
Gaytime TV coming back this year?
A: No its not. As I understand it what's happening is
the BBC has been given a permission to start BBC 3 and BBC 4. And I think
BBC 3 is for "marginal issues" like gay stuff and religious stuff - you
know, things like that. They cancelled Gaytime because they knew where
they were going to place that strand. Working with Rhona was really good
though, she's a got a really dark view of the world.
To be honest we had to fight tooth and nail to get music on that show. Historically they found with audiences that when the music came on they switch over or switch off. People tend to watch their music within a dedicated music show rather than in a magazine show.
You'd be surprised how many out popstars there are who
wouldn't do Gaytime. If you think of an out popstar, and we all know who
they are, none of them would do it!!! Absolutely none of them, they were
very disappointing.
Q: Back to the band what are the plans for the next
12 months?
A: The main thing for us would be to do a full UK tour
with a live band which we've never done before. Its been done in Europe
before and I think our live shows are where we are at our most effective.
At the moment our home market is Germany because were doing really well
but my guess for the UK Tour would be next Summer.
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"You're My Mate" is out September 24th
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