The Wildhearts

Rock and roll’s great unsung hero

Despite their turbulent history, UK rockers The Wildhearts are back with a greater following than ever. Lead singer Ginger talks to Lara Page about his fans, his love of the Midlands and his quest to find Roy Wood!

Ginger, the enigmatic, flame-haired frontman from The Wildhearts, is chatting to me in a busy restaurant in downtown New York.

Unfortunately I’m not there with him, but from my cluttered desk in Wolverhampton, I almost feel as though we’re face-to-face.

He’s a fast and compelling talker - outspoken, lyrical, friendly, philosophical and articulate, almost to the point of intellectualism - with a gentle Geordie twang and a sunny personality that starkly contrasts with the hardman image he’s attracted in the past, thanks to his band’s turbulent history.

Three things immediately strike me about Ginger. [Read More]

A quiet period of respective solo projects ensued, before The Wildhearts reformed in 2001 to make Earth Vs The Wildhearts, followed by the more commercial The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed in 2003.

Aye, a bit odd seeing as the rest of it's pretty spot on.

It is still quite a good read

good read

I think the key thing to take from this is the Jools Holland comment. Perhaps someone who hasn't drank as much wine as me can start a thread about how to get them on the show. Not just 300 people emailing them saying 'get them on cos they're the best band ever' but something a bit more constructive...

While there is a 'suggest an artist' on the Later site in the run-up to a new series, I don't know that there's any way of lobbying for a band to be on - you have to be asked. That said, I did read in a feature that one act (I forget who) got on because someone managed to hand their CD to the producer, he played it in his car and was blown away by it.

To some extent, I think it depends on who has new stuff out when they're putting the series together, so we'll have to hold on until the new album shows signs of surfacing.

He rhapsodises about his dream line-up of rock talent - Slade’s Noddy Holder, Sweet’s Steve Priest and his hero, Roy Wood, the Brummie-born rocker from Wizzard.

“I’ve spent years trying to get hold of Roy Wood to do one of our songs!” he laughs. “I could spend my life trying to track him down, but I’m determined to do it!”

So, apart from tracking down Roy Wood, I ask Ginger, what does the future hold for The Wildhearts?

http://www.derby.ac.uk/graduation/galle ... es/roywood

Didn't Roy Wood play on "Can't Drink You Pretty" on Yoni - surely, two genii would have swapped numbers so they could contact each other again.

Or does it take a numbskull to think of that?

Nope, it was just Ginger's little joke because that part sounds a bit like Wizzard. He's not really on there, hence the '*nt' (for 'not true') after it.

firedup wrote:good read

I think the key thing to take from this is the Jools Holland comment. Perhaps someone who hasn't drank as much wine as me can start a thread about how to get them on the show. Not just 300 people emailing them saying 'get them on cos they're the best band ever' but something a bit more constructive...

tut tut firedup, drunk on wine at 18:14 oh well it is christmas

Ean wrote:While there is a 'suggest an artist' on the Later site in the run-up to a new series, I don't know that there's any way of lobbying for a band to be on - you have to be asked. That said, I did read in a feature that one act (I forget who) got on because someone managed to hand their CD to the producer, he played it in his car and was blown away by it.

To some extent, I think it depends on who has new stuff out when they're putting the series together, so we'll have to hold on until the new album shows signs of surfacing.

Yeah fair point, best wait until the new album. I do believe though if the producers / Jools were to see for example, footage of the Earth Vs show they might be interested....might have to think of some clever ways to stalk them...

nig1012 wrote:

firedup wrote:good read

I think the key thing to take from this is the Jools Holland comment. Perhaps someone who hasn't drank as much wine as me can start a thread about how to get them on the show. Not just 300 people emailing them saying 'get them on cos they're the best band ever' but something a bit more constructive...

tut tut firedup, drunk on wine at 18:14 oh well it is christmas

God was it only 18:14? I think I ended up in bed at about 8! Went out for a family Christmas lunch....mmmmm lunch.....

Ean wrote:Nope, it was just Ginger's little joke because that part sounds a bit like Wizzard. He's not really on there, hence the '*nt' (for 'not true') after it.

I knew the genius of the board would put this one particular numb skull straight.

Happy Christmas to all you boarders if I don't get on again.

Chris

What sort of bands appear on Jools Holland though? I have seen Ash on there but do they have heavier bands appear?

From the odd occasions that I have seen the show it would appear Ginger's solo stuff is more suited but I may be wrong as I haven't seen it much.

Where they mention in the article that Ginger would like acclaim from the press, do you think they mean the likes of Q magazine? They are the ones who gave the last album 2 out of 5 right? To me, I don't think the band will ever win over that sort of magazine, that rating is an insult to the album and probably more to do with whose name was on the front cover rather than the music itself.

Jason_scorching_past wrote:What sort of bands appear on Jools Holland though? I have seen Ash on there but do they have heavier bands appear?

I think they'll consider just about anything. Metallica have been on at least three times.