The full Bruce Foxton interview
Following on from my NU News article this month as promised the full Bruce Foxton Interview.
By Jimmy Bowman
So 2011 a very busy year for you guys, you’ve had a UK tour and played Spain recently, how did that go?
Yeah we’ve started to get a few more shows in Europe for various reasons really, there’s a demand out there for us to go. As great as it is playing the UK we can’t do it everyday of the week otherwise people will get fed up of us. Also we want to branch out.
So you’re received well out in Europe?
I mean we’ve only just started talking about Europe, Spain we certainly are. At club level we’re talking 400, 500, 600 capacity but there is certainly still a demand for Jam music thankfully, so you know we’ll go where the interest is.
You’ve also had an acoustic set with Bob Harris this year for BBC Radio Two.
That’s right, we recorded it on the 21st of November. We played a couple of new tracks and an old Jam song.
What was the bands reaction on being approached?
It was very flattering he wants us on his show, there’s always lots of little doors opening up for us, we’re very excited about it. That came about via our agent Peter Barton, Rock Artist management. He plays with The Animals, they’ve done a session there and I think Peter got chatting to Bob and said would he be interested in getting Bruce Foxton and the guys and Bob Harris apparently said he’d love to. You know air play is very valuable we were excited about it, a bit apprehensive you know because acoustic is purely Russell on lead vocal and acoustic guitar. Myself on an electric bass but a small rig because they haven’t got the facilities to cope with the electrical malarkey and Mark on percussion.
The topic on all fans lips is regarding the new material. Is that going to be the primary focus for 2012?
Yeah, you probably know I had a very emotional couple of years with my wife sadly passing away in 2009 and that obviously knocked me sideways. We had been talking about writing and recording before then but then obviously my head wasn’t in the right place at that time. Russell has been brilliant, well all my friends and family have been brilliant, you know as you do you rally round. We’ve now got back into it and we’re really full steam ahead, we’re kind of about three quarters of the way through recording it and we’re going back in at the end of the month. We’re doing it at Paul Weller’s studio and we’re going back in for a few days at the end of this month to hopefully finish the recording of it and mix it early New Year, hopefully it’ll get released sometime in late spring early summer. There’s a lot of ifs and buts and maybes in that, you know what the record business is like it’s very fickle but we’re having meetings with various label people and initial interest is good, but until we’ve actually got the contract and the record is out you know, you can’t count your chickens blah blah blah.
In terms of how long it took to make the new album was quite a while with all what has been going on?
Yeah I mean really it’s only been the end of last year and this year when we really knuckled down. You know it’s not been that long, we have been talking about it because although The Jam catalogue has some fantastic songs, that they are, we do want to move on as well as play The Jam music and at last we’re getting round to having an albums worth.
Considering the success of the original Jam how do you feel the new material measures up? Were you trying to keep the same sound or were you trying to break away and add something new of your own?
It’s just really what’s coming out, what comes natural to Russell me and Mark. There’s no conscious effort although a lot of people have said it sounds like a continuation of what The Jam maybe would have done. I mean I’m too close to it to really gauge that. It’s not a conscious effort if it is but if that is what people are hearing then maybe that’s not a bad thing you know. The Jam did very well and if it’s a continuation of that and the success that we had all those years ago then fantastic. But no we’re just trying to write good melodic pop tunes and there’s quite a variation on the album so I think we’re getting there.
Two new tracks have been heard at your gigs ‘Glad I’ve found my tears’ and ‘No.6’are there any stand out tracks for you personally on the new album?
Both of those weirdly enough, mind you they ‘re the last two that we’ve recorded and the last thing you’ve done you think it’s the best thing and then until we record the next batch of songs and then they’ll be the best thing. Glad I’ve found my tears is a fantastic song it’s full of mid tempo but it has a lovely chorus, I’m quite excited about all of them but those two weirdly enough are the latest we’ve done. I’m very excited about them because Paul (Weller) is playing on the track No.6.
You spoke to the Daily Mail in January 2011 saying Paul Weller is featuring on the album. Does he sing or play guitar or both?
He’s playing various instruments, organ, piano, well Hammond organ what else did he have a go at, obviously guitar on some other tracks and he was brilliant. It’s great that we’re good mates again because we’re in his studio and although it’s not Jam product it’s great to be working and hanging out with him you know, there’s a great vibe there. He even played recorder and glockenspiel on a couple of tracks. It’s weird because we got the song so far and we said Paul’s got a free hand do what you want to do and we’ll see how it turns out. He spent all day on these few tracks and we’re really pleased with what he added to them, what he has brought to them.
It was great seeing last year you and Paul on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.
Yeah the Albert Hall, that was one of the highlights of my life I think. It was a very emotional and incredible few minutes, it whizzed by really considering all the worry and the stress and effort that went into it but you know Paul is quite rightly so still very successful and being invited to play three tracks with him at the Albert Hall on his birthday was just amazing.
It was brilliant to watch, will Weller collaborate and play the tracks he has worked on with From The Jam live?
Well you know good question, one I can’t answer. Who knows is the answer. Three or four years ago if someone had said to me Bruce you know you’ll be playing again with Paul again at the Albert Hall and recording with him on his album and on your album I’d have said that all sounds great but I can’t see it. So who knows, if it works out that way that would be amazing for him to come on and play those songs. There’s a possibility at some point I suppose.
It was just a wonderful evening that Albert Hall. It was just an incredible night to see 5,000 people get up and give such an emotional roar and cheer and applause. It’s something I will never forget.
It’s something a lot of people I don’t think expected to see?
I think you’re right, there were a lot of people the other nights that wished they had booked that night (laughs) but you know I could have stayed up there all night but that was enough, I can’t detract from Paul’s solo show.
Does any of your new material feature in your sets at the minute?
Well there’s a couple of tracks we’re playing live at the moment and they’re going down really well. In The Jam days following on from say All Mod Cons and recording the next album, the big test of the water comes when you have to put those in the live set and where you are going to have to position them with the existing songs that have become hits and everybody’s heard and they’re credible. It’s really very difficult because obviously every song in the set is a Jam song and they’ve all been hits. It’s like oh god well where we going to put this track, this new one? Anyway we seem to have got it right because it’s pretty much seamless, people after the show have said it just blended in really well with all those other great songs.
Seeing you in 2007 when you were relatively new back it was a very intimate gig and the people amongst the audience seemed to be there to re live their youth and their memories of The Jam. Compared to this years Clapham Grande gig there seemed to be a lot more of my generation, younger people there. Do you think this says something about the strength of your material and The Jam as a whole?
Well yeah, I mean it obviously has stood the test of time, 30 odd years it’s incredible to be perfectly honest. I mean you know, I just want an audience (laughs) I don’t mind what age group they are. There are a lot of younger people coming out and I suppose that’s either their parents were into The Jam originally and now their kids have grown up and got into it as well, also like we touched upon with Paul’s continued success young kids get into what Paul Weller is doing now and probably will say, well what has this guy done in the past? Then discovering that he was in The Jam and listening to Jam records thinking well that weren’t bad either. So yeah as I say as long as an audience is there that’s all that matters to us.
Did you still think From The Jam would still be going strong four years on from the 2007 gig?
Nothing is planned you can only sort of hope really in this industry. I’m just very grateful that I’m able to do it still and that there is still a demand for it and yeah that is a testament to the quality of the songs and how they stood the test of time. They still get played a lot on the radio but no when The Jam embarked, I had no idea how long it would go on for. I thought if it lasts 6 months we’ll have a laugh and here we are 30 years later.
There’s been a big revival in mod revival bands, The Chords last year, Secret Affair doing gigs this year. To me this says a lot about the state of British music today, do you think there’s a relation there?
Yeah I think there is, people want to hear good music played by good musicians and not manufactured. So like you, I’m relieved and pleased, it’s sad in a lot of ways but at least you know people have got taste and that you can’t beat good music.
Are there any modern day bands that you think continue the sounds that were going on back in your day?
Well to be honest with you I’m a bit sort of out of touch with that to be honest with you, not particularly. I mean obviously there are loads of bands, there are loads of bands that play around this area but whether they’ll get to see the light of day or not I don’t know, it’s a very right place right time industry.
Are From The Jam still in contact with Rick Buckler?
No sadly, I mean we are kind of via a mutual friend. I mean I know Rick’s getting back out there again with a new band which I’m intrigued to glimpse, get a look at on Youtube. He’s in this new band called ‘If’ I have no idea why it’s called If. I’m just interested to hear or see something but no sadly with Rick he sent us an email whenever that was now, a couple of years back 2009 or 2010 maybe. He said with some regret he’s leaving the band and it was like, well that’s a shame but you know I wanted to continue playing these great songs and Russell was still up for it and in this business you get to know other musicians and they become friends and Mark is a good friend of mine and I suggested him and we’re just pushing ahead really, still playing those songs, still getting shows and writing new material so we’ll keep going but I’m pleased. I mean at that time I thought well what is rick going to do then? Does that mean he’s retired full stop now but I’m pleased he’s kind of getting out there and doing something and wish him all the best. I’m still a bit… I don’t really understand why he left in the first place but that was his choice.
So it sounds as if there was no clear clarification as to why he left the band?
Well no, although in his head he thinks I know why, (laughs). Unless he sort of points it out why he left… well I’d be grateful if he did point it out but look it’s water under the bridge now and I’m continuing and he’s doing something new so good luck to him.
Stiff little fingers are also playing the Roadmender venue where your Northampton date was held, are you still in contact with any of the SLF band members?
Yeah Jake (Burns), again it’s difficult because he lives out in Chicago so I don’t speak to him that often these days but when we do we’re just like old times. We’re good mates and when he comes over I see him occasionally, it’s as good as it can be with that sort of distance I mean he came to a show when we played out in the states when Rick was in the band. We played a gig out there in his hometown and he came along so we’re good friends. I know they’re still doing it and they’ve got a good little cult following as well. There’s a demand for Stiff Little Fingers their fans still want to hear those songs, it’s the same reason as us he’s still doing it.
Watch out for From The Jam's debut album spring 2012!
By Jimmy Bowman
So 2011 a very busy year for you guys, you’ve had a UK tour and played Spain recently, how did that go?
Yeah we’ve started to get a few more shows in Europe for various reasons really, there’s a demand out there for us to go. As great as it is playing the UK we can’t do it everyday of the week otherwise people will get fed up of us. Also we want to branch out.
So you’re received well out in Europe?
I mean we’ve only just started talking about Europe, Spain we certainly are. At club level we’re talking 400, 500, 600 capacity but there is certainly still a demand for Jam music thankfully, so you know we’ll go where the interest is.
You’ve also had an acoustic set with Bob Harris this year for BBC Radio Two.
That’s right, we recorded it on the 21st of November. We played a couple of new tracks and an old Jam song.
What was the bands reaction on being approached?
It was very flattering he wants us on his show, there’s always lots of little doors opening up for us, we’re very excited about it. That came about via our agent Peter Barton, Rock Artist management. He plays with The Animals, they’ve done a session there and I think Peter got chatting to Bob and said would he be interested in getting Bruce Foxton and the guys and Bob Harris apparently said he’d love to. You know air play is very valuable we were excited about it, a bit apprehensive you know because acoustic is purely Russell on lead vocal and acoustic guitar. Myself on an electric bass but a small rig because they haven’t got the facilities to cope with the electrical malarkey and Mark on percussion.
The topic on all fans lips is regarding the new material. Is that going to be the primary focus for 2012?
Yeah, you probably know I had a very emotional couple of years with my wife sadly passing away in 2009 and that obviously knocked me sideways. We had been talking about writing and recording before then but then obviously my head wasn’t in the right place at that time. Russell has been brilliant, well all my friends and family have been brilliant, you know as you do you rally round. We’ve now got back into it and we’re really full steam ahead, we’re kind of about three quarters of the way through recording it and we’re going back in at the end of the month. We’re doing it at Paul Weller’s studio and we’re going back in for a few days at the end of this month to hopefully finish the recording of it and mix it early New Year, hopefully it’ll get released sometime in late spring early summer. There’s a lot of ifs and buts and maybes in that, you know what the record business is like it’s very fickle but we’re having meetings with various label people and initial interest is good, but until we’ve actually got the contract and the record is out you know, you can’t count your chickens blah blah blah.
In terms of how long it took to make the new album was quite a while with all what has been going on?
Yeah I mean really it’s only been the end of last year and this year when we really knuckled down. You know it’s not been that long, we have been talking about it because although The Jam catalogue has some fantastic songs, that they are, we do want to move on as well as play The Jam music and at last we’re getting round to having an albums worth.
Considering the success of the original Jam how do you feel the new material measures up? Were you trying to keep the same sound or were you trying to break away and add something new of your own?
It’s just really what’s coming out, what comes natural to Russell me and Mark. There’s no conscious effort although a lot of people have said it sounds like a continuation of what The Jam maybe would have done. I mean I’m too close to it to really gauge that. It’s not a conscious effort if it is but if that is what people are hearing then maybe that’s not a bad thing you know. The Jam did very well and if it’s a continuation of that and the success that we had all those years ago then fantastic. But no we’re just trying to write good melodic pop tunes and there’s quite a variation on the album so I think we’re getting there.
Two new tracks have been heard at your gigs ‘Glad I’ve found my tears’ and ‘No.6’are there any stand out tracks for you personally on the new album?
Both of those weirdly enough, mind you they ‘re the last two that we’ve recorded and the last thing you’ve done you think it’s the best thing and then until we record the next batch of songs and then they’ll be the best thing. Glad I’ve found my tears is a fantastic song it’s full of mid tempo but it has a lovely chorus, I’m quite excited about all of them but those two weirdly enough are the latest we’ve done. I’m very excited about them because Paul (Weller) is playing on the track No.6.
You spoke to the Daily Mail in January 2011 saying Paul Weller is featuring on the album. Does he sing or play guitar or both?
He’s playing various instruments, organ, piano, well Hammond organ what else did he have a go at, obviously guitar on some other tracks and he was brilliant. It’s great that we’re good mates again because we’re in his studio and although it’s not Jam product it’s great to be working and hanging out with him you know, there’s a great vibe there. He even played recorder and glockenspiel on a couple of tracks. It’s weird because we got the song so far and we said Paul’s got a free hand do what you want to do and we’ll see how it turns out. He spent all day on these few tracks and we’re really pleased with what he added to them, what he has brought to them.
It was great seeing last year you and Paul on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.
Yeah the Albert Hall, that was one of the highlights of my life I think. It was a very emotional and incredible few minutes, it whizzed by really considering all the worry and the stress and effort that went into it but you know Paul is quite rightly so still very successful and being invited to play three tracks with him at the Albert Hall on his birthday was just amazing.
It was brilliant to watch, will Weller collaborate and play the tracks he has worked on with From The Jam live?
Well you know good question, one I can’t answer. Who knows is the answer. Three or four years ago if someone had said to me Bruce you know you’ll be playing again with Paul again at the Albert Hall and recording with him on his album and on your album I’d have said that all sounds great but I can’t see it. So who knows, if it works out that way that would be amazing for him to come on and play those songs. There’s a possibility at some point I suppose.
It was just a wonderful evening that Albert Hall. It was just an incredible night to see 5,000 people get up and give such an emotional roar and cheer and applause. It’s something I will never forget.
It’s something a lot of people I don’t think expected to see?
I think you’re right, there were a lot of people the other nights that wished they had booked that night (laughs) but you know I could have stayed up there all night but that was enough, I can’t detract from Paul’s solo show.
Does any of your new material feature in your sets at the minute?
Well there’s a couple of tracks we’re playing live at the moment and they’re going down really well. In The Jam days following on from say All Mod Cons and recording the next album, the big test of the water comes when you have to put those in the live set and where you are going to have to position them with the existing songs that have become hits and everybody’s heard and they’re credible. It’s really very difficult because obviously every song in the set is a Jam song and they’ve all been hits. It’s like oh god well where we going to put this track, this new one? Anyway we seem to have got it right because it’s pretty much seamless, people after the show have said it just blended in really well with all those other great songs.
Seeing you in 2007 when you were relatively new back it was a very intimate gig and the people amongst the audience seemed to be there to re live their youth and their memories of The Jam. Compared to this years Clapham Grande gig there seemed to be a lot more of my generation, younger people there. Do you think this says something about the strength of your material and The Jam as a whole?
Well yeah, I mean it obviously has stood the test of time, 30 odd years it’s incredible to be perfectly honest. I mean you know, I just want an audience (laughs) I don’t mind what age group they are. There are a lot of younger people coming out and I suppose that’s either their parents were into The Jam originally and now their kids have grown up and got into it as well, also like we touched upon with Paul’s continued success young kids get into what Paul Weller is doing now and probably will say, well what has this guy done in the past? Then discovering that he was in The Jam and listening to Jam records thinking well that weren’t bad either. So yeah as I say as long as an audience is there that’s all that matters to us.
Did you still think From The Jam would still be going strong four years on from the 2007 gig?
Nothing is planned you can only sort of hope really in this industry. I’m just very grateful that I’m able to do it still and that there is still a demand for it and yeah that is a testament to the quality of the songs and how they stood the test of time. They still get played a lot on the radio but no when The Jam embarked, I had no idea how long it would go on for. I thought if it lasts 6 months we’ll have a laugh and here we are 30 years later.
There’s been a big revival in mod revival bands, The Chords last year, Secret Affair doing gigs this year. To me this says a lot about the state of British music today, do you think there’s a relation there?
Yeah I think there is, people want to hear good music played by good musicians and not manufactured. So like you, I’m relieved and pleased, it’s sad in a lot of ways but at least you know people have got taste and that you can’t beat good music.
Are there any modern day bands that you think continue the sounds that were going on back in your day?
Well to be honest with you I’m a bit sort of out of touch with that to be honest with you, not particularly. I mean obviously there are loads of bands, there are loads of bands that play around this area but whether they’ll get to see the light of day or not I don’t know, it’s a very right place right time industry.
Are From The Jam still in contact with Rick Buckler?
No sadly, I mean we are kind of via a mutual friend. I mean I know Rick’s getting back out there again with a new band which I’m intrigued to glimpse, get a look at on Youtube. He’s in this new band called ‘If’ I have no idea why it’s called If. I’m just interested to hear or see something but no sadly with Rick he sent us an email whenever that was now, a couple of years back 2009 or 2010 maybe. He said with some regret he’s leaving the band and it was like, well that’s a shame but you know I wanted to continue playing these great songs and Russell was still up for it and in this business you get to know other musicians and they become friends and Mark is a good friend of mine and I suggested him and we’re just pushing ahead really, still playing those songs, still getting shows and writing new material so we’ll keep going but I’m pleased. I mean at that time I thought well what is rick going to do then? Does that mean he’s retired full stop now but I’m pleased he’s kind of getting out there and doing something and wish him all the best. I’m still a bit… I don’t really understand why he left in the first place but that was his choice.
So it sounds as if there was no clear clarification as to why he left the band?
Well no, although in his head he thinks I know why, (laughs). Unless he sort of points it out why he left… well I’d be grateful if he did point it out but look it’s water under the bridge now and I’m continuing and he’s doing something new so good luck to him.
Stiff little fingers are also playing the Roadmender venue where your Northampton date was held, are you still in contact with any of the SLF band members?
Yeah Jake (Burns), again it’s difficult because he lives out in Chicago so I don’t speak to him that often these days but when we do we’re just like old times. We’re good mates and when he comes over I see him occasionally, it’s as good as it can be with that sort of distance I mean he came to a show when we played out in the states when Rick was in the band. We played a gig out there in his hometown and he came along so we’re good friends. I know they’re still doing it and they’ve got a good little cult following as well. There’s a demand for Stiff Little Fingers their fans still want to hear those songs, it’s the same reason as us he’s still doing it.
Watch out for From The Jam's debut album spring 2012!
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