The Tab Meets… Bill Ryder-Jones

The Tab: You’re playing with Euros Childs of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci on 24^th October, how does it feel to be playing with someone you’ve described as a big influence and a hero of yours?

Bill Ryder-Jones: It’s kinda massive really. He’s probably my favourite songwriter. That’s the gig that I’m most excited about, I have been all year.

Your solo work and with The Coral has all been critically well received, does that bother you? Do you read your own reviews?

I read the reviews, but they don’t mean anything. I don’t really read other peoples reviews so I don’t really know who to trust with regard to reviewers. I don’t wanna put out anything I regret, that’s like my main obsession.

One of the reasons you left The Coral was to do with nerves about live performing. Now that you’re playing live again does that mean something’s changed?

I only started playing again this year. To be honest we only booked a couple of gigs because everyone assumed I’d do a couple and hate it, and it’s just been OK. Gigs aren’t easy, but something’s changed to the point where I’m able to gig and actually enjoy it.

Do you think your reluctance about playing live has any influence on your solo work being a bit more acoustic and introspective?

The first record I was aware I wasn’t going to play anything I did for it live, so it moved in an orchestral direction. But I knew when I was making this record I had to make something I could play live. If I was gonna make a record I didn’t have to play live it wouldn’t sound like the last one

So where do you think you’re going to progress? Something you could play live or more orchestral like the first album?

I think I could go out tomorrow and make a record that was ‘for live’ and it be really rock n roll and go tour it like mad and make a load of cash off it, and I know people that do that now. But if you immerse yourself in what you do and you’re completely committed to it they make themselves a little bit.

So you just do the record you want to do?

Definitely. One thing I learnt from the band is that if something doesn’t feel right at the time, that’s the thing you’ll inevitably regret.

Have you ever done anything musically you do regret?

On my own records no. I was really on my arse and I did that Converse thing with Graham [Coxon] and Paloma Faith. Musically I thought the tune we did was actually quite good, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a case of ‘I can’t afford not to do that’.

Bill’s second solo album was released earlier this year.

Any recommendations for bands on the Liverpool music scene?

By The Sea, who’ve just signed a publishing deal with Domino. I’m really excited by them.. There’s a band called Bird, a Wirral based band who are really good.  I really like The Tea Street band, they’re like… fucking odd.

Bill Ryder-Jones and Euros Child are playing at Leaf on October 24 – you can find tickets here

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