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Ian Brown Gives Thanks Every Day For Solo Career

The café on west London's genteel Holland Park Avenue is busy with patrons, the clatter of cutlery and the hubbub of many conversations. One of its regulars is sat in a booth near the coffee machines, politely double-checking whether the orange juice is freshly-squeezed today. The face is thin and the cheeks sunken, but the eyes sparkle and the voice -- a Mancunian burr capable of bursts of machine-gun speed -- enthusiastic. King Monkey is holding court in his London office.

The former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown uses this café for interviews when he's in town; his London flat is a few minutes saunter away, and Brown likes to walk a few miles every morning when in town into nearby Hyde Park. His fellow patrons pay him little attention -- you guess this wouldn't be the case if the interview was being conducted in Manchester, the city where the Stone Roses were a home-grown revelation.

Ian Brown helped invent the Messianic mindset of the Manchester band -- a cocksure swagger since made world-famous by Oasis' Liam Gallagher. He successfully negotiated the Roses' long-winded demise, and began a solo career which has so far seen six albums -- the latest of which, the cockily-titled 'My Way', has just been released in the UK.

Is the album's title a nod to Frank Sinatra?

Paul Cook's a pal of mine, out of the Pistols, and when he came down to the playback, he said "what are you going to call it?" and I said "My Way." And he said "that's a bit cheeky," cos he thought it was the Sid Vicious version.

So what is 'your way?'

It's just a reference to the fact I was trying to write the songs about my life as a music maker. The last one was what I call social commentary, singing about the churches, and child poverty and street children and the Iraq War. All the ills and wrongs and how the world's upside down.

I wanted to bring it full circle this time, my own life and emotions, make it more emotional. I thought of it as musical autobiography rather than write a book."

Is it harder fronting up about your own feelings in songs?

No, that's me job. It's the nature of the beast, nature of the game. If I was clever enough to come up with a character like a Ziggy Stardust to hide behind, but I'm meself. I've got me own name on the sleeve... it's me name which sells the tickets. That's part of your job to express your thoughts, that's what you're getting paid for. That's why people follow you.

Mr Hudson's a guest on one track. How did that come about?

Dave, who I work with, he co-produced a few tracks with Mr Hudson, so he phoned Dave up, said "you're working with Ian, I love him, how can I be on his album?" And I was actually looking for someone who could play flamenco guitar, and Dave said "you know what, he's actually got a flamenco guitar." I told him to bring it down. Fantastic. He was full of beans, dead excited."

And on song 'Vanity Kills' was supposed to be for Kanye West?

Amanda Ghost was asked to write a song for Kanye. She said to Dave: "If you write the music, can you get Ian to write the lyrics?" She said: "You've got to make a 'My Way' for Kanye, about him and his life, and it's got to be a little bit dark. He likes to watch 'American Psycho' all day in the studio with the sound down." So although he's singing about love and peace and uniting, he's got this dark side to him that's in conflict.

It was cool to hear something I'd basically had to fill the blanks in. We were a bit late in sending it – it was for the '808s and Heartbreaks' album – and I thought "you know what, it's no big deal, I can have this for myself."

You're a big fan of collaborations, it seems.

Last time I was lucky enough to work with two of the Sex Pistols and Sinead O'Connor, it doesn't get any bigger than that for collaboration. It's much more fun than working on your own.

It's well over a decade since your solo career started and it goes from strength to strength. What's the secret?

It's a combination of hard work and pure good luck. There's no guarantee just 'cos your band were liked that you're going to have any success solo. No guarantee of that. There are many that have tried and fallen. I'm really lucky that I'm still here.

This is my life. I eat from the fruits of me labours, which is expressing meself, and then I get the chance to travel the world to sing songs I've made up with me mates, sing to people who don't speak the same language as me, what I job. I give thanks every day.

'My Way' is out now in the UK and the US.

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22 Comments

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jajaja

I loved the Roses. The first time I saw them was back in 89 and they were good. But..I first bumped into Mr Brown at a scooter rally in the early 80's. A couple of things I remember about him the were: His scooter had scrawled down the side of it was "Stormtroopers in StayPress" I don't think he was refering to the stormtroopers from Star Wars. The second thing was he was a totally arrogant knobend. He seemed to chill a bit when he was in the Roses. But now he is back to his wife-beating,"I'm not white you know.." arrogant and aggresive ways. He's just so full of shit. Such a shame he is a lousy live singer(The wonders of quadruple tracking!!)

November 24 2009 at 6:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pepper1986

Ian Brown is one the most gifted songwriters we have in this country.
The man is a true legend.

Cant wait for the stuff he's going to do with Jonny Marr.

Love live King Monkey

November 20 2009 at 4:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
stelify 09

if all u powder heeds lifted yir noses fae the toilet seat youd maybe find that ian brown is the best music maker this shity country has. 6 amazing solo albums and more to come long may it continue

November 18 2009 at 5:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jayc

This probably may sound corny. but maybe is best to tell you something worth your while, than insult. The man have to see inside his soul, and find what made him great once, discard what makes him bad, and move forward.
I know the pressure of having to doing things differently, even when it can cost us big it is not the right thing to do. Regardless of the situation, we must be able to keep peace. War within a relationship has never been good. Just try to keep your hands to yourself, bite your tongue rather than saying something nasty to your spouse. In the long run it will be better for both. Seemmingly the man has achieved tremendous success, so just keep doing what has made that success happened. Avoid unsucessful attitudes...

November 03 2009 at 1:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GOLDY McJOHN

EUROPE IS SO DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT THAN UNITED STATES AND CANADA. SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ARE STARVED FOR A REAL DEAL and WRITING YOUR OWN MATERIAL ABOUT YOURSELF IS SELFSERVING. ITS AN EGO TRIP THAT HAS CHANGED LIVES OF MANY MUSICIANS AND LEFT OTHER MEMBERS IN THE BAND ,GROUP EFFORT BUSTED OUT AND ON A TRIP THAT SEEMS ALL CONSUMING AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY POLITICS IN BANDS IS HIGHLY UNMANAGEABLE ~!!DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE A PONCE but ALL I HEAR FROM THIS MAN IS .......WHERE DO I SIGN ON FOR YOUR PARTNER???????LeTs get together .SEND ME AN EMAIL or go to WWW.GOLDYMCJOHN.COM ITs ALL THERE WHERE I TRY TO RE-ESTABLISH MYSELF and CAN'T WAIT TO GET A STATEMENT ~!
I AM NOT A GROUPIE or any of that .I'M AN ESTABLISHED ROCKER FROM A FAMOUS BAND from the 60s .Ive SEEN IT ALL and THE FUTURE LOOKS BLEAK .SO SAY SOMETHING TO ME IAN.

November 03 2009 at 12:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jayc

The man who hits his own wife, or neighbor is in complete dissagreement to what he is, writes, thinks and believes.
He probably was in his way to be the best, but now for his wrong judgement might have ruined it all for himself, by himself...

November 03 2009 at 11:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
marky

well i suppose he has to pay for his habbit somehow... better than nicking mach3 razor blades from wilkinsons..

October 02 2009 at 10:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DrChris

Lets try and get a bit of balance.
Lyrically this guy is up there with Jim Morrison, a true poet at best and pretty gritty otherwise. He does however look a bit monkey like and on a bad day live he is a bit off. Long Live the jungle VIP.

October 01 2009 at 6:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
paul73

for those of you who abuse someone who re-invented music, i ask you one thing -what the f**k have you done with your life that betters what he has achieved???

October 01 2009 at 5:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lee c

forget the stupid comments by ignorant wasters. listen to the music. stone roses to solo albums. ian brown is a true music legend.

October 01 2009 at 4:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply