Glenn Tilbrook squeezes out another success (From Halesowen News)

Glenn Tilbrook squeezes out another success

7:00am Saturday 2nd May 2009 in NewsXtra

Squeeze founder Glenn Tilbrook starts a UK tour on Tuesday May 5. He tells us about his other band, Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers, and having Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis ask to appear on their recent album, Pandemonium Ensues.

By Andy Welch

He may have been writing songs for the best part of 35 years, but there's no way Glenn Tilbrook is lowering his standards.

In fact, he says Pandemonium Ensues, the latest offering from his new band Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers, is the best thing he's ever done.

"It's crammed full of really short, brilliant songs, played amazingly. It is, honestly. I can't fault it!" he adds, with a look that implies he's not exaggerating for comic effect.

"We got a really posh bloke in to mix it as well," says the Squeeze founder.

"Bob Clearmountain finished the album off, and he's worked with anyone who's anyone, including The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rufus Wainwright, Roxy Music and Bruce Springsteen.

"As you may be aware, it's been some time since I troubled the charts, but the fact I can get people like Bob to work with me is a testament to the fact that they love what I do, and that not everything revolves around money.

"There are some still some good people out there."

It might have been a while since Glenn featured in the hit parade, but the quality of his work remains high.

Songwriting has been a major priority throughout his career, from forming Squeeze in south-east London with old friends Jools Holland and Chris Difford in 1974, through to his solo work and numerous recordings with other artists.

Many people might struggle to name a Squeeze song, but pick up a copy of their Greatest Hits and you'll almost certainly know the timeless tunes.

Songs such as Cool For Cats, Up The Junction, Pulling Mussels From A Shell, Is That Love, Black Coffee In Bed and the beautiful Labelled With Love are some of the finest songs of the last 30 years.

As well as having a fine ear for a tune, Glenn's also a brilliant guitarist.

He's won fans all over the world for his distinctive style, which blends the energy of punk and new wave with the sweet melodies of Motown.

Such deft skills have earned 51-year-old Glenn a number of admirers, including actor Johnny Depp.

The American star approached the Blackheath-born musician after a US show and told him he was his favourite guitarist of all time.

"That was a bit weird," says Glenn.

"I'd never met him before, but he said he's a big fan and has been for a long while, so he and Vanessa [long-term partner Vanessa Paradis] came out to see me.

"They're amazingly big stars and very nice, ordinary, lovely people. I can't imagine being someone like Johnny, he's uber-famous, and also someone whose work I've admired for a long time, so to find out he feels the same way about my stuff is very nice.

"He's a very good guitarist, but he doesn't play on the album, he narrates the final track Too Close To The Sun," he continues.

"I did suggest that he and Vanessa might like to sing on the record together, but I had this instrumental song that needed narration, so he did that and I did the duet with Vanessa on another song called Interest & Love.

"Her voice is amazing. The tone of is just incredible, she sounds like she's been speeded up, it's a lovely quality."

Glenn kicks off his UK tour on Tuesday May 5, although this time he'll be leaving The Fluffers behind for a string of solo shows.

The separation is only temporary - Glenn sounds like he couldn't be happier being in the band.

"The Fluffers is a really great ongoing relationship," he says.

"If it all ends tomorrow, though, it ends. Right now, and for the last four years since we formed, it just feels absolutely perfect to me, and I'm not questioning it in any other way.

"One of the things I've learned over the years is to never impose anything on anyone. I was devastated when Jools first left Squeeze in 1980. I didn't understand how anyone would ever want to leave, or understand that he might want to write his own stuff, but I learned you can't make people do things."

For now though, he's completely focused on his forthcoming tour.

"I'm looking forward to it so much," he says, adding that, apart from his guitars, there's only one thing he'll be taking with him on the road.

"The Good Pub Guide! When I'm touring, and in my normal life as well, I try to make no plans, but I do like to make sure I have a good lunch every day, usually from somewhere in the guide, en route to the next venue. It's a strategy the band especially love when they're with me.

"I must've eaten at most of the Good Pub Guide's County Dining Pub Of The Year winners over the years. I can't recommend a pub, just get the book, it's so reliable."

Glenn may enjoy the snug comfort of an old-fashioned watering hole, but when it comes to recording, he's keen to extol the virtues of the latest technology.

"I've embraced the digital age completely," he admits.

"I like the sound of analogue tape, it's undeniably better than digital but it's too expensive and difficult to work with.

"Digital does me fine. Another thing is how easily you can move recordings around. We were up at Bob Clearmountain's place finishing the album, right by the sea in Los Angeles, and I'd forgotten to bring some tracks, but was able to ask Chris, the guy who works at my studio back in England, to email them over, and there they were. What's not to love about that?

"If that'd been tape, you'd have had to get a courier and send it over where it might have been lost, and if it didn't, it would take three days to get there."

Once his solo tour is over Glenn's attention could turn to a new Squeeze album. Three members of the band - Glenn, along with fellow founder Chris Difford and bassist John Bentley, who joined in 1980 - reunited in 2007 for a series of live shows last year.

Initially, Glenn didn't want to record any new material, preferring to concentrate solely on making sure live performances were as fresh-sounding as possible.

"We had a unique chance to examine our past, and that was a great reason to be back together," he says.

"The experience of doing that has made me want to make another record with Squeeze, but it's absolutely pointless making it unless we make something better than anything we've ever done, and that's what I'm aiming for.

"The Fluffers record feels like that to me, better than anything I've done before, so I'm sure Squeeze would be capable of doing the same thing too."

Glenn Tilbrook - Extra Time :: Glenn is a lifelong Charlton Athletic supporter. The 1998 Squeeze album Down In The Valley was named after the team's ground.

:: He is involved in the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a cancer charity set up by Mike Peters of Welsh rockers The Alarm. He has performed a fundraising concert at the foothills of Mount Everest.

:: Glenn has two sons from his first marriage, both of whom live in Australia. He has another son with wife Suzanne.

Glen Tilbrook - Tour Dates.

Tue May 5 - The Brook, Southampton.

Wed May 6 - West End Centre, Aldershot.

Thu May 7 - Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter.

Fri May 8 - Acorn Theatre, Penzance.

Tue May 12 - Thekla, Bristol.

Wed May 13 - Pontardawe Arts Centre, Pontardawe.

Thu May 14 - The Robin 2, Wolverhampton.

Sat May 16 - The Brindley Arts Centre, Runcorn.

Sun May 17 - Holmfirth Picturedome, Holmfirth.

Mon May 18 - Telford's Warehouse, Chester.

Tue May 19 - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh.

Wed May 20 - The Liquidroom, Edinburgh.

Fri May 22 - Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich.

Sat May 23 - The Stables, Milton Keynes.

Sun May 24 - The Mick Jagger Arts Centre, Dartford.