Interview with the Liverpool band Space

Iinterview with the Liverpool band membTommy Scott and Allan Jones

Space are back! With a reunion gig in Liverpool's O2 Academy in Liverpool in December, a new album in 2012 and a possible world tour, the band are very busy at the moment. Luckily for us Tommy Scott and new drummer Allan Jones took time out of their schedule to give us a few answers to our questions.

How does it feel, after all this time, to be back together as a band. How does the recording feel and the reunion as a whole?
Tommy: It feels dead good to all be back together again doing solo things for so long.
We’d lost touch with each other but starting talking again after Andy’s funeral.
The band is the exact same line up apart from Andy and a sax player Andy’s replacement AlLan would make Andy proud. He’s fitted in really well.

Was it an easy decision to reform?
Tommy:It wasn’t an easy decision to reform and took years for me to decide. It’s been hard for us all to do solo stuff, even Ian McUlloch found it difficult. I also felt guilty about performing Space songs in my solo sets and it didn’t feel right to be performing them without the rest of the guys. The new solo songs went down amazing at Chester Rocks and Mathew Street lapped up both new and old Space songs even enduring the rain to have a dance.

3.The new album, do you have any idea on the name as yet?
Tommy:New album’s called, “Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab”.We’re still singing about serial
killers, somethings will never change
Allan: I’m so excited about it all, I was never a big Space fan growing up so had to learn
everything from scratch but I’m really excited now for the coming things, especially the
new stuff.
Tommy: There will No backing tracks either, one thing I insisted on was everything was played by us. Obviously my solo material bleeds through at times but the rockabilly songs have a "Spacey" sound to them as Fran has put bleepy noises over it to give it a 50’space sound.


What was the response to you gig at this years Chester Rocks?
Tommy: The resonse was immense. A lot of good feedback from it and people really enjoyed my solo material and throwing a few Space songs in, although I felt guilty about it, felt right.

Will the gig at the O2 in December feature any of the new material?
Tommy: It will be an even balance I think. Something for everyone. I don't really like nostalgia but I think that any reunion has am aspect of that so we hope to please everyone, old and new alike.

What are you looking forward to most at the Liverpool reunion gig?
Tommy: We are looking forward to the O2 gig, it will have a balanced mix of old and new stuff but the new songs are good enough to get the people going. Hates nostalgia so doesn’t want it
from the O2 gig. That might change though as I know the fans will be nostalgic about it. There will No backing tracks either, one thing I insisted on was everything was played by us.

So how are you dealing with the media attention again and what are your plans for the near future?
Tommy: We are hoping for a full UK tour next year as long as we don’t fall out this time.(laughs) We’re all still in the honeymoon period again then in 2013 there will be a global tour including Thailand but for 2012 we’re concentrating on the UK.

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 Liverpool band Space reunite for hometown Christmas show

LIVERPOOL band Space announced today they will reform to play a special hometown Christmas show, on Thursday 22 December at the 02 Academy Liverpool. Tickets are priced £12.50 and general on sale is Monday 14 November. Tickets are available from www.ticketweb.co.uk/  0844 477 2000.

The line-up will feature original band members Tommy Scott (vocals/bass), Jamie Murphy (vocals/guitar) and Franny Griffiths (keyboards). Along with Ryan Clarke (vintage keys) and drummer Allan Jones who will replace Andy Parle who sadly died in 2009.

"We can't wait to play Liverpool again as Space. I started to play the Space songs again this summer and started to get nostalgic about the band. I think a lot of it is down to timing, it just feels right to give it a go again" says Tommy Scott.

"I'm made up Space are back together because I was heading for a lengthy prison sentence the way I was going on! So once again Space have saved the day" adds Jamie Murphy.

The platinum selling band came to prominence in the mid 1990's with hit single such as Female of the Species, Neighbourhood, Avenging Angels, Me and you Verses the World and The Balllad of Tom Jones. They worked with Tom Jones in 1999 and Cerys Matthews a year earlier. The band formed in 1993 and released four studio albums, plus a number of charting singles, before disbanding in 2005.

Back in 1993, Tommy Scott and Andy Parle had been floating around their hometown of Liverpool for too long. Where the shadow of The Beatles still hung over every aspiring Liverpudlian musician, finding the personnel to translate the sound in Scott's head had proved a frustrating and fruitless task.

A teenage would-be guitarist Jamie Murphy was always around. A precocious musical talent and hive of hyperactivity, he'd always seemed too young to be involved. With a saying in mind "If you're big enough, you're old enough", the first time Scott saw him out in a local nightclub, he decided to give it a go. Murphy turned up to his first rehearsal in school uniform. Kraftwerk fanatic Franny Griffiths was the next to join the fold. The original line-up was complete. Space had been born.

Liverpool manager Mark Cowley has been with the band since their first gig and recorded the band’s first single If it’s Real on his own label Hug Records, with The Farm's Carl Hunter designing the Artwork. It was from this that Gut Records first discovered the band and started a sub label under the same name. "It’s exciting working with the boys again....it was crazy back then and it will crazier again next year" says Mark.

An initial low key single Money/Kill Me was released in November 1995, it left the shops as quickly as it had entered. They cut their live teeth around this time too, but it was the release of their first proper single Neighbourhood that really kicked things off for the band. It told the tale of Tommy's childhood street in Liverpool, but with serial killers and transvestites in starring role. This was pop music with a dark and sharp edge, a taste of things to come.

The second single Female of the Species was a bolt from the blue. Scott wrote this song for his late father, who had always hated his music. He wanted it to sound like a Burt Bacharach tune sung by Frank Sinatra. The results were wonderful. Female of the Species was an instant classic, staying in the UK top 40 for an amazing 3 months. It was this song that catapulted Space to a whole new audience. The debut album Spiders was a resounding critical success. Three sold out tours, three further Top 20 singles, Dark Clouds, a re-released Neighbourhood and the Top 10 hit Me and You Versus The World and some triumphant festival appearances followed.

Old acquaintance Dave Palmer, better known as Yorkie, joined the band in late 1997. After helping out with the album, Yorkie was asked to become the bands' full time bassist, allowing Tommy to concentrate on vocals.

Internationally, things began to happen for the band; already a massive hit in the UK Female of the Species also gained moderate airplay on college radio and MTV in America as well. With success comes touring, with touring comes stress. A tour of the US followed in mid-1997. Jamie, the youngest member of the band at only 21, found it all too much. He took a break, missing some live shows and TV appearances. The death of Palmer's mother, legendary Liverpool singer Gladys Palmer, also devastated the band.

Jamie returned for the recording of Space's second album Tin Planet. This was a darker, more song-led album than their debut. Scott's voice was at the fore, as the band mixed the classicism of his songs with Griffiths' keyboard backdrops, Murphy's energy and Parles' solid rhythms.

Tommy described Tin Planet as, "More darkness, but the songs were pure love songs. Our first songs used to be trying to be like Speedy Gonzales or Peter Lorre. Then it became more Marlene Dietrich."

In early 1998 after finishing Space's second album Tin Planet, drummer Andy Parle left. He was immediately replaced by Leon Caffrey.

In 2001, Space parted ways with Gut following certain issues with the label, including the constant postponing of their third album Love you More Than Football .  Jamie  Murphy decided to quit the band in early 2002. After a three year break from public attention, Space returned in 2004 to release Surburban  Rock  'N' Roll,  their first proper release of new material since Tin Planet.  
In 2005 Space announced their decision to go their separate ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1NBpVKWh_c&ob=av2e

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Harpole Scarecrow Festival 2011 Announce Special Concert

Harpole Scarecrow Festival 2011

Announce Special Concert

***Saturday 10^th September 2011 4.00PM to 11.00PM***

STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL

plus very special guests

TOMMY SCOTT & THE RED SCARE

(ex Space - playing hits including Female of the Species, Avenging Angels)

THE WICKED WHISPERS

&

THE DIRTY WORDS

plus

Comedy Stage & Acoustic Lounge & Bars & Food

THE Harpole Scarecrow Festival is proud to announce a special concert at The Bowls Club on Saturday 10th September 2011. The line- up includes 70’s legends Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, ex Space frontman -Tommy Scott and The Red Scare, hotly tipped Liverpool band The Wicked Whispers and Northampton’s very own rockers, The Dirty Words.  There will also be a comedy stage and an acoustic lounge as well as an excellent selection of food and bars. Tickets are priced at £24.50 (subject to booking fee) and are available from Harpole Village Store and both the 2Seasons stores in town (Grosvenor Centre and Wellingborough Rd).  Credit card hotline 01909 512 534.

“As you may have heard this year the Festival will ROCK!!  It’s with great pleasure that for the 14th Harpole Scarecrow Festival we have announced a very special concert, with a line-up that includes the fantastic, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, along with a full supporting cast of bands, comedians and introducing The Acoustic Lounge.” Said Harpole Scarecrow Festival Chairman, David Walker- Collins.
English rock band, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, first made their name in the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in the UK Singles Chart.
Much-loved British rocker Steve Harley has been touring consistently for over 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down. “It’s going to be a fantastic festival and we’re really excited to be a part of it.” Said Steve Harley.
A prolific songwriter and renowned lyricist, Steve’s set-list is packed with all his big songs; Judy Teen; Mr Soft; Here Comes The Sun; Mr Raffles (Man, It Was Mean); Sebastian and, of course, the smash hit Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me).
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) reached number one in 1975 in the UK and many European countries and is regularly voted among the top singles in the history of the charts, which covers six decades of releases. The Performing Rights Society has confirmed MAKE ME SMILE one of the most played records in British broadcasting.

Last year Steve released Stranger Comes To Town, his first new studio album in five years.

Special guests are Tommy Scott and The Red Scare. Tommy was lead singer in Liverpool band Space. Space came to prominence in the mid 1990’s with hit singles such as Female of the Species, Neighbourhood, Avenging Angels and The Ballad of Tom Jones. They also performed with Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews. Tommy will be singing new material as well as the Space classics. ‘We’re all really looking forward to playing the festival as it’s such a different gig for us’ says Tommy.

The Wicked Whispers are one of the most hotly-tipped acts emerging from new music scene in Liverpool.  Taking inspiration from the psychedelic West Coast explosion of circa 1967-1969 along with overtones of country, soul and 60s French pop, The Wicked Whispers bring a dark twist to the combining genres creating something altogether new and unique. In June they released their critically acclaimed debut EP this summer 'The Dark Delights of The Wicked Whispers.'

The Dirty Words are a Northampton based blues and rock band. Originally founded in the early part of 2010 by Jim Manning (Vox & Guitar) and Andy Clayton (Guitar & Vox) who got together to do what they do best which is write and make music. A few months into the proceedings they were joined by Brendan Walsh (Drums) then closely followed by Tom Nigthingale (Bass Guitar).

Taking there influences from an array of musical genres including such bands as Eric Clapton, Biffy Clyro, Jimi Hendrix, Kings Of Leon, Mostly Autumn and Seasick Steve, they are definitely a band not to be missed.

There are a number of new events during the Scarecrow festival this year, including children’s art activities, poem recitals, real ale stall, music and crafts. And not forgetting the things that have made this event so special, the popular open top bus rides, art show, refreshment areas and cake stalls.

This year visitors to the village to follow a “Harpole trail.” This will be designed to ensure most areas of the village are visited during the weekend and to test our visitors, and possibly also your, knowledge of the village.



Since its inception fourteen years ago the Harpole Scarecrow Festival has raised over £30,000 for the organisations and community in Harpole.

The Harpole Scarecrow Festival was started in 1997 to raise funds for All Saints Church in Harpole. The continuing success of this endearing village tradition means that it has been possible to carry out a number of vital church projects and repairs over the past few years.

In 2007, a new village committee was established made up of representatives from Harpole village charities, and thankfully it includes members of the old church committee who have stayed around to pass on their expertise. Since then the money raised has been distributed to help a wide range of local community projects.

The spirit of Harpole's Scarecrow festival is all about our community working together to provide a weekend of simple family fun and creativity, whilst raising funds for the benefit of a wide variety of village projects and charitable causes.

The Harpole Scarecrow Festival raises funds for a variety of village charities and community projects. We aim to provide residents and visitors with a weekend of simple traditional entertainment, which can be enjoyed by the whole family. Some visitors return year after year to see our scarecrow displays and many other activities.

Village residents are encouraged to create and display scarecrows of all shapes and sizes in their gardens and visitors can spend a delightful day meandering around our charming village – you will be amazed at the creativity of Harpole residents!

Tickets are priced at £24.50 (subject to booking fee) and are available from Harople Stores and both 2Seasons stores in Northampton (Grosvenor centre and Wellingborough Rd). Credit card hotline 01909 512534)



www.harpole-scarecrows.co.uk

www.steveharley.com

www.antipoprecords.co.uk

www.thewickedwhispers.co.uk

www.myspace.com/thedirtywordsmusic



Directions:

Harpole Scarecrow Festival, Harpole Bowls Club, Larkhall Lane, Harpole NN7 4DP.

From Northampton: From Sixfields head towards Daventry (i.e. towards the M1 Junction 16); Straight over the roundabout and past the Total garage on your left;

Turn right into Harpole shortly after the garage, just before The Turnpike, Beefeater Inn

From the M1: Come off at J16 (Daventry) and head towards Northampton

Turn first left (approx 1 mile) into Harpole immediately after The Turnpike, Beefeater Inn

Sat nav: Enter the postcode NN7 4DH (High Street)

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