One For The Street: The Life And Lyrics Of Simon Fowler And Ocean Color Scene

One For The Street: The Life And Lyrics Of Simon Fowler And Ocean Color Scene – By Simon Fowler And Daniel Rachel.

Revealed by: R and R Publishing

Out Now.

It’s telling that while itemizing his songwriting influences within the pages of One For The Street, Ocean Color Scene lead singer Simon Fowler title checks the mercurial storytelling expertise of Lou Reed and Bob Dylan as an inspiration. Fowler, a one time journalist, might not have the closed fist prose of Reed or the spectral heartbreak poetry of Dylan, however definitely wanting on the lyrics of the sixty-seven songs featured on this assortment there’s a cryptic and clever use of language that’s no accident. Fowler doesn’t skydive right into a refrain like a number of bands throughout OCS’s interval, there’s much more occurring of their cannon than that. A lightness of contact definitely that’s properly overdue a vital renaissance.

Simply to recap. Through the mid to late nineties, a sure motion that shall stay anonymous impressed the form of jingoism that may have made a band of Viking marauders blush. On this morass of energy chords and union jacks, any band that didn’t preen themselves with self significance or dance the maypole across the cadd9 chord was seen as overly complicated and by proxy elitist. The truth that OCS obtained caught within the crossfire of such dumb nonsense says extra concerning the drone logic of the music press on the time than something. It was little surprise that the band didn’t toe the media line, preferring to batten down the hatches when it got here to a press protection that was primarily a poison chalice anyway.

These are totally different instances nevertheless and following on from Tony Briggs latest ‘Behind The Scene’, now a second guide arrives aiming to supervise a extra balanced view of the band. Co-written by Fowler and writer and childhood good friend Daniel Rachel, One For The Street is Fowler’s meditation on his personal private journey within the music business and the songwriting course of. Set out in conversational type and in alphabetical order observe smart, the guide discusses practically 4 a long time of songs while incorporating friendship, wrestle and success into the books narrative. From Fowler’s early first steps into songwriting and acting at venues just like the Boggery folks membership in Solihull to the giddy heights of the ‘Moseley Shoals’ album and being a part of the lineup at Knebworth, these pages reverberate with an perception and in addition an excellent gallows humour. ‘We had been the third greatest band in Britain in 1996. The second was the Lighthouse Household however they don’t rely,’ Fowler says of the times of Cocaine and roses. A close to biblical flooding of a lodge in Loch Ness and a corrupt police drug bust are simply two in an extended line of incidents which can be recounted, displaying OCS in a extra delinquent mild than most individuals assume.

This isn’t actually a guide about rock and roll cliches and extra nevertheless, it’s a narrative about affirmation and friendship. An early music of Fowler’s about his personal sexuality exhibits a budding songwriter making an attempt to stifle his confused ideas via creativity. His upbringing, one in every of aspirational working class dad and mom, drives reasonably than hinders him displaying that there’s extra of a metal in that form of upbringing than on any council property. This additionally goes for his musical apprenticeship. The tales and songs regarding his two early bands, The Fanatics and The Nice Betrayal appear as essential to him as his OCS days. All through, co-writer Daniel Rachel does an excellent job of coaxing a clearer image of what it’s prefer to be in a profitable band and there’s extra of a delicate reveal right here than in any sleekly written biography. As all nice associates do, the 2 males aren’t afraid to take the rise and reveal truths about one another. Fowler even casts a sardonic alligators eye over his personal stage presence every now and then. After one solo gig, overlaying Heroin by The Velvet Underground he reveals the sage recommendation of a neighborhood membership proprietor. ‘It is best to cease taking part in head within the gasoline oven music.’ It’s a refreshing change from the self preening of a number of music books. Self aggrandisement and sensationalism are gladly not Simon Fowler’s factor.

There may be nevertheless one mind-boggling story within the guide, in regards to the significance of the music ‘I Wanna Keep Alive With You’ that can presumably stay lengthy in Fowler’s reminiscence. In 2004, while strolling his canine in Richmond Park a person approached him that put the singer on edge right away. ‘There was one thing about his manner that led me to be routinely on my guard,’ he reveals. As the 2 handed the person whispered ‘Keep Fortunate’ which had much more significance than Fowler would realise as simply minutes earlier the identical stranger had stabbed a person known as Dennis Finnegan to demise. ‘If I’d woken up at one other time, it might have been very totally different. It transpired he had gone to Richmond Park the evening earlier than to hold out his deed nevertheless it was shut. He was a paranoid schizophrenic on day launch and stated he heard voices.’

While that is essentially the most chilling story offered in One For The Street, it form of makes a macabre sense too. For self-preservation and survival appear to be greater than a fast emergency flare within the profession and lifetime of Simon Fowler. Lengthy might his musical fireplace proceed.

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Phrases by Craig Campbell, you’ll be able to learn extra guide evaluations at his writer profile.