 Stuart
Maconie has enjoyed an illustrious career as a music journalist and
broadcaster. Born and raised in Worsley Mesnes, his list of impressive
achievements is seemingly endless. Former Assistant Editor for the NME,
regular contributor to Q, Host of BBC Radio 2’s “Critical List” and BBC 6
Music’s “Freak Zone” as well as writing and appearing in Channel 4’s Top
10 and Top 100 Series, and presenting BBC 4’s “The DVD Collection.” The
man once described by the comedian as “The best thing to come out of
Wigan since the A58 to Bolton” also found the time to visit Wigan this
April to talk about his autobiography “Cider With Roadies” and chat with
The LINC about his incredible career at the very heart of the music
industry.
Having
written the official biographies of Blur and James, how did it feel to
write your own autobiography?
"I was really nervous about selling the book as an autobiography because I
feel I’m not famous enough or important enough to write one. I wouldn’t
have the gall to write a proper autobiography because I think only people
like Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill should write them - people
who’ve changed the face of human history. I preferred to think of it as a
memoir. It’s about my love of music and how that’s impinged on my life.
"It was very different from writing about Blur and James. Even though my
books about those bands were the official biographies, I wanted to tell a
'warts and all' story in each of them. A lot of official band biographies
just say how brilliant people are. In both those books, I think people
were quite surprised that I included the darker sides of the bands'
careers. I did of course celebrate them and talk them up as well. 'Cider
With Roadies' is a lot more self-deprecating."
Did
you enjoy life at St John Rigby Grammar and growing up in Worsley Mesnes?
"Yeah, I did. I grew up in a great town, a tough town, but a town with a
bit of life in it and I think it’s given me a good perspective on life.
Ian Brown once said, “It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at”.
But it’s really easy for me and Ian Brown to say that because we’ve come
from quite cool places, Manchester and Wigan. Life may have been an easier
ride if I had been born into a wealthy, more comfortable place, but I
don’t regret it at all. I had a great laugh. So many of the people I now
meet grew up in the nice leafy Home Counties. I think growing up where I
did has given me a really good outlook on life."
In
your autobiography you say, "From the earliest years, you were dimly aware
that there was something funny about your hometown." Do people's
perceptions of Wigan bother you?
"Yeah, they do a bit but I try to keep a sense of humour about it. It does
bug me when middle- class metropolitan people, or southerners in
particular, have that "Oh, you come from Wigan" kind of attitude. Well,
somebody’s got to! There is a really smug arrogance about certain people
from the Home Counties and the London area who seem to think that we all
live in mud huts and run around with war paint on. While I do try to keep
a sense of humour about it, I would be lying if I didn’t say that it
really annoys me sometimes."
Do you
come back to Wigan often and how do you feel when you do?
"I come back quite a bit. I come back to see my mum and dad and my mates.
I still have some really good friends who live near the Cherry Gardens
pub. I was just around the corner from there before Christmas having a
really good time. I still spend quite a bit of social time in Wigan. I
also visit the Lakes a lot. I love it there and I pop into Wigan on the
way there and on the way back. "About two years ago, we did an all-nighter
from Wigan for Radio 2. The team decided to set up our broadcasting van on
King Street. It was a Bank Holiday Monday and I said to them, "You’re not
thinking about putting the van here are you?" And they said, “Oh yeah.
It’ll be fine." And of course, it wasn’t. It was a riot! We had people on
top of the van. Wigan is now legendary within the BBC."
You
continue to play Northern Soul records. What do you think made the Wigan
Casino all-nighters so special?
"I think it was a lot to do with the building itself. A lot of the other
leading Northern Soul clubs, like The Catcums and The Twisted Wheel, were
really quite dingy little cellar type clubs. The Casino was huge - like a
palace, with a massive dance floor and a huge balcony. It was a beautiful
building and a perfect place for the Northern Soul nights. You could fit
at least a thousand people in there. Wigan is also a good place to get to.
The Casino became a Mecca for people from all over the country. People
came down from Scotland, from the Midlands and all over."
 In
Cider With Roadies you speak about the power of music and how it helped to
bring down The Berlin Wall. How influential do you think chart music is
today?
"Well (sighs), I think the potential of music is still there, the same as
it’s always been. Morrissey said, "Pop Idol, Popstars and Pete Waterman
are trivialising the most important thing in the world." I absolutely
agree with him. People are turning what should be one of the most
important things in the world into silly Saturday night TV. I’m not saying
that as a snob. I love ordinary pop music when it is done well. I love
Kylie and Girls Aloud but stuff like Steve Brooks, who sings cover
versions of songs that were rubbish the first time round, is just rubbish.
It trivialises music. It makes it silly and small."
Today
you're primarily a broadcaster. How do you rate the present day music
press?
"I have to say that I don’t really look at the NME anymore. It doesn't
really compare to what it was like when I was growing up. It was our
bible. It does seem to have become a little bit like a comic. I don’t
think the people reading it, or those writing it, take it that seriously
anymore. I used to buy Melody Maker, Sounds and NME religiously every
week. I wouldn’t do what I do for a living if I hadn’t absorbed pop music
from them. I’m sad that there’s a generation of kids growing up without
that kind of excitement. I think part of the problem is that a lot of
kids, even the brighter kids, just want to be famous nowadays. I just
wanted to be a music journalist because I thought that was the best job in
the world. Everyone today just seems to want to be famous and on
television regardless of whether or not they do something worthwhile."
Who is
your favourite emerging artist or band?
"I really like 'Athlete', although they are into their second album now.
There’s an Irish band called 'How' that I really like and a pop band from
Manchester called 'The Earlies'. There's also a Canadian band called 'The
Dears', who sound like The Smiths."
Have
you heard of a Wigan band called Moco?
"Ah, now you see I’ve heard of them, but I’ve not heard their music. I’ve
heard really good things about them but they've never sent me any of their
music." (Ed - Don't worry Stuart, we've passed
the rattle tin round The LINC office and a copy of their debut album will
be with you soon!)
Do you
have an all time favourite band?
"Historically, I’d have to say The Beatles, just because they changed so
much. Without the Beatles, they’d have been no pop music. Isaac Newton
gave us gravity, The Beatles gave us pop music. From the point of view of
me growing up and as a teenager, I think it would have to be The Smiths. I
love The Smiths. I can’t really explain it. I think everyone of my
generation feels the same about them. To hear Morrissey and Marr, at just
the right age – in my late teens - was fantastic."
When
you left university you were working in a mill and planning to teach in
Greece. At that point, did you have a firm conviction that you wanted to
be a music journalist?
"I did, but I thought it was a pipe dream. From 13, when I started reading
NME, I knew I wanted to be a music writer. But I would never have been
able to say that at a careers' interview. I suppose it’s the same as
saying “I want to be an astronaut”. So I kept it to myself. I did a couple
of disastrous jobs and then I became happily ensconced in teaching, which
I also loved. Then, quite by accident, much later on, when I was 25, I
became a music writer. So I always wanted to do it, but it was like a
guilty secret."
You
achieved your dream of writing for NME - going on to become the paper's
Assistant Editor. How did it feel?
"It was fantastic from the word go, from the day I reviewed the
Electo-Hippies at the Den Club in Wigan. Alan from 'Alan’s Records' used
to put bands on at the Den. I thought it was the greatest thing ever when
the Electo-Hippies article was printed in the NME. I walked round Wigan
feeling about 10 feet tall. Even now, I’m sure someone is going to come
along, and say, “Sorry, it’s all been a joke and you’ve got to stop doing
all this stuff now." It’s just the greatest job anyone could ever want."
What
moment has given you the most satisfaction in your career?
"I don’t know about satisfaction, but one of the first things I ever did
for NME was go to Seattle to cover INXS. I’d only been writing for them
for a couple of weeks and I was still teaching at Skem College. I remember
walking into this 40,000 seater floodlit arena, seeing INXS play and
thinking, “I can’t believe somebody’s actually paying me to be here and to
write about this for a paper. I can’t believe this could become my job if
I play my cards right.” It was a real thrill. It made the hairs on my neck
stand on end. It was a bit of a turning point. I thought, “I don’t think I
can go back to my other life now.”
You
coined the phrase "Britpop". Is that something you are proud of?
"Yes, although I didn’t get any money for it. I’m sure someone must have
used the expression before me about the Hollies, or the Beatles, back in
the ‘60s. But I was the first person to use it about bands like Oasis and
Blur, and I wish I got royalties from it. Can you imagine if I got 20p
every time someone used it?"
Do you
still get excited or nervous before going on air?
"Yes I do. I get really excited but I have to temper that because if you
go on air too excited you end up coming across as being nervous and not in
control. Some DJ’s imagine that they’re just talking to one person. You’ve
got to really try and relax and have some fun with it. I’ve just come off
air a short while ago and if I’d thought to myself half an hour ago,
“There are 5 million people listening to me right now,” I don't think
anything would have come out of mouth."
What
advice would you give to young people interested in a music
writing/broadcasting career?
"I know it sounds a terrible, smultzy thing to say, but if you want it,
you will make it happen. Don’t think of it as a job, think of it as a
calling. You have to keep thinking of it as a dream. If you really want it
to happen, it might. They don’t advertise these jobs in the Job Centre,
“Rock star wanted!” or “Broadcaster – wanted!” You’ve got to show some
desire to do it."
MORE
ABOUT STUART
Stuart’s hit Radio 2 Show, “Critical List”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/criticallist/
Stuart’s Career, everything he’s done so far
http://www.amandahowardassociates.co.uk/Photo.asp?Client=StuartMaconie
Stuart Maconie
comes home to Wigan
Stuart Opens Golborne Library
http://www.wlct.org/trustnews/news/tn_2205.htm
Stuart’s “Music Writers Masterclass”
Read the Press Release here
FANCY
FOLLOWING IN STUART’S FOOTSTEPS?
Are you an aspiring writer? Would you like to see your work
one day up there in the top music magazines? Did you know that there
are many places you can get your work published and begin to make your way
to the top of music journalism? For starters, there’s this very
website. We’re always looking for young people to contribute reviews,
articles and ideas. Please visit our “Reviews” page for an idea of the
sort of things you could write about. Then there’s our newspaper, “The
LINC” you could write for that too!
If you
are interested in getting involved, please contact (link to “About us”
page) us.
The Wigan
Music Collective are always happy to publish reviews of local bands on
their website (www.wiganmusic.com)
and local website Mudhuts Media (http://www.mudhutsmedia.co.uk/index.php)
are always interested in hearing from new writers too.
http://www.ralphfletcher.com/TfYw.html
Tips For young writers
http://www.ability.org.uk/young_writers.html
Lots of Links for young writers.
►
Return to In the Hotseat
|
