Q – In an interview you gave in the earlty 90’s you expressed mystification at the adoration heaped on the House of Love by a music press which ridiculed the Commotions, when both band’s sound was really very similar.
Do you think there was a bias againt the Commotions in the indie press? And will modesty prevent you from admitting it was due to jealousy amongst music journalists whose girlfriends fancied you? (I genuinely read someone somewhere positing that as the reason!)
A – I remain mystified at how they ever garnered praise. Not that I’d thought of them at all in the last ten years until now. Similarities? I hope not.
I think there were journalists out there who just didn’t like me. That’s fine, but occasionally the critic wants his cake and then eats it – see A. Gill on my first solo record after dismissing my talent in his review of the Commotions retrospective best of. That was annoying, because in those days we didn’t have blogs we could bitch in… Overall, though I think I’ve been rather lucky with the reception of my albums in the media over the years. I’m certainly not complaining.
I can’t comment on the final question really except to note that when I finally saw one of my more well know detractors (at Glastonbury 1987) I was amused to note that he was wearing a cap sleeved t-shirt. Clothes make the man, right?