Andy Bell's successful run continues, as his third album in just twelve months is set to debut at the end of February. Titled ‘Pinball Wanderer’, this album features eight brand new tracks, showcasing a fresh creative direction distinct from his previous solo projects, ‘The View from Halfway Down’ (2020) and ‘Flicker’ (2022), which included songs gathered over several years.
The album combines psychedelic melodies and captivating grooves with a diverse range of influences, with the guitarist of Ride paying homage to artists like the Stone Roses, Neu!, and Arthur Russell, among others. Bell recently took a break from his very busy schedule to share more insights with Clash.
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CLASH: Congratulations on the album; it’s an impressive work.
Thank you! That means a lot coming from Clash.
CLASH: Can you elaborate on how ‘I’m In Love…’ developed from (The Passions’) ‘I’m In Love With A German Film Star’? You played on Dot Allison’s ‘Consciousology’, and you mentioned this is her way of returning the favor. Did you have her in mind for this song from the beginning?
Initially, I wanted Ride to cover it during the recording sessions for ‘This Is Not a Safe Place’. Erol Alkan, the producer, liked the idea but suggested we create a hybrid version with our own song included. I wrote a track called ‘Nostalgia’ with that concept in mind, but it ultimately didn’t progress further.
After a while, I realized I could create my own version. When Dot asked me to contribute to her album, I thought to ask her to sing on this track. We produced a version intended for GLOK, but after touring with it, I wanted to change the arrangement I had recorded, leading me to re-record everything except Dot’s part. That became this version.
Can you explain how the process begins once Gem Archer is involved? Is it correct that you had the rhythm tracks ready for the album?
When I arrive at Gem's, the primary focus is on the drums. What I bring can vary, usually a rough demo or just a tempo or vibe I have in mind. Each album has started differently, and for this one, there was least prepared at the onset. I constructed it from the drums up, having recorded several drum ‘feels’ and bass parts with Gem to build the songs around later.
We've heard that the album went from being partially finished to fully recorded in one night. Can you describe that night and what transpired?
It was mostly recorded. I needed to mix the single, which had just incorporated Michael Rother’s guitars. With a tour scheduled for the next morning, I had to ensure the single was sent off for mastering. After a busy day with family, I didn’t get to mix until everyone was asleep. Once I started, I was so energized that I decided to keep pushing through.
It turned into an all-nighter (which isn’t unusual when I’m in the zone), and by the time I left for the airport, I had finalized the recording and mixing, narrowing down the twelve tracks to the finished eight in the correct order. I sent a note saying, 'I might change my mind about this, but I’ve mixed the whole record' – and then I didn’t change my mind!
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You mentioned that ‘Apple Green UFO’ drew inspiration from Dougie Wright's bass and Dave Richmond's drumming on ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’. Can you elaborate on that? What other influences were at play?
The ‘Melody Nelson’ LP, along with Can, Happy Mondays, and Stone Roses, ‘The Smoke’ by The Smile, ‘So Far’ by Faust, and Gong all influenced the production style. I realized recently that the riff that feels central to me in the song is actually not included in it. It didn't survive my minimalist approach! So it feels almost like a remix of a song that no one has heard in its entirety yet. I'm okay with that; I appreciate that aspect of it.
You noted that ‘Space Station Mantra’ was inspired by a visit to La Monte Young's Dream House. Is it also a reference to your Space Station work?
Yes, the title nods to that – the track serves as a mantra – and it's also related to Mantra of the Cosmos! It all came together during that all-nighter, with the vocals recorded around 4 AM, creating a very improvised feel. I definitely wanted to reference my ‘Space Station’ phase, which was an improvised approach I developed for live performances during the pandemic. The Space Station ultimately evolved into my GLOK live setup.
On this album, you seem to delve more into electronica compared to your last two solo albums. Do you feel the boundaries between GLOK and your solo work are merging? Or do you intentionally keep them distinct?
I don’t perceive that
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