Page 27 - Black Velvet Issue 85

BV85 pg26,27,28,29,30,31:BV85 pg27 17/06/2015 20:04 Page 2

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com 27
A Ne w L e ase O f L i fe
A N ew L e ase O f L i fe

n 1989, The Wildhearts formed. This happened after the man known back then
Ipurely as Ginger was dismissed from The Quireboys, who went on to achieve Top
40 chart status shortly afterwards. Wildhearts by name and Wildhearts by nature, Gin-
ger’s new project was the one that would ultimately beat the strongest and longest of all
though. Band members came and went, record labels said hi and bye but the persistence
of Ginger never wavered. Ginger even took things into his own hands and split the band,
opting to eventually release solo music instead. Now, 26 years later, Ginger has decided
to tell it like it was – in Songs & Words form. Songs & Words the book will be released
shortly, while Songs & Words the tour has just completed.

ongs & Words is a look back at 20 else. And I think everyone is aware of that. imagination, just get money off people.”
Syears in the musical career of Ginger Our community is aware of how rare this is, Ginger continues, “So yeah, the ‘555%’
Wildheart. And yes, he’s officially Ginger being fans of other bands themselves. That thing just meant that we had quality control
Wildheart now – he changed his name by was the bit in the story that no-one had really and most of the money went on how much
deed poll last year – but more about that written in to the likelihood of ‘555%’ being a everything cost to manufacture. But, what it
later. He decided it was time to set the story success at all. It took everyone by surprise did mean to me, most importantly, was that
straight and give his account of everything just because the fans are so, just between my fans were there en masse to bail me out
that’s happened since the formation of The me and you, so fucking awesome. It’s a and allow me to have a career so long as I
Wildhearts up until his huge success with strange story.” keep up the quality control. And that feeling
his ‘555%’ PledgeMusic campaign. Ginger was like literally being told, “Mr. Wildheart,
tells Black Velvet, “Those 20 years kind of in- ow Ginger can thank his lucky stars you know you were going to die? You’re not
corporate this really handy little story that’s N– or fans – and look back in amaze- going to die anymore.” “What? Really??
bookended… My first album that I ever ment. He was rescued, and given a new mu- Wow! What the fuck am I going to do now? I
recorded with anyone was the first Wild- sical lease of life. The ‘555%’ project made a was expecting to be out of here next week.”
hearts album and then it looked like my ca- lot of money. Wikipedia talks of the sum It was literally that. It was a new lease of life.”
reer was over, then ‘555%’ resurrected it being £250,000. “That figure is very, very
almost 20 years to the day. And I just figured, loose because it obviously wasn’t £250,000. o now Ginger can look back and
as I turned 50, which was something that A quarter of a million is just a lovely round Slaugh. And the fans can laugh too –
was never on the cards because I never ex- figure for the press to use and I started using as they did on the Songs & Words tour. Gin-
pected to last to 50 anyway… that’s the ab- it. I’ve got no idea what the figure was at the ger recounted crazy tale after crazy tale,
solute truth… I just figured that it’s worth end because it kept on selling after I deleted which sounds like it would have been hell to
looking back and documenting the last 20 the pledge. People were still paying money have been in the middle of – but is hilarious
years, and ‘555%’ being kind of officially in… But being as 5 is my lucky number, I did- looking back, at least from an outsider’s
where I was allowed to be a professional mu- n’t expect to get past 100% and when it point of view. Ginger spoke in between
sician presumably for the rest of my life, and started getting to 200 and 300%, I was like “If songs from the start of The Wildhearts,
all because of the loyalty and dedication of this gets to 555, we’re closing it down and working his way up to more recent times.
the fans.” that’s the title of the album and we’re going The whole show lasted three hours and was
According to Ginger, his ‘555%’ release to delete the thing. All I know is that it made great value for money. Ginger chose to do
was “my last chance. It was my last hurrah. a lot of money, way more than I ever ex- two warm-up shows before the official tour
I was going to quit music. And the fans pected to make, especially from this.” kicked off. “One was a warm up show in a
saved my bacon again.” It was a triple album He says that a lot of the money went into punk pub in Manchester called The Star &
that was recorded at the tale end of 2011 and the items that were sold to fans though. “It’s Garter which I knew would be a bit rough,
beginning of 2012. Ginger signed up for a gorgeous looking thing and it’s not gor- and then the second warm-up place was a
PledgeMusic and the fans did the talking – geous because it was cheap to make, it’s place called The Citadel in St. Helens where
by ordering the album. gorgeous because it’s very expensive. All I’d last been to see Johnny Vegas where I
“It was a completely unexpected, unpar- the things that you get from me that look re- was given front row tickets by my girlfriend
alleled success story that came completely ally gorgeous cost a lot of money and there – worst mistake she ever made – and I had
left of field. No-one expected it, least of all is a cheaper option, I could go a lot cheaper, my arse handed to me by Johnny Vegas for
me and Pledge themselves who were a very but like I say, I’m the sort of person who I the whole evening,” Ginger says. “My initial
small company at the time,” says Ginger. want things to count, I want things to mean fear was based around the fact that I’d never
“And no-one expected it because my fans, something. I was shown yesterday the done anything like this before. I mean, I’ve
my followers, my supporters, whatever you Pledge belt buckle. I almost cried with the talked into a microphone, but the thing is,
want to call them, are an uncommon bunch. quality of it. The box itself is gorgeous. And when you’re waffling on stage with a band
They’re not really like the fans of other peo- the buckle is just… they’re numbered… all you know you’ve got the comfort and secu-
ple. And it’s not an obvious story, it’s not an handmade… it’s just… what the Pledge thing rity of a loud band should you run out of
obvious relationship. There are big bands has allowed me to do is have quality control things to say, or just reach a mental brick
and there are small bands and there are which is something I always wanted to have, wall which can happen to anyone, and then
things in between but the loyalty that I have when East West were just flinging things out, you just go ‘ok, we’re going to play a loud
and the community that we’ve developed as and record companies were flinging out song’ and then it gets back into the volume.
a result of that, and the fact that the commu- these crappy albums with a stupid picture of On this show I knew that I was going to be
nity, when I’m not there, help the community, two people dancing on the front and every- relied on to carry the show speaking by my-
and they share each other’s wars and they thing was called ‘Something And Something’ self with nothing but a microphone to protect
help each other out and they chip in money ‘cause I had a song called ‘Moodswings And me, and just the basic fear of the unknown –
to people who are down on their luck and Roundabouts’ so they thought ‘Oh, that must which is something that I kind of live for any-
want to come out to a show and can’t afford be the angle to go for… What’s it called – way. So it wasn’t something that I was ‘Oh
it or chip in money for the membership of ‘Landmines And Pantomimes’ or some- no, get me out of this!’ it was like planning to
G.A.S.S. fan club, it really is unlike anything thing?! Load of shit. Absolute clueless non- climb up a mountain or something for the

GINGER WILDHEART