Knowing When To Shut Up: Jamie Lidell

The songs that feature Gonzales, with the really distinctive piano lines, are difficult to replicate just because he has a really distinctive style. But we have the energy to put it into someone else’s hands and rebuild every track, which is part of the fun of playing live. I’m of the opinion that you shouldn’t be limited by what you’ve done on record, and at the same time I’ve done myself a favour. I haven’t used any impossible instruments or over the top production techniques, so the songs stand up nicely when they’re played because they’re in a basic, classic style.”  

Although already a respected figure amongst those in the know, there’s still a lot of work to do if (and it’s a big ‘if’) Lidell aspires to have his music heard by the masses. Warp records are usually renowned for their electronica, not their lounge jazz, but they could have more to handle here than they expected when releasing Lidell’s debut eight years ago. With some big players falling over themselves to get a piece, Gigwise had to ask if there is a plan to increase the fan base to less hardened music fans, and whether he thought Warp could help him do it. "I met Rick Rubin during the making of this record, he’s a fascinating man. He caught wind of this record and got a copy of it, and requested a meeting in Malibu (where else?), so I went to meet him because at the time I was going to sign to Columbia. He wanted that to happen but for various reasons Warp didn’t want to let me go. It’s obvious they’re keen to work with this because they could have made quick money by giving it away but they didn’t, so their hearts are really in it. In a way that annoyed me in the short term, but in the long term it made me realise they’re really serious about this. It’s all part of the plan, the five year master plan. But I can’t tell you about that.” Despite some subtle and not-so-subtle coaxing, Gigwise were unable to get any more information about this cunning master plan. Apologies.

Being tired of repeating himself on ‘Multiply’ several years ago, Lidell’s frustration at still having to do so after consistently being typecast as a chameleon is completely understandable, especially when most articles you find (including this one, obviously) are inclined to focus on the obvious. However, there is a reason for this. The fact that Lidell has a past in genre hopping is not his most interesting or impressive feature, as if it was he would be no more than the epitome of indecision, unable to focus on an idea and bring it to fruition, or even to produce a musical note of worth or value. However it is his most intriguing feature, and it’s intrigue that encourages a reader or a listener to delve deeper into the paradox of something they don’t quite understand, and so it’s intrigue that leaves you at the end of this essay desperate to hear what all the fuss is about. You won’t be disappointed.