Alfie - The Boys Are Bach In Town

It could all have been so different.  Sam Morris, bassist and French hornist with power pop Mancunians Alfie, is nervously twitching to the right of the stage.  Without warning, the lights go up at the Royal Albert Hall and the conductor marches onstage, bowing to the pomped up, flag waving masses.  Slowly facing the suited and booted performers, he brusquely aims his baton at Sam Morris, solo French hornist for the National Orchestra. "Yeah mate," Sam laconically agrees, "It could have been so, so different.  I came third in the Young Composer of the Year award at school and from there got into orchestras and composing.  I always loved playing in Orchestras but at the end of Uni I had to choose between that and being in a band."

With Alfie now on their fourth album, it looks like he made a damn wise choice.  It hasn't all been plain sailing though.  Friends with Badly Drawn Boy, Sam and fellow Alfie-ite, classically trained cellist Matt McGeevers, provided much of the inspiration for his acclaimed 'Hour of the Bewilderbeast'. You know that haunting horn and cello part that hoodwinks your senses in a life affirming hug at the start of the album?  That was them.  Only thing is they never got paid for it.  "Hmm," mutters Sam.  "We had a bit of a bru-ha-ha with that and it dragged on for years.  We've not actually been paid for any work on that album yet, no credits nothing. There was a big acrimonious debate.  But I'm over it now, I'm not bitter or anything."  Laughing, and pre-empting Gigwise's next question, he says: And hes bald as a coot under that hat, ha ha."

Friends now though after a post gig reconcilliation, Alfie then left old Damon Gough's label in 2002 and signed to Parlophone offshoot Regal.  It was, says Sam, a huge sign of them growing up and coming to terms with their ambitions.  "It wasn't hard leaving Twisted Nerve because we only had a two album deal and we were limited by money when we were there.  Even though we signed to a major label now, we've actually got more freedom and can do what we want to do. The bottom line is the songs though. We're confident the songs are better and more direct, easier to get your head around.  At the end of the day there's no point in writing songs that people don't like."

Their new album ably demonstrates this.  Less cluttered than the experimental 'Do You Imagine Things?' they've found a more robust and focussed sound.  "It's a much more direct album, we're playing to our strengths a lot more with this release, something we realised we had to do a year ago," explains Sam.  "We really had to focus on what we do best.  We were trying to get some festivals under our belt this year but one of the guys we spoke to said 'Well, it seems like youve kinda fallen off the radar a bit.'  And we just thought well, yeah, you could say that, you know," states Sam matter-of-factly. "We had to give ourselves a kick up the arse, we just thought after all that time that wed better write some hits.  So we have."

Thankfully for fans, however, the band have retained some of their twisted edge, due in part to their on-line diary.  Sample excerpt: "I love it in the studio. But I miss Toothy, my pet alligator. How I miss those eyes that say so little yet say so much in so little time. A passing glance that can say 'I love you' or anything in between those expressions. Nifty, my pet clam, is also missing me like crazy. I try to talk to him but he just wont open up to me. He's got this tough exterior. God I miss them all."

So then Sam?  "Ha ha ha ha ha. Well, things can get a little bit boring in the studio and when you get some spare time I just dredge up the things from the recesses of my mind. My favourite is the one about the segment of Satsuma, chocolate and tea. Its true that is. But there's another section on snacking tips and how they could save your life. There's one about the marmalade and stilton snack that saved leadsinger Lee's life.  Not quite so true that one."

What is indisputable though is that after 4 albums, tantrums with Damon Gough and nearly missing it all for a life of pomp and circumstance, Alfie really are here to stay.