gail interviewed innes from the relict in north london

chickfactor: why'd you quit the clientele?
innes phillips: I wanted to have some time out partly.
cf: the tour schedule was too rigorous?
innes: it was interfering with my drinking too much, I had to leave for a bit. I was more interested in project work, working with different people.
alasdair: I was writing too many songs and you weren't really getting represented.
innes: yeah, that as well.
alasdair: and we all suggested that we should form another band with your songs because at the time we were writing really different sort of styles.
cf: what's a relict?
innes: it could be a widow or it's the opposite of derelict as well. it's...a name
cf: why is the clientele in your band?
innes: I can't get rid of them. I've tried for years and years.
cf: what did your first song sound like?
innes: it was very, very bad. the names I can't remember, but the content was...we had a stereo we sang into. we just screamed into it whatever came into our heads. there are tapes you'll never ever ever hear.
james: I've got bags full of these tapes.
cf: why is north london better than south london?
innes: the people have bigger smiles. we've never actually been to south london.
cf: what kind of flatmate is alasdair?
innes: no comment.
cf: what kind of flatmate is innes?
innes: I'm his landlord, not his flatmate.
alasdair: he's my landlord. he's a sunny character, full of smiles and generosity.
cf: who is your favorite songwriter?
innes: god, there are too many.
cf: top three?
innes: at the moment arthur lee, jimmy webb, and will oldham. this band called calexico as well.
cf: what's the worst thing you've been compared to?
innes: simon & garfunkel.
cf: you think that's a dis?
innes: I think it's absurd.
cf: what song do you wish you wrote?
innes: recent stuff is "I see a darkness" by bonnie prince billy; '60s would have to be a zombies song.
cf: why do you think you two [innes and alasdair] sing so similarly?
innes: we grew up together. listened to the same music. neither of us -- I'll speak for myself -- I don't have a particularly strong voice so I sing quite quietly. I use a lot of reverb cause I can't sing in tune very well.
alasdair: I'll go along with that. we just tried to ape colin blunstone and nick drake when we were younger, and it kind of stuck, you know? I mean, if you listen to either of us sing particularly loudly or do anything fancy it's just embarrassing so we just stick with that simple, quiet style.
cf: what's driving you mad?
innes: drink.
cf: thanks innes!

records innes cannot live without
the go-betweens, "right here"
the magnetic fields, "100,000 fireflies" (you may perhaps have heard of this band?)
bonnie "prince" billy, "I see a darkness" (yeah well, I like it anyway)
the zombies, "hung up on a dream" (the best zombies song? I couldn't say)
the cannanes, "ordinarily"

books innes cannot exist without
the marquis of bolibar, leo perutz (just out there)
the magic christian, terry southern (one of the funniest things that I have ever come across)
spares, michael marshall smith (a bit of light relief)
the club of queer trades, G K chesterton
catch 22, joseph heller (a bit of an obvious one I am afraid) CF