Steve Ignorant’s Slice of Life
Former Crass frontman Steve Ignorant has a new project called Slice Of Life, which represents a big change of direction from his former bands. Gone are the militaristic drums, thin guitars and screamed lyrics, this album titled Love And A Lamp-post is a mixture of spoken narrative and slow singing set to an acoustic bedding, with a couple of acapella tracks included. The politics are still there, from directly confronting the political elite, to the man in the pub who is all talk and no action, the vitriol is still there, it’s just delivered with more subtlety and in different ways. This is a brave and risky move, it will alienate many of the narrow-minded anarcho-punks, but as Muhammad Ali once said “he who is not courageous in life to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” The album is risky, courageous, accomplished and extremely good.
Ahead of his first visit to Newcastle with Slice of Life at Cluny 2 on Saturday 2nd May I caught up with Steve to ask him a few questions about the album and the gig.
The album is a huge change in direction from your previous releases, was the objective to move as far away as possible from peoples’ pre-conceived expectations?
“Yes, partly but the main idea was to take everything back to its bare bones. When I performed at Shepherds Bush at The Last Supper concert I realised how accomplished that whole project was, and if I had been a teenager going to see that I would have felt that there was no way I could ever hope to be in a band or become a musician. Although I knew it was a massive risk to take I wanted to present my lyrics with music that hopefully people can play their cheap and cheerful acoustic guitar along to.”
Were the songs on the album old material that you’d been awaiting an opportunity to release, or were they written specifically for the project?
“It’s a mixture – some of the songs I’ve already performed with other bands but because they were written on a acoustic guitar or piano they lost all sense of meaning and context when we rocked them up. So this was an ideal opportunity to perform in the way they should have originally been. But of course there are songs which were written specifically for this project.”
What do you think the young Steve Ignorant who had just recorded ‘Do They Owe Us A Living’ would make of this album?
“Quite honestly I think he would have liked it – remember at the time we were recording Feeding Of The 5000 I wasn’t only listening to punk stuff I was still into Joni Mitchell, Patrick Fitzgerald and David Bowie of course. So I think this album would have slotted in nicely.”
I understand the show isn’t just a gig, I hear you’ll also be talking about your life, please tell us what we can expect at the gig?
“A few beers, a few laughs, a few songs and some hopefully interesting anecdotes.”
I see you have The Horse Loom supporting, what can you tell me about them?
“Our record label Overground Records recommended him to us. Steve Malley is a very talented and highly original guitarist who used to be in Crane and Kodiak but performs solo and acoustically acoustically now, I’m looking forward to seeing him.”
Slice of Life’s debut album Love And A Lamp-post is out now on Overground Records and they perform at Cluny 2, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Saturday 2nd May.
They also play: 17th April York Fulford Arms, 18th April Workington Vaults @ Elliott’s, 3rd May,Middlesbrough Westgarth Social Club, 23rd May Oxford Jericho Tavern, 5th June Wellingborough Horseshoe Inn, 11th July Wirral Fort Rock Perch, 25th July Wickerman Festival.