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Zippy is on a clandestine mission
to Bangladesh this week. Eye on the Scene will return, assuming Zippy does. In
the meantime, kindly enjoy this week's music story.
Richard Thompson leads the pack of post-'60s rockers
by John Sewell
Veteran singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson is one of those respected, highly touted musicians who is constantly name-dropped by rock critics but rarely heard on the airwaves. Thompson has chosen the path less traveled over the 30-odd years of his career, gathering countless accolades and awards yet never becoming fully immersed in the musical mainstream.
Thompson first came to the fore as a member of the quintessential British folk rock group, Fairport Convention. After Fairport's demise, he soldiered on as part of a duo with his then-wife Linda and then released a number of lauded solo efforts.
The final year of this century finds Thompson in peak form and experiencing something of a rebirth. His new album, Mock Tudor, has received rave reviews both stateside and in Europe—much deserved attention for an artist who has languished on critics' top 10 lists instead of on the charts.
Thompson describes Mock Tudor as a concept album depicting suburban life around London. The album is sort of a British cousin to Lou Reed's classic New York album in that it is related to a particular city and is supposed to be listened to in sequence (the songs are chronological). Also like New York, Thompson's new album is a return to the basic elements of guitar rock. The correlation continues as Mock Tudor will surely be regarded as a milestone in Thompson's auspicious career.
One of the strengths of Thompson's work is the uniquely British perspective of his lyrics. This Anglocentric quality may have also been a stumbling block to his gaining a massive stateside audience. Thompson says that while some of his lyrical observations might be more easily interpreted by European audiences, there are plenty of common themes that anyone could relate to.
"I don't really see the perception as being that different over here or over there," says Thompson. "I think there are references to British culture in some of my songs that don't always translate, but that's okay. The whole idea of London suburbia could be strange for people in the States. I know America is awash with suburbia, but it's not exactly the same thing or the same kinds of experiences.
"A lot of the suburbs around London are fairly recent in that they were built between 1919 and 1957. They're all pretty much built in one style, which is why they're so tedious really. It's just one style—which is mock Tudor; and it just goes on forever. And that tedium is quite soul-destroying if you're a kid. It's not a great environment."
"I think that in a sense, the idea of London suburbs might be a bit elusive for Americans. I mean, there are kind of social and geographical references that could seem a little strange. But on the other hand, it goes both ways. I remember being over in Europe and listening to Howlin' Wolf sing about his wang-dang doodle and his mojo. And we'd all be scratching our heads thinking, 'What's up with that?' It didn't spoil the enjoyment of the music though."
The blunt approach of Mock Tudor provides an ideal showcase for Thompson's two greatest skills: songwriting and guitar playing. A versatile guitarist in league with Eric Clapton, he deftly avoids the pitfalls of self-indulgence. Instead, he plays with finesse and taste, adding to the textures of the songs without overshadowing the basic blueprints. This kind of restraint is the mark of a true master.
Thompson says that the new album came together in a relatively short time, though the idea for the concept had been on the back-burner for quite some time. "I thought it would be fun to do a project on suburbia or London. It was one among many projects I had slated for the future. So I had a couple of songs that fit that approach and I thought I'd continue in that direction. I wouldn't say it was easy but it was fairly quick to write the new album.
"I just really look at the particular songs and what kind of sound they need instead of deciding what kind of musical direction I'm going to take. This particular collection of songs needed a certain treatment. It was recorded very straight ahead. I'm not sure if the intention was really that clear; it just turned out that way. With a different collection of musicians or different producers it might have sounded different. It seemed that the songs required a straightforward treatment, so we aimed for that. Right now I'm happy with the result."
Though he may not be a household name, Thompson has enjoyed quite a prominent career as one of the most respected musicians in rock. He is one of the rare breed of '60s musicians who has not become a parody of their past glories. Instead, he is making music that is as good or better than ever before.
Thompson agrees that as rock music has become co-opted into mainstream culture, it has perhaps lost its revolutionary edge. "I think rock has become a traditional form, absolutely. It's become traditional music in the way that jazz has and in the way that folk music obviously has. I think there is still room to expand for sure...but is it played out? Well, it's harder to find original voices in rock music these days, that's for sure. To me, there hasn't been a lot of innovation since Jimi Hendrix, really.
"Hip-hop and rap music are more like the places where new ideas are being put forward. Personally, I don't care for that kind of music very much, but it seems to be where the focus for more creativity is these days.
"I really don't know if rock is a vital creative force anymore or not. I couldn't say. But I think that something exciting is probably around the corner. When the numbers click around to 2000, perhaps some extraordinary new form will magically appear. I surely hope so."
Whether his music is traditional or on the cutting edge is of little concern to Thompson. Asked if he could sum up the whole of his career in just a few words, he replies with characteristic wit.
"Unalloyed genius, that would be good," says Thompson, laughing. "Yikes. I'd prefer not to be classified really. Just call me the greatest genius the world has ever known, how do you like that one? How did we overlook him? I'm joking, of course...
"Actually, my music is kind of off the beaten path of the American musical mainstream, so it's hard to say exactly how it should be classified. It's traditional British rock music I suppose. I'll take that classification."
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