TF Archives

Trip Hop Guru Rages Against The Machine

Author: Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Fallen media darling James Lavelle launched an astonishingly angry attack on the music business and the world in general this week, in an interview with the Big Issue to promote his new UNKLE album Never, Never.

"Fuck everybody. If people don't get it or the record company don't get it, then whatever, 'cos this is the way it's got to be," he raged.

"We (Lavelle and new studio-mate Richard File) made a conscious decision to make a record together, no matter what, because nobody gave a fuck about us anyway."

The Mo' Wax chief went on the slate his last major label ('the whole thing had fucked up'), music business doubters ('this album is my biggest finger to everyone who said it was never going to work) and NME, who coincidentally reviewed Never Never in their new issue.

"Markedly more upbeat but no less pompous," NME declared, before turning their guns on Lavelle's latest collaborator Richard File.

"No fading Britpop stars were roped in to add 'gravitas' this time round, though it is produced by Elastica's Glastonbury's streaker," they scoffed.

"A man clearly accustomed to presenting the public with bollocks."

Speaking to Skrufff last year, Lavelle admitted a sensitivity to the viciousness of the press.

"The problem is that in England, a lot of journalists tend to be very negative and they seem to thrive on negativity," he said.

"There tends to be a sort of jealous streak that exists within the English."
Tags