The rogue less travelled

“It was conceived on a train over a few Diet Cokes and bananas,” laughs Tim Burgess, explaining the decision to release latest longplayer You Cross My Path as a free digital download.

Burgess (sporting a bizarre new hairdo reminiscent of Moe Howard of Three Stooges fame) and bandmate Mark Collins are chatting to Hot Press backstage at Oxegen.
“Alan McGee, our manager, and myself went on a DJ tour of Britain a few years ago,” he continues. “We did 16 dates in 16 nights and spent each day travelling by train discussing the band’s next move. It felt like the DIY ethic had come back into The Charlatans’ make-up, which had been around in the very early days. We thought, ‘This is our record and we’re going to make it any way we want. It’s going to go straight from our musical vision to people’s iPods.’”
In addition to the attention garnered by the album’s success, Mark Ronson’s decision to cover ‘The Only One I Know’ on 2007’s Version introduced the band to a younger generation of fans.
“When he was 13 he came to see The Charlatans’ first date in New York,” Tim reveals. “I think he sneaked out of his house to come and see us. That’s the story he tells each time he comes on stage with us anyway!”
Another memorable New York date for the band was the night Her Madgesty dropped by.
“We were playing in a club called the Limelight in the mid-‘90s,” explains Mark. “She came backstage to say hello.”
“I was high on ecstasy and cocaine and in my own world," Tim interjects. “I was lying on the floor with my head against a chair. There were a couple of girls around me and I was floating. The room was in a bit of a state too. Madonna walked through and I guess she didn’t like what she saw.”
“She’s hasn’t asked to see us again,” laughs Mark.
Madge might like to give it another go now that Tim’s hedonistic days are behind him.
“When Alan started managing the band it was really like a fresh start,” he notes. “I felt I needed to be understood as a human being and as an artist. I obviously had problems with drugs and alcohol, and thought this was the perfect time to give up.”
With so much spare time on his hands Tim is free to pursue new ventures, including a side-project, The Chavs, with Dirty Pretty Things’ Carl Barat, Martin Duffy from Primal Scream, Razorlight’s Andy Burrows and Klaxon Jamie Reynolds.
“Carl is one of closest friends,” he enthuses. “We’ve helped each other through bizarre times. I first met Carl after Pete had gone into rehab for the third time and he was taking The Libertines around America. He was in dire need of some TLC, so I took him under my wing like a younger brother. He’s helped me through some times when I’ve felt uninspired musically, he’s a very inspiring guy.”
Can we expect a release from the supergroup?
“An album is not out of the question at all,” he reveals. “We all thought we could do something in August, but The Klaxons album keeps getting moved about and Carl is doing more tours than he first expected. Plus The Charlatans record has gone crazy!”
Not a bad problem to have.