We chat with Ian Broudie about goals, inspirations and Nottingham memories

I read recently that you said you have to love playing live now, which is something you were not previously fond of doing - is this still the case?

Well, when I started with The Lightning Seeds, I felt like I got diverted off course. My mates had a band called Echo and the Bunnymen which I adored and they asked me to produce for them. I hadn’t really produced anything at that point, but I ended up working with them. Still I didn’t really have any desire to be a producer, I wanted to be a songwriter. If you wanted to be signed back then though, you had to be in a band, play gigs and be seen by a record company who might sign you.

I wanted to be an artist, I didn’t necessarily want to be a singer, but I thought if I don’t do it now, then I’ll never do it. My manager at the time thought it was ridiculous, because he saw me as a producer, but I thought no I’ve got to do it. I wrote three songs and finished two of them. There was one that I hadn’t finished that I thought it’s too hard to sing, too many words and it just wasn’t ready. At around the same time, I met this guy called Michael Head, a real lovable rogue. He took me to one side and said “Look, there’s more to you than this so give me a shout if you want to do more.” I sent him the songs and he got back to me saying “I really love this song”. It turned out that the unfinished song was Pure. I was ready to scrap that one, but he had really good instincts.

Eventually Rough Trade put it in their shop, John Peel played it, and by the time I got onto Radio 1 and Top of the Pops, we only had a few thousand copies left. It started getting played in America and I was totally unprepared – I had never even sung in public before! It continued like this probably until the third album around 1994-95 when I was told that I needed to play these songs live.

It’s more difficult to perform in public for the first time after three albums, so I had a kind of imposter syndrome. My friend Terry Hall said to me “why don’t we just do some gigs together?” So that gave me the confidence to get up on stage, but I’m looking across and yes I’m singing songs with my mate, but it turns out my mate is Terry Hall, one of my heroes… I don’t know how I did it!

Now I love playing on stage; before, I felt comfortable in the studio, but now when I’m on stage I'm totally focused and I know who I am up there. I like that songs come back to life - there are little moments that happen on stage at every gig that are there and then they’re gone. Each moment is different too with different audiences. 

To think that one unfinished song had such an impact upon your career…

Yeah, I love the limitless potential of an unfinished song. What it could be, what it is, or what it isn’t. I think Pure gained from that. I might have ruined it had I ‘finished’ it. 

It’s strange, you can go to Japan and meet someone who you have nothing in common with, you live such different lives, but they tell you how much a song has meant to their life and you think, wow. That’s the power of music, isn’t it?

Your son Riley is now a member of the Lightning Seeds, and he also manages the band. Does that in itself feel like a full circle moment for you?

It really does because he's now expecting a baby. I remember sitting, writing Life of Riley, waiting for him to be born, and now he’s about to become a father himself. I feel more in control of my career now - he’s the best manager I’ve ever had. 

You'll soon be travelling up and down the country for this tour. How do you prepare mentally and physically for that?

I always worry about that, but somehow in rehearsals it just comes together and you become that guy. Me and Riley used to play together in the house in the early days and he was going to play on stage. He asked me how can you just get on stage and do it? I hadn’t really thought of that; it’s just something that I do. It’s what I’ve done since I was young so it’s a bit like riding a bike.

You have played various gigs across Nottingham over your long career. Do you have any particular memories of playing in the city?

We actually used to play a lot of gigs in Retford which is just on the outskirts of Nottingham really, but I always used to enjoy those early gigs. I always look forward to playing Nottingham, it’s similar to Liverpool in some ways; it’s edgy and has a good vibe about it.

Funnily enough, one of my worst ever gigs was in Nottingham. I did the gig and that was fine you know - I came back on stage for the encore and the guy from the venue who does the sound had just turned everything off and gone! (Laughs)

Oh, where was that?

(Laughs) I’d better not say. Everyone was saying “we can’t hear you!” but the guy had gone. It was the most bizarre gig. It was a really funny moment though.

You’re known as a great wordsmith whose lyrics are packed with great metaphors and similes, providing a sound synonymous with the band. What lyrics inspire you?

Lyrics can bring me to tears. I just love any good lyrics. It doesn't even have to make sense, it's just a feeling of something, it can just be emotive. It’s just all about getting that feeling from a song. I always look back at my own lyrics and think “How did I even think of that!?”

What are you listening to at the moment?

I’m listening to all sorts of things at the moment. This morning alone I listened to Frank Sinatra, Buffalo Springfield, a Harry Styles track and then some Beabadoobee. So all sorts really. There are some fantastic songs out at the moment - I listen more to individual songs than albums at the moment I suppose…

I guess that’s to do with the change in how music is consumed now too? There was always something special about holding a physical album…

Yeah, I think that’s it. It’s about the time you spent with a new album. How you would have to give it time and learn it. You’ve gone out and spent the money and therefore you’re going to sit and digest it. Now everything is available at the click of a button, which is great too, but you can be half way through an album and your phone goes and that’s it - you’ve lost that connection. It’s always been the same though, technology has always had a massive impact on music.

Looking back through the catalogue, there are some great songs on the Greatest Hits, is there one, or more, that you are particularly proud of? 

The last song I wrote with Terry Hall was actually Emily Smiles, so that one means a lot to me. We hadn’t written together for a while at that point but it was really fun. I’m just writing some songs now and I’m still so used to being able to call Terry and talk through a song, so it’s very odd. It’s more of a solitary process now, a bit like when I was writing Pure, I suppose. I am enjoying it though.

When I look back at any track though I generally think now, “Oh I could have done that a bit better!” (Laughs)

How do you feel the music has evolved over the last 35 years?

I feel like I have a low output over the last 35 years really. I feel like it’s a bit strange, my whole career has been in reverse - most people jump from bands and then become a producer but I didn't even do Pure until I was about 30. People play live and learn the ways of the industry but I did it the opposite way.

Having had a run of 35 years with Lightning Seeds alone, are there any other goals that you want to accomplish or are you quite content now with the body of work that you have produced?

Yeah a lot! I’d like to be able to keep playing and growing as a live band. I’d love to write that song that I always have wanted to write but I’ve still yet to write. I want to go out into the world and play more live shows - I just really enjoy it and feel part of something.

I don’t know if there will be another Lightning Seeds album. I definitely have a few tracks that I want to release over the coming months but I don’t know if I’ll do another album. I like that some of the newer songs like Emily Smiles stand up against the old tracks though and deserve their place on the new album and tour. Even now I still feel like my career is precarious. We’ve nearly sold out the entire tour, which is fantastic and I think that’s because we’re a really good live band right now. I always feel anything can change though so you always have to strive to keep challenging yourself.

Right now is a beautiful moment for the Lightning Seeds though because I’ve got the band I’ve always wanted and the people involved are all emotionally committed to the band. I feel like we have a lot of chemistry on stage and it feels like oddly after 35 years we’re still expanding, and it feels really good on stage.

The Lightning Seeds will perform at Rock City on 14th November 2024.

@lightningseedsofficial