Skiddle Festival Q&A: Neville Staple.

Tired of reading about how some bands go to festivals, and yet, all they want to talk about is their latest release? ‘Yeah, we were at Mudfest when I wrote the track, but did I tell you our latest cd’s out and how great I am?’, y’know, that sort of nonsense. Chewing this over, I figured it was about time that the bands answered some festival-related questions.

Next up in the series it's Neville Staple – the Rude-Boy returns!

This year, you can catch Neville playing at these festivals:

The Wickerman Festival
Get Loaded in Glasgow
Butlins 80's Madness in Skegness.

(see below for fuller tour details).

The Clash
The Specials
Aswad

Lenny Henry

When I’m working.  Live and on the road.

Oh, West-Indian food.

So many I can’t remember.

Last one I liked was a ska festival in Las Vegas; it’s on my web page.

Beautiful Days was wonderful. I loved it. I’ve been away for 10 years and have only been back for 2 so I haven’t done that many festivals in England since I’ve been back. These festivals coming up now, these are the most I’ve done since I’ve been back. I like festivals but I’ve just been away too long.

That I’m just me. Everyone thinks I’m ‘Neville Staple’ and I’m just Neville. ‘Ooh, there’s Neville Staple,’ but I’m just me, I just act like me. People like me because I’m just down to earth. I get embarressed.

I can’t do nothing wrong can I? I went into the bank, and I needed an ID, but the woman comes out and goes ‘oh, it’s okay, I know you!’ It’s tough.

I don’t drink, man. (Coughs) Sorry, rolled a spliff the wrong way. When I do gigs now, what I do is come off stage, meet who I’m gonna meet like if I’m going out from the back area to meet people who want to talk and get an autograph, okay, but then it’s straight back to the hotel, straight to my room, TV on, spliff up, that’s me and then bed. Just cool down. I don’t know how people can be onstage, stay up all-night and then wake up and go ‘oh why did I do that?’.

Music: Anything the guys have on the bus, probably reggae, ska, or dub.

If it’s a festival where you can walk around and it’s a nice hot day and you can look at some stalls, I like those ones.

When it’s a wet and ugh, just wet. The weather.

Put half of it away for my kids, pay the bills, and then…just relax.

Nevile Staple – The Rude Boy Returns

Best known for his work writing & composing, the lead singer from The Specials, and as one of the founding members of Fun Boy 3, Neville Staple is credited with changing the face of pop music not only once but twice. Neville's biography and past projects read like a who's who of rock. He has worked with such legends as Elvis Costello (The Specials 1979 – Chrysalis Records), David Byrne (Fun Boy 3 Waiting 1983 – Chrysalis Records), and Ali Campbell (Today's Specials 1996 - Kuff Records/Virgin), to name only a few. His talents are found on the unique tribute album, Searching For Jimi Hendrix (1999 - Capitol Records) a project that Neville is personally quite proud of. In addition to having recorded with some of rock's most famous, he has also shared the stage with such icons as Ranking Roger (English Beat) forming Special Beat. Although this line-up never actually recorded an album they successfully toured the U.S. with Sting and Steel Pulse, which ultimately lead up to their own headline tour.

Some of Neville's recent projects and collaborations include hooking up with Roger Lomas, in Coventry, England to record Skinhead Girl and Conquering Ruler for Trojan Records (UK), and co-producing with John Avila (Oingo Boingo) The Best of The Specials & Fun Boy 3 Performed by Neville Staple for Cleopatra Records in Los Angeles, CA. In America Neville was also in the studio with Unwritten Law recording on tracks for their release, ELVA for Interscope Records. Desorden Publico the Venezuelan ska band met up with Neville in Miami the Fall of 2000, to record the track, "Black Market Man" on their album El Diablo – Guerra Sound Rounds 2000 (Venezuela). The band has released this song as a video as well in heavy rotation on MTV Espanol. You’ll find some of Neville’s newest solo work on VANS, Off the Wall Volume IV compilation CD. In 2002, released on Cleopatra Records Special Ska Au Go Go. This CD features Neville’s own original tracks with some old skool songs in the mix.

Since 1998 Neville has been on a mission to entertain, successfully touring Japan, South America and extensively touring North America with his own band. Above all he is a performer. It is worth seeing Neville’s live performance; his captivating stage presence and distinct voice are well worth it. Catch his show these days, and you’ll get a mix of old favorites plus loads of his brand new original solo material. Neville Staple has been recording in both the UK for 5 2 5 Music Productions at Planet studios, and in Southern California recording and writing. These tracks will be on his new solo album of all original material. In the meantime, look for Neville on tour.

Former singer with The Specials (www.thespecials.com) and now an artist in his own right, he is, without any doubt, one of the biggest legends in UK ska.

You can catch Neville at these festivals:

The Wickerman Festival  22/07/2005

East Kirkcarswell, Scotland East Kirkcarswell, nr Dundrennan, Solway Coast, SW Scotland

www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

Get Loaded 27/08/2005

Glasgow, Scotland Braehead Shopping Arena, Glasgow, Scotland

6.30pm - 3am. Ticket price: £30

Four Tents: Indie (headlined by Happy Mondays), Dance (DJs), Northern Soul (mostly DJs), and Ska (mix of bands and DJs, bands confirmed Neville Staple Band, The Selecter and Dave Wakeling's The Beat)

www.get-loaded.co.uk

Butlins 80's Madness 16/10/2005

Skegness, England www.butlinsonline.co.uk