Steve Hogarth: to mock traditions
Steve Hogarth, the highly gifted singer of Marillion is an aside human being. A bit frustrated, a bit depressed and sometimes totally optimistic. An all on edge character, totally unpredictable, but always charming much like his first solo album "Ice Cream Genius", which sounds like a cross between pop and new-wave, closer to his previous work with "How We Live" or "The Europeans" than the music by Marillion ... but still different. It's a sign that this man doesn't hesitate to explore new ways. We are not surprised to discover Steve, at the record company's office, with a "Hard as Love"-like look and his mischievous face for this frank interview.
First of all, why the name "H" ?
Simply because the other members of Marillion call me that. It helped to simplify things because with Rothery there were two Steves in the band. He remains Steve and I became H. H as in Hogarth, of course.
You have deliberately decided not to associate the name of Marillion with your solo project. Your real name doesn't appear at all in the booklet or the credits.
That was done intentionally. I wish to be considered on my own qualities and not as Marillion's singer. The audience must discover this album without prejudices . I didn't want a fluorescent sticker on the CD-box with "H is the solo project of Marillion's singer". This is because Marillion is not MY band, but a band I have joined, not formed, even if today I'm certainly the one who has invested the most in the band. Steve Rothery has made a different choice. He choose to promote the Whishing Tree on the fact that he is the famous guitarist of you-know-what-band (laughs). It's a different choice and I respect it because Steve has known Marillion since the beginning, this is not my experience.
By the way, what does "Ice Cream Genius" exactly mean ?
(laughs) My producer, Craig Leon speaks like a real kid. When he sees something that he likes or find beautiful, it may be a girl, a car, or a song, he only says "genius". On the other hand, when he dislikes something, he shouts "tragic !" all the time. In fact, I believe he only knows these two words (laughs). In the studio, when he discovered a new song, he always found it "genius", sometimes even "Ice Cream Genius". So one day, before he came to the studio, I wrote this expression "Ice Cream Genius" on the album's tape box. Craig found that it was...
Ice Cream Genius ?
Exactly (laughs). As a result, we decided to use it as the album title !
How did you find the musicians who surround you? They come from very diverse horizons.
Richard Barbieri, the keyboard player, has previously worked with David Sylvian in Japan (a band I like very much) and is now the keyboard player of Porcupine Tree, who opened for us during the English "Made Again" tour. I must say that, from all the bands who opened for Marillion, Porcupine Tree is the only one who made me really enthusiastic. I don't mean at all that the others were bad, but Porcupine Tree was really my taste. Clem Burke was Blondie's drummer when they were most popular. I knew Dave Gregory for a long time, we were neighbours when I was in How We Live. As we didn't have so much equipment to work with, we would usually borrow equipement from eachother (with Tears For Fears too). One day, he took my Mellotron, and since then we're good friends. Early '96, I played two or three songs for him and he really liked 'The Cage', so he asked me if he could contribute to the album. He also recommend me Chucho Merchan, ex-bass player of the Eurythmics Revenge Band. He's a very expansive guy, I had seen him in Rio when we toured with Annie Lennox.
The lyrics are probably the most personal you have ever written. Are they really autobiographical ?
I want to tell you a story. One day, in a hotel, I met a girl, a long time friend of mine. During breakfast she told me the strange story of a guy who has sleep around with all our common friends over the past two years. One day he made a list of all these women, our friends. The worst was that I knew this guy. It was so unexpected. And I was told of that by his own wife, the person he give the list to... God ! I ran to my bedroom and wrote "The Evening Shadows" in one go (laughs). So I composed this song thinking of this guy, but some passages are clearly autobiographical, confessions. All my lyrics have at least two or even three reading levels. One literal sense and one transcendental sense, even sometimes one alternate sense. These different interpretations are all relevant regarding the song's theme. According to myself, the best lines are those you can understand in several ways. That's why I'm in the habit of lurking behind one of these hidden senses. When hearing a song, you ask "who are you talkin' about ?", you must consider it's part of me and part of other persons.
The music on the album is also very different of the work you have produced with your previous bands "The Europeans" and "How We Live" ?
You made me happy, but I really don't know ! I tried to make something very different, and if you had said it sounds like everything I've done before, I wouldn't be able to show you the opposite ! I really became involved with this album. It's like wearing different clothes, you don't change because of that ! You're still the same. The people you met say you have not changed at all and you think to yourself "shit, I thought I had a different style" (laughs). In any case, my intention was to try and do something different from my previous work. Of course, you can find similities between "the evening shadows" and "hollow man", because it's the same approach, I'm confessing to myself in the same way. It's always possible to make links but it wasn't intentional. I still think this album is different. This is the result I wanted to get with this musicians association. For example, on the rock tracks, Dave's guitar playing and Craig's production are very distant from the ones of the people with whom I had worked before. I wanted a different sound, and I think we got it. The sound is very clear, some tones are very interesting. I really like it. I'm very satisfied with the sound mixing.
Now the album is released, what are you expecting ?
(laughs) What am I expecting ?.... I don't know. I simply expect not to be disappointed. I think that a positive reaction from the musical critics will make me very happy. If the critics find valuable songs within the album, if they find that it's a different but valuable work, then I'll be happy. But, it won't help me sleep ! I don't expect to become #1 in the charts, but if it happens, I promise I will not complain ! (laughs). I believe I'm mature and pragmatic enough today to realize that this album is not Madonna or Oasis or Simply Red. So perhaps my songs will not hit the charts or will not get any radio airplay at all. I don't know that, and to be honest I don't expect to become #1 !
It's a good question really "What are you expecting ?". If the album becomes successful, my life will become a dreadful chaos because I will have to make difficult decisions and also I will have to give much much much energy in return. I know that the chaos will settle down around me. Speaking of my career, of my relations with Marillion and with my family, it will be chaos. So I'm starting to think that success will be the worst thing to happen ! (laughs). But on the other hand, I suppose that being recognized at my real value, for my artistery is close to my heart. It's my big ambition, now and forever. For the moment, I haven't lived this special moment.
As you know, the different members of Marillion have solo or parallel projects. Ian Mosley and Pete Trewavas with Iris. Steve Rothery with The Wishing Tree. As Iris seems to be a "one-off" project, Rothery has recently declared that "The Wishing Tree" will be a long term project. Is it the same with "H" ?
I will be tempted to say "one-off", but I'd like to make another record with H at the essential condition that it will be very different from the first. Once one thing is over, I must explore new horizons. So, if I do, I will probably keep the name "H", but if I follow my actual impulses, I'd rather make a trance album, more 'machines oriented'. I recently met two French trance remixers who are currently working on Jean-Michel Jarre material and also a guy from Liverpool, K Class, who has worked for Whitney Houston and I found a real interest in observing how they are working. It's possible that I'll go this way, but I have no experience, I've never done anything like that, but actually it's very attractive for me. I must go in another direction, otherwise where's the interest ? Furthermore, if I make another record with the same band, it will be like a tradition to become established, an institutionnal thing, unchanging : the H band. Thinking of this, I have done this solo project because Marillion is an institution. When musicians are together in the same band for many years, they become an institution. When you write a song for this band, you write it consciously or unconsciously so as not to disrupt this tradition. Or on the contrary, you try deliberatly to move away from the tradition. That's what we're trying to do with Marillion: always surprise the audience, not to go where people think we are. In a certain extend, it's restful not go into institutions. That's why, if I make another record with "H", I will be very different. But, I haven't played live with the band yet... If on stage, something happen between us, my first thought will be: 'Fuck, we must absolutely make another record together !'. So what else can I say today ?
Did you start the rehearsals ?
We will begin the rehearsals at the end of January, but I have already started to program the machines, trying to remember how I wrote the songs. I spend the last week listening to the album again to adjust all, to rediscover all and also to fax the music scores to the other musicians. Because Chucho is in Colombia, Clem in the States, etc... We must be ready for the five or six gigs we will do in February in several europeans clubs. By the way, we will be at the Divan du Monde in Paris the 10th of February.
Will you perform all the songs of "ICG" on stage ?
Too soon to give an accurate answer, but probably, yes. For the moment I have the idea to perform the whole "Ice Cream Genius", and to play for the encores a song by each band in which we have played. One song by Japan, one song by XTC, etc... This will give cause to split one's sides !
What about the next Marillion album ?
It's already finished and will be called 'Strange Engine'. We finished recording and mixing the songs in november. It has a very progressive song on it, twenty minutes long. In fact, one year ago, I wrote a very long text speaking of my life, of my father, of my first child memories, of the long way 'till today. Very interesting. Prepare yourself to discover the album in April.
Thanks
RockStyle #19 February/March, 1997
Translated by Stephane Mayere from an article in a French magazine
