Private Dicks frontman Gavin King has released his debut solo album, Skeletons. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
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With help from fellow Private Dicks' guitarist and life-long friend Paul Guiver and long-time Tears For Fears and Robbie Williams guitarist Neil Taylor - who also took on the production of the album – the eight-track Skeletons is described as dark, catchy, post-punk angst.
"Everything that's released now is viewed through the prism of the pandemic," Gavin says. "And in many ways, this is no different.
"Like everyone else I had been indoors for ages, but once I completed Netflix and finished arguing with the cat, I began to look at the state of the world today. And once I started doing that, I started looking back at my own life. Then before you know it a bunch of songs are sitting on my hard drive."
the lead single Profiled was written about Gavin's incredible discovery that he was used as inspiration for movie character Gary King, the main protagonist in Simon Pegg's 2013 film The World's End.
"Each song on Skeletons is about significant moments that have impacted significantly upon my life," he says.
"Profiled tries to reflect not only the shock I felt upon being told to go and see The World's End, Simon Pegg's final part of the Cornetto Trilogy; on one hand feeling used but on the other, flattered, enough to also write a song about it in response. The story itself is worth hearing."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I was the Lead Chorister at The Malvern Priory in Worcestershire. I once took my trousers off in front of Toyah Wilcox. I was the inspiration for the character Gary King in the third part of Simon Pegg's Cornetto Trilogy World's End.
How would you describe your music?
I was going to say the complete opposite of my New Wave band Private Dicks. However, lyrically, they are both what has been called 'confessional'. Musically, whilst Private Dicks fly at 100mph the songs on Skeletons are more considered and, dare I say it, emotional. People have asked me to do a book of my anecdotes but I'm no writer. I'm a scribbler in the dark hours. However, where Private Dicks was more heartache based... I was younger... Skeletons' lyrics are mostly reflective upon a life that I feel grateful to have survived and perhaps let my descendants understand that past mistakes need not define you. After all, Skeletons . . . We all have them.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Rosalyne by The Pretty Things and Baby Please Don't Go by Them definitely led to the three-minute pop songs that is Private Dicks' canon. I suppose for Skeletons it is Joni Mitchell, the most beautiful voice in the world.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The first gig ever was a Battle of the Bands contest at The Malvern Winter Gardens to support a band that my elder brother managed. We came second...awww... but I do remember the thrill of getting ready to go and the suede shoes I had bought with my own money earnt from numerous jobs I had as a young teenager. That was the time I felt really well off...after that it was downhill all the way.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Oh, it would have been something on Tamla Motown. Four Tops or The Temptations. Marvin Gaye quite possibly. Even now, if a song from that era comes on, I'm up and dancing.
What's your favourite song right now?
It's a song written and sung by my Goddaughter Anna Guiver. It's called Phoenix and it has blown me away. Needless to say, it is just her and her piano...it is achingly beautiful.
Favourite lyric of all time?
'Last time I saw Richard was Detroit in 68 and he told me, all romantics meet the same fate someday, cynical and drunk, and boring someone in some dark cafe' - Last Time I Saw Richard by Joni Mitchell from her Blue album.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I'm surprising myself here. I was going to say Coyote by Joni Mitchell from her Hejira album, songs written on a road trip she took when she was recovering from her breakup with Graham Nash. But I think if it was forever and ever until THE END... Nessun Dorma by Pavarotti...his late sixties version from the album King of the High Cs. I'm no opera buff but in the early eighties, late one night, as I was about to turn off the TV, suddenly a rather overweight, heavily sweating, man appeared on screen and I was riveted... first by his voice and then by his delivery. If I was having to listen to it for the rest of my life then obviously I would be near the end and I can't think of anything better to accompany me...for 'To die will be an awfully big adventure' (P. Pan copyright) and to have old Pav ringing in my ears will be a wonderful accompaniment.
Where can people find your music/more information?
On all streaming platforms but specifically Spotify, Bandcamp, Facebook as Gav King Recording Artist.
Alan Corr
