Ocean Colour Scene – "Better than the Jam"

In 1997 three of us met up with OCS for an interview for our, then all in Swedish, paper fanzine, Snap!
It was a nice talk on what makes a band happen, lots of inside stories from gigs with celebrities, the unavoidable is Ocean Colour Scene a mod band discussion, how to get the perfect backstage party and every thing else between heaven and earth. The tape ran out long before the talk was over and trying to get an article out of all that bar talk took some time. But what we ended up with, I’d say, is the most entertaining biography of the band ever published.

Here is the article translated into English.

Ocean Colour Scene – Better than the Jam

The English band Ocean Colour Scene played Electric Garden in Stockholm on the 7th of December (1997), The gig, an arrangement by Uppers and Electric Garden boasted the R’n’B proud of Sweden; The Roadrunners as opening act.

A few hours before the gig we met up wit Simon Fowler (lead vocals and guitar) and Damon Minchella (bass) for an interview in the bar at hotel Sergel Plaza.

Big in England
In their home country Ocean Colour Scene have sold 1,3 million copies of their last album ‘Moseley Shoals’ and with their new album ‘Marchin Already’ they have enforced their position as one of the biggest British rock bands around.
However not many people in Sweden have even heard of them. Damon points out that Sweden is number five on the list of in which country they sell the most records, but adds that doesn’t say much since it’s only in England they do really well.

OCS began their long way to fame in 1989 and they were not just a bunch of lads getting togheter to play for laughs. Simon explains; When we formed this band it was the result of four or five bands that on the course of a couple of years was formed and split up to in the end form in to a really good and serious band. So when we started out it wasnt just to have a good time. We really wanted to get somewhere with our music. And besides we where quite of age all of us, around 25, that the first thing we thought when we got to rehearsal wasn’t; ah lets have some cider!

So you knew from the start that it would work, that you were to bee stars?
Simon: I knew when I was five years old that this was what I would be doing, but say five years ago I believed it much less extent, because I was in reality basically. - And stars? We aren’t really stars or at least not what I think of when I hear the word, of course we are well known, people tend to recognise you on the street and all that but it’s not like we’re Oasis.

Working with Jimmy Miller
In 1990 OCS released their debut single ‘Sway’ on the little indie label ‘!Phfft’ and was ‘hyped’ in the music press as the biggest thing since the Stone Roses.

After some contractual trouble the band in 1991 began to record their debut album for Phonogram, with the legendary Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller in producer’s chair.
Damon: That man was living inside a pint glass!
Simon: He was really a fantastic guy and we got along great. And just working with Jimmy Miller, it was like;
Here we are in a studio that costs 1200 pounds a day and with Jimmy Miller! Wow! But he did like to drink and we didn’t really do anything of real quality in the studio so after a while we had to change producer and sadly Jimmy drank himself to death six-month before the album came out. I wish he was still alive, he was a great guy and he would love the stuff we do now. Have you heard our first album?
No.
Good! No, but in all seriousness it was overproduced. With distortions and backwards guitar loops and all that stuff. But, if you listen to our demos from that time the songs aren’t really that far from what we are doing now. It’s like we have developed enough now to do what we set out to do when we were working with Jimmy.

Building their own studio
After recording the debut album twice only two tracks from the Jimmy Miller sessions made the album and it was released in April of 92. The singles from the album flopped and both public and press ignored the record. OCS was forced to leave Phonogram and commercial success seemed impossible.

Simon: We built a studio of our own with money from our publishing company, Island, and started working with a number of songs, some of which actually ended up on our latest album ‘Marchin’ Already’. We just went into the studio every day and recorded, and recorded, and recorded. And the Damon and our guitarist Steve began playing with Paul Weller and I did solo spots as opening act now and then. And that gave us a great deal of confidence. That it wasn’t just us up in Birmingham doing our little thing, like some hobby or something. And also it kept us playing all the time and of course it gave us the money to afford keeping the studio going.

By the end of 1994 OCS began recording what would become their second album, ‘Moseley Shoals’ .
Simon: When we started out it wasn’t to make an album for the UK. It was a ‘one off deal’ with a little Japanese indie label. We had signed the contract and recorded ‘Moseley Shoals’, but the money didn’t come through and we thought; ‘this is a bit fucking dodgy ain’t it?’ and backed out. And It was about that time that MCA heard the album which was practically finished and they signed us immediately, and two months later we where on Top of the pops!

‘Better than the Jam’
Did working with Paul Weller mean a lot for you musically?
Damon: It meant the world to me. I played bass in his band for two years and playing in the best band in the world at that time meant a lot to me as a musician. The difference was that out songs all were quite basic four chord songs and his all had 40 chords in them and they were all jazz!
Simon: It was the most exciting thing that had happened to us, I mean before that everything was shit,
We were unemployed and all we did was popping shit loads of pills and staying out all night and then feel miserable all day. And then all of a sudden Steve is playing with Paul Weller and then I’m there to and then Damon, and you know, Wow! And Damon had to learn 40 songs in two fucking weeks. But we were the best band he’s ever had. And I know Paul would say that to. Better than The Jam.
Damon: Of course we were better! Fuck The Jam!
Simon: Just listen to the drummer. He’s really crap. Just does the same thing over and over.
Damon: And musically we gave Paul as much as he gave us. First of all we made him realise that it didn’t have to be jazz to be good, that it’s just as exciting to play like Ronnie Lane.
So playing with Paul basically gave you the confidence to do your own thing?
Simon: Yeah, Exactly. And also the musical ‘know how’ to do it. Plus of course it made people notice us.

The Breakthrough
In April 1996 OCS releases their second album ‘Moseley Shoals’ it enters the British album chart at number 2.
It is followed up by a couple of long tours and OCS sees themselves ending up in Japan and USA as opening act to The Who. In mars 1997 they release the b-sides collection ‘B-sides, Sea sides and Free rides’ which enters the charts at number 3, and finally in September 1997, their latest album ‘Marchin Already’ knocks Oasis of the number one spot.
You must be surprised with how fast all this has happened?
Simon: Yes, very, when we recorded ‘Moseley Shoals’ we didn’t have any illusions what so ever on what would come out of it. I mean we had just signed for this one off deal in Japan and then… Well there is one night that really emphasises how big it got just over night; The night we played the Albert hall. We had played there once before but just opening for Paul Weller and now we were the top-act, which was amazing. Paul opened for us and PP Arnold was there and sang with us, and Noel of Oasis, was there and played with us. It was amazing. A fantastic night, a brilliant fucking gig!

During the time things were rough for you, around the first album or after, did you ever think of packing it in?
Simon & Damon in choir: NO!
Damon: I couln’t do anything else, I mean this is all I know how to do. I play a little football but I’m a bit old for a making it in football now.

What is your next goal now? Or have you reach all you goals, is there anything left?
Simon: Our next gig is always our next goal. We take it one day at the time. But apart from that; our whole next tour. It will be fucking incredible. We have never done anything like it before, not on that scale. And of course the next album is a goal. And I can tell you this about the next album; we have to take a new step, or it’s not like we HAVE TO, but we feel it’s time to move on, to develop from what we’ve done so far. I don’t just want to go on in the same style or direction just because we know that it sells records, there are far too many bands doing that already. An other thing about the next album, It will be weird, because when Steve, who is the one who forms the music the most after I’ve written it, sits and listens to every whisper on the Beach Boys box set; the Pet Sounds sessions, then you know it will be weird. And also he’s started buying all these weird exotic instruments, so I thing acid will be back with our next album! (laughs) No, It will be a crossing of Brazilian folk music and The Gong! (laughs.)

‘Sounds like the Beatles’
Regarding your influences, when one reads about you in the music press you are always compared to the Beatles, Stones, The Who and Small Faces.
Damon: That’s just lazy journalism! It’s because they’ve never heard Lee Dorsey. All of us in the band, except for Simon who is more into folk rock, listens to, well, sure we listen to the Beatles and Stones and all that I can’t deny that, but most of all we listen to Northern Soul. I never sit and listen to the Beatles to get ideas, but I often listen to Lee Dorsey and think ‘Wow, I would like to do that!’
Simon: I think the reason we remind them of the Beatles is that we are a group, there are four of us and we have a black drummer. However they work that out.
Damon: Black? Is he?
Simon: Yeah, someone told me the other day and to say the least I was quite shocked by the information! (laughs) But in all seriousness my biggest influences are Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

If you should describe how you sound to someone who’s never heard you what would you say?
Damon: Like the Beatles! (laughs)
Simon: Well, you could say we sound like the Beatles did on the white album, but only because that album don’t have a specific sound, It’s different all the time, from track to track. And that’s how I want OCS to sound, like a lot of different things, I can’t understand bands who create a specific sound and then stays with it, when there is 40 years of rock history to be inspired by.

The best five albums ever, according to Simon Fowler;
1. Decade – Neil Young
2. The White Album – The Beatles
3. Beggars Banquet or Let It Bleed – The Rolling Stones
4. Any Bob Dylan collection
5. Are You Experienced – Jimi Hendrix

The best five albums ever, according to Damon Minchella;
1. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
2. Innervisions – Stevie Wonder
3. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back – Public Enemy
4. Are You Experienced – Jimi Hendrix
5. Ocean Colour Scene’s next album

Comments:

Liam	jul 19 2005 5:05AM

I know that this is quite old now, but I always thought that OCS and Kula Shaker were embaressing acts. There is a difference between being positively influenced by something and being complete rip-off merchants. I doubt they played an original riff in their career. Most are straight out of Bowie's back catalogue or from more mod sources. Also they were a baggy band in 1990, so changing with the fashion to sell more records is known as selling out. Can't believe that they sold out the Brixton Academy a couple of weeks back.

Steve	apr 9 2004 7:02AM
http://www.oceancolourtheme.co.uk

Best Band!! Goto: www.oceancolourtheme.co.uk for all the lastest news, reviews, photos, downloads, tabs, song history, forum etc etc

Paulie D	okt 3 2002 12:41PM

OCS. Forget Greg Boramans "Yuk" more like "Cool UK". Birminghams finest. As Noel Gallagher said " I wish I was in OCS. They're a much better band than us!". And if anyone knows... The Scenes back catalogue offers more than just something for all. From pure energy guitar driven rock through soul/funk to passionate folk. And thats no shit!

Greg Boraman	apr 18 2001 1:44PM
http://na

OCS - Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk Yuk . Fake dogshit.

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Ocean Colour Scene – "Better than the Jam"

Hanging out with Simon & Damon of OCS.