Culch.ie meets Oliver Cole

Culch.ie went to meet former Turn front man Oliver Cole on the eve of the launch of his new solo album – ‘We Albatri’.

Culch.ie - Its been almost 4 years since Turn, how did the album come about?

Oliver Cole - I started recording straight after Turn – I sent a girl in Germany a copy of a Turn album as she couldn’t get it there. She was asking me what I was doing now and I told her I wanted to do a solo album but I don’t have any money. She said she had a friend in Raymon (one of the biggest bands in Germany) and he is going on tour, maybe I could record there. So, ‘yer man’ phones me up a few days later and I met him in Dublin and he invited me to Frieberg, which is the most beatuiful place. I had a look at the studio. He gave us the keys and went on tour and we were there for nearly 2 months.

Culch.ie - I notice Close Your Eyes is a new version from the one on Turn album and Too Many People was originally on the Cake Sale album – Were most of these songs floating about for a while or did you set out to make a solo record?

Oliver Cole - Yeah we just kept going – since about 2007 - and by then end I had around 30 songs. The head of EMI said just go away and come back with 10 or 12 songs and it got really hard to limit it down . I found it hard to narrow down – so I had two very different albums worth and even the songs I choose for the album are all over the place with no two songs alike.

Culch.ie - Having had many interactions with various record labels over the last 10 years, were you anxious about getting back into it?

Oliver Cole - I didn’t really want to. Once I finished the album a while ago I didn’t have much energy I would just get up and watch telly I wasn’t even answering the phone. Once the record was done, I was happy and I was reluctant to get on that wheel again. Even in Turn we started off on Infectious, then when we did our own record. I was constantly doing the business work as well. I was so busy and stressed and we had no manager. I was doing everything. I wanted to leave Turn at the end but didn’t have the balls to leave. So with the last album with Setanta I didn’t do anything and deliberately let it fall down around me. So only now I’m starting to get up and realise that I have to get out and promote the album and myself. I used to be so good at self promotion with Turn and have to get back into that.

Culch.ie - How is it different from being the front man of a band to being a solo artist?

Oliver Cole - It’s a little the same, as Gavin from Turn and Ciaran, who replaced him, are playing with me now and I’m going to get Binzer along. Our first gig was last week and it was weird but I feel really comfortable. I’d played a couple of solo support gigs as well and I thought I’d be nervous but I like playing the songs as well as possible and if people like it, that’s great. So the gigs to support the album will be full band in most venues, except one or two of the smaller ones. In the Sugar Club I’m going to get a good few friends in play piano and turmpet etc. I think it will be strange. I haven’t gigged around Ireland in a while so I’m looking forward to it.

Culch.ie - Towards the end of Turn many would say the band’s sound mellowed a little – is this a continuation of this or could we see a return to songs like Beeswax & Beretta?

Oliver Cole - I think that was me but I think there are songs that rock in the set, like a song in the set called Hole in your Heart. The bulk of the songs are more subtle, not like the quite loud formulae of Turn.

Culch.ie - Your touring to publicise the album what’s after that? Will we see you on the festival circuit?

Oliver Cole - Yeah we’ll be doing electric picnic. I like the idea of that. Then record out in England is the next step and then a Scandinavian company are looking at bringing it out. And then hopefully back to Germany where it all started.

‘We Albatri’, hitting the streets on March 26th, preceded by the single, ‘Oh My Girl’ on March 19^th. He’s playing a pre-launch free gig in Tower Records on Friday 26^th at 1pm and then live on the following dates :

Sat 27 March DUBLIN , The Sugar Club, album launch night

Thu 15 Apr LIMERICK, Dolan’s

Fri 16 Apr WEXFORD, Sky & The Ground

Sat 17 Apr GALWAY, Roisin Dubh,main room

Sun 18 Apr KILKENNY, Set Theatre

Thu 22 Apr CORK, Cyprus Avenue

Fri 23 Apr GALWAY, Roisin Dubh

Sat 24 Apr WATERFORD, Electric Avenue

Sun 25 Apr DUNDALK, Spirit Store

Find out more info here myspace