Dexys frontman and stylistic bon viveur Kevin Rowland
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SAY SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU
Have something to state. There's no point otherwise. I can't summon the interest to simply be a journeyman. I can't make music if I do not have anything to state. On a regular basis, I seem like I'm completed with music. Then, I'll have some life experiences … and I'll identify that modification, and I'll have to compose about it. This is the method it is– I'm enthusiastic about it.
HANDLING SUCCESS TAKES TIME
I indicate, I didn't manage success in the past. I didn't deal with it at all. Like the Commodores stated: prior to success, you could not tear us apart; after success, you might cut us open with a butterknife. Having stated that, we made 3 excellent albums … with 3 various bands. I'm much better at handling it now, however I'm quite an operate in development.
LOOK AFTER EACH TINY DETAIL
Perfectionism isn't an issue. It's about getting the album as excellent as you can get it. With music, if you have 16 artists then each element has to be. You require to do a great deal of preparation to get to that. It's a dreadful great deal of work. It can be tiring.
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TUNES ARE LITTLE MIRACLES
I'm constantly gaining from other individuals. I do not even understand how all of it works! When we end up a tune it's like, how did that take place? I dunno how we'll do the next one. No concept. It's all a little bit of a wonder, actually. I work from motivation– that's why there's been so couple of albums.
DEFEND YOUR CREATIVE FREEDOM
We utilized to eliminate extremely with our record labels in the early days. Huge battles. And individuals do not state that. Individuals would state, oh it's alright for you, you've got innovative liberty! We combated for that. Labels do not simply offer you that. You need to defend that. And what seemed like an unfavorable thing in the start, came out being something favorable.
PERMIT CREATIVITY TO FLOW
I believe the more unwinded you are, the more luck you get. Things circulation. When you're uptight, attempting to manage whatever– and I can get like that– then you miss out on serendipity.
DO YOUR BEST
I'm much better at handling criticism now. It gets to you. The response from the media to ‘My Beauty' Felt really comparable to ‘Don't Stand Me Down'. There was a lot about clothing … and we were just using fits! It was the 80s, and the press had actually purchased into this rock ‘n' roll thing. And they were truly set off by it! The method I take a look at it now– and I hope I can keep this– is that you do your finest, you do the work, and you can hope individuals like it. If they even hear it! And if they do not, there isn't a lot you can do.
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AN ALBUM IS A STATEMENT
I see it as this fantastic chance. You have this chance to make this declaration. It's not simply composing 8 or 9 tunes, and tossing out an album. It states something, in methods I typically can't even explain. It's a journey.
DESIGN IS SUBSTANCE
Design instead of style. Style is for the young; design is for everyone. It's motivation. It's not mechanical– I simply sort of choose it. I've discovered for many years that if I get motivation, simply choose it. No matter what it is, simply choose it. It's simply instinct. I can get truly delighted by a specific appearance. I would not have the ability to sleep during the night considering a set of shoes! What is it my good friend Jason Jules states? Design is compound. It's not ‘design over compound'. Design is compound.
DO THE WORK
I get nerves prior to I go onstage. Constantly. I'm concerned today– about whether I'll get a cold, if I have the endurance. We're working on it. It's like Alex Ferguson stated: if you put the operate in, there's a likelihood it'll work out. And we're putting the operate in.
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Dexys' brand-new album ‘The Feminine Divine' is out now.
Interview: Robin Murray
