Interview: Boo Hewerdine

1:31pm Friday 18th April 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Unless you are really into your music the name Boo Hewerdine may not mean much - but he's written songs for everyone from kd lang to Mel C.

We spoke to him before his appearance at Burnley Mechanics tomorrow night.

WHEN it comes to songwriters, Boo Hewerdine is right up there with the best.

The word prolific doesn't really do the man justice with stars such as Eddi Reader and Natalie Imbruglia recording his songs.

And yet, when it comes to performing, Boo is a little reluctant to take centre stage.

"Sometimes when I'm up there I wonder 'what am I doing?' as I'm not realy into all the showbusiness side of things," he said.

"I'm really a shy person."

Boo's most recent collaboration has seen him team up with Chris Difford on the Squeeze man's album The Last Temptation of Chris and now they are touring the country together.

"We just get up and play songs," he said.

"Working with Chris has been brilliant.

"On the album he would give me lyrics to put a melody too.

"I've worked with pop stars in the past and asked them what a song is about and they just look blank.

"With Chris, each song has so much detail and is so well constructed."

Chris has released a six-song EP, Toy Box No 1, and will have a new album out in September. The artwork on the EP was all done by his grandmother many years ago.

"She was an illustrator and it's something I found on eBay," he said.

The new album will be his first collection of original material in four years.

His most recent album, Harmonograph, was a collection of songs he'd recorded for other people - Boo had to select the final 12 from over 400 songs.

"I decided I wanted to write songs from an early age," he said.

"I didn't pick up a guitar until I was 19 and before that I couldn't play an instrument.

"I cringe now when I think of it but I used to go round to the houses of local bands, knock on the door and say 'I've got a song for you' and sing it to them. Some of them actually used them!"

Being such a prolific songwiter can cause its problems.

"I do forget songs I've written," said Boo. "I wish I was a bit more organised.

"Sometimes I'll write a song in an afternoon of a gig and play it that night.

"Unless someone has recorded it could be lost forever.

"I've had people come to the next show and ask for the song but I can't remember it.

"There's no doubt I must have lost some really good songs."

• Boo Hewerdine and Chris Difford are at Burnley Mechanics tomorrow night. Details from the box office on 01282 664400