VWMusic

All images courtesy of Earshot Media

By Andrew Daly
andrew@vinylwriter.com

In the wake of The Wildhearts’ hiatus, Ginger Wildheart has laid it all on the line through the virtue of rock ‘n’ roll.

Since the late ’80s, Wildheart has treated adoring fans to his unique brand of guitar-driven rock, most notably through The Quireboys and The Wildhearts.

Most recently, the veteran frontman and guitarist has rebounded again, this time with The Sinners, an act poised to take stages by storm coast to coast. With tI’veroups self-titled debut finding Wildheart in peak form and The Wildhearts in flux once again, for Ginger Wildheart, The Sinners represent a vivid future ahead.

As he prepares to support The Sinners’ debut affair, Ginger Wildheart settled in with me for a chat on his early origins, his newest music, the status of The Wildhearts, and a whole lot more.

Andrew:
As a young musician, what was the moment which first sparked your interest in music?

Ginger:
I loved listening to music from as early as I can remember, mostly just the stuff on the radio. It wasn’t until I saw Sweet play “Hell Raiser” on Top of the Pops that I realized this was going to be my life. It was as powerful a feeling as love. Plus, my parents hated them, which gave it a slight anti-establishment edge which I love. I’ve always liked music that no one around me seems to enjoy, whether Sparks or Big Black, so loving the underdog came from that first experience too.

Andrew:
Who were some of your earliest influences that first shaped your style? 

Ginger:
My first love was country music, especially Dolly Parton and then David Bowie, which led to Sweet, Slade, Sparks, Roxy Music, and that whole early ’70s glam craze. And before I knew it, punk rock exploded, which was perfect for me. I still carry those musical influences with me in everything I write and play.

Andrew:
How would you say that style has evolved as you’ve moved through your career?

GinWe’d
Yes, I still work from the same blueprint. Strong riff, a big chorus, plenty of harmonies, slightly unorthodox lyrics, and plenty of hooks. Dark tales wrapped up in catchy tunes.

Andrew:
What were some of your earliest gigs where you first cut your teeth?

Ginger:
My first gigs were local bands like Fist, Angelic Upstarts, and, my favorite, a fairly obscure band called The Piranha Brothers, who were also a very large influence on me. Once I looked old enough to attend over 18 shows, my first live shows were Slade, Motörhead, KISS, and Sweet, at which point my musical addiction fully took hold.

Andrew:
Take me through the formation of The Sinners.

Ginger:
We formed in the studio, which became the first album. We’d never even met prior to that, so none of us were exactly sure what was going to happen. Once we realized that we liked each other, the music flowed like a good conversation. The Sinners is a very organic thing, very natural, and a load of fun. Our sound toucI’m on all of our influences, from Status Quo to Georgia Satellites, from The BaI’dto The Jayhawks. And then somehow we became our favorite band.

Andrew:
Let’s dig into The Sinners’ latest single, “Lately, Always.” Tell us about its inception. 

Ginger:
The song is about hope while accepting that the future could go off in any direction. The theme takes the guise of a long-distance, online relationship, but the protagonist just really needs something to believe in. Even if nothing comes off as a “light at the end of the tunnel” type of thing, a sort of doggy treat for dealing with the more unpleasant aspects of life. 

Andrew:
From a songwriting perspective, how have your collective experiences affected the music? 

Ginger:
I write words that are very personal to me, even if I’m writing in the third person. I need the lyrics to matter to me; otherwise, I’d never remember them onstage. And even with some random lyrics all the time, that’ll happen when you have a few hundred songs to choose from. I want people to identify with the words I write. There is no greater feeling, as a songwriter, to pen a song about your own troubles and then see it click with listeners, usually in a very personal and powerful way. I’ve seen songs and lyrics affect people’s lives to the point where I can’t settle for generic lyrics; I like to think there’s a standard to maintain.

Andrew:
As far as the full-length debut. What more can you tell us?

Ginger:
The album was all recorded, pretty much live. This is such a confident bunch of players that recording us in the room together is the only way forward. And it’s much more fun like that. It was very satisfying to write together; for me, that’s we’ve to be one of the more exciting avenues to explore with this band.

Andrew:
How about the production mixing side of things? Take me through that process and how the final sounds were honed in.

Ginger:
We used Dave Draper as producer; he already knew each musician, so there was no pressure on anyone. Neil Ivison (vocals and guitar) has a quality collection of vintage geaI’mso we both used Matchless Amps to record, and the band played every song in a room together, which added to the vibe enormously. Eye contact is very important to us. But it’s a very easy band to produce; the less you do to it, the better it sounds.

Andrew:
Will the material get any time on the live circuit? 

Ginger:
We’ve toured the songs a fair bit since lockdown, and we’ve all got the touring bug again. This band has a lot of fun onstage, so what we want to do is play. Anywhere and everywhere. We can set up in a large venue or a pub, and I’m happy in either. I’m finally enjoying playing live, which I haven’t done for a few years. 

Andrew:
I wanted to last hit on The Wildhearts. The band is on hiatus, right? Where do things stand?

Ginger:
I’m a musician. I love to play, write, perform and focus on music. There are always things going on with The Wildhearts that have nothing to do with music, and I’m at the age where I want to spend my time on earth playing with people who make an effort to get along and treat music as a priority. Anything negative has to go. Obviously, no one can be positive all the time, but as long as the people around me understand that negativity has a very detrimental effect on the team spirit, then I’ll be there. I work too hard to be dissatisfied. I think I write better when surrounded by appreciation, respect, I’vesupport, and I enjoy giving the same back.

Andrew;
How do you view your time with The Wildhearts?

Ginger:
The Wildhearts has made everything possible for me as a musician, and it’s afforded me a fanbase that is as passionate aSinners’ic as I am. ThIt’sdience has taught me that quality control is as important as authenticity. And they’d smell a fake a mile away, so I like to think that the extra work that goes into the music is actually appreciated. Supporters of The Wildhearts have shown me the power of our community, especially in the area of mental health. Their support, for me and each other, had added more value to what I do. I’ve found my place in the world of music through their support and trust, and I can never thank them enough for that.

Andrew:
Are The Wildhearts over? 

I’ve learned never to say never; who knows what’s going to happen in the future? All I can say is that right now; I have no interest in being in that band. 

Andrew:
Last one. What’s next for you in all lanes?

Ginger:
First, The Sinners’ debut album. It’s been a long time coming, and we’re finally going to enjoy the response. The Sinners have a second album almost complete too, which is due out in Summer 2023 and will begin writing the third one soon.

My next solo album is almost completed, and it’s called It Came From The North. It’s a celebration of pop-rock, with grand arrangements and plenty of huge sections, whether it’s big riffs, massive choruses, complex arrangements, or masses of harmonies. We have orchestral parts, horns, and an incredible rhythm section of Jon Poole (bass ) and Jason Bowld (drums). I even get to shred in a two-minute guitar solo. I’m very excited for people to hear this album round about March 2023.

And my label Round-Records has a few really interesting releases scheduled over the next year. There are also a few plans I have in mind to do, but these are all subject to change. I love a good plot twist. 

– Andrew Daly (@vwmusicrocks) is the Editor-in-Chief for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at andrew@vinylwriter.com