Smiley Talks "Clang!" audiobook and more! Interview

As England nears the end of it's second lockdown I took the opportunity to catch up with Smiley who has just released the audiobook version of his popular memoir "Clang!" of course it also seemed a good chance to touch upon some Alarm plans too!

The initial print run of "Clang!" sold out pretty quickly, that must have been a nice feeling! Did you anticipate that sort of demand?

To be honest I had no idea. I sat with James Walsh, my publisher, and we just stared at each other when trying to guess the reaction and order the right amount of books. I didn't think in a million years it would get the reaction it did and to actually need a reprint was quite a touching moment. What surprised me also was how it was quite a slow burner and the orders were coming from further and further a field. Immensely humbling and truly surprising.

For those that are yet to get a copy from the second run, how are the numbers looking for those maybe asking Santa for a copy?

Well I've just ordered a 3rd run to cover myself for Black Friday ha ha! I was down to one so I've backed myself up just in case. The audiobook version is now available from the same place gatecrashthepartybooks.com That's quite funny. I start off sounding like Alan Partridge and end up like Danny Dyer!

"Clang!" was written in a very conversational style so was an audiobook version always in your plans?

Funnily enough it wasn't. It was the fact that so many people said it was written in the style of sitting in the pub telling stories. The audiobook idea was an after thought...but it makes sense.

Totally! 

How have you approached the audio version, have you gone for a straight reading of the book or were you tempted to elaborate and add in further details?

It took a while to get into my stride. It's actually a lot harder than you think. Every word, every phrase has to be spot on. It was nice to be able to read it the way it was written....I did elaborate a little though.

I've listened to many autobiographies read by the author so can appreciate the importance of getting it right!

Were there any moments that caught you by surprise and caused you to stop the take?

Yes, the spelling mistakes!

Since the publication of the book have many of those name checked been in touch to comment?

Some have, some haven't. I haven't annoyed anyone yet, except for my 2 brothers who took huge offence to me calling them twins, even though they are! That's saved me on Christmas pressies this year!

Before we move on can I ask what the running time of the audiobook is and how long did it take you to record?

It's about 375 mins which in my world is just over 6 hours, or London to Scotland or 3 Big Night In's! It took me about 2 weeks to record. I used my positive Covid test to fill my days...so it's officially a Corona audiobook.

This year's been a tough one for a lot of families but having both you and your wife Kerry earning a living in music must have hit hard?

It's been pretty tough on many levels. We both lost a years worth of shows, theatres, festivals, tours etc all in a matter of days. It's been especially hard on her as I have the studio to keep me busy. I was away with Gene loves Jezebel on The Mission tour in Portugal when I first heard a whisper of what might be happening. It moved so fast and the next day we were all flying home. We got to Heathrow and there were musicians I knew from all over Europe. It was surreal. Nobody knew that was it for the foreseeable.

You've managed a few things around the restrictions in place such as the new Coloursound sessions and did I see some more work with Hard Fi?

I had a really good run initially. I was working with Richard Archer from hard Fi on his Offworld project. That album is finished and amazing by the way. Then both Ian McNabb and Mark Butcher asked if I'd be up for doing their albums from my studio while we were in lockdown so that filled my days. Then the Coloursound album came up so we all went to Lincolnshire for a week. That was really special. Playing with Mike & Billy. It's a superb album. Had to pinch myself a few times. Rock royalty either side of me. I did odd things too. A track for Owen Paul, some film tracks for Chesney Hawkes and a track with Ryan Hamilton. Variety is the spice of life!

That sounds like a lot for us to be looking forward to. I'm guessing you're sworn to secrecy about the Coloursound album but is there anything you can share about it?

I am a bit. It's been quite hard keeping so quiet. All I can say is it's a belter. Billy and Mike on top form and it's BIG!!! in every way. I do hope we get to play it live. We would "blow the bloody doors off!"

Live shows seem a million years ago at the moment but there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. There's been some smaller socially distanced gigs but I think in Alarm world we all have everything crossed for the Gathering next year. Before that of course we have the virtual Xmas Gathering next month, can you tell us anything more about that?

The Christmas Gathering. I'm afraid I am sworn to secrecy. My contract says I must not tell a living soul, especially if he is a 7ft Geordie!

LOL! So we can expect some surprises on the night?

Well, it's very Christmassy!

So we can expect an appearance from Santa and maybe a festive cover version or two?

Yep!

Everyone will be grabbed by the baubles! How are feeling after your Covid infection? Any lingering effects or are you fighting fit again?

I really swerved the bullet on that. I tested positive and all I did was lose taste and smell. Good as new now.

That's great to hear! Part of your lockdown also saw you revisit your Smiley's Friends releases. Had you already planned on a new album this year before everything changed or was it a result of having more time afforded to you?

I was tinkering with the idea and then decided to revisit some of them. Then I kind of pulled them apart and started rebuilding them. It became quite cathartic. Before I knew it I had my 12 ready and Karl had the idea of including friends on the cover. It was quite a nice way of connecting during a pretty dark time. It's also quite a nice way of drawing a line under the friends and moving off into a different direction.

For those that haven't taken the plunge yet how would you describe the new versions?

Rethought

restructured

replayed

remixed

remastered!

And all sounding great! Having the fans photos on the cover was a nice touch too!

It was a great idea. Karl Parsons is so clever. We did accidentally leave a couple off...I've apologised, offered Curly Wurly's as compensation.

An Internationally recognised currency!

Exactly.

Are you ready to give any hints to where your next solo project is heading?

I've co-written albums with KirbyWalsh and Memphis Stone & The Elevators this year so that's opened my eyes a bit and broadened my thinking.

That sounds interesting as both artists sound fairly different to each other.

I've really enjoyed both projects. Producing them as well I've kind of seen it from a different perspective. That's the joy of working with so many artists. I learn something new every session. You never stop learning.

When are we likely to hear something from the new project?

The KirbyWalsh album is available from gatecrashthepartybooks.com same website as my book and album are. The Memphis album will be coming out some time next year.

I know The Alarm have pushed most live plans into 2022 but are we likely to see a new album next year?

An Alarm album? It's planned. Not sure when yet but I know it's written.

That sounds promising, anything you can share about it at this time or is Mike keeping it close to his chest?

I know George has heard it and said it's amazing. Mike never shares stuff with me until we are in the studio about to press record.

Archive have repurposed this year with the remix project "Versions" but again they are a band that thrive in a concert setting. Are there current plans for a new studio album and is it too early to start talking about live dates again?

Again, they are due in the studio next year and again I haven't heard any of the new songs, There's a pattern forming here isn't there!

I'm sure the end results will still be spectacular! I think that covers most of what I had in mind is there anything else you'd like to cover?

I think that's pretty much it!

Smiley, as always thank you very much for your time!

Click HERE to order the "Clang!" book or audiobook, Smiley's "Best of Friends" and KirbyWalsh's "You Can't Go Back". 

Tickets for The Alarm's Christmas Gathering can be ordered by clicking HERE!

"CLANG! Smiley Drops A Few - Book Review

"CLANG" the art of name dropping someone famous in to a conversation.....and let's face it I would imagine those nights and days on The Alarm tour bus could sound like a gong with the collective Clangs that there must be potential for in any conversation!

In Smiley's memoir Clangs come thick and fast but what would you expect from someone that has played a wide spectrum of music from Robbie Williams to Joe Strummer and even being in The Who (for 2 minutes - read the book!). This isn't a boring by the book autobiography tripping over dates and places or dwelling long on his formative years before hitting the nitty gritty which bought us all to the book in the first place, in fact Smiley lays out very early on that his memory for dates is shocking and is often worked out by which teams were in that years Cup Final! The chapters are short and sweet and are designed to be read mostly in any order so you can skip to read about your favourite bands or to try and track down the juicy bits!



I'm not going to repeat any of the stories Smiley tells as they are there for you all to discover and delight in but his time with Robbie, Strummer and From The Jam get a fair bit of coverage. Even without being a fan of the former Take Thatter I found this time interesting especially the sliding doors moments and the various times he crossed paths with a Gallagher brother! The time of being in the Mescaleros was obviously a key point in Smileys career and there are many stories that will cement your opinion that Joe Strummer was someone special and Smiley handles his departure from the band with class and that is something that comes across again and again, there's no bitterness (or very little) and some doors close allowing others to open.

For those coming to the book from an Alarm point of view then it will obviously be no shock how his passion for his band mates, "family" and fan base obvious, there will be some new info for you - did you know that Mark Taylor had taken a lecturing post at a music school for instance? There is no salacious gossip here and the criticism from some areas of the fan base to the current Alarm line up is given short thrift. Personally I think pointing out that Jules had given up her stage membership in the Poets Of Justice when she and Mike began a family and was now returning to that role might have been a better explanation than the fact she is a grade 8 pianist but hey it's not my book or my story to tell! I would have loved to have had more, a lot more on Smileys time with The Alarm and I'm sure most people reading this will come to the same conclusion.

Archive are an amazing band, every single time I've seen them they've been like no other time and every single time they've been magnificent! The fact that Smiley acknowledges the general fan response of "massive in France, can't get arrested in the UK" says something and I hope after reading CLANG! more Alarm fans may explore Smiley's "other" band! The peanut story was something else!

From The Jam don't appear until the end of the book and to be fair they don't come out of it that well, there is an obvious respect of the material and of Bruce Foxton but both Bruce and vocalist/guitarist Russell Hastings come across as a little petty and a million miles away in attitude from Smiley. Shame as anyone who saw them during Smiley's tenure will attest that they were blinding! 

The writing style here is very conversational, deliberately so and you could imagine all these stories being told over many libations across a few great evenings in your favourite watering hole or as a post gig wind down. This ironically makes it the perfect holiday/airport book at a time when you can neither fly or grab a copy from the local bookshop! Instead you will have to order direct and help Smiley clear the boxes stacked in his living room or head over to Amazon. Either way CLANG! is a must read that will make you smile and in this day and age what more could you want!

ORDER YOURS HERE!!!