Interview: Ali Love
- Posted on September 12, 2007 11:04 AM
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Interview By Zarina Raja
Ali Love is a bit of a thinker. He responded to my questions after much thought, working through them in his mind, obviously toying with various answers. There was none of that boring rock-star attitude that comes across as arrogant and uninterested. I got the feeling that Ali was all about truth and simplicity – something that glitters though his music like unavoidable shards of sincerity amid Love’s reality. Words spilled out of his mouth in no particular rigid order, he seemed to be following his maze-like train of thought.
Ali Love is East London’s hottest piece of pop talent – real pop though. Love’s music is swathed in layers of funky disco beats and a smooth sounding 70’s backdrop that dusts his songs like sugar, providing his music with a soul that is guaranteed to move your feet.
Ali told me about his new album 'Love Music', the importance of philosophy and finally gave me a much debated answer to who he would trade lives with for a day.
Thanks for taking some time to answer my questions.
My pleasure
Firstly, I would like you to clarify for those who haven’t heard your music what genre you class yourself under?
My kind of style is every style in a weird way. I’m a bit like an i-pod on shuffle. I kind of do my own take on late 70’s early 80’s funk.
Do you think you will be making similar music in 5 years time or do you think you might take a change in direction?
I will be on my world music album by then.
Is that where you want to be in 5 years time?
Uh…
It’s quite a hard question isn’t it?
Yeah, because I go one day at a time. I don’t really look into the future that much, I live in the moment.
Let’s talk a bit about your new album ‘Love Music’ which is going to be out in October.
It buzzes. It really buzzes. It’s nice and warm; it makes you feel kind of…it’s funky. It’s up music – feel good music. What I’m trying to do is make a pop record that is not throw away like a lot of music these days.
What do you mean by throw away?
Well, there is nothing to get your teeth into with a lot of music these days. It’s not really real. My record is about the things I know and the people I know and about living in East London. It kind of wrote itself by being in the right place at the right time. I have drawn in everything that influences me – but it also goes beyond me.
Is it true that it was recorded in your bedroom which is above a club and so there are lots of sounds on the album that come from the noise below?
Yeah, half of it was recorded in my room. I live next door to an ambulance place so there is a lot of noise coming from there.
The album is rooted in your personal reality then?
Yeah, I haven’t made anything up. It’s all about the people I know and the places I have been too. But, anyone that listens to it will be able to find something that they can empathize with.
Your new single, ‘Late Night Session’ is out in October. It’s about the parties that you had in your room after the club night that you ran had finished. Are these parties still a regular thing?
When I got my record deal I had to wrap up the parties because I was so busy.
Do you wish you could go back to doing that?
No, it was really hard work and I was partying too hard. I am a bit more chilled out at the moment. I still have loads of energy, but I’m directing it in a more positive way.
What was it like doing a club night? What kind of music did you play?
It would start off as old school funk records and disco and then go to modern day, cutting edge stuff. Milo would come and play…but we don’t do it much anymore. I used to DJ a lot too, but not at the moment, I’ve got loads of records.
At what point did you start getting into music then? You have a very artistic background so I’m sure that that contributed a lot.
My dad was an artist, but he died…my step dad is a musician and my role models changed, I did want to be an artist, but I got more in to music and changed in direction.
Do you keep up with your art?
Yeah, I still draw quite a lot. I want to put out a comic book one day.
Have you got some characters in mind?
Yeah, I think it will be like The Freak Brothers or something.
If you weren’t a part of the music business, would you be doing your art or is there something else you might be doing?
I think I would be doing my art – but I might be doing Kung Fu on a mountain somewhere or be in a Buddhist Monastery. I really got in to that kind of stuff. When people die, you start asking questions about life and all the different philosophies. It helped me in my later life – just to be a bit mellower and kind to people - there is a lot to take from some of these philosophies in the world. Now, I treat all people with respect, I look to make a friend and not an enemy…that’s the way I am, I’m Ali Love man! I didn’t get my name for no reason.
I did wonder if that was your real name.
It’s my nick name; I’m one of the good guys.
Your music is refreshing because it’s so far away from all the guitar heavy stuff about at the moment. Is this deliberate or do you just make the kind of music that you are into?
I just did what I wanted to do. I don’t follow trends and that’s why most of my stuff sounds quite fresh.
Is there any music that you are into at the moment?
I like the Klaxons . They have bought psychedelic music back into the mainstream which I think is really cool.
What did you listen to when you were growing up?
Marvin Gay, Al Green, Jungle Brothers and The Beach Boys.
You did the vocals for a Chemical Brothers track ‘Do It Again.’ What was it like working with them? Were you already a fan?
I liked their stuff, I wasn’t familiar with all of it, and I only know their hits. Once I started working with them I got to know a lot more of their stuff which was great.
Have you played on stage with them?
No, but every time they do a gig I am on a big screen. They do a lot of stuff on their visuals. I would quite like to work with Calvin Harris in the future, he is on the same label as me, and I like his stuff. I would also quite like to work with Noel Rogers who I met him about a year ago and maybe Daft Punk.
You are doing a run of shows at the YoYo aren’t you? I was hoping to come along to one of them – what should I expect from Ali Love live?
It’s kind of like a basement groove party. The last one we did, I got everyone dancing which I was really happy about. It’s really nice to play with that kind of crowd. It was really funky, everyone was moving around –it was really eclectic. Getting everyone together from all walks of life is what I am all about really. Mixing it up, blending it in…human beings on planet earth…that’s what we are. That’s the truth of things.
How many people do you have on stage?
There are 5 of us. My band are called the Lovers. So, when I play a gig it is Ali Love and The Lovers. It’s kind of like The Ramones. When you join the Ramones you instantly become a Ramone. It’s the same with my band, when you join, you become a Love. There’s Ricky Love, Tommy Love, Burty Love and Mickey Love.
And what’s your most memorable gig as a fan?
Al Green at Glastonbury. I know all his songs because my mum used to play them when I was little – it made me cry. He got me.
Have you had any particularly crazy gigs as a performer?
Yeah, but I don’t know where or when! They are getting better. I was shy at first but now I really enjoy it. I’m a slow burner – I’m taking my time. I do pop music, but I am still trying to make it come from the heart, something that comes from a real place but has an authenticity to it.
My last question is if you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be and why?
Um, I would be Bill Gates.
Why?
I don’t know. Alrite…I would be…
Would you want to switch lives with someone?
I wouldn’t want to, no. No, wait, who would I be?
It is a big question to think about in a few minutes… (Silence)
Uhhh… (More silence)… maybe I would be Prince? No…actually, I would be George Bush so I could find out what is really going on in this world. They don’t tell us and we don’t know do we? I would take the secrets from his mind. But, really, I don’t want to be any one but myself.
Ali Love's new album 'Love Music' will be out in January 2008.
His new single 'Late Night Session' will be available in October.
Go to Ali Love's Myspace at www.myspace.com/alilove for info and gig dates.
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