Most people will probably recall CHRIS HELME as frontman for JOHN SQUIRE'S post-STONE ROSES combo, THE SEAHORSES. However, they may not realise that Chis is actually a fine singer/ songwriter who doesn't need to live off association. He's recently put together a cool new outfit called THE YARDS, based in Chris's hometown of York. Chris spoke to TIM PEACOCK about all the new developments.
Since Chris's rollercoaster ride with THE SEAHORSES ended at the tail end of 1997 (after the successful album "Do It Yourself", but a lot of critical flak), he's been busy working on new material. We both want to concentrate on this, but initially I ask Chris if he feels he was under-estimated as a singer/ songwriter in THE SEAHORSES?
"I think I maybe used to feel like that," Chris muses. "It annoyed me in THE SEAHORSES when you realise that whatever you do or say it's all geared to the one person."
"Plus, I just didn't like the songs John was writing eventually," he admits plainly.
"So it's no real surprise it came to a head. We mutually realised we shouldn't be in a band together."
So when the boy looked at Johnny and realised this, what did he do next?
"Well, I'd been doing solo acoustic shows for a while and I got a real sense of freedom from doing them. Actually, I;ve found that if I don't do a gig for a month or so I get really down, so I often end up scheduling one in a pub really spontaneously."
For a period of time, Chris considered the solo route and wrote a lot of songs like "Matter Of Time," "Firefly" and "So Alive." Having heard rough recordings of these songs, I ask Chris is THE YARDS will still be playing these songs?
"Yeah, we do play them," he replies. "The thing is, I'm more into the new songs I write all the time, but all of those songs are popular with audiences, so I think we'll stick with them."
Eventually, Chris's solo shows mutated into his new band THE YARDS: a seven-piece line-up, also featuring PAUL BANKS (ex-SHED SEVEN), on lead guitar, former SEAHORSES bassist STUART FLETCHER, plus drummer JOHN MILLER, JOHN HARGREAVES (keyboards/ vocals), MATT McGAUGHEY (violin/ sampling) and JAMES LINDSAY (cello/ sampling). How did all this come together, Chris?
"It just gradually got off the ground," says Chris, matter-of-factly.
"Originally I was working with a guitarist called James Nesbitt, but that didn't quite work out. Stu (Fletcher) got involved when he helped out doing a show at Ronnie Scott's at about 24 hours notice - he learnt all the songs in that time! Paul (Banks) came in after the band he originally wanted to join didn't get off the ground."
"He told me he wanted to join us, but was scared to ask," laughs Chris.
The string players and sampling element may surprise some of Chris's detractors, who no doubt only equate him with 'classic' guitar rock since THE SEAHORSES...
"Well, the string players are both studying at York University," Chris remarks.
"Matt (McGaughey)'s gonna be a doctor of music. We're all happy to be living in York, so we just write and write. It's a good environment."
"The sampling side of the operation is mostly Matt's baby," he continues.
"I do choose the samples...mostly from old films. I just press record on my Mini-Disc. It's amazing what you can do with KORG ES1 samplers...any samples you use are unrecognisable after you've fucked around with them. Matt triggers all the samples I've chosen."
There again, people have tended to get the wrong impression of Chris previously anayway. Apart from the more obvious troubadours like John Martyn and Nick Drake, he's renowned as a big Prince fan. Who else influnces the Helme muse these days?
"Mmm..maybe it's to recover from the sleep deprivation of having a kid, but I'm listening to all sorts of things at he moment, " he replies.
"Let's see...The Stooges, Beck, Flaming Lips. But yeah, I still love Prince. I was a massive fan in my early teens. My sister brought "Purple Rain" home and I tried hard not to like it, but "Sign O' The Times" was so great: the soundtrack to my 'O' Level Art course. His sheer volume of work is stunning. Beck royally ripped the piss out of him with "Midnite Vultures", but I love that too."
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Is there a plan to make a record with THE YARDS soon, then?
"Yeah, probably a double A-side coupling "The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC" and "Get Off My Back." At the moment we're looking to go the independent route and sell it at gigs."
Chris sounds a little wary of having his fingers burnt after the SEAHORSES debacle, which is understandable...
"Well, looking back it was much more fun when I was in a band (CHUTZPAH) prior to the Seahorses. We toured round France in this stinky little van and it was brilliant. The Seahorses became routine and boring. Besides, I like getting it all done myself. I'm a bit of a control freak."
"The Devil Is Alive And Well And Living In DC" is a song-title we can all relate to in these increasingly precarious times (and it's got worse even in the short time since I spoke to Chris). What's the story behind you writing this one?
"Well, it's an ongoing thing," Chris sighs. "Ever since George W. Bush lied and cheated his way into power, really. Plus, I was reading that stupid book "White Americans" by Michael Moore and I got a bee in my bonnet. Let's just say it was something I needed to get out of my system and onto paper."
Maybe I'm looking too far ahead here, but as you have a lot of material stockpiled, will there be an album from THE YARDS this year?
"We're planning on doing one," Chris responds. "We've recorded a lot of stuff on our own without a producer and we've enjoyed that. There's a pub up on the moors here with a studio called Blakey Ridge. At the moment we'd like to go up there and get all the songs down in a week. That's the thinking at the moment at least."
What about the dynamic with songwriting in the band, Chris? Is working with Paul very different to John Squire?
"Yeah, well there's no baggage from Manchester for a start," says Chris, knowingly, rather than with bitterness.
"But it's great with Paul. We talk a lot more, so the line of communication's always open. Paul writes amazing songs too and he lets me borrow his guitars! (laughs)"
Finally, Chris, can you see THE YARDS remaining in York even if success strikes quickly?
"Yeah, of course, " he replies definitely.
"I stayed in York even during my time with The Seahorses. I did think of relocating to London, but I don't like it there. It's so clique-y, too scene-led."
"That said, " he continues, brightly, "I think the resurgence in guitars is great. The Leeds 2002 Festival was fantastic...one guitar band after another and most of them worthwhile. I teach kids guitar (8-18 year-olds) on occasion and the ones that wanna start bands are all talking about The Strokes. It's much better these days."
Much better all round, by the sound of it Chris.
(For MP3 downoads of new material by THE YARDS and all the latest recording/ gigging news, check out the band's official site at: http://www.theyards.org )
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