The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess talks to Your Move

After spearheading the early ‘90s indie explosion, conquering the charts and reinventing themselves on countless occasions, The Charlatans are heading to Liverpool for a joint headline concert at the Echo Arena with fellow rock veterans James. Your Move caught up with the band’s lead singer Tim Burgess to find out more about the show, the group’s legacy and what keeps him coming back to the city.

Interview by Mark Langshaw

The Charlatans will share the stage with James next month. What has brought the two bands together?

We’ve been talking for a while about doing a show together – bands get caught up in recording and their own tours and it’s hard to know where the time goes. Then, like the planets aligning, the opportunity came up for a gig on 10 December. We looked for a venue and all agreed that the Echo Arena Liverpool was the best option. After that we got to talking about doing a song together on the night and a few ideas have gone back and forth. We’re due to have a couple of run-throughs in the soundcheck.

Both James and The Charlatans enjoyed major chart success in the ‘90s. Has your motivation for making music changed since then?

Not at all. The landscape of the charts has changed a lot though – we both had top 10 albums with our last releases but the singles chart is not really our domain any more. The rise of music streaming means that Justin Bieber and his cohorts take up most of the top 10 at any given time.

We’ve always been a band that makes albums and plays gigs. We’ve never been too bothered about how we are viewed in the wider world. We headline festivals and play around the world, and that was something that excited us when we started and still does now.

Our motivation to make music has been for us and the fans, which means none of us have to go back to our day jobs. They told me in 1990 that they’d keep my job open for me, but I’m not sure they meant until now.

You launched your second book ‘Tim Book Two: Vinyl Adventures From Istanbul to San Francisco’ this year. How did your experiences writing it compare to that of its predecessor ‘Telling Stories’?

‘Telling Stories’ was about me and my life in The Charlatans – it meant pulling no punches and presenting an honest view, including tragedy, heartbreak and happiness. ‘Tim Book Two’ was a little different as there was less soul searching and it was centred around record shops so I was in my comfort zone. I enjoyed writing both but the second book was more fun.

“I really love Probe Records and Dig Vinyl… And I came to The Jam exhibition when it was at the Cunard Building.”

Are we likely to see a third book in the future?

Never say never. That’s not the title, I think James Bond nabbed that one. ‘Tim Book Two’ started with a name and I jotted down ‘One, Two Another’, so maybe there will be a third book.

Which of your many accomplishments with The Charlatans are you most proud of?

I’m really proud of what the songs mean to people. Whenever we’re talking to fans, they tell us about how a certain song has an important place in their life. Once we’ve recorded them it’s like releasing a bird into the wild. They go and create their own stories and people take them to their hearts.

If you had to pick a favourite Charlatans album and song, what would they be and why?

‘Some Friendly’ is my favourite Charlatans album as it opened so many doors for us, and ‘Come Home Baby’ from our 12th studio album ‘Modern Nature’ is my current favourite song.

> Explore Your Move’s What’s On guide for upcoming music gigs and much more

What is the band up to at the moment, besides preparing for the gig? Do you have any plans to re-enter the studio? 

We are definitely planning to go back into the studio but we’re not sure when yet. There are a few plans that come together when we are between albums and we’re kind of ticking the boxes on those.

You seem to be in Liverpool a fair bit, whether it’s with The Charlatans, playing a DJ set or doing a book signing. What is it about our city that keeps you coming back?

I really enjoy spending time in Liverpool and it’s not too far away for a day out if we’re in the studio. I really love Probe Records and Dig Vinyl. I played a DJ set recently at The Shipping Forecast, which I really enjoyed, and I came to The Jam exhibition when it was at the Cunard Building. I’m also thinking of doing a bit of Christmas shopping before the Echo Arena gig.

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