SQUEEZE – Glenn Tilbrook
By: Lori Smerilson Carson | Photos: Dean Chalkley, Scott Saldinger & Nicky J Sims
When you encompass a variety of musical influences and genres, you create music that is outstanding, unique and memorable. This is what rock band SQUEEZE has done since their debut self-titled album released in 1977. They continued making their mark in the world of music with COOL for CATS released in 1979, then entered the eighties with ARGYBARGY in 1980, EAST SIDE STORY… in 1981, and sweets from a stranger in 1982 which all spawned hits such as “Up The Junction”, “Another Nail in My Heart”, “Tempted” and “Black Coffee In Bed”. Years flew by and the band continued their imprint during the nineties and two thousands with more incredible music, and now, fifty years later, they’ve reflected back to 1974 releasing their latest LP trixies. This album is where it basically all started for Founders Guitarist/Vocalist/Lyricist Chris Difford and Vocalist/Guitarist/Songwriter Glenn Tilbrook when they created this concept, storytelling record that they recently have brought to life. Live, SQUEEZE is currently touring with Adam Ant, Haircut 100 and Leon Tilbrook (Glenn’s son). Floridians can experience this new show on August 18th in St. Augustine at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre, August 19th in Clearwater at The BayCare Sound, and August 20th in Hollywood at Hard Rock Live.
Catching up with Tilbrook prior to the tour starting, he revealed some details about the new show that he and Difford along with bandmates Bassist Owen Biddle, Percussionist Steve Smith, Guitarist Melvin Duffy, Drummer Simon Hanson, Keyboardist Stephen Large, and Vocalist Danica Dora will be playing, the music on their trixies album, his favorite genre, and what fans can look forward to.
SFL Music Magazine: How did the new tour come about with Adam Ant, Haircut 100 and Leon Tilbrook?
Glenn Tilbrook: Well, we’re searching for that winning formula that will attract people to come in, and I know about Adam Ant obviously. I’ve not seen him and I’m looking forward to seeing him. I’ve heard very good things about him and obviously, I know a lot of his material. Haircut 100, I have seen, and they’re great! Leon, (he said with a smile) he’s my blood relative! He’s great!
SFL Music Magazine: What can fans look forward to with the new SQUEEZE show?
Tilbrook: I think that we really have gone through a bit of a change. Over the last five years, we’ve been getting better and better, and I can see that in the audience. I think when COVID first hit, it was a good time to step back and see where we were, and I think that we were good, but there were lots of things that I can identify where we could be better. We’ve worked on those things, and we are significantly better than we used to be. I think we’re the best now we’ve ever been and I think that the audience doesn’t lie to you when you see them. When I see the reaction we’re getting, it’s like, the only time I can compare it to is when we were first getting hot. That’s all the excitement which is amazing!
SFL Music Magazine: Your new album trixies is a concept album with storytelling which you can hear on the songs “Trixies, Pt. 1” and “Trixies, Pt 2”, as well as “The Place We Call Mars”. When I last spoke with Chris, he said that he had the idea in the back of his mind, but you both listened to the songs and decided to record them. What would you say inspired you?
Tilbrook: I think what it is, is that, when we wrote trixies we knew it was good, and we played it to all our friends, and then nothing really happened. We didn’t get a deal or anything and you have to move on. So, it sort of got buried, and by the time we were signed, trixies would have been about the worst thing to record because it was so totally against the grain of punk and everything. You know, there are eight million chords and a concept album, it just wasn’t done in 1977,8 or 9. So, we’ve moved on from that time, but going back to it, I think how sweet the songs are. First of all, they were very complicated in a good way. Secondly, musically, I was picking up on a lot of things that were happening really between 1971 and ‘74 of all the influences I had. I wasn’t going outside of that very tight time of listening to like Wings and Sparks, and various different people that I can hear. David Bowie of course. I can hear on the album every song, Stevie Wonder, is influenced by someone specifically, and it sounds like that, but it doesn’t sound like that.
SFL Music Magazine: You can hear that with the vocals and different tempos, bluesy, jazzy, rock. It has everything.
Tilbrook: Yeah.
SFL Music Magazine: It’s a great album! Is there a new one coming out?
Tilbrook: There is a new one. We did the same amount of new songs as we did old songs for trixies. So, there’s a thirteen-track album which we’re going back to now. Actually, I’ve just been doing some stuff with it this morning. We recorded all the tracks at the same time, both albums, and then once all the tracks were done, we left the new songs and concentrated on finishing trixies. So, now we’re finishing the other ones, and it’s really exciting. When we finished trixies, I felt a bit intimidated by how good it turned out, and now I’m feeling not so intimidated because this one is turning out just as well, and these songs are really strong.
SFL Music Magazine: What influences you when you write music in general?
Tilbrook: It’s anything that you pick up on or listen to, and I sort of sometimes, but I got to say, it’s easier to analyze when I started out what influences me than it is to say what influences me now because I have like sixty years of listening to stuff. I’m always alive to the new things, but I don’t want to do new things that other people are doing. I want to do it through our prism. That’s the thing to try and judge and get right. I’m listening to so much different stuff. Always a lot of jazz. I’ve always been a jazz music fan, but I’m not jazz player. But I love the chord changes.
SFL Music Magazine: You can hear that influence in Part1.
Tilbrook: Yeah, yeah.
SFL Music Magazine: SQUEEZE received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contributions to British Music, and several other accolades. What would you say attributes to the band’s longevity and success?
Tilbrook: I think one of the things is we never got disillusioned. You can’t know how you’re going to react to new circumstances. So, when you experience some career decline, I know some people in bands or individual musicians feel very proud to have achieved success and feel disappointed when that’s not maintained. It is disappointing, but then I’ve always thought that because I had the opportunity to express going back little places, not playing to many people. I remember thinking, well if this is where I am, I’m ok with that because I enjoy playing. I really like it and I still feel like I’m moving forward, but just not to so many people now. So, having had that downward arc, I feel good about myself and wherever it ends up, and I’ll always want to do it. Here I am. I’m still doing it!
SFL Music Magazine: Yes, you are and very strongly! So, what would you recommend to a new musician or new band?
Tilbrook: I think you’ve got to follow your heart, do whatever it is. It’s always been a difficult business. Maybe more so now than ever, but I always remember listening to a program on NPR when I was on tour in America in one of the earlier years. They were interviewing this guy who had a big band and he said, “we were doing really well in 1954. Within a year, we’d lost our business. All our work went,” and that can happen to anyone. You just have to be alive and aware of the times. Music, the way to present it is always changing, and just don’t get stuck with feeling it should be one way because it can always change.
SFL Music Magazine: That’s great advice! You and Chris are involved in charities. You’re involved in the Trussell charity which is working toward ending food banks in the U.K. You’ve raised money both as a solo artist as well as with SQUEEZE. How did you get involved?
Tilbrook: Well, I was really drawn to the Trussell Trust. I sort of grew up as a single parent family. My mom sometimes didn’t have a lot, and it can be quite a hard place. Particularly for her. I was sort of quite oblivious to it. But everyone can do with help and advice. I can only speak really for the U.K., but sometime people can fall through the cracks and that’s a very harsh, alone place to be. So, Trussel Trust offers help with food, advice about how you can maybe get out of that situation or help yourself to get out of it.
SFL Music Magazine: Are you a part of that help and advice?
Tilbrook: No, I mean, I don’t have the skillset to do that. I have the skillset to play the music. I have a one trick pony (he laughed).
SFL Music Magazine: Was there anything in particular you are looking forward to when you come to Florida?
Tilbrook: It’s just nice to be there. I love walking around when I’m on tour and exploring, and even if I’ve been to places, there’s always something different to find. So, I’m looking forward to being there and hanging out. I’ve got some friends there that I’m looking forward to seeing.
SFL Music Magazine: Is there anything else you and SQUEEZE are working on for fans to know? Anything else about the shows?
Tilbrook: New album, tour. We look great! We’ve got shop tailoring, and we’re ready to roll and rock!
