Page 16 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

Toby Jepson

The Wayward Sons frontman on broken Britain, protest

records, Little Angels and not having regrets.

Words: Henry Yates Portrait: Paul Harries
D uring a three-decade career, the singer and Do you mind that you haven’t been defined by a single band?

Not at all. I’m a sort of journeyman in lots of ways. I’ve always
songwriter’s itchy feet have led him through
a number of bands – from 90s contenders Little
regarded myself as a songwriter first, and a singer and performer
Angels to Fastway, Gun and more. He also has
second. I’ve enjoyed my journey, I’ve had a great life, and achieved
a slew of production credits, and a sideline as an
actor in films including Gladiator. But in 2019 this
any of that nonsense. But I’ve got high hopes for Wayward Sons.
eternal journeyman says he’s sticking with Wayward Sons, the a lot more than most. I’m not concerned with being a superstar or
This is the last band I’ll ever be in.
British rockers whose second album, The Truth Ain’t What It Used To
Be, is a warts-and-all snapshot of where we are. Have you drawn a line under Little Angels, then?
I don’t know. I certainly would like to see the catalogue used again.
Do you think 2019 has been a good year for rock’n’roll? I think Little Angels’ music has been left dormant. Yes, it gets played
I do, actually. Because the one massively important thing about occasionally on various radio stations. But the reality is that there’s
times of strife and struggle is that it always generates good music. three studio albums full of songs that did really well, and in many
My favourite record this year was The Wildhearts’ Renaissance Men. ways they’re kind of forgotten. And I’d like to try to do something
There’s absolutely tons of music out there now. It’s almost white with that. Whether we’ll ever do shows again… I’ll never say never,
noise to a degree. But I do believe the cream still rises to the top. but there’d have to be a serious reason for it, because I don’t want to
short-change the fans. I’m not into just doing a bank-raid. And we’d
What’s the best gig you’ve seen this year? have to make new music, and I’m not into that.
Foreigner at Ramblin’ Man. I’ve never been a huge fan, but I stood at
the barrier and it was hit after hit. Bands like that are the masters. How would you do things differently if you were starting
And therein lies a massive lesson: it all comes down to longevity. Little Angels again tomorrow?
That’s what’s wrong with the modern business. You have to allow On one hand, I’d do everything differently. On the other hand,
bands to evolve. I wouldn’t change a thing. We were kids. I was twenty-one when
I signed my record deal. I think Jim Dickinson was about to turn
As a producer, what do you think of the sound of rock’n’roll seventeen. We didn’t have a fucking clue. But the only minor regret
in 2019? I have in my life is not being strong enough to turn around to the
It’s a double-edged sword, when you’re talking specifically about guys [in 1994] and say: “Why the fuck are we playing to seven
recording. The whole aspect of digital recording presents thousand people at the Royal Albert Hall and the band are splitting
a conundrum, because it can easily help you to cut corners, put up?” But it was all very blurred, and it all seemed to be over in a flash.
a band aid over a problem. So I think the sound of modern Next minute, I’m sat back in my house going: “What the fuck
rock’n’roll is suffering a bit because of the nature of the technology. actually happened there? Why are we no longer a band?”
I always urge my bands: “We have to make this about the
performance, we have to make this real, and the authenticity comes Do you ever wish you hadn’t lost all that time away from
from you actually playing and delivering it. But mainly it comes music after Little Angels?
from the stuff that’s coming out of your mouth” Well, we were having children, and I didn’t want to be away from
them. I came out of Little Angels in a bit of a cloud. It was a difficult
It’s not just the end of the year, it’s also the end of the decade. end. And I made a solo record quite quickly, and that bombed. I got
How do you think this era in rock’n’roll will be remembered? very poorly [with pneumonia], and all sorts of things happened. But
I think it remains to be seen whether the internet has been our what you’ve got to do in this business is pick yourself up and carry
friend. It’s great that we can all communicate, and there’s no doubt on. You can’t regret anything. Regrets are utterly pointless.
that it’s given a voice to everybody. But that’s good and bad. And that
absolutely resonates in the music business. Just because you can Fifty-two is a funny age. Do you think your best music is
record music and release something doesn’t mean you should. I think ahead of you, or behind you?
this explosion of digital technology has impacted massively on music I actually think it’s ahead of me. I’ve kind of got that ‘don’t give a fuck’
and how we consume and make it. So maybe that’s going to be the attitude now. I mean every single word of this new record. There’s
conversation about this decade: has it been a good experiment? a lot of anger and an awful lot of frustration there, but there’s also
a lot of hope. I’ve allowed my personality to spill out into this record,
Has 2019 been a good year for you personally? more so than I’ve ever done before. I’ve got a lot to say, still. I still feel
I think so. For all my gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands, completely ambitious. But who knows? People might hate this
actually I’ve always been an optimist. I believe in people. I’m record and it might be game over.
absolutely a humanist. Wayward Sons is my second bite at the
cherry, and I’m massively grateful for it. But I do believe it’s being Wayward Sons’ The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be is out now
driven by a huge amount of positivity. via Frontiers Music.

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