Interview

BLACK : “To live in Liverpool, it heightened my personality” First in trio, then in duo, lastly in solo, Colin writes songs which are right on target. By trying to not take showbiz seriously.

The swaying, slightly nostalgic music of Wonderful life, it wasn’t this one that Colin Vearncombe wrote in 1981. More aggressive, it motivated the choice of his pseudonym : Black, "a name easy to remember, short and hard".
Premonition? Colin went to brood before reaching the popularity that the success of his new album is giving to him today: heartfelt ballads where romanticism and derision are mixing subtly.

Six years of combat, from trio to duo, before continuing solo, that’s maybe contribute to this result all in nuances. Because the English of Liverpool has seen rapidly his insolence melts away for clarity full of humility, "When i begun, I was young and arrogant and I thought that all went to be very simple and easy... but I’ve learned the lesson”. First disappointment: changing and illusion are the two sides of showbiz. "The success shows its face in 1981 until 1983 (we toured with the Thompson Twins). An exhilarating time but misleading one. I learned that we couldn’t take the showbiz world seriously. If we fall into the trap, we lose the contact with reality”.

First acclaimed, Black (who was become the duo Colin Vearncombe-Dave Dix) must face to the worse critical: one says that they form a group of studio, overrated and prefabricated. Second blow in 1985: Far to be as “a long silent river” life seems to him as a sinister farce, his wife left him, his mother fell ill, his production company and his editors abandoned him. And Colin escaped at two car accidents. "1985 was an awful year, all went wrong, at the end that went so much bad that i laughed hysterically all the time, life reached a such degree of absurdity!". So the sarcasm of the song “Sweetest smile” wrote in the pain. In the meantime, his acolyte Dave turned towards the production.

But Colin is native from Liverpool, the town where we learn to fight to pull through. "The only thing which matters for people from Liverpool it’s to have enough eating, because the unemployment is rife.” The foot and the pop music are the two ways to pull through, that’s why we take so much seriously the music." Again alone Colin draws his driving strength within his native town. "The rivalry is here very intense. To live there it heightens the personality, maybe that’s why the Liverpool’s groups, unlike the London’s ones, are often deeper and wilder". Through this ambiance Colin finds faith little by little. He stands back and succeeds to exorcize his unrest in using an irony in a subdued style. “Most groups put a touch of humour in their songs 'cause at Liverpool, one doesn't forgive to be pretentious".

Since, Black has signed a new contract. His album is a success but Colin dares barely to be delighted with it: “There is always something wrong with me, I’m not English for nothing, I always complain. Then I’m dreaming to be popular in France because here people know appreciate the arts, the wines and good food. And I have the impression that the public is more constant than in England. The French people are spectators more faithful to their idols”.
Black has reached his goal: France is stuck for him. The trust found, to hell the solitary restless wandering: Black must soon be enriched with eight musicians, so the life is wonderful, isn’t it?