With a string of hits in the 80s and some terrific new music out now, BLANCMANGE are charting an extensive run of UK dates this Autumn, dropping in to Cardiff in October.
Embarking on a run of 29 dates around the country, the tour will follow the release of their highly anticipated new album: ‘Private View’ which is out on the 30th of this month.
Talking about the single Take Me Blancmange front man NEIL ARTHUR told us…….
“As usual I’m playing with double meanings and domestic references. Can you take me, in terms of the unpredictable aspects of a personality, or can you literally take me to our favourite place by the sea? And also how much does someone have to “take” before a relationship breaks down? How many times can your partner be expected to accept repeated mistakes? Where is the tipping point?”
With so much to chat about we put a call in to Neil to talk about the new material, the bands upcoming tour (dates below), and of course the early days of Blancmange.
Across the album, there’s a deft marriage of futuristic electronic sounds, Neil’s unmistakable vocal hooks, and songs that veer from buoyant and joyful to dark and brooding. Benge returns as a key collaborator, and David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker) returns as the guitarist, having previously performed with the band on 1982’s debut Happy Families (as well as several other Blancmange albums)
In their post-punk early days, Blancmange made tape loops and experimental sounds with kitchen utensils, before developing into one of the definitive chart-topping British electronic pop acts. Since reforming in 2011 (Luscombe had to leave shortly after for health reasons) Meil has harnessed a duality of experimentation and seamless pop melody to release a staggering 10 albums in the last decade.
“I don’t know whether I’m on a roll but I feel something in me has been released. I used to hold back and I didn’t trust myself. While I’m still full of self-doubt I’m now quite comfortable with it. This is it. We’ve only got one time around the block, so make the most of it.”
The past is used as a trigger to create new ideas and build fresh momentum, not as somewhere to linger……
“A lot of people are frightened of the future and are quite happy to have a repeat of something that was done before. But it’s just not for me. Looking forward you’ve got a hell of a world to try and navigate through at the moment. We’re all moving forward – so we’ve got to try and find some answers.”
Private View is a record that manages to capture an artist who is potently in the moment when it comes to creating new work, while also being able to draw on 40 years’ worth of knowledge, experience and built-in intuition………
“I’m really lucky to be able to make the music completely on my own terms. Within myself there are no limits, there’s a massive palette inside and I will try anything.”
BLANCMANGE release Private View at the end of the month on London Records and head out on a tour soon after. They get to the University Y Plas in Cardiff on Friday 14th October. To find out more, and get tickets, which are £25 plus a booking fee, go HERE.
And you can check out what the band are up to HERE.
