Why Ian Brown battles on (From The Northern Echo)

Why Ian Brown battles on

11:23am Thursday 19th November 2009

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As he prepares to play Newcastle City Hall next month, Ian Brown admits that his reputation for causing trouble has done him no favours. Viv Hardwick reports.

"DO I read my interviews? Mmmmm, sometimes,” says 46-year-old former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown. “Sometimes I do, if I see it. I’ll stand in the shop and have a quick perusal. Gets a few glances if someone catches me looking at meself though. Not very cool is it?”

Sadly, Brown’s recent arrest at his West Kensington, London, home, following an allegation that he had assaulted his 37-year-old wife, Fabiola Quiroz, ensures that the singer remains a controversial character.

His take on such situations is interesting. “Why worry? It’s a cliche, but it’s true – you worry about something, it’s not going to change. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I’ve always had that mentality. That’s why I still look young,” he says..

“I’ve got a few grey hairs, but that’s just having kids that’s done that to me. Actually, I worry about my kids.

My lad’s 17 and a half now, so I’ll think ‘He’s out in his car, it’s three in the morning, where is he?’ But then I only worry he’s crashed because I’ll have to pay the insurance.”

Brown plays Newcastle City Hall on December 14 and his latest album, entitled My Way went to No 8 in the Uk chart. On it, he voiced his disapproval of the war in Iraq, the conflicts caused by religion, and politicians who stand by while there are children living on the street.

“I wanted to bring it back full circle with this record. It’s not because I’m happier with those situations. I wrote the last album so that rather than sitting in interviews and talking about the war, repeating myself, I wanted to document it on an album.

“Newspaper quickly becomes chip wrappers, but with an album, I could record my thoughts on the injustices in the world… this album is about my life, my feelings and my personal way of being. Hopes, dreams aspirations and all of that. It’s an upbeat record, to connect with people and uplift.”

Reminded of his threat to quit music at one stage, Brown says: “I said that after the Roses, and things had got so messy with that I just wanted a clean life, and what could be cleaner than growing flowers and taking them to market.”

But his reputation is one of being a swaggering frontman, nicknamed King Monkey, alongside stories about him being abusive to air stewards (he was sentenced to four months in prison for threatening to cut a hostess’ hands off) and having onstage altercations with security guards.

Yet Brown claims he doesn’t drink, and he talks about his kids – he has three; nine-year-old son Emilio with Fabiola, and two from a previous relationship – and drops in heartwarming stories he’s picked up from his travels.

“Did you know there are drummers in Japan who go up into the mountains to master the art? It takes them nine years to learn the beat, then they come down the mountain, carrying these 30ft-long drums, and play for the villagers. Nine years!

Longer than it takes to be a doctor, rhythm studying. That’s deep.”

So is he a thug?

“I don’t think I’ve done myself any favours because I’m up on YouTube fighting with my security guard and all that, but I swear I’ve not had a proper fight since I was 14. I only hit him in the arm.

“I’m not into fighting and I never have been, but a little YouTube film makes me look like a thug. But what can I do about that? Most of the country thinks northerners are barbarians, that we’re a bunch of rough-arsed monkeys.

“Think about it, how can I be macho? I’m an Englishman that doesn’t drink beer, which makes me a rarity, and I’m a singer.

“That’s a bit effeminate isn’t it?

How can you be a macho man if you’re strutting around on stage singing?”

■ Ian Brown, Newcastle City Hall, Monday, December 14. Tickets: £26.

Box Office: 0191- 2612-606 newcastlecityhall.co.uk Ian Brown’s sixth album My Way is out now. ianbrown.co.uk

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