Native Monster caught up with Lisa Stansfield to find out what makes her Perfect Weekend.

Soul singer Lisa Stansfield has returned to the live scene, 25 years after topping the charts with All Around the World. It is 10 years since the release of her last album, but Stansfield is looking forward to her return. She will kick off her UK tour at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on September 5.

It’s Friday afternoon, what’s on your mind? 

Wondering how I’m going to spend my time at the weekend. Sometimes I make plans but other times I leave things to chance. It’s lovely when unexpected and special moments occur, when you don’t know the magic will happen. 

That’s if I’m not working. If I’m working I think ‘Oh no, why am I working!’ 

Who normally has the pleasure of your company at the weekends?  

If I am not working it is my friends and family, wherever I am. I have friends all over the place so wherever I go I usually can hook up with someone. However my favourite person to spend any weekend with is my lovely husband Ian. 

How do you prepare for a big night out? 

Usually take as much time as possible if I can. I hate to rush when I’m getting ready but sometimes time is very limited. I like to take time to do my make-up and get dressed slowly. I’ll take my time and have a glass of champagne and then put on my high heels and go for it. I really enjoy getting ready, sometimes it’s better than the night out.

What’s your favourite party outfit?

My favourite dress at the moment is a vintage Oscar De La Renta gown with matching veil that I first wore for the National Lottery show. It’s absolutely beautiful.

You’ve just arrived at the bar, what’s your first drink?

Usually a nice cold glass of Prosecco.

What is your favourite night spot and why?

I love the Saturday night disco at the Standard Hotel in LA. It’s a gorgeous feel. No pretention. I also love Madame Jojos in Soho on a Friday night. It has been around for 60 or more years and is known as a cabaret and burlesque club. Every Friday my friend Snowboy has a night there called the Good Foot. He DJs and has guest DJs and it’s fantastic. Having said that, I love anywhere when I’m with my favourite people.

It’s a sunny Saturday, what are you up to? 

I usually meet up with friends at the local pub. They have a lovely garden and it’s so refreshing just to spend time in the sun with the people who I care about. I also take my dogs for a walk on the Heath. 

What’s your most memorable weekend ever and why?

The weekend that my husband Ian took me to Amsterdam and proposed to me. 

What’s your recipe for the perfect night in?

No clothes on, in bed with an Indian. I’ve no idea of his name but he seems very nice?! Other than that . . . loads of junk food, a few bottles of wine with friends and a load of comedy on the telly. 

Favourite DVD and what would you eat while watching it? 

Now Voyager – I love that film on a Sunday. Beauty! Sausage butty. I love old sci-fi films . . . like Logan’s Run, Soylent Green, The Time Machine. 

Sunday breakfast: cooked or continental?

Oh I’ve said this already. A sausage butty, definitely!

Sunday lunch: home cooked or down the pub?

It depends how busy I am but I love to have it cooked for me.   

Where and how do you like to relax?

Watching rubbish daytime telly. I love detective shows like Colombo and I’ve watched every episode of Friends about 50 times. I also really like baking. I’ve got the new Mary Berry book. The only problem is that I tend to bake far too much so I end up giving loads of it away. I also watch a lot of TV on catch up and can waste far too long watching silly things on YouTube.

You have the whole weekend off and a wad of cash. Which country or city would you head to? 

I would love to take to everyone to Madagascar . .  . I don’t really know why.

Twenty five years after topping the charts globally with the single ‘All Around The World’ and ten years after the release of her last album, the Grammy nominated, multi-BRIT, Ivor Novello and Silver Clef Award winner – the Rochdale singer who can boast sales of nearly 20 million records and a string of international top 10 hits – is back looking and sounding better than ever.

With new album ‘Seven’ hitting number 13 in the UK album charts and a big tour ahead of her, we thought it only right to feature local girl Lisa on the glossy pages of VIVA! So before our photography team kidnapped the music icon for the afternoon we sent VIVA Ems down to Cicchetti to have a bit of a chin- wag with the lovely Lisa Stansfield.

VIVA EMS: So Lisa, your new album Seven came out end of last year, it hit number thirteen in the charts. Were you happy with that?

LISA: It was absolutely incredible.

VIVA EMS: It’s been ten years since you released your last album. What have you been doing?

LISA: I did quite a bit at acting and an awful, awful amount of writing. Just constantly writ- ing all the time. Writing songs and coming up with ideas and stuff like that. I wasn’t just sit- ting in bed for ten years eating chocolates. I suppose it’s all been leading up to this album, really. It’s been preparation for this. It took a lot of time but hopefully it’s worth the wait.

VIVA EMS: Have you been mostly based locally or have you been away living abroad?

LISA: We were in New York for a while and we just got a place in LA. So some of the first things we did on the album were done in New York, in our wardrobe – well like a walk-in closet. We just set up a whole vocal room in there. We had sound proofing and I glued all the sound proofing into the wall. We’re good at amending.

VIVA EMS: We’ve actually been to your studio in Rochdale, to interview the Sticks when they were rehearsing there.

LISA: Yeah, we did most of the recording in Graceland for this album!

VIVA EMS: I read somewhere the reason it’s taken so long to get this album to come out is that you really didn’t fit in anywhere. Why was this?

LISA: Just because what was going on at the time wasn’t really what I was into. I think that when there’s a predominant genre of music at a certain time, if you’re going to try to put something that’s different out there you may as well just flush it down the toilet because nobody is going to want to listen to it. But, when the mood is right and when everyone is receptive to a certain thing, then that’s when you go in and you attack.

VIVA EMS: How long did it take you and Ian (husband) to put the album together? Was it a long process or did you decide to do it over the last year?

LISA: Well it was weird because we were writing for so long. We were constantly making lists and rewriting the lists. This is a good track, that’s a good track or not, because they were songs. So really, in the very end, it was very quick what we did and we did most of it at Graceland. We did some of it in London but most of it at Graceland.

VIVA EMS: You have a shed load of awards already but do you think any of the tracks on the latest album have potential to get an award? We really like ‘The Rain.’

LISA: One of our best friends, Andrew, he’ll get drunk in the evening and he’ll text me at two a.m. telling me, ‘You’re a genius. I’m listening to The Rain.’ and I’m like, steady on love.

VIVA EMS: Ha ha! Is that about Manchester because it’s always raining here?

LISA: No. Well actually, it’s funny because we were in New York. There’s a really lovely bar called Finelli’s and it’s on Mercer Street. You know the Mercer Hotel. So we would always go there and it was absolutely p*ssing it down. You know when you get stuck there and if it’s four o’clock in New York, you can’t get a taxi anywhere, because they all change shift at the same time. So from four til five you can’t find a taxi anywhere. So we were just stuck in Finnelli’s in the rain and that’s kind of what we did with the idea. And I said, “How come everywhere we f**king go, it rains?” We even went on holiday to Barbados for two weeks, when it was supposed to be the sunniest time and it p*ssed it down for two weeks.

VIVA EMS: Probably because you take the Manchester rain with you 
LISA: Maybe that’s why we write music. Because we never see the f**king sun.

VIVA EMS: Another one of my favourites is “Stupid Heart.” You’ve had a few tracks in the past that have been on soundtracks and, for me, that tune would be on a soundtrack. Do you see any potentials for a soundtrack?

LISA: That’s something we have to potentially approach. It’s so amazing when you can get a song in a film.

VIVA EMS: This album is about a lady who is kind of trapped in love. So you could make a film out of your album?

LISA: Well that’s the sort of thing I’m try- ing to do, in a way. We’re doing vignettes and such. In the end, we really want to release a DVD with films of all the tracks.

VIVA EMS: Oh wow, that sounds like it’s going to be amazing! Do you just think of characters and the songs come around it?

LISA: I think things just pop into your head and at first they don’t make sense. You just start singing, and then you think, ‘What the f**k does that mean?’ You have to make sense of it yourself out of your own head. At the end you go, ‘F**king hell, I’m really weird aren’t I?’ It’s sort of like being your own psychiatrist.

VIVA EMS: Ha ha! So tell me about act- ing. You’ve done quite a bit! Do you prefer that to singing?

LISA: I really enjoy it. But no, It’s really nice to go between the two because you never really get bored. VIVA EMS: I know you have recently been featured in a locally made film called Northern Soul, what’s your character all about?

LISA: Yeah, we watched it for the first time the other night. It was so good. Well, I play the main character’s Mum. It’s quite ironic really because I’m the Mum who wants to be the upright citizen with every- thing squeaky clean. So she encourages her son to go to the youth club because he never goes out. He just sits with his Grand- dad at home and does really boring things. So he agrees begrudgingly and I’m like, ‘YES. I’m so glad he’s going to the youth club.’ and then he just gets into all sorts of trouble.

VIVA EMS: Talking about some localness and bands and such, a lot of the big bands have gotten back together in the last few years, like Happy Mondays and Stone Roses. I know that your influences growing up were Barry White and Marvin Gay. Were there any local bands that inspired you or you wanted to be in?

LISA: I think I was really always influ- enced by American soul, you know. That’s what my Mum played in the house when I was little. It’s always there; it’s in your soul. So no, I wasn’t really influenced by anyone around here. I do love The Happy Mondays and Stone Roses though. They’re absolutely brilliant. I met Ian Brown the other night, because he came to the film. He is so lovely. He’s one of those people who you think – and I think I’m probably a bit like this – people think I’m very cold and aloof. He’s like me, he’s really happy and really nice.

VIVA EMS: You’ve always been quite a stylish woman. I mean you set the trend for the legendary curl, didn’t you!

LISA: Ha ha I don’t know if I did that but if you have your own personal style, I think the trick is not to try too hard because sometimes it’s f**king awful when you try too hard, like when everything matches! Women get the shoes dyed to mass their dress and they’re going to Ascot!

VIVA EMS: Have you got any favourite designers?

LISA: Literally, if I like something it can be high street or it can be troll. It can be anything. I think that if you’re going to wear a jacket that costs two thousand pounds, it doesn’t matter whether you’re wearing a Gap tee-shirt or not. It’s what you see when you try it on in the mirror and not think too much about what other people think of you. If you like it, then it’s good for you. I’ve got a brilliant guy work- ing with me at the moment and we’ve become really good friends. He’s called Johnny Blue Eyes and he’s an amazing thinker and he’s very innovative. He’s a stylist and he does his own performance art. He’s incredible as a stylist. He’s like bang, bang, bang!

VIVA EMS: You’ve got the new tour starting soon, are you excited?

LISA: We did quite a bit last year, as well. So we’re kind of back in the swing of things. We tested things out and it all went really, really well. We’re not just go- ing to do all the new music but a mixture of old and new. I think it’s really cruel if people pay a lot of money to come see you and you just play things they’ve never even heard before. That’s not nice to me.

VIVA EMS: Well, it’s always on the encores that everyone breaks out into the old skool classics isn’t it!

LISA: Yeah, of course. That whole tactic ha ha!

photos: Jamie Cowlishaw | styling: Ross Forsythe | make-up: Collette Casey | hair: Lizzie Bardsley |VIVATV: Tobias Longmate
http://vivalifestyle.co.uk/lisa-stansfield/

On days when we are in and out with two overnighters back to back, it makes sense to just camp up at the venue rather than schlep backwards and forwards to and from a hotel. This was a nice modern venue with good dressing rooms and showers so that’s what we did.

It’s actually rather convenient and means that the vital locations of the day – stage, dressing room, catering and bunk – are all within a couple of minutes walk of each other.

The day started well with a good old fry up and a couple of strong coffees and I was ready to take on the world.

The venue – The Congress Centre – was a modern place with big, wide, comfortable seats and a steep rake to the auditorium. It was a beautiful building with lovely acoustics and I’m sure very comfortable for the audience but, if I’m honest, we kind of knew that the atmosphere at the gig would be a little flat and reserved. It’s almost always the case that the more comfy the seats, the less involved the audience gets and that rule certainly held that evening.

The comfy seat syndrome was also exacerbated by the fact that the stage was huge and the front row was a corporation bus ride away.

And so, we awoke early in the morning already parked outside the venue in Hamburg.

A brass eye view (if you’ll pardon the expression!)

This is why we all much prefer playing in clubs as the vibe is always so much better. As the audience are all standing, none of them has to feel conscious about blocking the view of someone sitting behind them. They’re all in the same boat and it doesn’t take much to get it rocking!

Anyway, it’s not our job to moan about the conditions – as good at is as we are – but rather to crack on and give every show 100% for the sake of the people who have paid good money to see Lisa – seated or not.

After breakfast we all filled in the time with our own stuff – emails, Facebook etc. and before we knew it it was lunch time.

One of the down sides of touring as a band member (and there aren’t many, I admit) is the fact that there are often sizeable chunks of time to be filled. There is a famous quote from Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the band who, when asked how he would sum up 25 years of the Rolling Stones replied “5 years playing and 20 years hanging around”. That will certainly resonate with anyone who has toured for more than a few weeks at a time.

Unfortunately, one of the ways in which you fill the time is by eating and, given there is food everywhere – catering, in the dressing room, on the bus – it sometimes feels like I regularly eat my own body weight in Bountys.

As the venue was pretty central, after lunch Mick and I had a walk into town for a look around.

As a city named after fast food it’s a very pleasant place and we had a good look around, I bought some shoes and then we had a coffee by the lakeside and watched the world go by.

Come to think of it there are a number of food themed cities in Germany, all of which are very beautiful places. Hamburg, Frankfurt, the Black Forest, Vienna (ok, that’s Austria but….. hey).

In the UK, of course, we have Eccles, Pontefract, Dundee.

Ah, well….. perhaps not.

Ich bin ein Hamburger

Sightseeing done, we headed back to the venue for the soundcheck and my traditional pre-show zzzz and before we knew it we were at the side of the stage ready to go on.

As expected, the audience were a little muted at first but Lisa always manages to get them up on their feet and rocking. With typical teutonic efficiency however, the stewards shepherded the party animals who had come to the front back to their seats but, each time within a couple of minutes Lisa had them back again and this game of musical chairs (?) went on for half the show until the stewards gave up.

So, after another great show we were all in high spirits and looking for some mischief – particularly as the next day was a day off.

We were driving overnight to Bremen but we couldn’t leave until 1.00am – something to do with the driver’s hours – so we all ended up in the hotel bar next door telling stories, watching Eurovision and steadily emptying our wallets.

At the appointed hour, our trusty bus pulled away from the venue and things had already started to get messy.

By the time we arrived in Bremen, there were many casualties and it was clear that checking in to the hotel was a non starter. So, it was our bunks as usual and every man for himself the next morning.

A day off in Bremen loomed so no-one was up particularly early but, by midday-ish most people had checked in.

For football fans today was a big day – particularly for Mike the bus driver, Sooze our mum and Walter the tour manager, as they are all Liverpool fans and they were still clinging desperately on to the forlorn hope that the stars would align, West Ham would suddenly become any good and they would not have squandered the best chance they have had in 20 odd years to win the League.

As a staunch Wycombe Wanderers fan whose league position had been secured by only the frailest of margins a couple of weeks before, I was mildly ambivalent as to the outcome – although I think it would have been nice for Liverpool to win. However, for the sake of team spirit, I agreed to go with them all to the nearest Irish Pub (every city has an Irish Pub) to watch the game.

Once the inevitable had happened, it was back to the hotel for some food and then to finish my book (in the bath, of course).

Bus driver and Liverpool fan Mike contemplates what might have been…….

A nice early night in theory, turned into a late one as I was intent on learning the eventual fate of the eponymous Stoner in the classic John Williams novel. (not much, is the answer)

Lights out at 3.10am and alarm set for 10.00am.

Now that’s what I call a schedule………

If anyone had assumed that Lisa kept herself locked away, hiding behind closed doors for the past ten years, lounging around in her P.J's, eating junk food and watching daytime TV, well you would all be mistaken,  it was only nine years! No, I'm kidding.  Despite what might have seemed an eternity for some of her fans, that's well and truly in the past and all has been forgiven, because Lisa is back folks and don't we know it! 

Lisa returned in a big way in February with her stunning new album "Seven". The album entered the UK charts at No.13 and since then, her feet have barely touched the ground. With a never ending schedule, filled with interviews, photo-shoots and promotions, I knowingly and patiently had to bide my time until I was able catch up with her again.  Today could not have come quicker. Lisa just wrapped up the last day of tour rehearsals at a studio in North London, with another scheduled interview straight after me for an Australian morning TV show. 

She took some precious moments away from her beloved band who were having celebratory end of day drinks in a nearby bar and picked up the phone to talk to yours truly. Sounding incredibly upbeat in her usual cheery self, envisage this moment with Lisa sitting perched on a doorstep of a busy London bar describing to me how she's sat "bang-opposite London's Pentonville Prison, aww very romantic surroundings" ... and the giggles begin. 
With all the pleasantries out the way, I start off by asking Lisa what she thought about her new fan site?

Lisa: Oohhh its brilliant! I can’t believe it coz Mick (Donnelly) was saying to me that there’s loads and loads of followers. Oh and I think you've done a really good job haven’t ya? It’s such an achievement what you've done.

Bev: Awww thanks Lisa. It must feel amazing for you now, coming back after a long break away from the music scene, then knowing that you've still got such a massive loyal following of fans who still so obviously adore you.

LS: Well it’s just really beautiful. You know, when you spend time away and then you bring something else out, I always think, (in an apprehensive tone) Oohhh this is my last chance and it’s stupid, I've said that for ages. But yeah, its like so many people have been into it (Seven) and responded so positively, it is quite humbling in a way! Because if you didn't want me to be here, then I wouldn't be here. But you've all accepted me and its really such a beautiful thing.

Thanking me, it really wasn't necessary! - Lisa's set list from the first show in Zurich on 8th May 2014 -

BN: When you were quiet and away from the music scene for a while, you had some personal stuff happening in your life, like when your Mum passed away which was obviously a very sad time for you. There must have been a lot of things that affected you during that period.

LS: Yeah, I think a lot of those situations are just like journeys through life and you know, hopefully we grow as a person and you just  have to learn to deal with it, and you become stronger as a person. 
When all that stuff was happening it did affect me in a massive way. I mean writing-wise, I think it affected me really deeply. Because I think a lot came out of me that wouldn't ordinarily have come out and I didn't know where it came from. But I just kept on writing. I think it was really good therapy in a way. Its sort of like, I don’t know how to describe it... I know it sounds funny, but when you need to be sick, you get it all out of you and then everything is fine. It is lovely to be able to write, because obviously that’s what happens to you, it’s a very cathartic thing, I think. You go through your problems, but you don’t really know what you’re saying to yourself, but you just release it all.

BN: So that’s the thing I sense from your music. You've got this way of telling stories. As with "Seven", there seems to be this common thread running all the way through it. Is there any song in particular that relates to someone you know, or is this stuff that you just make up in your head?

LS: Oh, I've got a really over-active imagination, so I do love writing stories. It's sort of like a journey of one persons life, you know and it has a happy ending, I'm really glad it has a happy ending.

BN: I know…because when I first heard "Picket Fence" I was thinking to myself, what's gonna happen at the end of the album? By the way, that's such a great song, I really love the lyrics and the twist of humour in it as well.

LS: Arhhh, It sounds so good live that song. We also did “The Rain” today, we've not done that one before and it sounds really brilliant live.

BN: Oh, I can imagine, because the arrangement on that song is just outstanding.

LS: I think that’s because Jerry Hey did the arrangement and everything. Johnny(Thirkell) & Mick (Donnelly) did the horn arrangements on “So Be It” and they were like  “We've gotta fuckin’ well nail this song, coz it’s Jerry Hey” and it’s like all the best players in the world are on this record. 

BN: It's an amazing song, I really adore it, as I do the whole album. It’s probably one of my personal favourites and I’m not just saying that.

LS: Well I think it’s the best album we’ve ever done, I really do!

BN: I think it feels and sounds like you’re in a better place now.

LS: Yeah, that’s because everyone was really really happy and it’s been one of those albums where everyone just laughs all the way through it.

BN: I was gonna come back to the tour which starts in a couple of days. How do you go about selecting the setlist? Does everyone have some input with the selection process?

LS: Yeah you just go through it and you think what works and what doesn’t. Then you shift things around and then you have a playlist and you think, "Oh that one doesn’t work there, so lets move that one to there and take that one out and put another thing in". Yeah, I suppose its because we’ve been doing it for so long, we just gotten used to it. It’s funny when other people ask about that, because it seems a very common place for me to do all of that stuff really, but other people are quite fascinated by it, aren't they? 

BN: Well you've been around for a long time with such an amazing back-catalogue of hits. It must be quite hard to whittle down all those big songs for a live show . It must be tough trying to please everyone because everyone's got a personal favourite.

LS: Yeah everyone says… “Why didn’t you do this one or why didn’t you do that one?" But we’ve done quite a few of the new ones and quite a few of the old ones really, just a mixture. But the new ones are really having an effect I think,  because I’ve done quite a few gigs now and they seem to be getting quite popular, so it’s lovely really.

BN: Even though the European dates were initially rescheduled from last Autumn I think its great that you’re starting the tour now. I suppose the gap has given the fans the chance to really familiarise themselves with the new album and appreciate the new songs especially in a live situation. Obviously you had your reasons for  postponing the initial dates. 

LS: Oh yeah, I'm really sorry about that…(in an apologetic tone), it’s not my fault, so don’t blame me… but I'm really really sorry!

BN: Listen it was worth waiting for, I swear, 10 years and the extra few extra months of waiting didn't change very much for me. But I think that some of the fans were initially disappointed at the time,  but I think they all understood in the end.

LS: Oh I felt terribly guilty about that.  I apologise to everybody who did that (rescheduled their plans) coz I know it’s a lot of money and I feel very very guilty about it all.

BN: So do we expect any new surprises? Have you revamped or done any new arrangements on the old stuff?

LS: Just done some different things yeah which is lovely . I've got lots and lots of lovely new frocks…(giggles), you know, I've got some lovely new dresses (Laughs uncontrollably).

BN: So you’re gonna be looking like a sexy diva on-stage?

LS: Hopefully, yeah (breaks into some more laughter).

BN: Talking of sexy, I've seen some recent photo shoots you've done, whereby you look incredibly stunning. It seems like you were having a lot of fun for Viva and Eva  magazines, really relaxed and happy.

LS: Yeah, I think I'm in a really good place at the moment, yeah I really am.

BN: So you don’t mind posing for the camera?

LS: I think it’s just one of those things when you've been doing it for so many years, you just do it. I don’t know, if you’re doing a photo shoot and the music is good then you can tell in the photographs that you’re enjoying yourself.

BN: So how do you select which publications or interviews you choose to do?

LS: Well its kind of weird in a way, now we’re running our own record company per-say at the moment, so we've just got an independent press person doing that. And Rachel, (our manager) has been absolutely incredible... she has WORKED HER ARSE OFF, she really really has! 

BN: By the way, I saw your new video the other day for “So Be It “ filmed by Ian.

LS: Ooh, do you like it?

BN: Yeah it’s so lovely, with some familiar faces in there as well.

LS: Oh he's done such a brilliant job on that.

BN: So how did you come up with the idea for the video?

LS: It was funny, because we were saying that it should be about honesty and about being yourself and all this sort of thing. We got talking to a friend, John Moore, he was in The Jesus and Mary Chain. He just started to talk about being photographed or maybe having your portrait taken and then we just thought, wouldn't it be lovely to do it in a photography studio with people getting ready to have their portrait taken instead of being all formal and lets just be ourselves and just do what we wanna do. It was lovely, especially when all the family got together, it worked out really well.

BN: I know you've talked about the storyline of the album and perhaps making a mini-film. Are you going to release those as a DVD in the near future?

LS: We want to, at the end of the album, before we release the other album. Yeah we want to do a DVD of all the other stuff and make some sense of it all.

BN: Coming back to now, this year is a massive year for you in many ways. With "Seven" the tour and then it’s the 25th anniversary of "All Around The World" and "Affection". Do you have any celebratory plans to perhaps release some specials or  any re-issue editions?

LS: Oh my god, I don’t know! I don’t ever think about things like that to be honest. I’m very naughty actually…. you know what I’m like, I’m a very contrary person. I sort of never really think about stuff like that, but it’s a good point though!

BN: Well just incase you’re considering doing something on these lines, I’ll be more than happy to help out. I’ll do the liner notes for you if you like?

LS: Ooohh alright then…. (giggles away)

BN: Are there any artists you think you would like to work with now?

LS: I don’t ever think about working with other artists really. If the opportunity arises then fair enough, but I’ve never really acted to achieve things like that really. But I really really just love 
Emeli Sandé,  I love John Newman and I just love Adele as well. There’s a lot of people out there that have just got so much talent right now.

BN: I wanted to round up with a couple of questions from some of the fans. - 
What do you think about Madonna?

LS:  Ooohh what do I think about Madonna…? Oh God, I really do think she has been a ground-breaking woman, not just as an artist, but as in “woman-kind”. She really has done a lot. Some of the things she’s done I think are a bit tossy, you know, like when she did that Sex book thing. I didn’t really think that there was any need to do it. Because she’s also said that she regrets doing it as well , hasn’t she?

BN: Funny enough, I’ve actually got a copy of that book.

LS: Ohhhh someone I know has got a copy of it too, but has never taken it out its sleeve. He says, "don’t because it’s going to be worth sooo much money!"

BN: How have you managed to remain so down to earth after all these years?

LS: Oh gosh, that’s so strange, because I’ve always been surrounded by people who are very down to earth. It’s like me and Ian. I suppose we don’t allow ourselves to get so twatty when we're together.

BN: Do you think it has anything to do with being surrounded by your family and  keeping the same friendships from years back?

LS: Yeah, exactly! And I think it’s really important that you are around family and friends because it really keeps you like that. You know, there’s no need to be something you’re not. I don’t even know how I would go about being like that! On the other-hand, I can really lose my temper! But I never pretend to be something that I’m not. But you know, if I want to tell you to “Fuck off” I will do (She explodes laughing at the very suggestion).  

She swears like an absolute trooper, does our Lisa and we love her for it. Not only because she's stayed true to herself, but because she comes across as the most genuine and down to earth person anyone would ever want to know . Signing off with Lisa's favourite "F-word" seemed to be a poignant moment to wrap it up. Even after an assiduous day of rehearsals, Lisa still manages to find time for everyone and perpetually makes time for her fans wherever she goes. I truly believe, that Lisa genuinely appreciates her loyal following, probably more so now, than ever before. However, one thing's for sure, no matter what happens from here, she can always count on me!

© Bev Nathan  -  www.lisastansfield.net

We arrived in Frankfurt nice and early after a very cheerful overnight drive. It’s always good to get the first show under your belt and, given there weren’t too many hiccups, most people let off any pent up steam through the medium of drink.

Bed times ranged anywhere from 2.00 am to 5.00 am, with the exponents of the latter proving very unpopular with the former the next morning!

We dropped the poor old crew off at the venue around 10.00 am to get started with the set up and the band headed off to the Intercontinental to check in and do whatever each of us does with our free time.

Me, I like to work. Catch up on emails, documents and generally take care of any business that needs to be taken care of. Others have a much more relaxed attitude.

Andrea, for example, will head to her room, lock the door (only to be opened for room service) and watch the omnibus editions of just about every soap under the sun.

Mick plays Candy Bloody Crush

Each to their own, I guess.

The show tonight is an early start – 8.00pm on stage for us – so by the time I had finished up my stuff, had a bath and read my book a little, it was time to head off for sound check.

Rock ‘n Roll.

The venue was a beautiful old and typically germanic Rathaus which, whilst being a fascinating setting, offered one of the smallest stages of the tour. Not a problem per se except that it severely restricted the brass section’s dance moves.

The flick flacks were definitely out tonight!

Nice Hall, tiny stage……..

Plenty of space in the dressing room though…….

I guess we weren’t fully aware of how nervous we all were on the first night in Zurich because, with that out of the way and everyone feeling much more relaxed, tonight’s show was a different kettle of fish altogether.

From out of the blocks we were all gunning for it and the crowd were absolutely up for a party too. It was one of those amazing nights which leave you buzzing at the end. The whole room was going to have fun and NOTHING was going to stop them.

At the soundcheck we had made a couple of small changes to the set but no-one let this hold them back and, if there were any wobbly bits, I certainly didn’t notice them. I was too busy enjoying myself.

I can always tell when I’ve really enjoyed a gig because afterwards it feels like my top lip has just gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson.

When you play the trumpet the idea is to be controlled at all times, with a relaxed demeanour, focusing all of the energy you create with the air down the mouthpiece of the trumpet. At no point should you be tense and you should certainly never be applying undue pressure to the instrument on the lips.

Then you have a few drinks and the audience start screaming and you just jam it on as hard as you can and blow like hell!

It’s a tried and tested system.

Once again, Lisa was on top form. I know it gets a little boring saying that but it’s absolutely true. She’s always on form!

As you might imagine, post gig was buzzing as we headed back to the hotel to have a couple of hours relaxation before jumping on the bus to head overnight to Hamburg.

Back in the bath with the book for Johnny Boy (they didn’t used to call me marine boy for nothing) whilst the usual suspects headed for the bar for a night cap.

Highlight of the evening was most definitely Andrea, who spent a lot of time on the bus trip swearing that she doesn’t really drink.

Sadly she had been well and truly Donnellied* and no amount of liquorice tea was going to sober her up. I think the toasted crumpets we made helped a little but when I went to bed around 2.00am she was still utterly incoherent.
And so, dear reader, to Hamburg………..

* Donnellied  Adj. to make the mistake of going to a bar which sells cocktails with Mickey Donnelly.

The thing is, I don’t normally drink…………

I can never resist a wig…………

And so, with a mixture of relief, excitement and a little trepidation, we took to the stage for the first gig of the tour.

It had seemed like quite a long day which, given we had been at the venue since 10.00 am, I suppose it had. The overnight journey had been pretty uneventful with everyone hitting the sack quite early so as to at least start the tour strong.

Of course, for the crew guys, the first show is quiet a big day as they have to get everything set up and are more often than not having to work with equipment which is not necessarily what they asked for in a space which is not necessarily optimal.

However, experienced pros as they are, they just crack on and get it done, seamlessly making sure that, once the lazy-arsed band arrive, they have nothing to whinge about (although we still try!)

In the afternoon we all in the band had a series of interviews with Bev Nathan who runs the web site and, as they were all done individually, it was a little like shepherding cats, with people coming and going all at the wrong time and the hours filled with either too many people waiting, or no-one at all.

I’m still not sure that she managed to catch everyone but soon enough it was time for us to do some actual work!

(tonights venue) Volkshaus - Zurich

Micky being interviewed by Bev Nathan

Sound check was a little longer than usual as we wanted to run through some of the bits of the set which we weren’t 100% sure of and, believe it or not, we made some MORE changes to the arrangements – just to make sure no-one felt they had it under control.

Once that was out of the way it was all up to catering for dinner before we all disappeared off to indulge in our individual pre-gig routines.

Snowboy likes to go to the TV room and watch some 1950s classic TV box set, 80s Dave likes to get the mullet in order and Mickey likes to play Candy Bloody Crush!!

Me. I like to crawl into my bunk and have a little siesta.

Alarm set for 8.15pm sees me up with just enough time to get washed and dressed in time for the 15 minute call when Michael and I break open the Vodka and Red Bull and prepare our pre-show pick-me-up.

For a first show of the tour, I think it all went pretty well really. There were inevitably a couple of wobbly moments but somehow the wheels stayed on and we made it through without too many mishaps.

Lisa was on form (as ever) and a big shout out to Terry who, despite having done a number of TV shows with us over the past few months, was on his first actual live show. He did an amazing job and was not in the least put off by the dazzling footwork of the brass team.

Post show there was much relief and a considerable amount of celebration before we all climbed on the bus for the (fairly short) trip to Frankfurt and the second show.

It’s always nice to get the first show out of the way and we can now hopefully all relax and start to really enjoy the trip……

So, with rehearsals behind us and most of us still at best a little unsure of what’s going on, it was departure day – something which had come as a bit of a shock to Snowboy, who thought we weren’t leaving until Friday! Not bad. Only two days out…..

Having said that, I personally was about as unprepared for a month away as it’s possible to get without being totally unaware that it was happening at all. I hadn’t packed a thing. I hadn’t even thought about packing a thing. I still had tons of business stuff to take care of …. ooh and the minor matter of a VAT return to do!

The plan was to get up REALLY early and whip through everything but, to be honest, I lay awake so much planning this I thought I may as well get up and do it.

So, at 1.00am I turned on the office light and began my quadrannual missive to Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs. (I may have just made up a word)

Two hours and several thousand pounds later I crawled into bed painfully aware that the alarm would be going off in under 4 hours.

To be honest, I’m usually pretty relaxed about travelling and within an hour of getting up I had everything packed and was ready to rock.

First stop on the trip though, was a TV Studio in South London where we were to record a couple of songs for the Aled Jones Show which would air on Saturday (while we are in Hamburg).

Anyone who has ever done a TV show will tell you that it’s possibly the most boring thing you could ever do. It makes waiting for a bus feel like white water rafting!

Talk about “Hurry Up and Wait”

The day’s tedium was briefly broken by a last minute Change of one of the songs (there’s a hint there!) but other than that it was the inexorable crawl towards losing the will to live. Endless run throughs for no apparent reason all interspersed by platitudes from relentlessly cheerful telly people.

On a side note though. Aled Jones. What a nice bloke!

What, again? (The Aled Jones Show)

Finally, it was all over and we were free to go.

The bus arrived around 5.00pm and there followed the usual unseemly scramble to get the bunks furthest away from the snorers (you know who you are!!). Over the past year of touring with this band a natural order has established itself and the two bunk rooms have gravitated towards a quiet, peaceful room and a noisy, smelly room.

I, naturally, am in the more tranquil and fragrant of the two (….what?) but I nevertheless have to run the gauntlet of hell to get to the TV room. Not much TV gets watched!

So, the fighting over, we settled down for the 16 hour drive to Zurich and the first show.

Not much to tell of the trip really. A few drinks and then off to bed at a reasonable hour so as to at least start off well.
One other piece of business:

Anyone who knows me well will recall that I have, for many years, said that I think that every man should see his own bald head at least once in his life. So, as we are away for a month I thought it would be a good idea to complete what mother nature has been working on for the past few years and get my money’s worth out of that hair trimmer.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the result:
I quite like it……..

Lisa Stansfield European Tour 2014 – Full Band Rehearsals: Day 2 Posted on May 7, 2014

You know when you get everything all worked out so that you all know what tunes run into what and you’ve figured out musical links between the songs so that there are as few uncomfortable silences as possible. And all of the electronic equipment has been programmed to change the keyboard sounds automatically for the next song so no-one has to worry about it.

Then someone says “I’ve got a good idea…..”

That.

And so it was that, after a couple of days of intense rehearsal, we decided to completely switch it all around during the very last run through. A complete turn around at 4.30pm on the last afternoon of rehearsals. That’s how we like it, mate. On the edge. There are now so many variations of set list floating around I think we’re going to have to have a bonfire to make sure that we don’t all start playing different tunes during the set.

I must say, I do think the new order is an improvement but if I’m completely honest I don’t think any of us are absolutely 100% sure of what comes next at any given point. Plus ça change.

If nothing else, Zurich should be interesting.

To be fair, we do have a 16 hour bus trip to go through it and make sure we’re all on the same page. Literally.

I was feeling much more comfortable with the new trumpet today and I think all in all it’s going to be an improvement.

To elucidate. Most brass players spend a lifetime (and lots of money) searching for the ultimate instrument. The one which will make playing an absolute breeze. The perfect trumpet which is completely in tune, easy to play and never makes a mistake! The Holy Grail. The Golden Chalice. Gabriel’s Horn!!

Not me.

I have used the same trumpet and mouthpiece for my entire professional career. I bought it from a bloke in the Isle of Man for £120 in about 1876 and I figured I should learn to play it properly before I bought an expensive one. I’m still operating under that principle.

Over the years it has been bashed and banged. Painted white (Halfords Vauxhall Viva White, no less). Stripped with Nitromors. Dropped. Left on several trains. Been on two honeymoons and soldered to the point where there’s probably more solder than trumpet. But still she soldiers on! (solder/soldier – geddit?)

Oh, I’ve been given dozens of trumpets from various manufacturers over the years but none of them have come close to matching my old Getzen.

John Thirkell - "Would you believe it, last week I located a1968 Doc Severinsen Model Getzen Eterna !! All spruced up, relacquered and looking for all the world like a beauty queen"

For that is what she is: A 1968 Doc Severinsen Model Getzen Eterna. They certainly knew how to make them in those days. Unfortunately, they didn’t know how to make them in large numbers …. because I’m the only person I know who plays one and I don’t believe I’ve ever come across another trumpeter in my entire life who plays or even owns one.

Hang on. Maybe there’s a reason for that…..?

Anyway, as you can imagine it was a very sad day for me when the brass repair shop refused to take on the job of renovating it, claiming that once it had been dismantled, they would probably never manage to remantle it. “Put her out to graze” they said. “It’s time to retire the old girl” they said.

Time to sell me a new one they meant!

She’s an old friend who has been through a lot with me. Several times around the world with everyone from Jamiroquai to Bon Jovi via Tina Turner and Buddy Rich and the things she’s seen would make your toes curl!

So, it was with a heavy heart that I decided to take their advice and get a new one.

But not from them….. ;-)

Now this is where the internet is just such an amazing, transformational thing. I started the search only a couple of months ago and would you believe it, last week I located a…..

1968 Doc Severinsen Model Getzen Eterna !! All spruced up, relacquered and looking for all the world like a beauty queen.
So, in a supreme leap of faith, I coughed up and had it shipped express from Fort Myers, Florida and it arrived the day before rehearsals started.

I was a bit nervous to be honest as, even in the same make, model and year of instrument, there can be huge variations in sound and feel but I needn’t have worried. In fact, now that I’ve been playing this new one for a couple of days, I’m pretty sure the old one had so many leaks it’s been like playing a colander for the past 10 years!

Having said that, I’m still taking the old girl along for old time’s sake and I’ll play at least one tune on her. I can’t abandon her totally after all these years of faithful service now  can I?

Interview by By CHRIS CUMMINS

Hi Lisa, you released your latest album, Seven, back in February – how did that go?

Yeah. I cant remember now. It’s just becoming a bit of a blur to me because I’m just getting so busy at the moment. I’m not complaining, though.

How was it received?

I don’t really know. I don’t pay attention – I just get on with it and I just do it. I don’t really pay attention to figures and facts, and stuff like that. I just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

There’s been a 10-year gap between albums – what have you been up to?

I think that everyone assumes I’ve been doing bugger-all, really, but I’ve been constantly writing all that time.
I’ve been writing more than just music. I went to film school in New York and did all that sort of thing – just learning. I’m getting older but I think there’s always time to learn.

Why did you decide to comeback now?

I just think because the current climate of music is more in keeping with what I’m in to. I suppose Amy Winehouse triggered it and then people like Adele and Emeli Sande. It was like a beacon – like a lighthouse flashing at me.

I just thought if it’s not now then it’s never – and I just decided to put my dancing shoes on and get out there.

Did you find it difficult going back into the studio?

No, it’s like riding a bike, and I’m always in the studio anyway. Just because people cant see you doing it doesn’t mean that you’re not doing it. So yeah, it was pretty lovely when I found out that people really wanted me to comeback.

That’s the most beautiful thing about it, because you make so much effort and if you’ve had knock backs and stuff like that before, you just think ‘I’m ready for another knock back’. But everyone just started going mad about this album and it was lovely.

Was the album influenced by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Adele and Emeli Sande, then?

Not sure that I can say that because I’ve always had the same influences, and I’m sure they’ve always had the same influences as me. It’s like pretty much all soul music – the old masters.

You worked with Ian Devaney again on the album – what was that like?

We’ve always worked together and I just think me and Ian work together so well. I had to, like, pull him out of his socks and say come on you’ve gotta do it, because he got into his film thing and he’s done a lot of the video stuff on this album, but he produced it amazingly.

I think both of us had a bit of trepidation about doing everything again, but it’s like riding a bike – you just get on the bike and do it again.

Would you say your music has changed much over the past 20 years?

I think it has gone in a cycle. I always say that this album is like a renaissance, because it’s looking at something you did at a really early age and looking at it through different and older eyes, and with a certain amount of maturity.

Do you feel like you have a lot more control over your music now?

Yeah. I think this is why this album has been as successful as it has been so far. Because we wasn’t with a record company, and I think when you’re a certain age people just write you off and they throw you in the rubbish bin, basically. And I just thought f**k it – I’m doing it. Because I’ve got a lot more to do and if anybody thinks they can put me out to pasture they can f**k off.

Would you say the industry has changed much?

No I don’t think the industry has changed that much. There’s always gonna be boy bands; there is always gonna be girl bands; there’s always gonna be garage bands – but it runs full circle. It’s different types of music, but the industry will always be very similar.

Your appearing in a new film, Northern Soul – how did you get involved with that?

I’ve known Elaine Constantine for years and we grew up in similar places. She’s completely obsessed by Northern Soul and she just said to me ‘do you want to be the mum in my next film?’ And she said you know about Northern Soul anyway – and I said yeah, I sort of grew up on it.

I didn’t get to dance and I didn’t get to sing – but I got to shout and I got to cry. She gave me a massive opportunity, actually, because she allowed me to really act. When you’re a singer and songwriter, a lot of people don’t trust you to actually be an actor, and Elaine was brilliant – she just said do what you want.

You’ve done quite a lot of acting – has it become as big a passion as music?

I’m not sure really. I think music will always be my biggest passion, but I would love to write drama actually, and comedy-drama – whatever really.

Your going on tour in September – what can we expect?

It’s going to be the most top band that you’ve ever heard. We just do what we do and we enjoy ourselves. We know exactly what we’re doing and it’s not about whistles and fireworks and stuff like that. It’s all about music and it’s all about going to see a really good show.

Do you still enjoy touring?

I really love touring now. I never used to like touring – I used to hate it. Mainly because we used to fly a lot and as a signer flying it’s really bad for you.

It’s lovely now because we’re like a big family – like The Partridge Family. Honestly, it’s really good being on the bus and everything. I just love touring and I think if you’re gonna have to do something you’re going to have to embrace it.

Lisa Stansfield will be heading out on a 10-date UK tour in September – tickets are available here.