Young idealist

Lloyd Cole is still causing a commotion, writes VICKI ANDERSON.

A radio discussion I listened to recently about Lloyd Cole, who plays in Christchurch next Friday, left me with a curious mental picture that's hard to shake.

Best known for creations with his former band the Commotions, his solo work and the classic 1984 album Rattlesnakes, when Cole last played in New Zealand a couple of years ago he allegedly had his pants pulled up so high around his waist that all the reviewer could think about was the resulting camel-toe.

But Cole doesn't get the hump with me for asking about it - "at least they didn't fall down" - and laughs in an easygoing manner.

A quarter of a century on from Rattlesnakes, Cole isn't slowing down and is visiting New Zealand as part of his "around the world in 40 days" mission.

He says that to him it seemed less like a challenge and more an opportunity to have fun.

While waiting for provisional dates in Paris, Glasgow and Australia to be confirmed, and while he had already had a busy year, the prospect of doing such a tour appealed. Cole decided to see if there was a way he could add a few more dates and circumnavigate the globe - 20 cities in 40 days.

"But don't think I'm an adventurer," Cole deadpans. "I find them dreary."

This year alone he has released Cleaning Out the Ashtrays, a four-CD box set containing B-sides and rarities as well as two live albums, Radio Bremen: Folksinger Volume 1 (2009) and The Whelan: Folksinger Volume 2 (2009).

"It really has been years in the making . . . it is a substantial body of work and I'm pleased with it.

"I also have two from the Folksinger Series, those recordings are available at my website. Volume 1 is from a concert I did in 2003 and Volume 2 was recorded and mixed by Mick Glossop and is the best of a Dublin concert held over three nights."

Cleaning Out the Ashtrays, released on Tapete Records, spans Cole's entire solo career in 59 songs, which meant sorting and listening through boxes of tapes for the best quality material and chasing up labels to access their vaults.

Staggeringly, Cole's former label, Universal, appear to have "lost" a lot of his old material.

"If I had just left it up to them there wouldn't even have been a box set. Unbelievably, to me anyway, they don't actually know where any of my stuff is stored."

This has obviously stymied any immediate plans to release another box set of rare material next year, but Cole is hopeful someone will clean out the vaults and unearth his treasures.

"They're a bunch of demo tapes from the early 90s and nobody seems to have them or know where they are. I'd be very happy to get them back but I'm not holding my breath."

For most artists a tour such as this would involve an army of managers working behind the scenes but Cole is relishing his autonomy and his support from volunteers, devoted fans throughout the globe he has dubbed the Young Idealists.

"I have made important strides in the past year or so to really becoming an autonomous, independent artist. I own all of my own new material. The Young Idealists are a significant help," Cole says. "Particularly with my website."

Cole's Young Idealists also sell CDs at his shows which is how he sees the future music economy going.

"With the record industry in such turmoil, it's the only way to go - tour, play live, sell your CDs at the shows."

Where did the Young Idealists come from?

"In the 80s we had record companies who used to pay people to go out and buy records to get them in the charts; they were named the strike force. The Young Idealists are my team who are simply trying to make a difference."

If you're interested you can contact him at lloydstrikeforce@me.com.

His MySpace is administered by another volunteer, and a Swedish graphic designer creates his album sleeves.

"I also have a shop, too, which is taking me a little closer to becoming entirely autonomous. I'm also something of a curator in that I'm selling other people's music now, something I never imagined doing."

Although touring for "a bit of fun", Cole is also working on a new album and is road-testing a few numbers.

"I did enjoy playing in Christchurch the last time I was there so I'm hoping for a repeat performance."

Lloyd Cole at AL's Bar on Friday, October 30. Tickets from Real Groovy.

- © Fairfax NZ News