Music: John Grant
Jeff Hemmings on a talented man
After scratching around for many years with The Czars, it wasn’t until his debut album, Queen of Denmark, produced with the help of members of Midlake, that John Grant’s fortunes took an upturn. And they were cemented by the reception afforded to Pale Green Ghosts, released last year. He even got nominated for a Brit, in the Best International Act category. He co-wrote Iceland’s Eurovision Song Contest entry, a less than noble effort it has to be said (are there any redeeming features of this arcane competition, apart from sheer campness?), for a band called Pollaponk. Iceland is now his home, and it was where he made Pale Green Ghosts with Birgir Þórarinsson, aka Biggi Veira of Iceland’s electronic pioneers GusGus. Overall though, it’s not a bad change of circumstances for the 40+ and outwardly gay singer songwriter.
It was on Queen Of Denmark that he sang about his homosexuality, his battles to overcome drink and drug addictions, and his love life. He then used the stage at 2012’s Meltdown to announce that he was HIV-positive. “I didn’t plan on moving to Iceland, but I came here to make my record. I ended up finding an apartment to stay in and then I decided I really liked it.
“I was intrigued by the language; I’ve made lots of progress, but it’s such a complicated language that it’s difficult to form simple thoughts because of all the grammar involved.” The man has a talent for language, being able to speak German, Russian and Spanish along with English, and it was something he was nearly destined for after leaving school. “My parents were very upset about me not knowing what I wanted to do. So everyone got excited when I latched onto German, and when my parents were able to cart me off to Germany they were elated.”
In Pale Green Ghosts, Grant along with GusGus’ Biggi Veira has created a beautifully judged mix of industrial electro pop, and open letters to the ever- present Charlie. It also features a guest vocal from fan and friend Sinead O’Connor. “I didn’t know how people were going to react to it; my heart is shaped like a synthesiser and I think this album is about my adolescence in the ‘80s, and it was all about that synth music from then. And Iceland was responsible for me getting more into rock music via The Sugarcubes [Bjork’s first band], something I really connected to. As for England, Gary Numan, Chris & Cosey, Fad Gadget, Cabaret Voltaire and New Order were the soundtrack to a big chunk of my life. I still listen to that stuff constantly and I love it just as much as I did back then.”
As for Sinead: “She covered one of my songs and that opened the door for me to say ‘hi’. She and I quickly became friends, I was listening to her stuff from day one. Musically, I’m not her equal, but she’s the kind of person I like to be around; funny and warm. That’s a bit wild for me.”
So, is it true that she would have his babies if he were straight? “You would have to ask her,” laughs Grant. “But, that seems to be the case.”
Fri 27 June, Brighton Dome, 7pm, £21.50
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