ONE SMALL SEED MAGAZINE Issue #29 Digital 04 THE BEST OF | Page 40
WHEN
THE
LIGHTS
GO OUT
WE
OWN
THE
NIGHT
an interview with James Lavelle
UNKLE was formed in the mid-nineties by two British school
friends, Tim Goldsworthy and James Lavelle. They were joined by
DJ Shadow, Money Mark (the Beastie Boys’), the Scratch Perverts
and Japanese hip-hop crew Major Force. Goldsworthy left after a
year because of artistic differences with Lavelle, and UNKLE has
since seen many changes in personnel.
more prominent contributors like Ian Brown and Gary Mounfield
(Stone Roses), Robert Del Naja (Massive Attack), Josh Homme
(Queens of the Stone Age), Gavin Clark (Clayhill) and Ian
Astbury (The Cult).
UNKLE’s 1998 debut album Psyence Fiction drew critical acclaim
and featured the talents of musician like Thom Yorke (Radiohead),
Mike D (Beastie Boys), Richard Ashcroft (The Verve), Badly Drawn
Boy and Jason Newsted (Metallica).
File left in 2008 and UNKLE took to the road... taking along Badly
Drawn Boy, Liela Moss (The Duke Spirit), Gavin Clark and Joel
Cadbury (South) for the ride. The rigours of touring were soon
replaced by the demands of the studio as UNKLE produced material
with the likes of Chris Goss, Black Mountain, James Griffith (Lake
Trout), Sleepy Sun, The Black Angels, Katrina Ford and Elle J.
DJ Shadow was replaced by Richard File as the last century
died and many tracks acquired an ambient style. Then came
All these names and faces... but one constant remains: James
Lavelle. Ernst Lass spoke to the maestro.