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An Almighty change in direction

February 25, 2003 19:24 
Ipswich Evening Star
By Kahn Johnson

It's not every day a rock star phones. In fact, never would be a better
description.

However, thanks to an incredibly helpful webmaster (Soph at 
www.rickywarwick.com), I find myself sitting on my sofa chatting with
Ricky Warwick.

For the uninitiated, Ricky was the frontman of The Almighty, one of the
loudest bands on the '90s Brit Rock scene until they decided to call it a
day while promoting their best album, Just Add Life. He is also the man
responsible for songs like Wild and Wonderful, Addiction and All Sussed
Out. And he's the man opening for Def Leppard on their UK tour.

"We (The Almighty) split with our management, Sanctuary, last year so I
started working on a solo deal.

"I got a publishing deal, and a record deal in Japan, and the solo record
became my priority. I spent most of last year recording it," he said.

One of the most surprising things about the record, Tattoos And Alibis, is
not the acoustic style Ricky has taken with it but who was the man on the
other side of the mixing desk – Joe Elliott.

"I've been mates with Joe for years," Ricky explained. "I played him a
couple of the songs I'd written, and he really liked them. He then asked
if he could produce it."

The pair live close to each other in Dublin so the album was laid down in
Joe's home studio. Joe also features on the album, as do members of the
Hothouse Flowers and Scott Gorham (Ex-Thin Lizzy).

Quite a diverse mix there. He laughed: "Yeah, but then this is a very
different record to one The Almighty would do. After the last Almighty
tour I went back to listening to my old Johnny Cash records, listening to
Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. I'd lost the buzz and just wanted it
back.

"This album still rocks, but where The Almighty would hit you over the
head with a mallet, I'm hitting you over the head with a tiny hammer!"

Aside from the change in musical style, Ricky has also changed the style
of his delivery. A man more used to being backed by three other musicians
and a huge Marshall stack can now be found standing alone on the stage
with just his acoustic guitar for company. Slightly different to what he's
used to.

"I never thought I'd be doing something like this," he laughed.

"I first did it supporting Toby Jepson in London but then I did a few more
club shows and some folk clubs back in Ireland and I watched other people
and learnt how to interact with an audience in a different way as well."

Still, folk clubs are some way from the start of the Leppard's tour in Las
Vegas.

"I was really nervous," Ricky admitted. "Nothing quite prepared me for
standing up in front of 8,000 people in Las Vegas. But that's what this
solo record is all about, new challenges. I've got the buzz back!"

As things stand, an Almighty reunion looks increasingly unlikely, but
after splitting up in a very public way only to get back together again,
Ricky's not ruling anything out!

"Lets just say, never say never," he chuckled.

N Tattoos and Alibis, already out in Japan, should be released in Britain
in mid-April

Weblink: www.rickywarwick.com

www.thealmighty.co.uk 


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