We wondered how long it would take for a new artist to shock us in the same way scouser Liam Gallagher or Morrissey used to with their controversial confessions and outbursts. Wait no longer, new on the indie scene, Calum Harris announces ‘I don’t give a f*** if people don’t buy my music, I pretty much hate everyone anyway’.
The same dulcet tones that come from Calum Harris’, aged 19, voice, announces his dislike for humanity in the RIFF interview room in his northern accent with a flick of his cigarette. “It’s not like anyone looks out for you these days, it’s all about number one” he sighs as he kicks his feet up onto the desk. Laid back and in his usual unsociable mood, Harris is getting ready to jet off to L.A to receive the worlds media to talk about his newly released album, Trip and Fall. Looking typically rockstar, Harris is wearing a grey vest and faded black skinny jeans, with equally rundown converses to seemingly match his outlook upon his community. One must ask what his problem is, hasn’t he just received the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for album of the year? Undoubtedly it was the single, It’s All Your Fault, which caught everybody’s attention as it combined the soulful folk sound to his voice with the genre of dubstep, allowing his truly phenomenal voice to float above a dark bass line in a way that had an audience transfixed from start to finish. Harris had been recording for 2 years before he broke through as a larger-than-life artist that has stormed the UK charts. His first album (2002’s Don’t Look at Me in That Tone) received adoring reviews, but failed to grasp those precious few sales. However, Harris seemed to go back to the drawing board, and used influences from the underground genre dubstep that was fuelling the two-stepping of thousands of party-goers. He produced his current album, and within a matter of months he’s become an international rockstar, headlining last year’s Reading and Leeds festivals and truly making his mark in the music industry.
Regardless, it seems Harris is a solitary character, and those dark rings under his eyes seem to represent something other than late nights celebrating his success. Here, Calum Harris speaks out, and describes his nights sitting alone drinking gin and battling with the tragedy that both brings passion to his music, yet destruction to his happiness…
Calum, how did you first get into music?
When I was about 13, I spent a lot of time with my older brother who was a pretty big stoner. He was really into drum and bass and we’d spend a lot of time making and mixing songs. I loved his company because he understood me. It’s hard to get people to understand you.
Are you still close with your brother?
He passed away last year…
Oh, I’m sorry.
It’s fine. But yeah I was really close with him, he was my best friend.
How have you coped with balancing the loss of your brother and your career?
Bit personal mate. Not well. I drink too much gin and I seduce too many women. I also have a thing against the rest of the world.
What do you mean?
It’s not like I really care about people who aren’t my fans. I mean, I’m not gonna force people to buy my music. To be honest, I don’t give a f*** if people don’t buy my music, I pretty much hate everyone anyway and I only have time for my fans and my mum.
Fair play. Your first album, Don’t Look at Me in That Tone, got some great reviews but never really took off…
Yeah, I know. It’s because it was f***ing brilliant. People are scared of things that are too good. (Laughs) Na, not really. I think it was just out at the wrong time. I mean, a year ago if that had been released people would have gone crazy over it, but back then (in 2002), everyone was raving over Robbie Williams and Pop Idol.
Yeah. Your single, It’s All Your Fault, definitely was your breakthrough song. The lyrics “I thought I loved you/you broke my heart/get the f*** out of my room, pig” were pretty dark and deep. Were you going through some trauma when you wrote it?
Yeah man definitely. Depression, delusion, denial…everything really. It was about this girl who I was seeing, she broke my heart and I went pretty nuts after her. I would have used her name instead of ‘pig’ but I couldn’t remember it and I think pig was like, the word that made the song.
Definitely, definitely. You featured in Jay Z’s song, Swagz’R’Us, who else would you like to work with?
Ah man…probably The Smiths.
They broke up in 1987…
Yeah good one. Look mate I don’t give a f*** I just answered your question as honestly as possible so stop getting in my face. Do one.
Fair enough, moving on. What’s your style when trying to get the ladies?
I don’t ‘try’ to get them, they’re like pigeons innit. I put out some chicken feed and they come fluttering. I don’t really like women anyway to be honest.
Really? Do you prefer men then or?
Ah this is bullsh**. F*** this, I’m off.
And with that, Calum Harris leaves the interview room and slams the door behind him, leaving his cigarette lit in the ash tray and the sounds of his cursing and whooping ringing through the corridors.
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