Musing On The Blues With Alberta Cross

Alberta Cross first came to this writer’s, and indeed much of the media’s attention in 2008, belated appreciation for the group’s stripped back, acoustic debut after Oasis had taken them under their wing, with many startled by the emotion carried in Petter Ericson Stakee’s distinct, high-pitched warble. Fast forward to 2009, and, despite the acclaim, a new and very different incarnation of Alberta Cross returned. Stakee’s voice still the wondrous focal point, but with a band that roared its support – no longer sadly lamenting but burning rage. Broken Side Of Time was a stylishly delivered desolate Blues-rock debut that left some listeners cold, but captured the anger and frustration of modern times perfectly for others…

Vocalist/guitarist Petter Ericson Stakee and bassist Terry Wolfers initially came together with a shared love of music out of fashion and outdated at the time – Petter’s engrained from his time at home in Sweden with his musician father. “I was fortunate to have music in my family,” began Stakee. “My dad was really into Blues, folk and rock’n’roll, whilst my brother was more into synth stuff like Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, and so on. So, it was great for me! But they pretty much brainwashed me into all of it (laughs). “My dad is definitely one of my favourite guitarists. His playing has inspired my playing.”

That the outfit would start their careers with two such assured and well-schooled offerings would surprise few within the industry, after the group were previously signed to a major label given their apparent talents. “We were signed to Fiction in the UK and Geffen in America,” revealed Stakee, “but it was Universal really”.

Unfortunately, excitement for the songwriting duo was short-lived, as the business intrusions on music making soon came in direct conflict with their ethos of creating “something honest and real – and from your heart”. Stakee went on, “It fell through ‘cos they wanted us to write ‘hits’ and we wanted to just do what we do. “These days, the major labels are desperate. I’m glad I’m not a part of that s**t anymore. I mean, you have to let bands grow. You can’t just sign one and push them/brainwash them to write s**t! Every band I grew up loving – bands like The Verve, Radiohead, The Stone Roses and Sonic Youth – took their time before they got ‘big’. Major labels don’t give bands the chance to do that anymore.”

Disenchanted, the duo went about self-producing their debut, “The Thief And The Heartbreaker” – a laid-back, spine tingling collection that brought to mind classic artists of yesteryear, whilst, crucially, also impressing classic artists of today, with Noel Gallagher handpicking the band to support Oasis on the group’s then latest sell-out UK tour. “It was pretty awesome!” exclaimed the frontman. “You grow up seeing and hearing them everywhere around you, then all of a sudden you get a phone call from your label manager saying Noel Gallagher just called asking if we wanted to support them for a few arena shows in the UK.

“Noel said that he thought our album was one of the best he had heard in ages. That was a milestone for sure.” With such a notable name championing their cause, and exposure to many new music listeners, Ark Recordings were quick to reissue their album – the band enjoying belated critical acclaim and capitalising to build a significant following (helped by subsequent extensive touring and festival appearances).

Despite a change of fortune, the band didn’t come to recording their follow-up on the expected high (“I don’t think we were feeling any pressure, but you always want your stuff to sound gold. So you push yourself…way too much sometimes. You are always going to think you can do better.”), and for the much travelled Stakee, it was time for another change of scene. “We have always loved London and England, but I lived there for ten years and Terry is from east London,” started Stackee. “We were feeling a bit drained in London at the time, so we were looking for something new. We did a few shows in New York and pretty much made up our minds to move there straight away.

“New York was definitely an inspiration when we were writing this album. You know, to be new in a place is always great for your inspiration. Plus, the music scene is really good at the moment. There’s music going on everywhere – in bars, the tube, in parks…all over the shop!

“Who knows what the future holds, but I am really happy in Brooklyn at the moment, and we are lucky to travel a lot, so we are in England loads. So, for now, we are staying!”

Surprisingly, given their previous bad experiences with Universal, it was a record label that they had to thank for making the change possible. “They helped us move,” he told us. “We wanted to sign to an indie label, and Ark is run by our Booking Agent Russel Warby, and his pal Jamie Davies”. Given the readiness of their American roots influences, a move to the States seemed natural, and the environment certainly had an effect on a more fully realised follow-up. “We recorded ‘Broken Side Of Time’ in Austin, Texas with Mike McCarthy,” explained Stackee, “but we did pre-production in New York and Charlottesville, Virginia, and mixed it with John O Mahony at the Electric Lady Studios in New York City.

“It was a mad time, but I like the way it ended up sounding. You know, we are really happy with it, and can’t wait to tour it wherever it takes us.”

The album also saw the founding duo working and recording with a settled band (including Sam Kearney, Austin Beede and Alec Higgins) for the first time. “Everyone was kinda friends of friends,” said Stackee. “It went pretty quick in the beginning. We had a rehearsal with Sam in Brooklyn. It felt really good, so we asked him if he knew a killer drummer, and he did! So, we flew Austin in From Santa Barbara, Cali. He was great! And I met Alec through a mate in New York City. I think everyone brings their heart and soul…”

Although critics have been eager to concentrate on the influence of American roots music, the group are keen to point out how important more recent, experimental British outfits have been to them also. “I think “Broken Side Of Time” sounds really English,” insisted Stackee. “We were listening to a lot of bands like My Bloody Valentine and Depeche Mode, as well as grittier gospel albums and stuff. “I have always been a Verve fan. I loved their first few album loads. But, you know, Slowdive and the whole Creation Records thing rocked – My Bloody Valentine were a massive inspiration for this album. I saw them play the Roseland Ballroom in New York City before we recorded this album, and it was brilliant!

“I think you are always going to miss what you haven’t got in your hand, if you know what I mean”. With such a deep-seated love of contemporary music, the group were able to offer listeners something familiarly old (“Blues compilations got me into the Blues again. I mean, I kinda grew up listening to it through my folks, but old Blues compilations got me into it again. Love them! They were so cheap and you got to know loads of artists with every one! But I say it like Dylan, “no-one can sing the Blues like Blind Willie McTell.’ It’s honest, pure music that is straight from the heart and soul.”), but relatable to a new generation – and a disgruntled one at that!

“Broken Side Of Time was inspired by loads of music, and things that were going on around us when we were recording it,” Stackee commenced. “You know, the stuff we were going through, like being skint, falling out with a label, panic attacks and high blood pressure – going mad! And America was pretty messed up when we got there. Bush was still in power. People were going through a hard time… But we had some f**king great times, too! Ups and downs…

“It was very much a 2009 album. I’m 28 – I live now, not forty or fifty years ago. If we would sound like a band that was playing back in the day then what is the point? You are always gonna go back in time for inspiration, ‘cos the quality of the music was really high then, but you have to be inspired by stuff that is going on around you now, too. You have to move forward.”

Whilst events of the time clearly inspired songs like ‘Rise From The Shadows’ and ‘Ghost Of City Life’, the group still see their music as a way of escapism from the daily grind, and less a commentary on it. “We don’t ever want to be a political band,” maintained Stackee, “because some of the beauty with music is that it should take you away from all of that, but it’s always going to inspire – if stuff around you really p**ses you off or affects you, it’s hard not to write about it.”

In fairness, not everyone has been as generous as this magazine with their response, and the new album has had its fair share of mixed reviews, certainly in the UK, where many were expecting the band to continue in their heartfelt, acoustic vein, and some were unable to adapt to the new band make-up, not helped by the inclusion of two inferior versions from “The Thief And The Heartbreaker”.

“’The Thief And The Heartbreaker’ was kinda a limited edition EP,” countered Stackee, “so we thought it would be a good idea to save some of the songs and put them on the album – I think the two of them fit in pretty well!”

“The EP was our first few demos. We have grown a lot as a band since then, and I think ‘Broken Side Of Time’ is a perfect introduction to what we are about.

“Every great artist is gonna evolve – look at David Bowie!”

If British critics haven’t quite forgiven their deserters, Americans have embraced them with open arms. “It’s been really good,” said an excited Stackee. “We had a big feature in Rolling Stone magazine, which was amazing. You know, a bit of a milestone. We have done a lot of festivals in the US, too – and they have all been pretty grand! People seem to be really into, and we have a good time, you know?”

Saying that, comparisons have been somewhat lazy for their brand of brooding Blues-rock. “People are always gonna compare a new band to every band that’s doing well around,” he accepted. “I respect Kings Of Leon loads, ‘cos they are a hard working band – they deserve all the success they have – but I don’t think we sound like them. I’m playing guitar and they are, too – that’s about it!”

One comparison that is more understandable, and certainly reoccurring, is with a legendary American singer-songwriter few aspiring credible acts would want to dispute, whatever their style of music. “If people compare us to Neil Young that must be a compliment,” considered Stackee. “I mean, he is god, isn’t he?

“Neil Young is definitely one of my faves. My dad always used to play me his stuff.”

And the group had the honour of meeting their hero, when they topped those Oasis support slots with an appearance at Hard Rocking Calling in 2009. “I got to have a brief chat with him at the Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park last year,” revealed a satisfied Stakee. “It was pretty special.

“Hard Rock Calling was grand. The line-up with good! And Neil Young’s show was the best I show I have ever seen. He is more rock’n’roll now then he has ever been, I reckon.”

British fans experienced how rock’n’roll Alberta were themselves, when they blew audiences away on their November 2009 tour, and the group return again in March supporting The Dave Matthews Band on their arena shows, whilst headlining a few of their own to boot.

“The US audience might be a bit more forward,” he said, “and come up and talk to you more than the Brits, but it’s always pretty awesome to come back and play in England.

“The beautiful thing about releasing our album all around the globe is that we get to play everywhere!”

And for Alberta Cross, forgetting all that industry/business nonsense that so nearly deprived us of their music, this is what it’s all about. “We’ve been dying to go on the road and play it to people all around the world,” claimed Stackee, “’cos live is where it’s at!” DH

GOING GREEN

Gallagher brother’s real concern

Oasis’ demise was well documented in 2009, and given the number of knockers the band carried in the latter stages, it wouldn’t have seen too many tears shed, but whatever your thoughts on the band, their personalities, or their music, you can’t overlook the group’s, and Noel in particular’s support of new talent – and new Blues talent!

Alberta Cross are a recent band to benefit from Gallagher’s keen ear for exciting new music, but you can go back to the group’s heyday, when their support of Ocean Colour Scene saw an outfit heavily indebted to ‘60s British Blues topping the charts and dominating the airwaves in this country.

Since then, Noel has championed the likes of The Coral, Kings Of Leon and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (who were also given massive stadium support slots), whilst producing Proud Mary’s debut, “Same Old Blues”, for his own Sour Mash label. Jersey Budd owes the senior Gallagher a few pints also for his input and influence in the early stages of his career.

It’s no surprise that Gallagher’s penchant for contemporary Blues-rock began to influence the band’s latter output, with their latest studio album, in particular, “Dig Out You Soul”, seeing the band delve further back than the ‘60s decade they had already fleeced to more traditional roots music – no more obvious than on ‘(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady’. However, Gallagher’s love of the genre had surfaced far earlier. The first Oasis single, ‘Shakermaker’ was based on a simple twelve-bar Blues progression (how many acts can you recall performing the Blues on “Top Of The Pops” in the ‘90s, if ever?), and Gallagher’s early Les Paul guitar was a nod to his favourite guitarist, Peter Green. Noel has made public his love for Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac; featuring on “The Man Of The World” film, as well as presenting Green with his Les Paul Award at the Mojo Awards ceremony in 2007.  As well as Green, Gallagher has spoken of his fondness for early Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, whilst in 2001 he took his band onto the road with arguably the most significant contemporary Blues-rock band, The Black Crowes, as part of The Tour Of Brotherly Love.

Many artists have spoken of Noel’s love of Blues and perhaps these recordings are frequenting his stereo more often now given recent events and his unusually tight-lipped media stance. When you add all this up with his affection for Neil Young and Dylan, and previous Noel-sung b-sides, such as ‘Those Swollen Hand Blues’, the pointers are for a solo career that could bring British Blues back to mainstream prominence.