GILBERT O’SULLIVAN IS BACK (NATURALLY)
If you were a music fan with your ear tuned to the sensational songs emanating out of AM radio airwaves across America in the early ’70s you were likely entranced by the exquisite melodious sounds of singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan. In the ’70s, Gilbert racked up a string of smash hits with “Alone Again (Naturally),” “Get Down,” “Out of the Question” and “Clair”; his songs were marvels of melody, harmony and inventiveness, his McCartney meets music hall flavored voice was manna from the heavens. Still vital at age 73, his latest album, titled simply Gilbert O’Sullivan, is an extraordinary collection of picture perfect pop songs framed by expert production courtesy of Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney/Tom Jones/Kings Of Leon). We spoke to Gilbert about his impressive new record, his storied past and plans for his first-ever tour of the States.
GOLDMINE: There’s a song on your new album called “Dansette Dreams and 45s” that revels in memory of listening to 45s on your record player in your formative years. When you were growing up what were the singles that spent the longest time on your Dansette record player?
GILBERT O’SULLIVAN: I actually thought the Dansette was an American record player but it’s actually English. The thing is we could afford singles but we couldn’t afford albums in those days. But we knew somebody who had an album by someone like the Everly Brothers so we could borrow it. But basically the record player was being used by me to play singles. I was a bit too young for Elvis and I was two years too young for Buddy Holly so really the Everly Brothers and American pop hits of the day and English hits were what I was playing and what I would have purchased.
GM: Your new studio album is magnificent. As an artist/songwriter who has been doing this for 50+ years, how do you manage to keep it fresh and keep pushing yourself as an artist?
Well, it’s not rocket science. (laughs) It’s the same as it was when I started out. What you look for is a melody and you work hard to get a melody and then when you’ve got the melody that may dictate how the words will be but eight times out of the 10 you don’t have any idea what the lyrics are gonna be about. But that’s what’s
