aaamusic | On 21, Nov 2010

AAAmusic: How did the project come together?

Adrian Flanagan/The Crippled Claw: I trawled the Liverpool Yellow Pages with an Eye Glass between the sections titled Female Singer & female Sinner, I rang up each one till I got down to the best singer & The best Sinner..After a careful elimination process the one who came out on top in both categories was Candie Payne and Thus The Chanteuse & The Crippled Claw was born (laughs)..

AAAmusic: Is there a story behind the name?

AF: When I came up with the concept of The Chanteuse & The Crippled Claw I was recovering from badly breaking both my arms in a bike accident,I was told I’d never play an instrument properly again by specialists but wasn’t prepared to let a little thing like medical science get in the way of creating something lovely,I guess this was where The Crippled Claw moniker came from the fact that I do have very limited movement in 1 of my wrists, but that shattered, broken, almost disabled wrist still writes better songs than Mumford & Sons ever will(laughs). I like The Chanteuse & The Crippled Claw name it suggests a Beauty & The Beast kind of partnership..I’m the Beauty & Candie is the Beast (laughs).

AAAmusic: How would you describe the sound of the group?

AF: I describe it as Eccentronic Outsider Pop music for people with more than 2 brain cells..it’s fair to say people who like Kasabian are not going to slip in to a pair of their mothers tights and dance round the kitchen in gay abandon to the devilish sound of our sonic Hoo hah..(laughs).

AAAmusic: What are the differences between this project and what you have worked on before?

AF: My solo project Kings Have Long Arms was just me doing funny little electro pop tunes with the occasional Pop Icon guesting on it, I was trying to do something different with electronic music away from all that winky wanky Laptop stuff that can take itself pretty seriously,too seriously,especially live..The Chanteuse project is more an organic thing using old analogue synths,primitive drum machines, mariachi style trumpets, prog style mellotrons, it’s all quite filmic like John Barry & the BBC Radiophonic workshop with the added bonus of having a beautiful voice singing words coming from the depths of the soul..unlike the Scissor Sisters(laughs).

AAAmusic: Are you looking forward to bringing your music to a live audience?

AF: Yes very much, I’ve got a nice little group together to recreate the recordings, obviously Candie Payne will be their up front on vocals, Myself & Dean Honer from Sheffield’s I Monster/all seeing I will be playing some old synths & dub box & this awesome young Lady called Lucy Fawcett playing Trumpet, electronic Drums & a synth often all at the same time, she’s amazing..(laughs).We play Sheffield on December 4th at Queens Social Club & Manchesters Deaf institute on December 5th,these will be The Chanteuse & The Crippled Claw first ever live shows.

AAAmusic: How did you end up with Maxine Peake for the video of “Are You One?”

AF: I just wrote to her & asked her if she would dress as a bunny rabbit whilst I chased her with a water pistol over the Moors in exchange for a bottle of Thunderbirds & a pickled Egg..She said yes (laughs)..Maxine is someone who’s acting work I’ve always admired, she always plays the more interesting acting parts, strong independent women..no one can make me believe in a character & make me forget it’s an actor/actress like Maxine can, considering the amount of work she has done she’s never really indulged herself in the cult of celebrity which is why your able to lose yourself in the characters she plays and Now I’ve spent a bit of time with her I can definitely say she’s without doubt an adorable treasure.

AAAmusic: What can we expect from you over the next few months?

AF: The debut single Are you one is out late November, a few shows in December, our Debut Lp late February 2011 with hopefully some random dates in the Uk & Europe around the album..I try not to make plans..Plans are for people who have stopped living…Right, I’m off to put some more dreams in to practice, bye bye.

Author: Josie Payne

The single Are you one is out on November 29th. Watch the video here: