PUBLISHED IN THE KW RECORD ON APRIL 13, 1999
By Nick Krewen
For The Record
Even when he fronted the brilliant Stourbridge band THE WONDER STUFF, MILES HUNT never felt comfortable playing the rock star game.
So where would Hunt be today if such cynically delicious album as Eight Legged Groove Machine and Never Loved Elvis had sold millions and transformed the Stuffies into The Next Big Thing?
"It would never have happened," says Hunt firmly over the line from New Jersey. "I would never have let it happen."
Hunt, who performs at the Jane Bond Cafe Sunday to support his GIG records album Hairy On The Inside, says it was that very possibility that caused him to disband The Wonder Stuff in 1994 after eight glorious years.
"That was my primary reason for jumping ship," Hunt explains.
"It got stupid. I really don't envy people who are in bands that get to be that big. It's just career management all the itme.
"My fear is that you let your record company and management run your career for you, and you don't find out what's going on all the time. I couldn't stand that because I'm naturally inquisitive. I have to know what's going on.
"Whether your music's amazing or not, you have to do an awful lot of brown-nosing. I couldn't take it. I hate the whole rock circus. I never was into it when I was a kid. It's not something that interests me. I'd sooner go off and sell washing machines."
Hunt says part of the problem surrounding life in The Wonder Stuff was a lack of independence.
"I felt my time with The Wonder Stuff voided a lot of adult lessons because you're just so chaperoned," he explains. "I didn't have a doctor or a dentist. If I had some pain, I'd phone the record company and asks if they could find someone to have a look at my teeth, which is pathetic. I couldn't go sort that out for myself because I was 20 years old, in a band, and never had to look after myself. All of a sudden, there were people around to do it for me."
Yet Hunt doesn't begrudge his days in the band and recording such giddy romps as "Welcome To The Cheap Seats" and "Size Of A Cow."
"The Wonder Stuff was my favorite band when I was in it."
Hairy On The Inside is an acoustic-driven, low budget delight. Most of it was recorded on computer, with former Stuffies MALCOLM TREECE and MARTIN BELL adding in guitars, keyboards and violin.
Despite the fact there are so few personnel, Hairy On The Inside sounds like a major label triumph.
"It's funny that when I gave Martin the hard disk with the seven songs he played on, I just said, `Do what you want to do.' He's never done anything musical I don't like.
"He definitely made things sound grand on `Everything Is Not Okay,' and `Amongst The Old Reliables.' But I also think `Manna From Heaven,'[ which is just me, sounds equally large."
Miles Hunt is also taking the economical approach to touring. Rather than cramming everyone into a van, he and former GIGOLO AUNTS guitarist PHIL HURLEY are taking Greyhound buses, trains, planes, and staying with friends throughout this 25 date tour, which began in Austin and will end in Los Angeles.
Hunt can't say enough about Hurley, who he enlisted after Malcolm Treece told him he didn't want to go out on the road.
"He's amazing," says Hunt. "Malc's a good vocalist, but he's a reluctant vocalist. But Phil, he's working in harmonies where I never thought to put harmonies. He's a real shot in the arm."
And as for his cynical songwriting? That's just Hunt's nature.
"It's my only motivator," he laughs. "A lot of that has to do with my Dad. I am my father's son. When I left home at 18, I moved to the Black Country, which is an industrial area north of Birmingham. That's the whole mood of the place. Everything's dour, but in a real comedic kind of way. I was just around it all the time and it made a big mark on me.
"Another influence was MORRISSEY. I always thought his lyrics were brilliant. I like to sit there and poke fun at things, and if I can get something nasty in there that makes me smile, I generally go with it."
WHO: MILES HUNT
WHERE: Jane Bond Cafe
WHEN: Sunday, April 18
TICKETS: $10
-30-
DISCOGRAPHY
WITH THE WONDER STUFF:
1988 -- Eight Legged Groove Machine
1989 -- Hup!
1991 -- Never Loved Elvis
1993 -- Construction For The Modern Idiot
SOLO
1999 -- Hairy On The Inside
©1999 Nick Krewen, Octopus Media Ink