Network Press magazine (German) - July 1988 
Interview by Arnold Meyer 
Translated and supplied by Dirk Shultz

The last gig of Scritti Politti in Switzerland took place back in 1979. They performed an Underground concert with the band Red Crayola in Zurich in front of the whole local New Wave scene. About ten years later they are taking part in the Playback festival Golden Rose of Montreux as an integrated ingredient of the established music-biz.

Doubtless, Scritti Politti were one of the first independent bands to move away from the anti-commercial attitude. After the experimental early phase of the band (the first single 'Skank Bloc Bologna', the EP 'Peel Sessions'), the single 'The Sweetest Girl' ('81) and the outstanding LP 'Songs To Remember' ('82) were released. Their record company Rough Trade almost jumped to the forefront of the charts with that album. But another band managed two years later what Scritti Politti couldn't achieve: The Smiths. The groundbreaking commercial success in the big world of pop has by now been denied to the peculiar frontman, songwriter and singer Green Gartside. It is something that never seemed fair though, with the marvellous singles 'Wood Beez' and 'Absolute', for example, but chart-toppers failed to appear.

"Each time I go to bed, I pray like Aretha Franklin", Green's singing on 'Wood Beez' and Aretha Franklin producer Arif Mardin took control of the recordings for that song at the Atlantic Studios in New York. Also in the studio: David Frank, keyboards (The System); Paul Jackson, guitars; Steve Ferrone, drums (ex-Average White Band), ex-Chaka Khan); and Fonzi Thornton (of Chic fame) and Tawatha (of Mtume fame) as background vocalists. Especially black artists have always been impressed by the soul-influenced pop of Green. Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau and Miles Davis have recorded Scritti songs for their own albums.

"One day I got a phonecall", Green recollects during our interview on the terrace of the Hyatt hotel in Montreux. "Someone said 'Do you know that Miles has covered 'Perfect Way' '. At first I thought it to be a joke, because I was incredibly surprised". Later, Davis called Green in person and asked him about the possibility of working together in the future. The result of this collaboration can be heard on the new single 'Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)'. In return, Scritti Politti will be taking part on the next Miles Davis LP. "It looks as if it is going to run that way for a long time", Green says delighted, "which is amazing of course. He is such a great and extraordinary human being. Miles is still up to date musically. He's listening to all the new trends and checks them out. He's got a great ear for sounds. I guess he likes the way we are working with the latest technology. He's simply hip!"

Apart from Miles Davis, other musicians on Scritti Politti's new album 'Provision' include Marcus Miller, bass; Dan Huff, guitars; and funk superstar Roger Troutman. And regular Scritti Politti members, David Gamson, keyboards and Fred Maher (ex-drummer of Richard Hell, Material and Lou Reed as well as producer for dance-acts like Information Society), took a big part in the recording process as well. A live performance of Scritti Politti seems out of the question these days. In fact, they haven't been on stage during their whole time with Virgin Records.

"We've always had feelings of fear and mistrust about live shows. We've never been that interested in it. But you're right, perhaps it would be cool to perform again. But we'd have to find a way to reproduce the technological material on stage." The trio's been with the major record company Virgin for four years now. Before, they seemed to be the essence of an indie band. Did they like the indie status then?

"Yeah, I liked it", Green admits. "I wanted to be that. But I soon lost interest in being indie. In England the independent business was becoming really unhealthy. It was a very closed circle with own charts and own shops. I found it too selective and sect-like. So I became determined to withdraw from that world". In Green's opinion, indie is full of the same nonsense, the same kind of people one finds in the big Biz. The former student of arts and member of a youth-organisation for the Communist party, is an exceptional pop star who doesn't like to listen to his own music.

"I hate it. It's terrible. I'm appalled by every record I've made. It takes too much time to make one and when a song is finally finished, I'm only agitated by the awful music and that stupid voice".

What does he think about his lyrics that differ pleasantly from the common pop-sameness? "I apply a lot of time to work on them. I hate those clever/clever lyrics which are so self-confident in a terrible fashion. That's why I try so hard to bring a stupid element into them. That's important. A pop song should be clever and silly at the same time. You've got to keep a certain naivity to write good pop lyrics". But Green is well-known for his philosophical thoughtfulness. He spends a lot of time reading philosophical books. He even dedicated a song on the album 'Songs To Remember' to the French thinker Jacques Derrida. After that he visited him in Paris and returned completely fascinated.

"My approach to pop music is very similar to what Derrida does in literary and linguistic theory". Green's also an aestheticist who, as a child, often bought records because of their cover designs. The visual presentation of Scritti Politti is important to him. The videos for 'Wood Beez' and 'Absolute' are very well remembered, but: "Videos could be much hipper than they seem to be nowadays. We are all to blame. We should all try to make better ones. There is so much to be done. What I don't like especially are those narrative, story telling videos".

For this interview, Green's wearing a Run DMC sweatshirt. Is he a fan?

"They're totally def", he's revelling. "They're my heroes. I love hip hop. It's been such a thrill meeting them here yesterday". What does he like about hip hop?

"It's hard, simple, nasty, groovy, without compromises. We'd like to be that tough and groovy sometimes. Hip hop's so bad. It is so easy: a drum beat, a voice, some samples. Stick it down, cry it out. The hippest thing. And it's American and Black".

Has hip hop infiltrated Scritti Politti's music though? "Yes. It had an influence on the drum programming and rhythm. In any case, hip hop reminds me of punk, because it is so easily and quickly done. They're borrowing from old rare grooves and it's great".

There is one thing that Green would love to do: He would like to write a song for Jody Watley. "There's lots of female singers, I would like to write for. If Jody asked me to, I would immediately start working on a song for her". Why doesn't he ask her instead? "You're right, that's what I've got to to do next". Jody Watley and Green - surely no uninteresting combination.