Kris Needs, one of the UK’s most prolific journalists and music writers, speaks to Jason Barnard about new book Babble On An’ Ting, the first full account of Alex Paterson’s life. Written in close collaboration with Alex, Babble On An’ Ting reveals Alex’s astonishing journey from traumatic childhood, through punk, Killing Joke and KLF to The Orb.
Was it Alex’s idea to write Babble On An’ Ting, and what was the process of writing and researching it?
We’d been talking about it for years, but after I started seeing old mates again in 2018 after five years away in Essex, Alex was back on a roll and the time seemed right. I pitched the idea to Omnibus Press and started writing it in early 2019, visiting Alex at the West Norwood Book and Record Bar, where he loves to DJ. He came to Aylesbury and talked about U.F. Orb for the Vinyl on Wednesdays events I was doing with my lifelong friends Rick and Judy Pearce, then again on a couple of occasions. It basically took a year to write, turning quite full-on the final months – then the pandemic struck just as I’d finished it and it got put back a year!
Pete Bingham, Alex Paterson and Kris the night the book was started February 2019
Was there anything surprising that you learnt writing it?
Yes! I pretty much know the Orb story, although it was fantastic hearing the finer details of how the albums were recorded and what went into tracks. The area I found particularly fascinating, and often shocking, was Alex’s childhood, traumatic boarding school experiences and also his exploits during punk. We also wanted to stress his close involvement with the early evolution of Killing Joke, which always gets overlooked. He was like a fifth member.
When and how did your first meet Alex Paterson?
On a balcony at the Notting Hill squat where Youth and some of the Joke circle were living in 1980. I was there to interview them for Zigzag, which I was editing at the time, hit it off with Youth over the Chic album at the front of his record stack, and then Alex turned up. There was this whole scene in Notting Hill around the band, proper characters like Weasel, Jeff the old hippie and Dave the fire-eater. I started going to the Language Laboratory hiphop nights in Soho with Youth and spending more time at his Ladbroke Grove basement flat. When his flat-mate Jaz did his runner to Iceland, I moved into his old room, then on to the Coach House in Wandsworth in late ’82 for two years. Alex was often around and there were several memorable nights, like when I turned them both on to Hendrix on acid! Friends for life.
Kris and Alex
Going back, which artists were most influential to you in shaping your musical tastes?
The Rolling Stones. After seeing them on Ready Steady Go! In 1964 I was never the same again and basically had my attitude to life and music mapped out then (when I was 10 years old!). Apart from the rebellious aspect against school, authority, etc, and, of course, the essential place of long hair in showing it, there was the amazing music they fired out, the sex, excitement, drugs and also Keith’s passing it on theory resulting in a lifelong love of the blues and soul. After them came Jimi Hendrix, Funkadelic, plus a load of fearless pioneers played on Peel’s radio show, such as John Fahey and Captain Beefheart. Then along came Mott the Hoople, Bowie and The Clash. Peel taught me to despise musical boxes, a passion I shared with Alex, Youth and my late, much-missed friend Andrew Weatherall.
Kris on his 65th birthday with his dog Jack, 2019
How did you get into music journalism and how has it changed over the years?
The urge started when I got the music papers delivered from the age of ten; NME, Disc & Music Echo, Record Mirror and Sounds. It sounded like a dream job – getting paid to listen to albums and go to gigs, then write about them. The clincher was when Pete Frame launched Zigzag as the UK’s first fan-driven music monthly in 1969. Initially, I fancied a career in art so I could do the art school thing Keith Richards had done and draw my psychedelic posters all day and get paid for it (I was designing flyers for Aylesbury’s Friars club from 50 years ago). However, I didn’t have the qualifications and ended up taking a job as cub reporter on the local newspaper and started reviewing albums in 1973. By that time, I was running Mott the Hoople’s fan club and writing newsletters. I saw a lot of Frame so contributing to Zigzag seemed a good place to start. Then, in 1977, he made me the editor, which I did for five years all through punk.
The main change in the music press since then has been the collapse of the weeklies, which once ruled everything, and upsurge of monthlies, though obviously much has gone online now. It must be a vastly overcrowded field now, impossible to break into the way I did and actually get paid. I was very fortunate coming up when I did as I’m still doing it!
Kris and Keith Richards
Which of your books are your most proud of and why?
They’re all like my babies as I never take on big projects just for the cash and so many books are just workmanlike dross.
I was very happy that Keith Richards liked Before they Make Me Run, the biography I did of him, as we’d been meeting for interviews or marathon sessions since 1980. When it came out, Keith sent my friend Alan Clayton, who he’d introduced me to and was hanging out at Redlands, to go to the local bookshop and get a copy, which he then signed and sent back. Made it all worthwhile!
I’m also particularly proud of the books I did on George Clinton and, perhaps most of all, Suicide in 2015. It was amazing telling their whole story and also doing it with my partner Helen, who applied her formidable editing skills to making me get it right. I started my Just A Shot Away 1969 memoirs before Helen passed away in 2018 so they ended up dedicated to her; that makes them most special of all my books. When I actually get to hold a copy of Alex’s book I know I’ll be very proud of that too!
Kris and Helen, 2015
Can you share any details on your forthcoming book on Silver Apples? Did you meet/know Simeon?
That was a strange one. I’d interviewed Simeon several times over the last few years and we’d discussed doing a book around 2017. For some reason, it didn’t happen then I got the call again just as I was finishing Alex’s book and the pandemic was kicking in. It sounded like a perfect way to spend a lockdown so I did the bare bones version with what I already had and deeper research, always with the plan to do new interviews with Simeon. With just one chapter to go, I heard that Simeon wasn’t well so sent him what I’d done so far. He sent back a thumbs up and then the sad news came that he’d passed away. Jack Trevillion, who’d brokered the book and ran Simeon’s record label said he’d really wanted the book as part of his legacy. I’m hoping to return to it and finish this summer. At least he got to see it.
Can you tell me about your involvement with Pinhdar?
I just really love what they’re doing, especially the new album, Parallel. I’d originally met Cecilia through Helen as she’d given her Jack, the beautiful dog who’s with me even as I write this.
Pinhdar were coming together after Helen passed away and, when it came to launching the ’69 memoir, I invited them to come and play at the Walthamstow launch, along with Sendelica. As I’m still writing for around half a dozen magazines, I know how hard it is to break through the torrential flood of music that comes out and strongly believe that Cecilia and Max have something very special to offer. When it looked like Parallel was going to languish online so couldn’t get to review it in Record Collector, I thought of how to get it the physical release it deserves; obviously Keith at Fruits de Mer immediately sprang to mind. It’s a great label that puts out spectacular pressings and also because of the Sendelica connection that had resulted in ‘Windmill’, the gorgeous track I’d been planning with Pete Bingham after Helen passed. Going to Wales to record it with my great singer friend Wonder, who’d flown in from Cleveland, Ohio, and Jack was a fabulous experience. And then Alex remixed it, which gave FDM the Orb record Keith had always wanted. Everything’s linked!
What musical projects are you currently involved with?
I’m a satellite member of the Lost Stoned Pandas, the project Pete Bingham and I dreamed up after a silly session swapping GIFS. In the early stages I was sending over ideas and potential samples and hope to do so again soon, once the madness is over. I’m severely hampered looking after my 94 year old mum and Jack, and haven’t ventured into the outside world for over a year. Through the wonders of modern technology, I did manage to collaborate with Dom Beken on our remix of ‘The Weekend it Rained Forever’ for The Orb’s History of the Royal Familia remix set. I wanted to do an Ibiza sunset anthem for Helen in the spirit of my much-missed friend Andrew Weatherall. Dom did an amazing job realising my rambles!
How has the Pandemic affected you?
It hasn’t really impacted on my daily doings as I was already looking after my mum when it struck and walking Jack was my one lifeline. When taking care of them allows, I seem to have more work coming in than before the pandemic, whether it’s writing about Funkadelic for Mojo, Fred Neil for Record Collector or endless reviews. I’ve lost a olot of friends, not so much through the pandemic but old age and all that comes with it; most recently, my old friend Colin, who was guitarist in my punk band the Vice Creems. I miss doing our record nights and the Aylesbury Record Fair, though there’s one planned for July. I just hope circumstances allow me to go!
The Vice Creems supporting The Clash, 1980
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
To finish Simeon’s book, make more music and there’s a rather exciting book project coming up that’s still in the works. I also hope my walks with Jack will resume soon; that would be a great 67th birthday present in July. I definitely have no plans to retire.
‘Babble On An’ Ting: Alex Paterson’s Incredible Journey Beyond the Ultraworld with The Orb’ is available from Omnibus Press.
