Bill Sharpe Interview: Shakatak, Sharpe & Numan, Change Your Mind | Electric Friends Podcast
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- For this interview special, it’s with a bonafide music legend: Bill Sharpe!
#BillSharpe is a classically trained pianist and jazz rock musician, who once worked alongside John Peel at the BBC and Trevor Horn in an early band. In 1980, he co-founded the band #Shakatak, who scored many big hits around the world with their brand of post-disco jazz-funk.
In 1985, he teamed up with #GaryNuman on what was meant to be a one-off single, but later turned into several songs, and a whole album - with 1989’s Automatic. He is a prolific songwriter and musician, who has collaborated with many other stars over the years, and is still performing with Shakatak today.
In the episode, Bill discusses:
How he came to work with Gary Numan and their writing processes
The unreleased demos he made with Gary after Automatic - could they ever be released?
How Shakatak came about
His friendship with John Peel
Thanks. I discovered Bill through Gary and "Change Your Mind". Sadly the "Automatic" album was probably a bit late seeing Pop was really changing and musicality was being pushed aside. I really like Numan as a Pop singer like with Bill and Radio Heart.
I really love the whole "Famous People" album and it led me to buy a few Shakatak albums. Bill has such a lovely feel as a key prodder. Deffo in the Best Eva! category. I'f yer bored Mr Sharpe, I'll make a record with ya.
:-)
Love your channel. Learning more about Numan than I ever knew when I started listening back in the 80s!
My personal favourite track from the Sharpe & Numan "Automatic" album is "Voices". I think that should have been the first single, as it sounds a lot less 'Gary bemoaning the state of his career' than does "I'm On Automatic". It has a very memorable and catchy chorus too. But I appreciate that often record companies are fickle and move on to other things regardless. I'm definitely a fan of the Automatic album.
Totally agree, would have charted if Voices was the A-side. In Germany they did exactly that. So why not UK? Would have been a good question to ask Bill. I wonder if that discussion was had with Polydor at the time?
Change Your Mind was a great track and is still played in the mainstream today. Think both Gary and Bill were out of their comfort zone when they did it. Which was a good thing. Bill has always come over as such a nice, humble guy. Would love to see another collaboration between Gary & Bill. Thanks for the great interview.
I am a long time Numan fan. I loved that collaboration and the Album. I played it everyday in my car for at least a year on my journey to and from work. And even friends of mine who weren’t into Numan liked it when they heard me playing it. I still play it from time to time. I like every track on that album. Nightlife is a favourite.
I love Automatic. One of my go to BBQ albums in the summer with mates
Love it when you both worked together ❤️
Thanks ! check out the unedited version of "Change Your Mind" as featured on the japanese pressing of Bill's album ---> ua-cam.com/video/T6Mh7KUF_RA/v-deo.html