FAULT: Hey Sharleen, how are you?

SS: I’m very good, thank you.

 

FAULT: How is the campaign going for the new album?

SS: It’s going very well, we’ve been doing loads of promo; been here, there and everywhere. Doing some European and UK TV so it’s good, but it’s quite funny because when you release internationally you suddenly notice people want to cut you into little pieces and poke you.

 

FAULT: Your ninth studio album ‘Jump On Board’ came out a few months ago, have you had chance to showcase any of the songs to your fans yet?

SS: Yeah just as the album was released we played some pub gigs around the UK that were recorded for radio. Listeners could win tickets and that was really great and we literally played in manky, old pubs which were fantastic. Really sticky carpets and old beer aroma, you couldn’t step back on stage and it was all about the music and the audience. It was good to try out the new songs especially up against the old ones and the big hits, you can suddenly think “oh yeah, this is as good as we thought it was”.

 

FAULT: So from this strong combination of hits and new songs from’ Jump On Board’, what can fans expect from the setlist on the Winter tour?

SS: It will be the ‘Jump on Board Live Tour’ but it will be journey because when you’ve got a band that has had such a long career, there is a lot there to chose from. Some nights we change different songs in different places, but definitely mixing the big hits in with the new stuff.

 

FAULT: Is there a venue you’re looking forward to playing most? You’re playing your hometown for a few shows that must be special?

SS: Yeah we’ll be playing in Kelvingrove Park, which is funny because it’s the park that I grew up in. I used to go up on the bandstand and my Mum used to drag me off. It’s going to be strange being up there without getting shouted at to get down.

 

FAULT: You’ve had a long career; it must be special to experience that retrospective on stage?

SS: Yeah the nice thing is that doing interviews it reminds you that you’re not looking at that part of it, as you’re too busy moving forward and onto the next thing. It is nice to think that it has been long and it has been great, we feel really lucky to still be doing this at the level we are doing it.

 

FAULT: When did you begin writing the new material?

SS: In bits and pieces really, when we put out the last album we hadn’t produced an album in a long time, so you never know what to expect when you release a new record. The love that was shown to the band after we put out ‘The Conversation’ was great and it makes you think, “wow, we’re still relevant”. You’re doing it because you love it, and the truth is you don’t know how to do anything else. We love performing and making records, we’ve had the height of our careers and we’re doing it for the passion and the love of it. We really didn’t expect the reaction of, “it’s great to have you back” so it was so inspiring. It really does give you that boost to continue doing what you’re doing. Rather than by just re-packaging the greatest hits and adding some new songs, we thought that we’d give the fans something with all new songs written and packaged all together. Funnily enough, ‘Lets Work It Out’ was a song that was written probably about 8 to10 years ago but it was never finished, it was one of those songs where we’d try out ideas but we never quite got the melody sitting in it.

FAULT: How has the reaction been to your latest single ‘Tell That Girl’?

SS: That is one of those new era Texas songs; lyrics mean something different to everybody and when I see the people that I’m singing it to; it sort of becomes everybody else’s song in that moment.

 

FAULT: The video itself for ‘Tell That Girl’ focuses on you guys up close and personal, how was it filming that?

SS: Yes, up close and personal; just plain. Sometimes you’ve got switch it up a lot and you know, when you get on stage it changes completely. There is normally so many elements to consider and you get a bit fed up of the lenses you know?

 

FAULT: After years of making music videos, the camera lenses drive you mad?

SS: Yeah on certain videos, the 2 videos from this album have been really fun I’ve got to say, the ‘Lets Work It Out’ one especially. We’re just having a laugh and hanging out, its not just you and there is someone else to shoot it with, it’s completely different with a band. It’s not like “oh here we go again” you know?

 

FAULT: You’ve had your solo campaign and little projects in-between, do you think that fans want to pick up on this success during the Texas shows?

SS: We played a couple of tracks from my solo stuff on the last tour actually, so we kind of mix it up. The thing about why I went solo was that I needed to say something and get it out there as it’s not Texas. The band were heavily involved in it and as a band we kind of like each other you know? We see each other outside of Texas as we’ve known each other since we were 17. We’ve grown up together, had kids, marriages, divorces and all we have been through a lot of stuff together. These people are my life and my friends; it’s weird because Texas was never a job for us, it’s never become a job, but when each one of us is doing something separate from Texas, we all go along and support them. We all support each other.

 

FAULT: Is it the lyrics or the music that comes first when writing a new song?

SS: It comes when it comes; there are no rules when we write. Sometimes it can be a melody, sometimes a lyric or an old melody or a set of bridges, or sometimes completely new. Sometimes you’re lying in bed and link the two instantly; I don’t really know how it works even though that’s what I do. [Laughs] Everybody wants to analyse things nowadays, that’s how you do it etc. I think anyone who has created things in the moment find it hard to describe how they did it. I think if you look to closely at it then it becomes a path, and that path can soon become boring.

 

FAULT: What is your FAULT?

SS: You’ve got your strengths and you’ve got your faults, I think the strength is to be able to show your faults and identify that they’re there. Your fault is what sometimes makes magical things happen. Everybody has faults and do things that are seen as annoying, mine is probably that I never shut up. [Laughs]

Texas are on tour later this year from August until December and includes 3 huge homecoming shows in Glasgow, a large UK and European tour with some special shows in South Africa just added. You can view all their tour dates on their site here. Texas’ ninth studio album ‘Jump On Board’ is out now on Sony BMG. You can purchase the album here, and check out their latest single ‘Tell That Girl’ here.

 

Words Stuart Williams