Gift’s career has expanded in recent, post-FYC years to include critically-lauded film acting and musical score work but this year sees him return to pop music’s front line, including a visit to Club Academy on Saturday 9th December.
Roland Gift
Saturday 9th December 2017, 7.30pm
Club Academy
During the making of his new album, Gift took time out to work on the latest entry in his other illustrious career, a film resumé that includes Sammy And Rosie Get Laid, Tin Men(for which FYC also supplied the music, at the special request of director Barry Levinson), and Scandal. Gift’s most recent acting work is for the forthcoming The Island of the Mapmaker¹s Wife, directed by Michie Gleason, for which Roland put recording on hold for two months, while on location in Amsterdam with the production.
Gift readily admits to a happy balancing act between the two disciplines. “When I first started, I wanted to be an actor. That’s one of the reasons I came down to London from Hull. But most people I know have been in a group sometime in their life. The first punk band I was in [the Acrylic Victims] got a bit of notoriety, released a couple of singles,my music focus grew from there.”
Roland Gift was recorded at a variety of locations, from demo studios to front rooms to Mayfair Studios, with producers David Z and Ben Barson.. The album is reminiscent of the sparse, classic appeal that typified Roland’s work with the Cannibals, a sophisticated blend of pop and soul with jazz and even gospel flavors, with Gift’s own new spin for the 21st Century.
“The Cannibals sort of officially dissolved in 1996,” says Gift, “so, in a way, up until then we were trying to do our third record. Then we came out with The Finest, which was a greatest hits set plus three new tracks that didn’t have a home to go to,” (among those was the hit “The Flame”). “But, it’s better to burn brightly for half as long than to be a dim lingering light, and I get a lot of good will from people – they say they still play the albums and they’re looking forward to hear what I’m doing next.”
Gift looks forward to more live shows, where he will perform the new songs from Roland Gift and some classic fan favorites. “There are a lot of people who liked the Cannibals who never saw songs like ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ in concert, and since I wrote them as well, I’ll definitely do some Fine Young Cannibals songs.”
Academy, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR
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