Wire frontman Colin Newman on the artist who is both “unlistenable” and “absolutely beautiful”
Music speaks to people in different ways, and that’s why various styles and genres are so important. Regardless of what someone is going through or what they want to listen to, they can find a song that reflects that. Some musicians hone in on one particular style and stay with it for their entire career; others are excited by the endless possibilities that come with constant sounds and, as such, dabble in various styles. Colin Newman falls firmly into the latter.
Newman is one of the most versatile musicians out there, as his career spans several genres. Initially, he found fame as one of the founder members of Wire, now considered one of the pioneers of the post-punk movement. They had a vibrant sound and weren’t afraid to be obscure with their lyricism. However, Newman was able to flaunt his diversity as a musician when he went on to do solo work.
Working on various solo albums and collaborations, Newman dabbled in several styles, such as psychedelia, ambience and bubblegum pop music. He also worked on electronic music and general pop.
As the driving force behind various styles, it won’t surprise people to hear that Newman also takes from multiple influences. In a recent interview, he was asked to provide albums and artists who have inspired him, and the influences range massively. His parents weren’t too bothered about music, so Colin was left to discover his love for it on his own, and that came in the form of The Beatles, The Tornados and, most importantly, Todd Rundgren.
“The thing about Todd Rundgren is you have to buy into the whole thing,” he said. “He’s another preposterous artist. He’s insanely talented: great singer, fantastic guitarist, great arranger, and he dances like a ninja. He used to be able to solo while kicking his legs in the air, wearing purple loon pants.”
He reflected on the first album that initially triggered his love for Rundgren. “I had never heard anything like A Wizard in my life. It goes from the spacieness of ‘International Feel’ and suddenly he’s doing a Wizard of Ozsong. It was bonkers but it totally primed me for what was next.”
“By that point, I had managed to get all of my friends into him, so everyone was waiting for the next record,” he added. “I bought Todd when it came out and was like, ‘Whoa!’ It’s heavy – some of it is quite unlistenable and annoying, and some of it is absolutely beautiful. That’s Todd Rundgren for you.”
Musicians are indeed a reflection of their influences, and as such, it is hardly a surprise that Newman can draw so much from just one album. Listening to one piece of music and feeling so many different ways about it set the groundwork for the versatile career ahead of the Wire frontman.
