Richard Hawley shares details of upcoming Scott Walker tribute on new album
Richard Hawley has discussed his tribute to Scott Walker included on his forthcoming album, In This City They Call You Love, which delves into much of Hawley’s personal experiences along with his enduring appreciation for his city, Sheffield.
The album, which is slated for release on May 31st, is a full-length release that includes an ode to the industrial history of Sheffield alongside the resilience of its inhabitants. The album also boasts a series of second-hand instruments, including a Telecaster once owned by Walker.
In a new interview, Hawley explained that the instrument managed to get into his hands after Walker’s family got in touch with him, who then travelled “from Denmark with the guitar to put it in my hand in Sheffield.”
Discussing the instruments with Mojo, he added that everything on the album that includes a guitar solo “was played on Scott’s beautiful, very old Telecaster, with love.” He also mentioned the inclusion of a guitar given to him by Duane Eddy, and an “old Gretch” that was owned by his father. “The album is most definitely a family affair,” he explained, claiming his hometown to be the perfect “muse” in his depiction of “unity.”
Hawley and Walker had been friends for a number of years before his passing in 2019. The Yorkshire singer-songwriter has previously paid tribute to the musical icon a number of times over the years, including a special performance at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms alongside Jarvis Cocker, John Grant, and Susanne Sundfør.
The new album seems the perfect home to showcase this full-circle moment as Hawley pays tribute to everything that is the most near and dear to him, putting a spotlight on the steel city soundtracked by a host of instrumental heirlooms.
The new record, which follows 2019’s Further, was created with its title already confirmed. According to Hawley, he had already made “three albums where I had the title before I’d even begun to record, where I had an agenda.”
He continued, “one was Truelove’s Gutter. Another was Standing At The Sky’s Edge when I wanted tot run everything up and make the music a lot more aggressive, and then this one.”
The new album, the singer explained, was made “to be multi-coloured in a way,” bringing together the power of “what voices can do together… I deliberately only placed a handful of guitar solos to keep it focused on voices, the song and space.”
Along with the album announcement, Hawley shared ‘Two For His Heels’, a song about a deal that goes wrong, listen below.
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