CHRIS DIFFORD & BOO HEWERDINE

Chris Difford is a rare breed. As a member of one of London’s best-loved bands, the Squeeze co-founder has made a lasting contribution to English music with hits such as ‘Cool For Cats’, ‘Up The Junction’, ‘Labelled With Love’, ‘Hourglass’ and ‘Tempted’.  Despite the fact that Chris has helped soundtrack so many fans’ lives since his first release in 1977, the passion for innovation and love of playing still drives him to carry on writing rather than sit back and admire his handiwork.

Over the course of a 13 album career with Squeeze, it was clear from the very beginning that Chris Difford has few peers when it comes to smart, pithy lyricism. His ‘kitchen sink-drama’ style has drawn plaudits from fans on both sides of the Atlantic, while his influence is keenly felt today. The likes of Lily Allen and Mark Ronson, Kasabian, Razorlight and The Feeling have all recognised the debt they owe to Squeeze’s music and to Difford’s way with words, while journalists were moved by his winning combination with Glenn Tilbrook to dub the pair ‘The New Lennon and McCartney’.

Boo Hewerdine, a unique talent.

All through Boo’s career of performing, of writing material taken on by the likes by K.d. Lang , Paul Young, Kris Drever and Eddi Reader (the song Patience In Angels won an Ivor Novello nomination), it is perhaps back to his childhood that gives us a clue as to his motivation.

Speaking about his “Best Of Collection with the Bible” (My Name In The Brackets) which was released on Reveal Records, Boo explains “I had a Dansette and a handful of 45s. What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For?, I Remember You, Seven Little Girls. Records from that strange era between Rock & Roll and The Beatles. I would study the labels. The title, the singer, the numbers, Columbia, HMV, the stuff about rights written around the edge and most intriguing – the names in the brackets. It turned out that these people had “written” these songs. Songs could be made up. Conjured out of thin air. I decided then, at the age of seven, that’s what I would do. I couldn’t sing or play an instrument but I had an internal jukebox going on the whole time.”

“All I ever wanted was my name in the brackets. And it gave me this life”.