Interview date: 11.05.2007
John Lawton, once the frontman voice of British hard rock icons Uriah Heep, is the real deal: an artist, a showman, a proper gentleman if you like, and a genuinely good bloke on top of it all. I found that out for myself in the chat with him that followed his gig with yet another set of legends, this time Postojna’s Mary Rose. Backed by a good dose of classic English humor, John delivered a bunch of unforgettable moments that will stay with me forever.
Rockline: Hi John.
John: Hey, man. How’s it going?
Rockline: Great, and you?
John: Never better (laughs)!
Rockline: Good to hear. From what I saw today, you’re clearly having a blast.
John: I feel great. That’s the whole charm of it. There’s nothing better than a good old rock & roll gig.
Rockline: With Mary Rose again!
John: Yep. This was the second time I played with the guys. If memory serves, the first time was last year at a similar biker fest in Slovenia.
Rockline: In Hruševje!
John: Yeah. I think that’s the place.
Rockline:So your shows together are becoming a bit of a tradition.
John: Listen, these guys are just so good! They’re one of the best bands I’ve ever had the chance to play with. Really friendly, and on top of that we get along great, both off stage and on it. In a relaxed atmosphere like that, playing becomes a real pleasure. It’s a good time, and you walk away with a lot of fond memories too. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Rockline: How much prep does a show like this take? Given what you’ve said about Mary Rose, probably not a whole lot, right?
John: The guys know their stuff and their job inside out. There were no problems with knowing the songs I wanted to play, either. Yesterday (Friday) we had a rehearsal in Postojna, where we polished everything that needed polishing, and that was it!
Rockline: Pure routine, then?
John: You could say that, yeah. Did it sound okay?
Rockline: Pretty okay, actually (laughs)!
John: Well, I like that. Of course, it could have been better. If anything bothered me, it was mostly the lack of low end, the bass and all that. Everything was up in the air too much.
Rockline: You still enjoyed it, though?
John. Definitely! We’re all musicians and everything we do, we do from the heart. If we didn’t enjoy it, there’d be simply no point. Why would I do something that doesn’t make me happy? I don’t see the point in that.
Rockline: You’ve got a very “soulful” voice, one that at first glance sits closer to blues, soul and related genres. When you joined, all of that gave Uriah Heep a completely new face. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
John: I’ve always been a huge Paul Rodgers fan. His vocals have inspired me constantly. Look, I’m 61 today, which means I grew up on loads of quality music, especially music with real substance. I’d like to single out the famous American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson here. I first saw her sing when I was fourteen. She was phenomenal. I also grew up in the north of England on the music of Eric Burdon and his Animals, which had a ton of blues in it. You could say our generation was lucky. Unlike today, back then you could actually learn a lot from listening to music.
Rockline: Did that cause you any trouble when you joined Uriah Heep?
John: When I joined Uriah Heep, I had to deal with singing in registers that were a bit too high for me, which of course leaves no room for expression. But you know how it is today: the older I get, the more Jack Daniels, the more cigarettes, and my voice has gained depth and, like you said, that “soulful” flavor, which I really like. I enjoy the freedom that singing this way gives me.
Rockline: Besides Uriah Heep, you’ve worked on a whole range of projects. The latest on the list is On The Rocks. What’s going on with it right now?
John: That’s right. The guitarist I’m working with, Jan Dumee, is in Brazil at the moment, and I think he’s coming back this very week. He recorded the backing tracks there with local musicians, and then we’ll lock ourselves in a studio, probably somewhere in the Netherlands, around the middle of July I reckon. I’ll add my part there, so I’m hoping the album sees the light of day sometime in September.
Rockliine: Will you promote the album with a tour too?
John. Of course, well, at least I hope so.
Rockline: Chances are you’ll come visit us, too.
John: Why not! Anything is possible in this business, so you should never say never. I’d be glad to come back to Slovenia, because I feel good here.
Rockline: You mentioned Paul Rodgers earlier. What’s your take on his work with Queen?
John: I saw them in London. I probably shouldn’t even say this, but I like a lot of their songs much better in Paul’s version. You could see something similar with Queen enjoying All Right Now and other Free classics. Paul just takes it all in a different way. Plenty of people don’t like that, but I do!
Rockline: Most people hear the name John Lawton and think of Uriah Heep first. Does that bother you today, or are you proud of your Heep experience?
John: I’m definitely glad for everything that happened. I’d never slam the door on Uriah Heep. They’re part of my history, it’s just what I did…
Rockline: Plus, it was good music.
John: Absolutely! Good music and everything that comes with it. There were good times, and bad ones of course, but I’d never turn my back on something I once was. We’re still friends. Mick Box and I were on the phone just last week, so we’re still kind of in touch. In two weeks I’m going to Hamburg to play with Ken Hensley, who’ll be promoting his new album, which Glenn Hughes and I both played on.
Rockline: What would John Lawton like to be remembered for once he’s done with music?
John: Hm.. He was a good lad who gave it his all..
Rockline: Which you certainly are..
John: Dunno, really (laughs). I try, but it doesn’t always work out! I personally know a lot of the people who come to my shows. Pretty much wherever I am, whether it’s Germany or anywhere in Europe, I at least know the faces in, say, the first three rows of every gig. Over time those people turned from fans into friends. That’s how I like it. I don’t want to be up there somewhere, out of reach, that’s not right. You know, the only reason I do what I do is that I got lucky. God gave me a voice..
Rockline: Thanks, God…
John: Right, thank you (looks up at the sky and laughs). Anyway, I don’t see any difference between you and me. I don’t know, maybe you sing?
Rockline: Not a chance! I play keyboards.
John: Well, that’s great! I’d love to know how to play keyboards.
Rockline: I’m sure you’d pick it up quickly.
John: Ugh, I’m too old for that (laughs)!
Rockline. At your shows you can feel a strong connection with the audience
John: I’m convinced that if you’re going to get up and perform, you absolutely need a strong connection with the audience. You simply have to offer it to them. These days there are tons of performers who don’t give people what they deserve. I don’t like that. The crowd has to live the show together with you, otherwise the whole thing is pointless.
Rockline: Are you planning any more shows with Mary Rose in the future?
John: Of course! This year we’ve also got “Ototcec” planned??
Rockline: Ototcec??
John: Novo Mesto?
Rockline: Ah, Rock Otočec in Novo Mesto! Awesome!
John: Maybe even at Bled! I hope I pronounced that right (laughs). It’s not a biker festival.
Rockline: Well, it’s not exactly biker music either.
John: No, it’s not, you’re right about that. But still, the crowd enjoyed it and that’s that!
Rockline: That’s the most important thing in the end! John Lawton, thanks for everything, and lots of On The Rocks luck in the future!
John: That’s for sure. Thank you, my friend.
Photo Gallery
