Proctors - The formula for the perfect pop song

Time has stood still for The Proctors. For them, but also for us, listeners of one of the most enchanting albums of the year in guitar-pop. It feels as though the whole world of Sarah Records and its imagery lives again in these songs, which bring Gavin Priest's songwriting talent back into the spotlight a full 17 years on — that's how long it's been since the new album and the 1995 debut "Pinstripes and Englishmen", released on Sunday Records.

The Proctors of 2013 have a couple of new faces in the lineup and now release music through the excellent Shelflife Records, but, just as in the ’90s, they never stop dispensing pure feeling through music, searching for and finding the formula for the perfect pop song. We talked about all this with Gavin himself, who kindly and warmly answered our questions by email.

Hi Gavin, how are you? Where are you writing to us from?

Hi Ricky, I'm at home, in Sedgley, right in the heart of England's "Black Country" (look it up on Google under Black Country — the name comes from the smog and factory smoke of the industrial revolution. David Bowie even wrote a song about this area). It's a place full of truly genuine, sincere people.

I've read the first reviews of the album and they're all very positive. I imagine you're pretty pleased. How did the recording of the new songs go?

Of course, I'm really happy to see people enjoying our work, naturally! Answering your questions, for instance, is a pleasure too! We definitely took our time making this record. We see The Proctors as a reason to record music, and we love doing it. Part of the album was recorded at home. Over the last 12 months we had a drum kit in the kitchen, amps in the cellar, guitars and microphones scattered everywhere. Then we went to Ian Catt, who's produced some records we love, including The Field Mice and St. Etienne. A great guy, who recorded and produced a few tracks and was a huge help with technical advice.

The title makes me think that this everlasting light is exactly that of immortal guitar-pop — so true, heartfelt and timeless. What do you think?

That sounds a bit religious! I think the fear of death is a theme that's always present. Take an old song of ours like "Live Forever", for example — another case of the same thing. Like a lot of people, I'm fascinated by things beyond this world, spiritual things, let's call them. God, that might sound a bit pretentious here, but yes, it also has to do with the jangly sound of the guitars. And a bit with the time, as a child, when I went to Sunday school with my mother and watched those beams of light streaming through the stained-glass windows.

On the new album you move from shimmering songs to melancholic, intimate gems. Two moving sides of the coin called pop.

I love the saddest pop music, from Joy Division to Simon and Garfunkel. I can still cry listening to "Letting Go" by The Field Mice. "Snowball" was the soundtrack to the end of my first serious relationship. Instinctively, whenever I pick up a guitar, I start playing something "sad". I try not to, but I just can't help it. Then I throw in some drums to lighten the tension and the mood.

Do you know that your record manages to take me out of time? It's really not easy to find songs that transport the listener out of their space in the present. I close my eyes and I feel like I'm back in the magic of Sarah Records. What do you feel when you listen to the record now?

First of all, thank you so much for your words, which are lovely and flattering. I love music that manages to do what you're describing, and if we too, in our own small way, manage to achieve that, it's cause for great happiness.

We like to believe there are better things out there: a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or that the moon is made of cheese. You can't fight what's deep in your heart. Sometimes we find ourselves arguing about what we should or could do musically, typical insecurity, but the sound of the record is the equivalent of jumping out of a plane knowing the parachute will open just fine. This record has reminded us who and what we are, and given us ideas and inspiration for what to do next.

As for Sarah Records, well, I always loved flicking through records at Swordfish Records in Birmingham and buying anything that had even a faint whiff of "indie-pop" about it. I discovered Field Mice and Sarah almost by chance. I remember thinking the cover of "Snowball" looked like it could almost pass for Joy Division. Sea Urchins are from our hometown and were on Sarah. I love quite a few of their songs. Their singer Jamie once lent me some money to get my car back after it had been "clamped" following one of their gigs at the Barrel Organ in Birmingham - I could go on with anecdotes, but I'll stop there. They've got a punk spirit I've always loved. To wrap it up, I'll tell you my vinyl copy of Sarah's "Fountain Island" sits right next to Creation Records' "Doing It For The Kids": yes, guilty as charged!

Is there a track on the record that pleasantly surprised you?

"Adrienne" was written in a hurry, when our drummer and best friend Adrian was very ill. There are no drums on it, but it's one of our favourite tracks. Adrian's doing really well now, by the way.

The shoegaze sounds of "Cellophane" and "Fall Down With You" are fantastic!

Well, House of Love, Galaxie 500, My Bloody Valentine, Kitchen of Distinction are all huge influences on us! We love that kind of reverb and I think it really comes through in our music. I just sold a Lexicon Reverb and I'm already going through a kind of withdrawal.

My favourite song is "Fun Sunday". It has a gorgeous melody, and the vocal interplay between you and Margaret is spine-tingling. How did the track come about?

Thanks again, Ricky, for your kind words. The song was written in my bedroom, like so many others, for instance "Perfect World", put down on tape and sent to Albert at Sunday Records, our first label. I remember that home demo being much more melancholy, all about time wasted in your room letting a boring Sunday drift by.

I consider Margaret a "real" singer. She was signed by Tom Zutant, who used to work with Guns N' Roses. He actually said she was the best singer he'd heard since Axl Rose, if you can believe that! But it didn't go anywhere because the label folded. Margaret has such a sweet voice and absolutely no inflated ego. I can't tell you how little I appreciate people who are full of themselves, especially the ones with no talent. In my ideal world, those people simply wouldn't exist. I'm truly grateful to Margaret for her patience and for her wonderful singing with Proctors.

How did the collaboration with Terry Bickers come about?

It was a personal ambition of mine to ask Terry to play with us. He's lovely, a really nice guy, and we hit it off straight away. We invited him over for lunch and he did the washing up! He spent a couple of days with us here in the Black Country. I picked him up from Coseley station, and Adrian was due to join later to record a session together - he told us he was so nervous about meeting one of his heroes that, walking along lost in thought, he nearly walked straight past the house out of sheer nerves. We're still in touch. He likes our music, and not only did he play some fantastic guitar parts, he genuinely had a positive effect on us, leaving a warm glow in our hearts. No oversized ego from him either.

What memories do you have of the 90s music scene? Do you feel nostalgic about it?

What fantastic memories! I was in a britpop band, and we even had a decent deal, with the Manic Street Preachers' manager looking after us. That's how I got to know a lot of people. I started a club night in 1996 called "Supersonic" (of course!). I DJed at a club called Blast Off! at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, where the Britpop phenomenon in England really came to life. I also worked in a record shop, and all in all I think it was a wonderful time.

Have you ever been to Italy?

Unfortunately not! Though my brother actually speaks fluent Italian and has spent a lot of time in your country. We'd love to come play there, but also just to visit. I imagine Italy is full of people who know how to express their emotions. And I love history too, Rome really draws me in: I've got a proper Roman nose.

Thanks again, Gavin. Which song should we close our chat with?

Thank you, Ricky. I'd say “Into The Sun” or “Yesterdays Boy”, since they're the most personal to me, but I'll happily leave that choice to you! Bye.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google