The Fun Lovin’ Criminal’s supposed to be discussing the band’s first album in five years, Classic Fantastic, and their upcoming show at Camden’s Koko, (March 16) but he’s a little preoccupied.
“Rock ’n’ roll’s a term used back in the 40s, a secret code word – it meant you’re going to have sex,” says Huey. “I look out for bands that are playing music that aren’t really trendy, that don’t do the whole ‘I’ve just got out of bed, look at my nice little scarf and little tight jeans’ because at the end of the day they’re not really doing what they’re supposed to, which is rock out. It’s a fashion thing but it does really prevent the blood flow to that area where all this music comes from.”
Huey’s sitting in his kitchen and, after a brief interruption from an exterminator, there to deal with a minor mouse problem, he’s on to nationalism: “When I was growing up there were all different people in my building, different walks of life, religions, cultures, creeds, and we were all Americans and we kind of understood that. I think the segregation in different neighbourhoods in England gets to a point where it could be anywhere, they don’t necessarily have to be in England.
“I believe in freedom of speech and pursuit of happiness and all that stuff, but if someone moves to a country and doesn’t have any kind of allegiance to that country ... I just think it will cause more problems than it will solve.”
And Huey, along with the rest of the band, has made England his home.
He says: “I’ve an affinity for Britain I don’t think people really understand. They think I’m a New Yorker that’s been plopped down in London – fish-out-of-water syndrome. It’s my home now. I’ve really tried to assimilate. If I can assimilate – a quintessential New Yorker – to life in Britain, it’s interesting how some people refuse to.”
His interest in all things British extends to the most unlikely of viewing choices.
“I was into EastEnders when I lived in New York,” says Huey. “When I came to England to do Top of the Pops we were on the same film lot they do Eastenders in. I remember me and Finlay Quaye sneaking into The Vic one afternoon and having a smoke, which was kind of cool.”
He enjoys hanging out in Cuba Libre, in Upper Street, where the bartender’s “a really big fan of the band”, and “makes really good frozen margaritas”, adding: “You don’t really get Caribbean Spanish food in London too often and if you do it may not be that great. Cuba Libra’s got a laid-back atmosphere, it’s a cool place.”
New album Classic Fantastic came after a drawn-out legal battle with an ex-manager. It features Dennis Pennis actor Paul Kaye, a longstanding friend.
“We weren’t in the headspace to make the record we wanted while we were doing that legal wrangling so to get out from under that is a big weight lifted,” says Huey. “A lot of bands think they create this massive piece – saving lives and making rockets and curing cancer. We make records for people as a soundtrack to their lives.
“Instead of creating a dark horrible record about us in this legal battle we made a conscious effort to try to get out from under that and come up with some really good stuff.
“You can’t imagine how pleased we are about the fact that we can be musicians. It’s a beautiful thing and to take it for granted would be the silliest mistake anyone could make. There are so many musicians who never get the chance to make a record so for us to get the chance after all this, we’ve been very fortunate.”
Huey was a big fan of actor Paul Kaye when he was playing Pennis in America.
“As a kind of a nod to our legal issues, he’s got a character called Mike Strutter who’s a notorious New York attorney – it’s Paul Kaye’s take on American laws,” he says. “We thought it would be funny to have a series of simulated phone conversations with our attorney. So he was very gracious, came down the studio and did that.”
Huey promises a fantastic show at Koko, one of his favourite venues, adding: “We want to be more intimate with the crowd because it’s our first record in five years so we want to make a good connection again. For a lot of people it’ll be the first time they’ll have ever seen us.”
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