Rob Dickinson talks Scott Walker, Steve Perry, BT
Kevin Bronson on
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Former Catherine Wheel frontman Rob Dickinson is well-versed in Scott Walker, the ’60s-idol-turned-recluse-turned-avante-garde-musician who is the subject of the documentary movie “Scott Walker: 30 Century Man” and of tonight’s “A Tribute to Scott Walker” at the L.A. club Bordello. But Dickinson – one of the performers at the tribute – is not surprised Walker has flown under the radar of others.
“I know some very aware musicians and very fine people who have never heard of him. He was a pretty well-kept secret,” Dickinson says of the artist who enjoyed most of his stardom in Britain and whose work became increasingly challenging as his career progressed. “‘Scott 3’ and ‘4’ were real works of a deviant musical mind.” Dickinson’s band and Walker shared a record label for a time in the 1990s, Fontana, and he says Catherine Wheel even worked on a cover of “30 Century Man,” one song he will perform tonight. And the other? “I’m sitting here right now learning a very difficult Jacques Brel [whom Walker covered] song,” Dickinson says with a laugh.
As for his own activities, the L.A.-based Dickinson – who re-released his solo album “Fresh Wine for the Horses” last year with a bonus disc of acoustic renditions of Catherine Wheel songs – says he has been collaborating with former Journey singer Steve Perry and electronic artist BT (Brian Transeau).
“Steve is just sticking his toe in the water and has been working with a few people, so we’ve been having a strum basically,” Dickinson says. “I’ve never been very good at collaborating, so it’s been an adventure for me. But it totally blows my mind to sit next to one of the best rock ‘n’ roll singers of all time. His voice has never been better.”
Dickinson will also appear on BT’s forthcoming album and perform with him at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami next month.
And of his own band, idle since the early part of this decade after a productive 1990s? “You never know,” Dickinson says. “It’s a nice thing, all these bands from a certain era getting back together. Maybe people realize they’re getting old, maybe the nasty ‘C’ word comes in to play – career – but I don’t think it’s such a bad thing.”
I’m a Steve Perry fan and am glad to hear that he’s working with Rob. That must be a wonderful experience and quite a compliment. Good luck to Rob in all that he does and I hope that everything works out well in his endeavors with Steve Perry and beyond.
Hope and pray that this is true and the Steve Perry really will come out with some new music! He seems to indicate that he is a perfectionist-hope that doesn’t keep him from releasing something. Your fans aren’t that demanding Steve! We’d just like to hear you do anything new. Less than perfect from you would be someone else’s idea of a career pinnacle! We’ll take podcasts, webcasts, a video, individual songs, an album, ANYTHING!
Great article! We Love Steve Perry!
Just so you can see how much…please visit our website!
TheOtherMrsPerry.com
happy bday dear steve perry . ikaw lang ang voice ng journey wala kang katulad… i’m from the philippines. – your avid fan…