Glenn's closer than you think
SHEFFIELDER abroad Glenn Marples remembers one of his last hometown gigs vividly – it was at the City Hall.
But having gone on holiday to the party isle of Ibiza – and deciding to stay – he took the music bug with him and has tendered a rock 'n' roll postcard in the shape of new album Get Up.
The title is inspired by his life away from grey skies. "We wake up here with the same set of issues as most people, but when the sun is shining, especially in the winter months, it makes you want to get up and not stay in bed," he says.
While the eight tracks could have been written and recorded anywhere, besides Spanish-flavoured closer Hola Mate perhaps, there's a feelgood factor that comes of well-being.
"The island is very dance orientated - which I don't listen to - and we miss out on a lot of rock'n'roll, so maybe not being exposed equals not being influenced. I remember Bill Wyman's band came to San An and I stayed up all night writing songs."
Glenn formed his first band Rokka for one single aged 21 before touring with local 1960s singer Dave Berry & The Cruisers.
In 1980 he formed Panza Division during the new wave of British heavy metal, touring with Saxon, Y'N'T, Twisted Sister and Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen's former band Girl.
In 1983, they became The Lonely Hearts with Andy Fisher, now of Sheffield pub regulars Charlie Don't Surf, joining on bass.
The band toured the UK and the US but played one of its most surreal slots in The Woolpack, on Emmerdale, in 1990. The same year Glenn made his last UK recording, Land Of Steel, about Sheffield and featuring blues legend Frank White and Saxon/Motorhead drummer Pete Gill. After a promotional concert at the City Hall with a 10-piece band called Glenn Marples Rockestra he moved to Ibiza.
"It was getting difficult to make a living as a certain PM hated Sheffield/Yorkshire with a vengeance," he recalls.
"Ibiza offered good opportunities so I made the jump. Really quite scary.
"I remember watching The Full Monty in Spanish in an old cinema where they changed reels half way through and the vino comes round. The part where they lose the RSJ from the car roof into the canal and the passer by asks 'you ok?' and they answer 'not bad', I was on the floor - the Spanish didn't get it."
Another slice of the old times joined him for the making of Get Up, lending a flavour of home.
"The boys and engineer from Charlie Don't Surf flew over and brought that special Sheffield sound with them. Maybe the fact they were drinking San Miguel instead of John Smiths had an effect on the, er, vibe.
"The hardest thing was trying to get some work done between jokes and old stories of the road. It would be really great to do some shows in South Yorkshire again."
Glenn lives in San Jose village and in summer plays covers and originals in and outside bars. He has played with numerous other musicians while in Ibiza under such names as Organised Chaos, Los Domingueros and the Piste Artists, which they've taken to Germany, mainland Spain, the UK and various ski resorts.
"A great many tourists have taken home our 'version' CDs over the years and I like to think that sometimes on cold winter evenings they dust them down and relive happy memories," says Glenn, admitting he still has the road bug.
"Home and family are obviously very important but I still love touring.
That's why I got into bands in the first place, to get me out of Presto Tools, to see some more of the world. We get a bit lazy here sometimes because the world tours us."
For now Glenn is hoping to remind a few people at home of the lad that once made lots of noise around various northern venues.
"If some people like to listen to my tunes then that's fantastic and a real anchor to the past. I like to think I am the same old Glenn.
"My annual holiday is always to Sheffield in late October to see my family and mates, walk up Rivelin Valley, pork sandwiches, charity shops, West Street Live, The Corporation - you lucky people.
"We get the last direct flight of the year back to Ibiza from Leeds/Bradford - only us on it, private jet - legend in my own mind."
Listen to/order Get Up at www.glennmarples.com. You can download from the usual online distributors or buy from Record Collector.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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