Ian Broudie, a singer, songwriter, and producer, was born in Liverpool in 1958. He gained recognition for his hits during the Britpop era with his band, the Lightning Seeds. In addition to producing music for bands like Echo and the Bunnymen, the Zutons, the Coral, and the Fall, Ian has had a diverse career that includes playing guitar for the post-punk group Big in Japan in the 1970s. He also achieved success with the football anthem “Three Lions,” which reached No. 1 in 1996. His 35-year anniversary with the Lightning Seeds will be celebrated with a greatest hits album and tour, where his son Riley, who manages him and plays guitar in the band, will also join.
Ian
During Riley’s early childhood, our residence was a sandstone cottage located on Beaconsfield Road in Liverpool. This home was across from Strawberry Fields, the orphanage that served as inspiration for the Beatles’ famous song. In the photo, Riley is approximately four years old and can be seen holding a guitar while singing along to the tune I was composing. Despite his attempts to divert my focus while I worked, I didn’t mind. Ultimately, we would end up simply playing music together.
During the early years of the Lightning Seeds, I mainly focused on studio work and did not start touring until our third album. As a result, I spent a lot of time at home during Riley’s childhood. Looking back, I see this time as my happiest moments. Although I had not achieved much success yet, I was on my path to success.
Riley was born a few weeks after his expected due date. As my anxiety grew, I began writing a song called “The Life of Riley,” expressing my concerns about becoming a father. In reality, I was quite overwhelmed when I first saw him. I was afraid and uncertain about how to hold him without dropping him. The midwife, a friendly nurse with a Liverpool accent, announced, “It’s a boy! Here you go!” and motioned for me to hold him. I hesitated, saying, “I’m not used to holding babies.” But she reassured me, “You’ll learn now, dear.” She gently placed him in my arms, and it was a truly amazing experience.
Similar to most infants, Riley would wake up multiple times during the night. At the time, I owned a Citroën with suspension brakes. When 4am rolled around, I would bundle him up and we would get into the car. I would turn on the heating and suspension, and blast Oasis’s first album on the stereo. The music would blare as the car bounced up and down, and I would doze off in the front seat while Riley slept in the back. Our neighbors must have been quite amused by the scene during our late-night drives. It’s no surprise that Riley developed a love for Oasis as he grew up.
When my relationship with Riley’s mother ended when he was seven, we began living separately. During this time, I had concerns about the future of our relationship. However, we eventually became close friends. From a young age, I made the decision to treat Riley as an equal, explaining things to him as if he were an adult and not giving him dismissive answers when he asked questions. This led to him becoming very curious in school, which some teachers were annoyed by, but I found it admirable.
Riley is much smarter than I am in many aspects. I did not receive a good education and dropped out of school at 15. My songwriting process is unconventional, as it stems from my lack of knowledge and my determination to perfect it, which often leads to unique and creative results.
When we first performed together, he was 14 and we played acoustic music in Liverpool. I wanted him to have that experience and our musical chemistry was effortless. It felt like we were brothers playing guitar together. During this time, I wasn’t fully invested in my music. I felt like my band had gone from being at the top to being at the bottom. Eventually, I started doing more gigs, including a solo performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014. Ian McCulloch, Terry Hall, James Skelly, and Bill Ryder-Jones from the Coral all joined me on stage for a song, with Riley on guitar. His energy that night reignited my love for performing.
Over time, as tasks arose in my profession, Riley began handling them for me, effectively becoming my manager. During a recent conversation, I expressed my confusion over being labeled as difficult to work with. I clarified, “I don’t think I am difficult to work with…” However, after a lengthy silence from Riley, I asked, “Are you not going to respond?” He simply replied, “No, I won’t.” Later on, I spoke to his mother who confirmed that Riley had indeed described me as a nightmare.
It may be true, but collaborating with my son is wonderful. He approaches tasks with enthusiasm, and he also contacts me to guide me on what needs to be done and where I need to be. This is beneficial for me, as I often struggle with staying focused. This picture encapsulates our dynamic: I tend to avoid problems, while he is more proactive and determined to find solutions.
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Riley
This photo epitomises my childhood – sat in the garden, playing the guitar with Dad. If we weren’t doing that, then we’d be kicking a football around. Or hanging out in the house, listening to his songs on the radio.
My father’s profession always seemed ordinary to me. It never felt strange. My friends were familiar with the music of the Lightning Seeds and most people were kind, although it could be a bit frustrating when others sang Three Lions to me. This didn’t happen often and I never felt ashamed of my father’s accomplishments. I was proud.
My father plays a significant role in my life, both as a parent and in my career. We have a very strong bond. When I was younger, my parents divorced and I only saw my dad on weekends. But now, we work and travel together, allowing us to make up for lost time during my childhood.
As a child grows older, the dynamic between parent and child shifts. The child may start to take on more responsibility, even managing their parent in certain aspects. In my case, I now feel responsible for managing my father and ensuring his career is on track. While we have a great time together on tour, any disciplinary actions are left to the tour manager, not me. My dad trusts that everything I do is in the best interest of our family, the band, and his deeply personal songs.
I never anticipated becoming a member of my father’s band. My passion was focused on studying history. During my gap year before starting university, my father invited me to perform with him at some shows. One of the first performances was at Glastonbury in 2010. I was filled with nerves, but eventually I realized that even though we were on the Pyramid stage, it felt similar to playing together in our backyard. From then on, I became hooked. Playing my father’s songs comes naturally to me. They are ingrained in my consciousness.
My father is a very open person, but he is most able to convey his emotions through his songwriting. If there is something he struggles to express in conversation, he will often hide it within his lyrics. Knowing him so well, I am able to recognize these hidden messages. It is truly special to have a collection of his music, as it allows me to have a piece of him forever.
Source: theguardian.com
