Simon Raymonde is well known and loved by fans of Cocteau Twins, because for much of the history of the band was being the mediator of the friction between Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie, ever since its low profile and kindness, that seems to emanate from his words in this interview with us at The 13th Magazine. But talk only about their participation in the band is to see a portion of his career, thing we will not do here. A review of the highlights of his career until his last production with Snowbird. An interview where we will know more about one of the best bassists of the eighties. With you: Simon Raymonde.

Let’s start with the beginning of everything. His father was a musician with recognized works. What do you remember your father as a musician?Born 1962 in London to a father becoming successful as a songwriter, arranger and producer as well as musician. As a toddler I would not have fully grasped the level Dad was at or just how awesome he was. I came to that later, sometime after he died. I knew he was in music and knew things were good for a time as we moved from a tiny flat in south London to a house with a garden so that much I did know. Only after he died in 1990 when I was 27 did I begin to fully appreciate his

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There is no business modelby Diego Centurión

Interview to Simon Raymonde

accomplishments, with Dusty Springfield, Bowie, The Walker Brothers etc. I am now 52 and still appreciating and discovering daily all of his work. No doubt part of my obsession with music comes from him but also from a personal desire to continue his legacy.

When did you start playing music for the first time?Probably around 4-5 I would watch him play the piano and try and learn. They got me violin lessons at school and I quickly progressed becoming leader of the school orchestra before I moved to boarding school aged 12. Within a couple of years punk rock happened and I gave up the violin for the bass.

In the early eighties started with Drowning Craze?I had an art-pop band at school which changed into Drowning Craze yes around 1980. We signed to a small indie label called Situation 2 and released 3 singles. The label shared office space with 4AD and I worked at Beggars record shop downstairs so it was very incestuous and it was during this time I got to know Elizabeth and Cocteau Twins music.

How was the process in which you join Cocteau Twins?Spending time with them as a friend and by accident ending up in a studio with them one night were the stepping stones to being asked to join the band. It was all quite natural and easy, as the best things usually are. I wasn’t looking to join their band and they weren’t looking for a bassist but all of a sudden it seemed the right thing to do.

How were those years in the band before Four-Calendar Cafe?It was incredible in every way imaginable. It would be impossible to draw a picture of these years in a few sentences, but there were some very high highs and some very low lows, which knowing bands as we all do, is nothing new. Being in the middle of a couple, and then a break-up couple, along with the drug problems in the band, was......well, interesting! Each lp was like a biography of e years since the last one, emotionally wrapped up in music.

And the later albums with the band?We were not a talkative band, we didn’t do much press, well we did a fair bit but we didn’t talk much! We spent a lot of time in the studio, once we had our own, and kept the outside world firmly locked outside, we lived in our own bubble, pretty much till we broke up. Leaving 4AD in hindsight was not a great move but at the time it was absolutely the right thing to do. Signing to Fontana was not, although again it seemed right at the time. I love 4cc, apart from that awful sleeve, and I think it has yet to be appreciated for the record it was. We didn’t realise how many people would jump ship SIMPLY cos we were on a major label. That was naive but we always were in business! The two Fontana lps were clearly difficult to make at times and while Milk and Kisses has some good songs on it that i stand by, I think the mix of that record is not great and sounds like a big pillow has been put over the speakers. It is very muffled to my ears. But all in all, across all the lps and eps and gigs I was involved in, I had a fascinating and life-changing time.

How Bella Union is born?30 .THE 13Th

After the two major label records, we decided to set up our own label so we could put out our own records and collaborations etc. but six months after setting it up, Elizabeth decided she couldn’t carry on any longer. It was the right thing to do, but it meant all of a sudden there was a lot of spare time!

And you edit “Blame Someone Else”. What does it mean to you?I had been working on my own solo stuff as part of a process of trying to fulfil myself more as a musician and to be honest there were many days when the studio was sitting empty so I took advantage to learn how to produce myself. I don’t like the record much but it taught me a LOT. I don’t listen to it, but it is important cos it is Bella Union’s first release.

Between “Blame Someone Else” and “Moon”, what have you been doing?Between then and now I have been concentrating on the record label, discovering bands like Fleet Foxes, Midlake, Explosions in The Sky, I Break Horses, Lanterns on The Lake, Horse Thief etc and occasionally producing other bands.

How and when Snowbird born?I had no intention of making a new solo record but I liked the idea of doing something with Stephanie. We were living together so you’d think it would be easy! It wasn’t. And to complicate matters, after we’d finished recording it, we broke up! But we decided to try everything we could to finish it. Well I did, as it was too good in our minds to leave on the shelf.

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What does “Moon” for you?I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Admittedly 17 years is a long time but it isn’t like I was lying around for all that time, I was genuinely busy.

How long did it take you to write it?It took about 12 days to write and about 3 years to try and find time to finish it.

How do you see the music industry and social networks? I think the industry is in a fascinating place. We are in that awful realisation that people are REALLY NEVER going to buy music again, for a minute Spotify looked like it had slowed illegal downloads down but now we see that people are just going to stream music for ever rather than own it. And there is no business model in streaming, unless you are a multi-million selling artist, and even then....

Concerts in Latin America?Snowbird has no plans to play any live shows

To finish off the interviewNeedless to say, I adore Snowbird and “Moon”.But:What would you say to those who still dream of a meeting of Cocteau Twins?

Nor will there ever be a Cocteau Twins reunion no!

Thank you very much SimonThanks!

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