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Ian Broudie

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Ian Broudie
Broudie in 2006
Broudie in 2006
Background information
Birth nameIan Zachary Broudie
Also known asKingbird
Born (1958-08-04) 4 August 1958 (age 66)
Liverpool, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • keyboard
  • drums
Years active1977–present
LabelsDeltasonic

Ian Zachary Broudie (born 4 August 1958) is an English musician and singer-songwriter from Liverpool. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums (sometimes under the name Kingbird) for artists including Echo & the Bunnymen, the Fall, the Coral, the Zutons and the Subways.

Around 1989, he began writing and recording under the name Lightning Seeds, releasing the album Cloudcuckooland through Rough Trade on the independent label Ghetto Records, eventually putting together a live touring band in 1994. The Lightning Seeds achieved great commercial success during much of the 1990s. In 2004, Broudie released an album titled Tales Told under his own name. The Lightning Seeds reformed in 2006 and released their sixth studio album Four Winds in 2009. A seventh album, See You in the Stars,[1] was released in 2022.

Early life and career

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Ian Broudie was born into an Orthodox Jewish family.[2] He played in Liverpool's fledgling punk scene in the 1970s. He was a member of the band Big in Japan,[3] with Holly Johnson and Bill Drummond.[4][5] He was also a founder member of John Peel favourites Original Mirrors[6] in the early 1980s, and was credited as a member of Bette Bright and the Illuminations on their lone album from 1981. In 1983, he recorded and wrote tracks under the name Care with vocalist Paul Simpson;[7] the duo released three singles, including the minor UK chart hit "Flaming Sword".[8]

The Lightning Seeds

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Main article: The Lightning Seeds

Broudie began writing as the Lightning Seeds at the end of the 1980s, scoring a debut hit with the song "Pure". The Lightning Seeds had just one member: Broudie.

The Lightning Seeds produced a selection of well-received singles and albums in the 1990s. The albums Cloudcuckooland (1990) and Sense (1992) followed. The latter's song "The Life of Riley" became the backing music for Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition.[9] In 1994 Broudie created a touring band so the songs could be played live.[10] Their 1994 album Jollification is considered by many as the moment the Lightning Seeds arrived as a mainstream band. During the same period, Broudie produced albums for other acts, including Northside, The Primitives, Terry Hall and Dodgy.[11]

The Lightning Seeds twice took football anthem "Three Lions" (with comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel) to number one, with different lyrics for the Euro 96 and France '98 tournaments (Broudie himself is a supporter of Liverpool; Lightning Seeds album covers and inlays often contain references such as Justice for the 96 and Support the Liverpool Dockers). In the years since France '98, the song has been released multiple times for football tournaments, and now has the unique distinction of being the only song in existence to have become UK No. 1 four separate times with the same artists: two one-week stints in 1996, three straight weeks in 1998 for the remake, and again in 2018 for the original during the World Cup held in Russia.[12]

On 14 March 1997, Broudie was the guest host of Top of the Pops. Later that year, the Lightning Seeds headlined the Hillsborough Justice Concert, which was held at Liverpool's Anfield stadium[9] to raise fund for the families in their struggle for justice.

Broudie returned with a new line-up in 2009, releasing the album Four Winds, and has extensively toured since with a line-up including old Seeds favourites Angie Pollack (piano), Martyn Campbell (guitar), and Ian's son Riley Broudie (guitar).

In 2021, Broudie said he was working on a new Lighting Seeds album.[13]

Production work

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Broudie worked as a producer with many independent labels including Factory Records, Creation Records, Zoo Records and Rough Trade, sometimes under the name 'Kingbird'.[14]

Broudie subsequently concentrated on production for other bands, working with the Coral,[14] the Subways,[14] the Zutons,[14] French rock band Noir Desir for their first long album Veuillez rendre l'âme, the Rifles,[14] on an early single by Sleeper[15] and on a handful of I Am Kloot songs.[16]

Solo career

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On 11 October 2004, Broudie released his debut solo effort, Tales Told, embraced by critics and fans alike despite the fact that Tales Told saw Broudie move into folk rock territory and away from the slick pop sound of the Lightning Seeds. The first song on the album, "Song for No One", was featured in the opening episode of the third season of the TV series The O.C.[17]

Solo discography

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See also: The Lightning Seeds discography and Ian Broudie production discography

Albums and EPs

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Year Title Peak chart position
UK
1997 "Perfect Day" (with various artists) 1
2010 "Three Lions 2010" (with The Squad) 21

Personal

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Broudie lives in London but spends a substantial amount of time writing and recording in Liverpool as his studio is located there.[18] In 2018, he said he was recording in his home. He has a son, fellow Lightning Seeds member Riley Broudie (b. 1991), who was the inspiration for the band's 1992 single "The Life of Riley".[19]

Broudie published his memoir, Tomorrow's Here Today, in 2023.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "The Lightning Seeds on new album 'See You in the Stars': "I'd lost confidence in myself"". NME. 15 June 2022.
  2. ^ Curran, Shaun (3 November 2023). "Ian Broudie: 'Three Lions was misunderstood'". The Independent.
  3. ^ Dave Simpson. "The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie: 'People didn't know what was on the England badge before Three Lions'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Big in Japan – Where are they now?". Q. January 1992. Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.Wikipedia:WikiProject The KLF/LibraryOfMu/271
  5. ^ "Ian Broudie". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. ^ "2nd Honeymoon". Recordcollectormag.com.
  7. ^ Michael Sutton. "Original Mirrors". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  8. ^ "The Wild Swans with Paul Simpson in conversation | C86 Show - Indie Pop". C86show.org. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b James MacNair (9 May 1997). "Number one seed – Life and Style". The Independent. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Ian Broudie: Finally able to live The Life of Riley". Thenational.ae. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  11. ^ Leigh, Spencer (3 October 2015). The Cavern Club: The Rise of The Beatles and Merseybeat. McNidder and Grace Limited. ISBN 9780857160980. Retrieved 4 February 2018 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Football may not have come home, but Three Lions has on the UK's Official Chart – and it's broken an all-time chart record". Official Charts. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie 'felt uncomfortable' playing Three Lions live". Music-news.com.
  14. ^ a b c d e Wright, Jade (8 May 2009). "Lightning Seeds member Ian Broudie speaks about The Coral and loving it up North". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Sleeper | Discography credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  16. ^ "I Am Kloot | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Ian Broudie interview on 6 Towns Radio". YouTube. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Interview: Ian Broudie". Godisinthetvzine.co.uk. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  19. ^ "Ian Broudie on the Lightning Seeds, breaking out of a one-man band and 'that' song coming home... again". Lep.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Ian Broudie: 'Terry Venables liked Three Lions: "It's a proper key-tapper, Ian," he said'". The Guardian. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.

Other sources

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