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Ray Wilson "I still got the DVD from Spodek"

Łukasz Błaszczyk
Łukasz Błaszczyk
Ray Wilson, the former singer of the legendary rock group Genesis and the leader of Stiltskin, talks about his career, moving to Poland, eroding family values and future plans.

Łukasz Błaszczyk: I’ve been wondering how to avoid boring you to death with questions that you’ve probably been answering over and over again for the last couple of months...

Ray Wilson: Just bore me, it’s ok. Ask what you want.

ŁB: Well then the first question’s gotta be about you moving to Poland. When did you move?

RW: Technically, the middle of September. That’s when I got an apartment here in Poznań. But really, I guess it’s the end of September as I was touring back and forward. So I got the feel and I feel for it.

ŁB: And what’s your experience so far?

RW: It’s good, I mean, I’ve always liked Poland anyway. I’ve spent some time in Poznań, because my promotor is from Poznań and he always wanted me to play gigs in the city. So you know, I just feel comfortable here, I always have. I feel comfortable in other places too, you know, it’s not only Poland. But when it comes to performing gigs, it’s always been best here.

ŁB: Yeah, you’ve got quite a cult following here in Poland.

RW: Yeah, the people are just great. The band love coming here, I love coming here. From all the places that we’ve played this is just special. I don’t know why, it just is.

ŁB: How is living in Poland different to living in Scotland?

RW: It’s a good question, I mean, Scotland’s been home all my life. I’m forty years old now so it’s quite a long time (laughs). Living in Poland is kind of exciting, I have to say. I’m just being a normal every-day citizen, who speaks really, really bad Polish (laughs). But I’m gonna learn. It’s very hard but I’m gonna do it, I am determined to do it. It’s just this different attitude you get in different countries. You know the way the German people are, they’re cultured and very efficient, the Italians are very laid back, wonderful at serving you in restaurants and shops, very passionate at these things and the Polish...My only experience so far regarding the Polish people was the audience. And now I’m experiencing people in bars and restaurants and shops. Sometimes I kinda wish people had more desire to serve you when you’re in restaurants and shops. It’s very strange that they almost don’t care if you buy something. And little things like that I find a little bit strange but it’s just detail. Maybe they get shit wages and just don’t want to I guess.

ŁB: Yeah, it’s probably that, it’s mostly students...

RW: Yeah, it’s the same in Britain. To be honest it’s shit in Scotland as well. But there’s also great determination and pride that people have in Poland and I like that. And you’ve got good family values. It’s eroding a little bit. I think it’s since you joined the EU that the family values started to change. It’s really unfortunate, because it’s such a strength of this country. Where I am from, in Scotland, it’s just eroded. When I was a boy, I knew all my neighbours and everyone and now it’s all gone. Younger generations are just fucked up now. And it’s sad. Well they would probably think I’m just an old moaning fart (laughs). It would be a shame to see Poland ending up just like Britain.

ŁB: Yeah, let Poland be Poland and Britain be Britain.

RW: Exactly. I agree totally. Britain has some great qualities but it’s not one of them. We’ve always been good with rock and roll and shit at making cars (laughs).

ŁB: Did you hesitate before moving to Poland?

RW: No. Because I entered a relationship that really matters to me I had two choices. I could’ve lived here or tried to keep the relationship going from the distance and just travel here. And at the beginning I was traveling back and forward and staying in a hotel in the Old Square in Poznań. It was kind of romantic for a little while but then it was like, oh Jesus...(laughs). And Gosia is a dancer so she can’t leave Poznań and come and live in Scotland. And to be honest I wouldn’t want her to anyway. If I move somewhere with her I would rather move to Berlin. I’ve always been a huge fan of East Berlin. I love the east not the west. And not only Berlin, the east in general. But it depends on Gosia. I go where she goes.

ŁB: The whole interview thing here is quite a nostalgic trip for me because when I was 15 years old my first mindblowing gig was the Genesis gig you played in Katowice and back then I would have never imagined interviewing you 9 years after. But I’m not gonna dwell on Genesis as it’s all said and done now and there is nothing more to ask about...

RW: Yeah, there’s nothing new (laughs).

ŁB: Exactly (laughs). But do you generally feel comfortable talking about the Genesis period of your career?

RW: Yeah, I mean, it never bothers me at all. I like the music and I still play a few songs every now and then. Genesis is a very important part of my life. If it wasn’t for Genesis I wouldn’t be here right now. It defined me in Poland, that’s for sure. That concert in Spodek was a big thing. So many people went to see that show and it was also broadcast live. And basically that gig is the reason that I have a career here in Poland. Obviously there’s a little bit of a Stiltskin thing but the Genesis thing was much, much bigger. And that seems to be the thing that people here talk to me about. Like when you saw me talking to that those two people over there. Both of these people were in Spodek.

ŁB: Does that not irritate you?

RW: No, it’s great. It doesn’t bother me at all. It was a good gig and I still got it on DVD. The audience were amazing, it was fucking freezing (laughs). It was my one and only time in Katowice which is unfortunate.

ŁB: It’s no shame. It’s a disgusting city.

RW: Yeah but it’s good passion. The thing is, when you go to working class cities, they got the best gigs. Like Glasgow, Birmingham, Dortmund...And people buy more merchandise and stuff in the working areas, people with less money. And then you go to Stuttgart with Mercedes-Benz and Porsche and they’re not gonna buy anything. It’s the same all over the world. People who have money never spend it. And people who don’t, appreciate things they’re passionate about. For instance now I wanted to play gigs in smaller towns, I got one in Łomża, which was completely sold out in about 5 minutes, which is really nice and flattering when that happens. Traveling around the country is great and it’s challenging. I can do what I want right now and I like that.

ŁB: Are you on any label at the moment?

RW: No. I own all my records I own all my publishing. It is freedom. Well you don’t have this big machine behind you, but if that’s the sacrifice I’m pretty happy to make it. I don’t need it.

ŁB: Yeah, now you can do everything via the internet, publishing and all.

RW: As long as people come to shows. If they stop coming to gigs, then I’ll have a decision to make. But at the moment I’m getting more and more concerts and getting busyier. As long as that continues, to be honest, the record companies I don’t really see what you need them for. The money goes straight to the artists, the musicians. And as long as you have a little bit of money, you can get something out of it, you don’t need a fortune. The record companies try and impose the points system on you, giving you percentage. And say you get 2 points out of the income and what the fuck is 2 points? And then you realize it’s like half a percent or something...So I’m glad these times are changing, I have to say.

ŁB: What is your relationship with Stiltskin? That was your band before Genesis and then you disbanded...

RW: Well, the original lineup I don’t have any contact with.

ŁB: Oh, so is that the new band?

RW: Yeah, it’s just the name. To be honest the reason why I did it was because I wanted to do another rock album. I’ve been doing acoustic ones like “Change” and wanted to have a dividing line from that. I wanted to give an identity to that, so Stiltskin was the logical thing to use because I own the rights to the name. Some people remember Stiltskin and some people don’t. To be honest, most people don’t, if so maybe for one record...

ŁB: Or one single...

RW: Yeah. I think that Peter, who played the guitar, is in advertising business now and has made a fortune out of Coca-Cola adverts and stuff, is no longer in the music business at all. James is a teacher, Ross is still drumming for various bands in Scotland but we were never really close at the beginning...

ŁB: And what about Cut?

RW: It was just a project after Genesis. It was a great album but it was maybe not right for the time, I don’t know. I got caught with the backlash and the record company turned their back on me because of the Genesis thing and there was a lot of politics going on that I didn’t know about. Should’ve been released before I joined Genesis because it was written before. That’s just showbiz.

ŁB: You got an album coming out...

RW: Yeah, it’s released. I haven’t put it to retail shops. I just sell it to people who buy it at gigs or from my website. So I’m not sure if I will release it in shops at all.

ŁB: Yeah, if it sells, there’s no point really.

RW: Exactly.

ŁB: Is the single “Bless You” what the album’s like? It’s got this oriental feel to it...

RW: Yeah, there’s a couple of songs like that on “Propaganda Man”. But the single, we do a different version live. We play six songs tonight from the new album.

ŁB: Well then have a great gig. Thanks for the interview.

RW: Cheers.

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