Interviews

home back to interviews	Clive Nolan’s Moment November 1995

	The most embarrassing MOMENT: My most embarrassing moments seem to happen in my dreams: going on stage and not knowing the music is a popular one (too near the truth sometimes), or playing to absolutely no audience (yes, that sounds fairly familiar as well!), or standing on stage in front of a massive crowd holding the wrong instrument (was I dreaming?). Oh, yes, then there is going to school with no trousers on, but that’s another story! The most emotional MOMENT: I think that was when I stood on stage at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, performing music from The Key [Strangers On A Train – eds.]. This was the first album released that I wrote and before the gig I was extremely nervous – I always believed that people would like my music if they actually got to hear it, so I had no excuse if the gig went badly! It didn’t; it was brilliant! From the first notes I played, there was an incredible rush of enthusiasm from the crowd. I still remember clearly the overwhelming sense of relief, achievement and joy.... The first MOMENT you found out about your musical qualities: This was something I never really ‘discovered.’ It just crept up on me. My parents are musicians, so I lived and breathed music from the earliest age. When I was about twelve our cat (Kim) died and I was devastated. My parents suggested that I write a piece of music to remember him by. I did and I have never stopped writing; that’s why you’ll find Kim’s name in the credits of my albums [and the list of Cat names in the booklets has grown since then! – eds.]. The most recent MOMENT of news that’s still on your mind: The death of Harold Wilson (a past prime minister)... Somehow it seemed to mark the historical disintegration of my childhood. Oh yes, and the rescue of Jimmy the whale from almost certain death, beached on some coastal region of Britain... The MOMENT you met the rest of the band: This happened gradually over about eight months. One minute there was nobody, and then, ‘voila’ we were band!