Let’s face it, there is a patchy record for solo artists that began in popular 90s bands. But Gaz Coombes crossed that rubicon. His solo work has drama, melancholy and mashes up a variety of styles that has seen him steadily build a third phase career in music. How has he done it?
We usher in the new year of 2023 with British indie-rock icon and national treasure (we hereby declare) Gaz Coombes.
Let’s face it, there is a patchy record for solo artists that began in popular 90s bands. Some crossed the rubicon to a credible solo career and some didn’t. While Gaz Coombes enjoyed the full glare of the spotlight of the second half of the 90s with Supergrass, his solo work has surpassed those years in many ways. 2018’s World’s Strongest Man felt like a step forward in this third phase of Coombes’ music career (he has been making music in commercial bands since the age of 15, so let’s call Supergrass his second phase).
Gaz hasn’t felt the need to rush things. Since Supergrass split in 2010 (they came together for a resplendent but brief reunion live tour in 2022) he has released four solo albums, each one a steady progression on the one before. But none of his solo work sounds like the band that first made him a famous face and voice.
“What’s been cool about doing these last few solo records is building up this entirely new fan base, not just expecting people to have come over from Supergrass”.
The path to a viable, successful solo career is a pretty precarious one, but it feels like Gaz has found his way on that path. His new album Turn The Car Around continues in the same vein as World’s Strongest Man, showcasing the variety of tricks Coombes has in the bag, from classic melancholic songs to nagging grooves and dirty guitar sounds. From this point onwards, he’s pushing himself further.
“I’ve called this album the last one of a trilogy, just to force myself to look at my career in a different way from now on. I’ve known where I wanted to take it before but this time I’m not sure. I want to do something different, so it’ll be jazz metal”.
The industry has changed so much as to be unrecognisable from the time of Coombes’ first success. Supergrass were signed by Parlophone Records (part of EMI) in 1994 - the height of Britpop and rocketing CD sales. The band stayed with that same label for six studio albums through to 2008 and EMI’s ill-fated takeover by corporate raiders Terra Firma (see also Ep 1, Season 1 with Turin Brakes). At that point Supergrass were freed-up from their commercial relationship but during the attempt to make what would have been their last album, they had burnt out.
How does Gaz see the music landscape for young guitar bands now, in the streaming era?
“Bands aren’t given the time these days - the luxury of growing, doing some crap B-sides or playing some shit gigs. Now, it's all eyes on you. What Arctic Monkeys have done is mad when you think about it, but they are still playing stadiums even with this odd music. For a brand new band though…it’s tricky”
Lucky then, that Gaz found success the old fashioned way, even though he is building his solo career very much in the new world of ‘artist as SME’ with an independent label and self-funded touring, he has become yet another singer-songwriter as reluctant CEO.
But who wouldn’t invest in Gaz Coombes Limited?
Turn The Car Around is released on January 13th. Gaz Coombes tours Europe and the UK through March and April 2023. Tickets are available at gazcoombes.com