Ian Haylor

A MUSICIAN from Welwyn Garden City has released his Great Lost album – after a 14-year wait.

MANY great songwriters have spent far longer than they probably should have done recording new albums.

My Bloody Valentine spent three years (and a rumoured £250,000) recording their second LP, Loveless, while it took The Stone Roses six years to release Second Coming, the Manchester group’s bloated follow-up to their seminal 1989 debut.

But by comparison, the 14 year wait between Ian Haylor’s albums makes Kevin Shields and Messrs. Brown and Squire seem relatively prolific (although Axl Rose still probably holds the record – 18 years between Guns N’ Roses albums).

Ian, a WGC-born, Digswell-raised ex-pat now living in Auckland, New Zealand, has finally released Great Lost, his fourth record as a solo artist, and first since 1996’s Waiting For Utopia.

It was a month after the release of Waiting For Utopia that Ian travelled to New Zealand, with the intention of staying for a year.

But fast forward to today and Ian is now an adopted Kiwi, “with two Kiwi kids” – Grace, eight, and Liam, three.

On a trip back to Digswell to visit his mum, Chris, Ian popped into the Welwyn Hatfield Times offices to chat about the making of his latest, belated release.

“I just decided to kick myself,” said Ian, 41. “I decided in June to make an album in six months, and to keep myself to it, and I’ve delivered on that.”

Born at the QE2 Hospital in 1969, Ian was a regular on the Times Territory music scene in the 80s and early 90s.

He was the drummer in rockers The Jowlers, and later played in Livid.

“I’ve still got the old press cuttings from the WHT,” he says, remembering, somewhat incredulously, his previous musical incarnations more than 20 years ago.

He was 19 when he recorded his first solo album, Ever Increasing Circles, in 1988. Ian, however, isn’t exactly a huge fan.

“I think it’s awful, although I did press gang everybody into buying a copy! I wasn’t too proud about my first album.

“Everyone knows I don’t exactly ring the bell about it.”

He’s far more positive about Great Lost, however. “It’s just good accessible pop music,” he said.

“I reckon it’s the best I’ve ever done, in terms of progressing and maturing as a songwriter.”

Just like Ian, Great Lost can also claim duel-nationality.

Although mainly recorded at his home studio in Auckland, Ian enlisted the help of trumpeter and LA resident Greg Johnson, as well as bass player Gavin Meaden, a friend who lives in Welwyn Garden City.

Embracing the wonders of modern technology, Ian simply recorded his tracks then emailed them to Greg and Gavin, who put down their parts and emailed it back to him.

“Gavin actually makes a huge contribution on the album,” said Ian. “The next one I do, I’ll definitely put a time frame on it, otherwise they drag on and you lose momentum.”

Great Lost is out now. Email haylor@hotmail.com for more information.