THERE’S not much that annoys Travis frontman Fran Healy – but ask him about his next door neighbour and it’s clear the most chilled man in music does have a breaking point.
During an exclusive interview, Fran let rip about the bloke — who scuppered any idea of the peaceful retreat he’d chosen to write the group’s ninth studio album, 10 Songs.
Fran said: “I moved to Los Angeles and got this house. It is so beautiful and it was so quiet.
“When I got it, I thought, I am going to write the most amazing record here.
“But then one day this man turned up with a massive truck and started building a house. And now he has been building it for four years.”
Unable to hide his fury, Fran added: “He is a horrible human, he is the worst. No one around here likes him.
“He’s not even building it to live in, he’s building it to rent it.
“It’s taken so long because it’s just him and a friend.
“One day, out of nowhere, he just ripped down the fence between our houses.
“We had only just moved in and I went round and said, ‘Excuse me, what are you doing? You can’t do that’.
“He just replied, ‘Well I have’. And when I asked when he was putting a new fence up he said, ‘I don’t know’.
“I just told him to f*** off.
“A year later it still wasn’t up, so I ended up putting a new fence in, and they aren’t cheap. Four years he has been at it.
WRITING ALONE
“I get woken up every day at 7am by guys shouting at each other.
“The story of this guy is that he is just horrible.
“He has built the f***ing house man. I used to have a lovely view . . . ”
Luckily for fans of The Man Who band — Fran, Andy Dunlop, Dougie Payne and Neil Primrose — the neighbour from hell didn’t prevent the Glaswegian-born singer from being able to write all the songs for the album, which is out on October 9.
Unlike many current artists, Fran still favours writing alone and said he felt protective of his work because of how quickly the industry moves.
Fran said “There was one incident years ago when we were in a recording studio.
“You spend ages trying to come up with lyrics and unique chord sequences, which is almost impossible because they have been done.
“And I had this chord sequence I hadn’t heard before and I was playing it so everyone could get acquainted to it.
“I nipped to the toilet a few minutes later and as I walked up the corridor I could hear my chords coming from a room. As I walked closer it was getting louder.
“I walked in and there was this American man at the piano working out the chords.
“The song hadn’t even been recorded yet and there was a man trying to steal them.
“I was so upset I was shaking.
“It makes you so protective.
“Songwriting is like mining, you’re there with your axe, chipping away. And you find a diamond and someone steals it.
“I didn’t say anything to the man.
“I just walked away. It wasn’t worth it.
AROUND FOR DECADES
“I only write about what I know, it’s about singing your truth and it’s done me well.
“I know how the collaborative process works.
“These pop stars now have writing camps with different people.
“What rhymes with car? What rhymes with Jenny?
“The songs don’t last for ever. They last until the next thing takes over from it.
“There is nothing wrong with this way of doing it, it’s just not the way I work.
“I want to write songs that will be around for decades.
“You do get protective over them, the songs, like you do your children.”
The group’s latest track, A Ghost, which dropped last week, is even more personal to Fran as his son, Clay, helped create the video.
Speaking about the bond with his teenage son,
Fran explained: “Clay loves gadgets and he’s got this drone with a camera on it, so he came to help me film the video in lockdown.
“I paid him to do it, so that helped!
“Clay is so switched on, he can turn his hand to anything. He did an amazing job.
“We drove out to the desert to the US airbase where they rehearsed for the moon landings to film some bits — that was really cool to do together.
“We get on great but I know if I asked him if I was a cool dad he would say no.”
I beg to differ, Fran.
Barnes's phone porn blunder
John Barnes scored a howler after accidentally posting a pornographic picture on Twitter while having a pop at US President Donald Trump.
The ex-Liverpool footie legend shared a screenshot from his phone but the camera-roll was visible at the bottom.
John was horrified after realising his mistake, with many of his 390,000 followers putting up pictures and links to the X-rated material.
He then posted: “I have to apologise for any offence caused . . . . On the camera roll under was a video of pornography. I wasn’t aware that it was there.”
The poor bloke then struggled to delete the snap and replied to offers of help with: “Don’t know how to do that. I’m afraid to press buttons on this phone…I’m 56 years old, so happy to just be able to get one or two words out on Twitter that people understand!!”
I’m years younger than John but I have to say, I feel his pain.
Bob jibe at big Gaga gig
He raised more than £250million with Live Aid in 1985 and Live Eight in 2005.
But Sir Bob Geldof says he struggled with the One World: Together At Home concert organised by Lady Gaga.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t understand the purpose.”
He added: “The snatches I saw, there was no emotional response from me.
“Gaga was correct to try and do it. She’s an artist, she felt a responsibility, she got the others to come to the party.
“And then there had to be a political agenda behind it, which would achieve…what? What was it they wanted?”
Gaga, Taylor Swift, Sir Elton John and Sam Smith raised more £100million for charity.
So I think they did a pretty job good, Bob.
Saff's style shifts
Saffron Barker is breaking records after launching her first range with celebrity fashion brand In The Style.
I can exclusively reveal the YouTuber and Strictly contestant has sold more than £1million-worth of stock since debuting her collection last week.
The feat has seen her surpass the company’s top-selling celebrity Gemma Collins and smash figures recorded by TV’s Charlotte Crosby and Jacqueline Jossa.
Saffron originally said of her new venture: “I can’t believe I’m writing this, it’s a real pinch me moment . . . My first collection is a Saffron-inspired loungewear line.”
How about a Simon inspired one? Any takers?
Lou's lock loves
Louise Redknapp is putting her best foot forward in lockdown.
The singer showed off her toned legs in these black hotpants in her latest fashion shoots from home for her fans.
In another sultry shot she posed in a cream blazer.
Louise launched the blog Lou Loves to share her favourite looks, along with her thoughts on beauty, music and cooking.
Louise, who’s spent the past three months at home in Surrey with her two boys with telly footie pundit and former player Jamie Redknapp, said she had also been working on new music.
I’m not surprised she needs a sit down.
Ferne and games
The only blue Ferne McCann is feeling is the colour of her lacy undies.
The reality TV regular showed off her new lingerie set on Instagram over the weekend, much to the delight of her followers.
Ferne accessorised her ink-blue two-piece with a matching emerald necklace.
But I doubt any of her fans would have been looking at that . . .
'I kirked drink too late'
Most people have been guilty of hitting the bottle a little too hard during lockdown.
But for long-time Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett the wild nights of partying are a thing of the past – and he says he couldn’t be happier.
The musician kicked the booze five years ago but has revealed he wished he’d stopped much sooner.
Kirk told Kerrang! magazine: “I would have stopped drinking ten or 15 years ago.
“I’m coming up to five years without alcohol and I’m really enjoying it.”
Although Kirk is embracing his sobriety, he has admitted to missing some of his old ways with the American heavy metal band.
He continued: “Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed being a raving alcoholic lunatic, but then everything turned against me.
“Every time I had a drink it worked against me, rather than helping me to enjoy myself in a recreational manner.
“That’s the thing about alcohol, if you’re not paying attention and something happens, it could flip on you.”
Keep it up, Kirk. I think plenty of us could take a leaf out of that book.
bizbit
CHLOE GREEN has found love again with a mystery man following her split from polo player Rommy Giannni.
The heiress was seen snogging him on board her disgraced dad’s yacht, which is moored off the French Riviera.
SIR TOM JONES, 80 yesterday, told Radio 2’s MICHAEL BALL how he keeps his remarkable pipes, saying: “It’s all about keeping hydrated.
“And performing – I go out on tour every year. And it’s kept it in good condition.”
JOHN LYDON has told how SEX PISTOLS fans reacted when he formed new group PUBLIC IMAGE LTD in 1978.
On a Facebook Live said: “The record companies hated me. And my own fans turned against me. They were all clueless.”
Just's £900k staycation
After spending three months in isolation, Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey have treated themselves to a staycation.
And they’re certainly not slumming it.
The pair, who married in September 2018, have been pictured glamping in a £900,000 campervan in Utah.
Inside the swanky motorhome is everything the celebrity couple could want, including a huge living and dining area, along with a massive bedroom and state-of-the-art bathroom.
And if that wasn’t luxury enough, the Marathon Coach is also equipped with an infrared sauna, heated flooring and, of course, a BBQ grill.
And if they get tired of each other’s company, there are three tellys.
How the other half lives, eh.
bizmeter
LADY GAGA and ARIANA GRANDE are battling to get back to the No1 spot on the Official Singles Chart with Rain On Me.
The pair are closing in on DABABY and RODDY RICCH, who knocked them into second place on Friday with Rockstar.
ASTON MERRYGOLD has had his second baby with wife Sarah Richards. The couple announced the birth of their son at the weekend.
The JLS singer has named him Macaulay Shay. With a snap on Insta- gram, he said: “Welcome to the world.”
JESSIE WARE reinvented herself through new album What’s Your Pleasure.
She said: “I wanted it to be full of the things I wasn’t doing. I became a mum of two and I wanted to pretend I was a woman going club- bing, meeting strangers and having sex.”
KATY PERRY has explained the video for latest single Daisies after a fans backlash at the stripped-back offering.
She said: “I never thought of doing something so raw . . . I also hope to never do something like that again. It was what I had at the time.”
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