TALKTIME: LOYD GROSSMANSauce guru, punk rocker, Renaissance man talks to EOIN BUTLER
When people hear Loyd Grossman is touring with a punk band, I assume they think it’s a joke, right?
Not at all. People who know me know that I’ve been crazy about music since . . . always. It may be a slight exaggeration to call me a punk though. My 1970s band Jet Bronx and the Forbidden weren’t really punks in the classic sense of bands like the Sex Pistols. We were much more influenced by American bands like The Ramones. It was attitudinal, rather than punk.
Do you know of any other punk rockers who have their own coat of arms?
No – but you never know. What I’ve loved about touring again has been getting to meet other musicians and seeing what a totally varied bunch they are. As with any other walk of life, it’s very easy to make assumptions. We’re all a mixed bag of backgrounds, influences and experiences.
You put The New Forbidden together in 2008. What was it like to pick up a guitar again after 30 years?
It was great. I only wondered why I’d left it so long. It was all thanks to my youngest daughter. About five years ago, said she wanted to learn to play guitar. So I got her a guitar. Then I thought, perhaps it would help her out if I played along. Of course, after about 10 days she had completely lost interest, but I realised how much I’d missed it.
You’re probably best remembered for ‘Through the Keyhole’. Was it difficult convincing people to let cameras into their homes?
When it started as a small segment on breakfast television in 1983, it was very difficult. It was such a zany idea. People had no idea what we were trying to do – there was really nothing else like that on TV at the time. But, as is always the case, once it moved to prime time people started lining up to get involved.
A friend of mine keeps a copy of ' Crime and Punishment'open on his bedside locker . . .
So his lady friends will think he’s an intellectual?
Yes.
What was the most blatant affectation you came across over the course of the series?
Oh, you always could tell when someone was trying to make a statement. But what I found much more interesting were the people who said 'no, take me as I am'. Conventionally tasteful houses would not have suited a programme like Through the Keyhole. The episodes that stood out for me were the ones where you felt an individual had stamped their own personality on the place. When people are really expressing themselves, it transcends taste.
A lot of TV chefs opened restaurants during the boom and are feeling the pinch now. You launched a line of sauces. Are you having the last laugh?
Well you’ve got to remember, I started doing the sauces in 1995. The recession wasn’t an issue then. The idea was to market a convenience food that was prepared to the same level as something you’d cooked yourself. But it was only ever something I wanted to do for myself. I never saw it turning into this huge business.
Is it true that when you have friends over for dinner, you always cook with Loyd Grossman sauces?
Absolutely.
Now that you have released an album, will that be playing on constant rotation at your dinner parties too?
It’s what people expect!
You're frequently parodied. What strikes me isn't just the number of times you've been impersonated, but also the calibre of some of the comics involved: Peter Cook, Steve Coogan, Vic Reeves .. .
Oh yes, Vic Reeves in particular was a huge favourite of mine. His impersonation of me was quite wonderful. To be honest, I’ve never minded being parodied. Not at all. Especially when, as you say, it’s being done by such superb comedians.
Do you have any remaining unrealised ambitions?
Well I have one, but it’s about to be realised – we’re playing Glastonbury this summer. That’s something that has been our dream since we got the band together. So that, I expect, will be the highlight of my summer.
Finally, what lessons do you learn as a punk rock guitarist that apply to general life?
There’s one lesson I’ve learned, and it applies to all of the careers that I have pursued. That is, if you bring your own point of view and a great deal of energy to any project, you may end up creating something exciting that a lot of people will enjoy. The secret is to be original. Never be a copycat.
