http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/n ... n-campbell
Lesson five
Four years later, still in Liverpool, I am co-managing two of the hippest bands in the land: Echo and the Bunnymen and the Teardrop Explodes. Echo & the Bunnymen were going from strength to strength. They were a solid four-piece democratic band. The Teardrop Explodes were more difficult. They had just had a top 10 single, Reward, and their first album had gone gold. But the band was riven with internal problems, changing line-ups, conflicting egos and too much dope.
Ken was back in Liverpool. He had got a proper job as the artistic director of the Everyman. The co-manager of these bands, and my best friend, was Dave Balfe. He was also the keyboard-player with the Teardrop Explodes, and that was one of the problems. I had told Dave about Ken and how he was the only proper genius I had ever worked with. I knew Ken had no interest in music but I suggested we should visit him and ask what to do with the Teardrop Explodes.
So that night, we go to Ken’s lodgings and knock on his door. On seeing my face, the first thing he says is: “Drummond, have you got the Araldite?”
Introductions over, Dave and I explained the problem. He said it was simple enough to sort out. I asked how and he said: “Give me £100 and I will tell you.”
So Dave and I went back out into the night to get £100. There were no cash machines in those days. There was only one person we knew in Liverpool who would have that sort of money in cash at that time of night. Obviously, he thought we were there to buy his wares. We said no, we just want to borrow £100. The interest was agreed and he loaned us the money.
Back at Ken’s lodgings, we counted out the notes. Ken put them in his back pocket. He looked up at us and gave us his broad grin.
“WILDER!”
“What do you mean, Ken?”
“I mean WILDER! That is what you need your band to be. WILDER!”
“Have we just paid you £100 for the word ‘wilder’?”
“Yes. And it is probably the best £100 you are ever likely to spend.”
When we left, Dave was certain Ken was just taking the piss out of us. He may have been. But that did not stop us from convincing the Teardrop Explodes and their record company to call their next – and final – album Wilder. Although it went gold, it did not solve the problem within the band. I walked away. And the band broke up. But with everything I have worked on since, I can hear Ken’s voice telling me: “Wilder, Bill, it should be wilder.”
