Wounded Lovers are a three-piece band led by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Iain Fenwick. Having cut his teeth touring the London circuit throughout the 90s, Fenwick leant on his extensive list of contacts to bring ‘the old band back together’ to support his Roosterville Charity gigs. Initially reforming in its original incarnation of 90s group The Moriartys, the band morphed into Wounded Lovers in 2010 when bassist Rick Jassi joined Fenwick and Paul Miles (drum, backing vocals) to complete the line-up.

Fiercely opinionated and unwilling to compromise on sound or vision, Wounded Lovers are a band borne out of volatility. Despite this, they follow their own path, regardless of what is considered to be en vogue. This diversity was exhibited through the making of the record, with Fenwick and co-producer Rob Millis battling to find solutions when they initially had conflicting views on a number of artistic decisions. Nevertheless, the effort has ultimately been rewarding, with Fenwick viewing debut album West End Intoxica as the first part of a trilogy. A thematic album, West End Intoxica explores concepts of mortality, youth and the lure of the big City.

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Wounded Lovers about the release, dream collabs, earliest music memories, and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Let’s get this hot topic out of the way from the start. What are your feelings on AI as a creative tool? Have you experimented with it? Or released any projects where it was used?

So this is complex and I have both positive and negative thoughts on AI.  I have started using it as a tool to de mix band rehearsal recordings of songs that might be on the follow up to “West End Intoxica”.  I can then use live drums and overdub better vocals and guitar lines at home.  These “Frankenstein” demos give a really good indication of how the songs might sound on a professionally recorded album.  Also this de mixing has been used to make some Beatles recordings sound better, and that’s a good thing too.  The worrying side is the danger that AI will be a tool that stifles natural creativity and the corporations that run the music scene can create future popular music by recreating sounds that include no original vocals or music.  I worry even more that the audience won’t really care!  So I am concerned about something as groundbreaking as AI getting in the wrong hands and being more about profit than art. I have the same feeling about holograms of deceased acts being more popular the real living artists…

What is your earliest music memory? Or a moment that sticks out for motivating you to write, record, and release music?

Top of the Pops was a massive show when I was at school, and I listened to radio all the time.  My father had a guitar and could play a bit but it was later probably at school in Art classes that the notion that I could be in a band perform music struck me.  It actually seemed quite possible to achieve this.  There were bands that had normal backgrounds in my neighbourhood that had had hit records.  That I had read about in the NME. I do know that once that spark was ignited, I made up my mind that I wanted to write songs and perform them rather than rely on cover versions.  My friend at school, Paul had the same feeling so we started rehearsing and writing together.

What’s up with this latest release? Any cool back-stories, bloopers, or notable inspirations?

The single A Bar Called Paradise was actually inspired by a songwriting competition I heard about that I never entered.  The theme was paradise, and I ran away with this idea that this song could be dark.  Like many of my favourite songs it arrived very quickly, thankfully. Paul Miles and Rick Jassi (Drums and Bass) got behind the groove and mood very quickly, but we kept the song a secret and haven’t played it live yet.  In the studio I had massive help from both Lucca Mae and Laurie Wright on vocals.  The song is essentially about the aftermath of a shooting in a bar.  Quite a cool and bohemian bar.  The lyrics are the voices of the survivors talking about what they witnessed.  I know, I know, the single lacks a feel good factor……certainly not a Christmas hit! 

The lyrical inspiration for the album was my love of where I grew up in West London.  Where I still live. The people who I have met along the way.  The people that have fallen by the wayside and their stories.  To be fair it has been a bit of a battle getting this over the line, as in the process not everyone has agreed or understood what I was aiming for, but I’ve been resilient and had some brilliant help from Amit Rae Sharma who mixed the album and added some delicious piano parts. 

What keeps you going, especially on the “bad” days?

Sometimes there seems to be so many obstacles in the way of getting your band and songs recognised.  The Wounded Lovers have faced them all and we have at times been are own worst enemies in that respect too.  I find that I am always writing songs and as long as that’s the case then nothing can truly be too wrong.  Once I have a germ of an idea I become like a dog with a bone about it.  Nothing in the world can distract me from realising and finishing the song. Not the drudgery of life or the world seemingly going mad, nothing. I have the same enthusiasm for songs and music that I did at school, and I know that makes me very lucky.  

I’m also inspired by a lot of the young acts and bands that are appearing in London, and I get a real injection of energy watching them blossom.  People Like Laurie Wright, The Molotovs, Superswamp Jellyfish and JW Paris.

If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why?

There’s a few.  I’m attracted to artists who seem to view the world through a different lens than most.  At a slight angle to the universe.  So I would like to go back in time and collaborate in any way at all with the English comedian and writer Peter Cook.  I would like to collaborate on songs with Peter Doherty.  I would like to invite both Paul Somonon and Mick Jones of the Clash to help out on the next Wounded Lovers album!  

I know it’s hard…but favorite song (or artist) of all time? Or Top 3 if you can’t choose one…?

This will change every day, but I am going with songwriters that have inspired me to write songs and those who’s songs just blow my mind:

Lennon & McCartney

Ray Davies

Robyn Hitchcock

Peter Doherty & Carl Barat

Mick Jones & Joe Strummer

David Bowie

Where’s the best place to connect with You?

Website: woundedloversmusic.com

Email: info@woundedlovers.com

Insta: @roosterville.co.uk

I appreciate Your time. Any last thoughts before signing off? 

I just wanna say thanks for getting in touch and for supporting new music and getting the message out there that there are gems to be found away from the big hits and massive stages of today.  There are bands like The Wounded Lovers out there in the shadows with something exciting to add to the scene.