MOJO - Review
Tempting new music from ever-affable Mr Tilbrook.

This follow-up to 2001's The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook finds the singer/guitarist settling in nicely to musical life without longtime Squeeze mate and collaborator/lyricist Chris Difford.
 
Recorded in numerous UK and US locales (hence, presumably, the title), the collection nonetheless hangs together on the strength of Tilbrook's most dependable qualities- shining on brightly vocals and a pop-smart knack for finely detailed melodies-and-hooks embroidery.
 
While the infectuous Untouchable and the breezy There For Her conjure up welcome memories of past triumphs, others composed solely by Tilbrook show him moving forward- most notably, with the adult themed Hostage and Domestic Distortion, concerning a disconnected father and child's tentative reunion.
 
Don't fret too much about ageing perspectives, though: any album that features songs called Hot Shaved Asian Teens and Genitalia Of A Fool can't be too serious.
 
(Awarded 3 stars out of 5).

Not Lame Records - Review
Glenn Tilbrook - Transatlantic Ping Pong
Fabulous, surprisingly strong 2004 solo release from the Squeeze man (well, one of them, at least). After 30 years producing finely-crafted pop vignettes with Chris Difford and Squeeze, Glenn Tilbrook`s got nothing left to prove. Before you even put Transatlantic Ping Pong on the CD player you KNOW it`s going to be packed with neat tunes, tasteful harmonies and lyrics that tell real stories of real people.The good and bad news is, of course, that there are no surprises here. This is a surprisingly fresh and solid outing."

4 1/2 stars... his second solo album and his best record in a long, long time. Simultaneously looser and more focused than Incomplete, Transatlantic finds Tilbrook returning to the hooky, direct power pop of the best Squeeze albums, but instead of sounding like a retread or a last grasp for glory, he sounds comfortable, as if he knows this is the sound that suits him best. Most important, it sounds like he`s having fun, and that`s the sentiment that rules the album. It`s not just that the music is bright and catchy, the sound of a top pop tunesmith working at full strength; it`s that the songs themselves are often larks.... that kind of boozy, good-time humor is evident not just in the words, but the raucous, full- bodied performances that make Transatlantic Ping Pong a joy on the sheer sonic level. Plus, those off-color jokes are tempered by the fine craftsmanship of songs like "Untouchable" and the bittersweet "Ray & Me," both of which are bolstered by the lively performances and recording, and the whole thing winds up as his most likable and alive record in quite some time.

From the June 22, 2004 issue of USA Today
Glenn Tilbrook, Transatlantic Ping Pong (***)
Question: Are Hot Shaved Asian Teens and Genitalia of a Fool the titles of
a) popular video rentals b)recent Howard Stern segments or c) songs on Tilbrook’s new CD? If you guessed “c,” there’s no need to explain that the former Squeeze frontman hasn’t lost his, um, cheeky sense of humor. Luckily Tilbrook has also retained his sweetly plangent tenor and keen melodic savvy, as more wistful, winning tracks such as Untouchable and Ray & Me confirm. The singer/songwriter’s occasional indulgences in blue-tinted humor are hardly offensive, but blue-eyed soul continues to be his strong suit. -- Elysa Gardner

SOUTHAMPTON EVENING ECHO

Charming performance from true professional Glenn Tilbrook, Ferneham Hall, Fareham
Charismatic and dynamic singer/songwriter Glenn Tilbrook charmed the friendly festival crowd with an energetic and professional act. Backed by excellent musicians on keyboards, drums and bass guitar, Tilbrook's arrangements are crisp and tight, the lyrics refreshingly intelligent and shrewd. Words like "chagrin" and phrases like "genitalia of a fool" sparkle in feel-good pop songs that are cleverly constructed with catchy riffs and driving rock rhythms. During his acoustic solo spot, Tilbrook completely discarded the safety net of microphone and amplifier, and wandered nonchalantly into the auditorium, singing and playing guitar in the darkened and delighted audience without missing a note. The former Squeeze frontman clearly enjoyed himself with a varied range of sounds, from the funky "Stop For A Minute" through the soulful "Black Coffee In Bed" to the perceptive new single "Untouchable".

The 13th annual Gosport and Fareham Easter Music Festival gets better and better!
Brendan McCusker

EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 5/5/04
Glenn Tilbrook and Band, The Venue ****

Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford were among the greatest songwriters never to take the world by storm. Tilbrook may be writing solo now, but his performance last night was in no way half measures. Backed by a stonking, heavyweight trio - the thunderous Lucy Shaw on bass, Stephen Large on keyboards and Simon Hanson on drums - Tilbrook, his songs and his, previously hidden, exceptional guitar skills had the audience alternately hushed and listening or singing their heads off. On Goodbye Girl, he wandered amongst the crowd acoustically with the band, and the audience almost drowned them out. Naturally, songs by his old mates Squeeze featured prominently, but for every Up The Junction or Take Me I'm Yours, there was a new number, including his latest single, Untouchable. And, for sheer entertainment and energy - he was.

Martin Lenon

The Sunday Mail
MAIL MUSIC : GLENN TILBROOK TWA TAMS, PERTH, MAY 6 2004

May 16 2004
Paul Dunning

The former Squeeze singer/songwriter and his fantastic band played an excellent two-hour show.
Opener Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) and songs from Tilbrook's new album Transatlantic Ping Pong were well received, as were solo versions of Some Fantastic Place and Goodbye Girl.
Tilbrook then grabbed his guitar and led the crowd on a march around Perth. When they re-appeared, Tilbrook was in a shopping trolley.
Squeeze classics Tempted, Another Nail In My Heart, Hourglass and Up The Junction rounded off an excellent gig.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDCASS80311171113553241&sql=A3hvyxddb4ola

Artist  Glenn Tilbrook
Album Title  Transatlantic Ping Pong
Date of Release  Jun 8, 2004
4.5 Stars from allmusic.com

Splitting from longtime songwriting co-partner and musical partner in crime Chris Difford rejuvenated Glenn Tilbrook, leading to a good solo debut in 2001 with The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook and a subsequent never-ending tour that found the former Squeeze frontman playing seemingly anywhere and everywhere for a good three years. This constant activity pays off on 2004's Transatlantic Ping Pong, his second solo album and his best record in a long, long time. Simultaneously looser and more focused than Incomplete, Transatlantic finds Tilbrook returning to the hooky, direct power pop of the best Squeeze albums, but instead of sounding like a retread or a last grasp for glory, he sounds comfortable, as if he knows this is the sound that suits him best. Most important, it sounds like he's having fun, and that's the sentiment that rules the album. It's not just that the music is bright and catchy, the sound of a top pop tunesmith working at full strength; it's that the songs themselves are often larks. A few songs explore some regret over the past — most notably on "Hostage," where he meets up with a former lover/partner, and "Domestic Distortion," where he comes to grips with his adult child — but they're surrounded by songs filled with jokes. While some of those display the trademark dry wit of Squeeze, more often than not these are dirty, filthy jokes, like rewriting a country standard for "The Genitalia of a Fool" and turning on a disco beat for "Hot Shaved Asian Teens," which may not be any more vulgar than a typical spam e-mail, but certainly is a bit of a shock coming from Tilbrook. But that kind of boozy, good-time humor is evident not just in the words, but the raucous, full-bodied performances that make Transatlantic Ping Pong a joy on the sheer sonic level. Plus, those off-color jokes are tempered by the fine craftsmanship of songs like "Untouchable" and the bittersweet "Ray & Me," both of which are bolstered by the lively performances and recording, and the whole thing winds up as his most likable and alive record in quite some time. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

11 December 2002: Viper Room — Los Angeles
by Kimberly Mack - PopMatters Music Critic
http://popmatters.com/music/concerts/t/tilbrook-glenn-021211.shtml

Glenn Tilbrook practically skipped onto the tiny red-curtained Viper Room stage in Los Angeles, California. Dressed in a simple red and white T-shirt and jeans and carrying an acoustic guitar, Tilbrook dove heartily into a performance that showcased the depth and breadth of a two-decade-plus career with Squeeze as well as his own solo foray. Despite a rather nasty flu that caused Tilbrook to cough in between songs and sweat more than is customary at your average unplugged rock show, he joked, danced and emoted his way through a veritable treasure trove of hits.

Tilbrook mostly performed songs from various points in Squeeze's recorded history rather than his own solo material. The audience was barely warmed up before he began a passionate and particularly poignant version of the pop ballad "Up the Junction" from 1979's Cool for Cats. This song is one of Squeeze's more lyrically sound pieces, a song that belied the young age of its creators, with lyrics like: "I worked eleven hours / And bought the girl some flowers / She said she'd seen a doctor / And nothing now could stop her." and "Alone here in the kitchen / I feel there's something missing / I'd beg for some forgiveness / But begging's not my business / And she won't write a letter / Although I always tell her / And so it's my assumption / I'm really up the junction."

After a joyous rendering of the bouncy pop fun of "Piccadilly" from 1981's East Side Story, during which he insisted on audience participation, Tilbrook launched into a hilarious rant about VH1 and Squeeze's place in its history. ". . . First we were on VH1. Now it's VH1 Classic . . . What's next? VH1 Are You Still Alive?" Tilbrook went on to discuss Squeeze's wariness, at first, of the music video form and how uncomfortable they were when they made the video for their 1982 hit "Black Coffee in Bed". He commented about a Billy Squier video he saw, just a few days earlier, for "Rock Me Tonite", and commiserated with how difficult it was to make music videos in the 1980s that weren't campy or silly. Tilbrook's unexpectedly literal imitation of Squier in that video was priceless.

Although he was under the weather, Tilbrook's vocals were as beautiful as ever. There was the occasional croak, but those moments were overshadowed by his energy, humor and passion for the music, his music. During the blue-eyed soul of "This Is Where You Ain't" from his 2001 solo album, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, his voice was clearly hoarse, but that somehow only added to the emotion of the song. In fact, it seemed he found a way to use the hoarseness of his voice to carry the audience to another level of emotional connection to his work throughout the night. To say the mostly middle-aged, mostly male crowd was appreciative of Tilbrook's efforts would be a huge understatement. Through their eyes, the true impact of Squeeze's music could be seen and felt. Of course there were younger fans in attendance: a trio of young men, no more then 25, right up front and a young woman with pink hair who knew every word to every song, but it was clear that the bulk of the audience grew up with Squeeze. This was evidenced by the fact that there was never silence in between songs or even your usual hoots and hollers. There were song requests -- and not just a song or two or the same songs -- the requests were many and varied. During each break a different fan had a different song they wanted: "Tempted", "Is That Love?", "Goodbye Girl", to name just a few.

Tilbrook sang songs from many different albums, though mostly from Squeeze's first four studio releases. However, he did perform a few songs from 1987's Babylon and On -- the lovely melodic ballad "Tough Love", the up-tempo pop song "Footprints" and the hit "Hourglass", which was performed with much enthusiasm and featured more audience participation in the form of hand claps during the break in the song.

Highlights of the evening, and there were many, included a slowed down, sexy, almost bluesy version of that ode to masturbation "Touching Me, Touching You" from Cool for Cats, which Tilbrook happily introduced: "I still identify with it now!" The utterly gorgeous mid-tempo pop of "Is That Love" from East Side Story and the distinctively English, Beatles-esque "Slightly Drunk", also from Cool for Cats, were beautifully executed. During "Take Me I'm Yours", from Squeeze's debut album, U.K. Squeeze, Tilbrook demonstrated an impressive fluency on the guitar, and the soulful pop of "Tempted", the song that broke Squeeze in the United States in 1981, whipped the audience into an excited frenzy.

For an encore, Tilbrook performed the timeless "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" and "Another Nail in My Heart" from Argybargy. And after the last lyric was sung and the last note sounded, a woman behind me said, "Wow! And that's what he's like when he's sick." Indeed.
— 8 January 2003

GLENN TILBROOK: THE MEMORIAL PUB TOUR
27 May 2002, The Bluebird, Nashville (USA)
http://www.kindamuzik.net/live/article.shtml?id=1622

In America, there are several things that you normally do on Memorial Day. You can throw a barbecue party, have a picnic, participate in a veterans parade, or, if you were in Nashville this year, you could have gone to The Bluebird Cafe to see Glenn Tilbrook, with Steve Poltz as the opener. Being the intrepid KindaMuzik reporter that I am, I forced myself to give up the trip to the cemetery and ponied up to join another 150 people (believe it or not, a full house) to sample some bottles of Bass Ale and enjoy a very relaxed and often funny show. My duty was clear.

Tilbrook's been touring the country on his "pub tour," living out of an RV and playing nothing but tiny venues, and Nashville was the last stop before returning to the UK.

First up was Steve Poltz, who I knew mainly as the writer of Jewel's You Were Meant For Me and Everything About You, off of the Notting Hill soundtrack. The manic Mr. Poltz was a fun surprise, offering some bouncy and jaunty tunes, but his big strength was his humorous introductions and the sense of humor present in his songs, as when he turned the Jewel song into a "guy's song" by replacing the line "Break the yolks, make a smiley face" with "Break the yolks with a goddamn fork." An accomplished acoustic guitarist, he also has a distinctive voice and was a real blast. He dedicated Waterfalls to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and did a great version of the Prince song, complete with a perfect rap. Not bad for a slacker white guy...

After a short intermission (if only all shows were like this), it was time for the unpretentious and affable Mr. Tilbrook, who delighted the faithful with a full cross-section of his career. From Take Me I'm Yours, off of the first Squeeze album, and Touching Me Touching You, Goodbye Girl, and Up The Junction from their second LP, Cool For Cats, he also touched their more quiet periods, playing Truth from the album Play and Melody Motel from Frank and did a song from Some Fantastic Place. Still, he managed to include most of the fan favorites as well: classic songs like Is That Love, Tempted, Black Coffee In Bed, Another Nail In My Heart, as well as the lesser commercially known great songs like Vanity Fair, Labelled With Love, Vicky Verky, and Separate Beds.

Tilbrook also covered songs from his solo career, including a fine song that he co-wrote with Ron Sexsmith called By The Light Of The Cash Machine. My favorite was the hilarious rave-up Interviewing Randy Newman, in which he describes the second "panic attack" of his life, which came about when he interviewed Newman for BBC Radio. The song details the perils of thinking that you've done your homework as an interviewer and then totally blanking when confronted with the interview subject. Drop-dead funny and a little uncomfortable — much like watching a train wreck.

Tilbrook's been inviting audiences to venture outside the venues for impromptu campfire singalongs, and tonight was no exception. We all wandered out to the parking lot (I think that Glenn was taken a little aback by the non-exuberant nature of the Nashville audience), and there we were treated to a rousing audience singalong of Pulling Mussels (From The Shell), with him grinning when we came to the more difficult bits. Never has a song with such a charming metaphor for cunnilingus been sung before in a Nashville parking lot — at least I don't think Hank ever did it that way.

It's amazing how many great songs Tilbrook has had a hand in writing, and the solo venue offered a great chance to experience the depth and breadth of his output. Having said that, he still managed to find time to "squeeze" in several covers: from a shouted-out request of Wichita Lineman, to another request for Willie Nelson, which he complied with by doing a charming version of You Were Always On My Mind, complete with a Willie-esque, halting, Spanish-tinged guitar solo. Plus, he called Steve Poltz back onstage to sing the song that he co-wrote with Elvis Costello, From A Whisper (To A Scream), which was a nice surprise.

Tilbrook has one of the most distinctive and evocative voices in pop music, and it's well served in the intimate confines of the smaller "pub." He hasn't lost a step, and his voice is still playing those serpentine games that has made him one of pop's greatest tunesmiths. One nice touch is that Tilbrook always asks for applause from the absent Chris Difford, and tonight was no exception.

His label is Quixotic Records. Instead of a donkey, he's riding an RV across the land (the mechanical beast being a bit of an ass, according to him). Instead of Pancho Villa, he has his manager Suzanne, and instead of windmills, it's memories that he's tilting at. Sweet dreams are made of this indeed.

by Dave Weil

The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Canada
SQUEEZE PLAY - GLENN TILBROOK NEEDS THE STAGE BY ANDREW YATES
Glenn Tilbrook at the Horseshoe (370 Queen West), Wednesday (May 15).
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-05-09/music_feature4.php

The rv speeds down route I5 on the U.S. West Coast. A road sign reads "Portland 50 miles," and the soundtrack blares Squeeze's Cool For Cats.All of a sudden the camper starts to cough black smoke and vibrate, and a Brit-accented voice bellows, "Bloody hell! What's going on?"

The voice is Glenn Tilbrook's, and he's reacting to yet another tour-bus breakdown. The scene could wind up being in One For The Road, a documentary about Tilbrook that's currently in production. He's the singer songwriter best remembered for his work with 80s new wave band Squeeze, and he brings his solo show and his newly repaired RV to the Horseshoe Wednesday.

"I'm nowhere near the peak of my career. I'm completely aware of that," says Tilbrook. "I hope the film shows that it's possible to make a way for yourself."

Humble words from a man revered by many for his pop craftsmanship, who's collaborated with the likes of Mark Knopfler, Elvis Costello and Richard and Linda Thompson.

But Cool For Cats was released in 1979, and new wave is history. A recent bout of 80s nostalgia hasn't moved Tilbrook to envision a Squeeze reunion, but neither does he plan to quit making music and touring any time soon.

"I'm not in a position where I could give up working, but I also enjoy touring. I want to tour for the rest of my life. The interesting thing is that I've had kids come up to me who know nothing about Squeeze. They've stumbled across my record and played it on their college radio program."

But even if some people are stuck in the past when it comes to Tilbrook, his marketing methods are very present-tense. You won't hear him on the radio or on MuchMusic. He takes full advantage of the Internet to get word out about concert tours and new recording projects.

"My primary business is to let people know about me. The Internet has been fantastic for bringing people together to support my work. The record companies even use it to find people who will put up flyers for my concerts."

When it comes down to promotion versus piracy, the former always wins out for Tilbrook.
"It's one of those things where technology has run ahead of the law, so we've got to get used to it. Now it's up to the artists to make the packaging more interesting. We've got to make the shows more interesting."

He's spent the past eight years working on his solo performances, and promises there will be lots of Squeeze songs alongside solo tunes and covers when he hits the stage with his acoustic guitar.
"My shows are full of improvisation," sells Tilbrook. "They're full of people talking to me and me talking to them."

Glenn Tilbrook: A Laughing Matter
http://www.musician.com/redirect/854
by Scott Tribble
Part 1: Songwriting & Humor

You don’t often come across a rock star as self-deprecating as Glenn Tilbrook. But, for a man who holds humor in such esteem—both in his life and in his music—it’s not surprising that he’s willing to poke a little fun at himself.

On his first solo album after more than 20 years in the business, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, the former Squeeze front-man delivers first-rate pop-rock whimsy—of which he’s frequently the subject. Whether recalling embarrassing encounters with musical idols (“Interviewing Randy Newman”) or confessing to dance-floor inadequacies (“Up the Creek”), Tilbrook, writing the words for the first time in his career, serves up lyrical wit to match his typically-engaging melodies.
It was Tilbrook’s knack for crafting memorable hooks that made Squeeze one of the most successful Brit-pop acts of the 1980s and ‘90s. Setting music to band-mate Chris Difford’s lyrics, Tilbrook moved across a wide stylistic range, from the blue-eyed soul of “Tempted” to the androgynous synth-pop of “Take Me I’m Yours.” Many Squeeze songs remain radio favorites to this day, including the seminal "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)," "Black Coffee in Bed," and "Cool for Cats."
Since Squeeze went on hiatus after 1998’s Domino, Tilbrook has performed intimate acoustic shows for audiences worldwide. Musician.com caught up with Tilbrook at one of his recent tour stops and spoke with him about his songwriting process and the sanctity of humor in rock and roll.
Musician.com: So how’s the tour going?
Glenn Tilbrook: It's great! While I love playing with a band—I love the pool of talent [associated with having] a band—one of many things that I got from my talent shows [in the past] was that I never had the chance or ability ….to establish more of a show than a recital. That's what I'm doing now and have been doing for the last seven or eight years.

Musician.com:: Let’s talk about your songwriting process. I understand that, when you were with Squeeze, you preferred to have finished lyrics from Chris Difford before you came up with the music…

Tilbrook: That's the way we first wrote without ever really talking about it. It worked and we never changed it—not even ending up changing it, but we never really talked about changing it because it worked.

Musician.com: Did Chris present his lyrics to you with general ideas for sound or style? Take “Labelled With Love” [from 1981’s East Side Story], for instance—did Chris indicate that he had written the song with a country sound in mind or did you simply hear the lyrics that way?

Tilbrook: Second way, actually. Chris never really indicated anything to me [with respect to the sound]. With “Labelled With Love” it really just came from the context of the lyric—it suggested it really—that just sort of came out.

Musician.com: What was it like composing your own lyrics for Incomplete?

Tilbrook: I found it very hard at first…I wasn’t far along and I sort of thought, “Well, I can't do it.” And I gave up doing it and said that I would co-write the songs that I needed…. The first lyric I wrote off this album was for “Interviewing Randy Newman” and I figured, “I’ve got the hang it of it [now].” As soon as it worked, when I realized I could in fact [write lyrics], it gave me confidence, and that's very much how it goes. I now know that I can do them.

Musician.com: Where did you turn for inspiration? Were your lyrics fictional or based on personal experience?

Tilbrook: I found myself writing about things that I’d learned about…. Chris Difford was an enormous influence on the lyric writing. Although he wasn't involved in any of [the songs on Incomplete], he was sort of a shadow behind me. The best of Chris' lyrics always had a ring of truth about them. The only way I knew to … actually approach songs was from the few things that I knew about.

Musician.com: Are the words and music coming in conjunction these days or do you still prefer to have the lyrics finished before you start composing?

Tilbrook: Some of it is coming in conjunction. I probably do still prefer to try to write a lyric first. When it has happened together, that's great.

Musician.com: Can you give some examples of songs where the lyrics came first and where the words and music came together?

Tilbrook: Again, I would use “Interviewing Randy Newman” as a good example of a lyric that I definitely…I wanted to tell that story and that sort of all tumbled out. After re-writes—quite a lot of re-writes—it made proper sense. …Then, there's a song like “This Is Where You Ain’t,” where the music and the lyrics came together. That song is about my son leaving for Australia. I very much wanted to write about that—because I saw him taking off on a plane, and it was really horrible. I wanted to stress that feeling in a more balanced way, and the tune came at the same time.

Musician.com: While some of the songs on Incomplete do deal with serious topics, humor, for the most part, is present throughout. For you as a writer, did humor serve to diminish the tension of writing lyrics or did it spring from something bigger, as in some idea of great pop music not taking itself too seriously?

Tilbrook: I think a lot of stuff that I've always liked has had a sense of humor. It's not necessarily stuff to make you laugh out loud. It's an attitude. I don't know. It's really strange to put in words why I feel that way. I like laughing, and I like treating serious subjects, but I think Randy Newman summed it up by saying kind of the opposite, when he said: “No one ever wrote a song about something they didn't like by saying ‘This is bad.’” And I think, too, that humor can be a disarming device. You know, drop your guard and say things that, said in another way, can be upsetting.
Part 2: Great Pop Songs & The Future

What are the ingredients of a great pop song, in your mind?

Tilbrook: You know, I don't know. I am the most useless person for analyzing why I like something. And in a way I'm quite glad about that because...you know...some songs just get you. It can be any number of things that you like. For instance, Prince still had my favorite album of last year, but my favorite record was [by] The Avalanches…. [It was just] a whole bunch of party songs [sampled] on that record, but they changed the color of the instrumentals, changed the vocals…I didn't listen to it that way when I heard it—what I heard was a great record. It wasn’t the lyrics that got through to me, but the sound. Yet, when I hear something like “Common People” by Pulp—it’s a great song, but the lyric is what makes it a great song. Having a sense of humor is also very important….

Musician.com: Can you give some examples of other pop songs over the years that you have considered great—for whatever reason?

Tilbrook: Well, from the 1950s, [songwriters Jerry] Leiber and [Mike] Stoller were brilliant. I think the stuff they did in Jailhouse Rock [starring Elvis Presley]... well, “Jailhouse Rock,” the song, that's a very familiar song. It takes elements of Black R&B quite cleverly. I think quite a lot of their writing seems to be heady—I don't think they're just intuitive writers. And combine that with a lyric that's witty and funny.

From the 1960s, [Procol Harum’s] “Whiter Shade of Pale.” Because the classical influence in rock hadn't been done before. It was a time when a lot of boundaries were being pushed back. A lot of barriers were redefined after that point, and it's one of those songs with a tactical influence. Three years before, it was impossible—you could have never done something like that. I think we're still doing stuff like that now, and that shows the influence that it had.

I think Stevie Wonder was the most significant thing for me in the 1970s. What they did with sound on those records … and the sense of musicality and adventure was terrific. It's hard to [pick one song]..."You and I" from Talking Book—that’s a very advanced tune. One step away from cabaret, but on the right side of it.

I think Prince was the man of [the 1980s] for me. I think he took a lot of risks and chances while he was commercially-successful, which I really admired him for. The track “Under the Cherry Moon,” I think, is a lovely song. Rubbish film, great song! [laughs]

For the 1990s, “Venus as a Boy” by Bjork. Again, the creeping in of dance music for me. Dance music is always been something that I've really loved … so you hear a lot of that in what I do. Bjork managed to combine dance music and songwriting.

Musician.com: What’s next for you? More solo recording? Getting back with Squeeze?

Tilbrook: Well, I've already started recording shows that I'm doing. I'm recording some in Britain and Australia... I'm going to do a live album. The way that I play guitar and sing [on this tour], I’ve never done on a record before.

I've also started writing for my next record, too, so I'm very definitely going to be doing another one of those. I'm not sure yet what this [next] one's going to be like. As for Squeeze, I'll never close the door because I love it too much, but I can't see any circumstances with us getting back together in the near future.

Tilbrook hits street
Bluebird can't contain Ex-Squeeze frontman
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E78%257E573596,00.html?search
By John Moore
Denver Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 29, 2002 - Leave it to a man on crutches with a severely sprained ankle to lead a singing walkabout along East Colfax Avenue.

That's what genial former Squeeze frontman Glenn Tilbrook did Wednesday night, about an hour into his concert at the Bluebird Theatre, at a time of night when bands 20 years his junior are typically making a beeline for the beer.

Tilbrook plodded onto the Bluebird stage before a sparse house of about 150 for his "RV Tour," a solo acoustic evening recounting the early days of Squeeze in stories and songs, through his recent release, "The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook."

But the "RV Tour" has been cursed. On May 12, Tilbrook missed a step on a stage near San Francisco. He was supposed to arrive in Denver early enough Wednesday to host and hoist a pint or two with fans at Pint's Pub. But his RV broke down, forcing him to take an early-afternoon flight from Salt Lake City. (He came back to Pint's late Thursday night.)
Squeeze's creative peak

The unpretentious Tilbrook regaled the crowd with tales, and offered his opinion that Squeeze actually reached its creative peak long after its commercial apex with 1981's "East Side Story." He played old songs such as "The Truth" and covers of Neil Diamond's "Forever in Blue Jeans" and Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile."

"I only cover artists that I have a great deal of respect for," he said before claiming to have played guitar with Hendrix in Tilbrook's bedroom when he still lived with his parents. He satisfied Squeeze fans with most every hit from the band's most popular album, "Singles - 45's and Under," including "Take Me I'm Yours," and "Up the Junction."

He paid repeated homage to Chris Difford, the former Squeeze lyricist who moved some fans in the U.K. to compare the songwriting tandem to to John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

It was an altogether pleasant but unremarkable evening until Tilbrook surprised the uninitiated with his signature concert "move": He asked them to go with him for a walk. Because he can't walk on crutches and play guitar at the same time, he handed his guitar over to a man in the crowd who promised he could play Squeeze songs - and delivered.

Tavern takeover

Before long the Bluebird had emptied out onto Colfax, with Tilbrook's new mate playing "Is that Love," the newly energized crowd shouting along. They all then crossed the street and overtook the Goose Street Tavern. With the Bluebird crowd mixing with the stunned tavern crowd, Tilbrook stood on the bar and led a rousing "Goodbye Girl," with the booth-dwellers standing on the tables, swinging and singing along. It was a very U.K. moment. The next song, the Mamas and Papas' "California Dreaming," could be heard a block away, with the crowd's choral contribution unnervingly well-sung.

After more laughs, Tilbrook led the crowd back to the Bluebird (with many of the bar-hoppers in tow), where he picked right up where he left off, though he apologized for not playing one of Squeeze's most popular songs, "Cool for Cats," "because I can't sing that low."

He ended his set with the quintessential Squeeze song, "Tempted," then returned for the lovely Ben Jones ballad "In My Other World," and "Pulling Mussels From the Shell," which had the crowd on its feet and Tilbrook departing with one crutch raised in triumph.

Puget Sounds: Glenn Tilbrook completes `Incomplete' - 2002-04-12
http://www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/88769
by Claude Flowers
GLENN TILBROOK
9 p.m. Thursday at the Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave., Seattle.

Actress and author Carrie Fisher once declared, ``No matter what happens to you, it's probably worthwhile if you get a good story out of it.'' Something frightening happened to former Squeeze vocalist Glenn Tilbrook, but he certainly got a good story out of it.

In 1999, The British Broadcasting Corp. asked Tilbrook to interview Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman. The affable singer accepted the job. Having spoken to hundreds of journalists about his own career, he assumed he could reverse roles and talk professionally with a peer.
His subsequent panic attack is recounted in the tune ``Interviewing Randy Newman,'' one of 15 cuts on his new album ``The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook'': ``All the questions that I thought would flow just sailed right out of my head/ And in the hour that followed, I huffed and bluffed my way through a pool of sweat.''

``I felt so dreadfully embarrassed about my inept performance when I interviewed him,'' Tilbrook said by telephone. ``Writing that song was the only good thing to come from that experience.''
Like much of Tilbrook's work, ``Interviewing Randy Newman'' simultaneously mocks and consoles human weakness. Another ``Incomplete'' track, ``This Is Where You Ain't,'' seems to reference his departure from Squeeze after decades with the group. The chorus laments, ``This is where we had some fun/And this is where we played/And now the fact I have to face/Is that this is where you ain't.''

Tilbrook explained, ``It's about my kids. When my ex-partner and I split up, she met an Australian guy, and now they live in Brisbane, Australia... It was very hard to come to terms with my boys living that far away. (The song) was written one time after they went back home. I'd been to the airport to say goodbye to them, and it was just awful.

``I worried that I'd fade away in their eyes, and I'm very fortunate that that hasn't happened.''
Nor should Tilbrook fade from the eyes and ears of his supporters. His voice retains its full range, and he's enjoying his craft more than ever. His King County appearance will be a one-man show, a format he's grown to love.

``It was really, really scary when I started. A band is like a security blanket, so not having it there was very daunting, but good for me, because I learned about talking (to an audience) at last. I used to not say more than just, `Thank you very much, this next song is called...' That was about it.

``I've always loved gigging, but it's different to be by yourself. It makes you super-aware of what you're doing... It was like discovering I had another tastebud. I know loads of songs, so for me, it's about going out and seeing what happens. I know that at certain points, I want to play certain things, and if I get fed up, I just do something else. The show changes, and I like that.''

He certainly has a lot of material to draw upon. Squeeze's 1982 greatest hits disc ``Singles: 45s and Under'' is an abbreviated but enchanting document of the band's early accomplishments. Its opening tracks ``Take Me I'm Yours,'' ``Goodbye Girl,'' and ``Cool For Cats'' sparkle with ragged energy and a wry sense of humor, qualities soon honed to perfection.

1979's ``Up the Junction'' established Tilbrook and company as master craftsmen. From its snappy opening drumbeat to the despairing final verse which gives the song its title, ``Up the Junction'' is a classic tale of love at first sight made tangible by small, realistic details.
``Tempted'' and ``Black Coffee in Bed'' offer velvety blue-eyed soul. The exuberant ``Another Nail For My Heart,'' ``Pulling Muscles (From the Shell)'' and ``Annie Get Your Gun'' stand as high water marks of the new wave music era. 1987's ``Hourglass'' and '88's ``853-5937'' became Squeeze's best-selling discs, but to truly understand the group's magnificence, ``Singles: 45s and Under'' must be savored from start to finish.

Tilbrook is not simply one of the preeminent talents of his generation. He's one of the finest singer-songwriters in all of rock and roll. Don't miss him.

The Evening News - Tue 19 Mar 2002 - Cliff is cool for all-new Tilbrook
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=304052002
Rory Ford previews The Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh

ONE thing that we can credit Sir Cliff Richard for is his influence on Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook.
"I pestered my mum into taking me to the cinema," recalls Tilbrook of Summer Holiday.
"It was just the thought of being able to tour in a double-decker bus and then get out and have all these people swarm up to you and dance around you. To my five-year-old imagination it just looked like the best job ever.
"I just thought it was always like that," laughs Tilbrook, "and, to an extent, it is. Even now when I tour America I use a big recreational vehicle - which is sort of like a bus - and every time I get out I’m surrounded by adoring people - well, in whatever quantities they may be."

Don’t look for any buses outside The Liquid Room when Tilbrook plays there tomorrow. This is a strictly one-man acoustic tour to promote his album, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, a collection of typically arch songs that prove time hasn’t done too much to dull the wit of the man who co-wrote such classics as Cool For Cats and Up The Junction.

Previously, Tilbrook hadn’t written much outside his partnership with Chris Difford in Squeeze - so he got in touch with some of his favourite songwriters. Fortunately, for Tilbrook, he has excellent taste and the album boasts collaborations with spindly American songstress Aimee Mann and miserablist Canadian Ron Sexsmith.

Still, no matter how good Tilbrook’s new songs are he must realise he’s always going to be performing to a hard core of people who have turned up to hear Pulling Mussels From The Shell?
"Yeah, but I don’t find that annoying really," says Tilbrook. "I feel that the stuff we did in Squeeze was some of my best work so I still really enjoy playing them."

Currently, Tilbrook runs his own record label, Quixotic Records, and is struggling to get his album distributed. "It’s a battle to sell my own album for £14.99 in a shop which is selling a Squeeze Greatest Hits album for less. If I was a punter going in I’d probably choose the Squeeze record," he admits.

Glenn Tilbrook, The Liquid Room, tomorrow, 7.30pm, £10 (plus booking fee), Tel 0131-225 2564

The Evening News - Thu 21 Mar 2002 Glenn Tilbrook ****
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=311682002
A man and his music is more than enough
Drew McAdam reviews The Liquid Room

EVERYBODY was there to see ex-Squeeze star Glenn Tilbrook, so it seemed unlikely that the support act would stand much of a chance. But as soon as pint-sized Canadian songbird Sarah Hamner launched into her set she had the crowd’s undivided attention - and rightly so.

The audience was instantly drawn to her, mesmerised by the song-poems which she delivers in a sweet and luscious voice that, while it has the purity of Dido, can drop to the lower end of the range without any loss of clarity.

While Hamner adopted a low-key approach, Tilbrook hit the stage running and didn’t let up for one sweat-drenched minute.

Taking the stage to a smattering of applause, he announced: "Glen Tilbrook: a man and his music". With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he admitted it was a lousy introduction befitting their lousy applause. "Let’s try it again with enthusiasm this time."

The second time he bounded on stage the audience went wild. He had won them over, and he kept them on his side for the next two hours. It was typical Tilbrook. He may not take himself too seriously, but he has a mighty respect for the music and his audience.

Best known for his work with Squeeze, Tilbrook is rarely out of the public eye with gigs and appearances on albums by Elvis Costello and Mark Knopfler among others.

His performance radiated enjoyment and fun, and he lifted the spirits of the audience with only his powerful voice and a semi-acoustic guitar to deliver some mighty fine tunes. It’s a set that was funny, amusing and entertaining, but left more than enough room to demonstrate his rich talent.
His obvious comfort at being on stage is reflected by the fact that he has no set list, preferring to ask for requests. Only occasionally deviating from this format, he dips into the track list of his first solo album, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, to offer a selection of numbers, all delivered with nifty guitar work and powerful vocals .

The between-number banter takes some beating, too. A lifelong fan of The Monkees, he tells how he was a guest at one of their shows when Davy Jones introduced him to the crowd as a member of The Sweet. Naturally, a member of the audience then requests Ballroom Blitz.

And so it goes. Amusing anecdotes, banter with the audience, and some stunningly great songs delivered with style and feeling. Tilbrook oozes confidence and charisma, hauling the audience along with him.

Then, just when you think you’ve just about got the measure of the man, he launches into a spectacular acoustic version of Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile which drew tumultuous applause from the crowd.

Of course, all the old Squeeze classics were in there, too. The rip-roaring Up The Junction and Take Me I’m Yours had the whole place singing along, with the charismatic Tilbrook grinning at them from the stage.