About Me
Theres no-one in pop quite like Kelli Ali. A straight-talking Brummie with exotic good looks, a rock chick who first found fame with a dance act (Sneaker Pimps) and a singer/songwriter who has recently recorded with both Bootsy Collins and Linkin Park. Ask Kelli about the time she spent working on her new album and shell mention sitting on a beach in Malaysia with an acoustic guitar, playing keyboards and computers in bedrooms in London and meeting psychic cats in California. Its no wonder Kellis sound isn't easy to pin down. But then, that's just how she likes it.Since leaving Sneaker Pimps in the late '90s, after a hit debut album, a clutch of classic singles and a successful tour of the States that found fans in the likes of Madonna, Kelli has launched a solo career that harks back to her rock roots - she grew up playing in guitar bands in Birmingham - but also boasts a growing interest in electronica. Two years ago, Tigermouth, her solo debut, recorded largely in L.A. with Marius De Vries and Rick Knowles, was the first step to finding her own sound. With her forthcoming follow-up, Kelli has come into her own with a batch of tracks that shimmer and swagger in equal measure.I wanted the album to be rocknroll, but with a modern, electronic edge, explains Kelli. And I wanted it to sound spontaneous, not studied. I wrote a trio of tracks Hot Lips,Psychic Cat and Graffiti Boy - that set the tone for the record. Theyre quite tough, but theyre also good fun and quite playful. Hot Lips, in particular, is just from-the-hip rocknroll. Its a trashy love song with a sense of humour. Psychic Cat, on the other hand, reveals a more mystic side to the singer.There is a mystic bent to several of the songs, probably because Im superstitious, admits Kelli. The cats I met just walking down the street in Santa Monica. They were all dressed up and they had this little machine that told your fortune. Im not joking! They would tap this machine with their paws and out would come a card with a reading. I still carry that card with me everywhere. Its like a good omen.Kelli, you may have guessed, isnt one for soppy love songs. The albums double A-sided, first single Voyeur/Speakers pairs a groovy, grinding, Ecstacy-inspired party track with a slinky protest song that draws from 70s anti-war demos and takes a stand against modern-day, money-obsessed society. Theres a line in the lyrics of Speaker that goes Honey, dont talk to me about money, diamonds and guns. I hate the way so much music these days teaches kids those are the things that make you someone special. Rocknroll is about being real and having an attitude and your own ideas. Its not about possessions. It never will be.After a break in Malaysia where she wrote the albums closing track, the sweet, but stinging Last Boy On Earth, Kelli returned to London last summer and began completing tracks with producer Dave McCracken. The two had talked about working on Tigermouth, but back then, their schedules had clashed. This time, McCracken tracked Kelli down and invited her back to his bedroom.Rather than book a big studio, we just worked in his house, explains Kelli. That way, there was no pressure, we could try out different ideas and be more relaxed about recording. We were like two little kids with new toys to play with.One track Ideal, a blistering, techno-rock song featuring Primal Scream guitarist Andrew Innes, was resurrected from the Tigermouth sessions and re-recorded. The song has real spirit, says Kelli, but it wasnt quite right before. I knew it was special, so I wanted to save it until I could do it justice.So an album thats hard to pigeonhole, but distinctly Kelli Ali. She could tell you her hero is Ennio Morricone, or that she loves Peaches and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But the album doesnt sound like anyone else and it wont slot easily into one scene.I didnt want to stick to a single style of music, or make a record where all the songs were similar, explains Kelli. I dont see the point of that. I love raw guitar music, but I enjoy new technology too. Thats why I want to get back out on the road, see how it all slots together live. I toured with Garbage last time, now I want to get out there on my own. I want people to hear what I have to offer.
