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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Interviews by Dave Simpson

‘I only wrote it to get £400 off Volkswagen’: Aqualung on making Strange and Beautiful (I’ll Put a Spell on You)

Volkswagen
‘After 10 years, I suddenly had something everybody wanted’ … Matt Hales performing as Aqualung in 2009.
‘After 10 years, I suddenly had something everybody wanted’ … Matt Hales performing as Aqualung in 2009. Photograph: Gus Stewart/Redferns

Matt Hales, singer, songwriter

I had been in various bands, one called Ruth and the 45s, the sort of acts that got to No 52 and then got dropped by the record company. I’d managed to buy some studio equipment but by the time I reached the age of 30 I was living hand-to-mouth. My wife Kim’s acting work in a TV series kept us going but we were always worried about money.

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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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