The Waterboys were one of the biggest bands of the 80s but almost four decades on from their commercial heyday, leader Mike Scott remains a thrilling creative livewire. Over the past few years, the Celtic rock giants have released expansive deluxe editions of 80s classics This Is The Sea and Fisherman’s Blues but in between all the looking back, Scott has always kept an eye on the next step too. Since 2015, there has been five new Waterboys records, all taking in different sonic shapes and textures and all keeping up Scott’s gold standard songwriting. Another cracked arrived this week: an ambitious 25-song concept album about Easy Rider and Apocalypse Now star Dennis Hopper. It’s called Life, Death & Dennis Hopper and it’s exactly the sort of adventurous ride you imagine the late screen icon would approve of, taking in swaggering rock’n’roll, hazy country ballads, punky splutters and more. It’s released on the iconic Sun Records, which is a bonus, and features guest appearances from Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple and Steve Earle, which is a bonus bonus.
Sitting down with this writer in the taxidermy-heavy café/reception of his boutique hotel – there was a baboon’s arse hovering over his right shoulder for the duration of our conversation – Scott told this writer how the record came about.
