After all, thanks to his love of Hawley鈥檚 music, harmonica player Clive Mellor has had the opportunity to play the Lowry with Sheffield鈥檚 guitar king. It's all down to being a regular contributor to his forum and a bit of good luck. We asked him to explain... How did you get involved with Richard?
 | | Richard Hawley's Lowedges album |
"I'd heard the Lowedges album and went for it completely. Afdter a bit of searching, I found his forum online. It's a bit more intelligent than the usual ones and Richard contributes to it too. "Anyway, I heard he was doing some afternoon shows, so I went down to see him at a Piccadilly Records in-store show last year. After the show, I went to the Castle Hotel on Oldham Street, and who should walk in but Richard! "He got his guitar out and I got some harmonicas and we had a laugh with a bunch of old blues and country tunes, each of us amazed that the other knew them, I think. Richard had a session for GMR later that evening, and rather than finish things off in the Castle, he decided that he, Shez Sheridan (Hawley鈥檚 guitarist) and I would go on the radio together to, as he put it, 'keep the vibe going'. After six hours in the pub, it was a mighty vibe." What was it like to play the Lowry?
 | | Richard and Clive at the Lowry (pic: Rick & Mindy) |
"It was great. I've done a few things with Richard and it鈥檚 always fun. A couple of radio sessions in Manchester and a couple of gigs where I've been going to see him anyway, and they're a great bunch of people - the band, the crew, all of them. "I think the reason for that is because they're friends and musicians together. I still love playing with my own friends in the Lonesome And Penniless Cowboys, and that鈥檚 for the same reason, we're friends together. Richard's gigs are really friendly places. "Of course, if I was rubbish, I wouldn't be there at all, I'm sure. It's very flattering because Richard is a better harmonica player than a guitarist has a right to be, so he knows what's what, I reckon." How did you come to play harmonica?
 | | Richard Hawley |
"It moved me. Wind instruments are always expressive and it's the apparent simplicity of it that's attractive. Of course, when you get into it, it's more subtle than that, so you have to work at it. There's no substitute for practice so you get sore lips quickly. You also don't get rich and famous for playing harmonica, so it's a love of the stuff that moves you. For me and I know, for Richard and his band, that's music." "I鈥檝e played for so long now, I can't count. I started playing as a direct result of punk. I鈥檇 been a shocking hippy, listening to terrible music. Then punk happened and it suddenly seemed possible to do anything you wanted. | "It's very flattering because Richard is a better harmonica player than a guitarist has a right to be, so he knows what's what, I reckon." | | Clive on what playing with Richard Hawley means to him |
"After a while, I got the harmonica manufacturer Hohner to sponsor me. I think at the time, they only supported Larry Adler and me. I was well chuffed. "I spent time playing with all sorts of bands and enjoying every different chance to try something new. It鈥檚 about living in Manchester. I think the best thing about the place is that there are so many opportunities for seeing the best around, because everything comes through here." What do you think of Richard鈥檚 Mercury nomination? "It鈥檚 terrific, it鈥檚 really well deserved. The way the press reacted to Coles Corner was a refreshing revelation, because it鈥檚 the kind of music that can easily be put to one side. It鈥檚 not loud, it鈥檚 not brash, it鈥檚 not shoving itself in you face. "It鈥檚 music that draws you in, it just presents itself and says 'here鈥檚 this, have a listen'. And once you begin to listen, it reveals itself, it becomes more intriguing every time." | 
