The fall and rise of James Lavelle.

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It’s been four years since the last UNKLE record, the much anticipated, much criticised collaborative project from MoWax Records' James Lavelle and DJ Shadow. Well, now Lavelle is back with a new UNKLE LP, Never, Never Land.

Much has happened in those four years. MoWax is on hiatus, Lavelle and Shadow have parted company, Shadow is concentrating on his own material (which Lavelle still A&Rs) and Lavelle is now working with a new partner who he can grow and develop with: one Richard File. File is a good friend who's been around MoWax for years, and him and James produced South’s debut album, as well as the soundtrack to Sexy Beast.

So how has change affected the UNKLE sound? James: “I think the change in sound represents where we’ve been at and what we’ve been influenced by over the last four years, really, even though it retains a lot of where one’s been at in the past. You can’t escape those influences either. I think in many ways there’s a lot more personal and emotional content in this record.”

Did the reaction of the British press last time round hurt? “Yes of course, but you live and you learn,” he says ruefully. “It was such an onslaught of things that I didn’t know how to deal with, and it affected my life in a way I really wish it hadn’t. I think there was a lot of ulterior motives to that criticism, other than the music, which I found the saddest part.”

Once again, the record contains several collaborations, including Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme, South’s Joel Cadbury, Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno. “I think that UNKLE is about that,” says James, when asked if he was tempted to keep it as just him and File. “I think it’s interesting to have different people’s voices on a record. Personally, those are the kind of records I like. It’s a good dynamic. It’s inspiring to work with other people.”

The album even reunites The Stones Roses' Ian Brown and Mani on the same track. “It wasn’t like when we started we said we have to get the two of them together,” explains James. “Obviously in a cheeky way, yes. It would be brilliant to have them on the same record, but it wasn’t the be-all and end-all. The main thing is that Mani is the best bass player in the country. ”

So does the return of UNKLE also signify the return of Lavelle the record label entrepreneur? “I quite enjoy at this moment in time being signed to a record company and not actually being the record company,” he says. “There’s a different kind of freedom doing it like this. And, at this point in my life, I really want to have that.” Matt Walton 22 August 03

The single Eye For An Eye, released 25 August 03. UNKLE – Never, Never, Land, released 15 September 03.

useful link: www.unkle.com