X Degrees of Separation w/Nick Hornby

In which we explain more than we really need to explain about his fab new novel Juliet, Naked...

By Fred Mills

Nick Hornby is my new BFF. Admittedly, the celebrated English novelist (High Fidelity, duh) doesn't know that yet. But I figure if I friend him enough via Facebook, he'll come around. Plus, we've already danced together at the ball, so to speak.

You may have heard that Hornby has a new novel out, Juliet, Naked: it's outstanding, and BLURT contributor Jake Cline, in his review of the book posted to the site today, outlines many of its numerous charms. "It may read as if it's been tuned to a minor key," summarizes Cline, "but it's a major accomplishment."

Juliet, Naked concerns itself partly with reclusive American rocker Tucker Crowe, a pair of British fans, and events that follow in the wake of Crowe issuing demos from his early album Juliet - titled Juliet, Naked, natch. That's the bare bones of the plot, but there's lots more to this twisted love story.

Meanwhile, though, sharp-eyed BLURT readers may recall how back in February I interviewed John Wesley Harding for a feature titled "Songwriter, Author and... Label Owner?" - the story included details on JWH's latest album Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, of course, but it also ran down the deal on his new grassroots indie label, Popover Corps, which he established in order to release his own music as well as worthy, frequently obscure, titles from other artists that he and his "staff" of ad hoc A&R agents unearthed. Those A&R persons were drawn largely from Harding's circle of literary buddies, among them Rick Moody and Nick Hornby, both of whom were also interviewed for the article.

To make a long story short, the whole interview was a hoax that JWH and I cooked up, conducting the conversation "in character" (we semi-"outed" ourselves this past March at SXSW, but that's another story entirely). All the artists featured at the Popover Corps site are fictional save Harding - it's well worth checking the site out just to get not only a good laugh but also admire the diligence that Harding and his band of merry pranksters exercised in creating credible biographies (and record sleeves) for the non-existent bands and songwriters. Those song samples on the site? Well... listen to ‘em and decide for yourself!

Among the featured "artists" on the site? You guessed it: Tucker Crowe, whose Juliet, Naked album purported to be one of Popover Corps' key releases.

Wrote Hornby for the Popover site, about the album, "Juliet remains, along with Tunnel of Love and Blood on the Tracks, one of the great break-up albums of all time - and Tucker Crowe hasn't been seen or heard since it was released in 1986. Popover Records is proud to present Juliet, Naked, the demo versions of the songs that have been cited by Jeff Buckley, Sufjan Stevens, Damien Jurado and others as a crucial influence, and Crowe's first ‘new release' for nearly twenty years. You thought the electric version of ‘You And Your Perfect Life' was harrowing? Think again."

Brilliant stuff. At the time (February) I doubt many people outside of the UK had even heard about the Juliet, Naked novel yet, so it makes the whole Popover thing more than just a tad surreal... in retrospect, it was downright pre-meta. I am picturing Hornby and Harding, who I'm guessing was aware of the then-forthcoming book, having a pretty hearty, extended chuckle over what clever lads they were.

Interviewing Hornby for the JWH article led to this following exchange, equally surreal for me because there I was interviewing him "in character" with Hornby answering - and at one point scolding - me also "in character." (As I later told JWH, it was a High Fidelity moment, no less. He understood what I meant.)

***

BLURT: Nick, a lot of observers would say that, among all of Popover's A&R execs, you're the one most naturally suited to the job description. I'd be journalistically remiss if I didn't ask - have there been any High Fidelity-esque moments at the label thus far?

HORNBY: This is my first time working for a record company, and it's been much tougher than I thought - heartbreaking, sometimes. The powers that be - and you know who I'm talking about  here -  are only really interested in making money, and for  every god-like genius I've persuaded them to sign, I've had to let another nine go.  I thought I was going to be working for Seymour Stein or someone hip like that; I've ended up working for an indie Simon Cowell.

BLURT: Tucker Crowe: how did you know about Tucker, or track him down, and what is he like? Was he aware of the cult following that had built up around him since he fell off the radar? I've only seen the Juliet, Naked album once, in the early ‘90s at a record fair, and it was priced so ridiculously high I had to pass, although I later was able to buy a bootleg CDR of it...

HORNBY: I've known Tucker for a while - he got in touch after something I wrote about him, which was pretty amazing, seeing as he's been a recluse for over twenty years. Nobody even knew about Juliet, Naked, although pretty much everyone of my age owns a copy of [the original] Juliet. When you say you own a bootleg, you're lying. Showing off. Don't do that.

***

At any rate, consider this a long-winded, slightly convoluted way of a personal endorsement for Juliet, Naked (the novel).  Nick, if you're reading this, get in touch and I'll be glad to send you the FLAC files of Juliet, Naked (the album) - I downloaded them from SoulSeek.com over a decade ago, and... oops. There I go again. I'm showing off... sorry.

And Wes, if you are also reading this - happy birthday. I'll see you in the airport next March.