Co-produced by hip-hop star Kanye West, Mr Hudson are about to release their new album Straight No Chaser. We catch up with the titular frontman Ben Hudson to talk about Supernova's success, Calvin Harris and Kanye...
What is the new album Straight No Chaser like?
Hopefully Straight No Chaser is one of those rare things that is quality pop. My heroes are people like Bowie, Damon Albarn, Outkast and Prince, who make music you can get drunk to and shake what your mama gave you to, but still at home in the sober light of day the lyrics are strong and you can go back to it again and again. So, hopefully I've made one of those records.
Do you have a favourite track on the album?
It changes. If I was going to be a cheesy, promotional loser I'd say the next single, which is White Lies. We just shot the video in LA. We have Good Hudson and Bad Hudson, like my alter egos, and I wear a black wig and darken my eyebrows and I look like Paul McCartney or a reject from a Beatles tribute band. But I think my favourite track at the moment is called Stiff Upper Lip because its weird but it works.
Your first single Too Late Too Late went to number 41 in the charts but your last single Supernova went to number 2. How important are chart positions to you?
Probably not as important to me as it should be. Most important to me is whether people sing along to a track when we tour, and with Too Late Too Late they do. Does it make people wanna dance? Does it move people? Is it on a jukebox in a pub in Glasgow? So for me, Too Late Too Late is a hit. It's not as big as Supernova but there are other ways to measure success. But its amazing that 200,000 people went out and bought Supernova. What's also amazing is that I got away with wearing a polo-neck and a jacket in the same flesh colour in that video.
Calvin Harris has remixed Supernova, and you'll be supporting him on his UK tour. Would you like to work with him in the future?
Yeah, definitely. I've just heard his album for the first time and it's cool. It's that thing of quality pop. It just sounds good. He's a quality producer.
Kanye West has described you as having the potential to be "one of the most important artists of his generation". How do you feel about that?
Its heavy, isn't it? It's kind of heavy on my shoulders, to be honest with you. It's almost not for him to decide. It's up to Joe Public and the people at home. He's making a noise on my behalf and saying, "Maybe you need to think about this guy? Maybe he's worth another listen?" It's a pretty massive compliment.
Mr Hudson's new single White Lies is released on October 12. The album Straight No Chaser is released on October 19.
Interview by Colin Gentry