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EDWARD WOODWOOD
 
Record Mirror - Edward Woodwood Record Mirror
27th May 1989
Page 27
 
Record Mirror - Edward Woodwood

Edward Barton has been called eccentric, a musical genius, disturbed, amazing, mad and brilliant; he howls and mutters, scrubs a discordant, de-tuned acoustic guitar randomly and offers up some of the most originally observed songs ever. Weird, disturbing and highly individual, a Barton composition is always immediately recognisable - unless someone else is playing it that is. Which is exactly what 'Edward Not Edward' is all about - an album of artists (14 very varied ones including Kiss AMC, Dub Sex, A Guy Called Gerald, Stump and Cathal Coughlin) interpreting, in their own distinctive styles, a batch of Edward's songs and, in the process, creating a somewhat brilliant compilation. Ted has plans to release his own debut album in September, but now seems as good a time to talk to this man that collects, among other things, wood, babies' dummies and children's shoes...

Why do you collect these things most people wouldn't give a second glance?

Edward (On the phone from his council flat in Manchester): "I'm quite a poor man. I can't afford the usual ornaments that people strew about their homes. I've solved the poor man's ornament problem."

And as for this label of eccentricity? Aren't you just a teeny bit mad?

"To not be an eccentric these days you have to study very hard," comes the considered reply. "The rules of non-eccentricity are multitudinous and hidebound - a whole lifetime's study is necessary to understand and accede to them. I'm just lazy... I just want to write good songs and make good pictures."

And so he does. Edward Barton and his view of the human condition may be a little askew, but should be embraced and celebrated as an experience that, if a tad puzzling at times, is certainly refreshingly odd.

[Author: Darren Cook]