Alison Goldfrapp has revealed rapper Tricky was actually “tricky” to work with.
The former Goldfrapp frontwoman added her vocals to the former Massive Attack star’s track ‘Pumpkin’ from his 1995 LP ‘Maxinquaye’, and though she didn’t say why he was difficult, she said it was an “intense” experience.
The ‘Ooh La La’ hitmaker recalled to Electronic Sound magazine: “I sent him this cassette of things I’d been doing.
“I sent him something with my voice completely slowed down, which he liked.”
Asked what it was like in the studio with 55-year-old Tricky – whose real name is Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws – she replied: “He’s a total character. Really Interesting.
He introduced me to lots of amazing music and, you know, opened up another door for me. And he could be proper tricky!
I mean, yeah, he is intense. I’ve seen him live since I was working with him and he’s incredible to watch. He’s definitely followed his own path.”
The 57-year-old singer – who is now a solo artist and released her debut solo LP ‘The Love Invention’ in May – also had a stint as Bryan Ferry’s backing singer and seeing him do his signature dance moves and sing in front of her left her “really nervous and wobbly” at the feet.
She said: “Bryan was like, ‘I’ve got this tune… and we could do this and we could do that…’. I was like, ‘Er, yeah, OK’. Then he stood in front of me and started singing and doing those moves that he does… and I was all, ‘Oh my god! It’s fucking Bryan Ferry!:
It was like I’d suddenly realized it was actually him and I was completely starstruck. I became really nervous and wobbly and I couldn’t talk. I remember being stunned by what a beautiful voice he has. Hearing it in that room with no effects and seeing those moves…”