Hey Jude

Courteeners seemed to rise without trace – stadium fillers, particularly in the north, yet barely visible press-wise. They have just scored their first-ever UK No 1 album with their 2008 debut, the recently reissued St Jude, breaking Official Chart records for the LP with the longest time between release and charting at pole position, a feat matched only by The Beatles and the Stones with their recent reissues. And yet mainman Liam Fray remains modest to a fault, despite his “gobshite” reputation. Mapping the rendezvous: John Earls.

- By John Earls

At the Etihad stadium, 2016

“I’m a reluctant frontman,” considers Liam Fray, in London for a family wedding, talking to RC at The Star Of Kings pub in King’s Cross, on the 15th anniversary reissue of St Jude. “I’d like to be on the side of the stage, really. I watch Wolf Alice in concert, and I think: ‘I’d love to be their bassist.’ I still don’t think the time has come when I think of myself as the singer.”

Fray’s attitude is a surprise. With their widescreen anthems and increasingly eclectic approach (they recently added disco and soul to the mix while 2020’s More. Again. Forever – their sixth consecutive Top 10 album – was their most accomplished to date), they seem born to entertain multitudes.

And yet it’s true: Fray, the naturally funny, unguarded and easygoing stadium singer, suffers from imposter syndrome. “It’s as bad as it ever was,” he admits. “It’s shit and I hate it.” Having started Courteeners with old schoolfriend Daniel “Conan” Moores when both were promising singer-songwriters on Manchester’s open-mic circuit, Fray regards Courteeners’ huge concerts as a separate identity to his songwriter life – he still occasionally tours solo between his band’s albums.

“The acoustic shows feel very intimate,” he reflects over a vodka and tonic. “I’m very in control in those moments. I’m serene, as I know exactly what’s going to happen. With the band? I’m praying it all goes to plan. I love it, but the confidence comes from the band. It’s chaotic.”