After the band lost their major label deal in 2002, former Del Amitri lead singer and songwriter Justin Currie did some soul searching. He traveled to Spain, got stoned, listened to romantic Italian music, and realized that he had no desire to keep making the same albums over and over again. He got obsessed with the idea of making a record of intimacy and immediacy, and returned to Scotland with a lot of songs percolating under the surface. With no commercial pressures or deadlines, he took the time to develop and record what would become his first solo album, What Is Love For?, in an organic manner. He was inspired by other deeply personal albums that he loves: “I had four major reference points. Curtis Mayfield’s Curtis, John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band album, Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush, and Nina Simone and Piano. Of course, I didn’t expect to make an album anywhere near those masterpieces. I just hope that it’s honest and truthful.” Hear samples of some of the record’s tracks in this edition of the Songlines podcast.
Currie’s other recent work has been with Eddi Reader and Colin MacIntyre as part of the With Strings Attached project.
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