'Steve
shoved a guitar in my hands. The next minute, I'm being dragged on to the
stage…'
Steve Cradock, 44
After
co-founding Britpop band Ocean Colour Scene in 1989, the guitarist (left in
picture) enjoyed significant success with the band's second album, 'Moseley
Shoals'. He has toured with Paul Weller's band since 1992, and has released two
solo albums. He lives with his wife and two children in Birmingham
I was
made aware of Bradley about three years ago, before he became
"Wiggo", through a mate, Eddie Piller, the managing director of Acid
Jazz Records, who'd been singing his praises ever since he met him. Cycling
isn't my thing, but I caught up with it like the rest of the country last year,
during the Olympics and the Tour de France [when Wiggins became the first
British cyclist to win the Tour, and then the time trial at London 2012]. I
noticed he had the same sideburns I had in 1998.
I was
friendly with Scott Mitchell, the Sky [cycling team] photographer, who's done a
couple of books now on Bradley, and he kept me in the loop on what Bradley had
been up to. And when Paul [Weller] and I were playing a charity gig at the
Hammersmith Apollo in London last year, Bradley came to that. We got him on stage
for the encore and he played [the Jam's] "That's Entertainment" on my
guitar. Though the people there loved Paul like a demi-god, when Wiggo walked
on stage I never felt such noise and euphoria from a crowd before; it was
incredible. I kept trying to get him to sing, but he wasn't having any of it.
After
the gig my wife drove us both back to the hotel and I took him to my bedroom to
show him my guitar collection. He asked if he could have one of my guitars, but
I told him I used all of them. He replied, "But [the Stone Roses
guitarist] John Squire has just given me one; surely you should, too." So
I did, of course; a decrepit-looking Danelectro of the sort [Pink Floyd's] Syd
Barrett used to use. We spent all night playing loud Northern Soul music
together until security came and broke it up at 4am. He played fantastically.
We
discuss scooters endlessly, we chat music and clothes, Weller, Small Faces and
Mods. Funnily enough, he's more rock'n'roll than I am: I'm far too old now,
while he's very outgoing and he's always had a drink inside him, except on the
race track.
If the
wheels ever burst on his biking, he could definitely join a band: he looks a
bit like Paul, he has a sharp dress style and every time I see him he's wearing
a different suit; you can see being a Mod is a big thing for him. He's even got
a place in his house where he sits and rehearses. He's thinking of coming down
to Manchester with us soon and maybe playing "Town Called Malice"
with us.
He may
have caught some grief for that last race in Florence [when he failed to finish
the Road World Championships], but there's nothing wrong with getting a
bollocking: that's very Mod. You have to dust yourself down, re-find your focus
and start again.
Sir Bradley Wiggins, 33
Wiggins
began his professional cycling career on the track, winning his first Olympic gold
in the individual pursuit in 2004. After two golds in the individual and team
pursuit at the 2008 Olympics, he refocused on road racing, joining Team Sky in
2010, with whom he won the Tour de France last year. He lives with his wife in
Eccleston, Lancashire
I'd been
aware of Steve for years. I was a huge Ocean Colour Scene fan before the band
went mainstream and I remember, as a young lad, seeing him support Paul Weller,
too. Until recently he didn't know who I was, but for me he was the best
guitarist of his generation, though an unsung hero.
We
started messaging on Twitter last year after other people in his circle started
whispering about this Mod who cycles. Then Paul [Weller] invited me down to
this charity gig at the Hammersmith Apollo in December.
I was
backstage during the performance, chatting with [musician] Miles Kane, who had
been supporting Weller. And then when their set finished, Paul and Steve came
off-stage, and me and Steve caught each other's eye and he recognised me
instantly, which is a weird way to meet. It was like we'd known each other all
our lives, and we hit it off straight away.
A few
minutes later they were ready to go on for an encore. Steve shoved a guitar in
my hands and I was like, "Nah, I've not played for a while." The next
minute, I'm being dragged on to the stage. Steve tried to get me to sing, but
I'm not a great singer, though in the end I put a few vocals in there. It was a
huge deal for me; one day I think I might drag him on to a push-bike and see
how he does.
Being a
Mod for me is like a code for everything I do in life: having style, always
being well turned out, keeping in touch with music and having the freedom to
not give a damn what people think – and it's the focus of what we talk about.
I have
to pinch myself a bit when I hang out with Steve now, as you'd never believe
how successful he is by talking to him; recently he was saying what a nervy
time it was, as it was his kid's 11-plus exams. This is a man who's on stage
with Paul Weller, who's one of the best guitarists of his generation: it would
be easy for this guy to be off with the fairies. I think it's family that
grounds both of us.
Though
Steve is a genius in his own right, he's been happy to support Paul [Weller]
and talks about him with such admiration; it's humbling, as many people would
say, "I'm sick of this," and that's how bands split.
He keeps
it low-key when we're out. Once we were in a hotel bar in London, having some
drinks with a few others. There was a jukebox in the corner so I put on some
Ocean Colour Scene and we started singing along, and half the bar joined in. He
was so embarrassed, he was just saying, "Get it off, man!"
