Ian Broudie

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Ian Broudie
Broudie in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Ian Zachary Broudie
Also known as	Kingbird
Born	(1958-08-04) 4 August 1958 (age 66) Liverpool, England
Genres	Alternative rock new wave post-punk Britpop indie pop pop rock folk rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter musician record producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass keyboard drums
Years active	1977–present
Labels	Deltasonic

Ian Zachary Broudie (born 4 August 1958) is an English musician and singer-songwriter from Liverpool. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums (sometimes under the name Kingbird) for artists including Echo & the Bunnymen, the Fall, the Coral, the Zutons and the Subways.

Around 1989, he began writing and recording under the name Lightning Seeds, releasing the album Cloudcuckooland through Rough Trade on the independent label Ghetto Records, eventually putting together a live touring band in 1994. The Lightning Seeds achieved great commercial success during much of the 1990s. In 2004, Broudie released an album titled Tales Told under his own name. The Lightning Seeds reformed in 2006 and released their sixth studio album Four Winds in 2009. A seventh album, See You in the Stars,^[1] was released in 2022.

Ian Broudie was born into an Orthodox Jewish family.^[2] He played in Liverpool's fledgling punk scene in the 1970s. He was a member of the band Big in Japan,^[3] with Holly Johnson and Bill Drummond.^[4][5] He was also a founder member of John Peel favourites Original Mirrors^[6] in the early 1980s, and was credited as a member of Bette Bright and the Illuminations on their lone album from 1981. In 1983, he recorded and wrote tracks under the name Care with vocalist Paul Simpson;^[7] the duo released three singles, including the minor UK chart hit "Flaming Sword".^[8]

Broudie began writing as the Lightning Seeds at the end of the 1980s, scoring a debut hit with the song "Pure". The Lightning Seeds had just one member: Broudie.

The Lightning Seeds produced a selection of well-received singles and albums in the 1990s. The albums Cloudcuckooland (1990) and Sense (1992) followed. The latter's song "The Life of Riley" became the backing music for Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition.^[9] In 1994 Broudie created a touring band so the songs could be played live.^[10] Their 1994 album Jollification is considered by many as the moment the Lightning Seeds arrived as a mainstream band. During the same period, Broudie produced albums for other acts, including Northside, The Primitives, Terry Hall and Dodgy.^[11]

The Lightning Seeds twice took football anthem "Three Lions" (with comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel) to number one, with different lyrics for the Euro 96 and France '98 tournaments (Broudie himself is a supporter of Liverpool; Lightning Seeds album covers and inlays often contain references such as Justice for the 96 and Support the Liverpool Dockers). In the years since France '98, the song has been released multiple times for football tournaments, and now has the unique distinction of being the only song in existence to have become UK No. 1 four separate times with the same artists: two one-week stints in 1996, three straight weeks in 1998 for the remake, and again in 2018 for the original during the World Cup held in Russia.^[12]

On 14 March 1997, Broudie was the guest host of Top of the Pops. Later that year, the Lightning Seeds headlined the Hillsborough Justice Concert, which was held at Liverpool's Anfield stadium^[9] to raise fund for the families in their struggle for justice.

Broudie returned with a new line-up in 2009, releasing the album Four Winds, and has extensively toured since with a line-up including old Seeds favourites Angie Pollack (piano), Martyn Campbell (guitar), and Ian's son Riley Broudie (guitar).

In 2021, Broudie said he was working on a new Lighting Seeds album.^[13]

Broudie worked as a producer with many independent labels including Factory Records, Creation Records, Zoo Records and Rough Trade, sometimes under the name 'Kingbird'.^[14]

Broudie subsequently concentrated on production for other bands, working with the Coral,^[14] the Subways,^[14] the Zutons,^[14] French rock band Noir Desir for their first long album Veuillez rendre l'âme, the Rifles,^[14] on an early single by Sleeper^[15] and on a handful of I Am Kloot songs.^[16]

On 11 October 2004, Broudie released his debut solo effort, Tales Told, embraced by critics and fans alike despite the fact that Tales Told saw Broudie move into folk rock territory and away from the slick pop sound of the Lightning Seeds. The first song on the album, "Song for No One", was featured in the opening episode of the third season of the TV series The O.C.^[17]

• Tales Told (2004)
• Smoke Rings EP (2005)

Broudie lives in London but spends a substantial amount of time writing and recording in Liverpool as his studio is located there.^[18] In 2018, he said he was recording in his home. He has a son, fellow Lightning Seeds member Riley Broudie (b. 1991), who was the inspiration for the band's 1992 single "The Life of Riley".^[19]

Broudie published his memoir, Tomorrow's Here Today, in 2023.^[20]

• Jewish Chronicle, 16 February 2007, p. 43: "The life of Broudie"

• The Lightning Seeds official website
• Ian Broudie at AllMusic
• Ian Broudie discography at Discogs