‘I don’t want my career resurrected!’ The last orders of pub rock pioneer Mickey Jupp

After emerging from the 60s R&B scene, the songwriter skirted greatness before all but retiring to Cumbria. Now, at 78, he’s been convinced to release a collection of songs from his secret archive

If you want to get away from everything, you could do worse than head for Boot, in Eskdale, Cumbria. With a population of just 15, the tiny village is reached via the hazardous, winding Hardknott Pass, which shares the title of England’s steepest road. It is inaccessible in winter months and a challenging drive even in summer. “The Woolpack pub at the bottom does a good trade from people who come over,” chuckles Mickey Jupp, who has lived here for 39 years. “They come in and say: ‘Can I have a large brandy?’”

Before moving to Eskdale, “Juppy” was a quietly but profoundly influential figure in British pop music: a pioneer of 1970s pub rock, he was cited as an inspiration by Dr Feelgood, whose guitarist Wilko Johnson called him “the best white singer I’ve ever heard”, and his songs have been covered by artists ranging from Nick Lowe to Elkie Brooks. However, becoming disaffected with the industry, his career stopped abruptly after his brother gave him the opportunity to look after a cottage in the area they had loved visiting as children. “I knew it was a bad career move,” Jupp admits over a pint in the Boot Inn, where locals know him well. “’Cos you’re supposed to ‘stay close to London’, but look at the beautiful hills. After nearly 40 years I still think: wow, I live here.”

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5e9A1P0