Gilbert O’Sullivan has re-iterated that he will perform in Waterford, just a year after suggesting he’d never play another live set in his native city.
“It will happen” was the parting quote offered by O’Sullivan when speaking exclusively to The Munster Express last week, confirming a pledge he’d already made on ‘The Late Late Show’.
“For me, there are three places I call home: Waterford where I was born, Swindon where I was raised and Jersey where I’ve lived for the past 20 years,” he said from his studio.
“I’ve never played in Swindon, nor in Jersey – I was asked to play in a concert here only last week which I declined and of course I’ve not played in Waterford since the mid-90s, so I’ve only found playing at ‘home’ a bit difficult.”
He added: “I understand that Hilary (Quinlan) is a big fan of mine and that he wants me to play in Waterford and it’s always flattering to think that someone wants to hear me play my music. And I know a lot of people were disappointed that we didn’t include Waterford as one of the venues for my new tour, but there’s a reasoning behind that.”
O’Sullivan, who will showcase his new album ‘Mum’s the Word’ during his Irish tour, which includes a March 18th show at the Wexford Opera House, explained the logic in his thinking.
“I am trying to re-establish myself as a performer, which might sound crazy to some – a 63-year-old singer who’s been writing songs for 50 years trying to do what I’m doing, but I feel it’s something that I need to do.
“And this applies to all three places I’m so proud to be associated with – Waterford, Swindon and Jersey.”
He continued: “I’m hoping that the new album will appeal to a younger audience because, to be frank, if you walk into a record store in Waterford today and asked a youngster who Gilbert O’Sullivan is, they probably won’t know, I’ve no illusions about that.
“So once I feel I’ve done that, once I feel there’s a wider audience and appeal for what I do, then I’ll play in Waterford.
“What I would hate to go through is what happened in the mid-90s playing in front of a half-empty theatre, which prompted me to say ‘never again’ when it came to Waterford. To go through that again in any of the places I call home would destroy me.”
Learning of a new online campaign (Facebook) to ‘bring Gilbert O’Sullivan back to Waterford in 2011’ was a source of amusement to the writer of hits including ‘Alone Again’ and ‘Get Down’.
But, with rumours suggesting that a concert could be held in Waterford as soon as this June, it appears that the appropriate mood music has been arranged ahead of O’Sullivan’s long-awaited return to Suirside.
“We will do it – we might look at doing something open air, who knows, but it will happen,” he said, to the delight of his many Waterford fans.