One of the bands that tempted me along to my first ever Truck festival back in 2003 was Black Nielson, who at the time were signed to Truck records. They played a set of hazy lo-fi pop mixed with a splash of country, and later agreed to give me one of my first ever interviews. At last year's Truck, Black Nielson played their last UK show before going their separate ways, but singer Mike Gale is back 12 months later with his new project Co-Pilgrim. Following his mid-afternoon set in the lounge tent, we legged it through the pouring rain for a quick chat in his ex-bandmate Chris' car.

At our previous meeting, we were joined by an unexpected visitor, Keiran, a little worse for wear, who'd been following the

band around all day, and actually started answering questions for them in the interview.

Mike: Kieran, yeah he was in the tent today actually, throwing hula-hoops at me.

Maps: So he's still following you around then.

Mike: Yeah, but it’s alright, we love Kieran, Kieran’s cool.

This is Mike's seventh Truck, having first appeared here with Black Nielson in 1999. Being a relative novice, I was wondering how the festival has changed in the intervening years.

Mike: It rains a lot more, and there’s a lot more security and a lot more fences. Everything’s a lot more organised. It’s lost some of it’s old charm, but it’s still great. It’s a proper festival now.

Mike's set finished with a cover version of Black Nielson's 'The Human Strain', the first time he's played any of the band's material live since the split.

Mike: I thought I’d give it a go. I’m still really proud of all of the Black Nielson stuff, I just don’t want to do it anymore.

Several of Mike's ex-bandmates were in attendance and it raised a smile from each of them.

Mike: Will’s band are playing in a minute, Brother Francisco
– they’re good, you should go and see them. Andy’s sort of in a couple of bands, but I’m not sure. Chris isn’t really doing anything and Tom is the house drummer for a blues band, playing a lot of blues jams, he loves it – I don’t think he wants to be in a band again, he’s just happy mucking around.

The split came following two albums in the UK, with a third
recorded, and years of gigging.

Mike: We’d done an album, ‘Current Sunlight’ which came out in Australia and we went to tour over there which was really good, but we were struggling to get a label over here. I don't

know, it just kind of came to a head when we got back from Australia. We were really tired and Andy, said he didn’t want to do it any more, so we all decided to call it a day. I quite fancied doing some stuff by myself, so it was sad, but I was quite excited about doing my own stuff.

Maps: How has Co-Pilgrim been going so far?

Mike: Yeah, really well. I’ve done an album which was finished a few months ago and it’s just waiting to be mastered now. It’s coming out over here on Broken Horse Records, and it’s coming out in Australia as well. That’s some stuff that I did in America about a month ago with my girlfriend and I’m moving over there to live with her, she’s in Co-Pilgrim now, so we’re going to do that together.

Maps: How has the songwriting process changed without the band around?

Mike: I don’t think I’ve really changed writing style or anything, just that the rest of the band aren’t there to add their stuff. They would have probably been Black Nielson songs, they’re just a bit different because the band’s not around. I haven’t consciously thought that I’ll write in a different way.

Maps: How have you found playing solo gigs like today's?

Mike: I think I kind of prefer it, gigs are a lot easier, ‘cause I don’t have to wait for other people to set up. It’s a bit more lonely and I kind of miss having my friends all around me all the time, but I’m just really enjoying it, enjoying being by myself.

With his hard work over, Mike had the rest of the weekend to enjoy himself, were there any bands that he was looking forward to?

Mike: Apart from Will’s band, not really. I never really see many bands when I come here, I just skirt around and talk to people rather than watching any music, which is bad but… I saw the Futureheads a few weeks ago, so I’m not really that fussed about seeing them. I’ll go and see The Epstein too, but I think that’s about it.

And with that, we say our goodbyes and as I step out into the diminishing rain, I contemplate whether with his new life in Boston, Mike Gale will be back for an eighth consecutive Truck. I hope so.

www.myspace.com/copilgrim
Interview and photos by Paul Madden