In a world where musical boundaries are constantly being tested, John Fishell has made it his mission to break them altogether. His upcoming EP, ‘Notorious Partners in Crime’, sees him collaborating with virtuoso Indian flautist Deepak Ram, a fusion of Western rock and Indian classical that redefines genre norms. For Fishell, this musical experiment was love at first note.
“Deepak and I have been friends for a long time, and we’ve worked together a number of times, but we’ve never really played together until about two years ago,” Fishell recalls. “I knew it was special after the first two seconds of our rehearsal. The actual sound of bansuri with acoustic steel-string guitar fits together nicely. It also works well with my at times ‘gruffy’ voice. We’re like a musical ‘odd couple’—or something like Johnny and June Carter Cash. Now I’m going to start calling Deepak ‘June.’”
One of the standout tracks from the EP, ‘Valentine’, carries echoes of ‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘Paint It Black’, songs known for their Eastern musical influences. Fishell acknowledges their impact but reveals another unexpected source of inspiration. “I wrote that song a while ago, and I may have been trying to conjure up a nod to Summertime by Gershwin. The ‘Indian-ness’ of Norwegian Wood always excited me—I’ve always loved that vocal/guitar line unison thing they do. Paint It Black is just a classic ‘Western’ take on an ‘Eastern’ sound with the use of the good old harmonic minor scale—you don’t hear that move so much in popular music anymore.”
Working alongside a musician as steeped in tradition as Deepak Ram has been an enlightening experience for Fishell. “Deepak has to carry me on Indian classical music, which, by the way, is a very old tradition—about 4000 years or so. There is a lot to it, and I can only process little bits at a time. I’m finally starting to wrap my head around a raga, which is so much more than simply ‘a scale.’ Deepak is very patient with me, which is quite helpful. I’ve also learned that Deepak is able to play some chromatic material on his six-hole flute that is very difficult to pull off.”
But Fishell’s passion isn’t just about looking forward—he’s also on a crusade to give The Outfield the recognition they deserve in the UK. “I think I heard their first single ‘Your Love’ in 1985 while clandestinely listening to one of those ‘Top 5 at 10’ radio shows from my clock radio under the covers because it was past bedtime. Straight-up guitar-based pop music, with every pop songwriting trick and hook in the imaginary book. I remember thinking those songs, that harmony singing, and the odd-sounding-yet-powerful drums were all power-pop perfection. I thought it was badass and somehow still happy. You know how when a song comes on in one of those blockbuster movies, and you think, ‘Wow, this is the PERFECT song for this moment’? Take that feeling and subtract the movie. That’s how it felt at the time.”
Despite their massive success in the US, The Outfield remained somewhat overlooked in their homeland. Fishell offers his own theory: “Maybe the UK wanted something a bit darker from their pop artists and bands at that time. I don’t know, maybe it was marketing/advertising/promotion… I hear this a lot from music business people—‘We just don’t know what to DO with this.’ I’m sure, just like now, there are so many things that can go sideways or wrong for bands/artists. To me, it would have been easy—stick them on the bill with Tears for Fears and Simple Minds!”
Fishell’s cover of Your Love has been a part of his mission to bring The Outfield back into the spotlight. “Sadly, Tony Lewis and John Spinks have passed. In the US, I can tell you that pretty much EVERYONE knows ‘Your Love’ without knowing the name of the band. Poor ‘Josie’ is on a vacation far away … Here’s the thing, though … They wrote strong, solid songs; you can just play them without people knowing, and they just come off well.”
A vocalist himself, Fishell admits that Tony Lewis’ range is no easy feat to replicate. “He had some really cool and really subtle second-half song vocal variation twists that I rip off from time to time. Also, to be honest, NO ONE else can sing that high. Maybe Jon Anderson from Yes? Graham Bonnet? I had to buy a baritone acoustic guitar so I could play songs by The Outfield—it’s tuned a fourth down from a standard guitar, and it’s STILL hard to get those high notes without feeling perfect and being well-hydrated! Funny—my voice is much closer to John Spinks in range and tonality. I wonder if he could ever have hit the Tony notes. Sometimes I try to imagine what it must have been like for John to sing a melody for Tony on a new song or whatever … A lot of yodeling, probably!”
As a lifelong devotee of British rock, Fishell’s upcoming UK tour is more than just a string of shows—it’s a pilgrimage. “I insisted to myself that I needed to peek at the outside of Abbey Road. I swore to myself I wasn’t going to be a ‘numpty’ and walk the crosswalk … but I accidentally walked across without realising it. I’m going to get a peek at Freddie Mercury’s wall, too. I love being in the UK, and I seem to magically get along with everyone. Honestly, my favourite places are just places with nice memories for ME … played a nice show, met nice people—Shrewsbury, Sheffield, Frome, Norwich, Camden area of London. I should try to move out here. Does the UK need any American musicians playing British-inspired music that may have been inspired by American music in the first place?”
If Fishell had the ability to time travel, there’s no question about the show he’d want to witness. “Easy. Queen at Wembley, 1986. But could I have a good seat, though? That’s the thing about time-traveling wish-granting … They probably stick you in a crappy seat.”
With Notorious Partners in Crime on the horizon and a UK tour that promises to be as transformative as it is nostalgic, Fishell is proving that music is, and always has been, the ultimate bridge between worlds. Whether through rock, raga, or the power of a long-overdue Outfield revival, one thing is clear—John Fishell is here to make some noise.
