Almost 50 years after they formed, Manchester post-punk and funk pioneers A Certain Ratio return to Bootleg Social on Friday, playing their albums Sextet and Force in full. Martin and Don talk about favourite Blackpool gigs, why experimentation has kept them going, and the young bands they’re tipping next
What are you most looking forward to about returning to Blackpool and Bootleg Social, and do you have any favourite memories of playing Blackpool?
Martin: I think our favourite time playing Blackpool in the past would have been at the Gaiety Bar with our friends Section 25. The last time we played Bootleg Social, in 2024, was also a great gig.
After almost 50 years of making music and touring, does arriving in a place like Blackpool to play a gig still feel exciting, or does it feel different now compared with the early days of A Certain Ratio?
Don: Arriving at any venue where the public has paid to see you is always going to be exciting. That’s when the music gets to breathe, that’s when the music gets new life. Nothing surpasses the live forum. Personally, I prefer clubs to big venues, where the vibe and sound are so much better.
How important has experimentation been to keeping A Certain Ratio creatively alive over such a long period? Do you still approach making music with the same curiosity you had at the beginning?
Martin: Experimentation is very important to us and we thrive on change. We joke about that being the reason why we were never very successful in a commercial sense. The two albums we are playing on this tour are a good example, with Sextet being a punk/jazz set of freeform jams and Force being structured pop songs. Two very, very different albums.
Music, technology and the way people discover artists have changed enormously during your career. Is there anything about today’s creative landscape that excites you, or anything you think has been lost along the way?
Don: Discovering new music is a lot easier now with all the digital tools that are out there. I do like drifting away down a rabbit hole, especially on a train journey, and discovering something I’ve not heard before.
Martin: Music is still made in the same way, with human ideas. No amount of technology will make you better. It’s about your original ideas, not your tools.
You’ve influenced musicians across very different scenes and generations. Are there any younger artists or contemporary acts you’re particularly excited about right now?
Martin: One of the best bands I’ve seen live recently is Maruja from Manchester. They play jazz/punk with a lot of energy. One to watch out for from Manchester is Lily Rae Grant, an amazing songwriter and singer who does shows as a solo artist or with her band, who are also really good.
Ellen Beth Abdi, who sings with us (but not on this tour), is an amazing musician and songwriter. I love seeing her live and can’t wait for her next record. Viv, who sings and plays bass with us, has a great band called Beck Pocket, and they are ones to watch out for.
Don: There’s a band from Brighton called Amelia & The Housewives who have just released their debut album, which is excellent. I also recently found a French artist called Vincent Odetto on one of my excursions down the rabbit hole. He has also just released a brilliant album.
If you could go back and speak to the young musicians who formed A Certain Ratio nearly 50 years ago, what would you tell them?
Don: Drown out all the background noise quicker and just “Keep Doing Your Du”. Get a good manager who can direct you in making your music financially viable, whether it’s commercial or not.
For someone coming to see A Certain Ratio at Bootleg Social who hasn’t experienced you live before, what would you like them to discover for themselves?
Don: The breadth and depth of the music, and the fact that we change instruments a lot to make the feel of the music change, so that it isn’t too one-dimensional.
A Certain Ratio play Bootleg Social, 30 Topping Street, Blackpool FY1 3AQ, on Friday 16 October. Doors 7pm, 14+ (under-16s must be accompanied by an adult). Both albums are played in full, with an interval and some surprises. Tickets are £29.20: click here to buy.
