Ian Broudie


Ian Zachary Broudie is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record Record producer from Liverpool, England. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums for artists including Echo & the Bunnymen, The Fall, The Coral, The Zutons, The Subways and many others.
Around 1989, he began writing and recording under the name Lightning Seeds, releasing the album Cloudcuckooland through Rough Trade on the independent label Ghetto Records, and eventually putting together a live touring band in 1994. The Lightning Seeds achieved great commercial success throughout the 1990s. In 2004, Broudie released an album titled Tales Told under his own name. The Lightning Seeds reformed in 2006 and released their sixth studio album Four Winds in 2009.

Early career

Ian Broudie played in Liverpool's fledgling punk scene in the 1970s. He was a member of the band Big in Japan, which also featured Holly Johnson and Bill Drummond. He was also a founder member of John Peel favourites Original Mirrors in the early '80s, and was credited as a member of Bette Bright and the Illuminations on their lone album from 1981. In 1983, he recorded and wrote tracks under the name Care with vocalist Paul Simpson; the duo released 3 singles, including the minor UK chart hit "Flaming Sword".

The Lightning Seeds

Broudie began writing as The Lightning Seeds at the end of the 1980s, scoring a debut hit with the song "Pure". To begin with, The Lightning Seeds had just one member – Ian himself.
The Lightning Seeds produced a selection of well-received singles and albums in the 1990s. The albums Cloudcuckooland and Sense followed. The latter's song "The Life of Riley" became the backing music for Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition. In 1994 Broudie created a touring band so the songs could be played live. Their 1994 album Jollification is considered by many as the moment the Lightning Seeds arrived as a mainstream band. During the same period, Broudie produced albums for other acts, including Northside, The Primitives, Terry Hall and Dodgy.
The Lightning Seeds twice took football anthem "Three Lions" to number one, with different lyrics for the Euro 96 and France '98 tournaments. In the years since France'98, the song has been released multiple times for football tournaments, and now has the unique distinction of being the only song in existence to have become UK No. 1 four separate times with the same artists: two one-week stints in 1996, three straight weeks in 1998 for the remake, and again in 2018 for the original during the World Cup held in Russia.
On 14 March 1997, Broudie was the guest host of Top of the Pops. Later that year, the Lightning Seeds headlined the Hillsborough Justice Concert, which was held at Liverpool's Anfield stadium to raise fund for the families in their struggle for justice.
Broudie returned with a new line-up in 2009, releasing the album Four Winds, and has extensively toured since with a line-up including old Seeds favourites Angie Pollack, Martyn Campbell, and Ian's son Riley Broudie.

Production work

Broudie worked as a producer with many independent labels including Factory Records, Creation Records, Zoo Records and Rough Trade, sometimes under the name 'Kingbird'.
Broudie subsequently concentrated on production for other bands, working with the likes of The Coral, The Subways, The Zutons, French rock band Noir Desir for their first long album Veuillez rendre l'âme, The Rifles and on a handful of I Am Kloot songs.

Solo career

On 11 October 2004, Broudie released his debut solo effort, Tales Told, which was embraced by critics and fans alike – despite the fact that Tales Told saw Broudie move into folk rock territory and away from the slick pop sound of The Lightning Seeds. The first song on the album, "Song for No One", featured in the opening episode of the 3rd season of the US TV series The O.C.

Solo discography

Albums and EPs

Personal life

He is Jewish and has a son called Riley, the subject of the song "The Life of Riley". He lives in London but spent a substantial amount of time writing and recording in Liverpool as his studio was located there. In 2018, he said he was recording in his home.