It’s been 46 years now since a young Eric Goulden wandered into the Stiff Records offices brandishing a demo tape containing the song – “Whole Wide World” – that would set him up for life (it’s still regularly featured on films and TV commercials, and has been covered by everyone from The Proclaimers to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong).
But Goulden never seemed content to just repeat this winning formula. While trying to outrun his punk-era persona, over the years he’s dabbled in everything from raw garage rock (with The Len Bright Combo) to Americana to lo-fi electronic pop. In recent years, Goulden has made his peace with the Wreckless Eric name, and 2023’s Leisureland – a concept album of sorts about the kind of crumbling English seaside town he grew up in – is an understated psych-pop gem, up there with his best.
He’s scheduled to visit some more English seaside towns – as well the usual big cities – on his upcoming UK tour, which kicks off in Gravesend on October 14 (see the full list of dates and buy tickets here).
But before that, he’s agreed to consider your queries for Uncut’s next Audience With feature. So what do you want to ask a punk survivor and great English eccentric? Send your questions to audiencewith@uncut.co.uk by Friday (September 22) and Eric will answer the best ones in a future issue of Uncut.