"Fixed Assets"	Hot Press
n/a	24 November 1999

Fixed Stars mainman Mark Cullen shouldn't have too many problems meeting his mortgage repayments, with three sets of lyrics making onto the new Lightning Seeds alsbum, Tilt. One of them, 'Crowd Pleaser', has already excited the tabloids with its dig at Robbie Williams : "And they love me in the press/'Cos I'm constantly depressed/I'll come back when I decide/Overweight and twice the size/I've been caring less and less/Since my overnight success." "It's about all the bitching that went on between Robbie and Gary Barlow when Take That broke up" Cullen explains down the cross-channel blower from London. "I'm intrigued by that whole notion of pretending to be best mates, but actually hating each other. Boy bands are more actors than they are musicians." What's this about having to tone down the original version? "A couple of lines were a bit OTT, so I rejigged them" he admits. "It didn't change the sentiment, though, which is basically 'stop moaning!'" As for Cullen's day job, the Artists Formerly Known As Bawl have finished recording their own opus, Illegitimate Targets, due for release through Mercury in March 2000. "Ian (Broudie) was the producer which is how we got to meet each other and develop a relationship." he continues. "He's a brilliant guy to work with - very easy-going and an obsessive music fan. I'd never written lyrics for other people's music before, but it actually turned out to be very easy." While it's the artistic recognition he craves, Cullen admits the royalties will come in jolly handy. "Fuck recognition, where's the cheque?" he laughs. "The important thing's producing a good song, but if there's a few quid in it, great! Joking apart, Id love to have a go at writing for somebody like Westlife." If the boys want to see what Fixed Stars are capable of live, they're playing support to the Broudie Bunch at The Limelight, Belfast (November 25th) and Red Box, Dublin (26th)