About Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Martin Tilbrook is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the English new wave band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid-1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the music for Squeeze's songs, while his writing partner, Chris Difford, wrote the lyrics. In addition to his songwriting skills, Tilbrook is respected both as a singer and an accomplished guitarist. He was born in Woolwich, London.
Tilbrook formed Squeeze with fellow guitarist and vocalist Chris Difford in the mid-1970s. Difford had placed an advertisement at a local shop looking for a guitarist and Tilbrook was the only person to respond. Tilbrook also recruited school friend Jools Holland to join the band in its early stages.
Tilbrook and Difford would ultimately form a songwriting partnership that was responsible for writing most Squeeze songs, with Tilbrook writing music and Difford writing lyrics. Tilbrook also served as lead guitarist and performed guitar solos on the band's music. On his guitar style, Tilbrook commented:
I'm very conscious of my guitar playing, particularly early on, and I wouldn’t trust myself to improvise. It's a sort of an insecurity on my part. ... who really influenced me is the guy who played the solo on the Carpenters' "Goodbye to Love" . That solo really stuck with me. And it's interesting, because ... it starts with the tune and then it branches off into this wonderful thing. You know, it's like in a musical. A song should carry the plot forward. I think the guitar solo should carry the music forward and not just hang around.
In 1982 Squeeze had disbanded. The chemistry between Tilbrook and Difford could not be as easily dismissed however, and the ensuing record they made together in 1984 has become the “lost” Squeeze album for many fans. However, the partnership began to fray under the duress of Difford's struggles with addiction and questions over the band's commercial and creative direction. The band would again break up in 1999 and remain dormant until a reunion in 2007.
During Squeeze's first hiatus, from approximately 1983 to 1985, Tilbrook wrote, recorded, and toured with Chris Difford, his songwriting partner from Squeeze. Their album, Difford & Tilbrook was originally released in 1984, and remastered and reissued in 2006.
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