Q&A with Songwriter, Producer, Musician & Musical Director Simon Ellis

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Simon Ellis

Simon Ellis is an English songwriter, producer, musician and musical director who worked with artists like Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Westlife, S Club 7, East 17 and with music giant Simon Fuller. In 1988 he formed the band Ellis, Beggs & Howard with Nick Beggs and Austin Howard: their first single “Big Bubbles, No Troubles” became a huge hit across Europe.

He still works with Westlife as their musical director and keyboard player and writes for various K Pop artists.

KB: Did you always want to be a musician as a kid growing up?

Looking back, it’s obvious now I would end up being a musician. Music played a huge part of my early life, I listened nonstop to the radio from the age of 5 upwards, and a great love of pop music was born then.

I learned to play piano to a good standard very quickly at the age of 11. In 6 weeks from starting to learn I was a good player. Growing up on a council estate in Bradford, I was different to the other kids I guess, I lived and breathed music and it was all I ever talked about. So yeah, I knew from very early music would play a huge part in my life as an adult.

KB: Ellis Beggs and Howard: How did you guys get together and how was the song “Big Bubbles No Troubles” created? I love that song!

After graduating from university with a degree in graphic design I moved to London to work there. I started playing part time with the band “Pleasure and The Beast” and met a German guy called Luxi backstage one night.

Luxi and I became great friends, he became my manager, and he introduced me to Austin Howard. Austin and I started writing songs together and then one day Nick Beggs called the office looking for musicians to work with and Lexi introduced him to me and Austin. The three of us started writing together and clicked immediately. That was Ellis Beggs and Howard.

“Big Bubbles” came about because we needed a B side for our first single “Bad Times”, so we had to write something very quickly to record the next day for the record company. We wrote “Big Bubbles”, the record company loved it and said, “forget Bad Times, this is your first single!” Radio 1 in the UK A-listed it immediately, as did many radio stations across Europe. We had created a monster totally by mistake. Because it sounded nothing like anything else on the album “Homelands” it caused us problems, everyone wanted another song like “Big Bubbles”, and we didn’t have one.

KB: Simon Fuller asked you to join a new project: The Spice Girls. How was it working with them?

I was asked by Simon Fuller to be Musical Director for The Spice Girls for their two Istanbul shows in 1997. The girls were already blowing up worldwide so to get the job that every MD in the world was after was a huge honor and a big responsibility.

We did the Istanbul shows which were a huge success, and I was invited to MD their upcoming world tour in 1998. Because I was there with them almost from the start, we all witnessed what it was growing into together and never a day went by when me and the girls wouldn’t be laughing at how ridiculously big this beast was becoming. By the time we got to the US leg of the tour it was like the Beatles had landed again.

We were all good mates, all five of the girls were amazing to work with, just lovely, lovely people. That time was very special for me and of course I have continued to work with them to this day and we’re all still good mates.

KB: You worked with Britney Spears on two of her tours. How was it working with her?

I have to be very careful here and not say anything that could be taken out of context. To work with one of the biggest icons in pop music history as her musical director is a huge achievement for a kid from a council estate in Bradford and is something I’m massively proud of.

Britney at the time was in the middle of her conservatorship, so at times things were a little strained, not between me and her, she was always lovely to me, but I found the atmosphere around the camp a little stressful at times.

The two tours I did – “Circus” and “Femme Fatale” were huge successes though and I think the work I did was some of the best I have ever done. Every song had to be remixed and refreshed or Britney said she wasn’t interested in performing them so hats off to her for making that call.

It’s what I do best anyway so it was great fun and all the remixes I’m very proud of.

KB: Westlife: You did a few tours with them. Do you prefer the role of musical director or rather play with them on stage behind keyboards?

I started working with the boys in 2010 I think and still work with them today as their Musical Director / tour keyboard player.

They’re just amazing people, haven’t got a bad word to say about them. I love them to bits. It’s always a constant laugh whenever we’re together, they’re hilarious.

I love both roles, MD and keys player. They’re constantly wanting to refresh their music as well which I love doing, plus it helps when two members of the band are world class singers which Shane and Mark are.

Westlife is a very well-oiled machine; all four members are an integral part of that machine which is why they are still playing stadiums around the globe. I have a massive respect for that.

KB: What makes a song a hit?

Haven’t got a clue. I wish I knew. The hits I have written are good songs but what makes them better than the other less famous songs I have written? No Idea. Answers on a postcard.

KB: I give you an album and you can choose your 7 most favorite songs (not your own): what would you pick and why?

Jeez, that’s difficult, almost impossible to choose. I’ll list seven here but can guarantee I’ll be kicking myself for weeks when I think of songs I have left out.

So, off the top of my head, for now…

“The Motive” – Then Jerico. This is such an incredible record, three hook lines a writer would kill to write, a great vocal performance from Mark. It’s a nostalgic hit for me when times were amazing in London.

“Welcome to the Pleasuredome” – Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Same as the Jerico song, amazing memories of times in London in the mid 80’s. There has been nothing like this band since, such amazing power and style and this is my favorite of their hits.

“I Don’t Believe in You” – Talk Talk. My favorite Talk Talk song. Mark Hollis is my all-time musical hero, “Spirit of Eden” is my all-time favorite album, so I had to include one TT song. This song isn’t on “Spirit of Eden” by the way, it’s from “The Color of Spring” which is also incredible.

“Hurricane” – Bob Dylan. Incredible storytelling from a true genius.

“Won’t Get Fooled Again” – The Who. I mean, come on!

“I Got You” – Split Enz. A perfect slice of pop with one of the best pop choruses ever written. Genius.
“Tinseltown in the Rain” – The Blue Nile. Beautiful song.

KB: You worked with so many talented people in your career. Are there currently any out there you would love to work with?

I would love to MD Pink; I think she’s amazing. I almost got the Lady Gaga gig back in 2009 when she was breaking out, would have loved to do that.

KB: What are you currently up to?

Currently writing for various K Pop artists which is a learning curve let me tell you! Also, I’m trying up to be a proficient Mix engineer which has always been a love of mine. I write and produce songs, but the mixing of the songs has always been something I have loved being involved in but was never good enough to do by myself. So, I’m throwing myself into that as well as writing. Happy days.

Check out Simon’s website: HERE

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