A few days ago, Eels performed a five-song matinee for frontman Mark Oliver Everett’s six-year-old son Archie and his friends. They made sure to include the theme tune to Archie’s favourite film,. “And by the end of the song, he was giving us the thumbs down,” says Everett, known as E.
When Everett talks about his son, his voice radiates happiness. “I’m someone that never thought I was going to be a father,” he says on video call from Los Angeles. “And I’m just constantly pinching myself. It’s been so great.” Everett is 59, and this mid-life joy is a heartening, and unexpected, turn of events. He has endured more family trauma than most: his father Hugh Everett III, a genius physician unrecognised in his lifetime, was the distant, silent type.
It has made his personal relationships difficult – Everett’s been divorced twice : first in 2005, then with Archie’s mother in 2018. Hence loss, death and family, as well as love , have been poured into 14 Eels albums. All have centred Everett’s succinct, bittersweet songs, taking in blues, rock, folk and indie-pop. Since starting Eels in 1995, he has been one of America’s best and most consistent songwriters .was a bestseller.
“We did reach out to Colin Firth and asked would you like to go along with this stunt? And we got a no. So I think Colin Firth really does hate Eels. And it particularly hurts because it turns out we’re both bestowed with the honour of being Freemen of London.” True story: Everett was awarded the Freedom of London in 2014. “He’s practically like a brother! Maybe we’re brothers like Oasis, I guess.
It’s a busy time for Eels. As well as their imminent UK tour , there are reissues of three Eels albums, 2009’s