Keeping stum ... Gina McKee is famously tight-lipped. Photograph: Tristram Kenton
I was not really surprised to see that there was little advance coverage of Jonathan Richman's gig at the Shepherd's Bush Empire this Friday. Apart from an intriguing think piece in Saturday's Guardian the publicity build-up to this show has been minimal.
The reason for this is probably because, despite having a new album out and being famous for the universally-adored rock anthem Roadrunner, Richman rarely does interviews. He has done little more than a few snatched coffee bar chats and 2am phone calls to devotees in the last couple of decades.
I may well have conducted the last UK interview with Richman in 1986. It was one of the weirdest encounters I ever had. Having flown out to Madrid to quiz him for Blitz magazine, I met him during the soundcheck. During a break he put his saxophone down and I asked him how the tour was going.
Hardly the Spanish inquisition. But he picked up a pen and paper and wrote: "I can't talk, I need to save my voice for the shows." We then continued the interview, ping-ponging written questions and answers back and forth. I might as well have conducted it via fax from London, but at least I got a tan. It turned out he thought Blitz was a fashion magazine and was expecting to talk about trousers, not his song about Pablo Picasso. Anyway, as I said, at least I got a tan.
All of which got me thinking about performers who refuse to play the PR game. I once interviewed comedian's comedian Daniel Kitson, who does not employ a publicist. Stand-up's JD Salinger is currently on a UK tour, but unless you sign up to his website you wouldn't even know it. But ha-ha! I've beaten you Daniel, I registered on your site with a bogus name. So there.
In theatre, Gina McKee was always pretty elusive. I went on location when Our Friends In The North was being filmed and while co-stars Daniel Craig and Mark Strong were chummy, McKee was tightlipped, opting for a Garbo-esque air of mystery. She has thawed recently, but still hardly gives much away.
So what do these people have in common? Not much, except I've met them all. I also interviewed Rowan Atkinson shortly before he started doing most interviews as Mr Bean. Maybe it's me that prompted them to hop off the publicity treadmill. But let me lob this one out. Is it possible today to become a big player without playing the PR game? Who are the stars who can keep their profile up while keeping their mouths shut?
