Placebo @ "Threesome" September 2003 - BMM

Robin Francois, 2000

Boyz "Threesome", Sep 2000 

Interview with Placebo about their album Black Market Music 

by Andrew Lawson

Heard the one about the gay man, the straight man and the bisexual?

Well they're called Placebo, and they've got a reputation for  being pretentious, obnoxious and downright short-arsed. Andrew Lawson discovers they're... um actually rather nice boys really.

What have you been up to for the last two years?

Brian- A 13 month tour across 6 continents, broken bones, hospitalisation. Very rock'n'roll.

Steve- We were gagging to get in the studio after all that touring and playing 'Pure Morning'.

Brian- We became a bit like spinal tap toward the end of it.

Robin Francois, 2000

Tell us more.

Brian- Me and Stefan were just outdoing each other with rock histrionics. Feet on the monitors and all of that stuff.

Stefan- Falling over offstage and being picked up.

Steve- The only one thing we didn't do was walk on stage in the wrong place and go 'Hello Cleveland!'

Brian- It became so routine that we were able to jump into the crowd and keep on playing.

Stefan- Until your balls got grabbed...

How did you deal with the tedium?

Stefan- We turned the tour bus into the disco bus.

Brian- Yeah, we installed disco lamps and had parties after each show, playing The Bee Gee's and Barry White.

Robin Francois, 2000

As if...

Brian- Its true! We've even bought our own on-tour kareoke machine.

Stefan- We're going to take a ping-pong table with us this time too.

Brian- Kareoke and ping-pong: these are our new interests!

Tell us about this new album, Black Market Music.

Brian- It revisits the no-holds-barred punk pop element of the first album, and the more melancholic side of Without You I'm Nothing

Robin Francois, 2000

Is 'pop' a label you're cool with?

Steve- Nah, I always wanted to be a rock star, not a pop star. There's a difference.

Brian- I'd like it called rock'n'roll. Pop is steps, Britney and Kylie. It's a teenage baby with breast implants going straight to number one. We tend to steer clear of plastic surgery, hence 'rock'!

Steve- We're keeping it ugly.

So, what surprises have you got up your sleeves?

Stefan- There's rapping on this album, which I don't think any placebo fan would expect.

Brian- Yeah, when the word first got out, I think our fans freaked and thought we were going to turn into Limp Bizkit. God forbid.

Any favourite on the album?

Brian- 'Peeping Tom', because I always wanted to be Elton John, and on that song I get to sit behind a piano and sing.

Is it a white piano?

Steve- It will be.

Brian- I'll have to spray it white.

Stefan- You haven't got the backstreet boys around you either.

Robin Francois, 2000

It's love or hate with you. Do you give a monkeys what people think?

Brian- Indifference is the killer, so it's positive to get an extreme reaction, but sometimes it's difficult not to take it personally. As a normal human being that lives, breathes and shits like everybody else, it's wierd to think that thousands of people have formed an opinion about you without having met you.

Stefan- That's the hardest thing.

Brian- if you started dwelling on that, it'd drive you insane. The majority of people who've formed a negative opinion of us haven't even met us. Or they've met us in an extremely drunk and obnoxious situation. Most people who've spent quality time with us go away thinking that at least we are alright.

And the press have savaged you.

Steve- Yeah, we didn't even get out of the traps.

Brian- It's particularly British, this desire to put everybody in their place. You're not allowed to be confident...

Steve- You're not allowed to be successful, you're not allowed to have money...

Brian- You're not allowed to acknowledge the fact that you're talented, 'cause oooh, that's over-stepping the line.

So, are you victims of the press, or have you just worked it?

Steve- Anyone who sees stuff in the press thinks 'Aha,

Placebo are back', so it's brilliant.

Brian- Yeah, they're back and they're opening their big fucking mouths once more!

Steve- It's 'Oh, those wankers are back', but at least they know you're back!

And what about Daphne and Celeste's charming comment that you were 'ugly in the realm of the beast'?

Brian- It's not even worth wasting oxygen on. You can't be attractive to everybody. We certainly don't find Daphne and Celeste very attractive. Put it this way, I don't think there'll be any drunken snogs backstage at the Reading festival this year.

Do you think people still find you subversive?

Brian- I never thought what we did was that weird or ground-breaking or shocking. It's incredibly difficult to be subversive these days.

But the dynamic of a gay man, a straight man and a bisexual man in a band together still confuses people, doesn't it?

Brian- That's what makes us interesting. We're three different personalities with different sexualities, and we're best friends, so what you get is an extremely interesting melting pot of emotions. If it confuses people then it's fine. That's fun. Confusion is sex.

Stefan- And there's just no competition when we're out on the pull.

Steve- It makes everyone's life easier.

Bisexuality's the tricky one, because it's either seen as trying to cover all bases, or a soft version of being gay.

Brian- Yeah, or you're really straight and you're only doing it to get pussy. That's another accusation that's been levelled at me.

Robin Francois, 2000

Would you sleep with you?

Brian- No! I'd be an nightmare!

Do you think gay audiences care about indie music?

Stefan- Just because you're gay, I don't think you have to be a scene queen or a club babe, or a muscle mary. It's good that it's opened up, club-wise. We've definitely got more gay people in the audience now.

Steve- I wish we had more gay people in the audience: they're better dancers.

Brian- We're encouraging people to be individual and to be proud and at ease with themselves. We try to make the so-called perverts that inhibit our crazy little world sympathetic, simply because I don't think that all people are all bad, no matter what they may be guilty of.

You've already gone there on sexuality, drug use and promiscuity; is anything sacred?

Steve- Mum.

Brian- Mum? Does your mum read Boyz? (thinks) Or does your Dad?

Photos by Robin Francois, 2000, article Boyz

Placebo @ “Stridently Loud” - Revista Flash Mexico 2014

“Stridently Loud”

Placebo. Played a great gig infringement of 6300 people at the Banamex auditorium         

By Miguel Angel Arritola for Revista Flash online magazine as retrieved from:

http://larevistaflash.blogspot.ru/2014/03/estridencia-pura.html?m=1

When Placebo chose the title of their latest album, they were, most likely, thinking that their live show would be strong, loud and full of energy.

And it is exactly how it was the gig of the British band on March 28 at the Banamex auditorium where 3600 fans of Brian Molko, Steve Forrest and Stefan Olsdal experienced the 115 most exhilarating moments of their lives.

From the beginning both the musicians and the audience established a strong connection that grew stronger by the minute. And by the end of the show, passed midnight, the audience was left immersed in a plethoric adrenaline rush.

The show was really simple, since Placebo has kept its minimalistic spirit from the 90s. A giant led screen at the back, some lighting effect and three more musicians were all they needed to offer a great show that was good even for their most demanding fans.

The set list included 22songs that were more than enough for the audience of mostly twenty-somethings.

The mysterious and dark personality of Molko shined even more than on the previews occasions the band had come to the city. And his powerful, angsty voice was better than ever.

After the supporting band Cancel finished their set, Placebo. Came to the stage and without further athou played B3 and For What Is Worth.

Before the third song Olsdal said to the audience in Spanish: "Thank you, good afternoon Monterrey we are Placebo. We have tried to translate the title of this song but it is impossible.”

The song was “Loud Like Love” which was deserving of the first ovation of the night, although the audience got louder with “Twenty Years”, “Too Many Friends”, “Every You Every Me”, “Scene Of The Crime”, “A Million Little Pieces”, “Speak In Tongues” and “Rob The Bank”.

And very intense bit of the concert since the musicians played nonstop. Then Olsdal spoke again to the audience: “next song is dedicated to you and especially to a producer who made a video for this song that is for you”- Said Olsdal before playing "Purify".

The night went on with “Space Monkey”, “Blind” and “Exit Wounds”.

And mistake (actually it was an injury*) from the drummer made Molko stop 'Meds' which made some people in the audience said: "It's a play back."

Maybe Molko understood and to prove them wrong played a flawless version of the song.

After "Song To Say Goodbye”, "Special K" and "The Bitter End" the night's most requested Molko and company said goodbye even though some songs were missing from the set list.

After a five minutes break the British band came back on stage to deliver some of the classics "Teenage Angst” and the Kate Bush cover "Running Up That Hill”. "Post Blue" and "Infra-Red" ended Placebo's loud gig.

At the end Molko, Forrest, Olsdal and the rest took hands and said goodbye to the audience who received, as an extra gift, the drumsticks Forrest threw to the audience.

Translated by Diana E. T. Foghin

Photos by Instagram, twitter and Facebook Placebo Fans Latinoamerica

Design by SusanneCk

Placebo Anyway

*clarification made by the translator.

Sources: http://larevistaflash.blogspot.ru/2014/03/estridencia-pura.html?m=1

Placebo in Mexico

Placebo in Mexico

by Placebo Fans Latinoámerica with added information by Placebo Anyway (in bold type).

After a long flight Placebo finally arrived at Mexico.

The band members didn’t take the same flight, so Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal arrived at 27th of March at 6.30 pm and the rest of the band arrived the next day and had also some passport control problems.

A signing took place at 28th of March at the Galerías Monterrey organized by Mixup shop in collaboration with Universal recordings.

They expected 800 fans, but only 200 showed up at 14.00h. The principal reason for being there only 200 fans, was a confusion of the organizer, announicing the wrong place. 
Many many fans went to the wrong center and arrived to late to Galería Monterrey.

In less than a half hour the signing ended and was very hardly criticized by several press publications. Speaking about how cold and unfriendly Brian and Stef treated their fans. Saying that only Steve was friendly and smiling all the time.

They also wrote, it was not allowed to hug them, not even touch them or speak to them. The press said that these facts caused big frustration between the fans.

Security staff was very rude shouting and giving orders in a very despicable manner..

So the fans ended up very very sad by this behavior.

The press also considered annoying the fact they wore sunnglasses all the time.

Speaking with soulmates who were at the signing we can be sure that press once again can be very bad, awful ugly with their writing.

Bad informed and spreading lies, we have these results.

One of our soul mates told us that Brian and also Stef were always smiling and very friendly.

So, we can understand the reaction of the band not being not so happy  when they found 200 instead of 800 fans at the signing, but they did a great job and a lovely concert at night in Monterrey, Mexico.

During the concert, when they played “Meds”  (as we’ve been told) they had some problems because Steve got his hand hurt. After a  little break they went on.  

As Placebo Fans Latinoámerica confirmed he is well now and the shows can go on in Mexico D.F. tonight.

Sources: http://placebofanslatinoamerica.com/post/81156424761/placebo-llega-a-mexico

Translated into English by SusanneCk with the helping hand of Diana E.T. Foghin.

Design by SusanneCk

Photos and extra info by Brenda Tejeda & rogeliomt09, eneswk, yahizgr, arustedsmile, floralvaradox, daviidaxl, pacmanriv , no_avail & Instagram.

Brian Molko at Tout Le Monde En Parle - 2003

Brian Molko at Tout Le Monde En Parle
2003

The interviewer is Thierry Ardisson, well known to be very direct. His tv shows were also known for its alcohol abundance before, during and after the show! He’s supported by Laurent Baffie, whom they call “the snipper” because of his humor!
Many different people are invited together at the same time to talk! Brian is here with HervéVilard, a French old fashioned singer, a man called Greg, who was “Greg the millionaire” in a French real tv.

Watch the whole interview here.
Watch part ONE here. Not translated
Watch also part TWO here. 

Part Two of Tout Le Monde en Parle / 2008

Thierry Ardisson: Live in Paris, the dvd releases on March the 16^th. Ladies and Gentlemen, here he is.

Since you came last time in this show Brian, about a year ago, I read an interview of you with Etienne Daho [French singer] in Rolling Stone Magazine, and you get all worked up with reality shows. You say it’s an insult to pop music. You say “This should not be “Looking for the new star” [French version of “American Idol”] but “Looking for the new karaoke singer”.

Brian: Who benefits? Really… It’s the phone company, the record company, and the tv company. Not really…

HervéVilard: It’s always been the case!

Brian: Maybe.

Hervé: Yes, yes, it’s always been the case! It’s always for the dough! There has always been a guy behind to pick up the dough! Claude Francois, or whoever you want, even if you don’t know them, or Lucienne Boyer… They haven’t picked up the maggot first! Lederman picked up the loot!

Brian: Maybe you’re not surrounded by people who…

Hervé: That’s the same! You don’t do this job with the television. Tv does not represent our job.

Thierry: Hervé, what he’s saying is we’re not doing this job with tv but now tv is doing this job!

Hervé: No, that’s wrong, that’s wrong, totally wrong!

Laurent Baffie: Who feels the tension?!!

Hervé: The concert halls are full! I know very good musicians from the north of France, they’re called “Les mauvaisesLangues”, they sing in front of 3000 people and they’ve never come to tv! There is an extraordinary audience in France! As long as there will be laundry in our windows, we will sing in this country.

Brian: What’s going on? Have you been to “Star Academy” to revive your career?!!

Hervé: I’ve never been to Star Academy but if they invite me I would probably go! But I think kids are allowed to dream! But you’re allowed to complain!

Brian: Kids are allowed to dream, ok,…

Hervé: Your work is to speak out, to change your haircut. If you had the same haircut as Hervé Vilard today, that would be god-awful!

Thierry: What Brian’s saying today Hervé is that show business is bounded to tv, which is bounded to a phone company. And finally, all that

Hervé: Show business has never been into singing, Thierry. Show business is somewhere else.  It’s not about singing!

Brian: The difference is that people are thinking that they’re allowed to be famous without any work. I think that’s the meaning of “france is looking for a star” and “Star Academy”. That’s the idea they put into young people’s heads! So it creates a social malaise which is the jealousy of fame. And at 21, young girls realize they won’t marry the captain of the English football (soccer) team, David Beckham, for example, and then they fall into depression.  And it’s a cultural malaise I think. And people forget… Music is not a competition for popularity! I think it’s work, it’s work and talent!

Thierry: Oh, I’ve been afraid for a while it would not be as cool as it were with Sacha Distel [When Brian came a year ago in this show he was invited with Sacha Distel, another French old fashioned singer, and  was very nice!].

Hervé: No, no, no, no, it is going very well!

Brian: But people think that rock’n roll for example, is just “sex, drugs and rock’n’ roll”. Of course in part it is but it’s real work! Really! We are on tour for 18 months. We’re busting our balls to sell records!

Hervé: Lou Reed existed before you.

Brian: Of course! And you were here before me tooooo!

Hervé: He gave you music. Listen to Lou Reed! It may seem surprising but…

Brian: I’m really surprised that you can listen to someone like Lou Reed!

Hervé: I’m listening to Lou Reed for a long time and you weren’t born!

Thierry: I’m not sure we’ll manage to reconcile you both.

Hervé: o no, it’s really ok! I’ll listen to his record!

Thierry: So Brian, you’ve became famous by transforming  your Teenage Angst into art, and we’ll see how it happened. Let’s do a “Trash interview”.
Brian molko, How old did you start wearing makeup?

Brian: At about 11.

Thierry: Ah, yes!

Brian: Yes, because I did drama at school, so I have always associated the make up with the stage.

Thierry: Have you ever worn a leather g-string?

Brian: A g-leather string? No, never.

Greg: I have!

Brian: Yes, but you used to be a dancer!

Thierry: When? In your porn movie? Ah yes, when you were striper!

Greg: It was not a porn movie, a charm clip!

Thierry: Brian, have you ever drunk blood?

Brian: Never. I have a friend... Well, I had a friend, 5 or 6 years ago, who drank my blood. But I’ve never drunk someone else´s blood.

Baffie: Did she have teeth like… (he shows Dracula’s teeth)

Brian: No, no!

Thierry: Have you ever worn handcuffs somewhere else than a police station?

Brian: Yes! Of course!

Greg: In court?!

Brian: What about you?

Thierry: Have you ever filmed yourself making love?

Brian: Never. No, I don’t want it to end up on internet.

Thierry: Have you ever suck spike heels?

Brian: No, I’ve licked boots, but never sucked spike heels.

Thierry: Have you ever share a girl with mates?

Brian: Knowing it, no.

Thierry: Have you ever worn your mum’s clothes?

Brian: Yes. Yes, her bras.

Thierry: Aaaah, I was quite sure of that!!

Have you ever self-harmed?

Brian: Yep.

Baffie: Self blowed?

Brian: Self-bowed, I’d like to! Give me a mirror and the capacity to perform aself-blow job and I’ll stay at home for the rest of my life!

Baffie: Here is a message from osteopaths, it’s really bad for your back, and we have to repeat that to people!

Thierry: So, have you ever deliberately self-harmed?

Brian: Well, yes I did. I suffered a lot…. Well, I apologize for being really serious for a moment but… I’m depressive. I have suffered a lot from that. I have taken meds for a long time to cure that. And yes, there have been very dark times in my life when I have self-harmed. I was in hotel rooms, I broke glasses and I cut my legs. Fortunately I’m better these days. Thank you!

Baffie: Oh, you fucked up the atmosphere!!!

Brian: Yes, but that’s an important subject to speak about because I think It’s important for young people to know that people like me went through similar things and events as the ones they go through. I have suffered of a disease which is depression. And it doesn’t mean it’s not possible to do something positive. Even if you’ve got something in your head which stops you or which forces you to hate yourself or dislike yourself. And I hope I’m an inspiration for people. That’s why I’m talking about it. I find it really important.

Thierry: Have you ever shave your chest?

Brian: Yep! Of course.

Thierry: Of course? Often?

Brian: Yes, for photo shoots.
To Greg: you must have done it too!

Greg: Not the chest but somewhere else, yes!!!

Brian: Somewhere else? Oh, your balls?

Greg: Yes.

Thierry: Why?

Greg: For the striptease, if you have hair going outside the string it’s less sexy!

Thierry: We always forget he was a striper! It’s funny! We always think he is a drug dealer!

Baffie: Dancer of charm!

Thierry: Have you ever watched Jean Pierre Pernault at 1p.m? [J.P. Pernault is a tv journalist, he presents the tv news at 1p.m since 15 years! But Brian doesn’t know him, that’s for sure!].

Brian: What????

Thierry: Here it is, Placebo, Brian Molko, Sleeping With Ghosts. The album remastered, ladies and gentlemen. The single is “Protègemoi” with lyrics from Birginie Despentes [She’s a French author, her most known books are “Baisemoi” (1993)(translate “Fuck me”) and “Les jolies choses” (1998) (translate “Beautiful things”)]

It’s the end of the interview but not of the show. A song byTéléphone (a French group, remember, Brian’s first gig at 11 was Téléphone!) and Brian is singing… It’s just too cute!! ;-)

A Special Thank You to: Bénédicte Convert for the translation into English and Diana E.T. Foghin for her helping hand.
Article design and pictures by SusanneCk
Placebo Anyway

It's going to be a great show in Mexico - Brian Molko

Interview with Brian Molko in Mexico D.F.

28/03/2014

Brian Molko during an interview in Mexico DF:

- We will play a lot of LLL and for the show we'll have a new lightshow. It's going to be a great show.

-We want to do a lot of sightseeing in Mexico because I think there are many interesting places.

- One thing about my fans I find very crazy is when they have my face tattooed on their bodies.

- It's important for me to feel cool when I'm away from home. Working hard during the tour and recording a new album are things they are always welcome in my life.

-Some of my favorite songs now are Drag, Come Home, Burger Queen, Loud Like Love and much more..

- My favourite Mexican group is not exactly a rock band, it's a duo called: Rodrigo y Gabriela.

- From the musicans nowadays, I would like to record a album with 'Cage The Elephant'. I love them.

Sources: http://www.am.com.mx/notareforma/26215

Thank you to Vivi Vivita, Brenda Tejeda and Placebo Venezuela

Brian Molko: Astrology and Horoscope

For all the astrolgy and horoscope fans of Brian Molko 

Check it out here on this page.

LLL - Behind The Scenes by Brian Molko

Placebo - Behind The Scenes Of Loud Like Love Video Shoot by Brian Molko

Music video by Placebo performing Behind The Scenes Of Loud Like Love Video Shoot, London.



 (C) 2014 Elevator Lady Ltd., under exclusive license to Vertigo/Capitol, a division of Universal Music GmbH

Watch again the LLL video 

Headbanging Brian Molko

Headbanging Brian Molko in a dress, can we ask for more?