Interview Popaganda with Brian Molko / Placebo 29.07.2014 / Greece by
Αντιγόνη Πάντα-Χαρβά - Link interview
Translated into English by Xenia Gerasimova - Layout / Desing SusanneCk - PlaceboAnyway
I have noticed: visiting Greece you have never played in enclosed spaces for all these years. Every time your concerts take place in summer. Now, in general, you perform on the large stadiums and platforms. Nevertheless, you don't reject small dark clubs where you have had an occasion to play in the beginning of your career...
Brian:Of course. Performing in such clubs you feel a certain affinity between oneself and the audience, and this is what we aspire to from time to time. It frightens to some extent, as you are surrounded with so many people and they are so close to you. Nonetheless it is good experience for us, as for a band, which is eager to do as much as possible. That is why we prefer playing gigs on the different platforms. Besides, it is an opportunity to go back to one's roots.
Brian:Of course. Performing in such clubs you feel a certain affinity between oneself and the audience, and this is what we aspire to from time to time. It frightens to some extent, as you are surrounded with so many people and they are so close to you. Nonetheless it is good experience for us, as for a band, which is eager to do as much as possible. That is why we prefer playing gigs on the different platforms. Besides, it is an opportunity to go back to one's roots.
Brian: The point is that the past is the past: you cannot change it, even with the best will in the world. It is water under the bridge. You may make plans for the future, though it cannot always be under the control. The things that are going at the moment - they are real. In English language there is a word 'present', it also means 'gift'. Therefore, we say: 'Yesterday is a history, tomorrow is a mistery. Today is a gift. That's why we call it a present'. It's necessary to live full life, revelling each day, each moment. It's not easy, but having learned to live in the present and not being worried about future you may reach a harmony inside. I think, we all aspire to it anyway. We all try to find a composure for our thoughts and our body. It is hard, but it is always worth an effort at least. Hope is a very important factor.
Brian: To my mind, people have a tremendous capacity for making right conclusions of made mistakes. But usually, one person need someone's help to realise the current situation and deal with it. That is why it is very important not to isolate yourself from society. It's necessary to be open enough and communicative. The interaction with others is important. You should show frankness and susceptibility, after all the more you are open, the easier to help you. You have an amount of possibilities to learn from your own mistakes, but very often you are not capable to comprehend them by yourself.
Have you ever felt like everything is so disgusting that you have been ready to say: 'May the devil take all this'?
Brian: In 2007, after the touring in support of Meds album, it was a crisis moment for the band. Then I realised, that changes were unavoidable, otherwise we couldn't continue our business. Instead of abandonment of all we made a daring decision and changed one of the band's member. It gave us a chance for the future. All happening was extremely painful for me, it was an awful period for us. But we didn't give up, went on with our work and recorded Battle for the Sun album, which is full of joy and hope.
If there has been any reason to stop writing songs then what would you do? Have you ever thought about it?Brian: I have been writing songs for more than 20 years. All my life is connected with it, and to be honest, I am not good at doing other things. It turns out funny, after all such state of things points to the fact that what I am doing have some value and therefore I have to improve myself, if I do not want to lose everything.Brian: In 2007, after the touring in support of Meds album, it was a crisis moment for the band. Then I realised, that changes were unavoidable, otherwise we couldn't continue our business. Instead of abandonment of all we made a daring decision and changed one of the band's member. It gave us a chance for the future. All happening was extremely painful for me, it was an awful period for us. But we didn't give up, went on with our work and recorded Battle for the Sun album, which is full of joy and hope.
As you have mentioned before Battle for the Sun album is full of joy. I would say openness. Though the last album Loud Like Love have an optimistic title, there are many story-telling songs about pain and healing it. This album is much more introvertive. It turns out that opposition between happiness and loneliness never fades? Is it an artist's destiny? Is it possible to find a harmony in this case?
Brian: You have described these two albums and fate of an artist definitely, but I don't think that it's a choice of himself. Battle for the Sun is very dynamic, it has been pierced with the loud guitar reeves. This album also has been a result of the research of our new essence. That what we needed that time was reflected in this album. Only few knows when we set out to make a new recording, we hardly feel like allergic to our previous record. We want to create something completely different.
I've recently listened to the new Morrissey's album and periodically such thought have crossed my mind: what I have loved once in his music, unfortunately, will never return. Have a you ever thought about any of musicians like this? Is it fine that we, listeners, think in this way or should we accept each artist's experiment?
Brian: That everyone should realise is that a creative person may advance only undertaking some efforts to change oneself. Everything has been changing all the time in this life. Metamorphoses is the only thing that is real. That's why we have to accept that fact that artist will always search for something new for himself, source of inspiration. Many artists are too impatient and therefore they rushing ahead immediately to find something new. Some of them are less gusty. For instance, English artist Damien Hirst, who can paint one thousand time absolutely the same pictures and he feels fine with it. Other creative human beings, including me, need an alternate approach. We are in a constant searching of changes. And this pushes you forward to new discoveries. Someone wants to enhance oneself skills. I would like to become more qualified in what I am engaged too. I don't feel succeeded.
Brian: That everyone should realise is that a creative person may advance only undertaking some efforts to change oneself. Everything has been changing all the time in this life. Metamorphoses is the only thing that is real. That's why we have to accept that fact that artist will always search for something new for himself, source of inspiration. Many artists are too impatient and therefore they rushing ahead immediately to find something new. Some of them are less gusty. For instance, English artist Damien Hirst, who can paint one thousand time absolutely the same pictures and he feels fine with it. Other creative human beings, including me, need an alternate approach. We are in a constant searching of changes. And this pushes you forward to new discoveries. Someone wants to enhance oneself skills. I would like to become more qualified in what I am engaged too. I don't feel succeeded.
Really? Or it's an artist's inherent uncertainty speaks?
Brian: I truly think, I have much to learn from many things. Someone agrees with this, someone not. But I want to play guitar and the piano better, I want to write quantitatively better songs, I want to improve myself as an author. I am spurred by the desires for all these. And of course I want to make some experiments with the musical Placebo's essence. That's why I think changes is the only unchangeable thing in our life. Something changes every moment, even inside our body. As soon as you realize it, you feel release. It is similar with the spiritual revival. As for me, I accept it and that's why I feel comfortable. Some people are afraid of changes, because they feel easily in a circle of those whom they know well. This is not my case.
Brian: I truly think, I have much to learn from many things. Someone agrees with this, someone not. But I want to play guitar and the piano better, I want to write quantitatively better songs, I want to improve myself as an author. I am spurred by the desires for all these. And of course I want to make some experiments with the musical Placebo's essence. That's why I think changes is the only unchangeable thing in our life. Something changes every moment, even inside our body. As soon as you realize it, you feel release. It is similar with the spiritual revival. As for me, I accept it and that's why I feel comfortable. Some people are afraid of changes, because they feel easily in a circle of those whom they know well. This is not my case.
All the new musicians who start their career obviously want everything and at once. After being in the music business for so many years what is the rule number №1 new music bands should hold to?
Brian: I've already known how to answer this question. Never, never try to be into the mainstream. Everything moves rapidly in music sphere, while you are writing your trendy album or song, everything changes one thousand times and you will be overboard. Here is the rule №1: Follow your heart and stay ground. This is the only way you may distinguish yourself from others.
Brian: I've already known how to answer this question. Never, never try to be into the mainstream. Everything moves rapidly in music sphere, while you are writing your trendy album or song, everything changes one thousand times and you will be overboard. Here is the rule №1: Follow your heart and stay ground. This is the only way you may distinguish yourself from others.
Interview Popaganda 29.07.2014 / Greece by
