Review - Placebo UK & Irish Tour and Placebo20 interview with Amazia Shining

Placebo tour 2015 & Placebo20 soulmate never dies interview

by The Placebo Anyway Team & Amazina Shining
Layout by Susie Bosco 

Photos by Kieran Frost & Sweet Hope by sglhae - Kaleidoscope Kustoms on Flickr 

Interview with  Amazia Shining from Germany  about the sold out Placebo show in Dublin  (25/02/2015), all latetes news and much more…

Placebo live photographs by Stacy Auld

Our favourite band is on tour again. These days we are enjoying the biggest UK & Irish tour Placebo ever had.  Recently we could read what can the fans  expect from the gigs? The answer was: something more in touch with the band's roots. "We're playing in smaller venues than those we normally play in," says Brian, "to create a kind of intimate ambience. We recently played in small clubs around the United States, and while the tour wasn't financially successful, it boosted our confidence. It showed we could still pull off gigs like that!

Placebo Anyway:  So, our first question is. How was the gig and did you get more in touch with the band’s roots in the smaller venues?

AM Photo Star & Kieran Frost (Placebo live pictures)

Amazia Shining: Well, that’s a tough one for me, as I’ve never really seen their roots. But I did definitely get more in touch with the band than before. The only two Placebo Gigs I had attended before was Mönchengladbach Hockeypark with an approximately 9500 people audience and iTunes-festival London, which was a lot smaller already. Actually the difference in the venues capacities wasn’t that big. I think 1300 people in Dublin, 1700 in London. But it was a totally different experience anyway. Maybe it was because of the Dublin Olympia itself, which is beautiful beyond words, the fact that huge parts of the audience were on the balconies instead of the ground floor, or the combination of both. Let’s just say if making it as intimate and cosy as possible, they totally nailed it with the Dublin venue, which is an old (built in 1879), very romantic theatre. The Gig was great, everyone was in such a good mood and Brian's voice was stunning (even more stunning than usual )

 Placebo Anyway: What about the set-list? I have to wait for the first set list to be able to ask something… I would like to ask you about Nancy Boy and My Sweet Prince…

Amazia Shining: You know I’m not exactly the best person to be asked for a setlist, right? XD I’m just too absorbed by the music and all the emotions to keep track. No 'Nancy Boy' (although Mr. Molkos 'Nancy-Boy-voice' is back :P) and unfortunately no 'My Sweet Prince'. I’d die just to hear them live only once. But they played 'Special Needs', which gave me goosebumps from head to toe because it’s one of my personal favourites and I didn’t expect to hear it live, ever. 'I know' was the only other song that was new to the setlist (at least for me). The rest was pretty much the usual 'Loud Like Love' setlist I think.

Placebo Anyway: Many fans go to more than one concert, and you? Will we see you at one of the next gigs or at one of the Summer festivals?

Amazia Shining: I’d love to! But I’m really not into festivals (I pretty much hate them, tbh.. too many ppl, too many bands I don’t like at all just to be able to watch the one or two acts I love, who are probably playing on different stages at the same time.. no thanks). And right now it’s impossible for me to travel again just for a show. I was lucky I could make it to Dublin and I’ll forever be thankful for that!

Placebo Anyway:  A new tour, a new tour drummer. How was for you the moment you read on the social networks about Steve Forrest leaving Placebo?

Amazia Shining: It was one of those ‘what the fuck…’ moments (I hope you don’t mind me swearing, otherwise just use other words). I was for sure sad and concerned. But as I always just loved the music but never really followed the band, for me coming to the point where I think of Placebo as Brian and Stefan wasn’t that hard. But I love Steve and I wish all the best for him and his future.

Photo by Planes

Placebo Anyway:  We wish Steve and his band Planes good luck. There will go on tour soon too. Will you go to one of their shows?

Amazia Shining: If there will be dates in Germany, I will, no matter what.

Placebo Anyway: What do you think about the new tour drummer Matt Lunn? Did you find any difference now with him on stage?

Amazia Shining: I must admit I didn’t watch him that closely, I was too distracted by Brian joking around about whatever was smeared on his mic and by him being just too cute to handle. But he certainly did a great job. At least I couldn’t find a difference in what they sounded like.

Matt Lunn Dublin Placebo show ! Photo by AM Photo Star 

Placebo Anyway: Do you like the idea of Brian & Stefan being the only official members now of Placebo or do you wish for them to have an official drummer in the future? Maybe Matt Lunn?

Amazia Shining: Honestly if it was my decision, I’d keep it with Brian and Stefan alone, but I’m happy with whatever they decide, as long as they keep on making great music.

Placebo Anyway: On the Placebo Facebook page we could see the last weeks a comment about “a new album”. If you could choose a theme for this new album, what would it be? A live album, an accoustic album, more like the old days or similiar to LLL or something completly new?

Photos: Placebo Instagram

Amazia Shining: I’m always in for something completely new J I love every single Album they ever made and I’m sure I’ll immediately fall in love with anything they could come up with. I love seeing bands evolving. There’s nothing worse than a band just playing it safe for me. I need change.

Photo by Brian Molko Instagram

Placebo Anyway: Let us speak about more projects. Did you get Brian’s book “Selected”? What kind of version did you order and how do you feel with this book, what does it give to you?

Amazia Shining: Unfortunately the Book is another thing that would have to wait until I have the money. I would be totally happy with a simple version. But I saw the foreword and it is extremely touching for me. Although I don’t write for a living and I write novels and short stories and no lyrics I couldn’t have make the point better than he did. I could totally have written his foreword because I feel pretty much the same about my own texts. I can’t read loudly for example and I always think I could have done better, too. I don’t know if it’s a writers issue or we are just quite similar in some points. Anyway, although I couldn’t buy it so far it’s still very emotional and touching for me.

Photo by Digital 21 

Placebo Anyway: Some days before the touring started Stefan presented on the famous Spanish radio Channel ‘Radio3’  a song in colaboration with Digital 21. We could listen to the song “War” at the ‘Siglo21’  programme and we would like to ask you, what do you think about this project and  also the other social activities of Mr. Olsdal. More information here.

Amazia Shining: I fell in love immediately!!!!

Placebo Anyway:  We are celebrating  Placebo's 20 years. The first special thing Placebo prepared for their fans was the posibilty to listen to all their albums remastered online .  We enjoyed them a lot with this amazing sound. Did you like this idea? What about the upcoming vinyls? Do you want to get them even if you don’t have a vinyl record player?

Amazia Shining: I would buy them in no time if I had the money because I strongly believe in supporting the artists I love. I know creative work is still work – and maybe one of the hardest kinds because it can easily suck you dry completely and exhaust you on an emotional level. I liked the streaming idea, too, because I think whether you like it or not, streaming is the future. I hardly know anyone who still buys music, even on the digital market. Either they download illegally, or they use streaming platforms. And even Placebo will not be capable of avoiding piracy. The streaming at least gives the opportunity to make a bit of money out of it. I’ve read an article recently in which they pretty much explained how much the artist actually makes from every streaming on Spotify. It’s not as much as if someone buys the CD or the download of course, but they get paid for every single play. So, I guess they won’t be in danger of starving XD. But I personally still prefer buying my music, especially physical copies and not just digital. Oh and of course streaming gets bonus points for giving opportunity to introduce people to their music without having to share the actual mp3. And introduction victims can’t play the: ‘I don’t have the money – card’ :P

Placebo Anyway: Imagine you could prepare a special Placebo20th party in a small venue, band included. Choose a place which do you think it would be perfect and what would you prepare for this party?

Amazia Shining: Oh wow……. You wanna see me crying, right? What place would I chose… That’s a tough decision to make as I know so many places that would make a great location. But I’ll just go for the first thought that crossed my mind: There’s a small museum  (Leopold Hoesch Museum) for modern art in a small city called Düren (I don’t expect anyone to know it *lol*). I’ve worked there during an internship for a year and the moment I first entered the building I knew I wanted to work there. It just welcomed me home somehow. It’s an old Art Nouveau building with beautiful free stairs and it’s filled with modern art. 

Photos credits: Hpschaefer, Hollerung GmbH, Claus Richter, Phototaxis, 2010, Pappe, Elektrik, teilweise Motor
Courtesy Galerie Marietta Clages und Galerie Eva Winkeler, Foto: Peter Hinschläger & FACADE, 2007, Styrodur, Elektrik, Acryl, Holz, Sammlung Michael Neff, Foto: Peter Hinschläger

Plus the acoustic is great (I know it for sure because we had lots of exhibition openings with live music there). There are several rooms to stroll around in and well… lets say it’s just a very warm, beautiful place to be. I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent there just sitting in front of one painting or drawing just finding peace, which is a hard thing for me to do. I don’t know what kind of food I’d order, maybe something from the Mexican restaurant around the corner, because they are very good at what they are doing, although I don’t know if anyone of the guys actually likes Mexican food.

 I’d have to ask them :P There wouldn’t be a dresscode. Or if there would be one it would just say be who you are. No one there ever cared if you attend a party in a formal dress or a tux, or in jeans and t-shirt. I’d like the idea of a small acoustic set, maybe one or two songs from each album max. And a DJ set – hopefully something kind of sophisticated… And some stupid fun stuff to loosen up everything. Kind of Childs Birthday party like (How about karaoke or even better… we’d ‘lock up’ Brian somewhere and Stef would have to free him by winning keys… that’s something we made at school to celebrate graduation.

 But we locked up the principal in his office and the teachers played against the pupils in order to free him. The price was one day off for us, if the pupils win and something else I can’t remember if the teachers did). Like those treasure seeking games probably all of us played on our birthday parties. And if Brian isn’t a treasure worth winning (and the acoustic set) I don’t know. :P I know I’m a lunatic, you shouldn’t really give me an opportunity like that. Someone should warn the guys what might happen if they ever bump into me :P let alone let me plan anything for them .

Amazia Shining with friends - Placebo 20th Anniversary party !!

Placebo Anyway: Now let us go online. Imagine you have to organize somethiing really special for the band on a virtual way. What would you do, including every soulmate all over the world?

Amazia Shining: hmmmmmmmmmmm *thinking* The thing is, I would want to do something no one ever did before and I’m originated in a fanbase which is extremely passionate and so into making special events for the band, we pretty much did everything possible *lol* But I’ll try to come up with something. Just let me think about what could be done if literally every single Soulmate in the world would participate and we were sure the guys would see it.

As there are so many of us out there and I would want EVERYONE to be seen, a short video wouldn’t be enough. I also would prefer doing something band related but with an impact on the world and especially the society we live in. As I know they are involved in rising awareness for mental illness and stuff, I’d probably do something related. I just suume the sky is the limit at least in my fantasy, so I’d try building some kind of global network where every single one of us can contribute in some way, offering help for those in need. 

Photo credits: Erika Fustero Flickr, theskinographies.com, limelightpr.co.uk, Placebo, 

Especially for the ones who usually remain unseen and unheard because the world thinks there are bigger problems to solve than ‘just’ being lonely, misunderstood, left alone, misplaced, sad and angry. I would probably start by collecting experiences… I would want everyone to write down some issues they had, no matter what kind of issues and how the band, their music and especially the feeling of not being alone with the pain helped us to keep fighting. I guess it would be a pretty tome haha. But there should be lots of time for reading if you’re traveling a lot. 


Then I would like to spread this feeling beyond the fanbase. I mean there are so many of us all around the world, it would surely be possible to set up message boards in every country where people can go and find some kind of emotional shelter. In the end of the day that’s what we already do a lot, right? Staying in contact via Facebook or twitter or whatever, being there for each other and helping each other out. Why not spreading it further? Of course we would need a lot of help by people who are experts in programming, we’d need money to pay for servers and stuff and of course people who would just spread the word and participate. We would need to school people how to deal with certain situations. What to do if someone is about to self harm or even wants to commit suizide. We’d need contacts to other organisations who would be able to help in case someone is in serious trouble and needs a place to stay and assistance. 

Photo credits: blog.ticketbud.com, Placebo & hourrevolution.co

For me personally it’s kind of an issue turning to officials for help. It’s so much easier talking to people who are just troubled souls like I am or maybe just friends (kind of). I think it’s because I always feel judged by real professionals, it’s always so examination-like and that’s something that scares me to death. I would like to set up a network of ‘professional’ friends and a place to stay if everything else fails. I would like to show the world it’s okay to feel weak, it’s okay to fall and that there are people who will always catch you without judging you for who you are.  Why not dream of a little virtual utopia!Maybe I’d even name it like that  "The virtual utopia", powered by Placebo’s Soulmates  :P

Placebo Anyway: This sounds really nice!! Thank you Amazia for this wonderful idea!! Coming to the end of the interview, please define the Dublin concert with 3 words.

Amazia Shining: Special, loving, funny

Placebo Anyway: Now imagine you could give Brian and Stef a Thank You gift for the wonderful last 20 years with the band. Which gift would you choose?

Amazia Shining:  I couldn’t come up with a personal gift. My gift would be the network I wrote about before and it wouldn’t be my gift but our gift.. to them, but also to the world in a way.

Credits:

Interview by Susie Bosco & Diana E.T.Foghing in colaboration with Amazia Shining from Germany.

Facebook: Placebo Anyway