Most Placebo interviews are given by Brian, but today I have one for you that was done by Stefan and ex-drummer Steve Hewitt back in 2007. Enjoy the conversation they had with a journalist from US music magazine Scene Point Blank
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| Photo credit unknown |
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Much to the delight of my parents, Placebo were the band who inspired me to steal my mothers eyeliner at the lofty age of eleven. Unfortunately, even after a career with such longevity, these overtones are still what many associate with the band. For fans and anyone else paying attention, however, the trio bring so much more than a pretty boy aesthetic. This became evident after sitting down with Stefan (bass), and Steve (drums). Promptly ignoring the no smoking by law, and killing my efforts for small talk, the two showed they weren't there to shoot the shit, and certainly gave no affirmation of the decorated exterior they are often pigeon holed into. What did I get then? I got something closer to what you typically find in their music. Two guys with more rock and roll than they should rightfully be allowed to have, and something a little more honest than I expected. Here's how it unfolded:๐๐ง'๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ค๐จ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐, ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฏ, ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ก๐ง๐ข. ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ, ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ช ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ข ๐๐๐ฅ?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “I think the reason we haven't come back is because of...well I don't know. Record companies I guess?“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “I think the main answer is we've been playing countries we haven't played before. We played in South America since we were here last, then there was Korea and China. We've just kind of been scoping out the world, really.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “The first three shows of this American tour has been great. Montreal was crazy with a sold out show humming along...“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “The last time we were here was in October with She Wants Revenge and that tour didn't hit Canada, so it's why we didn't come here then.“
๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฃ ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ก๐ง๐. ๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฃ๐, ๐ ๐๐๐ก'๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ง'๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐. ๐๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ก๐, ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “Well you're playing to a bunch of people who haven't seen you before, so you've kind of got to shove it down their throats and sell yourself in a different way. When you do your own show you have much more freedom and much more control. A festival is sort of like a conveyer belt of bands really. You go on and try and do your best to win people over...“
๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐๐๐ง?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “There is a nervousness going into every show.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “Still, yeah.“
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| Photo credit unknown |
๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฃ ๐ง๐ข๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ. ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ'๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก.
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: (laughs) “Well, it's a rumor.“
๐ฆ๐ข ๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ฌ ๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐๐๐ง?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “It's a rumor.“ ( laughs )
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “We're rather diplomatic today, aren't we?“
๐ช๐๐๐, ๐ ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐ข ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ก: ๐๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “That was something that was just released on the special edition of 'Sleeping with ghosts'. There was a fan demand for it, because many people couldn't get a hold of it due to a limited run. We decided to put it out on Itunes as a mini album, just because of that demand really, wasn't it? It's a nice little disc really; all the stuff we grew up with, used for soundtracks, and done for ourselves really. We just wanted to make it available for people to get because a lot of people were trying to find it.“
๐ข๐ก ๐ก๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ, ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐, ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ค๐จ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ . ๐ช๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “The thing is you can't stop technology. As you said, we've really embraced it through out our career. Keyboards have gotten more expensive, but we've incorporated electronics into our recording processes and writing processes. When you're on tour the internet is the most easy way to access music. We don't have much time to go to record stores anymore and having everything ready at your finger tips makes it so much less complicated. You can have your whole record collection in your little Ipod.“
๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐'๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ข๐ช๐ก๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ฃ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ช๐๐ข๐๐. ๐ช๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ง๐ช๐ข ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ...
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: The thing is, the album concept was invented in, what, the sixties ? Before that it was just single songs. People just have this sort of nostalgic attachment to albums. It's a concept that came, and now it's probably going.
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: When people buy music they buy the songs that they like, and a lot of time, I know from what we've experienced, you buy an album and you many not like all the tracks. It's more consumer orientated and gives you a choice. You're not stuck with the one format. You can do your own mix tape and compilations, and that's a positive thing. I prefer it that way.
๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ช๐๐ข๐๐, ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐'๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ '๐ช๐๐ง๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐'๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ก๐' ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐ง ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ. ๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฃ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ข?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “There is a part of that, but I think again you've got to modernize what's been done before. You've got to give the costumer that much freedom. I think that's the just the way people think these days; they all think differently. You've opened up an old sort of format, haven't you? It can break something up, especially from an artists point of view. You make a record you want the whole thing there, but if you don't like the tracks you don't like the tracks. End of story.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “I think we're still part of the album generation in a way. The tracks on the album (Covers) are from various parts, some of them were written six years ago. They span a long period of time, and all inhabit their own little world. Making records, we're still doing that, so you try to make it as much a journey as possible. But what can you do about it, you know? There are going to be negative and positive sides to this whole story. The positive side of this is music is so much more readily available for everyone. Like Steve was talking about the other day, there are records we haven't thought about in years, and shit man, those are probably available now. You're just sitting at the computer and you can get it. It's probably reignited an interest in music for many people:“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “And discovery as well. It's healthy in a way, there is a lot more back catalogue stuff being used.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “I think we should just get away from this whole nostalgia thing. Just because that's the way it was then doesn't mean it's the way it needs to be now. Technology has changed the way we listen to and consume music. First it was sheet music, then vinyl came and sheet music goes out of business. Then CD's came, and there was the golden era of CD's with record companies just rolling in it. Now the internet, it's just the next phase in the way we consume music. Of course it's going to be "no I don't like this" you know...“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “Music has changed.“
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| Photo credit unknown |
๐ ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ๐๐, ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ '๐ฅ๐จ๐ก๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฃ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐' ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐จ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก. ๐ช๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ก'๐ง ๐๐ก๐ข๐ช ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง, ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ช ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “It's intended to be a tribute to our fans. We left it open for them to sing the track in the close up and we'll edit it all together. It's a cover versions so it's not our track, and this is just a way to bring the fans closer to the band and have some fun moment with it, you know?“
๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐, ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ก ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ก๐ข๐ง...
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “None of your goddamn business.“ (laughs)
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “It's too early to call at this point. We try to keep our business and private lives out of the public eye. It's safest that way.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “We've been burned in the past.“
๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐´๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ. ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ง'๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฃ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐จ๐ง ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “It's just the easiest aspect to criticize and comment on. We come from a very tabloid, journalism, mentality in England and that's kind of what the world first read about Placebo. They just bought into the character, and it became a character assassination after awhile. I think it's just the superficial, celebrity obsessed, media world we live in right now. There is a shallowness that's become so much more present in the last couple of years. We don't like it, we don't want to be part of it. I think the whole issue of our sexuality and our personal lives have been written about so many times to a point where it's really fucking boring to talk about.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “It's the day and age of analyzing on anybody. Whether you're famous or not, anybody who's anybody, people want to fucking tear apart. Nature of the beast, really. It's a modernist thing, isn't it? Obsessive.“
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฉ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ก, ๐๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ค๐จ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ช. ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ, ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ'๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฃ?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “Oh. I think by the nature of not trying to be something we're not, you can still hear in this last album 'Meds', though it's our fifth album, it still sounds like Placebo. There is still a red line that connects it to the first couple of albums. To be honest with you, it's not something we consciously think about when we're writing and recording. If we all hit off on the same ideas and lyrics then that's what becomes a Placebo song. We don't say not that we've done that we have to go off and do our Kid A for example, or we have to sound like the Velvets or the Stones on this one. Now it's cool to do a new wave or an electronic punk album or something, but it's much more organic when it comes to the way that we work. By the fact of not trying to be something that we're not, we're still here. It's not something that we analyze really...“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “We always make music in a vacuum anyway. We never listen to anything else when we're in the studio so there is a sense of purity there. If we all agree then it becomes a Placebo thing. We've never been cool or trendy, so we've never had the problem of having to find the next step. Just really on our own root. Pretty much just the same way as Radiohead, we're just doing our own thing so we never had to contend with what's hip, or worry about it. I think that's been a saving grace of the band.“
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| Photo credit: Robin Sellick |
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “We intend to sleep. (laughs) This has been the most intense tour we've ever done with about 130 shows in nine months last year, and we're going to go until September. So when we get off that I think we'll need a bit of a breather.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “It's been nothing but rock and roll.“
๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐ข ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ?
Steve: “No.“ (laughs)
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “That's the answer to that one.“
๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ง ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐'๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ง. ๐ฆ๐ข ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ: “First and foremost it's about expression. That's the bottom line for me. You have many ways of doing that. From making records comes other things like videos. I've had many channels to produce art but it all stems from expressionist feeling for me.“
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “We're very lucky to be doing it, it's not a bad job. Art is art, and everything else is everything else.“
๐ง๐๐๐ง'๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ง, ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ ๐. ๐๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ง?
๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ: “It's good to be back, and hopefully it won't take as long to get back next time.“
(Scene Point Blank, April 2007)
Post by Silke
