๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐!๐๐
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| Photo credits: Mary Scanlon, unknown (4) / edit by Silke |
When Brian and Stefan started Placebo they needed a drummer. Stefan suggested to ask Robert Schultzberg, and he joined the band in September 1994. He played on Placebo's first studio demo in April 1995, which garnered much attention and finally led to a deal with Virgin Records.
Robert also did the drums on the band's early singles and on their self-titled debut album. Unfortunately he had a strained relationship with Brian and due to their problems with each other he left the band in October 1996.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐๐จ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐
๐ข “My best memories include the initial sense of disbelief when things started taking off. It happened so quickly: We recorded our first demo in April 95 (seven months after forming) and were picked up by our managers in June '95. We hadn’t even recorded our debut album and were invited by Bowie to do four dates with him in Italy in February '96. All he had heard was our demo, which he loved. So we basically went from playing small places in the UK, to playing arenas, literally overnight. I guess there was a sense of having a world of opportunity at our feet. A lot of people, notably our managers and the record company, seemed determined to make Placebo successful. However, this was all very stressful at the same time because the relationship between Brian and me was never easy and it led to there being a tense atmosphere a lot of the time. We were both proud and opinionated and seemed to lock horns over most issues. I always knew my time in the band was going to be limited.“
(Source: Placebo City, November 2007)
๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐ก ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐
๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐: “Even at the beginning, Robert and I couldn’t be in the same room with each other without wanting to be violent. From an objective point of view would you like to describe what it was like? After all, you were in the middle, he was your mate.”
๐ข ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐: “I remember getting phone calls from my friends going: Cool, man, you’re getting pretty famous. Are you having fun?” And I was, like: “No”. I guess that made us realise that, no, it’s not fun, so one of us had to go. And one did.”
(Classic Rock, January 2005)
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| Photo credit unknown |
๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข'๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ญ๐ต๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ก-๐ช๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ข๐ฆ. ๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐, ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง?
๐ข “The recording of the album was a fairly rushed job, and it would have been better to spend a little bit more time getting certain things right (I think the drums should have been played better!) but that’s what most bands say anyway. I was sharing a flat in Dublin with Brad Wood the producer whom I got on well with, whilst Stefan and Brian shared another place together. We spent two weeks recording and then went back to London to mix for two weeks. We took off halfway through the recording to go to Austin to play South by South West out of which we managed to get our publishing deal. It was non-stop.“
๐๐ก ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฒ, ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐-๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐-๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ. ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง?
๐ข “Alex, their manager first told me about this at a Young Gods gig I went to in June 2006. I was delighted to hear about it as it seemed to me the record company thought it was the band’s best piece of work and that it needed to be reappraised. However, I’m aware that the re-release coincided with the end of Placebo’s five album deal with Virgin, so there was an obvious marketing motive on behalf of the record company, but it certainly didn’t bother me.“
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ?
๐ข “My favourite song has always been Swallow. The first version of this Brian and Stefan recorded on acid when I was in Germany for a month in September ’94 visiting an ex-girlfriend of mine. When I heard it, I thought it was amazing: it really did something for me. The vocal sounding genuinely fucked up repeated over that eery bass motif and cool harmonics on the guitar (there were no drums on it). I believe Brian played bass on that, and Stefan the guitar. We never played it live because we could never really replicate the vibe of the original recording, even though I’m happy with the album version.
Out of the faster tracks I suppose Bruise Pristine was my favourite to play, along with Come Home.“
๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก. ๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐?
๐ข “I was fired. I left initially in September 95, but just around then we were offered to record our first single (Bruise Pristine) so I felt I needed to at least have accomplished one release with the band. Upon rejoining (after having left for two weeks) things really started taking off. Unfortunately, we had a big argument in August 1996 just before going to record our first TV show (the White Room). Brian said he couldn’t stand to play with me anymore and I said more or less, that the band was not solely his to decide what to do with. Incredibly, I volunteered to get therapy in order to be able to deal with the ‘situation’ (him) better to which he replied he “did not have time for me to sort my head out”, clearly taking no responsibility for his own behaviour/actions. I suggested (and we ‘agreed’) that we carry on playing together until December 96 and complete the promotion of the album and see if things could improve by then.
In September 96 we had our first US tour for two weeks and the first date was in New York. The atmosphere was super tense and I could tell something was up as Brian was no longer making the slightest effort to be agreeable. I asked Stefan what was going on and if I would be doing the German tour (after the US tour) just before going on stage, and he just said ‘no, you’re not’. I did two more shows with the band in Paris after the US tour at the manager’s request, the last one being a performance on “Nulle Part Aillleurs”. Brian has said that he was “tired of being the focus of Robert’s rages against the world” and quite frankly, I was tired of being his! If you’re wondering where Stefan stood in all of this, he was tired of being piggy in the middle.“
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| Photo credit unknown |
๐ข “There was a lot of good will behind Placebo. A lot people were determined to make a success of it, including the band obviously, so it was hardly surprising. And they have written some good pop songs after all!
๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ , ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข'๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐ข ๐๐ก๐๐ช ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ก๐ง๐๐. ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ ๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ข ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ช?
๐ข “I have met many, though I guess the fans who talk to me are more likely to say that kind of thing (rather than saying the band are way better now). However, it has been a great source of comfort and vindication for me to meet people who share this point of view.“
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐'๐ฆ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก?
๐ข “Some good stuff, some not so good.“
๐ก๐ข๐ช๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฆ, ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ง๐๐ “๐ฆ๐๐ซ, ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฆ ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐'๐ก'๐ฅ๐ข๐๐“ ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข ๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ด๐ฌ๐. ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ช ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ, ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐?
๐ข “I’m not sure about sex drugs and rock’n’roll not being as influential as it used to be. Being in a band will always attract the other two, whether or not those are your reasons for starting a band in the first place. I think the motto gained its notoriety back in the 70’s because it was happening on uncharted territory, and has since become a tired clichรฉ that I guess most bands are aware of. There is no point trying to be crazier than Keith Moon, it’s already been done.“
๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง?
๐ข “There is a French band based over here in London called John and Jehn who I think are great who have a cool dark poppy sound. Worth checking out.“
๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ข (๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก “๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ช“) ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ?
๐ข “I play the guitar as well. In fact I tend to play more guitar than drums, though the drums are where I feel most comfortable. I’m unlikely to perform live on the guitar but enjoy plucking away most days.“
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข? ๐ช๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฏ... ๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ?
๐ข “Lomax was a great band to play in as we had a lot of fun, but it couldn’t last as Paul Epworth’s (singer/guitarist) production career took off with him producing Bloc Party, Futureheads, the Rakes, etc. I’m now playing in a new band with Jon the bass player from Lomax and a guitarist called Mike who used to be in Hope of the States, though we are still nameless. The stuff we’re doing is quite experimental with the use of loops and effect pedals to create soundscapes whilst we thrash about over the top. We are making steady progress and plan to be playing live soon. I’m also playing in an electro-rock project called Cristine (ndPlacebocity : MySpace Cristine) with a French friend of mine. We’ve got two singles being released through new label Mute Irregulars (subsidiary of Mute records). The sound is a Velvetsey/Jesus and Mary chain vibe over an electro backdrop.“
๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐ช๐๐ง๐ง ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ. ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐, ๐ช๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ง? ๐ช๐๐ฌ?
๐ข “If there was a musical chemistry there, and if our demons could be restrained, it would be great, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.“
Source: Placebo City, November 2007
You can read another exclusive ๐ธ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ธ with Robert here:
http://bit.ly/2n8ERHg
Post by Silke
