Here you go:
’ DO THERAPY? NEED THERAPY?
Therapy? are now being hailed as one of the main noise makers in the music industry today. They started off as nobodies but now they have atop ten single ‘ShortSharpShock’ and a rapidly growing following. This is an interview with former pupil, micheal McKeegan, who reveals the truth behind the myth!
HOW DID IT ALL START FOR YOU?
I had always wanted to be in a band, ever since I was little. I had grown up with music and was always buying new records. My two brothers each played instruments and we had a little group with the three of us in it. Therefore it was a natural progression for me to eventually end up in a band.
HOW WAS THE BAND FORMED?
andy had been in many bands efore Therapy? came along and Fyffe was in a ‘League of Decency’ doing cover versions at many seedy places. Then Andy saw Fyffe and afterwards they got talking and realised that they both liked ‘different’ music. When I say ‘different’ here I mean heavy rock music, not the usual pop. Together they started to write music and eventually they saved up enough money for a demo tape. For the demo they needed a bass guitartist and thats where I fitted in. I knew Andy(I think she meant Fyffe) from my geography class at school, so one night I was asked to come to apractice and we have never looked back since.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE/DISLIKE ABOUT BEING FAMOUS?
Before answering this question, I want to say that I think Madonna or Micheal Jackson are ‘famous’ but not us. Granted we have a small piece of that stardom but we still have along way to go. Now, the thing that I most like about it all is the travelling that we do. Being in the band has given me opportunities to see countries I only ever dreamed of visiting. We travel regularly and are not stuck to one place and so it adds a bit of variety to life. theres nothing really that I dislike about it,apart from when idiots come up to you in the pub, try to wind you upand then brag to their mates about it.
WHATS THE MOST INTERESTING COUNTRY YOU’VE VISITED?
the place that has been most alien to us would probably be Slovakia. it was totally different from anything we were used to. Everywhere and everything in it was grey; it was really depressing. For dinner one night they brought us ham and two pieces of this bread like Ryvita and they thought this was brilliant. Also Mexico would have to be one of the worst places that we have been to. It was really dirty and touristy and reminded us of a Third World country. They were realyy cruel to animals and life on the whole was really cheap.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HADN’T BEEN IN THE BAND?
I don’t really know because Therapy? started up as soon as I left school and so I had no other plans. I probably would have gone to university.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE THE TYPE OF MUSIC YOU DO?
We all like music which is similar to pop music. We like the pop music which you hear all the time. However, it is too clean for us. When we have thought of a tune, we like to add some noise and aggression and then it suits us.
WHAT ARE THE BANDS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Well, we have just finished recording an album and then we are going to Europe for a couple of months. After Europe we are going to Japan for ten days and then on to America for a month and a half. In December we have an English tour and then we are coming back to Ireland. Next spring we are releasing our single and then our album.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING TO START A BAND?
Basically, if it feels right do it. Don’t think about anyone else, just be yourself. A lot of people try to copy others, but if you play naturally and stick at it, eventually something may come about. Don’t worry if you aren’t an overnight success; it doesn’t just happen, it progresses.
by Kerry McDowell
Grammarian ‘93 ’
This was a one page article with a picture of the band from the ‘Grammarian’ which is the Larne Grammer school magazine. This was typed up pretty quickly so please excuse any crap spelling on my part.
