1. You recently completed a European tour supporting your latest album “Never apologise, Never explain”. What was the response of the audience at your shows? Do your shows have the same energy as when the band was hailed by the music press?
The response was absolutely brilliant. Most heartening was the amount of young people at the shows and the reaction to the new songs. Each night was different but mostly the new songs went down as good if not better than the older more established tunes. To be honest the music press attention never affects what we do as a band or onstage, right from day one TPY? have always had an energetic, aggressive stage performance.
2. “Never apologise, Never explain” could be considered a return to a more rough sound for Therapy? . Was that your aim when you entered the studio or it just happened? Do you think you can get to new fans or mostly you aim to satisfy the old ones?
Not really, we just wanted a more stripped down sound and having written the album as 3 piece we guessed it would probably reflect a bit of the earlier aggression. When we make a record were pretty selfish as we just want to please ourselves
.hehehe
obviously we want the long-term fans to dig it and hopefully pick up some new ears on the way. Our biggest fear is to play it safe and create an album we think people want to hear, thats a bit too calculating and patronising for the listeners.
3. Rock music is no longer the hype of the music media, having given its place to the Pop Idols. Do you consider that is a good thing, meaning that artists can work with more freedom without the pressure of the music industry?
I would disagree as I think rock music, in the UK at least, is very popular and there are lots of huge bands touring and making music. The Darkness, Green Day, U2 have all had their biggest successes in the past year or two. I think the more diversity in music and styles is for the best
its now acceptable for people to buy and listen to rock, pop or electronic music without fear of whats cool. And as a result it means a lot of bands can exist outside the restraints of genre classification.
4.The above question applies to Therapy? Do you find it easier to work as a musician now that you’ve don’t need to make million selling records, or sometimes you reminisce of the Top of the Pops?
Everything that the band has done has been an amazing learning experience and of course wed love to sell millions of records as long as we could do it on our own terms. Personally I find it easier to create music now as the band has a very good vibe and creative attitude at the minute. Regardless of sales etc
.only a healthy band relationship can create the right music.
5.Do you enjoy experimenting with new approaches when writing new material?
Yeah, songs can come about in many different ways. Sometimes a lyric idea, or a riff, or a rehearsal jam or a home demo. We enjoy working in all these ways as it prevents us falling into comfortable methods or resorting to clichés.
6. Quite often the last years, rock bands tend to enhance their sound with electronic elements, have you considered of doing that?
Weve always followed the electronic scene be it Acid House in the 80s or the harder acts like the Aphex Twin or Squarepusher. If you listen to songs like Teethgrinder or If It Kills Me theres a debt to the rhythms and sonic approaches of these artists. I think many rock bands have embraced technology in a very basic, unimpressive way
almost as if it was a calculated attempt to appear contemporary. Only those who do it in an original way come out with cool new sounds and approaches. We prefer to translate some of the ideas onto our guitars and beats so it sounds natural and organic. A warning
remember when David Bowie discovered drum and bass? (shudder).
7. Is it easy for young musicians nowadays to make their way through to the listeners or quality music isn’t what always matters in the music business?
Theres always a place for new bands be they good, passionate, original ones or shoddy, hyped, bandwagon jumpers. I think that if a band has enough belief in what they do itll work out ok. The worst thing I feel for a young band is to try and tailor their sound to fit in with a popular scene. These scenes always die out and most people can spot a band who are faking it. Sticking to your guns and self belief are very important I believe.
8.You are living music from the inside for almost 15 years now. You’ve seen many chapters
of the modern music history, whether that was the grunge movement, the Britpop explosion
or the garage revival to name a few. As a listener, do you feel that music over the last years is getting more interesting or groundbreaking bands tend to extinct?
The scenes have always come and gone. Im just glad that people still make powerful, emotive music. Sometimes they take influences from the past but they put their own original twist on it. off the top of my head Id recommend Queens Of The Stone Age, Todd, Black Moses, Mark Lanegan, DJ Shadow, Trans Am, Mastadon, 3 Inches Of Blood, Masters Of Reality etcetc
9.The Therapy? line-up has changed many times. Are you and Andy fractious bastards or you just put an end to a co-operation when it is the right time because band mates are above all friends?
Hehehe
well two of the drummers left to pursue superstar solo careers and Martin left because all of us felt his musical ideas were becoming more distant from the rest of us.
10.Internet and other new technologies have changed the way we listen to music. New artists can have their music heard much easier than the past. Do you feel though that the magic surrounding the music is lost with this overexposure?
No, I think its very cool that new artists can get their music heard. The main problem I have with music online is that people can download copyrighted music for free, as a result I feel people are viewing music increasingly as a disposable art form i.e. it can be got for free then it sends out the idea that it is worthless. As a result I hear people boasting that theyll never buy another album again and, as a musician and a music fan, this makes me very sad.
11. You are visiting Greece, a popular tourist destination (laughs..) for the second time. What do you enjoy more, touring Europe or the UK?
What are your thoughts on the night before another tour is about to begin?
Were very excited about our Greek visit as we had a great time back in 1995. We pretty much enjoying touring everywhere though its always a thrill to play somewhere for the first time. To be honest the main thing Im thinking about on the eve of any tour is how are we going to make this tour better than the last one
were always very conscious of our good live reputation and endeavour to constantly improve the live experience.