Crowd, June 1984: Difference between revisions
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I mean, I had never heard the album ''Aftermath'' (the Rolling Stones' 1968 classic) until 1978, and a lot of the songs on ''This Year's Model'' were written as response to hearing that album. I think it's a very intelligent Rolling Stone album; it's not nearly as phoney-macho as some of their later records. I see them as these kids who have suddenly grown up and are in a sophisticated world, dealing with some of the hard realities of the adult sex world. And that was exactly what I was experiencing, except that it was 1978. I wrote an album that was parallel to that, so it therefore reflects the changes in attitudes. I wouldn't adopt that macho persona; it's so ludicrous. That's why those songs have a lot of compassion. The tone of them sounded like I was saying "You worthless slut" when in fact I wasn't saying that at all. | I mean, I had never heard the album ''Aftermath'' (the Rolling Stones' 1968 classic) until 1978, and a lot of the songs on ''This Year's Model'' were written as response to hearing that album. I think it's a very intelligent Rolling Stone album; it's not nearly as phoney-macho as some of their later records. I see them as these kids who have suddenly grown up and are in a sophisticated world, dealing with some of the hard realities of the adult sex world. And that was exactly what I was experiencing, except that it was 1978. I wrote an album that was parallel to that, so it therefore reflects the changes in attitudes. I wouldn't adopt that macho persona; it's so ludicrous. That's why those songs have a lot of compassion. The tone of them sounded like I was saying "You worthless slut" when in fact I wasn't saying that at all. | ||
''What about Armed Forces, some of the stuff on that’s pretty nasty. Party Girl…'' | ''What about ''Armed Forces'', some of the stuff on that’s pretty nasty. Party Girl…'' | ||
Party Girl is a lovely song. That’s just the opposite, that’s in sympathy with someone who is being labelled a party girl. That’s got a lot of affection in it, that song. And a lot of self-criticism. I don’t like that song all that much. I’m not capable of singing it anymore, because it comes from a period of my life that … I don’t feel that way. But I still reject that it’s a negative song. There’s a couple, perhaps, | Party Girl is a lovely song. That’s just the opposite, that’s in sympathy with someone who is being labelled a party girl. That’s got a lot of affection in it, that song. And a lot of self-criticism. I don’t like that song all that much. I’m not capable of singing it anymore, because it comes from a period of my life that … I don’t feel that way. But I still reject that it’s a negative song. There’s a couple, perhaps, on that album. That’s a more mean-spirited album than the one before. | ||
''You don’t like it, though, do you?'' | ''You don’t like it, though, do you?'' | ||
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A lot of it is glib. A lot of it is drug talk. The drugs are doing a lot of the songwriting in the less substantial songs. The better songs on it stand up. I was doing Green Shirt on the solo tour and it was nice to rediscover that song. You just have to recognise which are the bad songs and the good ones. | A lot of it is glib. A lot of it is drug talk. The drugs are doing a lot of the songwriting in the less substantial songs. The better songs on it stand up. I was doing Green Shirt on the solo tour and it was nice to rediscover that song. You just have to recognise which are the bad songs and the good ones. | ||
I was doing the song Riot Act on the solo tour which most people overlooked on Get Happy because it was last on the album. It was actually a good song and when I wrote it, it was a very important song for me. | I was doing the song Riot Act on the solo tour which most people overlooked on ''Get Happy'' because it was last on the album. It was actually a good song and when I wrote it, it was a very important song for me. | ||
It was something very honest. It was written in the wake of our almost-demise in America, and it’s the only song that really talks about that. | It was something very honest. It was written in the wake of our almost-demise in America, and it’s the only song that really talks about that. | ||
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''Because there were some pretty ugly stories about what happened both in front of the stage and backstage.'' | ''Because there were some pretty ugly stories about what happened both in front of the stage and backstage.'' | ||
And they’re all true. I think I explained it | And they’re all true. I think I explained it pretty clearly the last time I was here. One of the promoters didn’t hire us gear that was of professional quality. It was just a joke, it was insulting. I don’t think they took us seriously. | ||
''Were you also feeling contemptuous towards your audience?'' | ''Were you also feeling contemptuous towards your audience?'' | ||
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''But for an artist in your position, is it a conscious decision that you have to take stock, change your whole approach?'' | ''But for an artist in your position, is it a conscious decision that you have to take stock, change your whole approach?'' | ||
Well it’s a lot more personal and complicated than that, I can’t explain it without explaining areas of my life that I don’t want to discuss (possibly a reference to his reconciliation with | Well it’s a lot more personal and complicated than that, I can’t explain it without explaining areas of my life that I don’t want to discuss (possibly a reference to his reconciliation with his wife, Mary). | ||
''Well, on to something different. I read in a 1978 interview that you said you’re not on a mission you’re not out to convert people. Yet in the last year or so you’ve been involved in four quite political songs – Pills And Soap, Nelson Mandala, Shipbuilding and Peace In Our Time.'' | ''Well, on to something different. I read in a 1978 interview that you said you’re not on a mission you’re not out to convert people. Yet in the last year or so you’ve been involved in four quite political songs – Pills And Soap, Nelson Mandala, Shipbuilding and Peace In Our Time.'' | ||
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I was in the bar last night and three USAF airmen came in in combat fatigues. We were very drunk and being very offensive about them – loudly, - hoping they might get the hint. And in the end I had to go to the manager and ask him if he could ask them to leave. | I was in the bar last night and three USAF airmen came in in combat fatigues. We were very drunk and being very offensive about them – loudly, - hoping they might get the hint. And in the end I had to go to the manager and ask him if he could ask them to leave. | ||
I regard them as an army of occupation in England, and I think it’s only polite to not rub it in your face. They have the arrogance to walk around as if they got straight out the F-111. I find it really insulting that they were in there – I find it really insulting that they’re anywhere. | I regard them as an army of occupation in England, and I think it’s only polite to not rub it in your face. They have the arrogance to walk around as if they got straight out the F-111. I find it really insulting that they were in there – I find it really insulting that they’re anywhere. | ||
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Well, we’re tending to concentrate on these songs which you could construe as being political. But there are other songs on the albums that mean just as much to me, so how much effect do they have on people? Presumably you might write a love song that might move someone, might make them cry, might be important in their life. That’s always been my ambition writing any kind of love song, whether it’s a sad one or a cynical one … although I try to avoid cynicism now. One that writes of the sadder realities, as I see them and as I can get them down on the page or on the disc. I hope it would be as important to somebody else as the songs that have meant a lot to me. That’s all you can achieve, really. | Well, we’re tending to concentrate on these songs which you could construe as being political. But there are other songs on the albums that mean just as much to me, so how much effect do they have on people? Presumably you might write a love song that might move someone, might make them cry, might be important in their life. That’s always been my ambition writing any kind of love song, whether it’s a sad one or a cynical one … although I try to avoid cynicism now. One that writes of the sadder realities, as I see them and as I can get them down on the page or on the disc. I hope it would be as important to somebody else as the songs that have meant a lot to me. That’s all you can achieve, really. | ||
''Yeah, I was more thinking that it seems to be a syndrome of rock musicians that as they get older they seem to be in this dilemma of doubting the actual art form they’re working in.'' | |||
The Roger Waters Syndrome eh? Well, if that’s the case they should quit. | |||
''You don’t suffer from that?'' | |||
No, I '''know''' rock ‘n’ roll is a useless item. I have a song called Worthless Thing which is about how much I think rock ‘n’ roll is worth. Rock ‘n’ roll as we know and love it on MTV or as purveyed by the Stray Cats- and I mean that symbolically, what they represent – if that’s all it’s worth, a rehash revival, then it’s really come to a sad and sorry state. | |||
We’ve gone past the pomposity of 1973 and what have we got left – a cartoon of something that was once proud. I think there’s still some music of pride and danger to be had, but I don’t necessarily think you’re going to find it wearing crepe-soled shoes and a quiff. | |||
''So if you’ve got that attitude, why do you…'' | |||
{{tags}}[[Concert 1978-02-28 Washington|Washington]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-12-03 Sydney|Regent Theatre]] {{-}} [[The Clash]] {{-}} [[Sex Pistols]] {{-}} [[Ray Charles]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Get Happy!!]] {{-}} [[Almost Blue]] {{-}} [[Sting]] {{-}} [[John Lydon]] {{-}} [[Imperial Bedroom]] {{-}} [[Punch The Clock]] {{-}} [[Pills And Soap]] {{-}} [[Robert Wyatt]] {{-}} [[Shipbuilding]] {{-}} [[The Specials]] {{-}} [[Free Nelson Mandela]] {{-}} [[Peace In Our Time]] {{-}} [[The Imposter (pseudonym)|The Imposter]] {{-}} [[Goodbye Cruel World]] {{-}} [[Scully]] {{-}} [[Turning The Town Red]] {{-}} [[Alan Bleasdale]] {{-}} [[Mick Jagger]] {{-}} [[Paul Weller]] {{-}} [[Tracie]] {{-}} [[The Imposter (pseudonym)|The Imposter]] {{-}} [[Philip Chevron]] {{-}} [[Brendan Behan]] {{-}} [[The Captains And The Kings]] {{-}} [[Agnes Bernelle]] {{-}} [[ | I don’t play rock ‘n’ roll – exclusively. I can, and I can play it a damn sight better than the Stray Cats, as well. But it’s much harder to hit a moving target, and that’s what’s important, if you set yourself in any one mode or idiom then you’re really in trouble. You can really set yourself up for a big fall. | ||
{{cx}} | |||
{{tags}}[[Concert 1978-02-28 Washington|Washington]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-12-03 Sydney|Regent Theatre]] {{-}} [[The Clash]] {{-}} [[Sex Pistols]] {{-}} [[Ray Charles]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Get Happy!!]] {{-}} [[Almost Blue]] {{-}} [[Sting]] {{-}} [[John Lydon]] {{-}} [[Imperial Bedroom]] {{-}} [[Punch The Clock]] {{-}} [[Pills And Soap]] {{-}} [[Robert Wyatt]] {{-}} [[Shipbuilding]] {{-}} [[The Specials]] {{-}} [[Free Nelson Mandela]] {{-}} [[Peace In Our Time]] {{-}} [[The Imposter (pseudonym)|The Imposter]] {{-}} [[Goodbye Cruel World]] {{-}} [[Scully]] {{-}} [[Turning The Town Red]] {{-}} [[Alan Bleasdale]] {{-}} [[Mick Jagger]] {{-}} [[Paul Weller]] {{-}} [[Tracie]] {{-}} [[The Imposter (pseudonym)|The Imposter]] {{-}} [[Philip Chevron]] {{-}} [[Brendan Behan]] {{-}} [[The Captains And The Kings]] {{-}} [[Agnes Bernelle]] {{-}} [[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[Trust]] {{-}} [[Vanity_Fair,_November_2000#The_Rolling_Stones|Aftermath]] {{-}} [[The Rolling Stones]] {{-}} [[Armed Forces]] {{-}} [[Party Girl]] {{-}} [[ABBA]] {{-}} [[The Face, August 1983|The Face]] {{-}} [[Green Shirt]] {{-}} [[Riot Act]] {{-}} [[David Bowie]] {{-}} [[Worthless Thing]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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[[Category:Interviews]] | [[Category:Interviews]] | ||
[[Category:1984 interviews]] | [[Category:1984 interviews]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:07, 4 April 2023
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