In their own words
Fan Interview - Here you find all the answers to the questions sent in in
October last 2005....
Questions from Jules:
Apart from performing, singing and playing an instrument is there any other
vocation in life you would have liked to have followed?
WHEN I WAS A KID I QUITE LIKED THE IDEA OF BEING A FIREMAN OR A FARMER
!!!.....WORK THAT OUT.....I ALSO ALMOST WENT TO LIVE IN THAILAND AS A JUNGLE
CONSERVATIONIST TO PROTECT THE TIGER FROM EXTINCTION.....
Are there any venues you would like to play that you have not already played?
OH I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL AND THE HAMMERSMITH ODEON....AND
PROBABLY MADISON SQUARE....
If you where stranded on a desert island, who would you prefer to be marooned
with and what single item would you want with you?
A WOMAN OF RARE BEAUTY AND INTELLIGENCE AND A WIRE FREE APPLE MAC WITH LOGIC
INSTALLED!
Who would you consider doing a duo with (alive or dead) if asked?
OOHH....BILLY HOLIDAY,ELVIS AND NAT KING COLE......
Have you fulfilled all your ambitions or do you still have a long list?
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE - HOWEVER I HAVE REALISED MUCH
MORE THAN I THOUGHT I EVER COULD....I HAVE HAD AN AMAZING LIFE...
Which country do you think you would like to retire to?
I LOVE BRITAIN -I THINK IT HAS EVERYTHING - HISTORY ARCHITECTURE,DYNAMIC
WEATHER,HILLS VALLEYS,MERES ,MOUNTAINS ,BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE ,FLORA, FAUNA,
RIVERS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND SOUNDS....SEE IT IS GOOD ISN'T
IT.....BUT I ALSO LOVE ITALY -FOOD,HISTORY AND SUN AND VERY SEXY SHOES
MMM.....FRANCE - FOOD SCENERY AND ARCHITECTURE/HISTORY AND AUSTRALIA - LOADSA
GREAT STUFF ESPECIALLY WILDLIFE AND EASE OF COMMUNICATION WITH FELLOW
HUMANS..... SO WHO KNOWS WHERE I WILL END UP!!
Do you drive if so what would be your dream machine?
OH THAT IS SIMPLE...A FLEET OF ASTON MARTINS.
What is the most memorable moment of touring?
MOST MEMORABLE TOURING MOMENT - AN EASY QUESTION EH??!!......WAY TOO MANY TO
REMEMBER...I SUPPOSE THE LATEST IS PROBABLY MY APPEARANCE ON-STAGE IN ICELAND
DOING WHITE CHRISTMAS TO A CROWDED BAR WITH ALL MY MATES - I WAS VERY DRUNK AT
THE TIME....0
Is there anything that really annoys you in the world?
CHRIST YOU DON' T WANT MUCH DO YOU!!!!!!!! WHERE DO I START......I REALLY DON'T
THINK THERE IS TIME HAHAHA........I JUST STUBBED MY TOE - NOW THAT IS REALLY
ANNOYING.....
Is there anything you regret doing or not doing in your life?
I REGRET NOT FOLLOWING MY PIANO STUDIES BUT I NOT A LOT ELSE - LIFE IS WAY TOO
SHORT AS IT IS.....
What is your favourite dish and beverage, including deserts and alcoholic
preferences?
FRESH FISH - SALAD - ROAST SPUDS - BOILED SPUDS - CURLY KALE - FOLLOWED BY
FRESH FRUIT SALAD AND A FRESH GREASY DONUT - A NICE ITALIAN RED - ANICE
TRAPPISTE BEER AND SOME BUXTON FIZZY WATER........ALRIGHT.....!!
Any chance of your phone number…? Ok had to ask, joking, wishful thinking eh!
AS FOR MY NUMBER - SHOULD YOU FEEL THAT ALL THE ABOVE IS ACHIEVABLE BY YOU AND
THE REST SUMS YOU UP - WELL WE MAY BE ABLE TO COME TO SOME ARRANGEMENT....XXX
Andy Helgesen:
hi , did you go to the carling cup match against Lincoln what a game 5-4 to you
but we were robbed last minute goal in extra time.i have been a stranglers fan
since 78 in my opinion job well done . many a good gig apart from Jersey when my
wife got crushed and carried out, i don't think you enjoyed them channel gigs
either.
YOU ARE RIGHT WHAT A MATCH AND WHAT A STITCH UP!!!!.....SORRY ABOUT THE
WIFE....AND THANKS FOR YOUR KIND WORDS........WELL AS FAR AS THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
GO I NEVER WANT TO SET FOOT THERE AGAIN - HOWEVER I MUST POINT OUT THAT THE
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WERE LOVELY BUT HOW THE PRESS THERE WORKS IS A COMPLETE
MYSTERY...I FEEL THAT THE PAPER THAT RAN THE TOTALLY BIAS AND FACTUALLY
INCORRECT PEICE ON THE LOUT WHO ASSAULTED ME...SHOULD BE TAKEN TO COURT FOR
PROMOTING VIOLENCE AT PUBLIC EVENTS - AND FOR THE UNCIVILISED APPROACH TO SO
CALLED JOURNALISM THE REPORTER(AS SHE CALLS HERSELF)TOOK - THAT ORGAN SHOULD BE
ASHAMED AND INDEED CLOSED DOWN......THERE - SPLEEN VENTED I THINK.....TAKE CARE
MATE....
Tom Green:
I am looking forward to seeing The Stranglers for the first time live at
Nottingham's Rock City in December.
Have you had a particularly bad experience on the Underground, as 'Lost
Control' is quite furious at the build up! I was just wondering if one
particular experience inspired the song, or it is travelling on it in general?
WELL I LIVED ON THE UNDERGROUND FOR MOST OF MY LIFE - MY FATHER WORKED ON IT
-AND NEARLY DIED ON IT (THANKS TO THE IRA) -AND NOW MY BROTHER IS INVOLVED (AS A
DRIVER) - HE MISSED THE BAKER ST 7/7 BOMB BY THREE MINUTES...NICE- IT ALSO ABOUT
THE ROAD SYSTEM...BUT WINGEING TICKET COLLECTORS AND SURLY SALESMEN DO NOT HELP
YOU THROUGH YOUR DAY.....NOR DO FREAKED OUT UP-TIGHT MUSICIANS...HAHA
Anthony Goodwin:
Whats the worse thing about being on tour?
THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING ON TOUR IS SHITTY FOOD ACTUALLY....AND ARSEY
DRIVERS......AND OOH REALLY CRAP SUPPORT ACTS....HAHAHA
Will there be any foreign language songs on the new Stranglers album?
YEAH WE ARE THINKING OF VENUSIAN AND MARTIAN AT THE MOMENT.....AND MAYBE
AMERICAN - THEN YOU WON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WE ARE ON ABOUT!!! YOU'LL HAVE TO
WAIT AND SEE!!
After the Belgian dates, will there be a UK tour for Soulsec?
WE ARE DOING OUR BEST ON THAT FRONT,BUT,WE ARE TALKING UP A RECORDING SESSION
IN MARCH.RICHARD IS 'LIVE WATERBOYING' AND RECORDING WITH IAN MCNABB FOR A NEW
ICICLE WORKS ALBUM IN THAT MONTH TOO BUT WE SHOULD FIT IT IN ....BRAD IS WRITING
AS WELL AT PRESENT AND AS USUAL I DON'T WANT TO GO OFF HALF -COCKED(OOER)...ME
AND ANDY ARE WORKING HARD AND ARE AIMING TO DO SOME ACOUSTIC STUFF IN RICHARDS
SPARE WEEKS...SO WATCH T'SPACE .ALSO WE ARE NOW REPRESENTED IN BELGIUM BY A
MAJOR AGENT....
Any songwriting conflict between Soulsec and The Stranglers?
WELL I ALWAYS OFFER MY STUFF TO THE STRANGS' BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
SPECIFIC.SO,THERE ARE DEFINITELY TUNES THAT WILL NEVER WORK WITH THEM.SO,IT ONLY
GETS PROBLEMATIC WHEN I SEE IT WORKING IN BOTH CAMPS!......BUT LIKE I SAY IN
THAT SCENARIO I WILL ALWAYS OFFER IT UP THE STRANGS FIRST.....SO THAT HAS NOT
REALLY MADE ANYTHING VERY CLEAR AT ALL - NEXT QUE!................
Next Stranglers convention?
NO IDEA MATE......I DID SUGGEST WE DO IT ON A BOAT OUT OF PORTSMOUTH BUT WE
SHALL SEE.......
Why do the Stranglers have nowhere near the success they deserve?
GOOD QUESTION AND ONE YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP I THINK.....
MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT MAYBE IF YOU DO NOT CONFORM TO SOME OF THE SHIT
BANDS/ARTISTS HAVE TO PUT UP WITH OR SUBSCRIBE TO THEN YOU GET LEFT OUT OF THE
SCENE AND WE REALLY DO WHAT WE LIKE AND I WOULD SAY THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BE.
WHEN YOU SAY SUCCESS I ASSUME YOU MEAN SELLING STACKS OF RECORDS AND THEREFORE
HAVING GENERAL APPEAL.WELL SOMETIMES YOU CAN BE TOO 'CLEVER' IN WHAT YOU WRITE
ABOUT AND IT SOARS OVER THE PUBLICS HEADS - AFTER ALL MAINSTREAM AUDIENCES ARE
MADE UP OF A LOT OF FAIRLY 'MUSICALLY' SIMPLE PEOPLE IF YOU WILL - NOT
NECESSARILY INTELLECTUALS AND THINKERS - THEY ONLY NEED A MELODY AND SOMETHING
TO SING ALONG TO AS OPPPOSED TO BEING CEREBRAL - WHICH THE STRANGLERS HAVE
CERTAINLY BEEN.
Did Paul ever meet Johnny Haynes?
I NEVER MET THE GREAT MAN - THE FIRST £100 A WEEK PLAYER - AWESOME PASSER OF
THE BALL.KIND OF THE BECKHAM OF HIS TIME REALLY - A MUCH BETTER ALL ROUNDER
THOUGH - I SAW HIM PLAY QUITE A FEW TIMES IN HIS LAST FEW SOCCER YEARS AND MY
FATHER LOVED THE GUY....
I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM A SHOW THE NIGHT HE HAD THE ACCIDENT AND GOT INCREDIBLY
UPSET AND BY THE TIME I HAD RETURNED HOME HE HAD DIED....A TERRIBLE AND
UNNECESSARY LOSS AND ONE THAT GOT VIRTUALLY NO PUBLICITY - UNLIKE THE VERITABLE
EVEREST THAT BOUGHT EVERY TWIST AND TURN OF GEORGIE BEST'S LIFE AND SUBSEQUENT
DEATH TO THE FRONT PAGES AND NEWS-REELS ON A REGULAR BASIS - RARELY WAS IT
ANYTHING TO DO WITH FOOTBALL,I DON'T SUPPOSE HE REALLY HELPED HIS OWN CAUSE MUCH
THOUGH DID HE! - A FABULOUS FOOTBALLER THOUGH.
HAYNES WAS REASONABLY FIT AND WELL WHEN HE WAS KILLED...NOT TO SAY ONE MUST BE
SQUEAKY CLEAN - FAR FROM IT - BUT HE DESERVED A BIT MORE THAN A MENTION ON MATCH
OF THE DAY.
......AS FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS AND FUNERAL - GIVE ME A BREAK,THEY DID THEIR
BEST TO KICK HIS ARSE FOR YEARS.....AHH FASHION EH?? ISN'T IT BULLSHIT ????
YOU DID ASK - AND IT IS FOOTBALL..!!! hahaha
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