Dave interview[2/2][2015.4.27]
【In Scandinavia they have their own problems.】
Exactly, everyone has their own problems. Absolutely. Every single person on planet Earth has their own problems. That’s not an unnatural state to be fixed. That’s just life. But you know, if the papers would follow the stories about all these places where the peace reigns and prosperity goes on and the people are living generally fairly happy, that would be entirely different. That’s not to say that those stories are really truer. The narratives connecting the happy events are not any truer than the narratives connecting the disaster events. But that would definitely give a different perspective of the world.
【Oh well, as Damon sings on one of your songs There are too many of us. I assume that in this world there is a fair amount of both happiness and disaster, which brings some kind of balance, after all. But there are also too many of us, when it comes to emerging, new artists. You’ve been there, you’ve done it all and now you’ve got the wisdom. As you said in the beginning, you’re now taking it easier. So, if all aspiring musicians were some kind of your ‘spiritual children’, what would you advice them, from your own experience?】
My advice is the same as the one I’ve given since day one – concentrate on the songwriting. It’s the only thing that was ever worthing any money. It’s the fundamental lie this kind of the X-factorization of the music industry. That to be to sing in a kind of convincing way or to play your instrument in way is the most important thing. I don’t know if you have that program here, it is called ‘The Voice’. Everybody has to look the other way and you hear the voice and you turn around when you hear the voice [laughs]. Really? This is pop music in the end of the day and the kind of the of the quality and the tone of the voice, really isn’t the most important thing. The only important thing is songwriting.
【Although, it seems that we are heading to the era that more and more cover bands are out there. Because everybody is copying each other.】
But it was always like that in pop music. It’s always been the same.
【But it’s different when somebody is copying somebody/something entirely from someone who’s just inspired from someone influential. Anyway, everything has been made already.】
No…!
【No??】
What a nonsense! [laughs]
【So you don’t think so?】
No! I think that this is another common thing that everyone is guilty of. You look back and you think the music was great back then. Then you look what’s going on now and you think that it’s rubbish! That’s always been the same. The problem is that we are not comparing like with like. When you look back, you’re looking at their most successful records. We look back at THE KINKS, we remember their Waterloo Sunset. We are comparing their two-three best songs of their entire career and comparing that to someone’s current album. That’s not comparing like with like. For instance, you simply cannot say something like that from the current KAISER CHIEFS album the first single is not as good as THE BEATLES. You cannot do that! You cannot compare any historical band to any current band. I absolutely disagree with that. I’ve got a radio show on XFM and to do that I listen to 100-200 tracks per week. From my perspective, from listening to pretty much, I think that everything that is released in the kind of ‘XFM genre’ every week now it’s the most exciting and creative time that has ever been for music. I am hearing more and interesting ideas now that I’ve ever heard of and I think some of the best music that has ever been made, it’s been made today. Some of the best bands, some of the best songwriters that have ever been, they are around today. And here’s the case. This is a time of crisis for the music industry, it’s not clear whether the music industry will continue in this form or going forward. Often these periods are the times of maximum creativity.
【Well, as a proud Greek, I have to confirm that, because that’s exactly what is happening in my country. So. I’ve got five more minutes and before they throw me out, I have to ask what are your touring plans?】
Everything is still to get put together. Because we kept the album secret we couldn’t book a tour in advance. We are currently trying to build up everything around the release and the tour.
【But it should have been fun to keep the whole album release as a secret!】
It was fun, yeah! We called the press conference in London at a Chinese Restaurant, we didn’t even tell the people what the topic was. The idea was to just walk in, they didn’t even know it was a BLUR press conference. I think it actually leaked the day before so the people had an actual hint. It was real fun to do that.
【Thank you Dave.】
Thank you.
And so that was it! Dave was kind enough to invite me to their secret live show at the stage of Circus HalliGalli, a popular show of the German TV. Although, I’ve always been a fan, I never got the opportunity to see BLUR live. After the show, all I was thinking of was that what Dave said on the interview about the fact that they decided to take it easier was absolutely true! Their energy is like a wake up call and what I saw was friends who were having fun on stage. They were enjoying every single moment. What if it wasn’t a stadium, what if it wasn’t the biggest crowd they have ever played for – they kept it real making that be one of the most unique and greatest experience of every single person who was in this hall. Now, that’s what I call a great band!
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