EPL, an Estonian daily newspaper - 28.03.09

[pikkrong]

Well. I know, I should feel embarrassed. And I do. But I feel I have to share it with fellow Heartlanders. So, more than a month later, an interview for an Estonian newspaper is here.
The story is - people from the newspaper asked me to compose questions before the gig in Tallinn. I had many questions, too many. Some which I considered interesting (i. e. which answers could be interesting - about Obama, musical collaborations etc) and some boring ones - for readers of the daily newspaper.
Here are the answers I got:

Here U R finally

This interview was so long that it was impossible for us all to answer
everything, so we've done bits.

Have you enjoyed the tour so far?

Of course. Six weeks in a bus which is essentially a big rolling bar,
playing in some of Europe's most- and least-salubrious cities.

How would you explain the name of the tour – Mechanised Europe?

We're in Europe, and we're mechanised. How about that?

What do you know about Estonia? What do you expect of the gig in Tallinn?

We expect it'll be another gig on the never-ending train. It's always
fun to play in faraway places, though, and we've never played there. So
it'll be... an experience. I hope they're ready for us.

In Hamburg you played a brand new song, what’s it about?

A great deal of things.

Twelve years ago you called yourself a euro-fanatic. Meanwhile the European Union has changed (incidentally, Estonia is now a member); are you still a euro-fanatic?

Yes.

Do you think people who come to your gigs to dance and listen to Sisters' music should be aware of your political views and understand the wit in your lyrics?

It would be nice if they were, but it would be a lot to ask. We would
like to think that there might be a few people who got into the band and
realised that as well as being a pretty darn groovy rock outfit, we
actually have something to say, and they may have learned something
along the way.

What makes a good concert?

A lot of things... energy, mainly. From the band, and the crowd. As well
as the boring technical stuff.

Back in the 80s you said: „There are three heavy metal bands in the world, Crass, Motörhead and The Sisters Of Mercy.“ Has the list remained the same?

Heavy metal has come to mean something a bit different now.

If you compare the music industry of the early 80s, when you and Gary Marx had just formed the band, with now, 2009, do you see any striking differences or is it essentially the same?

There are more bottom feeders feeding from even lower.

Why do the Sisters only play your magnificent song „Good Things“ in Belgium these days?

We like the Belgians, and they seem to like us. That's not to say we
will or won't play that - or any other - song in any locality. We might
decide to put it back in the set tomorrow night. Or next time we go to
Belgium we might do something completely different. It's nice to keep
people guessing.

Why is it that you have only very recently played in countries like France, Russia, Turkey, Finland, and so on? And – after performing in these laces – have you asked yourself why you didn't do so before?

We've always played any places that ask for us to play, have a decent
enough venue available, and then make us an offer that is worth our
while. It just seems to have taken some places longer than others.


*A question for Ben Christo:*

What does it mean to you to play in the Sisters?

As a teenager, I used to listen to /Vision Thing/ on the way to
school...so, as you can imagine, getting a chance to part of the band
was quite significant. It's been a great opportunity to travel the world
and play in front of some brilliant crowds.

*A question for Chris Catalyst:*

You have several bands and projects, some of them sound rather
like KLF, some like The Beatles; what is the Sisters’ place among them?

I really like KLF and I love the Beatles, and I think they can exist
side-by-side in anyone's record collection. The Sisters are another band
I think are great, but usually you don't get a chance to play in such a
band... I'm into all sorts of music, and it's nice to have lots of
outlets for all of them. At the moment, I'm thinking about setting up a
kick-about metal band when I get home, just to play guitar and let off
some steam. But I'll probably change my mind and decide to do some
ambient kazoo handbag, or something. Err, yeah, so The Sisters place in
amongst all that is that if I write a riff that sounds a bit Sisters-y,
I'll put it to Andrew. If I write a riff that sounds a bit more like
Jellyfish, or Strapping Young Lad, or Underworld, it'll go somewhere else.

*A question for Nurse:*

Some people remember you as the singer of the legendary Leeds
band The March Violets. After approximately 20 years the band re-united
and released an EP. Might we see The March Violets playing here some day?

I reformed the Violets for one special show, mainly because so many fans
had been asking to see the band, and I never really liked the way the
March Violets imploded at the end. It also seemed like a fun thing to
do. I didn't really intend to restart that part of my history. But who
knows, it's all an adventure.....

[James Blast]

Wonderful work Sir! x 25,000

[LouLou]

thankee!

i really like this one:

How would you explain the name of the tour – Mechanised Europe?

We're in Europe, and we're mechanised. How about that?

[Being645]

Thanks ...

[pikkrong]

thank you! as you may understand, some stupid questions (for instance 'are you still a euro-fanatic'?) were also meant to introduce the Sisters, their (or AE's) attitudes, principles etc to newspaper-readers. there are things we know too well but many people don't. many people here don't know the band at all and for some the Sisters are just 2-3 good tunes from MTV (or 'a g-band'). Sisters' interviews and even Sisters' lyrics are not so well-known in Estonia. i wished to make a small step to change it a bit.
(of course, i was interested in the answers as well but i'm aware that some questions may sound ridiculous for die-hard fans, fans who have a degree in Sisters-sience )

[James Blast]

did you perform the interview face - to - face Indrek?

and if so, why didn't you kick Mr. E in the nuts for lack of new product and crap live shows?

I need tae ken

[7anthea7]

Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!



Erm...thanks!

And as 'stupid questions' go, none of these rate more than a shrug. Good job!

[James Blast]

was that a good or bad reply?

[7anthea7]

What, I'm too subtle for you?

[pikkrong]

did you perform the interview face - to - face Indrek?

sorry, i forgot to mention - I was asked to send the questions in an e-mail, they were forwarded to Sisters management and the answers came back to me the same way.
by the way, I have met Mr AE face-to-face. very briefly. once. (the other couple of times when i have seen him from a close distance, doesn't count, it was the only time when I felt I had a reason to talk to him.) it was in 2005, at M'era Luna. I had a deal to write about the festival to a cultural supplement of one Estonian weekly newspaper. and I don't deny that back then i was interested in asking some questions. then i met him in a press tent. accidentally. i went to check my mails and he was there. he was polite and wasn't arrogant at all. but not keen on being interviewed
as I said, this time wehn the thing really happened, it wasn't my idea. I had even some doubts and controversial feelings. the local promoter had asked me to write the press release of the gig and then I felt: now it's time just to have fun and enjoy the gig.
PS the interview is here - I gave them photos of all band members (taken at Tuska, 2006) but as you see the editorial board had chosen a picture of Chris http://www.melu.ee/index.php?id=6914
PPS there was another interview (also made by e-mails as I knew) in another daily newspaper. what I remember was:
1) 'we drink less these days'
2) 'most of contemporary bands are crap'
3) 'we don't have anything to release in this climate' or something like that...

[pikkrong]

forgive me if i talk too much... 3:40 am... time to sleep, isn't it?

[James Blast]

the usual bollocks then, I'm beyond despair - I think it's called fed up and pished off!

[_emma_]

We expect it'll be another gig on the never-ending train.

I adore the "never-ending" word here.

Thank you!

[Bartek]

that's really great interv. one of the best if read so far.

[markfiend]

Thanks Indrek

[eastmidswhizzkid]

cheers indrek.

[radiojamaica]

...We like the Belgians, and they seem to like us...

You betcha!!!

Fine work, Indrek. That was a good read

[euphoria]

Why is it that you have only very recently played in countries like France, Russia, Turkey, Finland, and so on? And – after performing in these laces – have you asked yourself why you didn't do so before?

We've always played any places that ask for us to play, have a decent
enough venue available, and then make us an offer that is worth our
while. It just seems to have taken some places longer than others.

First of all, thanks for a good interview

I do however believe that Andrew's answer to the question above is pure s**t. Especially the last sentence "It just seems to have taken some places longer than others." Yeah right
So just out of nothing, many places realised in 2006 that a band who haven't released anything since 1993 are suddenly hot..?

The Sisters don't demand as much money for a concert nowadays, and can therefore accept many more offers than before, but of course that wouldn't be Andrew's favourite topic...

[eastmidswhizzkid]

but surely that is what he's saying? when they were bigger they were able to obtain bookings for stadia/arena-sized venues and were able to command a relevant price, which- for whatever reasons- certain places were not able to offer/weren't prepared to pay. now they are playing smaller venues again, for a smaller fee, they are prepared to play those places.
why should they have been happy to play for peanuts in a toilet when they could get do the NEC or wembley arena for more money?

you and he are both saying the same thing really; he's just saying it in the -maybe mock, maybe not- arrogant fashion that he often uses. after all, in the olden days, the (professed) reason that they never used to play france was because he -again, maybe mock, maybe not- hates the french. it's called front, and it makes better copy.

[Dark]

Cheers Indrek! Let's not forget the best part of that interview...

I reformed the Violets for one special show, mainly because so many fans
had been asking to see the band, and I never really liked the way the
March Violets imploded at the end. It also seemed like a fun thing to
do. I didn't really intend to restart that part of my history. But who
knows, it's all an adventure.....

Fingers crossed for more Violets!