Interview Mogwai (décembre 2004)

[TOBERR]

KOTYK

So great to have the honour to ask you questions ! Thanks a lot for your disponibility ! Please, come back quickly to France !
-Do you think that playing songs that don't have the usual rock'n'roll shape (especially no voice, no lyrics and very long songs) can be an obstacle to reach a larger audience, and do you imagine recording some day an entire album with a "real" singer ?


Barry: It probably prevents us from getting to a larger audience but unfortunately we have no control over people’s tastes in music. I don’t think we’ll ever have a proper singer in the band. We seem to be better without one. Of course we’d love to be more popular than we are but we’ll struggle on.

-How do you feel on stage when you play a song like Xmas Steps or Helicon 1, with a very quiet intro, and when the audience remains very very calm and wordless ? I was terribly impressed by this ambiance. Do you feel proud to make the audience listen to you so religiously ?


Barry: It’s really just the way that people should behave at concerts. It’s very annoying when you go to see a movie and there are people talking all the way through and the same goes for any sort of audio based performance. I’m very happy that, for the most part, people keep their mouths shut and their ears open.

-I was wondering how you created titles to songs such as Ex-Cowboy, You Don't Know Jesus, Kids Will Be Skeletons, Superheroes Of BMX...... OK, I know there are things that shouldn't be explained about art (and to me, your song titles are art !), but I was just wondering if the titles always signify something precise ? Do they sometimes just come to your mind between two rehearsals ? Do you sometimes want to add something humorous in a very dark song ?


Barry: The song titles are usually something one of us (or our friends) have said which has either made us laugh or think, that’s a good title. Sometimes we find headlines in newspapers/magazines which would sound good as titles. We don’t consider the titles as art but it’s up to the listener to decide that I guess.


NIKOLA

Hello guys!

First thank you for all your job, you're a fucking great band!

-I would like to know in what the cure was an influence for you? And do you think Mogwai could have been an influence for The Cure recently?


Barry: I know that for John and Stuart, the Cure are a big big influence and they are huge, huge fans. I saw a few interviews with Robert Smith where he said that we were one of his favourite bands so we were all really taken aback by such kind comments. They asked us to join on the Curiosa tour also so we know they must like our music. Lovely people.

thank you to be our guest, great honor!





MORGAN

Hye Mogwaï !!
such a pleasure to speak with you !!

-Which good memories did you keep from the Curiosa ?
How were the relationships between you and the others bands, particularly interpol and the cure ?

Barry: It’s not until a few months after you come home that you realise what a unique experience the Curiosa Tour was. The best thing I took home from it was the fact that I’d made some new friends. It was kind of like one of those holidays you had as a kid.
Our relationships with the bands were all very very good. Interpol have been good friends of ours for quite a few years so it was great to see them every day. The Cure were also very friendly and approachable so the whole tour was very good spirited.



thanks
best wishes to the Band



LVG

hello guys

-do you think you will make a song with The cure someday or at least with Robert Smith (for this solo project, for example) ??

Barry: I have no idea. Never say never.


JEANPHI99

Hi guys!

Longtime "fan" (I play with a Mogwai sticker on my bass... yes... ), I'd like to ask you 3 questions:
- any idea of the release time of your next album ? At what step are you now ? Composition of tracks or recording ?

Barry: 1. Not really 2. Writing songs.

- if The Cure tour Europe next year, would it be possible to see you as special guest on the tour ?


Barry: I don’t think so. We’ll have to do our own headline shows in order to promote our album and not lose too much money. Support tours are usually very poorly paid and the band loses thousands of pounds.

if I send you demo recordings of my band, will you listen to and do you always answer, even if you think it's pure shit ?

Barry: We listen to them when we can but we can’t always answer.


Thanks a lot for the interview and I hope we'll see you soon in Belgium !
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