You guys started to tour with Clutch, here in North America, in the beginning of March. This is going to be a pretty long tour! How has it been so far?
C: It’s been great. We came straight from Australia where we did 12 days over there and before that we had 3 weeks in the UK. So, we’ve been actually on tour since… when?

B: Since February 25th, I think. It has been a couple of weeks in America so far, it’s been great. It obviously helps playing with a band like Clutch. They attract the crowds, it’s a great exposure for us… great opportunity to play to people that may not ever [have] heard us before. We appreciate being taken out, we are enjoying it.

Since you mentioned… how was Australia?
B: Fantastic!

It was your first time there right?
B: Yeah.

C: The first time... it was the Soundwave festival so, it is really, really well organized. You get really well looked after: flying there and staying in really good hotels, really good crew and organization so… excellent. Amazing!

B: Yeah, we heard stories about how good Australia would be and how the fans down there would be but it far exceeded our expectations.

A few days ago, you guys released your live CD/DVD Live: A Eulogy for the Fans – Orange Goblin Live 2012 at Bloodstock Open Air 2012. When did you decide to record a live album: was it before or after you guys were confirmed for Bloodstock?
C: Before we recorded it we were told that we would have the opportunity to do it there. Most places where we play have a sound desk or stuff like this, but there it was all set-up to record properly so, we went with the intention of recording it. We weren’t certain that it would get released or anything but we thought of getting a good live recording while we could, really.

B: The record label wanted us to do something as a “can’t stop” gap since the last album and they knew we would be touring over here. So they wanted us to start that, something we could push. And, a live album seemed the most logical thing so…

As Chris said, when we found there was a production team in place at the Bloodstock festival that record everything (both audio and visual), then that was the obvious place to do it.

Does it really represent what your concerts are all about?
B: I think so, yeah. There is no, you know, check or know-how on there. It is just the sound of us 4 working on stage. There are no studio overdubs. Everything recorded is us.

C: A lot of people doing live albums these days do: the base is recorded live and they go away and take it to a studio, they put extra vocals on it, guitar correction… So a lot of live recordings are not really that live. But this one is literally just us on stage playing with wrong notes and words, swearing, mistakes. But, I like that because, I think that more than anything, we are a live band. And there is no point of having a live album if it doesn’t sound the way you sound live.

B: [The album] is a perfect representation of what we do on stage every night.

This release is com

ing at the right time, since your live performance was listed as one of the Top 2012 by Terrorizer. But the nominations didn’t stop there. You were also No.1 band, top album of the year among others. After 18 years of band, how does it feel to have this type of recognition?
B: 18 years yeah… It’s nice but I think we have always known we had something otherwise we wouldn’t still be doing this.

C: The good thing about Terrorizer [top of the year] is that it is voted by the readers. So, it wasn’t done by journalists of anything [like that], but the people reading the magazine that vote for us.

B: Yeah, it is nice to get a bit of recognition after so long, obviously. But, I mean, it is not the reason we do it. We do it because is fun and we enjoy doing it and we get to see the world.

During these 18 years, did you guys ever think of giving up?
C: Yeah.

B: Yeah, lots (laughs). Probably every day (laughs). Humm… because, up until very recently, it has only been a hobby to us. We all had day jobs and the band was just something we did on the weekends. Since the release of the last album, the portfolio of the band has been elevated to the point where we can now afford to do this for a living. I think we are still enjoying it so far. It is almost like starting it again, really.

C: We’ve only been in a band because it is fun and we enjoy doing it. The four of us, it has been the same lineup since day 1, basically. I’ve always said that if we didn’t do the band we would probably just go to the pubs in the weekends anyway and still hang out. So, at least now we still hang out but, we get to do a gig and get to know places. But literally, get the opportunity to do it as a job is great.

Does it feel weird to not have a “day time” job anymore?
C: Because we’ve been a band for so long, it doesn’t feel weird for being a band. Because we’ve been doing it for so long, we know what to expect… we know what being in a band is all about.

B: The bad side of this is the pressure. The pressure for us now is to know who is going to pay the bills at home and feed our kids and things like that, while we are away.

C: There are different pressures but I think, it will be an easy transition to do, because we’ve been doing it for so long. Quite a lot of the times, young bands that get big pretty quickly, they are not aware of the pressures and the time constraints. But, we are old “hands” we know what to expect so… it will be easy.

B: And we know how to put up with each other as well (laughs).

So… after Australia this year, do you have any other plans to visit other “unknown” territories?
B: Hopefully! We’ve got Europe that is going to keep us busy throughout the summer, then, we are coming back to the US in the fall. From there we are hoping to go to South America and possibly New Zealand at some point, and then Asia. I mean, like we said, this will be our living now so we will tour as much as possible.

C: We have played Europe for a long time but we haven’t played every city. We played pretty much every country but there are a lot of places there we haven’t played at, s

o…

You guys are all fathers! How are you managing that part of your lives?
B: We are all very fortunate to have very good women at home, who are taking a lot of the pressure off us and dealing with it really well.

C: Also, 5 years ago you would be calling home but now, at this day and age, you have the internet (Skype, Facetime). I talk to them everyday. So, I think it is a lot easier because you still have contact and it is obviously really easy to do.

B: I don’t think the kids miss us as much as we miss them, really (laughs). I speak to my son everyday and ask him how school was: “Yeah, it was good”. “Anything else happened?” “No” (laughs).

Do any of them like rock n’ roll?
B: Yeah, my son. He came to an age now that he is starting to be persuaded by friends in school and listening to stuff that I may not be too keen on. But, he has always loved Kiss, and Ramones, and ACDC, and Alice Cooper.

C: We have a little routine at home, like a little ritual. Every Friday, we sit down for the evening meal, switch all the lights down, light candles and listen to ACDC.

Drinks: wine, liquor or beer?
B: It depends on the situation. If it is a summer afternoon, having a meal then it’s wine. If you are in a session for the night then you drink beer and shots. And if I’m at home relaxing I like to have a glass of whisky and Coke, or something.

About Orange Goblin: what are the plans for the rest of this year?
B: I think we will be expected to produce another album. I don’t think it will be this year because of our schedule being so busy.

C: Also, I think, because the last records kicked us up a notch, there’s a lot of people that haven’t heard of us before that we are playing to. And we obviously have a six, seven album catalog. So, I think now, we should play as much as we can just to make sure those people actually know what we do and then record again next year, hopefully.

B: Yeah, Pressure is on! So much more now because now this is our profession. The next album will be like the difficult second album even if it is not.

C: It is quite difficult because we’ve always just made albums for us and done what we wanted. But now, because it is our living, it has to be something good that people want to buy, otherwise…

Especially after been listed as top album of the year by several websites/ magazines…
B: It is almost as much of a burden, as it is…. (laughs)

C: We’ve always recorded very easily; we’ve always written songs very easily; we’ve made albums really easily. It has never been a problem. Now, we’ve got to think about it a little bit more. Hopefully we won’t get affected by it.

B: I don’t think we will, because we don’t have the ability to think (laughs).



Any messages for the SOM readers?
B: Thanks for the support!

C: Come see us live.

B: Come see us live… buy our records.

C: Buy our shirts… buy me a drink (laughs).

B: Yeah, all of the above (laughs).

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interview réalisée par Deesse_de_la_nuit

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