Matters

Not one of life’s great planners, I caught up with New Order and Electronic frontman, Bernard Sumner on the eve of the release of the latter group’s third and final 1999 album, Twisted Tenderness.  

He never wanted to be a singer, only write and play guitar, but then tragedy struck, and everything changed. Bernard goes back to the untimely passing of Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis, and just how the remaining three members survived and unexpectedly thrived, reinvented, as New Order, Electronic and Monaco.  

As a reluctant frontman, Bernard pointed out, “You’ve got to do something in life. 

There was no alternative, I had to keep going, if only because I’m not any good at anything else.”  Years passed, fame and fortune followed and post-Republic’s 1993 release, the band split and the famed Factory Records declared bankrupt.   

Five years would pass before New Order reunited. Theirs was a very personal relationship, a bond that’s kept them united to this day, bar Hookie. 

“We never thought we’d get back together again, Bernard declared. “Thankfully, the time apart cleared the air.”   Evolution for New Order was important, so breaking away and finding new influences and learning new things refreshed Bernard’s musical database.”   As Electronic, Bernard Sumner was one of only two players only, each participating differently. 

“New Order is democratic and we all compromise, with Electronic I could do whatever I liked, and visa versa for Johnny,” he recalled at the time.  This interview tells that story and a whole more about a group of Manchester-born musicians blessed more than cursed and loved the world over. 

 #chemicalbrothers #primalscream #electronic #neworder #johnnymarr #thesmiths #thieveslikeus #manchesterbands #factory #factoryrecords #neiltennant #chrislowe

The very first media interview Radiohead conducted in support of the release of OK Computer. 

The interview with Colin, Ed, Johnny and Phil, on a hotel rooftop garden in Barcelona - 22 May 1997, marked the beginning of what was to become of the the most important and revered albums of all time. 

The recording was reclaimed from the original cassette used on the day and the interview, as with all Matters interviews, is unedited, captured as it happened. Watch the documentary Meeting People is Easy for greater context.

On the phone with Seether’s lead singer, Shaun Morgan circa 2004, all was not wine and roses – even though the band had already sold a whopping half-a-million copies of Disclaimer.   Ironically, at the time of this interview being captured, Seether was about to become real rock stars, in the true sense of the word, all thanks to “Broken” and a world tour in support of Evanescence.  

Pessimistic, frustrated, America tore into the band; and despite the insane uphill battle and the challenges that went into being signed to Wind-Up Records, Seether prevailed.  At the time, Shaun pointed to the fact that the band felt a lack of creative support from their label. Some might have called it tough love, whereas Shaun simply saw it as bad parenting.  

With 16 bands signed to the label and only four making waves, Wind-Up was in a corner, hungry for hits. The big machine was threatened and panicked where, as a result, Seether suffered the brunt of that desperation.  

Armed with a new guitarist, and all far better players thanks to two-and-a-half-years of continuous touring, Seether was about to cement their place as one of modern rock’s true talents. Shaun turned to his lyrical wizardry to articulate his unhappiness and frustration, all of which aired on the album Karma & Effect, released a year after this interview.  

We also chatted around the then-recent arrival of this new thing called ‘download culture’ and the threat and influence the internet was imposing on the music business.  USA 2004 – George Bush had just outlawed gay marriage; the conservative slide was well and truly afoot. Sardonic when you consider 2021 America. 

Ruling by fear and with the real worry that Bush would be re-elected, Shaun considering leaving the US because of the politics of the day.  Luckily for us all, Seether stayed put, and in the process realised phenomenal success right around the world, no thanks to their label.

Spoiler alert – As those who listen to my interviews will know, no two are made equal. They’re all unedited and captured, in the moment, warts and all. This is another one of those.   

Between gushing fanboy, struggling to not fail my idiosyncratic idol, this interview saw us take a good five minutes to settle into a groove.   Boys for Pele was dark, she even found it hard to listen to. Fast-forward two years and 1998’s From the Choirgirl Hotel, her fourth studio album, was one that was as equally painful to make as it was cathartic but for very different reasons.   

Tori speaks frankly about the loss of a child, confronting her deities, and finding her way out of the deep dark woods.   She talks about the fragility of life and how she liberates herself from it through the music she makes.   

Regardless of the awkward pauses and pensiveness, on both our parts, there a few choice moments and powerful statements worth listening to.

   #toriamos, #boysforpele, #fromthechoirgirlhotel, #littleearthquakes

On April 2nd, 2021, Travis’ 1997 debut, Good Feeling is being re-released on vinyl. 

Seven short years after that critically acclaimed album’s original release, on 24 September 2004, I got to interview lead guitarist Andy Dunlop on the eve of their then first, Greatest Hits compilation, Singles.   

Travis appeared and rose above their peers of the day, at the time creating equally memorable music. So, what was it about this frosty Scottish band that captured the imagination of the world, and still does to this day? Listen here to find out.   

#travis, #franhealey, #oasis, #coldplay, #andydunlop, #singles, #goodfeeling, #mikehedges, #stevelilleywhite, #antoncorbijn

Chatting to Dave Matthews on the eve of their third RCA album release was a coup of sorts, if only because at the time he wasn’t doing interviews with the South African media.   

Close on four years after their breakout smash hit record, Under the Table and Dreaming, followed by Crash, two years later, the Dave Matthews Band were already colossal having built their audience independently.   

He talks through the creation process, the band's surprise success, working with Steve Lillywhite and the stress RCA felt at trying to top the success of the last record.   

He also speaks about how the new album's title, Before These Crowded Streets, the layered darkness, with sprigs of positivity and the band’s growth. “We’re taking a lot more chances and brought in new players, the likes of Bruce Hornsby and Tim Reynolds.   

All-new, fresh, yet tight, in a relaxed way.” Lyrically vulnerable, ambiguous as always, listening to this interview you quickly realise how Dave Matthews was born to do what he continues to do so very well, all to our collective benefit.   

#davematthews, #brucehornsby, #timreynolds, #crash, #underthetableanddreaming, #beforethesecrowdedstreets, #stevelillywhite, #davematthewsband, #thedavematthewsband

“We’re very happy with what’s happening, but we’re aware it could disappear in a heartbeat.” Humble, yes, but oh so wrong! Circa March 1998, Matchbox 20’s Paul Doucette took time to talk me through the very early days of the band’s success with their then debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You. Today it stands as one of the most successful albums of its era.

Michael David Rosenberg, the voice and prolific songwriter behind Passenger shares just where he's at. With a brand new album, teasing the top of the UK album charts and 12 more albums to reflect upon, this 13-minute peak inside his world was a privilege and joyous from start to finish.  #passenger, #davidrosenberg, #gallorecordcompany, #royalalberthalllondon

Captured on the eve of her debut South African promotional tour, in August 1997, this interview with Janet Jackson unpacks more than just The Velvet Rope. A very introspective album, “finding myself is where I find myself,” she declared.

This time around, Janet was focusing on her R&B roots. She spoke to me about exposing her inner, sensual self. “If it’s too much, I apologise,” she confessed at the time. “I have desires, just like the next person. It’s very unsettling. We’re not alone in our feelings.” Most artists would not touch the subject matter, yet Janet embraced it. “I have to do it for myself,” she insisted.

When discussing “Got ’til it’s Gone” – in this interview Janet talks through how the Joni Michelle-inspired track came together. And with Q-Tip in residence, the two made magic. “He has a peacefulness about him,” she said at the time.

“Tonight’s the Night”, Rod Stewart’s classic made it onto the album too… At the point of this recording, he’d yet to hear and endorse it.  “I hope it helps people,” she said, “and that they get something from it. That’s most important.”

It was a difficult album to make, where Janet went back into her past to realise it. Six months committed and multiple revisits saw The Velvet Rope come to life. Working with the original team, all egos were left at the door. “I hate arrogance,” she insisted. Cathartic, unsettling, as time passed each day after the album was released, Janet got her strength, courage and artistic conviction confirmed with the album’s success.

Here she also speaks of her friendship with Harvey Weinstein in 1997, the same year she received the Lina Horn Award. “I felt so honoured!” she recalls. Janet discusses racism, emotional battles and her inner struggles. More motivated then as ever, Janet, for the first time since Control, Ms Jackson was doing it for herself, no matter what.

#janetjackson, #rhythmnation, #thevelvetrope, #harveyweinstein, #thejacksonfive, #thejackson5, #control, #sidneypollack, #gwnethpaltrow, #slidingdoors, #rodstewart, #q-tip

Laying the beast to rest, albeit only for five years. Big shoes to fill and a global audience to win over, Blaze Bayley rose to the occasion and spent five years actively evolving one of the most important and relevant British rock bands of its age.

Eleven studio albums in, Virtual Eleven arrived in 1998, and I had the opportunity to speak to Bruce Dickenson lead-singer-replacement, Blaze Bayley. We spoke about football, the soccer World Cup, and just how integral the game is in appealing and landing their music.

We spoke firsts – Israel, South Africa, video games, online, but the music was where the main focus lay. Clocking in with eight tracks, close on 60 minutes, Iron Maiden kept it tight and tidy. Iron Maiden is an album, not a singles band, free to express themselves; and Blaze managed to have his voice heard and where he, arguably, pushed the needle for this seminal force in music.

#ironmaiden, #brucedickenson, #virtualeleven, #blaizebayley, #playstation