What's your opinion of hot sauce?
Paul: I love it! Especially Texas Pete.
Miller Lite or Stella?
Paul: Stella gets me very drunk, so I'll pick that. Even though it can be dangerous.
Favorite Radiohead song?
Paul: Hmm..."Mixymatosis", "Pyramid Song"...um..far too many to mention. They are a constant inspiration to me.
Why have you sung a few songs on records but not in concert? I'm sure everyone would love to hear you sing!
Paul: I find going on stage hard enough without the added stress that singing would bring. I also believe in playing to your strengths. Frank's voice is light years ahead of my drone.
Now that you've been in the trashcans for 15+ years, if you weren't in the trashcans sometime down the road, could you see yourself in another band?
Paul: Yes, of course. I do enjoy playing the guitar and writing songs.
When you're playing, you never look up - are you just too busy concentrating, shy, embarrassed?
Paul: All of the above.
Favourite gig ever played and favourite places to play, generally?
Paul: I find playing live rather stressful, so the best way for me to enjoy a gig is to get super-stoned and get into the sounds we're making. Consequently I have absolutely no memory of most of the gigs we've done. Some do stick out, though. The Bowery Ballroom in N.Y. last year was pretty mind blowing, as was the recent Glasgow Garage gig. I also really enjoyed all of the Troubadour gigs.
Have you started writing the next album yet?
Paul: Yes, we've written a few crackers!
Who's your daddy?
Paul: Davy Livingston
Would you consider doing a set list consisting of some of the rarely heard 'B' sides such as "No Gasoline", "Mr. Grisly" and the odd older cover version?
Paul: I think we did a slightly strange set at one of the Troubadour shows. The question is, do we play for the people that know all our stuff, or the people who just got into us? We try to show ourselves in the best possible light so, generally speaking, we tend to play the songs that we like the most.
What have you thought of the two Manchester gigs (January at the Life Cafe and June at Academy). Any plans to visit Manchester again before the year is out?
Paul: As anyone who saw me crawling around the floor can confirm, I lost the hash at the Life Cafe. Wasn`t even mine. Shit. Mind you, I spoke to Simon Ward later and he said I looked, "totally out of it". I did have a cold and I may have drank a bit too much to compensate for lack of dope. Do you think I'm unprofessional? I have a great theory that, if a band doesn't have at least one member who looks wrecked, they should not be trusted. Anyway I always have a lot of fun in Manchester. It's a cool place.
What did you guys do with the cab fare Ms. Garofolo gave you? We, the public, have photographic evidence that you took the subway home.
Paul: We did indeed take the subway. She was insisting we take her money, which was very nice of her, but we refused. We do have some pride, y'know! Shit. We should've taken it.
It seems that your tour has been extensive over the past 2 years. What is life really like "on the road"?
Paul: Ah, life on the road. It can be grueling and it can be a piece of piss. But, it is usually a lot of fun. All day, before the gig, everyone is a bit edgy. Then after it, no matter how much rest you wanted before, you just want to party with the release of it all. Or with sheer frustration.
On the cover photo of Weightlifting, is that little structure on the right towards the bottom a castle? If so, which one?
Paul: It's Castle Urquhart on the banks of Loch Ness.
When people are shouting out requests during shows, do you find this annoying or think it's good that people are interested and excited to hear the band?
Paul: I think we give off a general air of making it up as we go along which maybe makes people think they have a better chance of being accomodated. Sometimes it's funny. Sometimes it's not.
brilliant in nottingham in june. ... who's the biggest drinker?
Paul: It's probably me. Although on tour it's more of a tie.
Hi there - I saw on the website the photos of when you played at an elementary school, I think in Boston? How did that come about and how was the experience of playing for kids?
Paul: One of Admin's kids was doing a project on Scotland at school and, as we were staying at his house, we went in to play a song and answer any questions they had. It was a lot of fun, even though we were tired and hungover. Iain wore his kilt. Some children were confused.
What is your favourite la's song and why?
Paul: There's a b-side recorded on a 4-track in a rehearsal room called "Over" which I adore. We also have a tape of a lot of unreleased songs that are just magic. What a band. It's great to have them back. |
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-You've been to the usa a few times in the last year and a half. do you consider the tours a success? were you happy/disappointed with the turnout? I travelled to a few of the shows last fall and this spring in the midwest and at times i actually felt angry or upset for you guys. Does it affect your morale?
- On the messageboard, admin said that Weightlifting had sold almost 20,000 records in the USA. Can you guys make a living selling that many records?
- Were you surprised at the warm welcome you received on your trip to the states? How has the positive feedback in the last year affected your perspective on the future of the band?
Paul: The contradiction in these questions shows that it's all a matter of perspective. Of course the tours were a success. To take a band and crew (the incredible Ben Marts) on the road for a month and make a profit is a new and wonderful experience for us. Don't feel bad. For every poor turn out there was a packed house! And the whole point is to play in new places to new people. It is a gradually building process. This is the business we're in! But our goals are more than monetary, we're trying to make truthful and heartfelt music and we consider ourselves a resounding success!
Do you think doing the radio stations and record shops are worthwhile, or is it just 'part of the business'?
Paul: Radio is always worthwhile. You're reaching a lot of people who've never heard you before. Instores, however are a hit and miss affair. Although we have been pleasantly surprised in the past, it's usually a lot of effort to play a free show to 10 people who are coming to that night's gig anyway. On the last U.S. tour especially, our time would have been better spent sleeping. Or washing.
Will "Homeless" ever see the light of day -- outside of Zebra of the Family?
Paul: I doubt it very much.
your past two records, to me, with the exception of several songs, have a live sounding appeal than an actual studio sounding recording. what has influenced the sound you now carry as oppose to your early recordings such as recording, engineering, mixing, overall studio/live sound etc..?
Paul: We got better as players and better at playing with each other so it's natural to record us with a more live sound.
Did you intend to write an instrumental when you wrote "Outside", or did it just happen that way?
Paul: "Outside" used to have singing but none of us were very inspired by it, so we left it as an instrumental. You can get the singing version on Zebra of the Family with Frank and his sister Eddi singing it. Actually, she released it on a B-side of hers with Bernard Butler playing all the wrong chords.
Who's the female voice at the end of "The Therapist"?
Paul: I don't know. We were scrubbing an old 24 track tape with the song and she was on one of the tracks. A happy accident!
Do you consider Weightlifting a success?
Paul: I was living in a hovel in Kilmarnock when we decided to try and do another album. The idea that we would somehow be able to write and record a good album never mind release and tour for it seemed impossible. We had no money or equipment for a start! Our only goal was to do the best we could, so we're incredibly proud that it has been such a success. We are all in a much better place, physically and mentally, than when we started this record. With the possible exception of Davy Hughes, who has plateaued.
Any idea if the band will be in Austin (SXSW) in '06?
Paul: I doubt it.
Having watched Jools Holland and how his show profiles bands like TCS who have plenty of talent but need exposure to the nation. Have the band got any plans to appear on shows to showcase themselves?
Paul: We are doing a half hour T.V. show in Ireland in December. Apart from that, nothing. I hope you understand that this is not through choice. We do have pluggers and publicists and we do everything we can get
Which guitars are you using ?
Paul: Would you be very surprised if I told you that we still use the same guitars we did over ten years ago? John's black Les Paul and my white Tokai!
Things you do apart from music
Paul: I`ve been,"hanging out" in L.A. with my girlfriend and I enjoy embracing all the American cliches. I watch court shows while drinking beer and answer the door to the pizza delivery guy in my boxer shorts.
What are your favorite songs to cover during a live show?
Paul: I remember when George McDaid was in the band we had to pad out a set by doing a cover. We decided that, as it only has one bass note all theway through, "Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles would be easiest for him to learn. All he had to do was play A....he played G.
What ever happened to George McDaid? Do any of you guys ever see him?
Paul: He went back to University after he left the band and trained to be a teacher. And, as far as I'm aware, that is what he is. And a good one to boot!
Why doesn't Davy come along on the acoustic shows?
Paul: Apart from keeping costs down, a lot of the songs just sounded kinda silly when we tried it out.
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