What is the inspiration for "Orange Fell"? My wife and I used the song for our "first dance" when we were married. Its honesty, its implication that love must be rekindled - at least I assume that is the reference.
Paul: I'm glad you like "Orange Fell" so much, it's one of my favorites too. As for the inspiration behind it...well...it's a long time ago...em...that stuff you wrote about love being rekindled sounds really good.
I’m wondering what it feels like to be in the band now, what the mood of its members is. Do you still have the sort of exuberance of the early days, or do you all feel more wizened and somber? Or all of that? What’s the feeling like for you all at this point?
p.s. Hope you can get back to the U.S. to play some shows again. Don‘t know if you remember in Omaha, Nebraska playing in a bar with bowling alley attached. Francis seemed quite drunk (though gave an amazing performance, as did all), but maybe one of you will remember.
Paul: Of course I remember playing in Omaha. Frank stole a pair of bowling shoes. Anyway, I'd say that the mood of the band at the moment is coolly desperate. Personally I'm getting more confused and out of control the older I get. I think "wizened" means wrinkled.
What are your expectations for the album? I’m sure you want to sell as many records as possible, but given what has happened to TCS over your career, are you almost afraid to have high hopes for fear of being disappointed, or are you optimistic that this will be a successful release?
Paul: We've had high hopes for all our records and then been devastated when they've flopped. I don't see how you could make a record and not expect everyone to love it. We're used to disappointment.
Once the new album is released, will TCS be on tour in the US?
Paul: Thanks for your support. If we can, we will. Can is our middle name.
There were 14 non-album tracks released in the wake of A Happy Pocket (count 'em)! Any chance the tracks you recorded with Mike Deming at Studio .45 in 2000 will appear as b-sides on your next batch of singles?
Paul: Fourteen?!?!! You're right, there's every chance that some of the Studio .45 stuff will show up somewhere sometime.
I think there is a good group of devoted fans on the Internet. When did the band realize that there was an Internet following with websites and mailing lists? What do you think of your internet followers, that we’re just a bunch or crazy people who you never want to meet or have you met people from the internet or your mailing lists?
Paul: I can't really remember when we were first aware of the websites and stuff, but I think it was right near the start. We've known Joe DiMaria for years and I've met a lot of people from the list and you couldn't meet a nicer bunch of folk. I always thought Joe was going to be a geeky loner but in fact he's a successful family man who looks like an astronaut. Reading messages people leave has encouraged and inspired all of us a great deal. I only have one gripe, I miss the girl who was thrown off for calling everyone motherfucking goat murderers.
I went to both shows at the Knitting Factory a couple of years back and you guys were excellent. Why do you feel it necessary to distance yourselves from your old songs? I have read some comments by Frank in which he is very critical of the early stuff. Those early songs were laden with emotional baggage and isn't that what art is all about- making you feel something?
Paul: I'm glad you liked the Knitting Factory gigs. It was a very strange time to be us. Anyway, about the older stuff - we all like it sometimes. Not all the time.
i know this may not be of general interest, but my question is: could you transcribe the tabs of "my mistake"?
Paul: Ah, the tabs, I'm afraid I don't have that record so I don't know what key it's in, but I remember the solo was all played on the B-string with one finger so it really shouldn't be that hard to figure out.
Why did you choose to cover and release Snow?
Paul: Our very good friend, June Shinozaki, set up a visit from a band called Sunny Day Service. They came to Kilmarnock for a few days and, as we can't speak Japanese, we just drank and played a lot of songs. One of them was "Snow". It's quite surprising that it's all live considering how drunk we were. Anyway, Sony thought it would be a good idea to release it in Japan. They asked us, we said "Aye."
I'd like to ask you a couple of questions about 'Ive seen everything'-what IS Hayfever about? I know it's probably a real obvious question but it's puzzled me for years, it's a really brilliantly odd lyric that drags you in-but it's doing my head in! And what's being said through a megaphone (?) in the middle eight?
Paul: Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have the foggiest idea what it's about. It's very confusing. I recommend that you ask John. That's my advice. I know what's being said in the middle eight though. It's "Hello, I'm Harry O."
Just curious as to how 5 men who haven't released an album in 6 years (9 in the U.S.!) and who rarely play shows find money to eat/pay rent/etc. My impression is that you are all on the dole and bilking the Scottish welfare system for everything you can just like the characters in "Trainspotting". So what's the skinny? Does Francis actually work as the manager of a shoe store? Is John a bartender? I think I recall reading that Stevie worked in a record shop but I don't know if I'm just imagining that.
Paul: Spot on. We're on the dole just like the characters in Trainspotting. Except without the heroin. Or the Edinburgh. Stephen did work in a record shop for Christmas a couple of years ago but the rest of us have managed to avoid gainful employment. Which really isn't anything to be proud of.
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Most people probably think that frank and/or john write all of the songs, can you tell us what your involvement is in the songwriting process? Do you come up with lyrics, music or both? Do you write entire songs or is it more of a collaborative effort among the band members?
Paul: The three of us do pretty much the same as each other. Whether it's coming in with complete songs or bits for the others to work on.
How have you approached the making of this album differently than the other albums? What is your current favorite song that will be on the new album? Any albums out there that is getting heavy rotation? How does it feel to have Davy back in the band, any incidents that have sparked some songs like "Worm with a head" And finally, do you think the Burned Out Stars were a better band than the Trash Cans?
Paul: - The main difference with this album was trying to raise the money ourselves and then spending it wisely. I think we worked a lot harder and faster in the studio because of that.
- My favourite song on the album is "What Women Do To Men."
- All I listen to these days is heavy metal and rap. I have the tastes of teenage trailer trash.
- Davy Hughes is a changed man. He has a great job and a beautiful family.
- I never actually heard the Burned Out Stars, but if George is anything to go by, we're certainly the better looking band.
I know you must be sick of this (but), when are you going to release something? Even a CD Single?
Paul: Soon, Dougie. Soon.
Why has the 4th album taken so long?
Paul: Ah, why? Well I think the bankruptcy hit us all a lot harder than we expected. So it took us a while to think of ourselves as a band who make music as opposed to a band who go to meetings with bores.
How do you keep your spirits up in today's crappy pop music climate?
I have always wondered how the band has managed to go 6 years without releasing and album and still consider themselves a proper band? I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s just that there has only been one single and a smattering of shows, bankruptcy, and yet the band has managed to stay together. I think most bands would have packed it inlong ago. What kept you guys going and did you ever consider breaking up?
Paul: I honestly don't know where the time has gone. It never really felt to me like we weren't in the band. There was usually something happening. You've got to understand that the thought of the band didn't conjure up good feelings for a while. We didn't break up because someone would come in with a song that we loved and we'd think "we have to do this." And it's got to be good for a band to believe that they have a better record to do. The truth is, through it all, after all the shit, we believe we're worthwhile. We do something good to the individuals in the band. Here's a quote:
"Sometimes it's like angels descending from the clouds on chariots of fire, blowing trumpets of gold in your ear. This is when, for a musician, life becomes real. The rest of the superfluities, nonsense, waste, manipulation, deceit, theft and idiocies of the musician's existence are the price we pay to get to the point where music intervenes directly in the act of music." - Robert Fripp
If there is no record deal - will you still sell the new cd (once complete) over the web?
Paul: Yes, If no one else will release it, we will.
Just wanted to wish all the Sinatras my best. My wife introduced me to your music in the mid-90s and I've been thinking more clearly ever since...
Paul: Thanks for all your best. We make you think more clearly? We have the opposite effect on me.
Can you tell me what kind of guitars, amps and pedals you use? What about the other band members?
Paul: Well, for recording we use as many guitars as we can get our hands on. They've all usually got something to offer. For gigs we don't really have much choice. John's got a black Les Paul and I've got a white Tokai Strat. We don't have any amps but we'd hire Marshalls or Fender Twins.
TCS's music has progressively become slower and more melancholy over the years. I think many TCS fans still love the punch of Cake and I've Seen Everything. A Happy Pocket also has some great lively songs, but some of the demos, clips, etc. from post Happy Pocket have seemed way slow. Is the new stuff a CD full of slow, dreamy songs?
Paul: I have to disagree with you there. "Cake", "I've Seen Everything" and "A Happy Pocket" do indeed have some great lively songs on them. And so will the next one.
Two years ago I had the rare pleasure of seeing you gentlemen perform at a dive here in Philadelphia, the Khyber. I felt awful for the band, having to step out into a dirty, rainy street before the encore. Hope you're back in Philadelphia.
Paul: I liked the Khyber. I had a great night. And you shouldn't feel sorry for us, we step out into dirty, rainy streets every day.
if you weren’t in tcs, what would you do? be in another band, get a job (doing what?) or something else?
Paul: I believe I am unemployable. Thirty one, never had a job, can't drive, bad attitude.
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