1.I first had the pleasure of interviewing you in 2007, and to begin
with, I just wondered what some of your favourite memories have been
since that time, and if you may have learnt anything about yourself?
Steve: Oh My God (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Oh God (laughing)! Since then, a favourite time
2007 (thinking)?
Steve: OK, since weve done a lot of gigs, the first time
we played Reading sticks in my mind
Laura-Mary: Reading Festival (excitedly), yeah!
Steve: That was really cool! Playing with Rage Against The Machine
in Paris
Laura-Mary: Yeah, that was definitely a big deal (smiling)! Actually,
one of my other highlights, even though I thought it was a bad show
for us but it turned out that it was good was when we
played in Portugal with Nine Inch Nails and we were on like one band
before them.
Steve: It was the biggest Festival that wed ever played
at and we were really high up on the bill!
Laura-Mary: It was a major Festival in Portugal, yeah, it was
really good! Weve learnt a lot since then A LOT (laughing)!
Steve: Like how to play (laughing), how to write songs properly
Laura-Mary: Yeah (laughing), how to write songs properly! How
to say no actually, to lots of things, because we didnt really
realise that you could (pausing), I dont know, we used to say
yes to a lot of things, like people telling us what to wear
Steve: I think weve got more fussy.
Laura-Mary: Yeah. Now we realise that
Steve: Weve learnt that you should just basically say no
to anything that anyone else suggests!
Laura-Mary & Steve: (both laugh heartily)
Steve: Just do what you think, or what you would naturally do
anyway, because it always turns out better (laughing)!
2.As youve now established yourselves as a formidable two-piece,
who do you consider to be among some of the great duos of all-time?
Laura-Mary: Ooh, great duos of all-time? God (thinking)
Steve: Neu!
Laura-Mary: Oh yeah, Neu!
Steve: Neu! were a two-piece, theyre definitely a great
band!
Laura-Mary: Lightning Bolt (laughing)!
Steve: Lightning Bolt for sure its pretty insane!
Laura-Mary: Theyre a change your life type of
band, but they're not a band that you can sit down to and listen to
their songs
Steve: Its noise!
Laura-Mary: Its really intense. Its kind of like dance
music, but theyre SO LOUD! They dont mic anything up!
Steve: They play the biggest bass amp youve ever seen!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, theyre amazing like really amazing!
Theyre one of those bands where you just let go and it takes you
to another place. Look them up on YouTube
Steve: Yeah, then youll understand it better.
Laura-Mary: Youll know what we mean then. I think theyre
amazing, but I wouldnt say that I listen to them all of the time
I do sometimes, when Im in that kind of mood.
Steve: They are one of the great two-pieces though.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, they are
Steve: For sure!
Laura-Mary: God, Im sure theres loads more, Im
just trying to think
Steve: I dont know, there arent a lot. The Carpenters
were a duo (laughing).
Laura-Mary: Yeah, but Im not sure I know that much about
them though (laughing).
Steve: We once went to see Justice at a Festival
Laura-Mary: Oh yeah, theyre cool! Lets stay with those.
3.Can you tell us about writing and recording your new songs
did you know in your minds what you wanted to achieve, and was this
process different to the way you approached the making of your debut
record?
Laura-Mary: Yeah, it was definitely different compared to the
first one.
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: We had a really good idea of how we kind of wanted
it to be it never comes out how you imagine, but
Steve: Yeah, we had a real set (pausing), we didnt have
everything planned out for the songs, like wed experiment a bit
and try a few things out, but we had a definite idea of how the overall
record should feel, that it should be more atmospheric and heavier.
We had an idea of how we wanted to record it much more, like less pop
than the first record and to mix the vocals quieter and to mix the guitars
louder, things like that.
Laura-Mary: Make it a bit more stripped back
Steve: Yeah, just make it more
Laura-Mary: Live-sounding really.
Steve: Yeah, exactly!
Laura-Mary: But with atmosphere, which I think comes across.
4.Whats the ratio between older / newer songs which made the
final cut, and are there any songs in particular, that have surpassed
the bands expectations?
Laura-Mary: Well, as you know, we road-tested some songs, but
we changed a few of those afterwards because of doing that, so that
was really helpful. Like Follow The Lines, we completely changed parts
of it didnt we (looking at Steve), that we did live.
Steve: Its about half and half basically.
Laura-Mary: What old and new?
Steve: Yeah. Its like half that wed road-tested and
half that we hadnt. Is that about right (looking at Laura-Mary)?
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: I think 5 or 6 of them we played live, but some of them
wed never played live, including one that I think is sort of becoming
my favourite song (laughing).
Laura-Mary: Weve only played it twice so far we played
it last night.
Steve: Yeah, One More Empty Chair, we like its really
new. I think that was also the surprise one that surpassed my expectations,
because I didnt realise how good it was until recently (laughing).
Like, I thought it was cool, but now, I realise that I really love that
song! But, I didnt realise that until months after wed finished
the record. Now Im like, Shit, this tracks amazing!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, I feel like that with it as well. I thought
it was an alright song (pausing), I think it was because it was the
last one that we sort of finished.
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: I didnt have a real set idea on it, because
it just sort of came out.
Steve: Yeah, so were still getting to know it really.
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
5.Of Blood Red Shoes musical output to date, in terms of studio
embellishments, whats the simplest recording and the most complex
multi-tracked recording youve ever committed to tape?
Steve: The simplest, is definitely Its Getting Boring By
The Sea.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, definitely! I dont know if youve
heard any of our b-sides, but weve been doing a new b-side, thats
kind of an instrumental, with more layers on it and things
Steve: Its got loads of guitar parts (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: We recorded it ourselves, so I wouldnt say its
the most complex, but we took a long time on it. I think maybe Colours
Fade is the most complex recording weve done (looking at Steve)?
Steve: No, I think the song that is the densest, is probably When
We Wake, because thats got loads of stuff on it. We spent ages
just getting the weird sounds in the background.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, thats true.
Steve: Theres like three guitar parts on that (laughing),
and then theres the normal guitars and then we played the Yuri
guitar. And then we put in some bow guitar, do you remember (looking
at Laura-Mary)?
Laura-Mary: Oh yeah.
Steve: We were playing a guitar with a cello bow we put
in this really distorted (pausing), we got like one string and played
it with this bow.
Laura-Mary: I forgot about that.
Steve: I did the bowing and we recorded that, so thats got
loads of red-hot shit in. Its all quite subtle, so obviously you
cant hear it all, but theres actually loads of layers to
that song.
*I mention the Classic Albums TV Series, whereby musicians,
producers, engineers etc. dissect records track-by-track and talk in
detail about the making of an LP now considered to be a masterpiece,
saying that you never fully-realise how much detail there is in some
songs*
Laura-Mary & Steve: Yeah.
Steve: Theres loads of little things, but if you took them
out, youd be like, Oh, somethings changed. So
on the surface, that song is actually quite simple, but theres
actually loads of layers to it."
6.Second albums are renowned for being difficult
but do you have any favourite follow-up LPs?
Steve: The Stooges second album is my favourite Stooges record
(without any hesitation), Fun House, thats an amazing album!
Laura-Mary: I really like loads of second albums, even ones that
other people dont seem to like. Im not really into The Futureheads,
but I thought their follow-up album was really good, but people didnt
like it. I think Q And Not Us second album is great
Steve: Yeah, Q And Not Us second album is amazing!
Laura-Mary: Hole Live Through This, thats an amazing
album!
Steve: Nirvana Nevermind.
Laura-Mary: Nevermind (excitedly).
Steve: That was a pretty good follow-up wasnt it?
*I joke, Just a bit!*
Laura-Mary & Steve: (both laugh heartily)
Steve: Yeah, they only went and made one of the most important
records of The 90s!
*I ask Laura-Mary and Steve, if with strong second albums being released
by the likes of Blood Red Shoes, The Horrors and The Maccabees in recent
times, if they think the days of difficult second albums
may be over?*
Laura-Mary: Well, unless youre the Klaxons, because they
still havent got theirs out yet!
Laura-Mary & Steve: (both laugh)
7.In the groups early days, you used to sing the lyrics that you
individually wrote, but how do you now decide between yourselves who
sings lead vocals on a particular track?
Steve: Its just the same sort of principle really.
Laura-Mary: Well, sort of, there are bits where we sort of swap
around.
Steve: We do join in on each others lyrics and stuff
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: When we sing together. But, we tend to just sing naturally
as part of the writing process whoever starts to sing, ends up
singing that section of that song, and that tends to be the person who
writes the words as well. There arent any set rules.
Laura-Mary: Sometimes, theres bits where whoever sings the
verses, would have written the words, but then maybe the other person
has written the chorus.
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: It does vary, but I suppose it is still kind of like
that and there are songs that we wrote together, so its the same
as the first album really. But, we dont really decide that much,
it happens naturally.
Steve: You just kind of go with it I suppose.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, you just feel whats right.
8.Of all your lyrics to date, which line or song are you most proud
of writing?
Steve: I think my favourite lyrics that Ive ever written
are in Colours Fade I think theyre the best lyrics that
Ive written!
Laura-Mary: I dont know what my best lyrics are (thinking),
I dont know?
Steve: Do you have like little lines of one or anything (looking
at Laura-Mary)? Because my favourite bits of lyrics are in Colours Fade,
that Im proud of, like personally speaking. Where I think, For
me, thats pretty good sort of thing (laughing).
Laura-Mary: No. I never like anything that I do though (laughing),
so
Maybe When We Wake, but its not exactly interesting.
Steve: But I think as well, its like the way you sing it.
Like the lyrics on their own, dont mean as much as when you sing
them. I think if I just read the lyrics separately from how its
sung, it would be different, but I think its a part of the whole
as well, where I think that they fit right, do you know what I mean?
Thats how I always think of the songwriting.
9.If you could re-record or remove any song in your back catalogue,
which one would it be?
Steve: I wouldnt remove any songs, but I would definitely
remove a lot of photos (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, remove a lot of photos and videos from the first
album! I think if there was one song Id remove from the first
album, it would be the last song, Hope Youre Holding Up.
*I say that I really like that song*
Laura-Mary: Oh, do you.
Steve: Someone came up to me yesterday and said that their favourite
Blood Red Shoes song, is that!
Laura-Mary: I thought no-one really liked it, because no-one ever
really mentioned it
Steve: This guy was like, Thats my favourite song
that youve ever written I really love it!
Laura-Mary: I havent actually listened to it for a long
time though, to be fair. I think also, maybe Id remove Follow
The Lines from our new album, maybe.
Steve: Thats criminal!
Laura-Mary: Huh (looking at Steve)?
Steve: Thats criminal!
10.Prior to the release of your new album, fans were able to pre-order
a number of different limited edition versions through recordstore.co.uk.
But are you yourselves avid record collectors and do you have any favourite
collectibles?
Laura-Mary: Oh cool (excitedly), thats a good question (big
smile)!
Steve: Well, were definitely like music geeks!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, Ive got A LOT of vinyl records. Ive
got a few limited edition Sonic Youth 10s, like Youth Against
Fascism.
Steve: Thats pretty cool and thats funny, because
one of the things that Ive got is a Lee Ranaldo record, which
is all just locked grooves, like its a series of infinite looped
noises that he came up with. Its a clear vinyl and on one side
its etched, and then on the other side its just got like
10 different infinite looped weird noises. So, you listen to it for
as long as you feel like and then move it to the next one. Its
obviously a Sonic Youth kind of thing.
Laura-Mary: Ive got loads of really good singles, like 7s,
which make people go, Where did you get that? (laughing)
Steve: Shes got Mr. Soft (singing the opening line of the
song).
Laura-Mary: (giggling) Ive got a lot of weird stuff (laughing)!
Steve: Thats a great song!
11.Is there a particular record label that you admire?
Steve: Touch And Go, Dischord
Laura-Mary: Yeah. Out of the bigger indie labels, I like Domino.
Steve: Domino puts out a pretty healthy selection of good music.
Laura-Mary: Kill Rock Stars.
Steve: KRS, yeah! They all do put out some crap as well (laughing)
Laura-Mary: Yeah (laughing)!
Steve: But they do tend to have more stuff that we like than other
labels dont they (looking at Laura-Mary)?
12.If you were the CEO of a successful record label, which artists
/ bands would you most like to have signed to your roster?
Steve: Id definitely sign the Foo Fighters (without any
hesitation)!
Laura-Mary: (laughing)
Steve: Because then I could tell Dave Grohl what to do, because
Id be the label boss (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: I would definitely sign Queens Of The Stone Age
definitely! With smaller bands
Steve: I would sign Ghost Of A Thousand.
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: I would sign 1984, who are a cool French band that were
touring with as well.
Laura-Mary: Theyre unsigned. I would sign Sonic Youth, because
theyve made so many records, that you just know that they will
keep making them. Peggy Sue And The Pirates
I cant think
of anyone else.
Steve: I would say Kings Of Leon, because their record sales would
pay the bills!
Laura-Mary & Steve: (both laugh heartily)
Steve: Then you could do whatever you want with any of your other
bands, because youd have the money to do it!
*I say that thats how most labels usually work*
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: Yeah, they have one really successful band that pays all
the debts for all the others (laughing).
13.What do you most dislike about The Music Industry?
Steve: All of it (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Theres lots.
Steve: The whole thing! Its an Industry and the idea of
Industry & Commerce, is completely the opposite of what it is to
try and create art. So, the whole thing by definition, is a really uncomfortable
place to do anything creative in. But, you have to play along with it,
in order to get what you want from it, because you cant be in
a band and not be part of it. So, its just tough shit isnt
it (laughing)? In an ideal universe, theyd be like no money and
everything would be great you could just be in a band and nobody
would need to pay anything. That would be beautiful
Laura-Mary: Thats never going to happen (laughing).
Steve: Thats never going to happen, no (laughing).
14.Some people feel that when times are hard in society, it can result
in some of the best music being made. Would you agree with this?
Steve: Yeah, totally!
Laura-Mary: Definitely! This is what we were talking about recently
actually, because we realise that theres a recession and loads
of things have been happening in the last few years, but I dont
feel like theres any music thats come out that really represents
that. Everything sounds too happy.
Steve: Yeah, its so weird isnt it? Like the music
that has been coming out is really pop, really upbeat and really happy,
kind of synth / dance music stuff. But theres no angry music
theres no protest music. Theres no music going, Fuck
You, or people expressing the things that have gone wrong. Nobody
wants to admit that the world is falling apart. Everyone just wants
to go and dance to some bad electric shit and pretend that its
not really there.
Laura-Mary: I was hoping that some sort of music would come out
of it
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: You know, punk came out, grunge came out
Steve: And made a big noise about it!
Laura-Mary: Yeah! But Im not sure if anything is going to
come out now.
Steve: Its just us (laughing), were the only pissed-off
band left! Everyone else is happy.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, but everyone else hates us for that.
Steve: Its like were trying to piss on everyones
bonfire or something (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: I read a review that said, Why cant Blood
Red Shoes sing about happy things? Theyre still singing about
things they sung about on their first album. I was like, Well,
yeah, because we mean it!
Steve: Yeah, because we mean it (laughing)!
15.In February 2010, Courtney Love spoke to students at Oxford Union
but is there a musician who you think would be an ideal candidate
for this?
Steve: Steve Albini, hed be an interesting one I think.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, he would! PJ Harvey, although I dont think
shed ever do it.
Steve: She would be a really interesting one though.
Laura-Mary: Shes SO interesting! I think shes brilliant
(big smile)!
*I say that Ill keep an eye out for PJ Harvey as a guest speaker
at Oxford Union*
Laura-Mary & Steve: Yeah (both laughing)!
16.You recently did a Photo Shoot with the legendary rock photographer,
Steve Gullick. Was this an enjoyable experience, and did you ask him
about any of the other artists / bands that hes shot over the
years?
Steve: Hes BRILLIANT! We were just asking him about who
hes worked with the whole time (laughing)
Laura-Mary: Yeah, we were (laughing)!
Steve: We were like, Dude, what was it like when you shot
so and so?
Laura-Mary: I asked him about Courtney Love actually (big smile)!
Steve: He was more than happy to tell us about it he was
a really, really good guy!
Laura-Mary: Hes really nice! He actually has a band as well
and theyre playing with us in London, theyre supporting
us.
Steve: Yeah, he gave us his bands record and we were like,
Shit, this is really good!
Laura-Mary: They sound a bit like Queens Of The Stone Age type
thing.
Steve: Its like Queens Of The Stone Age, a bit Jesus Lizard
its quite downbeat and moody sounding. Theyre called
Bender. He was a really cool guy, I was like, What about Mark
Lanegan? What about Courtney? (laughing), but hes done loads
of cool stuff!
Laura-Mary: Yeah!
Steve: Some of the best things that he told us, was that he gets
offered like crazy money to do really bad bands. He turned down doing
Kasabian for like £10,000 or something stupid, because he was
like, I cant bring myself to photograph a band that shit!
(laughing) and hes got a family to support and all the rest of
it. He could have taken the money, but he said, Im not photographing
Kasabian!
Laura-Mary: Ill tell you what else he did I just
remembered I looked up his photographs obviously, before he photographed
us, and I really like the one of Beck where hes sat on a red velvet
couch I think its really good! I just said to him, I
really like your photo of Beck on the chair, and he was like,
Oh, do you really like that, and I was like, Yeah,
I love it! Then he said, Ive got one in the car if
you want it? He got this print
Steve: It was massive!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, it was massive and he just gave it to me! Its
worth a lot of money, because he was selling them in an exhibition.
Steve: It had to be worth £250 I reckon, at least!
Laura-Mary: He just gave it to me and said, Here you go.
Steve: He develops it all himself he has his own darkroom
and he doesnt touch digital. Thats why we liked his work,
theyre proper photographs with grain.
17.I read that you still tend to argue occasionally, but looking
back on some of the arguments that youve had in the past, is there
one in particular that now seems really trivial?
Steve: Every time (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah (laughing)!
Steve: Almost all of them are always something really trivial,
its just a spark.
Laura-Mary: I think every argument we have is about something
trivial. I think there was once something about eating an orange
Steve: (laughs heartily) Did we manage to have a fight about eating
an orange (looking at Laura-Mary)?
Laura-Mary: Yeah, like I wanted the orange and you ate it!
Steve: (laughs heartily again)
Laura-Mary: It was something silly like that.
Steve: Oh, thats brilliant (chuckling)!
*I mention that that reminds of a story about Peter Hook, where everytime
he finished eating a bag of crisps, he would suck his thumb and fingers
one-by-one really loudly, which eventually ended up driving the rest
of New Order mad*
Laura-Mary: Urgh
Steve: Thats such a funny thing to get really angry about
(laughing), but thats what happens, you go a bit psychotic.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, I get really freaked out when Steve starts
Steve: Like if I bite my nails or I start fidgeting.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, Im like (shivering), God, stop.
18.At a guess, how many gigs do you think youve played since you
started as a band and what has been the most memorable crowd / incident
that has happened at a show?
Steve: We have done somewhere between 450 500 shows!
Laura-Mary: But its been that amount for ages (looking at
Steve).
Steve: Thats because I counted it at the end of last year
and weve only done about 10 shows since then.
Laura-Mary: Oh, OK.
Steve: We didnt play much in 2009, but by the end of this
tour, were going to be nearer to 500.
Laura-Mary: It feels like weve done more than that.
Steve: Ive got it on my computer, Ive actually got
a spreadsheet
Laura-Mary: (laughing)
Steve: Ive put them all in there and I count how many there
are now and again.
Laura-Mary: Because I forget where weve been (laughing).
Memorable crowds (thinking), God, theres been loads
Steve: The first time we played Bordeaux
Laura-Mary: I was about to say that!
Steve: That will always stick in my brain. It was this little
basement show that we did, there were about 50 people tops. It was a
rotting basement, but it was so good! But because there was no PA
there was just 2 microphones some of the songs people were singing
so loud, that we could hear the crowd more than we could hear ourselves.
It was really cool really cool!
Laura-Mary: And our LA2 gig, before it got knocked down. Everytime
I say that its been knocked down, I cannot believe it.
Steve: No.
Laura-Mary: That was one of our best gigs ever (big smile)!
Steve: Yeah, the Astoria 2, that was brilliant!
19.Do you see many familiar faces in the audience when touring around
the world?
Steve: We definitely see familiar faces.
Laura-Mary: Yeah and we get to know quite a lot of people as well.
Steve: Yeah, but its funny, because we know different people
too. Do you remember that girl in Birmingham (looking at Laura-Mary),
I was like, Hey! And you were like, Whos she?
And I was like, Shes been in the front-row at 17 of our
shows. But you know that Steve guy, who I dont really speak
to.
Laura-Mary: Steve Hughes, yeah. There are certain people that
know Steve and certain people who know me
Steve: Who we recognise at the front.
Laura-Mary: Or who stand on our side.
Steve: It tends to be men standing on your side and girls standing
on my side.
Laura-Mary: (laughs heartily)
Steve: I really cant figure out why?
Laura-Mary: (laughs heartily again) At least yours are like the
normal age, all of mine are mostly really old men (laughing)!
Steve: Annies always on my side.
Laura-Mary: She was on your side? She loves you!
Steve: She loooooves me (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, shes never on my side, thats right!
Steve: (laughs heartily)
Laura-Mary: Im actually kind of offended now (laughing).
But yeah, basically, there are lots of familiar faces and we get to
know a lot of people (smiling).
20.Do you have any prized-possessions or favourite gifts from fans?
Laura-Mary: Steve got given a digital camera
Steve: Yeah, when we played in Tokyo, a girl bought me a camera.
I havent seen how the pictures have come out, because its
quite a weird one, where all of the pictures come out a bit fucked-up,
but in a cool way.
Laura-Mary: I get given really nice gifts by people in Japan,
but my favourite things are when I get letters and e-mails from people
being really nice
Steve: And drawings.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, and drawings. Theyre my favourite gifts,
because people have put a lot of time and effort in to them, which I
think is really sweet (big smile)!
21.What are your thoughts on encores at gigs?
Laura-Mary: We dont mind doing them, although I find it
funny and I always get really embarrassed when we have to go back on.
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: But we do this thing, where we tend not to plan really
what were going to do. Because you know how you see on some bands
set lists how they have a line for the encore
Steve: They always keep back The Big Hit, so its
obvious theyre going to do an encore. Like they leave out their
massive # 1 single or whatever. So theyll finish their set, but
everyone knows they havent played that song and theyre going
to come back and do it. So the whole thing is just kind of an act.
Laura-Mary: We dont do that.
Steve: We never plan an encore we never have and we never
will!
Laura-Mary: If no-ones clapping and people dont really
want it, we wont go back on.
Steve: No.
Laura-Mary: Its only if people really, really want it. Like
last night, we werent sure whether people wanted us to come back
on, because nobody was clapping. But then, everybody started stamping.
Steve: Yeah, we were just about to tell the venue to put a CD
on and then we were going to leave. There was a really long gap and
then everyone actually started to make some noise, shouting More!
So we were like, Oh, they do want us to come back on and play
some more.
Laura-Mary: But if no-ones really that bothered, were
not going to go back on and be like, Hi (laughing).
Steve: I find the whole encore thing kind of silly, but it just
ends up happening. When youre on a headline tour, it always ends
up happening at most shows it just becomes standard. So youve
just got to try and not plan it too much and try to keep it fresh, so
its genuine.
Laura-Mary: Its really weird actually, thinking about it
Steve: Its like a formality or something.
*I remark that the Manic Street Preachers will never play encores, apart
from one time when they played a special show in Cuba*
Laura-Mary: Really (surprised)!?!
Steve: Well, encores are kind of stupid. The funny thing is, you
can play in some countries and if you dont do an encore, theyll
be really upset. Like you can play for an hour and not do an encore
and theyll be like, You didnt play an encore.
Or you can go and play for half-an-hour and do an encore youve
played less songs but theyll be happier, because they got
their encore.
Laura-Mary: Its really weird.
Steve: Its stupid (laughing).
Laura-Mary: You get some places where you have to do them
Steve: They get funny about it.
Laura-Mary: You know youre a really big Manics fan (looking
at me)? Do you know that they like our band?
Steve: They asked us to support them on their Journal For Plague
Lovers Tour, but we couldnt do it because we were recording at
the time. Nicky Wire wrote about you didnt he (looking at Laura-Mary)?
Laura-Mary: Yeah (smiling), in the Reading Festival programme
Ive got it at home. They asked musicians what their Top
5 favourite songs of the summer were, or of the year, something like
that, and he put Say Something, Say Anything by Blood Red Shoes. He
also said that were a really good live band and Im
like the new Courtney Love, even though Im not (laughing)!
Steve: Shes a bit less fucked-up (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: He just said really good drumming and really
good guitar playing.
*I say that I hope Blood Red Shoes are able to play some shows with
MSP in the future*
Steve: Maybe Nicky will come and play bass for us (laughs heartily)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah (laughing). When they asked us, they were doing
their record with Steve Albini werent they? So it kind of makes
sense in a way, that they like us.
Steve: Yeah, that theyre into that sort of vibe.
22.If you could choose a fantasy set list for a favourite
artist / group, who would it be and what would you select as their opening
and closing songs?
Steve: I would like to see a set list where Q Are Not U, play
their whole first album in order (laughing).
Laura-Mary: That would be amazing!
Steve: Because I dont think I ever saw them play any of
the songs off that album.
Laura-Mary: We played with them, but they played their new songs
from their third album.
Steve: From their third album, yeah.
Laura-Mary: I would like to see Babes In Toyland again, like a
mixture between (pausing), well, actually, most of the first album
not really the later ones (pausing), actually, I dont know. I
just want them to play anything, I wouldnt mind what they started
and ended with (laughing)!
23.On a similar note, if you were asked to look after Never
Mind the Buzzcocks for 1 week, which musicians / celebrities would
you book to appear on the programme alongside the Team Captains, Phill
Jupitus and Noel Fielding?
Steve: Who would host it (looking at Laura-Mary)?
Laura-Mary: I was going to say you (laughing), but Ill choose
someone else. Who would be good (thinking)?
Steve: Im trying to think of somebody whos funny
Laura-Mary: As a musician, Dave Grohl is quite funny.
Steve: Dave Grohl would be a great host he would!
Laura-Mary: No, Id tell you who would be good, Jack Black.
Steve: Yeah, Jack Black, he should be the host and then we can
have Dave Grohl on one of the teams.
*I ask Laura-Mary and Steve who wants to pick for Phills team
and who wants to pick for Noels team*
Laura-Mary: I want to take Noels team!
Steve: All the girls take Noels team. Anyway, for Phills
team, I would have Dave Grohl and Id have one of the guys from
We Are Scientists, not because I particularly like the band, I just
think theyre fucking hilarious!
Laura-Mary: Actually, my boyfriend (Felix from The Maccabees)
got interviewed by them at the NME Awards, and he said it was really
weird, because they were just being totally normal and then as soon
as they started doing the interview, they just turned into these characters.
He said they are just like TV presenters now.
Steve: Although one of the guys was a TV presenter before he was
in the band, the singer I think?
Laura-Mary: Oh right, I didnt know that.
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: That makes so much sense.
Steve: He got fired (laughing)! I read it really early on, he
said he was a TV presenter and lasted like 3 days and then got fired.
Laura-Mary: Id get Axl Rose as one of mine.
Steve: Whoa!
Laura-Mary: See what he has to say.
Steve: That would be interesting, but he wouldnt speak to
anyone, hed sit in his sunglasses wouldnt he and not say
anything.
Laura-Mary: And Id also have (long pause + thinking), Missy
Elliott. I dont know why
Steve: That would be interesting.
Laura-Mary: Yeah (laughing)!
Laura-Mary & Steves Never Mind the Buzzcocks
line-up in full
Show Host Jack Black
Phills Guest #1 Dave Grohl
Phills Guest #2 Keith Murray or Chris Cain
Noels Guest #1 Axl Rose
Noels Guest #2 Missy Elliott
24.If you were asked to edit a music / culture webzine, what features
would you commission?
Laura-Mary: I would commission a feature on Sexism In The
Music Industry. I know thats been done
Steve: I dont see people talking about it that much at the
moment though.
Laura-Mary: But I would like people to go and interview quite
famous female musicians and get their experiences and see if they still
feel like that now.
Steve: Yeah, that would be interesting.
Laura-Mary: To see whether they still feel like that, even though
theyre really respected and big artists. Someone like PJ Harvey
or Madonna
Steve: Yeah, even Missy Elliott, Id be interested to see
what she thinks, or fucking Lady Gaga even. It would be interesting
to see how their experiences compare to what you go through.
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: What articles would I like that would be interesting (thinking)?
Ill tell you what I would commission, an article on How
Radiohead Recorded OK Computer. I was looking it up the other
day, because I really wanted to know about what it was like in the studio
and how they did certain things, but you cant find anything about
it. You cant find any interviews with them, or any features, even
like in the recording press. Its such an interesting record that
I want to know how they did things. You can read so much about how so
many other albums were recorded, but you cant find out how that
one was made in the studio.
Laura-Mary: Actually, I would really like to see Radiohead play
OK Computer in its entirety for that fantasy set list thing that you
asked about.
Steve: Yeah, that would be awesome!
Laura-Mary: Ive never seen them I went to Reading
Festival, but I missed them in the evening because I had to get the
train back home.
25.To date, what has been the biggest surprise in your career?
Steve: The biggest surprise? God (thinking)
Laura-Mary: That people come to watch you (laughing)! No, I think
my biggest surprise was getting on daytime radio recently.
Steve: Yeah, when Fearne Cotton plays your single, thats
quite a shock (laughing)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, I mean I never thought that would happen. I
mean even if it never happened again, Ill still be shocked by
that.
Steve: Ill tell you what the biggest surprise was, when
The Breeders asked us to play ATP (2009).
Laura-Mary: Oh, that was it that was the biggest one!
Steve: We just went mental. We were like, Fucking hell,
Kim Deal has asked to play ATP! The fact that she even fucking
knows our band
Laura-Mary: Thats the biggest one, definitely! Thats
been one of the massive highlights as well, because I never, ever dreamed
that our band would get to play ATP, I was like, Who will ever
ask us to play?
Steve: Yeah.
Laura-Mary: And it actually happened
Steve: The answer is The Breeders.
Laura-Mary: It was just an amazing fluke that she saw us playing
one time in Manchester.
Steve: That is so cool Im so proud that we got to
do that (smiling)!
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: It makes me very happy.
Laura-Mary: Its so nice to know that Ive got the poster
at home and the programme (giggling).
26.Would the Blood Red Shoes from the bands early days, be pleased
with where Blood Red Shoes are at in 2010?
Steve: I think wed be really happy, but probably think that
we should be bigger!
Laura-Mary: (laughs heartily)
Steve: I would (laughing). Id be like, Oh, youve
done good, but you should be playing bigger places!
Laura-Mary: You can always do better!
Steve: Yeah, thats what I wouldve thought (laughing).
Laura-Mary: Were like that as people though.
Steve: Wed be looking at ourselves and thinking, You
are such sell-outs!
Laura-Mary: (laughs heartily)
Steve: Thats a joke by the way (smiling).
27.Is it important to you, to keep challenging both yourselves and your
audience?
Steve: You cant really say no to that question can you (laughing)?
Laura-Mary: No, but I really think it is! Personally, I have a
real thing about always wanting to improve as a guitar player
Steve: Yeah, you have a real personal thing about challenging
yourself with playing the guitar dont you?
Laura-Mary: Yeah.
Steve: By making yourself do more complicated stuff, definitely.
Laura-Mary: Like now, if I play new songs, I think, Oh right,
these are not that difficult. But when I was writing it and trying
to work out how to play it, I thought to myself, Im never
going to be able to sing and play this at the same time. But now,
its easy to play them.
Steve: Its good to stretch yourself.
Laura-Mary: Yeah, youve got to keep pushing yourself!
Steve: If for nothing else, if you didnt force yourself
to fuck a few things up and change things around a bit, youd get
bored you would just get bored. I dont know how Oasis carried
on as long as they did, because they wrote the same song so many times.
Laura-Mary: The thing is, you always want to improve and theres
always room for improvement, in whoever you are. The day that you think
you cant improve, is the day you
Steve: Noel Gallagher hit that day the minute he wrote one song
on the first Oasis album. He was like, Oh, Ill just keep
doing that for a while make a few million!
Laura-Mary & Steve: (both laugh heartily)
28.Lastly, what do you think has been the ultimate rock n
roll statement?
Laura-Mary: I dont even know if its a statement, but
its kind of one thats stuck in my mind, when Donita Sparks
from L7, pulled out her tampon and threw it into the audience at Reading
Festival in 1992 (laughing).
Steve: Thats a pretty ultimate rock n roll statement!
Laura-Mary: Yeah, that was quite a statement I reckon!
Steve: Nice, well end on that lets go have
dinner
A very special thanks to Laura-Mary + Steve, to Blood
Red Shoes Tour Manager Edgy, and to Mark @ Prolifica, for all
of their time and help.
www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
www.myspace.com/bloodredshoes
Light It Up
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