| 2002/10/19 - Planetsound: Interview with Nick
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by John Earls |
"planetsound" teletext channel 4 tv UK interview with nick oliveri put on teletext 19/10/02
interview by john Earls. typed up by your faithful scribe, Uncletommy
For a band whose first hit, Feelgood hit of the Sumer's chorus was a list of drugs, QOTSA appear to have almost calmed down recently. Recent album SFTD sees a darker side to the self-styled robotic rock duo, as well as gettting Dave Grohl back behind the drumkit.
Singer Nick Oliveri tells "PS" why he's cutting down on getting naked during gigs and why he hasn't heard his influence on the new Foo Fighters....
(page 2) OTSA made the news when a group of deaf people turned up to a playback of SFTD inHull, hoping to experience special music for the deaf.
"they should have stuck around", says an embarassed Nick. "Really, there IS a hidden song for deaf people. We got an organisation of deaf people to rub balloons against the mic at such a low frequency that they could feel it. Turn up your speakers at home and you'll, ah, hear it!"
(page 3) Goateed singer and bassist Nick Oliveri insist they were under no pressure to change their album title of 'Songs For the Deaf'. "They know how it works,"laughs Nick, "we give them a brilliant album, they make a pile of cash from it, so they know to leave us alone about the music"
"It's called SFTD as we wanted to do an album so heavy deaf people can hear it. Same as you feel a train coming as much as you hear it".
(page 4) Nick Oliveri admits that SFTD was made at "a dark time" for the band, with Another Love Song written about Nick's divorce. We were getting burned out from being on the road so much", he reveals. "it took twice as long to make as Rated R"
"Too much is made of our lifestyle after Feelgood, so i'm not going into detail, but yeah, a lot of frustrations came spilling out on those songs."
(page 5) Making SFTD as an escape from personal problems, Nick says getting Dave Grohl drumming for the first time since Nirvana was a joy. "he was having problems writing the new foo fighters record, so he asked if he could play with us to get his energy back"
"what we were (sic) going to do? Say "no" to Nirvana's drummer!? He's one of the heaviest drummers around. It was so cool watching him play. Our new drummer, Joey, is just as heavy luckily."
(page 6) With former Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan and new drummer Joey Castillo now full-time members, Nick says QOTSA are more powerful than ever.
"Sure it means we've doubled the potential for rows", agrees Nick. "Me and Josh got burned in previous bands where there'd be five guys arguing the whole time, so we're weary of letting anyone else join. But we're so confident and the new people are so good it makes the band better".
(page 7) In his rare time off from QOTSA, Nick plays with punk band Mondo Generator, while singers Mark Lanegan and Josh Homme also have solo projects.
"The three of us all write songs that we love that just dont work for Queens", explains Nick. "It's part of why we work so well - we're too smart to go, 'Hey, how dare you play with this other band?' It's not like a marriage in QOTSA, it's free love all round"
(page 8) Qotsa have just started a tour, with Nick saying he's notgoing to be naked on stage as much as before. "people go on about me being naked more than the shows", sighs Nick. "It's not me going 'Oh, you press', but i figure anyone who wants to see me naked will have done so by now".
You do make the smaller gentlemen feel inadequate you know.
"Heh, heh! That ain't why i do it. I've got issues with clothes man, i hate being restricted."
New single no-one knows out November 4th
Thanks to uncletommy for typing this up!
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