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Colour Of Fire l-r Matt, Owen, S2, Thom
Colour Of Fire talk about fluffy bunnies, their inspirations, and train driver ambitions....
How does it feel to be back on the road, are you looking forward to touring again?
Owen: Yeah, definitely! We've only had about two weeks off though, so we've been touring all year really. It's gonna be good to have a nice run around!
S2: I'M NOT! It feels like bollocks! We're going home tonight, and tomorrow night, and the night after that, and after that....
Owen: Did I say anything about when we're going home??
S2: No... (sarcasm) It's absolutely amazing. I simply am bursting with happiness. I can't contain myself! laughs
Your album 'Pearl Necklace' has just been released in Japan, is there a forecasted date for release here in the UK?
Matt: Fingers crossed it will be July.
S2: Summer. I say summer anyway.
Have you got any idea how it has been received in Japan?
Owen: It was number 13 in the indie charts.
S2: It was above Linkin Park, and Funeral For A Friend. But The Vines had two entries in that chart.
Owen: 2 and 3
S2: So technically we're number 12. Woe is us, woe!
What was it like touring in Japan, is there a big difference between japanese and english audiences?
Owen: The difference was probably about 20,000 people!
S2: It's the difference between black and white really. Over there the people are polite, and attentive. Here you get abuse, and bottles. Bottles full of piss! I kind of missed the bottles of piss in Japan.
Owen: Stu got addicted to the Japanese version of Red Bull, Real Gold. He was just walking around completely wired all the time!
S2: Matt got addicted to food poisoning.
Matt: It's amazing stuff, you should try it sometime!!
How would you describe your sound?
S2: Like a bull running at a brick wall. With trainers on. It's the million dollar question!
Matt: Loud!
Owen: British rock played with an american heaviness I suppose.
S2: It's a million different styles rolled into one, they're just not apparent to anyone who's listening!
What would you say are the best are worst things about being in a band?
S2: Worst bit is having no money!
Thom: Having to sit about for ages waiting to be told what we're going to do next.
Matt: Best bit is being busy, being occupied.
Owen: It's the bits in between when you're not doing anything that things start attacking you and you get bored. Having time to think about things is the worst thing about me in a band. Not having time to think about things is the best thing!
Thom: Busy =good. Not busy=bad. Owen=fit.
S2: The best thing is the golden tour bus with the champagne cocktails. That we don't have! laughs
Thom: The jacuzzis and the women!
There's been a lot of speculation in reviews recently about your onstage behaviour towards each other, saying that you've become noticeably aggressive which has led to rumours that there's a power struggle of sorts within the band. What are your comments on this, is it rubbish, just onstage adrenaline or theatrical?
Thom: It's just because these two beat the shit out of each other!
Matt: It's all fake.
S2: Bollocks. Untrue!
Owen: No, it's just like brothers. We argue every day! We're the new Pete & Carl Libertine laughs
What has been your best gig?
S2: This one! Tonight! No, brighton.
Owen: Supporting Placebo. Any of them. Best gigs by far, ever.
Thom: I liked The Garage with Reuben, that was good.
Owen: I put grease on the bottom of my shoes so I could slide around the stage, moonwalking!
How about your worst?
S2: This one!
Thom: Brixton Windmill. It was not good. The Metro Club. We got to the middle of the song and Matt's bass pedal broke, we got to the middle eight and it just went on for about six minutes!
S2: The Astoria, we came onstage to Agadoo. With 2,000 Placebo fans that did really not get it. It was quite a moment! Especially as we had loads of labels down to see us as well!
Thom: They all left! Every gig is worse than the one before it. It's all downhill!
What is your favourite song of yours?
Owen: The Exile
Thom: Hatemail.
Matt: Company Won't Colour Me, or The Exile.
What would you say is the colour of fire manifesto?
S2:We don't have one!
Owen: On our next record-
S2: We don't have one, don't try and make one up as we don't! laughs. Socialism is at the heart of our band, we see all this pain around us in the world... No, we don't have one, we're just a rock band!
Owen: I want to make three minute musicals.
S2: I mean we've all got morals, but I think individually we're so different that we can't all stick to one manifesto.
Do you ever worry that people concentrate too much on your looks rather than the music?
Owen: It upsets Stu a bit I think.
S2: A bit, but as long as they buy the record then I don't give a shit! As long as I don't have to borrow money off my mum anymore! Obviously everyone wants it to be due to respect etc, but I don't really care.
Thom: You lot all sound good and I look good. laughs
What are your ambitions for the coming year?
Owen: I want to write an album that is ten million times better than our last one. That hasn't come out yet. Our last one was a matter of getting rid of everything, now I can have a creative Year Zero and be the band we want to be I suppose.
S2: I want to be a train driver! I've always wanted to be a train driver. I saw an advert the other day in the paper for train drivers. I weighed it up. Colour Of Fire.....Train Driver....Colour Of Fire....
Where do you get the inspiration for your songs from?
Owen: Events.
Thom: A lot of it is dreams.
Owen: I don't know really. Little stories that I imagine as well. Characters that sort of pop into my head, a lot of new songs have character references, about an imaginary person but a lot of their traits are in people around me.
S2: My brain!
Owen: I don't think you could ever describe inspiration, it just happens. You find yourself doing something and then you do it and then you're like 'what the hell was that?'
S2: It's an unanswerable question in every way. (sarcasm)It's in everything I do, everyone I touch, everything I feel, every little bunny I stroke....
Owen: You're going to write 'sarcastically' in brackets aren't you! laughs
S2: The good thing is in print it's near impossible to convey sarcasm, so a lot of the time it looks like you're being serious! 'Where do Colour Of Fire get their inspiration from?' 'Bunnies, train drivers......' laughs
What would you say is the biggest misconception that people have about you?
Thom: That I'm the tour manager!!
Owen: They always think he's the tour manager for some reason.
S2: Everyone thinks Owen's gay.
Owen: I'm not!
S2: Biggest misconception about me is that everyone thinks I'm under 25 laughs
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting a band?
S2: Don't do it!
Owen: Don't sing in an american accent, and practice!
How does it feel to be back on the road, are you looking forward to touring again?
Owen: Yeah, definitely! We've only had about two weeks off though, so we've been touring all year really. It's gonna be good to have a nice run around!
S2: I'M NOT! It feels like bollocks! We're going home tonight, and tomorrow night, and the night after that, and after that....
Owen: Did I say anything about when we're going home??
S2: No... (sarcasm) It's absolutely amazing. I simply am bursting with happiness. I can't contain myself! laughs
Your album 'Pearl Necklace' has just been released in Japan, is there a forecasted date for release here in the UK?
Matt: Fingers crossed it will be July.
S2: Summer. I say summer anyway.
Have you got any idea how it has been received in Japan?
Owen: It was number 13 in the indie charts.
S2: It was above Linkin Park, and Funeral For A Friend. But The Vines had two entries in that chart.
Owen: 2 and 3
S2: So technically we're number 12. Woe is us, woe!
What was it like touring in Japan, is there a big difference between japanese and english audiences?
Owen: The difference was probably about 20,000 people!
S2: It's the difference between black and white really. Over there the people are polite, and attentive. Here you get abuse, and bottles. Bottles full of piss! I kind of missed the bottles of piss in Japan.
Owen: Stu got addicted to the Japanese version of Red Bull, Real Gold. He was just walking around completely wired all the time!
S2: Matt got addicted to food poisoning.
Matt: It's amazing stuff, you should try it sometime!!
How would you describe your sound?
S2: Like a bull running at a brick wall. With trainers on. It's the million dollar question!
Matt: Loud!
Owen: British rock played with an american heaviness I suppose.
S2: It's a million different styles rolled into one, they're just not apparent to anyone who's listening!
What would you say are the best are worst things about being in a band?
S2: Worst bit is having no money!
Thom: Having to sit about for ages waiting to be told what we're going to do next.
Matt: Best bit is being busy, being occupied.
Owen: It's the bits in between when you're not doing anything that things start attacking you and you get bored. Having time to think about things is the worst thing about me in a band. Not having time to think about things is the best thing!
Thom: Busy =good. Not busy=bad. Owen=fit.
S2: The best thing is the golden tour bus with the champagne cocktails. That we don't have! laughs
Thom: The jacuzzis and the women!
There's been a lot of speculation in reviews recently about your onstage behaviour towards each other, saying that you've become noticeably aggressive which has led to rumours that there's a power struggle of sorts within the band. What are your comments on this, is it rubbish, just onstage adrenaline or theatrical?
Thom: It's just because these two beat the shit out of each other!
Matt: It's all fake.
S2: Bollocks. Untrue!
Owen: No, it's just like brothers. We argue every day! We're the new Pete & Carl Libertine laughs
What has been your best gig?
S2: This one! Tonight! No, brighton.
Owen: Supporting Placebo. Any of them. Best gigs by far, ever.
Thom: I liked The Garage with Reuben, that was good.
Owen: I put grease on the bottom of my shoes so I could slide around the stage, moonwalking!
How about your worst?
S2: This one!
Thom: Brixton Windmill. It was not good. The Metro Club. We got to the middle of the song and Matt's bass pedal broke, we got to the middle eight and it just went on for about six minutes!
S2: The Astoria, we came onstage to Agadoo. With 2,000 Placebo fans that did really not get it. It was quite a moment! Especially as we had loads of labels down to see us as well!
Thom: They all left! Every gig is worse than the one before it. It's all downhill!
What is your favourite song of yours?
Owen: The Exile
Thom: Hatemail.
Matt: Company Won't Colour Me, or The Exile.
What would you say is the colour of fire manifesto?
S2:We don't have one!
Owen: On our next record-
S2: We don't have one, don't try and make one up as we don't! laughs. Socialism is at the heart of our band, we see all this pain around us in the world... No, we don't have one, we're just a rock band!
Owen: I want to make three minute musicals.
S2: I mean we've all got morals, but I think individually we're so different that we can't all stick to one manifesto.
Do you ever worry that people concentrate too much on your looks rather than the music?
Owen: It upsets Stu a bit I think.
S2: A bit, but as long as they buy the record then I don't give a shit! As long as I don't have to borrow money off my mum anymore! Obviously everyone wants it to be due to respect etc, but I don't really care.
Thom: You lot all sound good and I look good. laughs
What are your ambitions for the coming year?
Owen: I want to write an album that is ten million times better than our last one. That hasn't come out yet. Our last one was a matter of getting rid of everything, now I can have a creative Year Zero and be the band we want to be I suppose.
S2: I want to be a train driver! I've always wanted to be a train driver. I saw an advert the other day in the paper for train drivers. I weighed it up. Colour Of Fire.....Train Driver....Colour Of Fire....
Where do you get the inspiration for your songs from?
Owen: Events.
Thom: A lot of it is dreams.
Owen: I don't know really. Little stories that I imagine as well. Characters that sort of pop into my head, a lot of new songs have character references, about an imaginary person but a lot of their traits are in people around me.
S2: My brain!
Owen: I don't think you could ever describe inspiration, it just happens. You find yourself doing something and then you do it and then you're like 'what the hell was that?'
S2: It's an unanswerable question in every way. (sarcasm)It's in everything I do, everyone I touch, everything I feel, every little bunny I stroke....
Owen: You're going to write 'sarcastically' in brackets aren't you! laughs
S2: The good thing is in print it's near impossible to convey sarcasm, so a lot of the time it looks like you're being serious! 'Where do Colour Of Fire get their inspiration from?' 'Bunnies, train drivers......' laughs
What would you say is the biggest misconception that people have about you?
Thom: That I'm the tour manager!!
Owen: They always think he's the tour manager for some reason.
S2: Everyone thinks Owen's gay.
Owen: I'm not!
S2: Biggest misconception about me is that everyone thinks I'm under 25 laughs
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting a band?
S2: Don't do it!
Owen: Don't sing in an american accent, and practice!
© 2003 Jen Thomas
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