Paul: Hello! The new album has been out for a while now – has it exceeded all of your expectations? Are you still as proud of it now as you were the day you first heard the finished mastered version?
Ian: Hey, yeah im just as proud of it as i am of all our albums cause they represent us at that point in our lives. They are all basically snap shots of who we are and what we are thinking during that time. We havent made a record yet that was fake or us trying to be something we arent, no matter what the general consensus may be.
Paul: There’s obviously been a change in the band’s sound over the years, is there any one thing that has helped to influence this musical progression?
Ian: Nah not really, since the day we started we have always done whatever we wanted to do and written whatever songs we wanted to write. Our first demos were weird hybrids of Vision of Disorder and Dog Eat Dog. We had, and still do, have so many influences and all came from the metal/punk/hardcore background, but loved pop music and loads of other random shit. Part of the reason i left Public Disturbance was cause the scene was becoming so narrow minded, and people would only support bands if they were from the right pedigree, no matter how shit they were. It got to a point where i just wanted to write whatever music i felt like writing at that point in my life, and you couldnt do that in ukhc. So, to answer the question, the only thing that has helped influence the progression is lack of respect for any genre or label. We have no plan.
Paul: On that note, are there any songs you’ve written that you look back on and think ‘I wish we hadn’t done that…’?
Ian: Nope, not at all. Not even the really old dog eat dog rap rock stuff, cause we were kids and im so fucking glad i was doing something creative rather than getting drunk and fighting and wasting my life. I was listening to Mantra the other day by Shelter and some of the old Earth Crisis stuff cause i fucking loved it when i was a kid, and i completely forgot that it was all rap rock. It was kinda funny listening back to it, cause it sounds so dated and cheesy now, but im sure they loved it at the time. Bottom line is that everything you do helps you become who you are, and if you change one thing then you wouldnt be the person you are now.
Paul: Going back to the new album, I read an interview the band did with the BBC just before it came out, describing it as the chance to ‘write some big rock songs’. Do you think you managed to achieve this?
Ian: Yeah, we wanted to write an unashamedly big, pop/rock record and i think we totally did. A lot of people didnt like it cause it was TOO pop, and i can totally understand that, but what they have to realise is that we have always done whatever we wanted, and just because this one was pop doesnt mean for a second that the next one will be. We have always been like that. Just when you think you have us figured out, we will change it up again. Risky yeah, but im not in a band to play it safe. Even though the songs on the last record may sound safe, it was a big risk because they WERE so pop.
Paul: There’s an element in the new video where you’re sat singing in the rain – when you made that part did you ever think it would come back to haunt you as a boy-band moment like in the old-skool Take That videos?
Ian: Not at all, take that didnt even come into my head. I think thats just your dormant love for take that coming to the surface. It was cold and it sucked, but i had more the old 80’s rock ballad videos in mind, November Rain etc.
Paul: When do you plan to start recording the album proper now you have been and done ‘the garage sessions’ in san diego according to your myspace? Is there going to be a new album this year or will we have to wait until 2008? On a similar note, have you any working titles for songs or the album?
Ian: We are hopefully recording the album this summer. Start in June and it should be all done by the time we play Reading. As for when it comes out, fuck knows. Id like to get a single out sometime after summer, but im sure we will leak a lot of shit at varying points through the year. As for song titles and an album title, we pretty much have it locked down. Im not gonna tell you them all, but il give you two titles. “Next stop Atro City” and “For he’s a jolly good felon”
Paul: In the same BBC interview I mentioned earlier, Jamie is quoted as saying: “We did the crazy, scatty ‘here’s some hardcore, here’s some jazz’ thing on the first album. On the second record we tried to write ‘songs’ and for this is one we’re developing again. Maybe on the next record we’ll start with monkey noises!” What can we expect from album number 4?
Ian: A dark, negative, horrible record. This is the first time i have really been myself lyrically. I mean the other records were me, but it was just a part of me, the part that wanted everyone to get off their asses and stop being so fucking apathetic. But i have said all i wanted to say about that, and by doing so i ignored the other part of me, the part that makes up most of my character which is a sarcastic, cynical cunt. I didnt want to make another postive record, it would just be trite and boring. This is a total negative record, and its so fucking exciting to do it, cause we have never done that before. Its a lot heavier, angrier, arrogant and sarcastic.
Paul: Now that a couple of the band are based in LA, is that where you tend to rehearse/write and so on, most of the time?
Ian: It depends. We go wherever is cheapest cause we are tight bastards. At the moment its cheaper in the US because of how strong the pound is against the dollar. But i dont care where we do it.
Paul: Why did ilan not drum on the album? how many drummers did you approach?
Ian: He did drum on the album. He did 2 tracks and Josh Freese did the rest. We had only just met Ilan at that point so we just wanted to try him out. Originally Travis Barker was going to do the record, but Bob wanted Josh instead.
Paul: Are you surprised or disappointed that the Americans are yet to catch on as much as the British audiences have?
Ian: Im not suprised cause i know why. Its because we didnt grow up there and tour our asses off like we did in the uk. Unless you are a big safe rock band or you have built it up organically its really hard to become a fixture in the american kids minds. In the uk we toured and toured and toured, vans, cars, whatever. And thats how you are supposed to do it, and thats what makes you a real band. In the us we just did a few tours and had our songs on radio, so a lot of the kids didnt realise we were actually a real band as opposed to the cheese that is usually played on radio. For a US band its easy to tour the uk a lot cause its so small, but for a uk band to tour the US a lot, its ten times harder cause its so big, and it costs so much money to fund. But, i think if you work at it and if your willing to put the time in then it can work out.
Paul: There have been many mentions of a DVD in the works…is this something tangible we can see in the near future? Can we expect a live set, new material…?
Ian: We will release a DVD at some point, but when we do it will be an anthology type of thing. We have filmed everything from our first gigs in tjs with boysetsfire and snapcase, and there being 10 people there, to us headlining GIAN last year. I want it to be a movie of our life basically, not just a bullshit cobbled together live set, with a couple of videos and a backstage “messing around” bit.
Paul: We opened up the chance for some of our readers to submit questions and one wanted me to ask how you felt when you were interviewed by Russell Brand…was that an experience you want to forget?!
Ian: He was ok, not that funny. He just likes saying random things in between sentences. I prefer clever wordplay.
Paul: When are we going to get a Public Disturbance reunion?
Ian: haha, im ready whenever. I saw the guys a few weeks ago at a Twist the Knife show. Everyone apart from Mckee is up for it apparently. He just hates everything now, but im sure we can cheer him up and talk him round at some point. Id love to do another record with them or an ep also. I think the kids are ready for the old guns to show people how it’s done…..haha
Paul: How many Duran Duran songs have you covered since forming the band?
ian: Not as many as you’d think. Only 2. View to a Kill and Planet Earth.
Paul: What made you cover Justin Timberlake on the now infamous Radio 1 session? Is this your favourite cover you’ve done?
Ian: I dont think theres much point in rock bands covering rock bands, and at that point NO ONE was doing pop songs. Nowadays everyone and their fucking gran is doing it, but at the time it was fun and different.
Paul: What is your favourite Lostprophets gig of all time? Is there anywhere you’d like to play that you haven’t yet?
Ian: Reading 2001 and Reading 2004. The first was when the barrier collapsed and people couldnt get anywhere near the tent, and it was such a revelation for the whole industry in the uk, cause up until that point they had never championed us. It was a real testament to the power of the people, cause they came out in force, regardless of us not being in magazines. This was before fake sound got re released also, so everyone was there simply because of us touring. The second was a day of bands getting bottled off, so we didnt know how we would go down, cause its always hit and miss with us. We went on, the sun came out and as cliched as it sounds, everyone was totally into it, totally supportive and so created this amazing vibe of being a triumphant british band playing to a home crowd in their own land, amongst a bunch of americans. We just felt humbled by the whole thing, and to see 60,000 people jumping up and down at the same time, and to hear them all sing the words to your songs was something i will never forget.
Paul: When ‘Fake Sound of Progress’ was at its height, did you ever think you’d become a fashion icon for the High Street? Was there a certain point where you thought ‘hang on a minute, all these people are dressed like me?’
Ian: There was definately a point towards the end of fake sound where we were getting asked about looking like a boyband, and i was like ‘wait a minute, when we started this record all boybands wore fucking turtle necks and stupid shit like that, now they are all wearing tight retro tees and baggy jeans, trucker hats and chains, and people think THEY started it???” but kids dont realise that stylists just look at the underground and whats cool, then apply it to the mainstream. Because it is mainstream it gets everywhere and then people attribute that style with the boy band rather than where it actually came from. It was frustrating at the time cause we didnt change, we kept wearing what we had always wore, but pop culture changed around us to become more similar. Not saying we influenced the whole fucking industry, cause we were just ripping off what we saw in skate videos, but i have no doubt that we played a part. Im just waiting for a horrors and a klaxons boy band now, cause we all know its coming.
Paul: On a similar topic, are you fed up with the tabloid media and magazines being more obsessed with who you’re going out with than the music the band makes? Do you find yourself actually thinking about the way you could be portrayed in the media before doing something?
Ian: Nah, ive never given a fuck about that kinda stuff. I dont care if im in heat 247 or if i never get in there. It just doesnt register with me.
Paul: One of our readers wanted to know what the beef was between LP and Bullet For My Valentine…
Ian: The singer for that band has a very big mouth and a seemingly very small brain. I guess he has a lot of pent up jealousy and frustration because we got signed when they were still a rap metal band, and i dont think he has ever gotten over it. A few bandwagon jumps later and they landed on their feet, but rather than being happy, he still couldnt let it go. He seems like a mysoginistic jock who feels like he has something to prove constantly. The rest of the guys seem nice enough and stu even did one of their early demos, but i dont think the band as a whole are the sharpest tools in the shed. So they keep mouthing off in interviews about how shit we are or how he wants to fuck my exes etc etc. Seems pretty redundant to me, but there ya go. I think he will grow up one day. They arent a bad band by any means.
Paul: What do you think of nu-rave?
Ian: I dont see what was wrong with old rave.
Ian then went onto the PT forums to answer even more questions our readers has left.
PT: Did you change your image again because you wanted to or because the record label told you it would be best?
Ian: i never get tired of answering this type of question. The ones where people have this view of a record company as a bunch of big overpowering 80’s style movie bosses, telling everyone what to do, wear and say. Im sure that in the pop world people are told and forced into certain situations, but more often or not in the rock world you arent forced. Yeah, things may be suggested but you dont have to do them, and yeah if you dont do them you may run the risk of falling out of favour with the label, but nevertheless, at least with us, everything always has and always will be our choice. Blame us for everything. Nobody tells us what to wear, and why would they?? Bottom line is that we have been in the public eye for 7 years, and if you are wearing the same things, or look the same as you did 7 years ago, then i’ll think you are making sense and give your question a lot more time, but im willing to bet that if you looked at a pic of you 7 or even 4 years ago, you wouldnt recognize yourself. Its just a a part of growing up and changing, you get into different things and different phases. Ive never met one person who has looked the same and liked the same things for 7 years, and until i do, these questions will always make you look fucking moronic.
PT: when are they gonna wear the latest nu-rave apparel once their current look is out of fashion?
Ian: see above
PT: With your style originally being nu-metaller and now trying to look “emo” with dyed black straightened hair, critics have accused you of following trends to sell records. What have you got to say about this accusation?
Ian: firstly i would say, “see above” again, and then i would add, does anyone look “nu metaller” anymore? Was “nu metaller” actually a look? OR, is it not more the fact that “emo” IS “nu metal”, just under a different name, and with a slightly different, (but not that different) aesthetic? It’s such a case of people in glass houses throwing stones, cause we all know that a lot of people on this forum used to dress differently to how they do now, and most likely listened to different bands. Yeah, sure there may be a few die hard OG types who have listened to nothing but Gorrila Biscuits and Chain of Strength from day one, and have ONLY worn the required attire, but im betting that most of the people on here loved korn, or spineshank, or drowning pool or something equally as awesome, at some point.
PT: ‘Why is it “Living in the DEE-EM-ZEE” and not “DEE EM ZED”? Are you denying your welsh roots?’
Ian: its dee emm zee worldwide, its just a military term
PT: I’d ask if their next album will be less shit than Liberation Transmission
Ian: it will be different, and if different translates as less shit in your book, then yep
PT: how come lostprophets talk to people on buzznet and not on myspace?
Ian: i dont talk to people on buzznet
PT: Ask him if he thinks his perm looks good?
Ian: when does a perm look bad???
PT: What was the last cd you purchased?
Ian: the new ptw
Ian: as for the countries questions, id love to go to israel and mexico and any city or country that wants us, just gotta work it out innit.