Idlewild
"It's not going to happen with 'Hope' and '100 Windows'," continues Rod.
"Well I hope not. We just have to wait until the merger is finalised."
Speaking of 'Hope Is Important', on 'Close The Door' there's a line "It's time for the maths test" is that really the line?
"Yes," replies Rod through a large smile. "That's one of the songs that we've tried to forget about to be honest."
Why, don't you like it?
Rod stops laughing to himself and continues the conversation. "It's just so quirky. It kind of sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the album. One of flaws of maybe 'Hope Is Important'. It's good that it's a flaw because you know you can never make a perfect record. It's so fragmented because it was recorded over a period of time when we were really playing heavy chords. We were learning how to write songs and that one just doesn't really fit in with the album in any way at all because it's such quirky annoying pop."
Are there any other songs that you don't like?
"There are songs that I prefer to others ones. I think this album does work as a whole record. Which is something we're quite conscious to do, to make a
sort of a more coherent album and I think we've done that."
Do you think that journalists make far too many connections between you and REM?
Rod and Colin sigh. "It's just completely lazy journalism for people who don't have the imagination to describe the way you sound themselves," starts Rod.
"I mean yeah we've got influences from REM but we've got influences from
lots of other places as well."
You mean like the time when you released Captain' you were described as a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs?
"Yes" states Rod and Colin nods with severe authority. Rod continues "It was because it was so shambolic really because we didn't play that well. We basically recorded it the way we would like. Obviously not completely thrashed around but it was similar to that and at the end of the day we realised we
would do the songs more justice if we spent more time on them." >>
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