1. You took your time
about Organ Transplants Vol II. Three years. Why was that?
Well firstly, We weren't sure about the way that that Album, which was just
one daft idea, became what we were known for, because the things we do live
can be quite extreme, and we wanted to do more diverse things, at the height
of the popularity of that album we felt there was some pressure for us to
DO that material Live and though we had a few attempts at doing that to varying
degrees of success we didn't want to become STEREOTYPED, Also my father died
when his body rejected a female heart transplant he'd only had for 3 months
and this was at the height of the Albums popularity, so I personally didn't
want to tempt fate by doing another one, I thought it could be me next!!
2. Vol II has a wonderful
flow to it. Was that intentional or just how the tracks fell together?
I always thought we got the order just right on the vinyl version of OT1,
and with that one we only rejected about 20 % of the available material. With
OT2, because of the length of time passed we had so much material we had to
reject more than 60% of it to get it down to a reasonable size, it was going
to be a double CD but we realized that the OT1 cd felt enormously long as
it was, we were afraid people would be comatose by the end of a Double CD
of this stuff, I am amazed that you think it flows so well as some material
was less than a month old whereas some had been done during the making of
OT1 and was about 4 years old???? it just goes to show what a bit of editing
can do.. we had a good DISTANCE from the material as well so it was easy to
bin things that were on their own quite nice but just didn't fit in.
3. 'Deluxe' is delightful.
Is that a trumpet that holds the long sustain note? Sampled or otherwise?
( Ian, for copyright reasons I would like this Q to be removed, )
4. OPPS has a little
whiff odf 'Auld Lang Syne.' Don't tell me you were working on New Years Eve?
i presume you mean OOPS!, yes we have played a regular gig for the last 5
New years Eves ( including the Milleniminimium) at the Beamsley Hospital Terminal
Ward, I know it sounds depressing but it isn't, No one parties harder than
people that are certian they won't see the next year in, the other great thing
is we don't have to rehearse a new set each year, its always a fresh audience.
4(a). OT ii is very easy
on the ear. Very easy to enjoy. Fun playful. Was that intentional?
NO, I know a huge amount of people who hate the sound of Organs.
5. With your partner
in musical crime based in Paris how did you get together to record Organ Transplants
II?
mostly by Plane, but he tends to prefer the train.
6. Will he be coming
back to the UK or is he going to stay out there for good/ How does this separation
impact on the creation of your music?
OT1 was recorded when Andrew lived in Exeter and I lived in Manchester, we
weren't exactly neighbours then, he probably isn't geographically much further
away now, but then again I didn't do Geography at school, the years we lived
next door to each other were probably the least productive we've ever spent.
We are happier at a distance from each other, therefore MORE productive.
7. You really pay attention
to detail with the artwork. Medical milestones/all the olther releases. You
once told me that in some caases you get the idea for packaging before the
music. Does that still apply?
In the OT2 case NO, but the whole Medical Milestones idea and strictness about
the content comes from Dr Aswani, the Daoshin leader who's face ( on his insistence)
adorns the sleeves and wards off un-receptives . He has also persuaded me
to spend all our money on him and his universal concept of shrinkage and in
return has given me a tremendous deep down sense of self importance coupled
with poverty.
8. As always do the titles
mean something to you...IKEA/Pizza Hut/Lemon Curd ir is that where you shop/where
you eat?
'Nipples' is the only title that means anything to us, the rest are just cockney
rhyming slang for something rude.
9. When is the next SHW
release going to hit the beaches? OTIII?
The fall-out from OT2 was an album in itself, we have offered it to some other
labels, but will probably end up doing it ourselves, It shouldn't be as long
as 3 years till OT3??? but who knows?
9(a). OT II could easily
swim into the mainstream. Fancy those waters?
Are they warm? I'm not sure I've brought my costume?
10. Finally, do you enjoy
running the label or does it distract you from making music?
I enjoy seeing something to its final product stage, I don't enjoy the general
shoddiness and slap-dash attitude of various manufacturers when making our
product ( not ALL of them) , I'm glad I don't have to work in a factory, but
sometimes I wish I could just to make sure our stuff comes out exactly right.
It does distract from making music but if there were less fuck ups on the
factory floor, I would have significantly more time on my hands and would
make significantly more noise/music. Perhaps its better as it is?
PPS 11. You know I'm
still waiting for you guys to record that album of Sinatra/Elvis covers. Who
will sing, you or Mr. Sharpley?
Its well known that Mr Sharpley only sings R.E.M. songs. thats it for now
Ian, sorry its taken so long to get back to you.. matt