Deadline

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Question: In your tour diary I read you had some problems in Antwerpen and Holland...

Herve: We had some problems with the ferry...
Ryan: We got stuck on the Thames and...
Herve: Oh he's so good at geography! It was the Channel (between Calais and Dover)... we were on a boat and we were waiting outside of the port in Calais, France, because Sea France went on strike and they refused to work.
Ryan: At least, we got free chips and water!
Herve: We waited five hours in the port until they let us dock!
Ryan: Boycott Sea France! (laughs)

Question: Okay, we'll remember. So how is the tour going so far here in Germany? Is it better?

Herve: Oh yeah, it's always better in Germany (laughs). It's better to stay in Germany than in Beglium or Holland. I shouldn't say this but it is. Germany is our second home, especially here in Chemnitz.

Question: Yeah, you played here some times before, right?

Herve: SOME times?
Ryan: It was about six times.
Herve: Six? Fuck off!
Ryan: At least for me it was six times.
Herve: Okay, it's six times with him and he's only in the band for four years.
Ryan: FIVE years! (laughs)
Herve: We played here at least 11, 12 times.

Question: You did live recordings here, too, right?

Herve: Yeah, we did our Live DVD here. They can't get rid of us. It's our home. We played everywhere in Chemnitz. We played here - for the DVD it was the big room, tonight it's the small club and we played Subway To Peter - kind of a secret show.

Question: Is there a special reason why you play the small club today?

Herve: Yes, we wanted to make it a special show and it's wednesday. So it's better to play a small club and it's full rather than play a big hall and it's only half full. It's more fun for us.

Question: The new record "Bring The House Down" came out three weeks ago (15th of march). Can you tell us something about it and how were the reactions so far?

Herve: Well, most of the reactions were good and positive. But some people say it's too melodic or to much pop but when we wright an album we don't want to make the same album twice. So every album is slightly different, so that's my favourite album. And for example Plastic Bomb wrote a very good review of it and they also liked our other albums. So them saying it's their favourite Deadline album, too - it means a lot to me. And also the people who email us on myspace, etc. seem to like it.

Question: I agree that the new record is sounding more melodic but I also think it covers more of your live show energy, too.

Herve: Yeah that's right. I mean, Liz (Liz comes in) wrote most of the songs and she likes to have it more melodic, but that's what we like, too.
Ryan: It's more fun to play it live!
Herve: But when you see it live all the songs and the melodies are ... well, it's typical Deadline. Even it's nice and melodic on the record, when we play it live, it's gonna be more of a punch!

Question: Have you changed something from the "Take A Good Look" to this album? Because for me, the sound is very different.

Herve: Yes, the production! This album has been recorded by our former guitar player. He knows how it should sound and he knows how to mix it. So he said: "I can do better than the last album!". So yeah, it's the first album I can listen to after the recording and I can go "YES, that's how I want to sound it like!". This big and perfect sound!
Ryan: Especially when you spend so much time and had so much stress in the studio!

Question: How long were the recording sessions?

Herve: Too long!
Liz: Two weaks!? I can't remember. It was a long bloody time! (laughs)
Herve: We spend a long time in the studio and also with the mixing process. The studio was in France so he was sending us the songs as mp3s and we said "No, fuck off! Do it again!" (laughs). He then emailed us back again and again we said "Can you change that?" and so it's was going on and on. It took a lot of time and a lot of stress.

Question: What's your personal favorite on the album? Of for Deadline in general?

Ryan: We have all different one. I'd say "For Better Or For Worse". But I like the whole album.
Herve: Mine is "Two Heads"!
Liz: Or "Shout It Out Loud" because it's nice to sing.

Question: So I guess you'll play these ones live...

Herve: "Two Heads" is in the set so you'll have to practice your dance moves.

Question: We will! (laughs) At least we try! - Again there's a cover on a Deadline record: "These Boots Are Made For Walking"...

Liz: Yeah...(laughs) I don't know if anybody did that one before...

Question: No, I think it fits quite well, especially with the Skins & Punks Background, the boots, etc.

Liz: Oh thank you!
Ryan: (laughs) I haven't thought of this before.
Liz: The lyrics are kind of "Girl Power", too. So it's a girls song!

Question: So, you came up with the song, Liz?

Liz: Yeah (laughs).

Question: Will you play it live?

Liz: No, not today.
Herve: we try not to do covers live because we have enough following fans and they know our songs. It's always fun to play a Cock Sparrer or Ramones cover but we prefer to play our own songs. So no cover.

Question: (Later on they covered "Sheena Is A Punkrocker" at the end of their show...You Liar, haha!)
Can you imagine something like a cover album in the future?

Herve: I'd love to but it takes so long just to record an album with your own songs so doing an album of covers...(sighs) I hate the studio. I hate being in a studio. It's fucking annoying!
Liz: It's hard to make other peoples songs sound good as well! Especially if they have done a really good version.

Question: Because everybody compares it to the original...

Liz: Yeah and try to make it sound better which is what you have to do if you do a coversong.
Ryan: There's nothing worse then listening to your favorite band doing a really shit cover of a good song.
Herve: I agree. I love the idea but it's very often self-indulgent. We almost kill each other when we go to the studio. Liz and I almost get divorced when we spend time in the studio. (laughs) Maybe just on a four-track studio, just DIY with a shit sound or just to record it live.

Question: Your label "People like you" had some changes last year with the new distribution...

Herve: Yeah, because the distrubutor got a bankrupt. But they are back on track again now.

Question: And you are still happy with it?

Herve: Of course! And they are happy with us, too.
Liz: That's why I wear the T-Shirt!
Herve: We don't ask for much. We don't want them to give us free drugs.
Ryan: Eeeerrm...(laughs)
Herve: We're low-maintenance!

Question: You're interacting with the fans very much on myspace...

Ryan: Well, they talk to me and I write back.
Herve: Yeah, he drinks with them and sometimes he sleeps with them as well (laughs).
Liz: He's our PR-man!
Herve: (pointing at us) He might sleep with you if you're not careful today! (laughs)

Question: And the thing with the illegaly music downloads... is the internet a blessing or a curse?

Herve: A blessing!
Ryan: Well, more people are listening to it. They listen to one or two tracks and they go and buy the album.
Herve: And when they don't buy the album they're gonna come and see us live. We don't do this to get money. I mean, it's good to get money when you do this. No one says 'No' to money but we write a song and we want them to sing the song back to us. If they buy our CD - great! But if they don't...
Liz: If we work as professionals for it but where we are...
Herve: Look, Liz. We played in Moscow and People Like You never sold an album in Moscow and they were 300-400 people in a small club and we were impressed, but do they know our songs? We went on stage and they knew all of your songs, you can check it on youtube! Everyone sings along from song number one until the end - they go crazy. So how do they know our songs? They know it because they downloaded our songs. For us it was a great show.
Liz: We were millionaers if they payed us. (laughs)
Herve: Downloading is a blessing but of course, we could have more money if they pay us.

Question: And maybe they buy the merch...

Ryan: Yeah, in moscow the last two XL T-Shirts we gave to two guys in the front...for free! (laughs)

Question: Are you still buying CDs or Vinyl or do you have everything on your iPod?

Liz: I buy CDs because I like to have the package with the booklet and stuff. I gave it up the Vinyl a while ago but I like to have a product in my hands.
Herve: I used to collect Vinyl but I sold my collection. And now I buy CDs and convert them to my PC or my iPod and then I sell the CD (laughs).

Question: What will you do when you are back home?

Herve: Well, we work. We're on holidays now. We'll wake up early and go to work.
Ryan: I used to. I'll try to get a job when we're back home.
Liz: Or he's gonna drink! (laughs)

Question: Is it difficult to get time for the band beside the work? And they're family and friends who wanted to have some time.

Herve: Sometimes it really is, yeah.
Liz: We've got a big list of people where we gonna go to when we're back home.
Herve: "When we come back then we have to drink with you and you and you..." And lots of friends are in the van already. I try to become friends with him (pointing at Ryan) as well.
Ryan: Oh yeah, for a long time.
Herve: And if got my wife Liz here, too.

Question: There's something like a golden rule: never be in a band with you boyfriend/girlfriend... does it work for you?

Liz: We missed that rule.
Herve: Damn! We argue domestically.
Liz: (laughs)
Herve: ...about the sound on stage or when she sings wrong (laughing) which happens very often. I myself never play wrong. We never argue! (laughs)

Question: And tomorrow in the news "Deadline split" - oh no!

(laughing)
Herve: It's all your fault. Actually it's relaxing, more than at home. She doesn't ask me to hover, to do the washing up...
Liz: I shouldn't have to ask! (laughs)
Herve: No, it's all good. Especially here in Chemnitz. Summertime. We brought the summer!

Question: Do you have a favorite record right now?

Herve: I've got 300-400 songs on my iPod and when I work out I always listen to that to be honest. It's always Bad Religion, Madball, Hatebreed, Ignite ... and Pink!

Question: Pink! Oh, that fits perfect with the other ones you just said!

Herve: No joking, seriously.
Ryan: I like Leatherface's new album and NOFX' new album, too. No Pink for me!
Liz: I like Pink!
Herve: Everything you can sing along to and with a good rhythm is good. Sometimes we got a CD and turns around all the time. At the moment it's Tricky Lobsters, our friends from Rostock. They gave us their CD on monday and we keep playing it.
Ryan: Well done, guys! (laughs)

Question: What are your wishes for 2010? Do you have any?

Ryan: More alcohol!
Herve: World peace! I don't know - find a good guitar player! (laughs)
Liz: Another one? We don't need any more!
Herve: We're not bullies - we love him!

Question: Your famous last words to the Youtube audience.

Ryan: Get off your fucking computers and get a job!
Herve: Yeah, get a fucking life! (laughs) what are you doing at home? Cut!

Eingetragen von bp am 12.04.2010.