Interview with Ed. First part is usual interview fare, a few good talks about shows gone by, but the end is very, very interesting (emphasis added):
Bugged Out said:
Can we expect some new material in your set in January? Anything we should listen out for?
Yeah we’ve been DJ’ing a fair bit in the last few years. There’s 3 or 4 tracks we’ve been playing that we’ve made, they have that Chemical power. We play in Italy a lot which is very hedonistic and Space in Ibiza – as well as for Bugged Out – and it’s good to see how the music connects, so the tracks will be finely honed for the weekender. People tend to know when it’s one of our new ones. I guess there’s a strong DNA. What we have so far for the album sounds incredible, far-out electronic music. We’re going to start mixing it really soon.
Will you be touring next year?
We are still making the album and that will come out next year. There are plans brewing for a live show. I know Tom and Adam (Smith visuals and director of the Don’t Think concert film) are working on a brand new look for the show. I have committed to academic pursuits over the last few years so I won’t be able to be part of the live show. It’s been a really difficult decision but it doesn’t work for me to be away from home for the periods of time touring requires. Tom is continuing with the live show, he wants to take this music to the people. It will be the same big production, with Adam’s amazing visuals and the studio set up on stage but I won’t be part of it. The academic work I’m continuing with is too meaningful for me to break from right now. I’m really excited to see how the new show looks and on the plus side, one day I will get to see a Chemical Brothers show from the audience’s perspective.
But just to clarify you’re not leaving the Chemical Brothers?
We’re still very much together and making this record together and DJing together. The touring just doesn’t fit alongside my academic work. Adam has been with us since the start, I’m sure him and Tom will create something fantastic. Onwards. Onwards.
Yeah we’ve been DJ’ing a fair bit in the last few years. There’s 3 or 4 tracks we’ve been playing that we’ve made, they have that Chemical power. We play in Italy a lot which is very hedonistic and Space in Ibiza – as well as for Bugged Out – and it’s good to see how the music connects, so the tracks will be finely honed for the weekender. People tend to know when it’s one of our new ones. I guess there’s a strong DNA. What we have so far for the album sounds incredible, far-out electronic music. We’re going to start mixing it really soon.
Will you be touring next year?
We are still making the album and that will come out next year. There are plans brewing for a live show. I know Tom and Adam (Smith visuals and director of the Don’t Think concert film) are working on a brand new look for the show. I have committed to academic pursuits over the last few years so I won’t be able to be part of the live show. It’s been a really difficult decision but it doesn’t work for me to be away from home for the periods of time touring requires. Tom is continuing with the live show, he wants to take this music to the people. It will be the same big production, with Adam’s amazing visuals and the studio set up on stage but I won’t be part of it. The academic work I’m continuing with is too meaningful for me to break from right now. I’m really excited to see how the new show looks and on the plus side, one day I will get to see a Chemical Brothers show from the audience’s perspective.
But just to clarify you’re not leaving the Chemical Brothers?
We’re still very much together and making this record together and DJing together. The touring just doesn’t fit alongside my academic work. Adam has been with us since the start, I’m sure him and Tom will create something fantastic. Onwards. Onwards.
So good news with the album set to be released next year, and bad news with Ed not joining the tour next year! (and now we finally have proof that he's been busy with schooling, I knew it was true but it was bugging me that we couldn't find the source).
New direction for live sets like they've been saying since the magnitude of Don't Think, at least visually. Who knows how big of a change it will be? I know in 2012 they were talking about doing a more stripped down show for future years but as Ed says "it will still be the same big production, with Adam's amazing visuals and the studio set up on stage", so perhaps we're just looking at an update to 8.0 and not a full blown reworking of their formula.
And as for the music live, I know some of us are holding out for some more improvization ala Underworld's glory days, but who knows if that will happen with one man behind the gear? And before you bring up that Rick's the one behind Underworld's decks, he still had Darren 1 or 2 for every year of touring. Except 2000-2004. Which admittedly had some really interesting shows and 2000 showed no decline in quality from the heights of 1998 and 1999. Okay, this could go either way and I'm rambling here. But in more Chemical terms - I really wonder what this will do to the live shows with just Tom's perspective on the performance and tracklisting. Maybe Tom will be able to try some things he couldn't do before? Or bring in his solo work?
Glad to hear Ed's still in the studio cranking out tunes with Tom even if he can't join him on everything including the odd solo tune and remix. And very glad we have a date set for the album release, within the next 13.5 months. I can wait slightly more patiently now.
MultiQuote
It won't be the same without Ed. It will just be "The Chemical Brother". I wish Ed all the best for his academic work and I hope to see him back as soon as possible on stage with Tom.
