Creamfields: Chemical Brothers interview

Richard Hector-Jones

www.manchesteronline.co.uk





THE Chemical Brothers are back! Well, very nearly, because we're still waiting for a new record.



But anyone who saw their recent performance at Glastonbury Festival this year will know that while many of their peers are either stopping trading altogether (Orbital) or not releasing good records (from Faithless to Aphex Twin's last the list goes on) The Chemical Brothers look to be on the cusp of a creative renaissance.



Part of the reason for this could be down to the fact that they exist in that midpoint between dance and rock where all the best new bands such as The Rapture and Scissor Sisters reside.



"I don't see one element being anymore relevant than than other," explains Chemical Brother Ed Simmons. "I think at a festival it's great to have a special live act, but you still can't deny the power of a DJ who's in command of a tent full of ravers.



"I love the fact that when we play live it's a big moment at a festival, but it's just as exciting as hearing Justin Robertson, Sasha or Richie Hawtin DJ."



Show



Just in case you're wondering why we're talking to Ed, it's because at the end of the month The Chemical Brothers will be playing a live show at Creamfields over in Speke, near Liverpool.



So what are we to expect with the new Chemical Brothers live show? "We are definitely playing new songs," says Ed. "We're currently working towards a new album for next year, we've written some really exciting new songs which we'll be playing at least four or five of them live.



"One of them is being released as an Electronic Battle Weapon called Acid Children, which will be ready to go later this month."



Fans of The Chemical Brothers know that the Electronic Battle Weapons, as well a being heavy duty Chemical Brothers fare, are a great introduction to the way they're going to head on the next album. At time of going to press we've not heard the new one, though we've never been let down in the past.



Lysergic



Live, of course, The Chems come into their own. Saturday night at Glastonbury saw the Brothers turning an enormous field into a frenzy of laser beams and booming breakdowns, not to mention some of the most lysergic music at a festival known for its lysergic music.



"Tom and I were really energised when we went to see Kraftwerk play at Brixton Academy a while back," explains Ed. "The sheer technicality of the show, the way they synchronised the music with the visuals really prompted us to have a big rethink about the way we presented our show.



"We have a whole new stage set-up now and I think Glastonbury proved that it helped us have a massive reconnection with the people out front."



Outfit



This reconnection and reinvention is what keeps The Chemical Brothers good and healthy as they head into their first decade as an outfit. How does that feel?



"I'm not saying we're aspiring to make albums for the next 25 years," comes the reply, "but there's this idea now that dance music is of its time, that it's had its place.



"But we're musicians and we want to continue making music into the future, because we get an immense amount of pleasure from making it as well as sharing it with people."



The Chemical Brothers at the forthcoming Creamfields at the end of the month should prove that statement nicely.



The Chemical Brothers will be performing on the Outdoor Stage at Creamfields UK 2004, Saturday, August 28, at the Old Liverpool Airfield, Speke Boulevard, Merseyside. 3pm-6am, Tickets are �49 - to book, call 0870 060 1768 or visit the website below.

"I'm not saying we're aspiring to make albums for the next 25 years," comes the reply, "but there's this idea now that dance music is of its time, that it's had its place."



I think dance music will always have its place somewhere and somehow, but he is right in the sense (how I'm reading it) that it's played out, saturated, and no longer fresh as it once was. I think dance music is here to stay and it's securely on the map - but I like this attitude that it's time to move foward and try different things or utilize a different approach rather than utilize the same old methods out over and over again - as Ed put it, "I don't see one element being anymore relevant than than other" - nice, nice, nice. We know they are more than capable.



I am so excited to hear the new material! And I can't wait to see for myself what eye candy is in store at the live gigs.

taken from radio ones web site



The Chemical Brothers took to the stage at Creamfields this weekend.



Tom told us that The Chemical Brothers' new album is near completion and that playing live gigs like Creamfields has inspired them while writing their new songs:



"This summer has been really important making the new album, playing tracks that we really hadn't finished writing."



"We were in the studio literally the day before. Then we'd come and play live and bring in ideas we're having in the studio and trying them out. It's been a really good incentive to making the record."



"You go out and play tracks you know people have never heard before and there's an atmosphere and a feeling and it inspires you to back into the studio and make it even better."

sounds like the album could be out sooner rather than later.ie start of next year?

at the begining of the year the plan was to have the recording of the album finished before the summer festivals, that obviously didn't happen. i think there is not much work left to do on the album (maybe 2 or 3 month of recording) if it is going to be out early next year.



i think its great that there is no pressure on the band to finish this album. if they had rushed this album so it was complete before they went on tour, would we have enjoyed it as much as the one that is unrushed??

A good album is worth waiting for, if you rush it you wont get it right. To keep the fans happy just release some quality songs to fill the void before the album release date comes.



I'm going to try to put the album out of my mind (though it's hard knowing what lies ahead with the diving song/yellow song) and just sit back and enjoy what the chems next single may be, i'm sure it can't be too far off.

Doesn't always work. Look at The Prodigy. They were working on AONO for 7 years, and it doesn't really represent 7 years work.



Sorry, that's more harsh than I meant it. I just meant to point out time doesn't equal quality. But I agree with the chems only releasing and album when they're perfectly happy with it. They've said they always do that in an interview somewhere, I'm happy to wait until they think it's finished.

Was it here... or elsewhere that I read that in actuality, Always Outnumbered didn't take 7 years to make. Only 1 maybe 2. We know that the first album was scrapped then it was back to the drawing board. But maybe you already know that! ;)



Still though, I get what you're saying. The biggest fans of Prodigy will be good judges, I think - I'm in no place to speculate whether or not AONO was worth every minute of the wait, I'm not that big a fan. Can AONO withstand the test of staying power? Will people be able to pull this record out in a couple of years and say "this album still sounds fresh - still sounds good!"?

I read some of the opinions of the Prodigy fans on their board, most of the comments said "I didn't like it on my first listen, but after a few times you get what he's done with it".