The Chris Poustie Republic of Love Interview

In December 2006 Chris Poustie met up with FP.COM to discuss the newly released Republic of Love album, and future plans for Fawcett / Poustie.

Welcome and thanks for agreeing to share your thoughts on all things FP with fp.com. This is your first big interview since you lifted the lid in the famous ‘This is it’ interview a few years ago so let’s get going…..

The new album Republic of love is incredible – you have been quoted as saying it’s your finest work to date and this is a view most definitely shared by long term FP fans around the planet. How on earth do you keep getting better and better after all these years?

Thanks for the generous words. I do strongly believe it is our best work so far. I think progression is natural, because we’re still learning and technology is improving, the important thing is really to keep putting in the effort required. A lot of it comes down to luck, but as the old cliché goes, the harder you work the luckier you get. Something I’ve learned is that songwriting is not really all about inspiration, in fact it’s all about perspiration (cliché cliché). The harder you try, the more attempts you make, the more chances are you will catch the spark. So, inspiration is not really an issue. A mistake I think songwriters make is in waiting for inspiration to come. That’s like waiting for the bus to arrive but staying in bed. You’ve got to keep trecking down to the bus stop every morning, and you’ll find not only the bus arrives sooner or later, but that when it does, chances are there will be a whole fleet arriving one after the other.

And after putting the songwriting effort in, the rest is pure fun. Crafting and embellishing the songs in the studio is just the most satisfying thing and the more experience you have, the better you get. So, I guess I’ve answered the question. I think until we have recorded the 10 greatest songs ever written, there is always room for improvement, and so hopefully that means we’ll keep getting better.

What strikes you from the very first chord of the album is the in-your-face all out rock and roll attitude. Was it conscious decision to seriously rock out on this one?

I think the idea to rock out was partly conscious but I think it was more an energy issue. Certainly I was conscious of making my songs as energetic as possible, and I did that by pushing the tempo’s. I found myself speeding up the drum machine consciously to ensure that the songs were flat out. I remember listening to an old song from Framed “You’ve got me hanging by my skin” between recording Bright Lights and ROL and thinking, that song’s great because it’s flat out, balls to the wall. There are a couple of songs on Bright Lights that drag a bit and I think YGMHBMS reminded me of how fun it can be to rock out more relentlessly. A lot comes from the tempo. Speeding up a song doesn’t necessarily make for a better song, but it does boost up the energy level, and that was the conscious part. I wouldn’t be surprised if all my songs on ROL were faster than my songs on Bright Lights.

There is also a consistency in song-writing and feel which probably makes for the most satisfying FP album to date from a listener’s perspective. Did you challenge yourselves to approach this album in a different way?

I don’t really think so. Aside from the songs being more energetic, I don’t think they have much in common. There aren’t really two songs on the album that are alike thankfully. But I know what you mean, the album sounds more focussed. I think partly it’s the production, but also because of the tempo. I guess by upping the tempo, the songs all come off as rockers rather than funk/jazz/ballads or whatever.

The sound and production is totally awesome is this new technology or is it just a new found passion from within?

It’s part technology but more importantly I think care. The more experience you have the more you avoid making the mistakes of the past. But we definitely made technological advances. We’re always, slowly, learning recording techniques that will improve the sonics, but we’ve got an awfully long way to go still. But, that said, this album sounds much better than the last, and miles better than TII and all the others.

Let’s talk about the songs – as with the majority of classic FP records you own barn-storming opener slot. ‘Believe in the unbelievable’ is a truly unbelievable start to album – tell us a bit about where it came from, was it written to be the opener and how come you always get the first song?

Believe was the last song I wrote for the album and I guess I was still searching for the right opener. The song title came first, out of the blue. I sent an email to Nick, I think on the subject of song writing, and I said, you’ve got to believe in the unbelievable. Before I had a chance to send the email, I had decided that I’d struck gold title-wise. So the original meaning was that, when looking for inspiration, you’ve got to believe it’s going to happen, the unbelievable being the magic of inspiration. But along the way the lyrics were written around the title and are intended to be open to interpretation. The concept is a little bit about having blind faith, which is a Christian concept I suppose, to not doubt the faith no matter what. When applied to the opening song on the album, the faith theme is about having faith in the album, having faith that what you are about to hear is unbelievable. So it’s cocky for sure, a little bit like the track This is It. But it’s got other meanings in there too that can be read in different ways. It’s just a vibe song – it has no deep meaning. It’s just about building a feeling of expectation…about entering “the zone” whatever that is…and I think that’s perfect for an opener.

Why do I always get the first song ? That’s funny. Perhaps you should ask Nick. I have no idea. He’s had a couple of classic openers in Magic Bowler Hat Ride and Uncle Bernard, but somehow I seem to have nearly all the others. Usually we favour barnstormers, as most rock bands do, so it’s traditionally one of the heavier songs. I really don’t know – perhaps I’m more of an opener man and Nick more of a single man. Funny thing is, when Nick wrote “Mayfair Calypso Club”, which was a classic opener if ever you heard one, we instead opened that album with a ballad ! haha. What does Nick have to do to get an opener ?

There are loads of song highlights on the album. One of the fan faves from fp.com is ‘Space Invaders’ – it has been said that’s it’s a cleverly disguised, tongue in cheek, snap shot of the political shambles the world is in at the moment – is there any truth in this, if not what’s it all about then?

Space Invaders was originally going to be a totally different song with a more basic rock’n’roll vibe – but the lyrics were really dreadful and I was not at all happy with the whole thing. Anyway, I was rushing out the song and decided after recording the drums that instead of the regular piano riffing I had in mind I would go for something more staccato and modern sounding. Anyway, I went with I think a combination of harpsichord and piano sound and played it really low down on my digital piano and after playing back the music it sounded hilarious and totally different. So the theme I had originally intended no longer fit at all. I think I said to myself…this sounds more like Space Invaders music…and so the title came. Anyway, getting to the question, it’s not about politics it’s just about computer game addicts. In a way, many of us born before video games were really massive have aversions to the extent to which games have taken over from things like rock’n’roll and playing football on the street.

So in the song I put myself in the shoes of a Space Invaders junkie and ridicule myself. That’s all there is to it really. I loved the original Space Invaders game and nothing much since. I’m a child of the ‘70’s.

Both your songs and Nick’s song compliment each other perfectly – which is your favourite Nick song on the album and why? What about your fave one of your songs?

Actually I remember answering this question about the This Is It album and not being able to chose. But on ROL I very definitely rate the title track as my favourite song on the album. As soon as we recorded it I think I said it was the best song we ever recorded. Hard to say if it is, but it’s certainly my favourite off the new album and although there are probably better songs, If I Was a Poet is an obvious example, this song is really perfect FP. The thing I love about it is that it’s so commercial and yet it’s really organic sounding rock’n’roll with the slide and Hammond sound. The drums are cool and the light and shade of the song is excellent. When he’s on top form, Nick writes some of the most catchy songs ever and I think this is one of them. It begs out for you to join in the chorus. I love some of the lyrics, particularly “We will live and we will care and we will share with the others there” – the way he delivers that line is so empowering, and not in a corny way at all. Like most things we do, there isn’t a lot of deep meaning, but the power in the delivery of that lyric really gives me a positive vibe. Similarly I love the bit about put one brick on another brick, it’s really one of those songs that takes the listener along and brings them into song, as if part of the gang. In that way I guess it’s a bit of an anthem, and I think anthems are not easy to pull off without sounding hokey. Nick does it with ease. It’s a superb song all round. The musicianship is wonderful too, just brilliant guitar and my downplayed piano grooves into the mix nicely too. The question is, can it be faulted ?

Fave Poustie song ? I can’t decide on that to be honest, I’d say I like them all pretty evenly. Gimme Some Sunshine possibly a neck ahead of the rest. I actually think all 5 of my songs are as good as anything I’ve done before – so I’m very happy with that.

Disco Party and Ocean Reef were both recorded a year of so before the rest of album – why did you decide to include them?

Well they were originally going to be released as a single, soon after they were recorded in I think May 2005, but instead we decided to hold back until the album release. They have a slightly different vibe to the other songs, but fit in nicely all the same. Both songs underwent a bit of additional work during the recording of ROL and so were upgraded a bit and sound the better for it.

There are some amazing solos on this album – did you put more time into working them out? They sound fresh, raw and spontaneous – how did you capture this energy? What are your fave solos by both F and P on ROL?

Yes I’m happy with nearly all the solos on the album, apart from my solo in Ocean Reef, which is a little bit tame. Did we put more time into working them out ? Absolutely not. I didn’t work out a single solo of mine for this album, which is not unusual. My fave Mr. P solos are the jazzy electric piano solo on Believe, which reminds me of Jan Hammer on the Spectrum album and then the piano solo on Gimme Some Sunshine, which is a bit Ashton/Lordy and embellished by the wonderful Mr. Flood. My solo on Fearless is a bit wild and raucous, and just about works nicely, although it was hard work that one. I was not fearless doing that solo, I was quite uncomfortable, but Nick told me to just go mad and I did and he was right !

I think Nick’s solos are all excellently tailored for each song. There is quite a lot of diversity, and yet at the same time they are not over done – they certainly burst with spontaneity. On my songs I would sometimes offer some ideas and Nick is always quick to pick up on the vibe of the song and deliver a solo perfectly customised for the song. Space Invaders for example, he started to just jam the solo and I suggested he try and apply a Space Invader feel – and he did it perfectly, basically first take and we took it. Gimme Some Sunshine he worked harder on and that was more pieced together but the end result I think fabulously captures the energy and slightly spacey vibe that was required. Cognito he plays a more melodic solo, I think that was his initial idea, and again that fits in perfectly.

On Believe he’s come in with a cracking solo that reminds me in parts of classic 1970 Trapeze, very nasty and funky and very right for the opening solo on the album. I think of all the solos my faves are the one on Repulic of Love, which is very loose and improvised and definitely fits in brilliantly with the slightly southern rock groove of the song, and then the superb widdlefest solo on Fearless – which is more an example of the guitar-hero in him. I think he’s shown incredible diversity and at the same time offers plenty of wonderful, classic shredding – like on Man of Yesterday ! In fact I would say that I love all his solos on the album.

If you had to pick 3 key moments from the album which define FP in 2006 what would they be?

Interesting question. A lot of my favourite moments are examples of classic FP, not really just 2006 FP. I love the vibe that the drums have brought to the album, particularly on songs like Believe, Sunshine and Cognito. It’s a more modern groove, upbeat, heavy and very definitely funky. Nick’s slide work on ROL I think is also a good example of the fresh new vibe of the album, although he’s done slide solos here and there in the past, it is an intrinsic part of that song and really makes us sound very cool indeed. Not sure that I am answering the question correctly – these are more key elements than key moments. A few fave moments would be the sax ending to Disco Party, which always kicks me in the tail, the funky piano solo on Sunshine, the awesome solos on Fearless, Nick’s ridiculous Konichi-wa falsetto on Man of Yesterday, the tasteful backing vocals on Three Times, the weird acapella effect-laden whoa-whoa bridge on Cognito and urrmm the Oh I do Like to be beside the seaside bit on Ocean Reef – which guarantees a laugh every time. The entire second verse through chorus of ROL is my top magic moment ! Too many to mention, there are key moments in every song !

Your old friend Harv Flood pops up all over the place on ROL – do you write songs to specifically accommodate his fantastic sax work?

Mr. Flood played a blinder. Before this album he’d only ever appeared I think on 3 tracks on each of the last couple of albums – this time he’s on 9 of the 10 tracks and is just an essential part of the band now. I don’t think we specifically write songs with him in mind, although certainly the chorus riff of Disco Party was written as a sax part. We normally just write the song and then see how we can embellish with Harv’s inimitable saxophony. I think he’s really added a lot to our sound since joining the band and we will continue to head in that direction I hope.

I think Ocean Reef was a great example of a song that works wonderfully in an unlikely way, because of the great sax work – it’s really just a ballad, but given the sax sounds like nothing else, perhaps Ashton, Gardner & Dyke on the beach !

Have you approached the Harvster about contributing to song-writing duties in the future?

We’ve mentioned it for sure. It can’t be easy writing on the sax, so he may have to use a piano or something – it will certainly be interesting if he brings something in. He would be the George Harrison to the Lennon/McCartney, or even Peter Criss to the Simmons/Stanley and I think those guys always added a different element that contributed brilliantly to the respective bands. He may of course arrive with something totally off the wall – in fact I expect, knowing Harv, he probably would ! We’re always open to experiment !

If you had to compare ROL to any of your previous albums which would it be and why?

I think it’s closest sonically to our last couple of albums, but with having 10-songs also reminds me of our classics like Monkey or Oath. It’s Bright Lights but with much more energy, better songs and in a more concise and focussed package.

Tell us about the artwork and photo shoot for the album - we believe, as usual, you have been instrumental in their creation?

Well the photo shoot was done in two locations, the front cover shoot was done in Warwick, taken by the lovely Mrs. Fawcett and the back cover shoot, if you could call it that, was taken on Mr. Flood’s camera phone at the Coach House in one of the guest rooms. I think it’s a typical FP album cover, we tend to be either by the seaside or on the street. Last album we ventured into the pub, so we’ve made a return to the street again. I’m pleased with it, I think it’s quite a nice cover pic. My involvement is really in the design of the sleeve and booklet – which I quite enjoy. Nick leaves me to it somewhat, although does obviously have an input into it and gives his seal of approval. Harv’s camera phone was the real surprise, we had no real intention of using those shots until we realised they were the only ones we had featuring him. But in the end they turned out really well – in fact I think the back pic would have worked well as the cover shot. But then again, we like to keep Harv on the backsleeve. It’s a Bun E Carlos/Rick Nielsen thing.

Are there any plans for live performances to support this album?

No, after Live In Northwich III we decided that the world had suffered enough. At least Northwich had. No, to be honest we just don’t seem to fit touring into our busy schedule. I’d rather write and record than play the same songs every night and touring requires a massive time investment. We will do it at some point I’m sure. I’d love to do a one off gig somewhere and record it on DVD – but can’t see it happening any time soon. I don’t know how to play most of my old songs, let alone Nick’s – so it would require a major effort. If you gave me the choice of a tour or new album, I’d choose the album every time. But within the next 5 years or so we should record a live DVD, and do it properly. We would probably need to bring in a drummer, bassist and vocalist to be fair, so it would more likely be Chinchok or another band project. But no plans at present. On the ‘to do’ list, which includes musicals, books and television.

What’s the secret to the long-term creative and personal friendship you and Nick have shared over the last 20 odd years? We at fp.com have never heard a whisper of musical differences which is amazing after all this time.

Well I suppose the secret to any relationship is to know how not to annoy your partner ! In the early days, as kids, we used to fight all the time, but now Nick avoids doing the things that he knows would upset me and I do the same. But that’s not something you think about, it’s just second nature – but that’s the reason why we don’t really argue about anything anymore. But on top of that it is a common love of rock’n’roll which bound us together in 1983 and continues to bind us together. We love the same music and we love each others music – so we really couldn’t live without each other. The funny thing is, rather than try and play down each others parts, Nick always tries to bring more keyboards into the songs, and I’m always turning the guitar up in the mix. We are fans of each others talents, and for that we are very lucky indeed. If I wasn’t in a band with Nick, I’d be a fan of his ! Plus we have been secret lovers for 20 years….haha….only joking ! It’s not such a secret.

Let’s look to the future – what’s the plan for the ‘Deluxe’ re-recordings of classics you’ve been working on over the last year?

Quite a lot of work on Deluxe has been done but to be honest there is still a long way to go. The intention is to re-record some of our favourite songs from the past which we feel can be improved upon, performance-wise and particularly technology wise. Given the vast back catalogue we have, most of which was recorded using a poor quality analogue 4-track, we felt that it would be nice to have top quality versions of some of the classics. So we have already re-recorded gems such as If I Was a Poet – which sounds just incredible – probably our best work ever, Colorado Pips, Fairway Revolution and plenty more. But there’s still roughly half the album to go and hopefully we are going to get busy on it from January. My feeling is that we need to finish it off before the summer and then get Harv Flood to add some sax to it in the Summer. I think it’s going to be something very special…and hopefully well worth the wait.

Will we see an album of new material in 2007?

Well not if you don’t include Deluxe. I see us doing a new studio album every 2 years and doing something else in the gap year. So in the year between HFTBL and ROL we started on Deluxe and then in 2007 between ROL and the next album, we will finish off Dexlue. So I’d expect Deluxe to be released in 2007 a new studio album to be recorded in the summer of 2008 and then the live DVD in 2009 !! haha.

With ROL being such a heavy monster – what do you think you’ll do on the next one?

Probably a Country & Western folk opera. No, to be honest at this point I would probably like to do something similar to ROL but taking it a step further and doing something a bit more bizarre. I have this dream of a song that will be unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. I thought I was going to do it on ROL, but it hasn’t emerged yet. I don’t know if it’s going to be acapella or instrumental or just weird sounds and rhythms, but probably somewhere along those lines. So I am personally looking to do something very different for at least one song on the album, the rest of the album I would hope will be heavy and funky, commercial and fresh. Another Mr. F epic would be welcome too ! One thing is for sure, it will sound like FP but even better than ever.

Silly question time. If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring with you only 10 FP songs, 4 Fawcett, 4 Poustie and 2 co-penned, what would they be ?

Let me see. The two co-penned would probably be Love Bullet and Colorado Pips. Fawcett would be If I Was a Poet, Republic of Love, Here on Business and Long Way To Go. Poustie would be Gimme Some Sunshine, Whatever Happened to K? and Fairway and This is It (Deluxe versions).

Well Chris, thanks a million for your time, it’s been a pleasure as always, have you any last words you’d like give to readers of fp.com?

Well of course I would like to wish the fans a Happy Christmas and all the best for the new year. Keep building the republic and believing in the unbelievable !

Happy Christmas!

© 2006 FawcettPoustie.com & Fawcett/Poustie Intl.