THE HEROES ISSUE: THE ORDINARY BOYS MEET PAUL WELLER
Today the small Surrey village of Ripley looks like a scene from a slow episode of 'The Midsomer Murders'. Even if a whistling vicar cycled past some morris dancers taking a quick beer break in the shade of a mighty oak this scene could not be more stereotypically English. Unless… oh look, it’s Paul Weller drinking lager and lime with The Ordinary Boys. „Wotcha,“ grins Weller amicably. „Welcome to the village green preservation society.“
Today Preston, The Ordinary Boys' frontman, is still suffering the ill-effects from having his drink spiked with acid at a house party a couple of nights before, but has come amply prepared with journalist’s pad full of scribbled questions for the man he will probably look exactly like in 20 year’s time. Some are to do with scooters, some are to do with 'Fame Academy' and some are to do with Busted. But is he nervous about meeting Paul ?
„’Course.“
Paul, are you nervous about being interviewed by Preston?
„’Course.“
Excellent. Another lager and lime, anyone?
It all starts promisingly. Settled on a bench outside the pub, Preston manages to get The Modfather to blow his cool by admitting that he once took his teenage kids to see – the horror! – Busted playing live.
Preston: „Which do you prefer out of Busted and Morrissey's version of 'That's Entertainment'?“
Weller: „I haven’t heard Busted’s version.“
Preston: „What about Moz, do you rate him?
Weller: „Not my cup of tea, mate. The original’s still the greatest.“
Preston: „How do you feel about the whole commodification of celebrity and the way that it seems so attainable these days?
Weller: „It’s awful. It sends out such a shit message to people that life’s just about being famous…“
Preston: (Interrupting) „…I feel like that about The Lottery. It’s something that I feel really strongly about. It makes people feel like they don’t have to do anything because they’re going to win pop Idol or win the Lottery and be a millionaire. No-one does anything for themselves any more. People sit around watching telly all the time. It just destroys ambition. And that’s fucking criminal. Lots of people go on those Fame Academy shows and it just guarantees the end of their career. They’re eaten up and spat out. (Realises that he's ranting) Anyway, how did you get into music?“
Weller: „I just always loved it. My parents weren’t musical, but there was always a radio on in the house or my mum was always playing records. I remember seeing The Beatles on TV and being fascinated. And I used to read the NME religiously.“
NME: Do you still read the paper, Paul?
Weller: „I don't any more because none of the bands have got anything to say.“
Preston: „The thing I don't I understand is why bands in the NME talk about how many drugs they take and how rock and roll they are. Who cares? It’s like they’re living out their adolescent fantasies. And that’s not why I’m into music, that’s not why I put on a CD, just because someone took drugs and threw a TV set out of the window. Taking drugs is perceived as cool but every bloke that doesn’t win the lottery on Saturday night goes and gets pissed and takes a pill and it’s not anything to do with rock’n’roll, it’s everyday life.“
Weller: „I’ve got mates that work on building sites that take more gear than most bands.“
For the rest of this interview, in which Paul Weller and The Ordinary Boys talk about mod, 'Quadrophenia' and fighting with the Sex Pistols, plus some amazing photographs of Preston and Paul by the legendary Pennie Smith, get the new 'Heroes' issue of NME, out now.
Paul und Preston
quelle:na was wohl! ;)
bei gelegenheit werf ich mal nen blick rein sollte mir das teil in die hände fallen.
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I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air... Girls, go home! ...verdammt gut schaut er aus!