| | | |  | In these days when the transient is so often perceived as something more crucial, meet The Answer. Yes, they're Irish. Yes, they're carrying on the great tradition of Thin Lizzy, U2, Therapy?, Rory Gallagher and Van Morrison. But, no they're not merely...
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| Interview | Access All Areas.net.au: Firstly, can you give us a bit of background of the band and the name of the band – The Answer – how'd that name originate?
Paul – The Answer: We started about six years ago... I'd played with our bass player, Micky, playing with various bands over the years and then I knew James from another band, he was a drummer and I always wanted to play with him and the opportunity arose on this time and people heard what we were doing. Cormac is the singer and he was in America for the summer and we couldn't find him for a while and kind of gave up on that and just by chance I ended up sitting beside him at university one day and told him about the band and stuff and he liked it and we started rehearsing songs and kicked off from there really. We had instant chemistry!
Access All Areas.net.au: Fantastic! That's often the way things go isn't it?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah yeah... sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and when it happens it takes a life all on its own.
Access All Areas.net.au: You're about to release a brand new album 'Rise', can you tell us a bit about this album?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah well the album is kind of... we recorded it in Olympic Studio 1 in London. I guess the combination of effects were working in the band and all the other experiences; kind of other sounds put in there and we’re very proud of that and very excited to get it out there. Yeah... it should be coming out sooner than soon.
Access All Areas.net.au: It seems quite an appropriate name for your first album given that you guys have already achieved a level of success already in your career: nominated Best British Newcomer of the Kerrang Awards; and won Best New Band 2005 at Classic Rock's inaugural award ceremony held in London late last year – have you been surprised at how quickly things have been moving for you?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah... Yeah it's kind of a subtle thing of five years then an overnight success we slugged away in bars in Ireland to no avail for about four years and when we came over to London things started to accelerate quite quickly and once we got a record deal and started doing the album, even more so, and Classic Rock were very supportive and that award was a great thing for us to win at the time and kind of gave us a springboard to go on from.
Access All Areas.net.au: Funny you talk about springboards, looking at your touring schedule, it seems you spend some grueling time on the road; do you ever get sick of touring, how does that treat you?
Paul – The Answer: No... we're taking to it quite well and we're lucky enough that each tour we've done has been longer than the last one and you know... we know what to watch out for and it can be kind of grueling to be stuck with a van full of people in quite a confined area in a van or hotel rooms for three months but we all get on pretty well. We know when someone’s having a bad day you know, and to kind of help them out rather than wind them up.
Paul – The Answer: There's nothing better than being in a rock n roll band and playing the music you love and getting to see lot's of different places and having a good time doing it... you can’t beat that!
Access All Areas.net.au: Exactly right! And it sounds like you're loving it! Paul – The Answer: You're about to kick off your European tour, is that right?
Yeah we've just come back for three weeks in Europe and doing a month in the UK and then when this is done we go back to Europe, Scandinavia, Polland, Germany, Italy we’re covering all of Europe pretty much.
Access All Areas.net.au: Doing a couple of laps by the sounds of it!
Paul – The Answer: Yeah Yeah! [laughs]
Access All Areas.net.au: Any chance of sending the ship to Australia and do a visit on our shores?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah there's talk penciled in for February, we're going to come out and around Big Day Out time maybe, we might be on that but if not then we’ll definitely be down for shows in Sydney and Melbourne and stuff.
Access All Areas.net.au: Big Day Out!?!?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah there’s talk of that nothing confirmed yet but fingers crossed we’ll be doing that.
Access All Areas.net.au: Definitely one of Australia's biggest festivals as you guys probably are already aware of... and probably one of the the best things Im aware of The Answer is that you supported Deep Purple on their show in London, how did that go?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah that was really exciting! We were mixing the album at the time and we were itching to get back out and play live again and what better way to do it than a gig with Deep Purple so that was really cool and we got to see them sound check and, you know, play all the classic hits and got to chat to Ian Paice and Ian Gillan.
Access All Areas.net.au: Were you guys already established Deep Purple fans before you got the gig?
Paul – The Answer: Oh yeah... I think 'Smokin the Water' was one of the first things we tried to play on the guitar you know... [laughs]
Access All Areas.net.au: Did you tell them that!?
Paul – The Answer: Yeah yeah... and every cover band would in every chance, have covered that song!
Access All Areas.net.au: Speaking of live shows, when a fan goes to a The Answer show, what is it that they can expect?
Paul – The Answer: Lots of energy and sole and its going to be quite nice… we’re looking forward to getting out to Australia.
Access All Areas.net.au: What's next for The Answer?
Paul – The Answer: Its just on the road at the moment... we're about a week in to this UK tour and got another three weeks to go, then we go a week in Ireland and go around Europe hopefully and then be home for Christmas, get a week off at Christmas.
Access All Areas.net.au: That would be nice!
Paul – The Answer: Yeah... then we start writing for the next album then back on the road I think and tour a bit more of Europe then Australia in February, it's looking that the schedule pretty much goes up until summer. Because the schedules so heavy at the moment, every spare moment we get it's go to be writing new stuff for the our second album because on the road its quite side tracked to kind of write new songs its kind of hectic so you've got to grab every spare moment to create the new stuff.
Access All Areas.net.au: What's something that people might not know about yourself?
Paul – The Answer: Can't think of anything really no... don't want to get anybody into trouble you know [laughs]
Access All Areas.net.au: Well... all the best with the album, make the most of it and if we do get to experience you over here... hopefully it won’t be too long till we do this again on our own shores.!
Paul – The Answer: Thankyou we look forward to it!
Interview by Ryan Kennedy |
| Biography | In these days when the transient is so often perceived as something more crucial, meet The Answer. Yes, they're Irish. Yes, they're carrying on the great tradition of Thin Lizzy, U2, Therapy?, Rory Gallagher and Van Morrison. But, no they're not merely re-hashing what's gone before. This is a band for the modern era, who are bold enough to take the chops forged by Led Zeppelin, Free and the Black Crowes, propelling these into the 21st Century.
This is the first major new British name to hit the world of classic rock this decade, this century, this millennium. And this is an overnight sensation that's been brewing for six years. Yes, count 'em! These Downpatrick dervishes only got started in the Spring of 2000 – and even then, fate played a big role.
"In 1999, I was out in New York, playing in bar bands, and serving in pizza parlours, when I got this letter," explains Neeson. "It was from Paul (Mahon) and Micky (Waters). They were putting together a rock 'n' roll band, with a bit of the blues. Someone had suggested that I'd be the man to sing with them."
Despite correspondence and enthusiasm on all sides, nothing seemed to develop. Until, once again serendipity played an ace. Neeson enrolled in an ethnomusicology course at college, and made the luckiest mistake of his life.
"On the first day, I stuck my hand up and said I could play guitar. So, they gave me this Brazilian instrument called a cavalcanto. I had no clue what to do with it. So, I turned to the guy behind me and said, 'Please tell me you can play guitar. I'll swap you this for your tambourine'. It was Paul!"
Re-acquainted, and with Mahon having saved Neeson’s embarrassment, they quickly organised a rehearsal for the formative band, with Waters also included. A few months later, drummer James Heatley was brought in. The Answer were ready to ask the right questions!
Initially, it was a struggle – only Ash and Relish spring to mind as bands from Downpatrick to make their mark – but, slowly, The Answer got their message across. They had the chance to play on the bill for the celebrated Witness Festival at Fairyhouse Race Course in Ireland (now known as the Oxegen Festival) – alongside The Darkness, Sonic Youth, The Prodigy and Ash – and also recorded three demo EPs.
"We bombarded everyone we could think of with those demos," laughs Neeson.
Towards the end of 2004, they finally got that critical break for which every band preys (sic).
"We sent Steve Lamacq our last EP, and one night he was going through this box of demos, pulled out ours and threw it to a mate, who was over that night, thinking he might like it. That bloke was Dave Bedford!"
Bedford loved it so much that he flew over to see the band play, took them on for management, and the rest is rapidly becoming history. This management liaison led to The Answer signing a deal with the prestigious Albert Productions. Since then, they've released the acclaimed 'Keep Believin' EP and the single 'Never Too Late' (respectively, in July and November 2005), got the chance to support the legendary Deep Purple at the Astoria in London earlier this year, and have also been out on the road with the equally seminal Whitesnake. Oh, and just to underline their growing strength and importance, the band picked up the 'Best New Band' accolade at the first ever Classic Rock magazine awards last October. Talk about 'overnight success', eh?
Now comes the next phase in their surge: the release of sensational debut album 'Rise'. Recorded at the famed Olympic Studio 1 in London (both Hendrix and Zeppelin left their sonic fingermarks all over this place), this was produced by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh. It's already been called 'The Best British Rock Debut Of The Decade' by Classic Rock magazine. And, in a world where hype overrules sense, here’s a rare record that outpaces all media hysteria.
Not to pussyfoot around, this is the album that brings a sparkle back to British blues rock. It has edge, energy and songs that are refined, defined and definite. This isn't just a homage to influences and a bygone era. Rather, it opens up the airways for a renewal of the passion, heartbeat and power surges that were once the trademark of those who helped propel this sort of music to Olympian heights.
"This is a snapshot of where we are at the moment," explains Neeson, with an almost understated bravura. 'It's got rock 'n' roll, blues, soul and even a touch of metal. We've made an honest record, representing what we believe in."
In years to come, rock fans of all ages, sizes and appetites will view 'Rise' as one of the great landmarks. As hard rock music celebrated its fifth decade of pre-eminence, it's The Answer who are proving it still has value and substance. Whether you're 60+, and grew up with the reality of Zeppelin, The Who and Free. Or whether you're 12, and can only witness the myths of these giants... The Answer are for YOU! |
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