Drugged up, sexed up, exhibitionists - everyone talks
about the Dandy Warhols from the sleaze up. However, there's a lot more to
them than that, as Zia revealed to us when we offered up a trial-by-telephone,
prior to their new album and UK tour:
This is your third
album
Actually, this is our fourth,
the third to have been released
What happened to
the missing one?
That was first attempt at Come
Down, we went away on tour and came back and decided it needed starting again.
We kept what weıd done, we do want to finish it. We call it the Black album.
Like Prince?
What? Does he have a Black Album
too? No, we just figured as opposed to the White Album.
So, has that helped
you avoid third album syndrome?
What, do people get that? We had
a great time, rented a warehouse space, put down carpets and posters, and
recorded in there. We started recording it two years ago most of the time
has been spent in the mixing, and we kept adding tracks.
Whats the biggest
misconception about the Dandy Warhols?
That weıre mean. People are always
warning people about us, that weıre cranky and difficult. And we're not. Only
if weıre hungry or tired. Most people are like that when theyıre hungry and
tired Well we might be worse than other people The other big misconception
is all we do is drugs. We do lots of other stuff, we sleep, we eat, we have
sex, we make music. Drugs arenıt the only thing we do. It does seem to be
an obsession amongst journalists Its all they want to talk about, or all
they pick out of the other things we say.
Does Liverpool
conjure up any musical feelings for you?
I know I like Liverpool I did
a whole bunch of stuff there. Donıt you have the Beatles and whole load of
bands. Who else comes from there? Was there anyone in the 70ıs?
I think
we survived the 1970ıs on the Real Thing and two of Badfinger
Badfinger? Theyıre from Liverpool?
Really? (laughs hysterically) I have a belt buckle from the Betale museum.
It says Limited Edition Number 391, but it doesnıt say of how many. And its
made in the USA.
I think
theyıre all number 391
Probably. I love England, and Liverpool
is my favourite place to go and have fun.
Who do you see
as your biggest rivals?
Everclear thinks he is. Do you
know Everclear? From the same town, same A&R guy; he disses us at every chance,
and people bring it up a lot. But we donıt have rivals. We like evryone, if
they want to hang out and have fun, thatıs good. We donıt have rivals.
If you had
to play one DW track to sum up what the band is about, which would it be?
Itıd have to be two a fast one
and a slow one. Off Come Down, Boys Better and Be-in. Off this one [sound
of pouring over tracklist] Godless and Solid. I think thatıs the two but
really, Iıd make them sit through the whole thing, open a bottle of wine and
play the lot. I love this album.
Were you surprised
by the UK hits?
Relieved more than surprised, but
seeing as it didnıt do as well as people said it would in the US, it was more
a disappointment thing in the US. With every bit of success, youıre just so
glad you can keep on doing what you like doing. I listen to all the shit on
the radio and think, we deserve to be succssful weıve worked for it.
The single Get Off is out on may 29th, and Thirteen
tales from urban bohemia, the new album is released on June 12th. The
band play The Lomax in June. Zia talks about her hair disasters and Scooby
doo on the ink
magazine site.
