Interview with Larry in Mannheim - English Version
(Negative)
11.02.2006 von Diana Hartmann
In Finland they have been big stars for quite some time and now, after breaking in Japan and Russia, Germany is the next step. Already last autumn they did a club tour here and currently they are touring again in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, together with their fellow Finns of HIM and The Rasmus. WeÂ’re talking about the latest export of Finnish rock music: Negative. Together with Melanie I had the opportunity to visit guitarist Larry in the Negative tour bus just before their sell-out show in Mannheim, where he got bombarded with some questions.
Okay, first of all, who came up with the idea that HIM, The Rasmus and Negative would do this tour together and how did it actually happen?
Larry: I think it was in our last tour in Germany, and in Austria and in Switzerland. We just came up with this idea to support HIM. So Jonne just called Ville and asked about it and Ville came up with this idea to do it with the three of us. So now itÂ’s happening.
ThatÂ’s coolÂ… so it basically was Jonne who started this all up thenÂ…
Larry: Yeah, and Ville was the man behind this idea for these three bands touring together.
And how has it been going? I mean, youÂ’ve had two gigs nowÂ…
Larry: Well, itÂ’s been fantastic, I have to say. Nothing to complain orÂ…
And in comparison to the gigs you had in Germany last year where you were headlining, how do you feel the audience is towards you now?
Larry: Hmm, I don’t know… Audiences have been quiet loud… now. And you know, every time when we are starting the first song, it’s like everybody is looking: ‘What is that band?’ But after two or three songs they’re always ‘yeah, yeah’… And you know, in our own tour it was the same situation…
And did you see many fans of yours, any familiar faces?
Larry: Yeah, yeah, from Japan, from FinlandÂ…
From Japan? Wow, thatÂ’s cool!
Larry: Yeah!
Do you think there any differences between German and Finnish audience, like at the Finnish gigs, for example?
Larry: Hmmm. (thinks a while) People are not so drunk! (laughter) In Finland they are really drunk. Not always everybody, but you know… it’s more usual there. And then the men in here, they are more relaxed, you know, they like to show their feelings, you know, like ‘I like your band, thanks for the show’. In Finland men are more like… they don’t talk to us, they’re just watching, you know… like ‘fucking faggots’… or something. And then they go to their homes and listen to our CD… (laughter)
How much sleep do you actually get while on tour now?
Larry: Sleep?
Sleep, yeah. Can you sleep long in the morning or is it party all nightÂ…?
Larry: Yeah. Today I woke up at 3 oÂ’clock cos I had this one interview at 4 oÂ’clock, soÂ… Yeah, you can stay up like until 4 or something. It depends how much you want to sleep, so you can decide for yourself.
So your manager doesnÂ’t throw you out of bed at 9 in the morning or so?
Larry: No, no, noÂ…
Like, jogging around the bus or somethingÂ…
Larry: Noooooo, no no!
ThatÂ’s nice of himÂ…
Do you have any favourite song you like to play live?
Larry: ThereÂ’s a couple. L.A. Feeding Fire is a really fast one and it feels good on the stage, you know. Then thereÂ’s a couple of slower songs, like Neverending Parade, I like that oneÂ… and Angels WonÂ’t LieÂ… Misery. And I always like to play Last Hero from our first album. We donÂ’t play that so often, so itÂ’s like special.
And what about the others? Do they have any favourites where they insist this has to be on the set list?
Larry: I donÂ’t know. Maybe pretty much the same stuff. Everybody has their own favourites, but we usually agree about the set list.
WhatÂ’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened on stage?
Larry: I donÂ’t know, it depends about your attitudeÂ… (laughter) Because, you know, we have fell down so many times! (more laughter)
But youÂ’re not gonna do that tonight?
Larry: I donÂ’t know! (laughter) But well, anything can happen, so itÂ’s normal when youÂ’re running around. So itÂ’s just funny, you know, itÂ’s not embarrassing. (laughs)
What do you prefer and why – do you prefer to work in the studio or go on tour or is it both approximately the same to you?
Larry: ThatÂ’s the reason why this job is so interesting, you know. Because sometimes youÂ’re touring, sometimes youÂ’re concentrating in the studio, working on new songs. So itÂ’s quite different all the time, but I like touring because playing live is just something different from this life.
YouÂ’re in the studio right now, working on the new album. And I just checked on the website that like 60 percent of it is done. So what can we expect of it? What is it gonna be like?
Larry: ItÂ’s Negative. But itÂ’s more schizophrenic, and more crazy. ItÂ’s kinda darker, more rockier, more harder.
We heard Glory Of The Shame (new song, editors note) at Tavastia at New Years. Is this song approximately like a guidance on how the album will be?
Larry: There are many kinds of songs. ThatÂ’s one of them. ThereÂ’s a couple which are the same like that one. ThereÂ’s songs that last for like six minutes or so. Lots of different kind of stuff. We are trying to do kind ofÂ… or not trying to, weÂ’re just playing, you know, and trying different stuff. We are not setting any limits, you know, that Negative has to sound like this, we are just doing every idea that will come up. The producer is the one who is taking it all together.
And when can we expect it? Do you have an idea yet?
Larry: Next year September, or August.
Next year?
Larry: Yeah.
2007?!
Larry: No, sorry, sorry, (laughter) This year September. August, September, or soÂ…
Until YouÂ’re Mine was recorded with Ville from Sentenced as a guest singer. Could you imagine doing something similar again, like having guest musicians and if so, who would you like to work with?
Larry: We have a guest musician but we donÂ’t like to tell about itÂ…
So itÂ’s still top secretÂ…
Larry: Yeah!
Okay, then we will wait for the surprise.
Larry: But its not soÂ… ItÂ’s not duet, itÂ’s like singing backing vocals.
ThatÂ’s cool!
Larry: Yeah!
You’ve been together for quite a while now. Did you ever reach the point when you thought ‘Oh, I can’t stand this any longer! I want to quit!’? Any of you, not just you?
Larry: Not really, not really. But sometimes, when you mess something up, you know, if you’re too drunk and everybody is pissed off. The next day you feel like ‘Oh fuck, how is this going to be?’ (laughter) And you just feel like a total loser. But not really, you know, not really. It’s just, you know, hangover thoughts.
If your career as a musician would be over one day, is there any other kind of career you could imagine doing?
Larry: I donÂ’t know. Something to do with music, or something creative. Cos I have done this for not so long, but long enough, that it would be really hard to go to a normal job. You know, wake up 7 in the morning and always the same things. Yeah, I donÂ’t believe that I would be able to do that (laughs)
Back to gigs again. Do you have many gigs lined up this summer? What about summer festivals, or any touring plans?
Larry: Yeah, yeah. Of course summer festivals! I have heard about 5 to 10 festivals.
In Finland?
Larry: No, no, also in Germany. Actually, we are planning to do only a couple of festivals in Finland, and then the rest of the festivals should be in Germany or Austria.
But thereÂ’s nothing actually confirmed yet, or...?
Amphi festivalÂ…
Larry: Yeah, that one. There is something almost confirmed that I canÂ’t talk about (laughs) But there are many plans. And after releasing the third album thereÂ’s going to be a huge tour. I guess that first Finland, then maybe Germany, maybe Scandinavia, Japan, Russia. And thenÂ… I donÂ’t know, it depends about the situation.
But until the release it will only be the festivals?
Larry: Yeah.
When we’re talking about gigs now, there’s two ends of the scale: club or stadium – what kind or size venue do you prefer?
Larry: Both are great, you know. ItÂ’s amazing feeling to see all these people, you know, itÂ’s quite unreal. But in club gigs they are more sweaty and more... you feel the audience, the heat, you know. I like them both. I just like to play, so it doesnÂ’t really matter. But big audiences are better because the stages are bigger so you can move moreÂ…
And you donÂ’t fall downÂ…
Larry: Yeah! (laughter)
If you see Negative on stage you're all glam-rockers, but what are you like in real lifeÂ… Is all this just part of the stage show or is this more like your approach to life?
Larry: Hmm. I think it’s changing, you know. During the first album we liked to use those shiny clothes more, but now… how should I say it? Errm, we’re just…There are six personalities and everybody puts on what they like. Nobody is saying, put that and that, or… You just can do whatever you want, nobody is saying anything. Maybe if I put something really awful then they will say ‘Are you sure?!’ (laughter)
But you also walk around like this at homeÂ…
Yeah, yeahÂ… I donÂ’t have any other clothes! (more laughter) Or, I donÂ’t have enough space in my home, so they are in the attic.
ThereÂ’s always different opinions the press will produce about bands, about albums and concerts. Do you actually read a lot of reviews and stuff and how does it make you feel if you read anything like, critical statements or anything?
Larry: It makes me laugh! (laughter) Because in one magazine they were talking about our clothes, you know. Not the music. Clothes and guys that are wearing make up, and it was about or first album, you knowÂ… So it kinda made me laugh.
And what if you like… you have a concert review, and there is critical stuff about it, which is maybe not true or something, concerning the music. How does it make you feel, like for example… you feel you had a really great gig, the fans think you had a really great gig and then the press writes ‘Oh, it was shit’. Do you just ignore that cos you know for yourself that the gig was good, or…?
Larry: Yeah, pretty much ignoring. But of course if I see some review I read it and I think about it. But I donÂ’t chase all the reviews and read them all. Or anything like that. If I see something I read it and I think about it. But it doesnÂ’t bother me that much, you know.
What was the weirdest question you were ever asked in an interview?
Larry: How much do you want money if you wear this on stage tonight? And it was swimming hats. Rubber swimming hats, you know, when youÂ’re swimming you use those to put the hair inÂ… (laughter)
OokayÂ…?
Larry: Something like thatÂ…
So I guess you didnÂ’t do it then?
Larry: No, I didnÂ’t (laughter)
So, what can we expect from the show tonight? ItÂ’s probably gonna be a little bit shorter than usualÂ…
Larry: We have about 35 minutes, rocking like hell!
Okay, thatÂ’s good!
Larry: I donÂ’t know whatÂ’s going to happen, we are just going on the stage and letÂ’s seeÂ…
Okay, so weÂ’re looking forward to it!
Now, final questionÂ…
Larry: Okay.
Cos this is GermanyÂ… Do you have a message especially for your German fans?
Larry: Of course I would want to thank them all about supporting us and then hopefully see you all in summer festivals. And be patient about the new album. ItÂ’s gonna come outÂ…
EventuallyÂ…
Larry: Yeah. And itÂ’s gonna be great, soÂ… Cos itÂ’s almost done, so I canÂ’t wait when everybody is going to hear it!
Oh, the fans canÂ’t either!
Larry: IÂ’m reading all the stuff on the net, you know. Cos I like to know what the fans are thinking about the album.
So do you actually read on the forum?
Larry: Yeah, when thereÂ’s something that I like to read. But I donÂ’t like to read all theÂ… thereÂ’s so much talking, you know. They are talking to each other. Stuff that I donÂ’t understand, and IÂ’m confused.
Yeah, I know. If you look for information itÂ’s pretty hard to find something.
Larry: Yeah, yeah, many pages just talking about something totally differentÂ…
Yeah, but itÂ’s nice to know that you actually go and read!
Larry: Yeah, yeah. I go there when... right now I donÂ’t have a computer at home so itÂ’s about once or twice in a month when IÂ’m reading stuff on there and my emails and stuff.
ThatÂ’s good!
Larry: I always read them all. But I donÂ’t answer always. Cos sometimes I have answered and itÂ’s not a good thing, always. Because then you have to answer again and if you donÂ’t answer youÂ’re an asshole (laughter)
No, yeah, I think itÂ’s better that way. Because you know how the fans are, when theyÂ’re talking with each other and thenÂ…
Larry: Why did you answer my friend and not meÂ…Â’ and stuff like thatÂ… (laughter)
Okay, then we thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us.
Larry: Yeah, thank you. IÂ’m a little bit behind with thisÂ… (points at shortcut)
Oh yeah, take your timeÂ…
The recorder is switched off and Larry gets some time to fill out the shortcut. We continue talking for a bit about cuddly toys, past shows that weÂ’ve seen, and the show that is coming tonight. He tells us that he is actually not very nervous before the shows and that he leaves that for the last five minutes before show start. We also learn that itÂ’s great to sleep in the rocking tour bus, and that Larry, Sir Christus and the light tech apparently are the party animals of the band, as they are always the last ones to go to bed.
Larry is very down-to-earth and friendly and listens carefully. So he didnÂ’t give us any reason to get nervous ourselves.
We want to thank Sylvie and Martin from Roadrunner Records, who made this interview possible for us, and a big fat thank you also goes to Larry, of course, for patiently answering all our questions.
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