I guess, I am not the first to say this, but TV Smith really IS a nice guy...
Interview TV Smith
OF: I remember you announcing songs in
German when I saw you there. How’s your German?
TV: It’s gotten a lot better since then.
That must have been about ten years ago right?
OF: It was already pretty good back then.
You’re in Germany a lot, aren’t you?
TV: Yeah, I’m doing a 30 day tour in
Germany right at the moment but I took a little break to come to Japan.
You’re German (asks in German)? Shall we do
the interview in English or in German?
OF: Let’s do it in English and I switch if
I don’t know the words.
You’re friends with German band the Garden
Gang. They’re also in this issue of Old Fashion. I thought they deserved a
little more attention.
TV: Absolutely. I think they’d do good in
Japan. They got this Glam thing, the Style, a great image. I’ve always thought
they’d be a good band for Japan.
We’re gonna do a couple of gigs together in
Britain soon.
OF: Is it your first time in Japan?
TV: Yes it is, I’m really enjoying it.
OF: The Adverts never made it over?
TV: No, no, never came.
OF: Are there things you already like or
dislike about Japan?
TV: Well, the only thing I don’t like is
that it’s hard for me as a strict vegetarian to find something to eat. I’m
hungry most of the time. The only thing that saved my life is the “Freshness
Burger” Tofu-Vegetarian Burger. I already had four of them and it’s getting a
bit boring… I’m living on beer and Freshness Burger.
But I’ve enjoyed meeting people. However,
communication is a major problem. The whole part about my going on tour is
talking to people and learning about people which is obviously hard when you
can’t converse in their language. But apart from that everything is great.
OF: Where did you go to in Tokyo? What did
you see?
TV: Tetsuya took me to some places but what
I usually do is I just get out of the subway and walk around. Randomly, really.
You can’t go wrong because there’s always a new thing to see. But I was really
happy to see the big temple in Asakusa.
OF: Let's talk about music. You have been doing Acoustic sets for
quite a while but lately it seem like more people are starting to do the same…
TV: Yeah, but only because I started it. It’s
true, you know, I was the first one to do it. It’s nice. It’s a whole new wave
of music. It’s a different vibe, you can play in different places, like little
bars or little clubs you could never do with a band.
OF: How do you like the audience here?
TV: They’re great. I mean they might have
been a little confused by the solo set but they stuck with me, stuck with it…
OF: But people don’t go crazy on Solo
shows, even in Europe…
TV: They do for me. They’re familiar with
the songs, so with me they sing along. But here obviously no one’s heard
anything apart from the Adverts and I understand that. So I’m doing a fairly
Adverts-heavy set. When talking to people after the shows I get a great
reaction.
OF: Are you doing the same kind of shows in
Europe – half Acoustic/half band?
TV No, I’m only doing full Acoustic shows
now. I play about one and a half / two hours.
OF: So the shows here are kind of a service
for the fans?
TV: Yes. Tetsuya asked me to do some songs
with band and I’m happy to do it. I understand it’s good - people have never
seen the Adverts here, I’ve never been here, so yes, it is a service to the
fans.
OF: Do you prefer your solo shows?
TV: I love doing both but general,
every-day touring is solo. Then I play songs from the Adverts and solo stuff as
well. But I love doing it both. It gives me a different kind of thrill really.
The solo stuff is very close, very intimate and you communicate with the
audience and when I’m doing the Adverts songs with a full band it’s more like “Waaah…”,
so you get a different thrill.
OF: Do you play any covers during your acoustic sets?
TV: No, they’re all original songs. The
only cover I have ever done is a cover of Identity from X-Ray Spex, since Poly
Styrene died. Just to pay tribute to her.
I have about 200 original songs I can
choose from, so..
OF: Which you all remember by heart?
TV: Yeah. That’s why the sets are so long
in Germany.
OF: What did Punk mean to you back then,
what has changed?
TV: Nothing’s really changed for me. It was
always about expressing myself, saying what I want to say and doing it without
anyone stopping me and that’s what I still do.
OF: In Japan, London still has this image
of being a “Punk Mecca”. How is it there right now?
TV: There’s not a good scene in London. It’s
much easier to tour in Germany – there’s a thriving, living underground scene,
people coming out to gigs, whereas in Britain the club-scene is pretty dead. There
are not many people going out to gigs. They only go to the big, shit commercial
bands and pay loads of money while the small clubs are dying out. People aren’t
supporting the small bands in Britain.
OF: Any London bands you can recommend
right now?
TV: I like The Phobics, they’re a nice
little Punk band, good people. Cyanide Pills are excellent. Thee Spivs. They
are both going on tour with me in December.
OF: What do you think about the riots in
London? Do you know anyone who was affected?
TV: It showed that people are unhappy, but
they were just going stealing stuff from folks. There was no political element
at all. Someone is trying to make a living from his little shop and those guys
just break in and ruin his life. What protest is that? I mean, they broke into
a charity shop and stole clothes! At least break into a McDonalds!
It showed people are unhappy but it also
showed they are being made stupid. They’re showing the same greed as the
establishment. They need a revolution just to get thinking straight. That’s
where the revolution starts. They’re being dumbed down and they’re falling for
it.
The London riots were shit. The most
pathetic riots I’ve ever seen. I was ashamed.
OF: TV, thank you for your time.
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