interviews

Moderator says, "Keep sending all those great questions!"

Moderator says, "Hello everyone! Portishead will be logging in shortly!"

Moderator says, "Hey everybody, the band is plugging in right now and we should be ready to go in just a few minutes!"

Moderator says, "Keep sending those questions!"

Moderator says, "...Just straightening out a few wires...."

Moderator says, "Your patience is marvelous!"

Moderator says, "Portishead are still sorting out their net connection, but we should have them online in a flash@"

Moderator says, "Hello Portishead!"

Moderator says, "We've all been waiting very patiently!"

Portishead says, "hello!"

Moderator says, "Just to get things rolling, here is a question from Bill..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #7 from Bill: What does Portishead mean? Where did the name come from?

Portishead says, "it's a town outside of bristol, a small seaport village where geoff grew up."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #13 from Plaslaiko: Was this LP more difficult to make than "Dummy"???

Moderator says, "So, who're we talking to from Portishead today?"

Portishead says, "yes. because we had to make our own samples. whereas before we sampled records as well as playing live. this time we spent a year creating a pool of music we could sample from."

Portishead says, "and we also lost our way a little bit. we couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore."

Portishead says, "but we're all happy that we've gotten through that experience and created another record."

Moderator says, "Was it your intention to create a darker sound, or was that due to your experiences creating the album?"

Portishead says, "yes it was due our experiences."

Portishead says, "because we lost our way, we were all very frustrated."

Portishead says, "i'm sure that made the music more agressive and harder sounding."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #12 from Plaslaiko: whats the sorty behind "Half Day Closing" on the new LP???

Portishead says, "it was inspired by the band the united states of america, an old psychedelic band from about 1969."

Portishead says, "and it's the first time that geoff and i have played a live backing track on our album.."

Portishead says, "and i think it's us experimenting in a new area, really."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #28 from Cammy: I would like to know if you felt any pressure for the new album to live up to the critical acclaim of Dummy.

Portishead says, "yeah we did definitely did."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #20 from Frito: Are you shocked at all at the role that many say DUMMY had in creating today's big electronica surge?

Portishead says, "i think that's why we lost our perspective for awhile, i think that's how we got into the dark period that we had being frustrated and losing our way..."

Portishead says, "we also felt like we had to reinvent ourselves..."

Portishead says, "which we, once we got over our problem, we were back to being ourselves and didn't worry about pressure ..."

Portishead says, "from anybody else, and made the album."

Portishead says, "as for the question about electronica surge, ..."

Portishead says, "i thought in america that we weren't mentioned in the electronica thing..."

Portishead says, "i thought it was prodigy and chemical bros..."

Portishead says, "okay, next question"

Moderator says, "Okay!"

Moderator says, "On the Electronica note..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #19 from Frito: How do you feel about the huge electronic music boom right now?

Portishead says, "i think it's good because it, one good side is that i was able to go to a shop in soho..."

Portishead says, "and buy a lot of old electronica albums i'd been trying to get for years..."

Portishead says, "and i'm always interested in electronic music being..."

Portishead says, "or at least people being able to hear electronic music, and..."

Portishead says, "i think it's a massively relevant form of music..."

Portishead says, "it opens up doors that conventional instruments probably can't."

Moderator says, "Exactly..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #24 from Julius: What are your faves of the other acts out now? Both electric and otherwise?

Portishead says, "radiohead..."

Portishead says, "manic street preachers..."

Portishead says, "foo fighters..."

Portishead says, "beck..."

Portishead says, "and radiohead."

Moderator says, "Radiohead seems to be everyones favorite lately!"

Moderator presents the speakers with question #34 from Cammy: Did you enjoy performing at the show in New York after having spent so much time not doing live performances?

Portishead says, "yeah, immensely..."

Portishead says, "i was instrumetntal in a lot of the orchestrations..."

Portishead says, "so for me it was double, realizing a lot of thiings i'd wanted to do for a long time..."

Portishead says, "and"

Portishead says, "and i always enjoy playing to people who want to hear our music, because..."

Portishead says, "when you make a record, you don't get an immediate response to what youre doing..."

Portishead says, "whereas at a gig you do."

Moderator says, "Are you planning on touring further for the new album?" Portishead says, "yeah..."

Portishead says, "december, in the states..."

Portishead says, "we're going all round the whole world..."

Portishead says, "and then we are back next year in the states."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #31 from Julius: Any idea what kind of venues you'll be playing or trying to play when you tour the US?

Portishead says, "i think similar to the ones we played last time, smal capacity..."

Portishead says, "somewhere where we can get a good sound."

Moderator says, "Here's a question that's being asked a lot..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #33 from Plaslaiko: how do you guys feel about all the copycat (quote-unquote) triphop groups out there?? it seems after Dummy came out, you guys kinda turned it into the "WHAT TO MAKE" style of the past 3 years...

Portishead says, "i think we think that it's..."

Portishead says, "it's good to inspire people, as we are ourselves inspired by manybands..."

Portishead says, "but we're not interested in bands who want to just sound like us..."

Portishead says, "i think people should maybe be influenced by us and move it on one."

Portishead says, "that's part of the reason we felt we had to reinvent ourseleves."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #45 from Maurice: Oh, I (and probably everyone else) would like to know what Portished has been doing for the last three years the lack of information on them during this period has been somewhat confusing.

Portishead says, "we've been making this record..."

Portishead says, "and that's all we've been doing."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #59 from Jihad: I read that you could not make another album after dummy (Inrockuptible), what is the cause of your change of mind?(Excuse me for my english, I'm a french canadian)

Portishead says, "we didn't ever say that..."

Portishead says, "i think i've answered how we felt about making another record previously"

Portishead says, "another ten, fiften minutes..."

Portishead says, "okay, next question."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #63 from Guest75: Do you ever get to play with musicians outside the band

Portishead says, "yeah, all the time..."

Portishead says, "but not really making records."

Moderator says, "No specific projects?"

Portishead says, "no time to do them."

Moderator says, "Just a comment here..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #51 from Plaslaiko: the LP is great by the way!!!

Portishead says, "alright! thank you."

Portishead says, "how come you have a copy? it's not out yet."

Moderator says, "Good question..."

Moderator says, "And the answer..."
Moderator presents the speakers with question #74 from Plaslaiko: i work at a record store and begged for a copy

Portishead says, "alright."

Moderator says, "Are you still making short films instead of videos for your songs?"

Portishead says, "no..."

Portishead says, "but we are making our own videos..." Portishead says, "rather than getting major directors involved, at the momeent."

Moderator says, "Cool..."

Portishead says, "we're not proud of that short film, mianly because of the wooden acting..."

Portishead says, "because it was us."

Portishead says, "but we are proud of the soundtrack."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #77 from Philip: Do you still feel videos detract or distract from the music?

Portishead says, "i think it depends if the videos are as creative as the music..."

Portishead says, "and i think it can be a valid medium."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #79 from Maurice: has a specific date for the release of the LP been set yet?

Portishead says, "yeah, i think it's the 30th of september..."

Portishead says, "and it's a worldwide release."

Moderator says, "Excellent!"

Moderator presents the speakers with question #58 from Plaslaiko: where do you get most of your inspiration for your lyrics???

Portishead says, "i have nothing t do with the lyrics..."

Portishead says, "they're entirely personal to beth."

Portishead says, "and i wouldn't want to speak on her behalf."

Moderator says, "That seems a wise choice."

Moderator says, "Maybe this next question will let you clear everything up for us..."

Moderator presents the speakers with question #30 from Julius: What are the specific roles of each of the four members in the band? Are responsibilities equal with everyone?

Portishead says, "yeah..."

Portishead says, "we all produced the album..."

Portishead says, "more musical responsibilities fall to me and geoff..."

Portishead says, "beth writes the melodies and the lyrics..."

Portishead says, "and sometimes backing tracks..."

Portishead says, "geoff and i write backing tracks..."

Portishead says, "dave is our engineer..."

Portishead says, "who makes sure our mad ramblings at the time go to tape."

Portishead says, "go tape okay..."

Portishead says, "geoff plays some drums..."

Portishead says, "and does all the sampling and programming..."

Portishead says, "he also plays some piano..."

Portishead says, "i play guitar bass, keyboards, and synthesizers..."

Portishead says, "and arrange strings with nick ingman."

Portishead says, "who was our conductor and orchstrator..."

Portishead says, "on our new york gig."

Portishead says, "one last question now."

Moderator says, "Critics are always describing your sound as "noir." Do you agree?"

Portishead says, "sorry. a different question for the last one please." Moderator says, "Okay"

Moderator presents the speakers with question #81 from Philip: Would you consider releasing live recordings? I think I recall Geoff expressing frustration at the difficulty involved in reproducing the studio sound...

Portishead says, " i think we probably will..."

Portishead says, "release some tracks from new york one day..."

Portishead says, "and we're getting better at creating our studio sound live..."

Portishead says, "it's something that we are excited about, is..."

Portishead says, "is playing live and interpreting or reinterpreting our recorded stuff."

Portishead says, "okay, great, thanks everybody."

Moderator says, "We'd like to thank Adrian for joining us tonight!"

Portishead says, "okay goodbye folks, and thanks for being interested."

Moderator says, "Thank you for stopping by."