4 pages article in NME about 'the incredible return of The Prodigy' - some quotes and critical comments by neko It seems a bit unfortunate to me that The Prodigy have given their sort of first 'real' interview to the press in two or three years in a state of drunkness and euphoria in the early morning hours after a gig. Of course it's amusing to read how usually quiet Liam Howlett suddenly becomes extremely talkative, and after first explaining that he "doesn't want to talk about his private life" keeps going on about exactly that for ages, also it will of course be of great interest for the fans to read 'how the band really are' (the guys at NME must know) when in the tourbus and chilling out, but reading through the whole article you, when looking at some of the quotes, just end up praying that Liam is taking the piss. I still trust the man when he says that "I don't even know what I've done for two years. Honestly, I don't. I'm serious." but I can't quite believe to read Liam Howlett say that he's gone off Hip Hop and thinks that "R&B's more Hip Hop than Hip Hop is - thats where real streetness is". And it is like a punch in your face to have Liam Howlett comparing, errrm, Oxide & Neutrino to "be in the same position [as Prodigy were in TFOTL era]." That "they represent Garage but they've got their own thing as well which is equally as strong...". Oxide & Neutrino... hello!!!! what have those guys done to get so much sympathy from The Prodigy, even with their really horrible attempt of ripping off 'No Good (start the dance)'? And the fact that Liam Howlett states he likes Destiny's Child's producers? awwwww. There's 4 pages about Prodigy in NME, but no single statement by the band about the new tracks Trigger and Nuclear, whether they're relevant to the new album, and what is gonna be on the new album anyway, if there will be a new single and when, instead we get stories about Liam leaving a plasticbag on Nicole Appleton's cooker ring. Gimme a break. And then of course there's also a bit from the 4 pages feature in NME that has been put on the nme.com website. "'NO
GOOD! START THE DANCE' AGAIN! When asked what he would think if nobody cared when The Prodigy finally release their long-awaited new album, Howlett replied: "Well, if no-one gives a fuck...success to me is finishing the record and thinking, 'Fucking yeah! We're the best at what we do'. Success is being able to play live for the next two years. I'm not thinking 'Yeah, this is gonna fucking sell records'." Prodigy spent recent weeks touring a handful of European festivals, where the group premiered two new songs, 'Nuclear' and 'Trigger'. Howlett said despite the band's lengthy absence, Prodigy are still "relevant as fuck'". He commented: "I can say, I've sat, for the last two years, and thought: every single piece of music that's come out is a piece of shit. I've thought, 'Fucking hell, we are relevant as fuck'. I haven't doubted what we do once. Nothing is taking our place." A new album is expected at the start of 2002." Not much, but you will find they manage to make Liam Howlett come across as extremely arrogant . Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he is, Liam's one of the most down to earth people you can imagine, but the powers of the press combined with alcohol and a couple of probably a bit misplaced statements do the job to make him look like exactly that. Now this all can only leave you rather confused about whether the people taking care of The Prodigy's press have just completely fucked up or whether there's some new 'strategy' there, trying to make the band members look more like 'your drunk mate from down the pub' instead of artists you're supposed to be taking serious. It is no secret that in the past two or three years The Prodigy have been extremely secretive about anything going on with them, no one was supposed to know what they've been up to and most important seemed that the band just want to stay away from all the press stuff and only do talk to the press if its about their music. Or their live show. Or maybe even just to say '2 or 3 tracks done'. That all seems to have gone away with a bang. Now we get a 4 pages report about that 'Keith is drunk', 'Liam smokes weed, although he usually doesn't', 'Liam is completely in love', 'of course we're still the best, although I don't remember what I've been doing for the last two years' and some completely unnecessary slagging off considering some ex-live member. I'm not criticizing The Prodigy, its rather normal to talk bullshit between 2 and 5am in a tourbus, drunk and euphoric after 2 gigs, but I can't help wondering why this sort of environment was chosen as their sort of 'comeback interview' after two years? Surely they were aware of the tape recorder? All I wonder is why they're suddenly destroying that public image they been building up for ages. The way that certain 'arrogance' comes across is brilliant ... thats so typical 'Liam Howlett in the press' and every Prodigy fan will understand it. But the rest of that 4 pages interview is just a lot of irrelevant blah blah about basically everything else than The Prodigy's music. Where's the Liam Howlett who used to tell press people he's 'not here to discuss other artists music'? He's now going on about Eminem, Oxide & Neutrino and a website dedicated to Limp Bizkits guitarist. Is that just some new sort of provocation? It will be interesting to see whats next. I will try to get some scans done so you guys can read the actual full article if you haven't done so already. Feel free to send me your comments [newpress@nekosite.co.uk] or post your opinion in the forum [here]. neko, 30th August 2001 (not actuallly completely sober either at time of writing) [go home] www.nekosite.co.uk - copyright © 1998-2001 by neko - all rights reserved |
