Liam about Leeds and Reading

nme 31/7/01

NME have interviewed Liam Howlett and Keith Flint about The Prodigy's shows at Carling festivals. Evans has typed it all out for us.

'Liam Howlett has warning for eveyone coming to Reading and Leeds expecting a fresh set of inflammatory material from the prodigy. Even though the trio are ready to drop their latest album of zeitgeist-rupturing dance anthems they're gonna keep most tricks up there sleeves.
"We might not play any new tunes", grins Howlett, "we might just play the experience album, haha, we dont want to play just new material. were on for only an hour which isn't long realy, its just getting the balance right.we,ll probably play 4 new tunes the single,nuclear and the other ones that will be finished."
Since the prodigy last rocked Reading and Leeds the musical landscape has changed dramatically. Eminem raised the controversy stakes way behind Smack my bitch up, while the nu-metalers took beats and guitars to their natural apocalyptic limit.
Will the bands new matwerial be able to withstand the pressure?
"A lot of people expect this album to be more guitar based" nods Howlett, "there are tracks that are our spit back at all the fucking nu metal nonsense thats going on, but tracks like no souvenirs are qite stripped out as well. Idid it with 3d and its like the beach boys stuff.it will surprise a lot of people. the prodigy sound is usally full on, like a wall of noise.but theres some tracks that are quite bare and minimal which is a new route for us."
And how will they cope without dancer leeroy?
"We still see leeroy often", reveals Keith, "not having him on stage means i have to do a lot more work so we miss him. He was a good dynamic for the band. that element has gone and theres not another leeroy."
The prodigy warmed up for there return to the festival circuit by playing the big day out touring new zeland and australia at the start of the year. Keith raves about tour mates system of a down and even voices his approval for queen of electoclash, Peaches, who he saw recently "That was definitely something i had never seen before" could the same be aid for his own post jonny rotten punk image in the year of the golden jubilee.
"I dont create punk a punk image because i think im punk" Flint argues "That would be cliched but i adobt the attitude. I was too young for punk , but when you see something as a kid thats shocking you want to understand it and at the same time be frightened by it and it sticks in your mind i like the shock factor."
still a troublemaker, a raging firestarterhold tight.

[discuss]

Many thanks to Evans for typing it out.

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