Your Razorlight Questions Answered...
Yes, that's right. That's Andy, the drummer from Razorlight, applying lip-salve, while wearing shades. This is just one of the amazing things which happened when we sent ChartBlog's roving reporter Amy V off with a sheaf of your maddest questions...to be honest, a lot of you just didn't bother sending ANY questions in, so the mad ones were the only questions we had.
Luckily Andy has a well-earned reputation for being lovely (which we also talked about), and took the whole thing in his stride, as you will see if you read on...
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ChartBlog: The first question is from Helen.
Andy: Helen...Hi Helen!
ChartBlog: What is the worst stain to get out of white jeans and what are your top household tips for removing said stain?
Andy: Oh, well isn't it red wine? That's the worst, cos it's red and they're white. and then you pour white wine on it, don't you?
ChartBlog: Really?
Andy: Yeah! You pour white wine on the red wine, mix it up a bit and it goes. Check it out!
ChartBlog: Have you been watching Kim and Aggie?
Andy: Who?
ChartBlog: Er, those two ladies that clean stuff.
Andy: No, that sounds like a great show! People who clean stuff?
ChartBlog: Yeah they have really odd solutions for cleaning things, basically putting vinegar everywhere. I like your tip, even though it's a waste of wine.
Andy: You only have to use a little bit.
ChartBlog: You could just buy more trousers. Now the next one is from Laura to you. She says, do you feel honoured to be the nicest man in pop?
Andy: [surprised] Do I feel honoured? I'd feel honoured to be called the nicest man in pop.
ChartBlog: Well that's what she's calling you.
Andy: Aww, well I'm very honoured that Laura thinks so. It's very sweet, I think I'm a fairly nice bloke. How do you guage niceness? I'd say I'm
flattered that Laura has taken the time to write a question about me being nice.
ChartBlog: I'll pass that on. She'd also like to know your advice for the not-so-nice pop people out there.
Andy: I don't know...you are what you are! I want to say something interesting but I can't think of anything. All I was thinking about, all the way through advice then, was how I've started using Vaseline on my lips cos they're really chapped. But that doesn't make you a nicer person.
ChartBlog: Er. No.
Andy: But I would say always have a little pot of Vaseline for your lips.
[Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ NOTICE: Other petrol-based skin gunks are available]
ChartBlog: I have some in my bag.
Andy: Can I use some? Cos they're really painful.
ChartBlog: [Rummages] Ah, I can't find it. I have this stick lip-salve stuff, want to use that?
Andy: Well I haven't got any kind of disease. I promise you!
ChartBlog: That's fine.
Andy: Anyway, I love people who are lovely, genuinely lovely. [Applies lip-salve] Ooh! What is this stuff?
ChartBlog: It's from Boots. The Vaseline stuff you might find dries your lips out even more.
Andy: Yeah! I was told that.
ChartBlog: Exactly, but this stuff is really good.
Andy: My lips look like I've been on a skiing holiday
ChartBlog: Out of all your songs, which do you prefer in terms of lyrics?
Andy: Ooh, that's one for Johnny. I'll answer for him, I know that he's really really into singing the new album at the moment. So it'd probably be something off that at the moment. I love, lyrically, the outtro to 'LA Waltz'. But I'm not the lyricist. My lyrics that I wrote on the album were [sings] "Uh uh oh, oh something America". That was my lyrical contribution!
ChartBlog: Well I reckon that's the bit people are gonna sing the most!
Andy: Yeah! Well I wrote half the song, but lyrics? No. I'm not a lyric guy. My dad always like [New York accent] "Why don't you write poems?"
ChartBlog: Hang on, is your dad American?
Andy: No!
ChartBlog: All of your impressions are done in an American accent!
Andy: Don't start! I do tend do go American in a lot of my impressions though, don't I? I don't know why. Yeah so my dad isn't American, he's from the Forest of Dean! Yeah, he always told me to write poems when I was little but I'm not very poemy. Maybe it's a confidence thing. Maybe I don't have enough confidence in my ability to write poems. Maybe it's there but I just haven't unlocked that door. From this interview onwards I'm going to be a poet. Poet first, drummer second.
ChartBlog: Good for you. This is from Elle. Where does the inspiration from the video Before I Fall To Pieces come from?
Andy: Guy Pierce.
ChartBlog: That's the one with the alien, yes?
Andy: Yeah! Guy Pierce. He's from Neighbours, do you remember? He was Mike in Neighbours. I sound really old now.
ChartBlog: Would you like some cocoa?
Andy: I could do with some cocoa. I tell you what I'm really into at the moment, warm milk. Hot milk.
ChartBlog: Are you having trouble sleeping?
Andy: Oh I never sleep, I'm the most neurotic person ever. I can't sleep at all. On the last American tour I think I definitely had three or four nights in a row of not sleeping, or maybe just for an hour. Not because of anything cool but just cos I was lying there going [stressed voice] "Oh my God..." Anyway, where was I?
ChartBlog: Your video...
Andy: Ah yeah! Well we had this guy called John Hilcoat direct our videos, that and 'America'. Er, what is the idea? There's just an alien? It's just really colourful, I like that video and he's really funny, Guy Pierce.
ChartBlog: I got the point where the alien pulls their teeth out and then I have to turn over.
Andy: Well that's Guy Pierce! You know, he's from LA Confidential and stuff.
ChartBlog: No...I don't watch that much telly.
Andy: You watch Annie and Sydney, whatever they're called...the clearing-up people!
ChartBlog: Annie? Sydney? Oh Kim and Aggie!
Andy: Kim and Aggie, yes, I wouldn't have known about them if it wasn't for you.
ChartBlog: Right, this is from Patrick. Who wears the tightest jeans? Yours are pretty tight.
Andy: Patrick who wears the tightest jeans?
ChartBlog: No.
Andy: Oh who wears the tightest jeans! So not Patrick. Are my jeans that tight?
ChartBlog: Yeah, who in the band. Yours are quite tight, there is some give in the ankles.
Andy: I've had these jeans right from the beginning. Who wears the skinniest jeans? Probably Johnny, I guess. Johnny's like a little twig.
ChartBlog: This next one's from Mrs Borrell.
Andy: Obviously!
ChartBlog: When was the last time you were actually up all night and who were you with? She's checking up on Johnny.
Andy: When was the last time he was up. Hmm, well the last time I was up was when I was on that American tour and it was just me and the telly.
ChartBlog: What was on telly?
Andy: Horrible, horrible, horrible something...like you know...Judge, Judge Judy.
ChartBlog: Oh that's on over here too, if it's the one I'm thinking of.
Andy: Yes, as a result of neuroticness there was me and Judge Judy in a hotel room.
ChartBlog: There's a quote. Oh now I've got a quote and a mental image.
Andy: Oh God. Oh no! That's it now, you'll put that up.
ChartBlog: Yep! Fraser will be putting together photos of you two all shacked up. [Who me? - Fraser]
Andy: I'll be asked that forever now. Is it true about you and Judge Judy?
ChartBlog: Now we have Billie from Winchester.
Andy: Ooh Billie from Winchester?
ChartBlog: Yeah! She says, I think Andy is from Winchester, so where is his favourite place to go when he's home.
Andy: I am! Errrm, The Black Boy on Wharf Hill is my favourite place to go. I love it, I love Winchester. I haven't been back since Christmas and I miss it terribly. Today's nice cos I'm quite near. Also a place called Cafi Monde, they do the best breakfasts anywhere ever. In the square. So big up Winchester. Hello Billie!
ChartBlog: Lovely. This is from Moira. The first album had a song about Dalston, the second, one about America. Where next, space?
Andy: Yes. The third album will be a space rock concept album. All about the planets.
ChartBlog: Are you going down the route of the Darkness?
Andy: Yes, like the Darkness but with more depth and scientific.
ChartBlog: Ah so with a bit more factual astronomy?
Andy: Yep, what's astrology?
ChartBlog: Star signs.
Andy: Oh we'll put that in there too. So, astronomy, astrology, star signs, the moon. 'Tonight On The Moon', 'Don't Go Back To Pluto'.
ChartBlog: [Does impression of the moon from the Mighty Boosh, it seemed a good idea at the time]
Andy: The Mighty Boosh! I've been in it. I had my little nephew down here yesterday and he does the best impressions of the moon and we were just cracking up. We had a moon afternoon yesterday, you would have loved that.
ChartBlog: Well I missed it, don't rub it in. Now this one's from Spencer.
Andy: Hi Spencer
ChartBlog: Were you ever tempted to put a full gospel choir on 'America', like on 'Walking in Memphis'?
Andy: [laughing] Is there one in 'Walking In Memphis'?
ChartBlog: I'm not going to sing it but...[Hums the chorus]
Andy: Ooh, you nearly sang! You're dancing. You're not going to sing?
ChartBlog: No.
Andy: Well I'm sad that you're not doing the singing.
ChartBlog: Well you're not confident enough to do the lyrics, I'm not confident enough to do the singing.
Andy: Couple of drinks? You'd be singing.
ChartBlog: Half a drink.
Andy: Haha! Were we ever tempted to put a gospel choir? Actually we did do it with a gospel choir on telly.
ChartBlog: Really? I heard one with 'Golden Touch', that was brilliant.
Andy: Oh yeah that was amazing, really really good. Yeah we did it on telly at Christmas with 'America'. Ohh it was on that Song Of The Year...[thinks]...Song Of The Year?
ChartBlog: Record of the Year?
Andy: Sounds right.
ChartBlog: This is from Lizzie. You recorded your first album in Cornwall...ah you weren't there were you...
Andy: In Sawmills, no, I wasn't! But carry on...
ChartBlog: Did you go to Trago Mills? That's the best question we've ever had. Trago Mills, legendary.
Andy: [puzzled silence]
ChartBlog: Have you not heard of Trago Mills?
Andy: No! What is it?
ChartBlog: There's three of them in Cornwall, or maybe there's two...there's two, I think. It's a shop that sells EVERYTHING. Everyone knows about Trago.
Andy: I've been to Cornwall lots but I don't know Trago Mills. Can you get everything there?
ChartBlog: Absolutely! It also has a unique smell.
Andy: I've got a vague recolection of Johnny getting something from this amazing shop but I don't know if it's there. I don't know, I can't pretend cos I don't want to lie to Lizzie from Cornwall, so sorry Lizzie!
ChartBlog: We should find out if Johnny's been there.
Andy: Lets just say he has.
ChartBlog: Yeah, he's been. Johnny's been to Trago Mills.
Andy: He bought a kettle.
ChartBlog: I think they do good deals on kettles.
Andy: Yeah he did say, "I got a great deal on my kettle at Trago Mills". So yeah, that's a fact. Johnny definitely shops at Trago Mills.
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Your ChartBlog reporter was Amy V
Amy V blindfolds Andy are tortures him with Marmite...
Razorlight - The SongSpoilers...
Comments
Looked to me more like the reporter was writing more than the singer himself at points. Didn't think that was the idea. But I have a low opinion of the people behind Razorlight.
[Which is ironic, cos as the drumer in the band, Andy Burrows actually IS one of the people behind the rest of Razorlight. But I take your point... - Fraser]