New album- official!

Thanks for that !

Translated from German by shivi from spacemonkeys forum. I found this interview very interesting and informative

The final examination

New drummer, new label, new album, new new artistic freedom:
In time for the realease of "Battle For The Sun" the american-swedish trio presents theirselves all renewed - and almost terrible adult. At the head singer/guitarist Brian Molko, who was met by 1LIVE in Berlin. A conversation about tattooed musclemen, Hard Pop, failed friendships and their big anti-gothic-campaign.

1LIVE: Brian, it was reported that the "Meds" tour was such a killer that you (the band) almost failed. Is it true ?

Brian Molko: At least it was the death of what we called Placebo II - to say: cast with Steve Hewitt. It was the end of our work relationship and our friendship. What was really painful. And that just happend while the last chapter of our "Meds" tour.

1LIVE: What was the problem ?

Brian Molko: You got to aks him - because he's not here to answer back. And I don't like to slate someone just because there is some kond of bitterness or different opinions about the why and wherefore. But for me personally it was like I was in a band with a stranger. Which hurts outstanding when this stranger was your best friend or even your brother. But it got more and more obvious that we had different priorities and visions about what we wanted to achieve with the band. At the end it was like you went to the office every day, and I hate that. It wasn't fun anymore. Because people in the band didn't talk to eachother anymore. There was no passion anymore but it all was very automatic. Almost like punching the clock. And thats definitely not the reason I'm part of a band. So there were two options: either I quit because its no fun or I do something drastic to make the whole thing survive.

1LIVE: in spite your friendship ?

Brian Molko: Yes, its like a divorce. There is no difference if people marry or join a band: In the beginning the sex is amazing (laughs). And our Gigs were fantastic at first. But in the end it just wasn't like that. They were pretty bad. So definitely not on the level they should be. Thats why I had to do something.


1LIVE: how therapeutic is "Battle For The Sun"?

Brian Molko: As therapeutic as "Meds", but in a different way.
Because today I'm at a different point of my life then I was back then. So i would say every album is a kind of catharsis and therapy. Cause you can talk about everything that is on your mind and you want to get off your chest. But you can deal very objective with feelings that give you headaches. Just to turn it positive - and to understand it better thereby.

1LIVE: You call the the outcome "Hard Pop". What does that mean for you ?

Brian Molko: I mainly related that to the song "Bright Lights". Because there we tried to build a bridge between the noise-rock from My Bloody Valentine and a pop-song. Don't know how successful that was. Probably it rather is a viaduct. But I think there are definitely moments on this album where a lot of confidence and fun comes into play - definitely more then on "Meds"

1LIVE: And you get accompanied by a tall tattooed californian named Steven Forrest. How does he fit to the pale, not tattoed rest of the band ?

Brian Molko (laughs): The good thing is, now that we have someone in the band who is half human half ink we don't have to get any tattoos - he has more then enough for all of us. He meets the tattoo quota for the entire band.

1LIVE: What about the age difference of 14 years ? Or: Isn't he a bit too young for you guys ?

Brian Molko: Well, I'm the same age as his mother, thats true. And I lost my virginity in the same year he was born in [note from the translator: age 14 ? oh Brian ...]. Which is actually pretty funny. But: I'm not his father ! His mother and me we lived on two different continents back then. And I must admit that we purposely looked for this age difference. The generation gap. Because we wanted new young blood in the band.

1LIVE: Like Rock'n'Roll-vampires ?

Brian Molko: Exactly. In best Twilight manner. Whereas the point is: If the album will be as half as successful as we hope it will be, then there will be some huge and long shows soon. Thats why we need someone with high stamina. And we wanted someone who wasn't successful yet. Who hasn't made the experiences Stefan and me made. I mean, we are in the business for 15 years now and we have seen nearly anything. So the risk of being spoiled is definitely there. We wanted someone who doesn't know all that. Someone with teenage enthusiasm and childlike naivety which would spill over us. Which we get infected and quickend from. And Steve is a very enthusiastic type - and very energetic.

1LIVE: What can we expect from Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park? Will you concentrate on the new material ?

Brian Molko: In the context of the festival it would be wrong to go out of the stage and just play our new album. That would be almost cocky. Festivals are more like a party. At least for the audience. You are outdoor, you wear your hair loose and roll in the mud. So it is important to have a good choice of songs. And thats exactly what we gonna do. We will play some new songs but also a lot of classic. When we do our european Arena-Tour in autumn we will play more stuff from the new album - but also new arrangements of old songs. Just because we love it to do covers of our own songs.

1LIVE: With a six headed band?

Brian Molko: What is completely new and therefor exciting. For example we have for the first time a violinist playing with us. Her name is Fiona Brice and she is responsible for the strings arrangements on the new album as well as on "Meds". So it was pretty given that we asked her to tour we us. And she will play the violin in some old songs, which will lift them to another dimension. So: it is exciting. A whle new band.

http://www.einslive.de/musik/interviews/2009/placebo.jsp

Oh my, it's interesting indeed.
Thanks a lot Katya, it just made my night.

It was the end of our work relationship and our friendship. What was really painful. And that just happend while the last chapter of our "Meds" tour.

So there were two options: either I quit because its no fun or I do something drastic to make the whole thing survive.

Does that mean he finally admitted it was him who asked Steve to leave? OMG, it's a relapse of what had happened in 1997? I just cant believe it. And it seemed that this time Stef behaved so definitely in support for Brian's action?! OMG.

Because there we tried to build a bridge between the noise-rock from My Bloody Valentine and a pop-song.

I'm excitedly waiting for that

he has more then enough for all of us. He meets the tattoo quota for the entire band.

Tattoo quota...

Well, I'm the same age as his mother, thats true. And I lost my virginity in the same year he was born in [note from the translator: age 14 ? oh Brian ...]. Which is actually pretty funny. But: I'm not his father ! His mother and me we lived on two different continents back then.

At first I thought that he would say 'I'm not his mother! Coz biologically speaking there's no chance for me to get pregnant.'

omg...so they get a big big son in the band now...

We wanted someone who doesn't know all that. Someone with teenage enthusiasm and childlike naivety which would spill over us. Which we get infected and quickend from.

Yeah that's true, they need someone new and energetic to revitalize the band.
And I do appreciate him being so frank.

You're welcome, Agina

But don't you find it weird and shocking?

1LIVE: What about the age difference of 14 years ? Or: Isn't he a bit too young for you guys ?

Brian Molko: Well, I'm the same age as his mother, thats true.

Does it mean Steve's mother bore him when she was 14?

And I like this. At least they were best friends.

this stranger was your best friend or even your brother

either I quit because its no fun or I do something drastic to make the whole thing survive.

Looks like Brian wanted to quit and could not make up his mind to 'fire' Steve but Stef supported Bri so he choose to stay and say goodbye to Steve.

we have someone in the band who is half human half ink

So it seeems it was Brian who started this joke about 'half man half ink', not journalists as I thought before. They probably just repeated his words in the review

we don't have to get any tattoos

It's comforting...

he has more then enough for all of us

He has more than enough for all of British musicians

yeah...so his mother's only 36 years old, NOW...that was really shocking but still understandable in terms of premature American kids...kidding.

...Then I was basically right about the distribution of the three: Brian the faultfinding Mom, Stef the clement Dad...omg that is just too awful to imagine...

Awful thought , but amusing, wonderful interview, it answers a lot of questions, many thanks.

at comments!

I like the interview. I was reading it the other day on my mobile phone.

You people saw this: http://www.vimeo.com/4660083

I downloaded it from link on sweet-prince and will watch today!

Special Needs video is added on official site. So nice to watch it in that quality.

Hi Everyone,

PLACEBOWORLD are pleased to announce details of an exclusive 'Battle For The Sun' Fan playback.

The playback will be happening Friday 29th May at 9am (GMT)

If you haven't already, sign up to PLACEBOWORLD.co.uk, and on Thursday next week you will be sent a special code that will allow you access to the 'Battle For The Sun' playback site.

You will have to login with your email address and the code, then you will have access to listen to the entire album before anyone else and even before the album is released!

The playback will end Midnight on the 31st May.

Peace & Love

PLACEBO

PLEASE NOTE : You MUST sign up to PLACEBOWORLD before 9am on Thursday 28th May to recieve an exclusive code!

http://www.placeboworld.co.uk/mynews.php?id=51

That's great!!!

I'm not register member there, are you all? So, I guess I should register now?

Anyway, watching that video which is about Meds era, I realized how much I adore that album.

I was a registered member, for the old site, i wonder if a second registeration is needed?

adan wrote:I'm not register member there, are you all? So, I guess I should register now?

I don't know I didn't register there but when I downloaded BFTS from the site, they probably registered me automatically so now I receive newsletters from placeboworld. But sometimes letters come with 2 days delays So if you downloaded Battle from placeboworld, you are signed up already, I suppose.

Agina, they said a few months ago that fans should sign up for the new mailing list and the old one would be disabled so you need to register again.

Anyway, don't worry. Some fans is sure to rip tha album and upload for us

So, I need to register. I know someone will rip whole album right then, but I want to listen it as soon as it's possible.

Anyway, don't worry. Some fans is sure to rip tha album and upload for us

Driven by the crazy love, that is to say, as soon as the payback starts, we'll get the HQ leakage.

I'm sure the first song I'm gonna listen to is Kings of Medicine. How about you girls?

^ Great question there, I didn't think about that.

So, I think I'll first listen BFTS and For What It's Worth! Just kidding.

Happy You're Gone, Julien, Come Undone, Speak In Tongues, Devil In The Details, The Never Ending Why

then Bright Lights, and those to we didn't hear. Then it's chance can get Ashtray Heart and last one would be Kitty Litter definitely.