S4L: The new album was a long time in works, did you enjoy getting back
into the studio and creating together after such a long time?
MATT: I was originally reluctant to try make a new album
unless I thought it could be as good as, if not better than, the old albums.
After a few days in the studio however, everything slipped back into place and I
realised that we could achieve that. And I think we did. The new album
definitely feels and sounds like The Boys without repeating ourselves. It’s
taken us a step further and certainly stands up alongside the original
LPs.
JOHN: Yes it was great to be back in the studio with
two of my oldest and closest mates and to find the creative juices were
flowing just like back in the day.
CASINO: I´m very impatient,
so I hate being in the studio. I think it´s hard work, so I´m very happy when
the recording is over. I enjoyed the creating part, and I´m very happy
with the result.
S4L: Punk Rock Menopause has a typically old
school Boys sound and yet is incredibly an album that is grounded in today.
Were you very conscious when recording that inspite of the distance of time
since your last album you wanted the listener to know you were
consistent, unwavering when it comes to maintaining that sound that gave
birth to many great songs way back in time?
MATT: Ouch, I remember when we were new school! Yes it’s grounded
in today because we’re living in today not the seventies, but if that basic
guitar/drum sound still resonates today – and it does – why would we want to
change that?
JOHN: Well the three main songwriters
were all there so it was always going to sound like The Boys. As soon as we
started writing together again I knew it would turn out
well.
CASINO: The Boys-sound came naturally after all
these years, and I was quite surprised to find we still had our identity intact.
It was as if we had never been away.
S4L: You've not exactly been in a wasteland
since 1981, as you have all continued in one form or another to be involved
in music, did that experience of playing solo, playing with other bands
etc. enable you, when you finally got back in the studio together and back
playing live, to be better songwriters and musicians?
MATT: I think the main thing is that we always were, have
been and will always be songwriters. We’ve all done other, sometimes quite
different things, but when we got back together as The Boys we automatically
forget all the other individual stuff we’ve done and get back instantly into
‘Boys’ mode, which means keeping within certain musical boundaries but also
continually pushing those musical and songwriting boundaries as we always
did.
JOHN:
Yeah I've been recording and touring constantly since The Boys split in 1981 and
I hope it has improved me as a singer, musician and
songwriter.
CASINO: I have been playing and recording all the
time, but The Boys-sessions made me feel like I was coming home
again.
S4L: Just for our readers sake could you give us
an idea of a few of the things you have done in the intervening years that
you have been most proud of?
MATT: During a
time when I was disillusioned with the music business I launched a free weekly
London lifestyle magazine called Footloose which was very successful until I
sold it. I also helped to launch a worldwide music competition called GBOB for
bands playing their own original music live and that’s still
going.
JOHN: The Crybabys, The Last Rock 'n' Roll Band and numerous solo projects over the years (Check out 'Never Listen To Rumours' by HJP).
I'm particularly proud of an album I recorded a couple of years ago in
Rockfield with the likes of Michael Monroe, Sami Yaffa, Glen Matlock, Martin
Chambers, Verden Allen, Casino Steel, Darrell Bath, Robbie Rushton and a host of
others. It's one of my best albums and I really do hope it'll be out sometime
soon.
MATT: I’m
extremely happy with the response to “PRM”, both from the media and from
long-time Boys fans. The response to the new songs live has also been fantastic.
Without a doubt, a great feedback from a live audience when they are hearing a
song for the first time is the biggest buzz you can get.
JOHN: It's been overwhelming. It's been the best reaction
we've had for the release of any of The Boys albums and personally I think
it's our best and can sit proudly up there with the other four albums. It's
been great to play the new songs live and it was incredible at The Jazz Cafe to
see everyone singing along despite the album only having been out for a few
weeks.
