The Boxer Rebellion Interview

How's the album going and what should we expect?
Todd: It's going really well - we've been recording pretty much all summer - done twelve tracks already and mixed those, and there's a load more we've written since. It should be out about the end of March. Hopefully it'll seem like a complete piece of work.
Piers: I think it's going to be a lot larger-sounding than Code Red, we used a guy called Chris Sheldon who's done Biffy Clyro, Oceansize...
Todd: He's got us a pretty big sound, and if you see us live and think that's how we come across too.

You didn't play any festivals this year, do you hope to in 2005?
Todd: If we're not then I don't think we'll be around for long after that, it'll mean things have gone grossly wrong.
Piers: If all we play is the Cambridge Folk Festival or something then I think we'll be rethinking our position in the music industry!
Todd: I'll be quietly hoping that Matt Bellamy breaks his wrist or something so we can fill in for him...

Who else, other than obviously Muse, has influenced the album?
Todd: We've got a really eclectic sound - there's heavy songs on there like Watermelon, and then some other soft tracks. We've all got very similar influences - I think it'll all sound fairly epic and etherial ???. We've been listening to a lot of Mogwai lately, we're big Radiohead fans too...

So this if the first date of your first headline tour, are you nervous about tonight's show?
Todd: Nah, it's the last night! And it's our fourth headline tour now - we always seem to be going out on our own...
(Interviewer makes mental note to slap researcher.)
How were the support tours with Cooper Temple Clause and The Raveonettes?
Todd: We only played one show with the Coopers and The Raveonettes one actually got cancelled.
(Interviewer makes mental note to fire researcher.)
Piers: So yeah, they went really well, absolutely kicking!

Are you excited about having your first major label single released?
Todd: Yeah, it's got a bigger push, the video's being played, we've had radio play... Whether it does any better we'll have to see!
Piers: The album's more of a big deal for me - to actually see a whole body of work on the shelves.

How have the audiences been reacting to the shows on the tour?
Nath: Good, well the people that have actually been there...
Piers: They've definitely been more receptive than on our last tour.
Nathan: London's always really good - we're still pretty London-centric, it's hard to break out of London until you have a Top 40 single really.

What sort of fans are you attracting?
Todd: Oh, single mums, strippers... I dunno, we seem to get a lot of fans of other bands who've heard about us on message boards which is cool.
Piers: There's been more younger fans than I'd expected. Cos we've got quite a mature sound - not the sort of thing that would necessarily grab me when I was fifteen anyway.

If you were all to have a boxing contest (you see the cunning link here?), who would win?
Piers: I would win, definitely.
Todd: I've got a ring on, I could do damage with that.
Nathan: I think Todd would win.
Piers: Ah, but the thing is, I've never hit anyone in my life, so I think the first person I ever hit would really get it...
Todd: I probably would win...
Nathan: Why don't we see right now?
Todd: I think I'd run away so he'd chase me as far as he could until he was fucked, and then I'd just kick the shit out of him!


Brighton, 22nd September 2004.
Interview with Todd, Piers and Nathan.