Simon Steadman
Steadman
October 30, 2003
Columbia, MO
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| STEADMAN - Interview by Jennifer Long |
Simon Steadman [vocals, guitar]
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| Tell me about the shows Steadman's going to be on -- Charmed and American Dreams. |
SS: Well, the second of November [he burps] Pardon me. [laughs] On the second of November, we're gonna be on Charmed and we play in their local bar. I've noticed that all of these American shows have local bars. Buffy has a local bar, Smallville has a local bar called "The Talent," and Charmed has a local bar called something or other.
AATM: Watch a lot of WB?
SS: No, just, we've been on Smallville and I've just started watching Buffy cause someone told me it was really good and they gave me the entire season, so I went to check it out. So, I'm watching it on the bus. It is good! It's kind of funny! The script's kind of funny... in a sort of silly way.
AATM: I've never seen it.
SS: Oh, it's quite entertaining. And you have a lot of boring time on the bus. You've got plenty of time to watch.
AATM: Definitely. Trust me, I'm from the Midwest. I know! [laughs]
SS: So, yes, we're on Charmed. We're also doing American Dreams, and that's on November 16th. We're doing an episode of American Dreams where we play the Dave Clark Five. Dave Clark Five are a British band from the 60s, who did a song called... who did a number of songs. They came over before the Beatles came over, and then the Beatles came and stole their thunder. We did a song of theirs called "Do You Love Me?" You'd know it if you heard it. It's: "Do you love meee? Do ya love me?" which is in Dirty Dancing apparently. So we dressed up as Dave Clark Five, and I had to play keyboards, and I don't play keyboard.
AATM: They won't notice.
SS: Nah. A Couple of the guys had to wear wigs because their hair weren't long enough. We've got these 60's sweeps, electric blue blazers, a super tight, incredibly tight, white pants. But it was fun, a real good day.
AATM: That's funny. I dunno if I'll be home that night or not. Maybe I could get someone to tape that for me... But how did you guys come to be on these?
SS: Just cause our label sends stuff and they say "yeah we like it, let's have them on the show!" Simple as that, really.
[Simon and I get distracted with band members and bad questions]
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| You guys were pretty D.I.Y. on the last album... |
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SS: We were, yeah.
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| How did you come to join up with Elektra? |
SS: Well what happened was, we got to a point where we couldn't actually do anymore work without compromising music. We didn't have time to make music because we were so busy ringing people up saying "Have you listened to our album yet? What did you think of it? Can you make a review" lalalala So we didn't have time to write music, and we thought, well, that's kind of what we're doing it for, so let's get some help. So that's when we thought we'd go and get label support.
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| Are you happy with Elektra? Have they let you have your freedom? |
SS: Yeah, they never get in the way at all. They help us a great deal, and they're really good to us, and they show us a lot of love, which is what we want. Cause, after all, [trails to a whisper] everyone needs a little love...
AATM: Isn't that true.
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| Pick your favorite song off either album and tell me about the meaning or inspiration behind it. |
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SS: One of my favorite songs on the album is "Revive," which is the last song on... what's our album called...? "Revive." [laughs] Yeah, the last song on the album. Partly because it has this great big "Hey Jude" bit at the end which I love, and I've always wanted to do something like that. And the fact that we have all of our friends in the studio singing along to that song. We got them all over, and they sang the end vocals, and it was just such a thrill. It's an uplifting song and... that's all.
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| You guys have Paul McCartney as a fan. How did you first find out he was a fan? |
SS: A friend of ours knows him, lives outside of our town, and told us he was gonna give him a CD, and we didn't really believe it. But, anyway, he gave him a CD. And we found out that he liked it, and we still didn't believe it. And then we found out he was going to come to a show, and we freaked out about it. So, he did come to a show. I'd started setting up, we just finished with the album, and we were playing a little hometown warm up gig... really tiny club, only about 250 people. Then, I'm setting my stuff and I get a tap on the shoulder and it's Paul. And he says "Hello, I'm Paul McCartney." He didn't even say... he said "I'm Paul" and I was like "Yes you areeee." I was shitting bricks as we like to say in England. So I went on stage and he's standing like six feet away, right in front, and I'm doing this thing and I look over and he's singing along to a couple of the songs and just, like, nodding his head.
[The tour manager comes in to tell us it's almost time for soundcheck]
And then the show finished and we went backstage and he [loses train of thought and gets flustered] and I was tryin to think about everything I wanted to ask Paul, and he said "I've got a great harmony idea for 'No Big Deal,' go and get your guitar." And I went and got my guitar, and there I was singing one of my songs with Paul McCartney. It was just amazing. Then he gave us a quote for our website; it helps a great deal.
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| What bands is Steadman often compared to, and how do you feel about those comparisons? |
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SS: Well, that's a good question. We're compared to... we always get compared to every Brit-pop band that's ever come to England. It's an easy pigeon hole. We get compared to Oasis, Travis, Coldplay, Blur, blahblahblahblahblah. BUT, that's fine and good being compared to such bands, but I consider them our contemporaries (?), but I wouldn't consider them inspirational for me as a songwriter. The kind of music I like is a lot older than that. I'm a fan of Spiritualized, and I do like Coldplay, but I'm so more into the Doors, Sly and the Family Stone, Bill Whiters, Stevie Wonder... Led Zeppelin. [note: Simon rattled off a few more bands that I couldn't understand] All of the great classics...
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| You guys have a lot of good things helping push you like Smallville and the other shows, touring with Jason Mraz, being on a big label... What do you think has been the most helpful for you guys? |
SS: Two things. The Paul McCartney quote has been one of the most helpful because people see that quote and they listen harder. You know, you've got to imagine radio stations and reviewers get 100,000 CDs through their door every week. You probably get sent a load as well.
AATM: Not a lot. [laughter]
SS: And, um, when you've got someone like Paul McCartney saying "You've got to listen to this; this kicks ass," then you're going to listen to it, cause he's a man that was in The Beatles, ya know. So that was one of the things. The other thing is opening for Jason Mraz. We get to play in front of 1,500 to 2,000 people every night. We make a ton of new friends every time we play. That's the key to this band, is put us in front of people and we'll deliver and we'll entertain, and we'll give people something to remember.
AATM: That's why I came to this show, cause the publicist for Jason Mraz was like "Check out Steadman" and I only caught three songs or whatever, and I was like "Hey, they impressed me, can I go cover them in Columbia?"
SS: Right, right. It's been great for us. We're honored to be part of this tour, it's done us a lot of favors.
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| Any last words? |
SS: ummm Only that when Bob Hope was on his death bed, his daughter said to him "Now, where do you want to be buried?" He turned to her and said "Surprise me." Those're my last words. [laughs] I love that story. It's a true story as well. "Surprise me!" he's dead! [laughs]
AATM: Well, he might know! [Simon laughs]
SS: I love that story... Is that it then, Jenn?
AATM: Sure!
SS: I can't think of any poignant last words...Just tell your readers to come to a show and experience the awesome sound of Steadman.
AATM: Now that you guys are almost done over here and everything...
SS: We'll be out again in January.
AATM: Do you know who you're going out with?
SS: No, that's being negotiated.
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| Thanks to Simon for the interview! Check out Steadman's website! |
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