1. This is probably the most obvious question… what have you been up to? Are you working on any new music?
I’ve been hanging out at home, spending time with my wife and children, re-acquainting myself with a life that doesn’t involve having a countdown to the next date of departure. Life has become more open ended again which is refreshing after years of knowing that I only had a few days at home and then I’d be off again. An enviable position until you have children and then it becomes (for me) more of a heartbreaking position. Being stuck in a hotel room in Des Moines or the middle of Germany at two in the morning unable to sleep wishing that you were at home with your family is something I remind
myself of when I miss being on the road.
I’ve recorded an album with a friend – we’re fishing around for a deal right now – I’ve done all the music and he’s done all the singing. It’s a new direction in some ways so if we can get a deal you might get to hear it. We’re calling it ‘Book Club’. I’ve been working on a few commissions also and tried some more solo stuff but I’ve enjoyed collaboration more recently so that’s the way I see myself going in the future. I’ve done some mixing for a band or two also which I’ve enjoyed. I’ve become a lot more competent as an engineer in the studio in the last year or so so maybe I’ll end up working in that arena. It’s great because the studio is in my basement so I don’t have to go too far to go to work in the mornings. I miss playing live so maybe a new band is possible. Not sure really. I expect I’ll do something with Gavin again one day but probably not for a while.
2.Any plans for starting a new band or working with other bands, or do you plan on working a more behind the scenes roll?
3.What’s the best album you’ve bought in the past year?
The new Jane’s Addiction album.
4.You come from a very musical family, are you going to encourage your children to learn and play music or are you just going to sit back and see what interests they develop on their own?
I’ll encourage it and let what follows happen naturally.
5.Last news we heard was of the birth of your second child Oscar.. is there another baby in the works or is two enough?
Two is enough but never say never!
6.Do you think your life has finally gotten back to a status of normalcy? Do you still get approached by fans while doing everyday life things?
Sometimes I get approached and I really enjoy it. It’s quite a thrill. My life at home was never that abnormal. I always had time for our fans and still do.
7.Favorite Bush song?
Probably Machine Head! My favourites tend to be from the first two albums which were the fun ones to make. From then on things become trickier and more externally influenced.
8.What Bush song do you think you had the most influence on?
I would answer that by saying the song I had the least influence on was ‘Out of this world.’ I think I had an influence on everything we recorded.
9.Have you seen any good concerts lately? Is there anybody you haven’t seen in concert but would love to?
I’ve seen John Cale and Neil Young recently. Both were pretty amazing.
10.Recommend a good book.
Yellow Dog by Martin Amis
11.Tell us one of your quirks.
Trying to read about 20 books at once.
12.Have you ever met someone famous and they just weren’t what you expected?
They were all pretty much as I expected. Warren Beatty was friendlier than I would have expected (name dropping or what!!)
13.What are some other things you enjoy doing that don’t involve music?
All the usual things- books, movies, art, food, wine….