© Copyright 2007, 2008 Rock Interviews dot com, Photos : Rock-Interviews.com.
© Copyright 2007, 2008 Rock Interviews dot com, Photos : Rock-Interviews.com.
Robert KANE- Interview - June 25th 2009
It's a wonderful setting for a gig. I don't know which those big towers are over there, something doing with brewery ?
AM : It was a crystal firm, a factory.
for crystal ?
AM : Yes.
OK, I was wrong, but it's very nice, lovely setting.
Yes, ten years now.
AM : As the singer of Dr Feelgood, how did you join the band, do you remember ?
Yes, very well. Before I was with Dr Feelgood I did, I was with the Animals for 5 years and things weren't going so great for me with one
of the members of the Animals and I was looking for a way out and at that time, the same time, Dr Feelgood were looking for a new singer
and we come across each other for a couple of gigs here and there and we had a good talk in Sicily, of all places, and we got a phone call
and here we are ten years later.
I've been asked this many times, but I point out to people that previously I had to step into Eric Burdon's
boots so it was something that I'd done before and the most important thing is not to try and be that other person but just to be yourself.
AM: How did the fans react ?
They hated me, oh it was terrible ! No, it was alright. There was one or two people who didn't like it,
you know, especially for the fact that I was from the North of England, for some reason that rubbed people
up the wrong way but the one guy who was the most vocal, that would say : "It's ridiculous having someone
from the North of England in Dr Feelgood", he came round, he came round in the end.
Well, I didn't play harmonica until I joined Dr Feelgood. When they asked me to join they thought I played it, and when I went down
for the first audition, they said : "Did you bring your harmonica ?" and I said : "well, no, but I know I'll have to learn".
They said : "what do you mean ?", "Learn". "We thought you played it", I said "No". So I had, I think 4 weeks to learn before the first gig. So,
I sat at home and just sat there (miming training to play the harmonica) and the one thing I got it, and I was making a decent noise out there,
I wasn't actually playing it, it took months before I realized that I actually played it. I was, as we say, bluffing !...
Oh, I hate that question ! Ask me another one.
AM : You don't want to answer.
No, no, no there are too many.
AM : Yes there are, many, many songs which are great.
Yeah.
AM : You like everything, I think.
And it's safer to say you like everything...
Quiet.
AM : Quiet, so ?
Because we're on the road for 120 shows a year and every night my head is getting pounded by drums and our electric guitars.
So when I get home I want to listen to something a little more laid back. I've been listening to a lot of American music,
recently, new young bands, I play Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver and The Acorn and Iron and Wine, it's a bit quieter than what we do.
Not really, I enjoy running and that's about it. You know, I spend most of my time on the road, reading or listening to music.
AM : I read that you were an actor under the name of Robert Coyle ?
A long time ago and it's best forgotten !
AM : Did you enjoy it at that time ?
Yeah, I enjoyed it, it would have been great to pursue that further, but music came first.
AM : If someone asks you to act again ?
If it could fit in into the schedule yes, I will do it, but I can't turn round to the group and say :
"Sorry guys I'm gonna be missing for a month". We can't do that because we've been booked until next year.
AM : So you have to act with all the band in a film !
Oh, that will be good, that's a film I'd like to see !
AM : I think that's it.
OK, thank you.
AM : Do you want to add something ?
No, no, (holding his glass) : Cheers !
French Version