In One Minute: Love Amongst Ruin
Ex-Placebo dude Steve Hewitt takes centre stage.
Posted 1st July 2010 in Interviews, Love Amongst RuinGenerally throughout the history of rock, singing drummers have been a bit rubbish and boring. Just look at Phil Collins or that bloke out of The Eagles. But when drummers are brave enough to step out from behind the drumkit and do their own 'thing', it's altogether more exciting: case in point, Sir David Grohl.
Which brings us to Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt, who decided to quit 'hitting the skins' in the incredibly successful rock trio at the end of 2007. It's taken him a bit of time, but this summer he returns with new band Love Amongst Ruin, where he ditches the drums in favour of being a full-on frontman. We sat down with him for a 60 second chat.
You were a drummer and now you're a fully-fledged frontman. How's the transition been?Well, I'm never going to stop being a drummer. But this frontman thing really takes the game to a whole new level. Every show we play, I just feel like I get more into that frontman role. It's great.
Placebo fans are known for being incredibly dedicated, as well as absolutely mental. In a good way. Have you found they've stuck with you for this new band?It's early days yet, but most of the people that have found Love Amongst Ruin so far have definitely been from that rabid Placebo fanbase. I appreciate it. I really hope when the debut album comes out in September, we'll bring in more of the old fans as well as a whole lot of new ones too. It's exciting.
It's been over two years since you quit Placebo. When did you think about starting Love Amongst Ruin? While you were still in the old band?I've always written for Placebo and I found that I had lots of unused ideas in my head. But with the schedule I had before, there was never really time to formalize all those ideas. It was pretty impossible. As soon as I was out of Placebo I had time to work on that. But there was no Love Amongst Ruin concept when I was in Placebo, no. It's really just a reaction to the situation that I found myself in.
As you mentioned before, there's an album due in September. Is it finished yet?If you'd have asked me that last week I would have said no. It was actually finished for about 18 months, but we had a last minute problem with one of the tracks, which put everything back slightly. I've just spent the last 72 hours doing final mixes for a new track for the album. What you should people expect from the album? To be rocked, hard.
This whole new band thing, then. Are you terrified?It feels terrifyingly exciting, if I'm honest. I can see so much more of the audience from my new position, rather than sat behind a drumkit. And I can really feed on that energy - it's a totally different experience of playing live. I really can't wait to tour this album right around the world.
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http://www.rocklouder.co.uk/interviews/art...ve-amongst-ruin
