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| Q&A ARCHIVE 2005 | |
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Q:
Who is the song "Get Your Feet Off the Ground" about?
It's one of my favourite songs and I have a theory but I want to know if I'm
right...... - Nige
Toby: It is about a number of people...more about that kind of attitude. The music business actively ENCOURAGES normal(ish) people to become twats simply because they are in a band/ an artist. Nobody will ever convince me that being a performer somehow elevates you to a higher plain. There are many talented people who don't play instruments that deserve far more praise than musicians. Trouble is, most musicians are so shallow, and needy that they are desperate for praise, so perhaps it is simply the way of things. No excuse though. Q: You've mentioned that Womankind was your favourite song (mine "Splendid Isolation" and a couple of others a close second), however, what was your least favourite recorded or to play live? - DGJ Toby: yeah, I had forgotten about that! mmmmmmmmmmn, never really liked bitter and twisted from the 'don't prey' album, misguided attempt to 'be heavy' always jarred with me live, but Mike Lee liked it, and it was a moment of moshing that seemed to go down ok at the time. I was always more into the straight forward rock tracks and 'big' songs like 'Young Gods' and 'Don't prey for me' etc... Q: I would be interested to know, which of the Angels songs was your favourite from a personal point of view- which one meant the most to you? - Tania, South Wales Toby: hard question to answer but if pushed I was pleased with Womankind, specifically because it came out of no where and defined for me the notion of songwriting as a 'visitation' meaning; not contrived or 'worked on' but one minute nothing, the next I was playing the song virtually as it appeared (structure wise) on the record. I still to this day do not know where it came from, I remember being unable to keep up writing the lyrics onto the page that were tumbling out of my head...means a lot to me mainly I think because it was a direct transfer of emotions I was going through at the time into a song. Q: Just wondering was the final Little Angels tour difficult to do from your point of view. Knowing that the band was splitting up - was it a chore or was it the enjoyable? NME2, Cardiff Toby: In truth, it was tough. I won't pretend otherwise, the travel to the shows and the down time was like pulling teeth for a number of reasons, but once I got on the stage it was business as usual as far as I was concerned. I didn't think about it until we were at the Albert hall and with 2 songs to go that it hit home that this was it. Q: I would be interested to know, which of the Angels songs was your favourite from a personal point of view- which one meant the most to you? Tania, South Wales Toby: Hi Tania, hard question to answer but if pushed I was pleased with Womankind, specifically because it came out of no where and defined for me the notion of songwriting as a 'visitation' meaning; not contrived or 'worked on' but one minute nothing, the next I was playing the song virtually as it appeared (structure wise) on the record. I still to this day do not know where it came from, I remember being unable to keep up writing the lyrics onto the page that were tumbling out of my head...means a lot to me mainly I think because it was a direct transfer of emotions I was going through at the time into a song. Q: Tobe, you've mentioned that Womankind was your favourite song (mine "Splendid Isolation" and a couple of others a close second), however, what was your least favourite recorded or to play live? DGJ Toby: Never really liked bitter and twisted from the 'don't prey' album, misguided attempt to 'be heavy' always jarred with me live, but Mike Lee liked it, and it was a moment of moshing that seemed to go down ok at the time. I was always more into the straight forward rock tracks and 'big' songs like 'Young Gods' and 'Don't prey for me' etc... Q: I read an interview with Toby in 1994 where he mentioned two songs - 'Friend' and 'Do You Know What You Wanna Be' which are obviously unreleased. And I have now been waiting 11 years to hear those songs! It didn't help that Tobe described Friend as "a big acoustic number. One of the best songs I've ever written!" Nige, Northallerton Toby: 'Friend', actually turned into a couple of songs, one being the bones of 'Forgiveness and another called 'Just no way to stop from loving you' 'Just no way...' is demoed and nearly a finished track, I have kept it off of various records because it has been a track that took a lot of evolving. Should end up on the next record (hopefully) 'Do you know what you wanna be' is a track that I kept pushing at The Angels and I can't remember exactly why it never developed as I can recall rehearsing it a little on stage at Hammy Apollo the last time we headlined there...will have to look that one up... Q: After hearing Bon Jovi talk about the various tracks on their 100,000,000 Fans release I was wondering whether there are any Angels songs that didn't see the light of day that with hindsight you wish had actually been released? RadicalYourWebsite Toby: There was a song called 'great day for Rock and roll' that should have been on the Jam album. basic rock song but I know it would have been a favourite. Another track I loved and wish we had released was a track called 'I got eh shakes' which sounds like a rubbish title, but had the bones of a fantastic Rock track...can't for the life of me remember how it went ( I am desperately clutching my guitar as I type this in an attempt to recall the chords etc) I will have to dig the demo out... Q: Ok Toby... so we know Womankind is your fave LA song....so which is your favourite LA video ??? Soapbox looks as though it was fun .....but I bet those "latex superstars" were murder to work with .....all those egos in one room. Mr. Mercury ..you fave singer ...nuff said......but the man behind the skins...who is your fave drummer of all time. I put Cozy Powell up there with the likes of the late great Keith Moon....both amazing drummers but sadly both gone. KissPaul, Durham Toby: Drummer has to be John Bonham. Period. Fave vid, I think the best video we made was 'Womankind', but my fave to make was 'Radical your Lover', the most difficult was 'product of the working class...' Q: Toby being a great vocalist yourself we know who you think are the best band of all time but who is your best singer. For me it comes down to two you of course because when hearing you on record or live you seem to put everything into it and it shows (not like some singers for instance oasis I am not a fan of threes and there would be nothing more boring than going to an oasis concert and seeing a band who are supposed to be so good just standing there in the same place for 95% of the concert with looks on there faces thinking is it time to go home yet).And your voice sounds soulful, smooth but rocky if that makes any sense. The other great singer of all time for me is Steve Tyler (Aerosmith was the best band ever till Little Angels came along apart from the stuff they have done in the last ten years pretty average). Roky, Hull Toby: for me the greatest 'vocalist' ever was Freddy Mercury. His range, tone, expression. But I deeply admire the following in particular order as it is like picking a favourite fruit gum... Bryan Adams Robert Plant Robert Palmer Lennon stereophonoics bloke (sorry named slipped my mind) Ronnie Dio Ian Gillan David Coverdale many many more.... Q: Got into the Little Angels in 1990 when my local pub used to play "She's a Little Angel" video all the time - great song ! Who was your little angel ??? Stevie-baby Toby: That song was actually about Madonna believe it or not. We were all fans of her early years, especially the like a virgin period. She was a real personality that shone, love or hate the music she was passionate, and somehow that became the topic of the song. Q: Also, like your cover versions - First Cut is the Deepest, So Tired, Won't Get Fooled Again. Will you be playing any of these in York ? Are there any songs by other people you'd like to do ? - Stevie-baby Toby: I love doing covers, they always stretch your legs. I would love to cover 'I'm in love with my car' one of the most tongue in cheek, yet somehow erotic lyrics of all time...I think 'enter sandman' would be cool as a stripped back rock track...and I have always loved Manfred Manns earth band's version of 'Davey's on the road again...' god it is tough finding the right track...thats got me thinking Q: Is the spelling difference intentional or a printing error? Don't Prey For Me on the cover and CD title. Don't Pray For Me on the track listing. I have an album sampler that calls the album Don't Pray For Me. So any theories I have are out. Which is correct? Is it just a shrewd play on words or lackluster proofreading at the printers? Always wondered that.... Craig, Phoenix Toby: It was fully intentional on my part to have the different spellings of Prey and Pray. It seemed more appropriate that the album title contain 'Prey' and the song 'Pray' If the album ever appeared with Pray in the title then, it was an error and probably worth something... Q: First of all Holy Shit! Good, got that out of my system. Just joined the forum after seeing that you are supporting Thunder on tour in the new year having checked their site out yesterday for their traditional Christmas show only to see their doing a small European tour with twelve UK dates. To see you back has made my day, week, year. I've tried to keep tabs on you from time to time. Followed you for the ten years of Angles. Saw you at Southend Promonade touring/promoting the Ignorance is Bliss album. After this time seems to have slipped away. Saw that you had done some bits early 2000's but that came to a dead end. The subject title Buggered Heroes is the same as I posted on the Apes, Pigs & Spacemen forum for my first post. It refers to our heroes who are shafted by the music industry. The middle of this year I sought the whereabouts of Paul Miro (AP&S), Myke Gray (Skin) and your goodself to see what was happening. You were all part of my Rock life in the late eighties and early nineties. Tracking down the three on various websites it quickly became apparent that you all told the same story, almost word for word, about the music industry who seem to make (to the fans) the most illogical decisions about the bands they have signed, not supporting USA touring/promotion, deciding the band's music isn't the trend anymore. There is a core factor the industry just don't appear to see, and that is the fan base. I've read your comments about fan support for your cause and Paul Miro says exactly the same. The die hard fans keep you going and make it worth getting out of bed everyday. The three of you, in my humble opinion, are the best British singer(not Myke)/songwriters/musicians of the 80's and 90's. No one has come close since. Viper, East Sussex Toby: Thanks viper, it has made my day (again) that a supporter has seen fit to seek me out! I am constantly amazed and touched by this and will remain humbled by the level of commitment. Sure, I understand what the band meant to the fans, the greatest thing about the Angels was that it inspired its audience, a fact that seems to go un noticed by many other bands about their fans. I was a fan of bands first and then a singer in my own band. I got crushed at gigs as a kid not even in my teens to see my hero's and I stood in the rain outside of my local record store to buy the latest album of my then favourite with money I could ill afford to spend, so this is the reason I keep going, I KNOW HOW IT FEELS. If Im lucky and god willing, I will not let the moment pass, perhaps I will be granted a long-term reprieve, as I have a lot more to say and I feel a hell of a lot more able to cope with it now. I was a baby when it happened to me the first time FACT! I thank you sir and is my honour also to have you back on board. Q: Do you keep in contact with any of the little angels...did any of them catch your tour in 2002 Sheryl Toby: no and no...although I have recently spoken via email to Bruce and Jimmy is back in town teaching at the local college Q: I thought there might be a chance you would have stayed in touch with Mark Plunkett as it seemed you where friends long before the Angels started. shame you lost the friendship because of the band breaking up Roky, Hull Toby: Thing is about being in bands for long periods of time, is that you live and breath each others air and it can become terribly constricting. I think we all had enough of each other! We needed a break and then went our separate ways. I don't hold any serious ill will towards Mark, I have personal feeling about how the end came to pass that make it difficult to resume the friendship in the way it was shall we say. Q: Any chance of you ever touring the states? Craig, Phoenix Toby: I would love to tour the states without a doubt, although it is tough to get on the road over there for a number of reasons. If I could get someone willing to let me showcase in a couple of clubs to get the ball rolling I would be more than willing. It would be cool to pick up a support tour, that tends to be the way unknown acts get a head in a country so vast. Q: Multi question. Do you listen to your own music? You hear actors say they never watch the films they have made. Can't see the point in that. When rehearsing, if you don't listen to your music, do you use sheet music and go from there or is it straight out of the head. I guess new band members need the sheets. How long does it take to get back up to speed before you think your ready to hit the road? Viper, East Sussex Toby: Rehearsing is a weird thing... in part it is simply re treading the musical steps needed to make sure the arrangements are right for touring, but I have always found that rehearsals are often the first place you 'construct' the stage attitude. It is hard to explain, but if you get it right, the energy in a live track will transfer to an audience if you yourself feel excited by it, and so it follows that if the rehearsals make you feel good about the show in front of NOBODY, then you can be confident that in front of an audience it will work...and no, I never use sheet music, it is more about attitude and 'vibe' (I hate that word but it does mean what it says on the tin) than scripted music. I don't believe any Rock musician would use music for rehearsals...I may be wrong but I'd be suspicious... Q: Is barry stainthorpe still around and what where his exact links with the band in the early days prior to angels signing a deal Simosh Toby: Barry is, I am pleased to say, very much still around although not involved on a business footing with me. He lives very close to me actually, not that I see him much. He was in the early version of our management team, in fact it was his company, Song management, that first took an interest in the band. Barry was very good to us and was instrumental in getting us a deal in many ways. Why do you ask? Do you know him? Q: What do you think of Paul Rogers singing with Queen. All the best with your new start, I hope you get a bit of luck this time and have a good bit of success Daz, York Toby: God I love queen, but not keen on Paul singing those songs. I am happy for them that they can tour again, but for me queen without Freddy is like alcohol free beer, looks the same, contents are 'similar' but ultimately doesn't reach the parts it should with the effect it should......I do have massive respect for them though. Brian is still the guvner Q: Allreet.......Toby just been watchin the "Womankind" video and wanted to ask ya if you still have those "babes" phone numbers ? Ask me anything.......the truth lol !!! KissPaul, Durham Toby: Hi Paul, the girls in the womankind vid were agency models who turned up at the end of the shoot, and we were not permitted to stay for their bit! so, no, I didn't even meet them really...not very rock n roll I know but... Q: Just wondering who came up with the idea to do the extended version of Don't pray for me and how did it come about? Also if it wasn't your idea did you like it MNE2, Cardiff Toby: to answer mne2 about dont prey, we all did! when we rehearsed for a tour it was always about doing things different so it wasn't the same old show, so we used to try extending tracks and adding stuff just to see how far a track could go. I found it one of the most inventive things we did, certainly as a group. Q: Just wondering what gig you have the fondest and worst memories of? Also which venue on the upcoming tour are you looking forward to playing, since most of the venues you have played previously with the Angels!? Also do you remember Tonypandy Naval Club!? Dave[rince37, South Wales Toby: Of course I remember Tonypandy naval club...got punched in the bollox by a skin head there once...right in the quiet ending of 'No solution'...crawled off the stage unable to breath and passed out to the sound of that old lady who seemed to run the club bollocking the audience for being 'so rude' ha Ha...very funny. Great place actually, played it many times...the banging of the glasses on the tables was a bit disconcerting at first... Favourite venues on this tour will be (in no order) St Davids Hall, Hammersmith, Cambridge corn exchange, Newcastle, Sheffield...all of them really...can't choose! I loved playing Hammersmith the first time we sold it out...very emotional, especially when the crowd sang the 'la la' bit in product of the working class...amazing... Q: I miss Tonypandy Naval club and Llanharan Rugby club Rockchick Toby: cant believe the naval club and the rugby club arent around now! what about Maesteg 4 sevens...hope Ive spelt it right. The last time we played there we sold it out and it was one of the first gigs we had done that and it signaled the beginning of our run of success...mint! Q: I often wondered what this song "Out of sight, out of mind" was about, but specifically the "I'll be in clover pretty soon, when the new tax laws take effect in May". Oh, and is the "city of my dreams" London? Can you shed any light on this please? Nige, Northallerton
Toby: out of sight was my musing on the position I was in at the time in the
industry. Kind of like a daydream. Some of the lyrics were written by my
then manager when I got stuck with being able to sum up the feeling I was
after, I enjoyed the experiment cause it was another person who was close to
me, observing where my head 'appeared to be' The line you refer to Nige, has
no real meaning, just a tongue in cheek lyric meant to depict the way that
'some' artist think the music biz will pay off for them...to most it seems
to be about the money more than the art... |
2007