A dozen singles and eight albums into their career, they remain a treasure, an enigma and a unique British band, based in London, Bristol and Prague. They just have released their most impressive and assured album to date "Can Our Love..." On the day of their show at the famous JazzPort Festival in Hamburg, Dave was so kind to grant MEGALOMANIAC PRODUCTIONS an interview on band feelings, touring, women and wishes. We are still impressed by the warmth and kindness of David and of course of the show and of Stuart's grey hair and his almost-chain-smoking-on-stage and the atmosphere and and and... Don't miss them!

Megalomaniac Productions: You don't seem to have rules as a band...

David Boulter: Yes, you could say that our style is not having a style. We are a bit chaotic with that. Although we put quite some thinking in what we do...

MP: You live in different places. Isn't it hard to maintain a certain band feeling like that?

Dave: Oh, no! And we always meet when there's work to do. Basically it's always the same three guys that do the songwriting. And we are in contact anyway, so it's not too hard to start working together again. Even if we haven't seen too much of us lately.

MP: You finished some gigs in Russia. How was it?

Dave: A lot of people warned us not to go there. They said it would be depressing with the mafia having hold on everything and the economic situation being so run down and so on. But we made a completely different experience. All was very casual, very relaxed. Actually we liked it a lot.

MP: Was there a difference regarding the audience?

Dave: The audience was very enthusiastic. Maybe because they don't have bands from the west playing there too often.

MP: Are you womanizers? Or how can your explain the impact that you have on female listeners?

Dave: Oh, we have been womanizers in the past but that is long ago. We all settled down in our relationships, I'm married, Stuart is... so things changed for us.

MP: Then why do women still react so strongly to your songs?

Dave: Maybe because we make very emotional music. Maybe it's the combination of the tunes together with Stuart's voice.

MP: Have you ever been afraid that you are judged differently just because you perform onstage?

Dave: I never put much thinking on that. Of course most people don't really think of "the real me". I'm the mirror of their dreams and wishes. But then again I never had problems going on the street...

MP: Have you started with music to impress girls or because you felt the need to express yourself through it?

Dave: I quess there are only these two reasons of becoming a musician. With me it was very natural, it seemed the right thing to do. I started with six years and always played since then. So for me it was a natural thing to do - to come home and play. Even if I would not be with the band I'd still play on my keyboard.

MP: Is music your kind of therapy?

Dave: Not exactly a therapy, I think the music is mainly our way to express what we feel - we are all shy people so it is easier that way. Not to say things directly but through the music.

MP: The band consists of six individuals - how do you cope with your different personalities?

Dave: Hm, it's not always easy. For instance last year we almost split up. We had a period, where we weren't in contact. We all needed a break to think it over what we wanted to to - personally and with the band. We really didn't know, whether we wanted to continue as a band. But in the end we decided to go on. So we did the soundtrack (Note: "Trouble Every Day", a movie by Clair Denis) afterwards. We recorded it last summer in London and that was a good start to work together again.

MP: Where do you have your roots musicwise?

Dave: I have my roots in very different styles. My father liked country&western very much and also listened a lot to brass music. So this was a pretty weird mixture at home. My sister liked all kind of soul music and disco sound of the early seventies, things like Marvin Gaye and other funk stuff. I started with Roxy Music, jazz and some punk music. When I went to London I sold all my records - something I regret by now. I miss them somehow...

MP: So you don't feel weird to play at a jazz festival?

Dave: Not at all, we like jazz and of course we like playing festivals like this particular one, where we have a whole evening for us and our music. It's not like other festivals where we simply are one of 20 other bands. It's better simply because we can concentrate better on the audience.

MP: So you like the idea of playing at various small festivals all over Europe as your tourschedules say?

Dave: Definitely yes! The only thing that the guys in the band don't like that much is handling all the small coins from all over Europe. So we all look pretty much forward to the new currency. I still can't understand why Great Britain is not part in this pan-european money market. We think that the Euro is a good idea.

MP: What would your three free wishes be?

Dave: Oh, maybe a nice little island where it's warm and then some snowy retreat in the mountains so that I can experience both extremes. But apart from that nothing particular.

MP: That sounds as if you're a happy man.

Dave: Yes, you could say so. It never meant too much to me to have money or to own things. I always liked to play my music. Maybe I'm selfsufficient.

MP: Aren't you proud of the success you achieved?

Dave: Oh, somehow I really liked the times ten years ago, when nobody knew us. I liked this feeling to start from scratch. We try and play gigs in front of small audiences even now, so that we can experience them better. It's a closer contact when there's only 200 people in the crowd, in fact I love playing small clubs. I love the intimacy. I don't need a stadium or big crowds.

You definitely have to visit the offical Tindersticks homepage at http://www.tindersticks.co.uk
Or you can check out additional information at their record company's site: http://www.beggars.com