Stalwarts of the 90’s indie/rock scene, doo-whopping, whales and dolphining, chart-storming Terrorvision have gifted us with a festive single, 2020 live dates, and an interview for Devolution. Is this not the best Christmas ever??? Sorry Santa, you’re not needed this year. Forget what’s under the tree – Jo Wright had a chat with bassist Leigh Marklew about touring, Terrorvisioning about and, erm, tapes…
Hi Leigh, thank you so much for agreeing to answer my questions. I am going to have to try really hard not to completely fangirl, because my tape of ‘How To Make Friends And Influence People’ was permanently on my Walkman back in the day. Right, here goes…
“A woman of impeccable taste! Tapes! Part of all our youths, but the shittest sounding things ever!”
Absolutely! So, ‘Our Christmas Song’ is your first new material since 2011. Music fans are certainly pleased Terrorvision are still going strong. Are you guys pleased to be back?
“Of course we are! We only do this now for the fun of it. When the fun stops, we stop. Just like gambling, right?”
Sure! Will you be releasing more new material? Please don’t leave us alone for another eight years. Some of us really shouldn’t be left unsupervised…
“Hahaha. I’m sure you’ll be fine! If it helps, we are writing new songs as we speak. The Christmas song came outta the first sessions in the spring of 2019 and we have plans to keep going through 2020, so yes, you will be getting some new stuff from Terrorvision! Can’t say how much and exactly when, but sit tight and it will come. So to speak!”
Many of your fans from back in the day have children of their own now, so you have a second generation getting into your music. Pretty cool hey?
“I know! Always a buzz to see the offspring of our 1994 mosh pit hanging onto the barrier in 2019 and digging those TV grooves. We’re like proud uncles up there!”
Constant touring has previously played a part in Terrorvision taking a break, but you’re back on the bus next year with a selection of dates. Have you managed to strike more of a balance these days?
“Oh yeah – we only do ickle bits now. Look, we’ve always loved touring! It’s what it can turn you into that can be the downside. It’s always been our natural environment, more than the studio, more than anything else. I think it just pays for us to take breaks every now and again, and try to make everything we do really special – for us and our fans!”
You played a sold-out tour in 2019 and next year’s stint seems to be going that way too. Arenas next? What do you reckon?
“Realistic Leigh says….no fucking chance. But it is still a massive buzz when you see that SOLD OUT sign next to any gig we do. Hey…who knows!?!”
Still on the theme of playing live, which songs tend to get the best reaction?
“Most of the set, but big faves are the usual – ‘Oblivion’, ‘Perseverance’, ‘Alice’, ‘Josephine’, ‘Disco Wreck’ etc. The big fucking stompers, ya know.”
And do you guys have a particular favourite Terrorvision song – to play live or just in general?
“I always loved ‘Ten Shades Of Grey’ and it was fun to play it live on tour earlier this year. Other than that, I just love our whole back catalogue, weird b-sides and all!! It’s like an aural photo album of my life…so many memories!”
That’s such a nice way of putting it! So what do you tend to get up to when you’re not Terrorvisioning about?
“ Oh, all sorts. Mark has his tattoo studio, Tone does his solo thing and runs a really cool coffee shop in Yorkshire, Cam teaches kids how to play rock at Rock School and I work at Leeds Uni as a graphic designer and race triathlons!”
Accessing music has changed so much since you released ‘How To Make Friends And Influence People’. Do you miss the days of having to wait for the radio to play stuff you like and then hitting record?
“The whole mystery and anticipation for new vinyl, even new CDs, seems to have all but gone. And that makes me feel sorry for the kids today, who never knew it. Saturday afternoons in record shops were a rite of passage, like your first love bite and your first vom from sweet cider! Where’s the tribes? Where’s the absolute devotion to your band? “
Oh God, cider vom… Lastly, what’s on your Christmas list this year?
“A new politics, an end to fuckwits and buffoons running our country, peace and love to all and a Canyon bike! “
Interview by Jo Wright