The Parlotones are today’s best-seller in South Africa. We talked with the band about gigs in a garage, a growing rock scene in South Africa and their actual album "Stardust Galaxies".

campus-web: If you compare 1998 to 2010: What are your most important changes?

Paul Hodgen: Quite a lot. When we started, we couldn’t even play the instruments properly. We just started from the bottom.

Glenn Hodgen: Our song writing skills were pretty minimal. We didn’t have any sort of PA-system to practice with. We started in Neils garage, part of his first microphone was a broomstick. Obviously things have changed, but we are still the same four guys. We have just grown as musicians.

campus-web: Several artists have influenced your style. Who is the most important?

Glenn Hodgen: I probably would say Radiohead.

Paul Hodgen: I think their first two or three albums, especially.

Glenn Hodgen: We all liked bands like The Smiths, The Cure and R.E.M. – but Radiohead was the band we all loved.

campus-web: In Cologne rock music is very popular. What about the rock scene in Johannesburg?

Paul Hodgen: It’s definitely growing a lot. When we started it was very small. There were bands that were doing well but never lasted, because there wasn’t much money. A lot of South African bands are on the radio now. In the old days you couldn’t hear those from South Africa, because they weren’t recorded very well and didn’t sound great.

Glenn Hodgen: There are so many official languages and different types of music. Rock music is actually the smallest represented music in Africa. At the same time, it’s bigger than it has ever been.

campus-web: How did you manage to exceed the boundaries of South Africa?

Paul Hodgen: Slowly! When we started becoming a bit more successful, we had a bit more money. We said: Let’s try going to London! Let’s see what’s happening there! It’s like starting again, like playing for twenty people.

Glenn Hodgen: We are very lucky to travel like we do, because most South African bands weren’t so fortunate to move out of South Africa. Just because of money or whatever.

Paul Hodgen: Most of the bands can’t live from music and still have to work.

Glenn Hodgen: Just a hand full of bands, including us, does it fulltime.

campus-web: What’s special about the song "Come Back As Heroes"?

Paul Hodgen: The words are quite easy, you can sing along. It’s like "We Will Rock You" by Queen. That’s good for a soccer game, although it’s not specific to soccer. That song could be used for every other sport. Or for everyone who is going to do something: Doesn’t matter if you win - just make us proud!

campus-web: What about you – do you like sports?

Glenn Hodgen: Just our drummer and our singer play football, but we all enjoy watching it. I play a little bit golf.

Paul Hodgen: I play xbox. That’s my sport!

campus-web: What’s the topic of your album "Stardust Galaxies"?

Paul Hodgen: I like to write about peoples’ love. When someone can listen to it and feel it – that’s what I try to tell.

campus-web: And what’s your favorite song of this new album?

Glenn Hodgen: My favorite song to play is "Brighter Side Of Hell".

Paul Hodgen: Mine is actually "The Stars Fall Down", because it’s the first song I tried to play on keyboard.

German version of this interview.



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