Melody Maker Interview

Melody Maker
Courtney Taylor of The Dandy Warhols
By -
May 31 - June 6, 2000

Courtney Taylor calls up and explains just how much he enjoys his own records.
Is The Dnady Warhols' party lifestyle still going?
"We are prepared to have a good time doing anything with anyone, anywhere at any time. That's where we've been lately. Even if we're stuck in a waiting room for three hours, we'll find something to laugh about. We just know how to crack each other up."
The new album's called "13 Tales From Urban Bohemia". Are you the ultimate bohemian band?
"Oh yeah, I guess we are, that's kind of it. Everybody who shows up to see our gigs all over the world dresses, talks and thinks similarly, it's all over the world. We're not a band who got together and said, 'We're going to make it man!' We're just a product of Portland, a bunch of people who listened to Spiritualized. That's still what we are, just doing our thing, regardless of what happens on the radio or in fashion. I could probably drop off in any city in the world and by the end of the night I'd find some bar with groovy cats."
What's the new single, "Get Off", all about?
"It just seems like the idea of having a good time. It's just to remind myself, no matter how band things get, you can get off. The only important thing is for us to make music we really like and that we like to listen to. You have to have sex to your own records all the time, that's why we make them."
Are you going to be in the UK for a while?
"For the next few months. We've tried to stagger the release date between America, Europe and the UK. We still haven't figured it out in Asia. F***, our last record was not even that big and we were on tour for two years. We're doing festivals, I know we've got Glastonbury and V2000 so far."
Does the "Get Off" video capture the spirit of the Dandy Warhols?
"Yeah, we wanted to make a spaghetti western. All the guys are dressed like a psychobilly band. Some friends of ours went to a big clothing store in Portland which has a massive collection of Edwardian lingerie, so we put all the women in that. They all look so amazing, everybody just looking great. People dressed like that, all kissing each other. Just beautiful."
You're touring the UK. Are you a good live band?
"Yeah, it's funny everybody seems to have this belief that the more you practise, the tighter you get. But it's not about that. You get tighter as a band when you get to like each other. It's how comfortable you are with each other. Some British magazine ragged on us for playing for over two hours. That was ridiculous. How did they know? Because they stayed! That was funnier than shit. Some people - how do they even find their own shows in the morning? That's so f***ing retarded."
Will keyboard player Zia be flashing on this tour?
"Haha! Yeah, I imagine she will. It got to be a shame. We'd get some dumb-ass jocks who we would not even want there. We'd get some dumb f***s going, 'Take your shirt off, show us your tits.' Zia will just stop the show and tell them to f*** off and say, 'How about you show everyone your dick.' Then that's the end of it."