The Dandy Warhols: A Wacky Interview With Courtney Taylor-Taylor At Coachella
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Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols
By Dey Martin
April 28, 2001

Indio, California - Giving an interview while you are reeeally exahsted and somewhat stoned is probably not a very good idea. But for Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols
I suppose it was just another beautiful day in rock star paradise.
During their heated 45 minute set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (temp. was 100 degrees that day), which included mostly songs off their must-have 2000 release on Capitol titled 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia' , Courtney announced to the audience that he was "really stoned". He then asked, "Can somebody please bring me a joint?". No one did. Then they played "Godless" (get a free mp3 at the bottom of this page). The tune is still stuck in my head.

Thirteen Tales is such a great record; it is perfect from start to finish. So well crafted in fact that I was wondering why this band hadn't blown up even more than they have. I had a lot of questions and was anxious to get to talk with someone who's music I had grown to really appreciate . Man was I in for a surprise!

So here it is; the first segment of a two-part interview. (You can listen to it in RealAudio by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.) At times he rambles on a bit, but offers up several hilarious anecdotes and even a few inspired tidbits of wisdom.

Dey - So, we're fortunate to be sitting here with Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols. They just completed a fantastic show at Coachella which is kinda like a little Woodstock in the desert. I don't know what do you think about that?

C - Certainly not like the new Woodstocks anywhere. The new Woodstocks couldn’t exist in the desert man.

Dey - There’s not enough mud.

C - Yea there’s not enough anger in the desert. You know. There’s not enough something.

D - Do you think it’s too peaceful out here for just a wild knock out type deal?

C - It’s just too big and it’s too sensible in the desert you know? And it becomes very clear that your little anger and your thing doesn’t really matter. And I think um the Woodstocks have become a place where all the little angry egos can all get together and show a bunch of teen bravado sweaty smelly teen spirit to each other little tigers fiery get all...sometimes they get gropy. You know?

D - Gropy is a good word. (laughing)

C - Sometimes they get a bit pissed off and angry and fighty. They get fighty and hitty and sometimes they get a little cop-a-feelia and sometimes they probably even get a bit homo-erotic. And then of course some kind of frustration and a fight ensues. That’s for those cats and they can all go do that and god bless them. They have their place.

D- In terms of anger, how does anger fit in to what you're doing? Your music certainly isn't very angry but in the lyrics there may be a sub-surface dissatisfaction in what’s going on.

C - I think I’m cynical. But I’m sure hopeful and I mean I guess that’s the difference is that you know I'm just hopeful. There is just a clear way to be . A clear and simple way to navigate the world that requires some effort. But, it’s easy as you want it to be and probably easier than you can make it. You know? I've got to go take some pictures.

(He then gets up right in the middle of our interview to pose for a few pictures with a freelance Rolling Stone photographer.)

Iggy Pop was preparing to go on so I sent my photographer over to get some shots and waited for Courtney to return. More about Iggy later.

(Slabtown.net note: There might be more to this interview, but I can't find it. There are also audio versions of the interview, but again I can't find it.)