In our latest Artist Spotlight, it’s our honour to chat with punk legend, TV Smith.
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S] How are you doing today, mate? Thanks for talking to us.
I’m doing fine. Pleasure to talk to you.
S] Talk us through the main inspirations for you, behind the new record?
The usual stuff – the world in chaos, things falling apart, end of civilisation as we know it, etcetera, etcetera. Actually I did what I always do when I write, which is look at what’s going on around me. It’s just that there seems to be so much more than ever before to write about at the moment – there’s so much going on that doesn’t make sense to normal people. Whatever normal is.
S] What motivates you outside of music now, think specific people and places?
I don’t really draw a line between music and the rest of my life. Music is just an expression of what I do, where I go, and the people I meet. I’ve had a little bit more time than usual away from that over the summer while I’ve been preparing the new album for release but touring and getting my message out is always my motivation.
S] How are you looking forward to getting back out on the road?
It’s an interesting mixture of terror and excitement. I always love playing the gigs, but sometimes getting to them can be a challenge. I nearly always travel by train and it seems like the public transport network is gradually getting worse throughout all of Europe. I sometimes feel getting to the gig is harder than the gig itself. But what excites me most is that I’ll have an album’s worth of new material to play.
S] What are the biggest challenges you face as an artist now?
Same as it ever was, I suppose – which is just keeping going in a dumbed-down entertainment business which basically wants its puppets to say as little as possible and do what they’re told.
S] What have you learned about yourself through the music that you’ve made through your career, until now?
I suppose when I started off I didn’t realise that I could be – or would need to be – so tenacious just to keep writing and performing.
S] What advice would you give to emerging musicians?
Well, there’s every chance your genius is going to be greeted by overwhelming apathy so you’d better be prepared to brave it out. The other thing is, be humble and remember that being a musician isn’t about you being the star, it’s about the people you meet and the experiences you have on your journey. If you think it’s all about you, you’ll miss all that.
