Psychedelic Furs main man Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs' 1987 Midnight To Midnight LP sold over 400,000 copies and was one of the group's top-selling albums. It also spawned the band's most popular single, the Top Twenty "Heartbreak Beat." Most artists in the Psychedelic Furs' alternative rock field would gladly serve a-six month sentence on a Mississippi chain gang in exchange for this type of recognition, but not Furs head man Richard Butler.
"It's an album I deplore," says Butler unequivocally. "Musically, it wasn't anywhere, just gray." Butler realized the Furs had produced an album with commercial allure but little artistic fiber when the band embarked on a tour following the release of Midnight. The group found itself replacing new numbers with old songs, and by the end of the tour, it was only playing one or two tracks from the new LP. For Butler, Midnight To Midnight was a source of great mental and physical anguish.
The ultra-sensitive singer, who has admitted he is prone to deep fits of depression even in the best of times, found himself increasingly unable to cope with his misery. The stress led to an irregular heartbeat and ill feelings that lasted about two years. For a while, he thought about not only leaving the band, but "leaving the music business entirely."
“It was rough emotionally,” he adds. “When you’re doing something like making records or painting or writing books, you're as good as the last thing you've done. When you're personally not satisfied with what you've done, then it's a hard hump to get over, because people view you in the light of that work." Fortunately, longtime bandmates John him to make another Furs album- this time one that was true to his own personal and feelings.
“They thought I should make another record that reflected how I was feeling,” says Butler. “I was feeling really down so they said, “Fine, make a down record so then we made Book of Days.”
1989’s Book of Days marked the return of the more abrasive and brooding post-punk sounds of the Furs’ first two early Eighties albums. It also provided to be the perfect remedy for Butler's personal woes. "It's funny, the stress and discomfort stopped when we made Book Of Days. It just disappeared," Butler states. “I think you have to please yourself," he says, trying to explain the correlation between Book of Days and his improved health. "I love making music. I wouldn't love it if it were for something other than the love of making music. You have to be true to yourself.”
World Outside— the Furs new album— is much like Book of Days, only it’s more focused and melodically engaging. With both albums, the band went into the studio and recorded them in only six to seven weeks; conversely, Midnight To Midnight took six months to complete.
"With the last two albums, we decided not to go into the studio until we had enough songs written, while with (1984's) Mirror Moves and Midnight To Midnight, a lot of it was written in the studio," reveals the frank 38-year-old. "I think you tend to lose some of the excitement, the edge and the feel when you spend too much time in the studio. We didn't want to spend too much time on Book of Days and World Outside. You can examine music too much, and then you tend to have a harder time making up your mind about things. If you go in and put down what you first feel, you're usually right."
Surviving his late Eighties crisis hasn't really changed Butler. He hasn't found religion or a new and improved outlook on life. In fact, the Midnight To Midnight experience reinforced his view that he belongs on society's periphery. Butler moved from London to New York City in 1983 partly because he liked the idea of being an outsider. "It keeps you awake, which is good. It kind of gives your life some excitement," he says of his expatriate existence in New York.
Given Butler's maverick tendencies, it's a bit ironic that he has become somewhat of a new wave sex symbol. Originally, a noir-ish cult band in the early Eighties, the Furs gradually began to attract a more mainstream audience. The 1986 single "Pretty In Pink" is often credited with expanding the group's audience to Malls-ville U.S.A. ("Pretty In Pink' was actually a 1981 Furs song that was re- recorded for the John Hughes teen movie of the same name), but that process actually began as early as 1983 with the group's Forever Now album.
Not surprisingly, Butler isn't very comfortable with the semi-hysterical, love-stricken girls who show up at Furs shows. "In America, we get loads of these teenage stupid girls screaming up in front," Butler told Britain's New Musical Express in 1988. "It feels fucking stupid. You think, 'You're half my age, what are you doing? Don't you listen to any of the songs?" Butler doesn't believe that people should idolize him or any other public figure. "Anybody who has heroes is making a complete mistake. People can point you in the right direction but ultimately, it's your own feeling and personality that must direct you," says Butler.
Next year, Butler plans to not only record another Psychedelic Furs album, but also his first solo record. He's looking forward to working with musicians outside of the Furs and experimenting with new ideas. The gravelly voiced singer says the disc will probably include some acoustic material.
Butler seems to be fairly content these days at least as content as anyone admits he's not truly happy unless he's at least a little miserable. Clearly, there are some things about one’s personality you just can’t change. “I'm as cynical as ever!" he laughs.
"It's an album I deplore," says Butler unequivocally. "Musically, it wasn't anywhere, just gray." Butler realized the Furs had produced an album with commercial allure but little artistic fiber when the band embarked on a tour following the release of Midnight. The group found itself replacing new numbers with old songs, and by the end of the tour, it was only playing one or two tracks from the new LP. For Butler, Midnight To Midnight was a source of great mental and physical anguish.
The ultra-sensitive singer, who has admitted he is prone to deep fits of depression even in the best of times, found himself increasingly unable to cope with his misery. The stress led to an irregular heartbeat and ill feelings that lasted about two years. For a while, he thought about not only leaving the band, but "leaving the music business entirely."
“It was rough emotionally,” he adds. “When you’re doing something like making records or painting or writing books, you're as good as the last thing you've done. When you're personally not satisfied with what you've done, then it's a hard hump to get over, because people view you in the light of that work." Fortunately, longtime bandmates John him to make another Furs album- this time one that was true to his own personal and feelings.
“They thought I should make another record that reflected how I was feeling,” says Butler. “I was feeling really down so they said, “Fine, make a down record so then we made Book of Days.”
1989’s Book of Days marked the return of the more abrasive and brooding post-punk sounds of the Furs’ first two early Eighties albums. It also provided to be the perfect remedy for Butler's personal woes. "It's funny, the stress and discomfort stopped when we made Book Of Days. It just disappeared," Butler states. “I think you have to please yourself," he says, trying to explain the correlation between Book of Days and his improved health. "I love making music. I wouldn't love it if it were for something other than the love of making music. You have to be true to yourself.”
World Outside— the Furs new album— is much like Book of Days, only it’s more focused and melodically engaging. With both albums, the band went into the studio and recorded them in only six to seven weeks; conversely, Midnight To Midnight took six months to complete.
"With the last two albums, we decided not to go into the studio until we had enough songs written, while with (1984's) Mirror Moves and Midnight To Midnight, a lot of it was written in the studio," reveals the frank 38-year-old. "I think you tend to lose some of the excitement, the edge and the feel when you spend too much time in the studio. We didn't want to spend too much time on Book of Days and World Outside. You can examine music too much, and then you tend to have a harder time making up your mind about things. If you go in and put down what you first feel, you're usually right."
Surviving his late Eighties crisis hasn't really changed Butler. He hasn't found religion or a new and improved outlook on life. In fact, the Midnight To Midnight experience reinforced his view that he belongs on society's periphery. Butler moved from London to New York City in 1983 partly because he liked the idea of being an outsider. "It keeps you awake, which is good. It kind of gives your life some excitement," he says of his expatriate existence in New York.
Given Butler's maverick tendencies, it's a bit ironic that he has become somewhat of a new wave sex symbol. Originally, a noir-ish cult band in the early Eighties, the Furs gradually began to attract a more mainstream audience. The 1986 single "Pretty In Pink" is often credited with expanding the group's audience to Malls-ville U.S.A. ("Pretty In Pink' was actually a 1981 Furs song that was re- recorded for the John Hughes teen movie of the same name), but that process actually began as early as 1983 with the group's Forever Now album.
Not surprisingly, Butler isn't very comfortable with the semi-hysterical, love-stricken girls who show up at Furs shows. "In America, we get loads of these teenage stupid girls screaming up in front," Butler told Britain's New Musical Express in 1988. "It feels fucking stupid. You think, 'You're half my age, what are you doing? Don't you listen to any of the songs?" Butler doesn't believe that people should idolize him or any other public figure. "Anybody who has heroes is making a complete mistake. People can point you in the right direction but ultimately, it's your own feeling and personality that must direct you," says Butler.
Next year, Butler plans to not only record another Psychedelic Furs album, but also his first solo record. He's looking forward to working with musicians outside of the Furs and experimenting with new ideas. The gravelly voiced singer says the disc will probably include some acoustic material.
Butler seems to be fairly content these days at least as content as anyone admits he's not truly happy unless he's at least a little miserable. Clearly, there are some things about one’s personality you just can’t change. “I'm as cynical as ever!" he laughs.