PN: Are you satisfied with the audience response from this tour?
Calvert: Yeah, well, I mean at the moment. It's funny. After all this touring the single's just starting to move... I mean the single's up to 53, four weeks ago it was 83... that single's been out for months. It's just a matter of exposure.
PN: What about producers for the new
album?
Calvert: Bowie wanted to do something. We were hanging out with him he came and saw us play in Sydney.
PN: Who se idea was the Rundgren participation [on Forever Now]?
Calvert: Rundgren came and saw the band and expressed his interest. Frank Zappa was in the running at one time.
PN: How do you all feel about producers?
Calvert: We've worked with some good ones.
PN: So it's just about over for this tour.
Calvert: Oh no, six more weeks. College towns in Illinois; Chicago and Detroit... We were in Dallas last night. had a good show last night.
PN: Where'd you play in Dallas?
Calvert: "Bronco Bowl." Bowling alley. With a theatre attached to it. It's a really a great place really. You could bowl, shoot pool.
PN: How did you get tied into the Furs?
Calvert: I'd just left one band Birthday Party who I'd played with for quite some years. was living in England, just about to go back home to Australia.They'd seen me play with them and their drummer had just left Vince— right before rehearsals for the
tour. They got in touch with me and said are you interested and I said по. They said I should come over for a rehearsal and have a few drinks 'n stuff. And me not being one to pass up a drink. I went down and we had a bit of a blow in the rehearsal. They asked me what I thought and I said, no, I'm still going home. We had another rehearsal on a Monday and I thought... Oh, what the fuck, you know? And so I just changed my mind... you know?
Of course, we waited for the end of the so und check and were able to catch Richard Butler and the rest of the Furs for a brief exchange while they strolled to the tour bus. Butler was dressed in his blue. double-breasted and was walking with an un identified woman friend.
PN: Did the sessions go okay in New York at Christmas?
R. Butler: Yes, good. Yeah, they went great..
PN: Are you using another producer this time?
R. Butler: Yeah. Us!
PN: Do you think your sound's going change?
R. Butler: Oh, yeah. Definitely. More orchestral. Big band.
PN: Did you write most of the lyrics for the new material?
R. Butler: Ah, yeah! [With a chuckle] I wouldn't let anyone else do it.
PN: Is your sound well received in Australia?
R. Butler: Great. We picked up a gold record when we were there.
PN: Are you satisfied with the success of the Furs?
R. Butler: Oh, sure, yeah.
Having walked to the bus from backstage, Butler discovers the door to the bus pad locked. A flash of anger at whoever had committed this SNAFU crossed Butler's face and then he laughed to himself and went to get a roadie, leaving us with the rest of the band and an opportunity to speak to bass player Tim Butler.
PN: The video on MTV seemed to really break you on commercial radio. Have you noticed an effect?
T. Butler: Sure. Have you seen the new one yet, "Run & Run.” and "Sleep Comes Down"? They're gonna start comin' on now. We've just finished them and they've given 'em to MTV. One of them's been played in L.A.. or San Diego.
PN: Will you then go back to England, or tour Europe?
T. Butler: No, after this some of us are moving to New York. Some are going to move to other places.
PN: So you're moving your base of operations to New York, at least temporarily?
T. Butler: Temporarily, yeah. England's very depressing at the moment and New York is happening and vital.
PN: You and Richard will be living in New York?
T. Butler: Yeah, and maybe Phil [Calvert, drum s]. Ed [Buller, keyboards] lives in New York anyway, and Gary [Windo, sax]. John [Ashton] is going to be gone on holiday to Berlin.
PN: When will you release the new album?
T. Butler: Of course, we've been workin' so hard it doesn't leave a lot of time to think about it. We're thinking of an EP, out this summer and an album early next year. At least that's what we're hoping for.
[Butler appeared with the key.]
PN: Richard, I hear now that you are planning to be in New York.
R. Butler: Yes, with the lady here [motioning to the aforementioned woman].
PN: [In my best National Enquirer voice] And her name?
R. Butler: Sherry, ah, but don't put that in.
PN: Thanks very much, Richard.
