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The Telescopes Stephen Lawrie and his band, The Telescopes, are one of the most versatile and enigmatic bands that change with every single album. Based in Burton-upon-Trent, England, they began as an extremely loud white-noise ridden band similar to Jesus And Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, and My Bloody Valentine. Their debut album Taste (on What Goes On Records) was a sonic punch in your face. Eventually, they signed to Alan McGee’s Creation Records (home of Ride, My Bloody Valentine, House Of Love, Felt, and Primal Scream) and a new sound of The Telescopes began to form.
Their second self-titled album (released on Creation) was considered an absolute classic masterpiece by critics and fans alike. The songs were psychedelic, guitar-driven tracks with a jam-like quality and hidden groove. While other shoe gazer bands just were too depressed or blissed out, The Telescopes uplifted the listener.
Eventually, Creation Records closed up shop and the next Telescopes album was not released. Fast forward to 1999. Stephen Lawrie and Jo Doron formed a new space-rock band called Unisex and their debut LP Stratosfear was another classic filled with theremins, spaced-out samples, and epic guitar work that would make Ziggy Stardust proud.
Stephen Lawrie and Jo Doran re-formed The Telescopes and released Third Wave (the first Telescopes album in nine years) on Double Agent Records, an album completely different from their previous LP. Third Wave is like an electronic ocean where waves of sound and rhythm roll over the listener. There are very little guitars on the album; catchy lyrics and choruses are nowhere to be found. Instead, Lawrie repeats his lines over and over again like a spacey electronic mantra.
Stephen Lawrie is now working with a full band for the next Telescopes album. He started his own label, Antenna Records and has released (and worked with) other experimental bands like Füxa and Los Planetos Del Aqua. Bomp Records and The Committee To Keep Music Evil have just released a compilation, As Approved By The Committee, of rare and out of print songs by The Telescopes from the What Goes On and Creation days.
PIXELSURGEON: The latest album by The Telescopes is called Third Wave. Tell us about it? What is it like?
STEPHEN LAWRIE: Erm… electronic. The songs are mostly piano led. That's how I wrote them… with a piano and a groove box through an AC30 amp.
What does the title Third Wave mean?
It means whatever you want it to. To me, the word wave refers to the way in which we constructed the tracks. We'd allow each other to freely improvise the structures, recording everything to wave files and cutting away at each texture to let in different shades etc. Most things seem to flow in wave formations. There is a Third Wave doctrine on the web.
There is a new Telescopes compilation on Bomp/Committee To Keep Music Evil called As Approved By The Committee. Tell us about it. Why did you choose those specific tracks?
I didn't choose the tracks. The selection is Anton from Brian Jonestown Massacre. They were his favorites.
What songs would you include that he didn't? What song would you take out?
That album is perfect as it is. It documents really well a side to the group that The Committee To Keep Music Evil label appreciate. I'd like to document the more studio-orientated side of the group sometime.
How did The Telescopes meet, come together and eventually form?
I met Jo at a gig. I was playing on the same bill as her ex-boyfriend’s band. They were called It's Not Natural. We got to talking about music. I first met Dave when he was playing in an anarcho punk group. We all shared a mutual hatred for many things. The first rehearsal was in my room, me on drums, Jo on guitar, Dave on bass. It was a racket but a good racket.
What was that "mutual hatred"?
Virtuoso guitarists and songsmiths, formula in music, manufactured pop that was manufactured by idiots. I could go on for a very long time.
I can't stand that manufactured pop music. The US is overflowing with it.
We're drowning in it. They have pop idol contests on TV.
How did you eventually sign to Creation Records? What was Alan McGee like?
Alan showed up at a show in Birmingham. He heard that we were having trouble with the official receivers of What Goes On Records. He left because we were too loud. When he got home, he decided that was a good thing and asked us in for a meeting. He'd seen us before on tour with Primal Scream so he knew what we were up to.
I read in NME once that someone stole your cymbals during a show. Is this true? If so, what happened?
I read in NME I was arrested for possession of liquorice.
Musically, There is a huge difference between each album. How did this happen?
Although I am still the same person I was yesterday, I have experienced another day. Today the sky is different to how it was yesterday but it is still the sky. The Telescopes have never been the kind of group that would be happy to find a formula and stick to it. Our art is a living entity.
The self-titled second album (and even Third Wave) has many references to the ocean. What is it about the ocean?
The ocean also moves in wave formation like tones and electricity.
There was a huge gap of many years between the last Telescopes album and the Unisex album… and eventually the regrouping of The Telescopes. How long was it? What were you doing in this time?
We tried to do another Telescopes album. I did some stuff with Füxa too.
What happened? What did that album sound like? Will those songs ever be released? Why didn't you like them?
We finished two tracks. 16T#2 and From The Inner Void I Fear. Both are really good psychedelic studio tracks. There's plans for their release in the near future.
What are some of your favorite songs in The Telescopes catalog?
Deep Hole Ends, All a Dreams, Threadbare, Wish of You, A Cabin in the Sky, Violence, and Winter #2. Should a tree fall, in a forest, where no one is around, would it still make sound? Also, the fourth Telescopes album.
What are some of your favorite Unisex songs?
I like Let The Night Roar, Füxa’s remix of Full Force Of The Sun and the Bough remix of Deadlock from the Unisex stuff.
Are the remixes on CD?
It is called Re:Konstructions EP [mind expansion].
Tell us about Antenna Records. How, when and why did you start it?
Antenna Records formed out of crazy late night conversations with Randall Nieman of Füxa and hearing the first 7" by LpdA on Bearos Records. I needed to hear an album of their stuff and I couldn't believe no one had put one out. The first Antenna Releases are albums by these artists. Both contain some of my favorite music.
What was it about Los Planetos Del Agua that you liked?
The purity in the way in which they create. The sound coming out of the speakers is all the better for it.
What is the next release for Antenna Records?
The Telescopes' fourth album is next up for Antenna Records.
What musician would you like to collaborate with in the future?
It is always fun working with Randall Nieman of Füxa. Also, I’m doing some stuff with DDN from Moon and Burning Emptiness label. Remixing Charles Atlas. Doing stuff with LPdA too.
Will there be more Unisex albums in the future?
Who knows. They're busy on projects too.
Generally, are you a happy man?
In some ways, I suppose I am. It depends what's on the mind. Flows in waves?
Douglas Hart [bassist for Jesus And Mary Chain] directed some of the Telescopes videos like Flying and Celeste. What was that collaboration like? What happened to him? Will you work with him again? What is he doing now?
I’m not sure what Douglas is up to. He's great to work with. He has a great eye and a good edit finger too.
Do you enjoy making music videos? If so, what was the your favorite Telescopes video?
I enjoyed some but not others. Celeste is probably my favorite video. Flying second. That may change next time I see them though.
Are you planning on making more Telescopes videos?
A guy made one for Moog Destroya. We have some footage filmed from the Spitz gig last year. We may do something with that.
Out of all of the bands you toured with, who did you like the best? Which ones did you think had the best live show?
The Telescopes line-up, we have at the moment, is the best group I've ever toured with.
What does "You And I Are Foxboy Noises" mean?
What do you want it to mean? I'm interested.
I guess… The communion of two sounds that come together. Perhaps, sounds and people are alike. "You and I are sounds". You know, I first thought the lyric was "flying away" but the CD package says "flying the waves". Sounds can be like people.
I nearly became a tone when I was recording the second album. It scared me though, I wasn't ready for it.
So, on You And I Are Foxboy Noises, the lyric is "Flying the waves", right?
Which would you prefer? It’s "flying the waves". I think.
What is your relationship with Alan McGee like now? What do you think of his Poptones label?
Metal Box. What an album! Alan’s fine.
Your music has become much more electronic and less guitar-driven. How did this progression happen?
Unfamiliar instruments are always an inspiration. You can know an instrument too much sometimes. It's good to leave room for happy accidents. I go where the inspiration takes me… whatever opens the channels for transmission.
You used the theremin on the Unisex album. How did you get involved with that instrument? What did you like about it? Was it homemade or handmade?
It was made by No.1 Electronics. They make theremins and brain machines. Randall had one made by them. I got one so we could start our theremin orchestra and play Vegas [laughs]. It's my retirement plan. Lorin, who plays with us now, has had a theremin for years though.
The new Telescopes album does not have the typical or formal song structure. Will the new Telescopes continue in this direction?
We're not about sticking to formulas. Repetition can be good, but making the same record over and over is too much.
Out of all of the Telescopes albums, which one is your favorite? Why? Least favorite? What would you change?
I always like the one I've just made the least, and the one I've not listened to for the longest the best. I've been the same with every record.
Who thought of the name The Telescopes? What did it mean to you then? What does it mean to you now?
I had the name before I had a group. I knew the next group I'd start would be the one so I needed a name. My granddad had a telescope that a German POW swapped with him in the war. It sprung to mind. The more I thought about it, the more it encompassed my ideas for the group.
What do you think today's music is lacking? What does it need?
Pop music? There's always been shit pop music. Always will be. I don't like what happened to indie. It used to be a loose phrase used to represent a whole spectrum of interesting stuff. The same thing happened to punk.
The incredible b-side to Everso is a cover song called Never Learn Not To Love You. Who wrote the original version?
Charles Manson wrote it. It was originally called Cease To Exist. Dennis Wilson from the Beach Boys took the song, changed it around a little, and called it Never Learn Not To Love. By the way, did you know Charlie Manson tried to sue the makers of the original Charlie’s Angels series? He said they were basing their ideas on his original concept.
What are some songs that you would like to cover in the future?
We did a cover of Jesus by The Velvets [The Velvet Underground].
Since every Telescopes album sounds different, what will the next Telescopes album sound like?
We're a four piece now. The new Telescopes album will be the best yet. We've toured all this stuff. We developed it on the road. We turned up at each gig on our tour with no set planned.
What is the biggest misconception that people have of you or The Telescopes?
I'm not sure. Thinking of us in the way you think of other groups is probably a mistake. We did try to harness our flow, but it just stopped, so now we follow it's course, like we did when we first started.
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