About the intervention of the groups with each other... that's something we've never done before - and as for the smiling, well we really got our reputations trashed around the middle of the tour, after Boston - I'd missed three shows through illness, but when I returned, well... I've never seen so many smiling faces backstage.  There was a great camaraderie, amongst all the bands and crews, no sense of one-upmanship or anything - which led to musicians performing with bands other than their own.  We've never had anyone come on-stage with us, and we've certainly never contemplated doing it with other bands - but I went on-stage and played Gibby's head with a bottle - Budgie's been drumming with 'Jane's Addiction' and he's played harmonica with 'The Butthole Surfers', and Talvin's been off playing tablas with 'Jane's Addiction' and 'Living Colour'.  It was just so great being involved in something that makes you think of doing something you'd never normally think of doing.

On our decision to perform 'The Velvet Underground & Nico's' 'All Tomorrow's Parties' - it was a song that summed up the spirit of Lollapalooza and the sadness of it coming to an end as well - and also a 'nod' to a band that has been massively influential to a lot of people, but one we've never 'covered' before because it almost seemed too obvious to do so - it was a very unconsidered, but very spontaneous thing to do.

Highpoint of the tour, oooh... the second Dallas show definitely for an all round performance by us and the audience... definitely the first performance in Saratoga of 'All Tomorrow's Parties' - and in an odd way the Denver show when I went on and trashed Gibby, there was a sense of revenge in that though, he'd come on a couple of times and disrupted our 'set' by lifting up the 'guest' guitarists on 'Helter Skelter'... and of course there was the inimitable Gibby himself with shotgun in Denver, the old Grandma Manson in his dresses - it was just a good fun day and I was in a boisterous mood... oh, another high point was Eric from 'Jane's Addiction' playing bass on 'Kiss Them For Me', and dancing with him, he's a great dancer.  But probably one of the best things was, that the whole tour ended where we've all exchanged phone numbers and addresses, we've become friends and although it's all ended, we'll check each other out when we're in town - you can't expect more than that really, can you now?"

Siouxsie Sioux

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"Well... it must have been about 1980, we had a video machine and I had a compilation tape of 'mod' bands I'd recorded off TV's 'Top Of The Pops'.  Although I was heavily into my musical studies at the time, I was a 'mod' and would only listen to those type of sounds - I'd play the video cassette, get my drums out and play along and dance to it.  Somehow, amongst all the 'mod' music I'd managed to tape this punk thing ('Happy House'), the drummer had blond hair and the way he played, the way he was striking the drums... I thought he must have been from a classical traditional background - I was really impressed by that.  I didn't go out and buy any of the Banshees albums or anything, but I knew their sounds - just by hearing 'Happy House' I kind of knew all I needed to know, I knew they had an Eastern tone in their sound even though they were punk and hard.

I first got to know the band personally through my work with 'Nation Records' and mutual acquaintances Kath and Aki, who invited the Banshees to see me perform when I was playing as part of the 'Tihai Trio' - but I think Budgie had seen me a couple of times on TV as well.  After that, Siouxsie and Budgie wanted me to do something with them on 'The Creatures' tour, but I couldn't due to commitments with (jazz musician) Courtney Pine.

It was quite some time... then the Banshees asked me to go in the recording studio to play on 'Kiss Them For Me', I thought it would be quite good fun - so I just went for it and ended up playing on 'Silver Waterfalls' as well."

How was it working with a band like the Banshees, as opposed to the more traditional and jazz influenced stuff you're more familiar with - it must have been quite a departure for you?

"Yeah, I had to respect their songs as well as what I'm into, their sounds are precious to them - it wasn't difficult, I just wanted to incorporate something into their music that didn't take anything away from their ideas and getting the chemistry right was important... like the tablas on 'Kiss Them For Me', it doesn't sound like a separate piece of Eastern music, it's just part of the track and you can either hear the tablas if you want to, or you can ignore them - that's important."

The successful collaboration in the studio led to you touring with the band - how did you deal with playing their old material?  "On a lot of the old songs there isn't much space, Budgie played his whole kit in the studio when he recorded those tunes, so it was hard to register where I could fit in and not take away anything from him - it was quite difficult because he'd already played a competent drum part as it being his own sound, it was hard for me to interfere at times so I had to kind of hold back on a lot of the old songs... but with 'Superstition', even though I hadn't played on all the tunes I can play something on all of them which is my own thing - because there's space to.  There were times though when I had to be tide down, there's always a bit of improvisation, things were always just going to happen when you're set up in front of an audience and everyone's just sweating away - it changes, sound changes, attitude changes..."

So what's your final word on the work you've done with the band?

"I know the Banshees have been together for a long time, and that both they and I are more used to working with typical session musicians that just play their parts, and relationships don't develop as such, but for me it seemed kind of different - I learnt a lot of things about the band.  I would say there was a lot of compromising I had to do, because I can hold my own in any situation - but to do so you have to learn about the whole vibe of things, and it all felt very comfortable being part of Siouxsie & The Banshees..."

Billy 'Chainsaw' Houlston

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"How about a contribution to the next magazine, me old china?" he chirps - wielding a knife close to my naked throat.

"Not bleedin' likely," say I, dodging his nifty swipes... "The last time I did that I ended up traipsing around the Natural History Museum having my photograph snapped with oversized foetuses, and spending a small fortune on postcards of bats."

Ten minutes later, after being beaten with a large, angry duck called Jasper, I relented, promising five of my fave films.  Not an easy task I can tell you, but two cups of tea and a packet of Jaffa-cakes later I came up with these to titillate you - OOOH MRS!!!

TOP WATCHING (after midnight)

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (Alfred Hitchcock)

The trouble with Harry is that he's dead.  The thing is - who killed him, and what was the motive for murder in this sleepy village?  maybe he just died.  Whatever the answer, you don't find it in the local video shop.  It's shown on TV about once every 5000 years, so keep watching.  Hitchcock at his best.  Hitchcock at his most underrated!  No sex.

THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER (Peter Greenaway)

Fairly recent one this, but if you haven't seen it - see it - now!! I loved it for colour, music, characters and sheer outrage!  Another film about mood here (my favourite).  Stand by for the ultimate banquet.  Watch for the woman who's dress changes colour every time she enters the toilet.  Sexy!

LA GRANDE BOUFFE (by some French Geezer)

Who exactly is the King of the Pig People?  It's not me, and it's not Budgie (tho' some may try and tell you otherwise).  Four gourmet chefs come together to make the ultimate suicide pact.  To eat themselves to death.  Do they succeed - watch and find out.  The greatest film of monsterous eating ever made.  Don't buy any pop-corn for this one folks!!! Some sex scenes may offend!

CARRY ON SCREAMING (by someone saucy)

Ahh - yes, a bit of a fave for me this.  In fact give me a Sunday afternoon and a 'Carry On' film any day.  Unfortunately, Barbara Windsor does not get an airing in this one, but it's as saucy as saucy can be.  Safe-sex only.

and finally...

101 DALMATIONS (Walt Disney)

First saw this at the tender age of five and still love it.  A sucker for animation - here's some of the finest.  My cat was named after the evil-hearted CRUELLA DE-VILLE.  She lives up to her name - OUCH!!

WEIRD TASTES IN MUSIC

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING (Nancy Sinatra)

Another one from my childhood.  I think the record was actually my sister's (a swinging sixties girl), but it now lives happily in my record collection.  Best ever Double-Bass line.

COP (Swans)

During my spell in the 'Some Bizarre' concentration camp circa '84, Stevo played me a tape of this band.  I thought it was the most awful noise I'd heard.  A year later I saw them 'live' and was transformed.  One of the most electrifying things I'd ever seen.  Take your ear-plugs.

STRING QUARTET No:8 (Shostokovitch)

Ah... very cultured indeed.  The bombing of Dresden captured in this violent but beautiful piece of music.  Pure genuis.

FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT (Leonard Cohen)

Could have been any Leonard Cohen song really, but this one came to mind.  Just a brilliant man with a brilliant voice and a talent for telling stories.

LES VIEUX (Jacques Brel)

What a voice.  A favourite night listening.  Dreamy.

Farewell for now.

Martin McCarrick

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