Mani of Primal Scream and The Stone Roses: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

When an opportunity comes to interview Gary Mounfield, you just sit the tape recorder down, forget your notes and let the man do the talking.

Mani, as we all know him, has the distinction of currently being the bassist of Primal Scream since 1996, when the trippy Vanishing Point was being recorded. On XTRMNTR and Evil Heat, the Bobby Gillespie-fronted band has steered away from their psychedelic BritPop foundations to explore more electronic and dance beats.

On August 22 in the U.S., Primal Scream will release a "back-to-basics" album called Riot City Blues. Produced by Youth (aka Martin Glover), the acclaimed producer of The Verve's Urban Hymns, RCB is full of raucous, old fashioned Southern blues rock more akin to their 1994 effort, Give Out But Don't Give Up.

Mani is practically a veteran of the British rock, having been a part one of the most influential bands in British music, The Stone Roses. We talked all about all things Primal Scream as well as the good old days of BritPop. I'd like to welcome Mani to this space.

How's the weather in Manchester these days?

Oh, it's beautiful for once, but guarantee, it will rain tomorrow, mate.

Well, enjoy it will you can. Obviously with this new album, it's a switch-up from your last two albums. What led to the "back-to-basics" approach?

Basically, we did two albums that were technological in nature. They were computer-based and political. So, we did all that, so we decided to be a rock n' roll band again. We put the computer in its box and got out the guitars.

When you started planning the album, did you know that Kevin Shields would not be a part of it? [Shields served as producer of the last two albums and touring guitarist]

Yeah, he committed to doing other things. Like I was saying, we wanted to go in a completely different direction and go for a more organic kind of sound. We might hit him up to do some remixes.

Did you listen to any blues artists to kind of get you in the mindset of what you were doing?

Everytime we get together at somebody's house, there's a whole plethora of music that comes down. We were listening to Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and some Credence Clearwater Revival. It's that whole sort of melting pot of ideas that goes into every recording session we do.

Why did you go with Martin Glover to produce the album?

We had a lot of respect for Killing Joke [Glover was a member]. He's a great bass player and he knows his way around the studio. Of course, he has an amazing track record. Importantly, he's just a nice guy. Usually we'd do it ourselves, but we thought it would be nice to have somebody else in the driver's chair. When your producer is also a musician, he brings a while different set of cards to the table. The guy did a heck of a job with the album.

You recorded this album in two weeks. Was that by design?

Well, we put a lot of hours in every day. We have a little studio in North London. We'd go in four or five times a week. We didn't drag around making the album. For once, we over-rehearsed. We wanted to sound like a band that just got their equipment out of a van, plugged in and played. Sometimes, we'd do a song in one take, never more than five. We got the backing tracks done in four, four and half days. Then we spent a week over-dubbing vocals and guitars.

It was a really great way to catch a feeling. We would get the basic drumming down, then a bit of guitar and keyboard parts down live at the same time. It was a good way to work.

How was the adjustment for you as the bass player, since you came into the band when they started to explore more electronic sounds. So the recording of this album was the first time you didn't have to deal with any of that.

It was refreshing, but we always try to do different things with every album. For me, the guys were interacting with me instead of consulting a computer. We just got back to the process of jamming again. I love working that way. After doing our five or six hours in the studio, we'd go to the pub and talk about what we're going to do with the next day. It was a "no pressure" atmosphere to work. This was a fun album to make.

Did you have to work more on some songs than others?

Everything came together really well. We're pretty confident in our playing abilities, as well. We kind of have this "second nature" thing between us. We all know each others strengths and limitations. It just came together so easily. There was no bullshit going around that happens some times.

You brought in Alison Mosshart from The Kills to do vocals on "Dolls." Any particular reason you went with her?

First off, she's a great lady and she has a great attitude. We have a great deal of admiration and affection for The Kills. We took them on tour a few years ago. I think when we wrote the song, we always had a female duet in mind. She's kind of like Bobby's alter-ego.

I have a feeling you like playing "When the Bombs Drop" because it has a real heavy bassline.

Yeah, that's real cool. That's probably one of my Top 3 favorite songs on the album. It's like a Beatles version of a garage rock song. Originally, that was going to be a slow paced song similar to "Little Death." So we thought that we already have a song that's like that, so we changed it to be more up tempo. We reworked it in three takes and it shows how on our feet we were.

Is "Suicide Sally and Guitar Johnny" about Kate Moss and Pete Doherty?

Oh, it can be anyone you want, mate. You can place the ideas in the song on anyone. You can ask Bobby that since he wrote the vocals.

Let's backtrack a bit. Since you joined the band in 1996, you weren't a part of making Screamadelica or Give Out. Do you enjoy playing the songs off those albums live?

I was always a great admirer of those songs when I was in The Stone Roses. I loved "Come Together," "Movin' on Up" and "Rocks." I get a massive kick from playing them. I can also put a little bit of my style in them as well. We kind of give them a new lease of life. People have a lot of affection for those songs.

I have this theory about greatest hits album in that the album you make after your greatest hits is sort of your Act II in the life of your band. Do you kind of see if that way since the last album was a greatest hits compilation?

We always like to throw a curve ball. No one would expect mandolins on a Primal Scream record. I guess you can kind of look at the album as a new beginning, which is kind of what we've done.

What's the difference between the band now and when you first joined?

I think everyone has grown up a bit. We always had this reputation of being these fucked-up, pissed off, junked-out party animals. Now, everyone is having children and getting married. I think we have wound it in a little. We're not angels, but when we are out of the road, we still like to have a good time. We are more focused and serious about the music, and not about the lifestyle.

What led you to leave The Stone Roses?

I think the band came to the end of its nature life. I was always friendly with Bobby and one day I just asked to joined. I told him that The Stone Roses are going tits up and asked if he fancied me coming aboard. He and the rest of the band were totally up for it.

It was a pretty seamless transition. I took a month off, went to the States and came back to England to begin recording.

There's many great stories about The Stone Roses. I want to find some of the fact or fiction behind one of them. The incident where you threw paint all over your record label's offices -- what really happened?

Oh yeah, whatever you heard is true, mate. Revolver kept on releasing this crummy old record called "Sally Cinnamon" on the back of The Stone Roses success. It ended up charting and they released this crap video for it. We told them to not do it and they did it anyway. We were on the way to record an album, so we stopped by the offices and fucking destroyed the premises. The guy was taking a piss on us.

Do you remember the Spike Island concert?

Yeah, I do. It was fucking shit. [laughs] The sound was the awful.

I should really ask, what do you remember?

What I remember most was sitting in my flat and waiting for someone to bring me weed and no one ever did. [laughs] So I showed up to the gig rather straight.

We took a chance with that gig and it paid off. About 30,000 people showed up. It was just one massive chemical factory. Other than that, it could have been better. Our management at the time were a bunch of fucking dogs and they trimmed back on the sound. They would just cut costs without even telling us. It was an anti-climax for us, but everyone who showed up had a good time.

I would be remiss in brining up a possible Stone Roses reunion. They were rumblings and rumors of a possibility of a reunion a few years ago. What's the status as of now?

I think it hinges of John Squires and Ian talking to to each other again. There's a hell of a lot of work that needs to go into that. There's the question of "Why look backwards?" We did all that already and the only reason to do it again would be for financial reasons. I'd like to do it just to sort of close the book on that chapter in my life, but I'm going on my tenth year in Primal Scream. I just think that Stone Roses boat sailed away years ago.

I know there's a swell of support for the Stone Roses. I just think it would be difficult to get Squires and Ian talking again. It would be like reconciling the Cubans and the Americans.

Or Johnny Marr and Morrissey.

Exactly [laughs].

Do you keep in touch with Ian Brown?

Of course, I'm still good friends with all of them. We never lost touch. At the end of the day, it's all about the music. You have to realize that everything has a natural life. Instead of dragging it out, just end it.

Any plans for Primal Scream to return to the U.S.?

Most definately, my friend. It has been too long.

Indeed, you played in New York and San Francisco in 2003, and that was it I believe.

Yeah, we always have a good time playing in New York. I think if people find the album, that will definately help.

So, your thoughts on the World Cup?

I'm glad England didn't win it.

Why?

I don't support them. They are a piece of shit. I support the Republic of Ireland.

Who did you think would win?

I was convinced Argentina would win. They let me down badly.

What did you think of that final game with France vs. Italy and Zidane loosing it?

If someone calls your mom a terrorist and starts coming at you with all that shit, it's going to have an effect. That must have gotten him so pissed out. Really, Zidane is a mild-mannered fellow.

I know you're a big Manchester United fan. How did you feel about an American [Malcolm Glazer] buying the team?

Business is business, my friend. It doesn't matter if someone from Mars buys the team. If someone has the money, they're going to buy a team no matter where they are from. Glazer did right with buying the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, why shouldn't he do right with Manchester United?

How did you think Man. U. will do this year?

I think we are just going to have a poor, poor year. I think Liverpool or Chelsea will be having good a year.

Comments

[matt]

mani's great... of course i just want to be at that mythical stone roses reunion gig!!

[Mr Nozzle]

Respect to the Bass Monster! Mani rules!

[John Adams]

That gig is tonight (30th December 2006) in longsight so we overheard on the bus into Manchester today, now all we have to do is find our where. You were told in advance

[MT]

Soz, Mani... Much as I love you and The Roses,Glazer is a soulless parasite: who will suck United fans and the club of every penny that he can get his filthy hands on, and the club will be left in crippling debt...Which will lead to long term disaster and even destruction.....

This of course has now been proven, but it would be great if you and the lads could do something for the current cause... You have always been heroes (and always will be), but a return of The Roses for an anti-Glazer event/gig would boost the campaign no end.... Forget the differences and please give it some thought, as this is a real big and ugly monster we have to defeat......