Tear in the Radio #2 - The Stolen Tear in the Radio#3: Potty Mouth | Page 6

When I was a teenager, I used to front a couple of little bands. We weren’ t great because we were just kids and I wasn’ t able to write words and I didn’ t know how to front a band, but I took it very seriously, you know? In the early 2000s, I did front The Healers, but I was still learning how to do it. Then, after being on tour with Modest Mouse and playing hundreds of gigs, I sang behind their front man Isaac Brock with his very eccentric vocals. And with joining The Cribs, singing really full on rock n’ roll with them and then singing with Neil Finn – I just got used to it and I felt like I could do it. I top my cue off the audience. I walk out and think:“ Oh ok, the audience is going to let me know whether they’ re into it or not.” Then I go into it, and I just get a new ambition- for me and my band to be one of the best live bands in the world.

I really like saying that because it’ s so juvenile at my age.

Also, I think it’ s important to have a new ambition after you’ ve been doing it professionally for thirty odd years. It’ s important to have that ambition when you walk on stage; when the band and I go out, the front man wants to be the very best. I know what it’ s like to be in a band, and you want your front man to be brave and you want your front man to be the one to really bring it. So, I do it for my band and I do it for the audience.

Sometimes I get it right; I’ m still trying you know.