Modern English speak on thier history and future

---

by Anita Raman

---

Recently, the Thresher had the opportunity to talk to Robbie Grey of Modern English, early '80s icons. Following are excerpts from the interview, with Grey's take on:

The early days

"We used to make quite a row. It was really good, actually."

Time and its effects on the band

"Oh, God, it's changed such a great deal. I mean, we didn't really know how to write songs then -- how to, you know, put them into an order, and now we can do it quite easily. Maybe some of the original energy is gone, but the actual songwriting side of it is a lot better. We're trying to put the original energy back into the new stage show. It should be a lot more edgy than maybe the album sounds."

Success and "I Melt With You"

"We didn't understand it ... When we came on tour, the first place we played was Daytona Beach at Spring Break and, my God, there were like 20,000 people, and when we played that song, everyone went berserk. We realized something pretty special was happening, and it's been like that ever since then. Even now, people are playing it in New York in bars -- it's over 10 years old. It's quite strange ..."

The American audience

"They're the most open, definitely ... They know how to enjoy themselves. If they like something, they show it, which I really like. And if they don't like something, they show that, too."

Grey's favorite show

"Probably the most enjoyable one was in Turin, Italy, when we just played this little jazz bar without meaning to. We just drove in, had a drink, and then they asked us to play. We all swapped instruments and just made it all up for an hour."

Breakdown

" Scotch Dart , which came out in '86 on Sire, was probably the worst Modern English album out. ... There was a kind of breakdown in the band from that time until our other album came out ... We sold out pretty much all the concerts and we gathered people who were still into Modern English ... and then that kind of fell apart as well, so I'm the only original member left.

"I'd say what happened at first was a disaster. The first time around ... was when all the pressure was on everybody because the workload was so great, and a couple of people cracked under it. And from there on, it was always drowning or swimming."

The inspiration and anger

"Well, I used to be angry, and I still am. It's just I'm older and angry and stupid. Like I said, basically, I like anger and I like poetry and that sort of communication, which really hasn't changed that much.

"In a lot of different ways, I'm still the same person that I was when I was 19 years old, which is probably why I'm still making music and not married. I mean, I'm getting old ..."

The Sex Pistols

"They were just a great thing. They woke me up to what I could do with my life, and I haven't looked back since then."

Money and ethics

"I still hold a lot of the ethics that came out at that time. I'm not really that dogged about money ... but I'm not a great carer about capitalism and things like that. So I still have a lot of my ethics though I'm older and ... I still feel the same way."

Travels and the world

"We all went different ways for a while ... I went backpacking in Asia: India, Thailand, Singapore. India was incredible; Rajasthan, Jaipur, Madras ... It made me realize how much I love music. It really cleaned me out, and I needed that."

This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the April 19, 1996 issue.

Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved.
This document may be distributed electronically, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of:
The Rice Thresher, Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005-1892, USA.