Interview with Paul, Summer 2000.
What's exactly your role in Lisp? (We can see you at Lisp photos at controls like a producer). And in compositions? My role in Lisp is like that of a producer, I influence the direction of the songs and provide additional sound effects.
Image is an important aspect of Lisp. Like a part of a concept. Is Lisp a concept? Lisp is not a conceptual product. Initially, Lisp began as a more traditional guitar based outfit but bored with the obvious confinements of guitar/bass/drums, we decided to see how we could progress with the aid of computers and other technology. Visually Lisp collaborate with OS2 and Roland Hamilton in creating a live visual accompaniment.
Other Lisp members don't want to talk about influences in your music. an effort to seem original?. It is a misconception that we deny any musical influences, quite the reverse in fact. Brad & Jonny are heavily influenced by songwriters such as Morrissey/Marr, whereas my approach stems from more sculptural artists such as Scott Walker & Public Enemy. So our music is a hybrid of classic and modern influences, bound by our own ideas.
You're now recording new songs for a new album. Which differences are we going to find between newer and older songs? 'Cycles' began with a totally open-minded approach, each song existing in a very loose structure, open to reinterpretation within the studio. Some songs went through three or four different stages, before it's most apparent form occurred, this may explain the somewhat disjointed sound of the album.
Transformer sounded near DI , maybe was close ( in time) and was made with almost the same people (Robert, Charlie and you). What was Transformer? Only a project for Wire tribute? Initially, "Transformer' was to be my new project, George who sang on the track was to work closely with me on a new set of songs. We started two or three together but it did not seem to build any momentum. i also started working with another singer, Noel Wallace and wrote a collection of three or four songs, none of which have ever been available for release, but 'Transformer' is an open-ended project and may appear in various guises in the not to distant future.
How did you form Lisp or how did you decide to leave ransformer? , what happens to Transformer? Lisp' existed for some time before I joined, but in a more traditional form. It was while I was working on the 'Transformer' project, that I was approached to help the band bring their singer/songwriting talents more up to date. Our working relationship proved to be successful and so I joined the band.
When you formed DI you were quite young. A lot of things happened. How do you like to remember those years?. DI is now a distant memory, the four of us were only 16 and still at school when the band was formed, it was a very exciting time for us. The nature of the band was to always move on. 'Summers Last Sound' was an evolutionary process. Evolving from teenagers that idolised the Smiths/ House of Love to Public Enemy/Kraftwerk/Young Gods. Samples were more exciting to us, that the confines of guitar/bass/drums. It took time to explore different possibilities. They were infinite. Sound & notation. Different textures. The idea of a musical narrative to coincide with the vocals became more challenging. The 'Second Language' EP & 'DI Go Pop' LP representing the different ideas that we had at that time best. 'Technicolour' was a difficult period. Recording the LP was OK, then we toured with Siouxsie & the Banshees, things gradually fell apart. We came back to mix the LP and Iain & myself could barely spend time in a room together. The album was finished.
I think we are going to see DI repercussion in a near future. DI use to be named like an influence lately. Would you prefer to have been a succesful band more than a cult band? If people do come back to DI then I will be happy (though it seems a very long time ago now). We thought at the time that we would be a huge pop stars like New Order or the Smiths, we thought that our music had a big pop element ; the title 'DI Goes Pop' was never meant in jest, it was serious!
Raül Fuentes.