9. Tony ConradOutside The Dream Syndicate
Faust were a huge influence on me because of their approach to art, music and life. The groove is like the heartbeat here. We got so obsessed with it as a band that we had our own version – a homage to it – which we call ‘Tony’s First Communion or ‘Tony’s Last Communion’ and we tended to play it as the last tune in our shows and sometimes still do it now.
One of the best things that’s ever happened to me in my musical life was playing this track with Jean-Hervé Peron and Zappi [of Faust] when we were touring with them years ago. We had a residency with them and I learnt a lot over the short time I had with Jean-Hervé in terms of how to express yourself; how to be fearless; how to communicate properly.
It was a dream collaboration to be with those guys, also to meet the crew that surrounds Faust, their family, the whole scene that surrounds them. It’s a beautiful thing. And with Tony Conrad they made one of the greatest drone records of all time. We were actually playing in Ireland once and Tony Conrad was on the bill before he passed away and we were, like, grinning enthusiastic kids and we went up to him like ‘Hey Tony! We love Outside the Dream Syndicate and we do a homage to it’ and all that. And he was like: ‘fuck off’’. He wasn’t having it at all – he completely blew us off!
