Firstly, they still haven't written anything for a new album, so don't get excited. They're thinking about starting to write early 2012. But they are touring this summer
Festival Page
They're also doing one in
Asbury Park, NJ, Sept 30 to Oct 2.
Additionally,
they're playing:
Utrecht, Netherlands (June 15)
Werchter, Belgium (July 2)
Nimes, France (July 19)
Nyon, Switzerland (July 20)
(there are a bunch more events and festivals they're listed as playing, but they differ from site to site and I don't know which is definitive; here's
another list)
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Here's an interview with Crack (without Beth). There are some interesting tidbits, including confirmation that the vast majority of Trip-Hop sucks, and that it's not a label they ever applied to themselves. "The Bristol Sound" is just some buzzword bullshit that bands tried to copy, only to disappear shortly thereafter.
Why did now feel the right time for Portishead to tour again? As well as these shows, you have some festival dates coming up over the summer.
Adrian: We want to do a new record and for the last record we only did six months touring. Not enough really. People were popping their heads up everywhere saying how great it was, which was brilliant, so not enough people saw that show. I also think its good because it gets us all together again.
Geoff: We just want to go out and enjoy it again. The last tour we did for Third was good, but it was a bit short. It was like, oh, is that it? I also think the relationship between radio and records have pushed touring a different way now. I think releasing a record and playing a gig are equally as important. So we need to do gigs because we dont get a lot of radio support as various powers dont deem us to be as important.
So in terms of Portisheads direction, do you feel like you are building back up to creating new music again, like youre building momentum as a band?
Adrian: I think thats exactly what it is. After weve finished touring, I think well be doing Portishead again. So what we are doing right now is trying to wrap up all the different side projects weve got going on. Ive been looking at lots of old Portishead videos and remembering what I did before.
Geoff: The idea is we finish in November, go away for Christmas and then come back and start writing. At the moment I havent got anything in me that wants to bust out. I think I understand where the music needs to go, but Im not ready to start it, and now we have the tour.
So was the fact these bands disappeared a vindication for the quality of your music that despite a 10-year gap, you continued to remain relevant?
Adrian: Well, we didnt listen to trip-hop to make it, we listened to hip- hop and dance music and dub and whatever else our influences were at that time. So that originality hopefully shone through.
As a front women of a successful band, I cant think of another woman, other than Karin from The Knife perhaps, who is such an enigma to people as Beth. She doesnt do interviews and keeps herself entirely away the limelight.
Adrian: You can get to know Beth through her music. Its not a deliberate marketing move to have Beth who doesnt speak shes just not comfortable talking in interviews, but she is comfortable talking. I couldnt tell you why. Just generally shes uncomfortable in that situation. When she was doing her solo album with Rustin Man, I produced a couple of tracks and played a little bit on it on, but it wasnt my project. Then when we were on tour, she asked me to so some radio interview for her - it barely had anything to do with me!
Geoff: She basically is a very, very interesting person that Ive been lucky enough to work with throughout all these years. She is incredibly truthful and she has an amazing existence of not being caught up in any bullshit. I totally admire the way she lives. She is incredibly passionate about human beings, yet at the same time doesnt stand for any crap. I think sometimes Ive said things that have misrepresented her or the writer has misrepresented what Ive said about her. I totally respect her and always want to continue working with her. And Adrian for that matter.
