Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Studio Brussel Interviews

Thanks to Vicky from Belgium, I got a fantastic opportunity on the day of Robert Smith's 50th Birthday to be interviewed on Studio Brussel (part of the Belgium national radio station) regarding my experiences at Coachella and about the 30th Anniversary book. I will be posting more about that here soon, but for now you can read Vicky's translation of her interview (first posted at Curefans.com) and you can listen to both of our interviews on the archive pages from the radio station. Thank you again to Vicky for this great opportunity, I can't believe I got to say Happy Birthday to Robert on Belgium radio! What an exciting and fun way to celebrate!

More about my interview (added 4/28):

I woke up early on Tuesday, April 21st (which is to say, early for me, as I am an extreme night owl) after arriving home at nearly 3 am from the long trek driving home from Indio, CA. We had also had to make two stops on the way home to pick up our dog and our children, so it was a very long night from the night before, and we had not had very much sleep! When I awoke, I reached for my phone as I always do, and updated my email. There were two messages about the interview, and so I responded to them quickly from my laptop and then jumped into the shower to get ready to go to work. Almost before I could get dried off completely, I had a phone call from one of the people at Studio Brussel, who spoke to me for a moment about doing the interview, mainly just long enough to get my permission, and told me that I would recieve a call back. I was finishing up getting ready for work when I got the call back just a few minutes later. Bram was the interviewer, and he spoke to me for a few moments and then started to interview me. I admit that I did stumble on my words much more than usual, sorry Bram! But that's what happens when I have to do interview within 20 minutes of waking up, haha...

He started the interview by asking about Coachella and our experiences with attending the concert, and about seeing the plug be pulled on the Cure at the end of the night.

I also thought that the part with the "fuck" was funny too, even if I misquoted Robert. I didn't think they would play the full bit on air though! I remembered the "HA!" and the "fuck" clearly but it was only later that I got to hear it again and heard his actual comment.

After the Coachella part, Bram asked me to describe the book a little bit, and then thanked me for the interview and asked me what song I would like to request them to play at the end of the interview. Initially, I wanted to choose a song from 4:13 Dream in order to help promote their new album. He wanted me to pick a "deep cut", something that was more unusual and not very well known. So at first I said "The Hungry Ghost" or "Underneath the Stars" or "This. Here and Now. With You." would do fine. Then someone looked for the album and they came back and said that it was not in the studio, so I started trying to think of something else. I kind of doubted that they would have Bloodflowers too, and so I went a bit farther back in the catalog and chose "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea". I warned him that it was a bit of a longer song, but he said it was fine, no worries. Aren't you glad I didn't say Never Enough? I also overused the word EPIC a bit too much, but it was less than 48 hours after the show itself so I was still a bit excited to have seen such a legendary concert. I was glad that I remembered to say Happy Birthday to Robert before they hung up with me, and that they also aired that part of the interview.

Once I was done with the interview, I went to work and started listening to the Studio Brussel internet stream. I wasn't sure when it would go on but Vicky helped me out a lot by letting me know when it would be coming up. I had also let Craig from Chain of Flowers know about the interview and a lot of our CoF peeps were able to listen in too. Even though I don't speak Dutch, I was very amused to hear my name and "superfan" in the same sentence.

Many thanks again to Vicky for letting me have this great chance, and also thanks to the kind people at Studio Brussel.

My Interview (click on cure-fan in bold type) Andy's MP3 download (thanks Andy!)

Vicky's Interview (click on ZIJ VERTELT in bold type)

The Cure 30th Anniversary Book

The Translation (because almost nobody can understand Dutch) by Vicky

Sam: Vicky, sended a page for the anniversary book, I don't understand it very well so I goanne call her.
Sam: Vicky, Vicky ...Are you there?
Me: Good afternoon Sam.
Sam: Can you tell me more about that anniversary book?
Me: Yes, sure, it's not alone Robert's Birthday today, it's almost 30 years ago that there debutalbum came out. It was May 1979. Because of that fact, they descided in the US to make a fanbook and they asked all the fans arround the world to make a page for this book.

Sam: Oh so beautiful!
Me: Yes, they received arround 50 pages for that book, from everywhere in the world. From Australia, Russia, USA, and many more country's also Belgium.
Sam: And you are in that book?
Me: Yes, I have also a page, I've sended it also!
Sam: So YOU have a page in that great fanbook, THE Anniversary book for The Cure, THE Anniversary Book for Robert Smith!
Me: Yes, indeed, that's correct ! I've maded a page with Calligraphics. I put my thanks on it.
Sam: FANTASTIC!
Me: The book was given last Friday 17/04 in Las Vegas. The Cure was given there a show.
Sam: Send HE (RS) you an email to thank you?
Me: No we haven't received anything yet; who knows maby on the off. site from The Cure a word of thank ...Huh
The nice thing of the book is that it's goanne be published in a printed version. In two sizes, one like the original and one in an smaller format to make it possible for every person!
Sam: Really??
Sam: That's amazing good news !!!!!
I've hearded you are a HUGE fan from The Cure
Me: Ok if they say that, it's goanne be right. Ha. Others say it all the time so I guess it's correct.
Sam: You are celebrating this birthday of course but I've hearded you are also celebrating another Birthday?
Me: That's correct; It's also my husband's Birthday today. His 40th Birthday.
Sam: No, it's not truth, you choose him just for that!
Me: No it's pure coincidence!!
Sam: Yes, Yes, ... pure coincidence ??
Me: So by this, also my Birthday wishes to my husband of course!
Sam: Of course. Also a hip hip hoi for your husband! 40 years can also count ... difficult age ?? But 50 years is much heavier to wear! Still 10 Years to go!
Sam: Please your husband and turn a lot of Cure-Music
Me: Sure; I will do that! Can I say just one thing more ??
Sam: Go on you can tell it.
Me: To all the curefans out there. If you wanna now more about The Cure! Go and visit www.curefans.com. The meeting point for curefans worldwide. a great forum where you can find several things.
Sam: Congratulation about your page in the fanbook for Robert Smith. Have fun today! Bye
Me: Bye

So, I hope everyone can understand me now grin

Later at the evening the called Heron from the US about the Coachella show. She's also the creator of the book.

It was an special experience and I hope you all enjoying this.

Greetings,

Trust...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fantastic interview, Heron! Bravo!!!

Rev. Heron said...

Thanks Olga! Can you please check your email for the publication release for the book? I've been trying to contact you!

Anonymous said...

Strange, I didn't get anything :'(
My second e-mail is bfcure@rambler.ru
And just in case I don't mind if my page will be published, you can do anything with it =)

lovecat44 said...

Heron, do you really speak Dutch?
Respect, if so!