(continued)

The single "A&E" is so happy and sunny sounding, almost Joni Mitchell, but I hear lyrics about pills and wards, emergency rooms.
Alison: It's about how we deal with all of our personal disasters. Sometimes it's just best to grin and bear it and pretend all's well—laughter is the best medicine. We just shot this crazy video with tree and leaf people in the forest, inspired by nature, mysticism, paganism.
Will: That's a lot of isms! What did John Lennon say? "I don't believe in isms, I just believe in me."

We are both old, and we don't go out partying every night, so nobody gives a shit!"Some People" is definitely my favorite—very grand and epic—it's like a musical unto itself! What's that all about?
Alison: After we finished the tour, we went to this big industry do with loads of famous people there whom I won't name, and they all kept asking me how old I was! I don't know why. Was it because they wanted to have sex with me, or was it because I was too old to be at the party? It was very rude.

It'll be great to see these songs performed live. Do you dislike touring? We haven't seen you onstage in a while.
Will: No, I'm usually there, but just not onstage. With our very specific sound, it's sometimes better for me to work on the sound board, in a conductor kind of way, in order to get that balance right. When I'm onstage, it's dead loud and I can't hear how it's all sounding.

There's no comparison in terms of voice or songwriting, but were you annoyed at being compared to Madonna and Kylie Minogue so often?
Alison: Not annoyed so much as being really bored of it. I mean, those two are these specifically dance-floor divas, which is not what I aspire to at all. They can have it.

Here in the States, your last two records were heavily licensed and appeared on many film and television soundtracks, and in commercials for Diet Coke and Target. I picture you as billionaires living in matching mansions in the countryside.
Alison: Unfortunately not. Were it the case that'd be really nice. The record business is suffering so much with sales so low, so it's really hard to get rich that way these days. With illegal downloading—and the new record is already being leaked by you thieving journalists!

Should these pirates be brought to court and hanged?
Alison: Especially if they're journalists.

You're both very private people. How do you feel about the public's need to know the dirty laundry of their idols, and about pop stars like Pete Doherty, Amy Winehouse, or Britney Spears playing out their personal dramas on the world stage?
Alison: Well, that's the world we live in now, this absolute obsession with celebrities, and really bad, can't-look-away car-crash TV, which is what we wrote the song "Clowns" about on the new record. It all appeals to our darkest nature. Both those girls are quite young, and Britney Spears hasn't had much of a life, so she doesn't know any better.

Somehow it worked for her, because Blackout was the number one record in America recently.
Alison: Was it? Well, as for us, we are both old, and we don't go out partying every night, so nobody gives a shit! [Laughs.]

Alison, you are a fashion icon, though not a slave to it. Do designers throw free clothes at you? I expect they all bug you to don their duds. And do you have a favorite designer?
Alison: No, they don't. I wish they would, because I really hate shopping. It's such a chore for me. And I won't play favorites; I'll take it all.

Do you have a fashion tip for your fans?
Alison: Erm, I dunno. Just always do your own thing and wear whatever you want.

Have you ever made a fashion faux pas and regretted an outfit you've worn?
Alison: Oh, God, yes, every last one of them.




This article is from the March issue of Radar Magazine. For a risk-free issue, click here

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