Filter Mag Interviews Soulsavers

[Filter-Mag.com] Discussing a (not so) "Broken" record with Soulsavers: pt. 1
by Lynn Lieu | 08.17.2009

What started between two English producers—Rich Machin and Ian Glover—and their 2003 release, Tough Guys Don’t Dance, has grown to incorporate a slew of prominent musicians—Richard Hawley, Mike Patton (Faith No More), Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), and most notably, Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age)—to become an electronic force known as Soulsavers. While Tough Guys set a foundation for the band, Soulsavers is constantly building higher and higher. For its third full-length release, Broken, the guys have built new floors filled by their choice of songs to cover and the integration of a new artist and her innovative sound. Here to tell FILTER all about it are Machin and Lanegan:

Mark, what made you decide to continue working with Soulsavers and what was it like for both of you to continue to work together?

Mark Lanegan: One thing led to another and I enjoyed doing the first one. I enjoyed playing live with these guys. I enjoyed the process of making the first one, enjoyed the results of it. And this one came up and I enjoyed that as well.

Rich Machin: I guess we knew each other better on this record. That was the first thing you notice as time goes by, relationships get deeper and it’s easier to work with people better now. We’ve just come off the back of being on the road from the last record so we had a lot more experience and time together.

What was it like to have one of your songs covered by Will Oldham, and then to cover one of his songs?

Lanegan: He covered mine before I had any knowledge of him doing it. I just heard it and I’ve always been a big fan of his. So, I suggested we do one of his. There’s always a little bit of pressure when you’re doing somebody’s song that’s still alive and you’re into their stuff and you want it to be good. I’ve seen him play a bunch of times; I’m a big fan.

Machin: I think that’s probably the only time we’ve been involved in any covers where we know the people. They’re usually dead; that’s normally where the good stuff to cover is.

Check back tomorrow to hear more from Rich Machin and Mark Lanegan.

For more information on Soulsavers and its upcoming album, visit the band’s official website: www.thesoulsavers.com