The Modern Chat To Glasswerk

• 3rd Mar 2009

Playing their first live gig of 2009, The Modern are back in action. It has been a long journey with the band slowly morphing from their original state back in 2003 into the Modern in 2005 where they really managed to start working hard on their material and album deals worked out.

Continuing to play regular shows through out London as well as throughout the UK and at Festivals. The next couple of years saw the band hop record labels a couple of times, get dragged into chart sale controversy, rebranding themselves back and forth and the final release of their debut album.

With a rejuvenated outlook for the band and a forthcoming new release perhaps things can now start to sail a bit more smoothly for The Modern.

Chi Tudor-Hart was kind enough to look at some questions we have, post-gig, to give us a feel of where the band are now.

So you are back to The Modern. Can you tell me what problems you had securing the name back if any?

When we signed to Europa we felt we should change the name as with a different line-up we felt we needed a re-birth of sorts. But as it happened we were never comfortable not being The Modern. So we simply decided to get our original drummer back and go back as The Modern.

Are you worried about any confusion with any previous releases being under the name Matinee Club?

No, in fact we hope it makes the journey for true Modernists more interesting, they have really experienced it all with us from name changes, line-up changes different labels…

Can you tell how getting the drummer back into the band came about?

Nathan and Chi grew up with Rees the drummer so he has always been in bands with them since a young age but another band he played with Dirty Vegas had a big hit with Days go By so he had to go on tour with them for 2 years. But he missed us so much he was glad to join us again.

What can you tell me about the new album?

Well we have not strayed away from what we love or tried to re-invent our sound like some bands who feel they don't have success with their first album.

We always have and always will just do what we love in the studio as well on stage.

With a new album coming up, a reworked line up, the original name back and with new material already being played , is there any focus going on to changing the bands image as well (On stage for example) or are you continuing on familiar ground?

We are not contrived in that way we just wear what we like.

Is there going to be any focus on changing the sound of the band in the future? Or even is there a desire there on anyone's part to try new avenues of music?

Yes of course there will be changes but there will never be a focus on that it will just happen as the band evolves.

Having played for so many years, for you personally; What has been the hardest part of keeping it together?

There's always been ups and downs that could make you want to quit it all but without the band and making music our world becomes pretty empty.

You seem to becoming pretty prolific on the live circuit. The Modern seem to headline most of the gigs they play! Are you ready to push out of the city to the rest of the UK?

We are in the process of planning a tour in Asia and North America. Hopefully a UK tour will follow.

Do you have much in the way of a game plan when it comes to performing and recording. (In terms of time you allot to each)?

Any spare time we get we spend in the studio recording and experimenting or rehearsing.