Question / Answer Idea

Has there ever been a Q&A with the band on here where members submit questions to the band and they respond? I have participated on these events in other area such as with work and products and have seen some bands do it in the past.. just wondering if it has been done with The Fixx on this site..? Generally each member of the site could submit 1 question and a compiled list of questions would be given to the author, band, etc., and then they would answer the ones they wanted. I would love to see this done here if it was possible.

I like that idea. I proposed it about 3 1/2 years ago in a thread entitled "Ask the Band" in the Question! forum. I don't think it's going to fly, but wouldn't it be cool, though? We're thankful, at any rate, to those closely associated with the band who have posted here recently, notably spaceroad and stephentayler.

"Ask the Band" thread

I would love this. There are many questions I'd be interested in knowing. Really geeky stuff like: was "Wish" ever considered as a single? Why was "Peace on Earth" not included in the main tracklisting for "Walkabout" but sorta left at the end? Was the studio material on "React" going to comprise the basis for a full album? Stuff like that :)

Well I am always up for trying to answer any questions pertinent to the first four albums..... but it was all rather a long time ago, so it might be a challenge!!!

Since then there have been various other bits, remixes etc. up until BF.

Cheers

Stephen

I think it's a great idea and would love to participate. My only suggestion would be to get the questions prepared, but hold off on the band contact until after they finish the August tour. Thinking there might be more willingness if they had the time:)

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Originally Posted by Gretchen

I think it's a great idea and would love to participate. My only suggestion would be to get the questions prepared, but hold off on the band contact until after they finish the August tour. Thinking there might be more willingness if they had the time:)

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We'll be doing some thing similar soon!!
Keep watching....

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Originally Posted by Gretchen

I think it's a great idea and would love to participate. My only suggestion would be to get the questions prepared, but hold off on the band contact until after they finish the August tour. Thinking there might be more willingness if they had the time:)

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Why do you think they have more time after august??? EUROPE is waiting for them!!! ;)

Stephen, since you offered...let me ask you this. What was the vibe in the studio for the Walkabout sessions? It being the last of the Rupert Hine era, could you sense the band was feeling it was time for a change? Personally, I think Walkabout is a solid record, but overall what was the vibe like?

Cheers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stephentayler

Well I am always up for trying to answer any questions pertinent to the first four albums..... but it was all rather a long time ago, so it might be a challenge!!!

Since then there have been various other bits, remixes etc. up until BF.

Cheers

Stephen

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by tatawayowayo

Stephen, since you offered...let me ask you this. What was the vibe in the studio for the Walkabout sessions? It being the last of the Rupert Hine era, could you sense the band was feeling it was time for a change? Personally, I think Walkabout is a solid record, but overall what was the vibe like?

Cheers.

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I'd like to 2nd that question particularly with respect to the comments (by Adam I think) in the 1989 radio interview from another thread wherein he said Calm Animals was about getting back to songs as opposed to production.

Now, personally, I think the FIXX have always been great at both songs and soundscapes but it's a great question, nice one tatawayowayo.

I think it's a great idea, but would be hard to conduct since the guys stay so busy. I still would like to ask them questions though. Rock on!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tatawayowayo

Stephen, since you offered...let me ask you this. What was the vibe in the studio for the Walkabout sessions? It being the last of the Rupert Hine era, could you sense the band was feeling it was time for a change? Personally, I think Walkabout is a solid record, but overall what was the vibe like?

Cheers.

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Hello!

It's tough to remember... the 80's were a blur of record making at Farmyard Studios with my dear friend and collaborator Rupert Hine.

The first four albums with The Fixx were made in a relatively condensed period of time, the pressure was on to constantly come up with new material, while they were also having to deal with a constant schedule of touring and promotion.

By the time we got to Walkabout, I do think that we were all beginning to repeat our methods. Everyone's personal lives were shifting and changing, but we were a fantastic and loyal team. That means the band - with Dan K now a permanent fixture, Rupert H, myself, and Andy Scarth, who was also an important part of the vibe. And of course wives and girlfriends. The Farmyard was a residential studio, so the band were all living there, with Rupert, Andy and me coming in each day.... (I lived just down the road). Long days, with a fabulous evening meal, and much wine, as I recall. I was always the busiest person, on duty in the control room, while all the others had various periods of activity and non-activity. That meant that some of the gang had to find various means of entertainment. That meant messing around with cars, boats, fishing, Scalextric, Quad bikes (very dangerous - I think Jamie nearly drowned after driving into the pond), the famous aerial runway (zip-line), ping pong tournaments, and the relatively new pastime of watching movies on VHS!!! I recall looking out from the control room at the guys sunbathing and having fun.........

So I may have missed some of the politics that might have been going on, I was just doing my thing trying to come up with new ways of messing with the sound. But my recollection of those years is of a fantastic, prolific creative time, always trying to find a new angle. Equipment and techniques were also making huge leaps and bounds.

There are so many high points during those albums..... I distinctly remember getting shivers when mixing 'Saved by Zero', thinking 'this is important'. But I get really emotional when I go back and listen to 'The Shuttered Room', the sheer naive, bolshy energy brings me to tears.

If I ever write a book, I would devote an entire chapter to The Fixx. I am going to develop my own personal website soon, so I shall devote a whole section to this incredible band, they are very dear and important to me.

SWT

PS I do think it was right to move on after Walkabout, definitely the end of an era, and a couple of years later we all moved on from the Farmyard..........

Stephen, thank you so much for your response. I'm sure I speak on behalf of all fixxtures that we greatly appreciate you chatting with us here.
I must say, I am enjoying the new album more and more with each listen, however, I can't help but long for the Rupert Hine era sound of the band. There are some great vintage sounding Fixx moments on the new disc, especially with Rupert's pads/keys and Dan K's wonderful bass, but the boys had such a distinct sound during the RH era that set them apart from every other act at the time, that it's difficult not to wish a return to that era. I'm sure RH would be an expensive investment to have him produce a record, but do you think the band would have anything to gain creatively by working with Mr. Hine again or would it all be a simple case sentimentality?

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Originally Posted by stephentayler

Hello!

It's tough to remember... the 80's were a blur of record making at Farmyard Studios with my dear friend and collaborator Rupert Hine.

The first four albums with The Fixx were made in a relatively condensed period of time, the pressure was on to constantly come up with new material, while they were also having to deal with a constant schedule of touring and promotion.

By the time we got to Walkabout, I do think that we were all beginning to repeat our methods. Everyone's personal lives were shifting and changing, but we were a fantastic and loyal team. That means the band - with Dan K now a permanent fixture, Rupert H, myself, and Andy Scarth, who was also an important part of the vibe. And of course wives and girlfriends. The Farmyard was a residential studio, so the band were all living there, with Rupert, Andy and me coming in each day.... (I lived just down the road). Long days, with a fabulous evening meal, and much wine, as I recall. I was always the busiest person, on duty in the control room, while all the others had various periods of activity and non-activity. That meant that some of the gang had to find various means of entertainment. That meant messing around with cars, boats, fishing, Scalextric, Quad bikes (very dangerous - I think Jamie nearly drowned after driving into the pond), the famous aerial runway (zip-line), ping pong tournaments, and the relatively new pastime of watching movies on VHS!!! I recall looking out from the control room at the guys sunbathing and having fun.........

So I may have missed some of the politics that might have been going on, I was just doing my thing trying to come up with new ways of messing with the sound. But my recollection of those years is of a fantastic, prolific creative time, always trying to find a new angle. Equipment and techniques were also making huge leaps and bounds.

There are so many high points during those albums..... I distinctly remember getting shivers when mixing 'Saved by Zero', thinking 'this is important'. But I get really emotional when I go back and listen to 'The Shuttered Room', the sheer naive, bolshy energy brings me to tears.

If I ever write a book, I would devote an entire chapter to The Fixx. I am going to develop my own personal website soon, so I shall devote a whole section to this incredible band, they are very dear and important to me.

SWT

PS I do think it was right to move on after Walkabout, definitely the end of an era, and a couple of years later we all moved on from the Farmyard..........

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i like this idea alot since i understand that theFIXX does like to communicate with their fans even though right now they are very busy. As i recall in an interview somewhere where they were saying " that at this day and age with the internet and all this new technology we can now reach our fans and communicate with them more easily ! " it is actually the reason why i joined this website forum: to communicate finally with my favorite band ! and it did actually work but it took time and some different steps to achieve it ! I'm very happy about that part since I've tried to communicate personally with some other bands who just ignored me. So, Thanks again to my favorite band theFIXX :)

You can speak directly to all of the band members tonight live on Rockline. It airs 8:30pm PT/11:30pm ET. Call The FIXX at 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). You can find stations to listen live at www.rocklineradio.com....or get the entire show streaming beginning tomorrow.

thats cool ! if we can't listen to the station, can we still phone them and ask questions ? reason being i tried to listen to the radiostations listed and only one worked for me after i registered at their site. but i could only hear the last song played and never the one that is currently being played. Im in Canada btw