adam-ant.net: Please tell us where
and when you were born. Also, how was your childhood overall?
Boz: 19.5.62 Edgeware Middlesex,
I was educated at Orange Hill school, one year below Matthew Ashman,
the same year as his sister Emma. I left at 18 after passing music
a level quite enjoyable. My childhood was very stable.
adam-ant.net: How old were you
when you started getting involved with music (i.e. playing a musical
instrument, picking up your first guitar, listening to tunes,
etc.)?
Boz: I listened to pop music
in a serious way around nine years old, played recorder then clarinet,
then started on guitar at 12 and put a band together at 15.
adam-ant.net: Who were your musical
influences? Who do you respect as a musician now?
Boz: T.Rex and Marc Bolan
were the first things to completely blow me away. Then the great
50s guitarists like Cliff Gallop, Les Paul, Jimmy Bryant, Eddie
Cochran. Nowadays I like people like Edwyn Collins, Bernard Butler,
Joe Strummer, and Beck.
adam-ant.net: You have been performing
with Morrissey for years and you recently returned from his tour
again. How did the tour overall go?
Boz: Fantastic, some new places
in South America, good audiences, good people.
adam-ant.net: How long did you
perform with the Polecats? Can you tell us about it?
Boz: 1977 to 1983 but we
still play even now, hopefully in September, we played a lot ,
and more recently we have been to Japan a few times. We have released
a few albums.
adam-ant.net: Even though it
says 'don't ask' on the webpage? Can you tell us the story behind
Morrissey with the bride? (You don't have to if you don't want
to but the pic is highly amusing!)
Boz:
It's just an amusing picture, we were staying at an
hotel in Bournemouth and there happened to be a wedding going
on and someone snapped a photo.
adam-ant.net: Where and when did
you meet Adam Ant?
Boz: At Marco's house when
they were planning the Persuasion tour.
adam-ant.net: The album, Wonderful
was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, an infinitely famous and unique
location. How did you fell about recording there? Was it a special
place for you knowing that bands like the Beatles also recorded
there?
Boz: Strangely enough, I
did feel a particular vibe in there that was quite nice and the
piano in studio 2 had a very familiar sound to it!
adam-ant.net: Aside from performing
on the Wonderful album (and assisting with songwriting), you also
toured with Adam and the band, how long did this last? Did you
enjoy touring?
Boz: Can't remember how long
the Persuasion tour was, 4 or 5 weeks I think, It was a great
band and a lot of fun to do. (adam-ant.net note: Boz unfortunately
didn't get to tour for Wonderful as he already had tour committments
with Morrissey.)
adam-ant.net: What is your favorite
song from Wonderful? What was your least favorite? Do you feel
that you contributed musically to the album or did Adam basically
have the plans for the album already set allowing little room
for musical changes, etc.
Boz: Wonderful itself is
a great track; I like the entire album, not a weak track on it
in my opinion , the tracks were mainly written round here all
of us together, Ying and Yang was an older song of mine , we used
the actual demo guitars on the finished thing.
adam-ant.net: What was it like
working with Marco Pirroni and Adam Ant? Do you have any stories
to share, etc? Do you still remain friends/acquainted with any
of them today?
Boz: It was a great experience;
Adam's a great workaholic with a great vision I still see Marco
from time to time, haven't seen Adam for a while though.
adam-ant.net:
If Adam asked you to perform with him again, would you
consider it?
Boz: Of course!
adam-ant.net: Tell us
about your new recording studio?
Boz: It was for my own use
but over the last 4 years I have started doing sessions with lots
of friends it's small but has a good sound.
adam-ant.net: You tend to spend a
lot of time in the US, on tour with various bands, etc. Do you still
consider England your home?
Boz: Yes, I always come home,
my kids are at school here and me and my wife have a place here.
adam-ant.net: You have a new
gig coming up in London. Can you tell us about it? Can tell us
about your next new projects planned for the next year or so (if
you know them).
Boz: My next gig is at the
Fleadh festival in a band called Velvet Ghost with Chas Smash
from Madness and lots of other people, but we're on very Early,
it's a bit ska-ish and like a lad's band.
adam-ant.net: Since you have toured
several times with various different bands in the past (on your
own band tours, with Morrissey, Polecats, etc.) what is your favorite
city to visit and why? What is your most memorable gig?
Boz: New York, L.A. , Nashville
, Copenhagen, San Francisco My most memorable gig ...LA forum
with Morrissey 1991 when David Bowie joined us for the encore!
adam-ant.net: According to your
webpage, you played several gigs (with your wife Lyn also) in
a band called Dixie Fireballs and you performed at the Tennessee
State Women's Prison. Can you tell us how that went? Were you
intimidated with the audience?
Boz: The prison gig was great,
the girls loved it, and we just finished mixing the live album
from the gig. It should be out soon.
adam-ant.net: What other musical
projects have you been involved in lately? You recently did a
gig in Ireland - how did it go?
Boz: Ireland was good; we
just put a rockabilly band together and played some small pubs
at part of a Roots festival.
adam-ant.net: Do you find touring
takes a toll on your family life? Do you have children, etc. or
does your partner, Lyn travel with you often?
Boz: It means my time at
home is quite concentrated, but they do come and visit occasionally.
adam-ant.net: What are your next
musical projects?
Boz: I'm doing the Fleadh
Festival on Saturday with the Velvet Ghost.com a new band with
Chas Smash from Madness. Then some rockabilly in September with
The Polecats - not sure where yet.
To keep up to date
with Boz's activities, visit his webpage: Boz
Boorer
Note:
All Boz pics were used with his permission and were taken from
his webpage. Title graphic made by webmistress. A big thank
you to Boz for taking the time out of his busy schedule
to do the interview.
