Luke Potashnick of The Temperance Movement

Luke Potashnick of Britain’s The Temperance Movement talked with QRO....
Luke Potashnick of The Temperance Movement : Q&A

Luke Potashnick of The Temperance Movement : Q&A

Luke Potashnick of Britain’s The Temperance Movement talked with QRO. In the interview, the guitarist discussed capturing the band’s live sound in the studio, bringing back the British blues tradition, opening for The Rolling Stones, and more…

 

 

QRO: It goes without saying that playing live changes a band. How do you feel you guys have changed as a group after playing so many live shows?

Luke Potashnick: That’s what this band is all about and always has been – any studio time has just been trying to capture us playing live. All these shows have given the songs a chance to breathe and develop into extended versions, which allow us to draw upon our jam band influences – the Dead, the Crowes and the Stones. Sometimes it works better than others but that’s what keeps it exciting for us, and hopefully the audience.

QRO: You have quite a history of being involved in music prior to The Temperance Movement. What has been a singular aspect of being in this group that’s differed from your previous experiences?

LP: Temperance gives us complete freedom to write and play the music we want – before we had get the job done, you know… That was the reason we started this – as a release from everything else we were doing… It just so happened that more and more people started showing up to gigs, giving us the opportunity to do this more and more.

QRO: When I heard the self-titled album it very much sounded like a band sounding exactly how they want to sound. Does the songwriting happen in a purely collaborative way?

LP: The songs came about in different ways – some started with guitars, others with words but it feels like all of us are caught up in these recordings – and we did record this album with zero intention – other than to make music that we loved and believed in – we wanted it to feel honest and I believe we achieved that.

That’s what this band is all about and always has been – any studio time has just been trying to capture us playing live.

QRO: What surprised you the most with the aftermath of releasing an EP such as Prides?

LP: I guess we weren’t expecting the positivity from so many people – we liked what we were doing but didn’t stop to think that others might like it too!

QRO: Has it surprised you at all, seeing the reaction people back in Britain have had towards The Temperance Movement?

LP: Yes it has… especially in Britain because despite our great heritage in British blues and rock n roll, there isn’t the scene in the U.K. today like there is stateside – we knew we would be facing an uphill struggle back home and were very pleasantly surprised and grateful to find this extraordinary fan base that supports us now.

QRO: When the band initially came together, what do you think it was that clicked and made you think, ‘OK, we have something here?’

LP: The first rehearsal was very exciting – we were all smiling ear to ear. And before that, Paul [Sayer, guitar], Phil [Campbell, vocals] and I felt really good about the songs we had started writing. There was a tremendous amount of goodwill and good feeling right from the start – a lot of enthusiasm and it all came together very easily – that’s when the five us knew we did something good together.

QRO: Opening up for The Rolling Stones… I mean, just wow. How did the crowd take to you guys in Germany?

LP: They were very kind and good to us… A crowd of 50 thousand people just have this energy and though we knew everyone was so excited to see the Stones, I think they were into it – we were into it!

I think we can perform to 20 people or 20,000 and do it right

QRO: How much did you guys go over how the live show would be while you were recording?

LP: We were very focused on the songs whilst recording – we only had four days in the studio to cut sixteen or so songs. I guess the recordings were informed by the gigs we played before – and the gigs we played after the session progressed because of the recordings.

QRO: What’s been the most memorable reaction you’ve gotten from a crowd at a show?

LP: The London Scala show was particularly memorable for me – it was one of the first bigger shows for us and the crowd were just so loud – half way through the set we played a pretty visceral version of “Only Friend” and the crowd went proper nuts – it was pretty overwhelming and it felt like they wouldn’t let us start the next tune!

QRO: Is there a venue you’ve yet to play in that you’d love to play a show in?

LP: I’d be up for playing anywhere with these guys – I think we can perform to 20 people or 20,000 and do it right – Phil just works whatever audience he has so hard and we’re right there with him. That said, I’d love to play our own show at the Royal Albert Hall… We got to play a couple of tunes there a couple of years ago and it felt really special. You can feel the history there.

The Temperance Movement’s video for “Take It Back”:

Categories
InterviewsSlider
Album of the Week