An Interview with John Otway

Well, I finally got the opportunity to interview Otway during his recent trip to New York. In a nerve-wracking twist of fate, the interview was also filmed for television, although I suspect (almost hope, in fact) that I will be edited out, and some of Otway's responses used as soundbites. Unfortunately my own recording equipment failed me, so I don't currently have a record of Otway's precise words (though still I hope to get a copy from those nice television people), but I did make some notes the following day, so the gist of most of the answers are online below, but sometime I hope to include an actual transcript. Unfortunately this means that the exact wording used below is completely wrong, so please view this as a tabloid article (i.e. largely fabricated), rather than something worthy of National Geographic.

Although the interview has now taken place, please feel free to send in any other questions that you may have - there's no reason why there shouldn't be a second interview, if there are enough questions to warrant it.

I would also like to particularly thank Chris Nuza, Neil Sedgwick and Chris Lane for providing many of the questions, as well as my friend Vic for providing the last question literally moments before the interview began. And of course, a big thanks to John himself for allowing me to interview him.

• What music do you listen to yourself?
  I don't really get a chance to listen to much music these days, but I used to listen to a lot of Dylan, and other "bad" singers
   
• Who are you impressed by? Do you look up to anyone in particular?
  Not really (the actual answer was longer than this, but I cant's remember the details, so it will have to wait for a proper transcript)
   
• Do you read much, if so what?
  Actually I mainly read non-fiction - New Scientist and things like that
   
• Do you still write songs even though you don't record them?
  Not much. After the amount of time that went into "Premature Adulation" I wanted a bit of a break. That said, I did write some lyrics on the plane on the way over here, just because it seemed like a suitably rock'n'roll thing to do
   
• Songs like Poetry & Jazz; Photograph; Best Dream; Josephine; Middle of Winter always go down well at gigs yet singles in the past 10 years have all been comedy ones or rogue covers - aren't you tempted to risk releasing one of the more visceral songs as a single?
  Not really - the failure of the orchestral version of "Geneva" put me off
   
• Have you ever missed a scheduled gig and if so why?
  I have - the one that sticks in my mind most was when I had to have a gall stone removed. In total I've only had to cancel about 20 gigs out of 2,500
   
• What happens when you're in a really bad mood and you've got a gig that night?
  I'm usually able to put any problems to one side, or even to turn them to my advantage during the gig
   
• What proportion of the audience at the average gig do you recognise by sight?
  Probably about 10%
   
• What's it like being the focus of all that fan stuff at Dunkerque?
  GREAT!
   
• What do your family think of your job?
  A lot more since the Royal Albert Hall gig
   
• What is your own favourite Otway song? And what is your favourite song by someone else?
  Poetry and Jazz - it took me two years to write, and I'm quite proud of it. (the second part of the question will, again, be covered by the full transcript: it was a song by Van Morrison, but I can't remember which one)
   
• What has been the highlight of your career to date? (RAH gig excepted)
  The Hit - or rather The Old Grey Whistle Test that led to it
   
• Do you ever worry that, having built yourself up as such an accomplished failure, one of your singles might actually enter the charts and immediately wipe out half of your routine?
  Not really. I've already thought of what I'll say when that day arrives
   
• What was the worst gig you've ever played?
  I can't think of one really - even the bad ones usually have some redeeming factor
   
• Are you happy in what you do? If so, have you always been - or have you had any moments when you seriously considered getting a more sensible job?
  Yes, I'm very happy doing this, so I've never even thought of giving it up
   
• If you had to give your job up tomorrow, what would you ideally do instead? And what would you actually do?
  I'm not sure, but it would have to be something in the public eye
   
• Which of your stunts or promotions do you feel, retrospectively, was a mistake? Are there any that just make you cringe when you look back on them?
  Not really - all my mistakes are just more material for my self-effacing humour. All those stunts were what allowed me to write a book, so I don't regret any of them.
   
• What would you like as your epitaph?
  I don't know - I hope I'm nowhere near needing one yet
   
• Which do you find easier, singing or acting? And which do you enjoy doing most?
  Whichever I'm doing at the time
   
• Is there anyone that you would really like to record a song with?
  Anyone more famous than me
   
• What do you think of modern pop and dance music? And how would you feel if somebody were to remix one of your own songs into a dance number?
  I don't like dance music. Some people write for minds, some people write for bodies: I've never been any good at dancing. Of course, if someone were remix one of my songs that would be fine - anything for a hit
   
• Do you have any plans to retire, or are you going to carry on well into old age, like an English John Lee Hooker?
  I haven't got any plans to retire, but I do wonder what will happen when I'm too old to somersault
   
• Do you feel that night after night of headbutting microphones has affected you in any way?
  I can't really tell, but I don't think so
   
• Has your lack of commercial success dented your confidence in your songwriting ability?
  No
   
• Do you ever feel guilty about taking other people's songs - which were presumably heartfelt personal messages at the time - and making fun of them? How do you think you would feel if somebody did the same thing with one of your own more serious songs?
  Not at all - and I wouldn't mind if somebody did it to mine
   
• Do you think your career would have turned out differently if you had used "Beware of the Flowers" as the follow-up to The Hit, rather than the B-side?
  It would have been completely different, but I'm not sure that I would be so humble and self-effacing if I'd had more hits
   
• How do you feel the gig went last night? (i.e. John's gig in New York on 20^th February, 1999)
  Really well
   
• Why did you choose to play New York rather than anywhere else?
  No particular reason. The opportunity came up, and you know what they say: if you can make it there...
   
• Do you have any plans to do more work with the Aylesbury Youth Orchestra?
  Yes. At the very least we intend to record the three tracks from the RAH gig.
   
• Finally, what's your favourite sandwich filling?
  Chicken mayo