Booth first branched out from the womb of James in 1996 when he collaborated with composer Angelo Badalamenti on the Booth and the Bad Angel album. Booth recorded a total of nine studio albums and three live albums before announcing his departure from the group in 2001. He split from the successful combo following a farewell tour at the tail end of 2001 and since then has steadfastly pursued a solo career. He released his debut Bone, this past June on Sanctuary Records.
We caught up with the flamboyantly voiced rock crooner and assaulted him with our pithy "11 Questions". What follows are his candid answers.
1) Who is your favorite superhero or super villain and why?
Tim Booth: I should say Batman, 'cause I just got my arse kicked in the new Batman movie, by the "caped-crusader" [Editor's note: Tim plays the character Victor Zsasz] I have a tiny part, as a serial killer, and while I was in make-up, Batman was undergoing his three hour costume transformation (How these Super-heroes ever get to a crime scene on time, is beyond me!). Anyway, Christian Bale (Batman) got out of his seat, shook my hand, and said "Tim Booth? From James? Laid is one of my all time favorite albums. It saw me through a really difficult time." So, in an act of mutual, back-slapping, respect, I'll say Batman.
2) What is your favorite late night snack when you're in the studio or out on tour, and why?
Tim Booth: I usually have a meal after performing, as I need to replenish energy lost. If I can't get a meal, a bowl of cereal will suffice - Cornflakes and Bananas spring to mind!!!
3) Who or what are your non-musical influences and why?
Tim Booth: The physicality and beauty of Bruce Lee had a big impact on me. When I was 7, I saw him as Kato, in the Green Hornet, as was blown-away! Later, as a 12 yr old, I used to sneak into R rated movies and watch his hokey kung-fu films, in which he was never less than astonishing - Definitely a role model for slight, skinny men!
The mythologist writer, Joseph Campbell, had one of the biggest impacts on my brain. I probably amassed maybe 300hrs worth of his lectures, from sources, legal and otherwise, and am constantly fed by his wisdom and story telling.
4) What is the motto you live by?
Tim Booth: F@#K YOU!
5) Which do you prefer, performing music live or creating it in the studio, and why?
Tim Booth: Creating songs in the studio is a little less pressured, but half the thrill is knowing that, one day, you're going to show these songs to people in a live context. So they're fairly indivisible for me, I love them both.
6) Do you recall the First concert you ever went to? If so, what was it?
Tim Booth:Iggy Pop on the "Lust For Life Tour" at the Manchester Apollo. It scarred me for life! I can never perform now, without completely knackering myself on stage. Wish I'd seen a more sedate singer!
7) Do you remember the first album you ever bought? Was it on CD, vinyl, cassette or 8-track? Why did you buy it?
Tim Booth: I don't remember the first album, but the first important album I bought, that made me sell everything else I had up to that point, was Patti Smith's Horses. It was on vinyl. I bought it because it was, and probably still is, the greatest album I've ever heard. I heard the song "Bird Land," which is a story about a son losing his father, on the night that I was told my dad was probably going to die, and that bonded me for life. Also, the sleeve photograph, by Mapplethorpe, made her look so beguilingly androgynous.
8) Name a musician that you've always wanted to work with but haven't yet, and why.
Tim Booth: John Lennon, but he's a bit dead!
9) If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Tim Booth: Everything!
10) What has been your most important professional accomplishment to date?
Don't understand the question? But, the most important thing to me is having made a consistently high standard of great music and live performances, over a 20yr period of time. Most of my heroes seem to burn out after 1 or 2 CDs. I'm also very proud of James' collaborations with Brian Eno, which went on for 10yrs.
11) What has been your most memorable or most f@#ked-up gig to date and why?
Tim Booth: One of the most f@#ked-up was standing in, at the last minute, at a Scandinavian rock festival, in front of 20,000 people, for the band Status-quo! Our equipment had been sent back to England (as had our trumpet player), and we had to beg, borrow and steal from all the other bands in order to perform. Surprisingly, we went down a storm!
The Ubiquitous Bonus Questions
What do you believe is your kindred spirit animal and why?
Tim Booth:My friend just shouted out "Snake," so I'll go with that! On-stage, I move like a snake, and I'm very intense and focused!
What is your favorite book?
Tim Booth: My favorite book, today, is the Philip Pullman trilogy, His Dark Material. These are 3 fantasy books, originally written for teenagers, but they turned into something quite amazing, as the theme becomes two children's journey to try and kill god. Better than Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter.
