This interview with Dave Newton originally appeared on "Ride
- The Network!", their official British fanzine.
Later Catherine Vercheval used it (although heavily edited) on issue #3 of Ticket
To Ride. Here follows the complete interview (done by Mark Taylor) as it was
originally published on "The Network!".
The secrets of Ride's success are many: song writing ability, musicianship,
and a youthfulness which produces a strong bond between them and their fans,
to name but a few. However, another ingredient exists. This essential element
comes from outside the band, or rather from 'the fifth member'!
It seems common knowledge that if you like music and you can't play a note then
you'll write a fanzine (!), roadie for a band, or become a music manager. However,
in Dave Newton Ride have a little more than a manager! Dave Newton had been
an integral part of the local scene long before Ride appeared. He started 'Local
Support','Gig' newspaper, promoted many of the Jericho Tavern's best gigs, however,
not everything was rosy. Jericho records flopped dismally (and undeservedly),
as did the 'Local Support' showcase at the Apollo, these experiences all helped
to give Dave a working knowledge and an uncanny understanding of the ins and
outs of recording industry. They also helped him to gain valuable contacts,
and to have the opportunity to put on Ride. The band have come a long way since
that first support slot. Right from their first tentative steps to their growing
stardom, Dave has a valuable input of ideas, concepts and friendship. This really
honed and refined the band, vithout taking t,oo much ' control as is usually
the wont of music management. Last Summer I intervieved him to get his side
of the 'Ride success story', to find out about squirrels, and to hear of Ride
"4-in-a-bed romps" in Sheffield!
Where did Dave originate from?
"Kingston-Upon-Thames, in a lovely sleepy suburb of London!"
Do you originally came to Oxford to study?
I came to Oxford to go to college, I wouldn't say originally came to study!
(rebel!) Yeah, I came to university to embark on a maths degree".
How did he do?
"Well he finished on a highly commendable upper second (so much for rebel!).
Basically it brought me to Oxford which was the best thing that came out of
it, I hated college, I hated the set-up here, Oxford was a far more beautiful
place then anything I'd ever seen before, and I still notice that whenever the
band comes back from somewhere."
So why did he stay?
"I didn't know what to do, I didn't want any of the conventional jobs that
graduates go into, so I just hung around here, I got a job at 'Our Price', or
'Music Market' as it was then."
So how did you get into promoting gigs? The first one I saw was the 'Local
Support' 1st birthday party (which featured Shake Appeal - now Svervedriver!),
had you done anything before that?
"No. The first thing I got involved in was Friday nights at the Jericho,
which a guy called Adrian Fairs was running under the name of 'Changes', and
I'd alvays been interested in what was going-on around the place, like The Go-betweens
at St Pauls, Felt, Elvis Costello etc;
[...]
But, I just got interested in what was going on, but it was very disjointed,
it wasn't very well advertised and stuff, so that's when 'Local Support' the
news sheet started, to let people know what was going on, it was just two sides
of A4 done on a typewriter".
Did you originally finance that out of your own pocket?
"Yeah, and we had a couple of adverts and things. It started in October
'86, ve then became part of a local paper called "The enquirer", which
lasted two issues then folded, then we set-up 'Local Support' as a regular fortnightly
thing from April the following year."
Now you've left the Oxford scene as a promoter, and left a void, what kind
of advances would you like to see?
"I'm a bit disappointed somebody didn't take over the Friday nights at
the Jericho Tavern, it was all set up. There's not a lot of risk involved in
booking bands once a week that cost £50-100, its not hard to run. It worked
well especially in term time, it was the most popular thing in Oxford. People
would come because they trusted my judgement; which wasn't brilliant all of
the time admittedly, but we had a regular audience."
So with these successes do you think you'll ever have any non Ride related
projects in the music industry in the future?
"Well a few bands have asked me to manage them, but the way I organise
my sort of set up, and, the way Ride works - l can't see it as possible, as
I'm involved on a far more intrinsic level than any other band manager. I can't
see where I'd get time to take on another band, therefore it wouldn't be fair
to do so. But that said it would be nice to get to the stage in the future where
Ride pretty much runs itself because we've got that many more people involved,
and we've got our own office and office staff ."
What made Ride so much different from other Iocal bands that you realised
you could promote them at such an early stage?
"I got on with them really well, I mean obviously I knew Steve from a few
years back. They were very easy to get on with, and they vere all very committed
- they were waiting for the day they could give up their jobs and do Ride full-time.
You always got the feeIing every other local band just did it for a hobby, was
just waiting for success to fall on their door mat. They vere very excited about
everything and they weren't cynical. There was definitely a positive feeling
coming off them, but also every time they played they just seemed to inspire
the audience. I mean, that first gig at the Tavern, all of a sudden people were
dancing all over the place, and they weren't all there to see Ride by any stretch
of the imagination! They seemed to be able to turn people's ears very instantly.
At first, I just thought this were because they were a local version of things
I liked. It wasn't because I thought there was something wonderful about them
themselves it just saved me having to go London to see whoever. It was just
really exciting on your doorstep. It was only because of other peoples' reactions
when they started to play around the country, that I realised my initial enthusiasm
had much more founding then I'd given it credit for."
Your progression into being the band's manager does seem to have been a progression
rather than something instant, when did you officially become manager?
"I can't remember the date, it was some day in the King's Arms (an Oxford
pub, ed.), it was a bit of a strange set-up, a bit like asking someone to marry
you! I was effectively their manager anyway in the sense I was the day time
telephone number. I'd done all the mailing out of cassettes, and organising
gigs, just basically being that point of contact. But they knew I was involved
in other things and they didn't want me to say 'look I haven't got time', so
they were happier to keep the situation the way it was, and I didn't want to
say 'can I be your manager', and them to say 'look it's a bit formal'. So we
both knew what was the best thing for everyone, but no one actually said anything.
It must 'have been sometime around June last year (1989) we were having a band
meeting to discuss what we were going to record as the first single. Andy and
Loz had to leave early, so myself, Mark and Steve just hung around having a
drink and Steve said 'err... there's something we'd like to ask you' (did he
get down on one knee though?!) It was like two partners both wanting the same
thing but being too scared to ask and feel rejected."
How did you originally meet Ride? I saw them supporting Satan Knew My Father,
and I know you worked with Steve.
"Well I knew Steve before I worked at 'Our Price'. I just remember him
working there and being the aggressive, stroppy one who wouldn't serve me with
any of my Smiths singles! No it was great really! We used to work downstairs
running the singles, from I suppose it was July 1986."
So you saw him and Andy in their previous incarnation?
"Oh, I certainly did. 'Big Spider Back' I saw them at the 'Wasteland' club
at the Caribbean, I didn't know Andy but I knew of Andy, and I heard an early,
almost Felt like version of "Chelsea Girl" in about July/August of
'88. Then Steve was telling me about what was going on. Andy knew Mark from
school, they played some gigs where they did a number of cover versions at Cheney
School; I didn't go to any of those. But then Mark and Andy went off to Art
College and that's where they met Loz, and on October 19th 1988 they finally
got together in Loz's Mum's garage in Ramsden where they had their first jam
and it just went brilliantly well. They then recorded a four-track demo later
in '88 and Steve gave it to me because he wanted to know what I thought, and
I was quite excited about it. And I've also got another track - I've forgotten
now what it's called; it's a sort of a Fall pastiche, where they read this story
from "The Sunday Sport" (!) to very weird noise in the background!
They did a gig at somebodies party just before Christmas in '88, and apparently
it went really vell. Then in January '89, I'd started the 'Local Support' night
at the Tavern, and I had a cancellation from a thrash band from Bradford. So
I said to Steve if they wanted a gig they could play and the rest is history!"
Another reason for the band's success seems to be their personal touch and
creativeness vith regards to promotional stuff. Do you think these ideas will
run-out before the songs or vice versa?
"Well, the band's more than a group of people producing music. The band's
really what comes out of the four of them being together, and without being
arrogant, even to some extent my input. It just seems natural to design your
own record sleeve and t-shirts, and why sell them for more, you don't need to?
People have always tried to take things like that away from us but it's been
too important to us, and also there's the idea of doing four tracks on a 12"
and not doing a 7" etc; it's a very 'pure' angle I suppose, but it's not
puritanical it's just natural".
Often in interviews the band attribute their success to living in Oxford,
do you think you will remain in Oxford or do the bright lights of the music
capital beckon you?
"Mark wants to leave to London, because he's got the attitude where he's
got somewhere to live in Oxford, i.e. he can go back to his parents'. He loves
Oxford and the fact that you can just get away from it all in Oxford and get
your head together. But his argument is there's no point in having somewhere
else in Oxford when he could do with somewhere in London. But I certainly don't
want to move to London, the only reason I'd move away is if something horrible
happens here really, and I think that's the feeling of the others. I mean London's
not a problem to get to, we spend half our time there and it's only an hour
and a half on the coach, but it's so good to come 'away' from it."
Now you no longer drive or manage the tours. Does this new freedom help,
you to do a better job of general management duties?
"Definitely. Because when I am on tour I can't do anything except tour,
therefore, everything must wait until the end of the tour, and if we're going
to be away from the middle of October until Christmas... I am tied-up for that
length of time and so nothing's going to get done. I'll still go to most of
the dates, probably all of the dates 'cos I like going. But I'm not having to
worry about how ve're going to get from A to B, and whether we're going to be
there on time or not. It's going to be more relaxing, so yeah I'm kind of looking
forward to the next tour! I mean, I think it was good to be involved an that
level, it was definitely necessary on the first tour because we had to make
money off it to live, and almost to some extent the second tour. But it meant
I knew what was involved in the job, I think it also got everyone keyed into
the attitude of we're all in this together and we've got to live together for
the next six weeks. That's been an amazing thing about this year, the band have
spent one week in alI this year when they haven't seen each other, its quite
amazing how well everyone still gets on."
Does it ever get claustrophobic on tour when you're permanently with the
same people, and does it help with yourself and the band all being friends anyway?
"It certeinly helps, yeah. There are days where you just have to get out
and go for a walk somewhere, just disappear off for an hour. You definitely
need a bit of space. So sometimes when friends come up... and its good if Mark
goes off with Tara for the day or something like that. Things like that where
you just create your own space, but it hasn't been as bad as it ought to have
been. Everyone feeds off each other, which has been a source of inspiration,
I mean we got off tour, and the first day we were off nobody saw each other.
Then the next day everybody was phoning each other up to see how they were!"
After hundreds of Ride gigs which has been your favourite, and do you still
enjoy them as much?
"I wouldn't like to put my finger on one, there's probably ten favourites
ranging from the first to the last! The Roskilde festival in Denmark was really
special. The ULU gig, and the Oxford Venue gig from the last tour, and also
Sheffield Leadmill was a pretty storming night, erm Camden Falcon - the one
that was chaos, because it was really exciting! The Subterranea with Galaxie."
Finally on a lighter note...after cruel jibes from the band with regards
to squirrels, now's your chance to get back at the band! How have they embarrassed
themselves while you have been managing them?
"Well, it's just their general puerility really, you know!...No I wouldn't
say a word against them, they're all lovely people but err.. I do think..no
I won't even say that"... (go on!)... "Well, I do think that 'four-in-a-bed'
lark at Sheffield was a bit much, and Jason and Mark on the chatlines for an
hour was a bit embarassing. Poor lonely people, all those fans out there they
could talk to, and they have to spend an hour talking to some Scottish geezer
on a chatline, and pay the twenty quid bill in the morning!"
Well, there you are the whole, unadulterated truth!
Interview by Mark Taylor
First published by 'RIDE - The Network!'.
TTR wants to be a good judge and is trying to make a objective portrait of
the band. And, to be open to the most diverse opinions, here are some critics,
found on the place or during the days that followed the gig, and made by a representative
sample of the people. Poll made by Ride Research Ltd.
The facts:
On june 6th 1991, in the stadium of Grimonprez-Jooris, during the
festival Les Enfants terribles de Lille, Ride gave a concert of 50 minutes and
played two new tracks. The group was at his best and managed to have success
despite a part of the audience that wasn't there for them (The Pixies were following).
The encore, yet scheduled, was canceled and the band left for its mother country
at 21h50 precisely. Detail : it didn't rain.
The fed up
Yeah, Ride, not bad, of course. Their intro title, ok, is good, but this is
not a revolution. It's true. They didn't create the guitar, I think. Understand
me, they have something, they have rhythm, there are melodies, oh ! there
are even texts. What's this track ? Dreams Burn Down ? Yeah, yeah,
let's be honest, there is some research, but as i'm telling you, it could be
better. What ? Yeah, you're right, they are still young, but I don't know,
if I was them, I think...
The fake-poet
Ride on stage : guided by the track of some Chelsea hazy girl, we disappear
for a nowhere with a bitter taste where we can daydream.
The breaker
Ah, now, Ride ! It's gonna be quite violent, folks. They'll have to be
correct, at the front of the stage, look at this girl, in no time she'll be
out. Yeah, listen to that, they're beginning with Seagull or Chelsea Girl. A
good head kick and...oh, be quiet, wait until it begins. Yeah ! ! !
Ride ! ! ! C'mon, guys ! ? ? ? This is new,
uh ? Hey, it's quite calm. Wait for the next one, and you'll see.
The old guy
What are those hysterical guys screaming like mad at those english hooligans !
When I was young, we would never have seen that. Look at that, they're getting
crazy and they break their guitars ! Ah ! He looks smart, the singer !
Right, right, they play something else. With volume as high as possible, please.
Will be deaf at 30, all those youngsters. And when you think it's over, it's
not, with this excited audience who's just waiting for more violence. Ah, they'll
look nice getting out. They'd need a good war, those kids.
The First Hour fan
This is your first gig of Ride ? Ah, as for me, it's my 10th
one, I know them since the beginning. Now, everybody's talking about them, but
it was far better before. You know, when I saw them with the House of Love,
it was brilliant. Nobody knew them, but I was there for them. I already had
the t-shirt and all... Ah, sorry, it's begining. C'mon Ride ! What ?
No, I don't know, must be a new one. I can't know everything !
Alex, the burger seller
Ride ? I don't know them. Do you think I have the time to answer you ?
Ketchup ? I vaguely heard something. It seemed quite noisy. How many guitars
do they have ? Here you are, three tickets, please. Thanks. Then !
Please, go somewhere else, can't you see you're blocking everyone ?
Ticket to Ride
Ride, in Lille was particularly at his best. An audience of 2.000 people wasn't
enough to impress them (it'll be something quite different in Crystal Palace
the week after) and they're at ease leading the game, letting us speechless
at the very begining with a new song they call " B song ", on which
the repetitive and addictive tempo of Today meets the incredible and destructive
power of Nowhere, everything being rhythmed by a captivating tape tempo. Ride
still amazes us. The concert goes on with known titles on which Andy's having
fun changing the chords, under the uncertain stare of the others : where
is he going ? Mark seems in a good shape and is clearly surer, offering
a more powerful and better voice. Crazy, during Dreams Burn Down, he even manages
to unscrew the vibrato of his Rickenbacker !
Steve's bass is impeccable and supports very well the first song, and Laurence
proves everyone, if needed, that he doesn't hit anything in any way (as someone
will notably say ) !
At the middle of the concert, they offer us a second new track, Chrome Waves
(if I read correctly the setlist), in the style of Today Forever and which confirms
the new trend of a more atmospheric music, quite far from the noisy inspirations
of their begining.
When Mark announces " This is an old song ", Chelsea Girl seems indeed
very old yet ! The evolution have been extremely quick during this year
and a half. Only the end of the concert lets an after-taste of too little because
the encore - Drive Blind - is cancelled. The band was supposed to go back immediatly
to the UK by ferry. Which may be a good explanation.
Review by
Translation by Thomas Burgel
Being unbiased is good, but once is enough. In Slough, on this 27 July, for their
first headlining festival, and under an inky dark sky lit up by the warm lightshow,
Ride was so good, so big, that I won't resist the temptation of the fan waking
in me. Here is a totaly subjective, enthusiast article, absolutely devoid of any
critical sense. You have been warned.
THE WHEELS ARE TURNING ROUND
Ride headlining a festival is high injustice for all the other acts. In Slough
you would have thought that, say Slowdive were wonderful and Curve exciting
but come Ride and you suddenly question everything you have heard so far. Suddenly
the amplifiers have been turned on and music fills that as yet empty space.
Come Ride and you have a tenfold devaststing power sprung out of an unchallenged
beautiful music. Was it the sun, the "headline excitment", the proximity
of home, don't know, but that night the Oxford gifted four were devilishly good.
In intro, the B-song confirms its highly romantic power and receives a much
more appropriate environment than in Lille with the proper volwe of decibels
(that is very loud), the sunset hour and the softly warm lightshow. Like A Daydream
lively flies by like the plastic balloon which shortly missed Mark Gardener's
head (good reflex!) before they give us a stunning version of Unfamiliar, swiftly
followed by Beneath. Then Dreams Burn Down offers the first emotional peak in
tonight's concert. While Mark uses his vibrato as easily it seems - as you and
I would clap our hands, Andy Bell, as usual, goes a-changing his chords and
always for the better.
WHY DO I STILL WANT MORE CAUSE YOU'RE KILLING ME TO THE CORE
Time for a new song, title unknown and very hard to describe as it sounds like nothing before. You think you have caught the rhythm but it suddenly disappears, comes back quicker, goes again and slows down before it stops once more...something infernal but terribly seducing. Like a thoroughbred horse you try to break in. Then you wonder, what will they think of next? But, relief, here comes an already tamed stallion, Vapour Trail, as lovely and charming as Perfect Time, the next one, is strong and thrilling. It takes all sorts to make a world and Ride come second to none when they drive us from one feeling to another.
AS HARD AS RIGHT CAN BE IT CAN FEEL SO WRONG
Chrome Waves follows, another new song except for those who went to Lille (and the Crystal Palace), but here it is played in a much more powerful version with Mark's softer vocals giving a better support to Andy's lead singing. This is definitely another great one worth wearing the Ride quality Label just like old Taste, always welcome, always perfectly performed and always perfectly received.
ALL THAT'S LEFT IS YOU AND ME AND HERE WE ARE
After Taste comes the long and unescapable fall to hell or fly to heaven, depending on your disposition. Nowhere strikes the first blow and casts its heavy shadow on the unsuspecting crowd. Slowly it wraps you up from all sides and once in its firm grip, there is no escape. When Andy stops singing and they start the slow-down - very, very slowly - until all you can hear are a few electric notes carelessly scattered on the lingering bassline and controlled drums, you wish Andy could start singing again and end that unbearable pressure. Yet, he takes time...seconds pass like hours...our heart adjusts to this slow rhythm, ready to stand still... All that's teft is you and me, and here we are. Instantly the welcoming flood splashes on us, pouring like fresh water after the heat. We are completety washed out and can breathe again but I know we are not out of it yet for here they go again, with Laurence and Steve adjusting their rhythm down, relentlessly going back to nowhere. And strangely enough I follow them so willingly...
YOU MADE MY LIFE A WAKING DREAM BUT WE ARE DEAD
Once we have reached nowhere we might as well take off. Seagull takes care
of that and its riot of distortions breaks our last links to life and reality.
Then they go and leave us a chance to fly free but we stay. We have loved it
and need more. The noise, the power, the pressure, that's all we want, especially
when it's matched with harmony, beauty, and Art. So our four craftsmen come
back to give us more - nice guys - and start afresh swth another new song, built
on a typical wall of guitars, with something undescribly sad in Andy's clear
vocals. I've only heard it once and may not hear it again until the actual release
some time next year, but its soothing/uplifting effect is still in me. A splendid
song.
GLOWING, FLOWING, AND LIFTING OFF THE GROUND
At that moment, we are hovering high - or crawling low - and there is only one
song to get us further, close to the limits never to be trespassed. Glowing,
flowing and lifting off the ground, Drive Blind. The legendary Ride song, first
on Snub TV and for many a fan, the first "Ride Shock", has turned
into real live hot shot, getting more insane with every gig. Mark starts the
worldwide famous chords and we all embark for the last drive in our lives. Subdued
we forget ourselves and when the crash comes, all we can hear is that terrible
noise. Is it death? Ride probably know. Mark is bent on his guitar like under
the combined effect of pain and pleasure, Andy looks like he wants to crash
his guitar, Steve paces up and down and Laurence goes wild before holding his
sticks ready for the final blow...But that final doesn't come yet for the guitars,
especially Mark's, martyrised to death, are still howling, screaming, moaning
under the pain, and sound like they wiLl never stop. For minutes or hours we
are caught between life and death and who knows here we want to go? When we
have surrendered and are ready to remain unconscious for ever, Laurence finally
beats his drums and Mark brings us back to life (I guess) with these old familiar
notes. Back on the road again, but not quite the same as before because we have
seen the ghost of death hanging on us.
After this surreal achievement, Ride walk off stage again, leaving their fans
unsure of where to go, like kids having lost their wholly powerful father. But
thank god, they are not that merciless and come back with sparkling Chelsea
Girl. Short and good as it is, it is all we need to recover our spirits. After
all, this was just another rock concert, but what a concert!
Review by
01.27.89. While I'm a fan of the Sex Pistols and others, the Jericho Tavern
explodes : Ride, at this time an unknown band, makes his first concert.
They start without any introduction, with All I can see. I'm surprised when
I try to sing because the lyrics of the second verse are different from the
first EP version! The lyrics of Chelsea Girl, very powerfully played, are
also different (which doesn't remove anything to the magic of the song...).
The third pearl, Hit me like a train, has a wonderful guitar riff, and some
wonderful and dreamy vocals.
The first notes of Drive Blind have probably paralyzed the audience as they
still do now. The end is fantastic : Laurence proves that he knows how
to use a drumkit!
Then comes Intro 154. Slowly, the drums and the guitars surround an audience
unable to defend themselves, and when they all think they are secure, Ride attacks :
the speakers chase thunder, storm and fire...and then come back on Earth. Not
for a long time, because Close my eyes takes possession of the Tavern. The music
gets out from the center of the Earth by her deeply natural beauty... Have you
also ever wondered why their newsletters have "Tomorrow Never Knows" at the
top? Well, it's a song of the Beatles, and Ride play it tonight. A brilliant
version, with the band getting completely mad at the end. John Lennon after
the gig: "I'm proud of these kids".
Review by
Wim Reygaert
Translation by Thomas Burgel