Q & A with Tom Rowlands (2016)

Btw, I've said this before but all three of you (and Adam) should be on stage. Can it happen? I'm sure there's plenty of room on stage for all 3 of you.

Yes! Any chance of a Triple Chemical Super Slam?

Any possibility in releasing Superflash? (the DJ version,not the live version) And why are there 2 versions of this track? Also, is there a chance get C.H.E.M.I.C.A.L released too?

Besides of "Superflash", "C.H.E.M.I.C.A.L" and other unreleased tracks, is there any chance of releasing any of those awesome remixes/mashups/edits you play in your DJ sets? Like "Fine Time" (New Order), "Evil Twin" (Modeselektor), etc? An studio version of "Out Of Control/Setting Sun" would also be a nice gift!

In all seriousness, it really was not that bad!

What happened?

Tom, it was great of you to give up an hour of your evening to hang out with us geeks in Chicago. Knowing that you and Eddy are huge fans of New Order, what was it like meeting them for the first time? How does it feel to produce and write songs with them now, especially on their newest album?

As an addendum to that: Bernard Sumner says he thinks that Giacomo who did the Italian voice on Tutti Frutti is a guy who works in Tom's local sandwich shop. True?

Tom, Is your refrigerator running?

Hi all!

Thank you for making this QA.

Being a beginner producer I have a relentless feeling of unsatisfaction when working on tracks. I just can't enjoy it and always feel it's not good and too far from my expectations. I am not sure if it is justified as I mostly actually like my tracks when I listen to them a couple of weeks later.

How do you guys decide when a track is completed ? Do you consider external feedback ? Do you manage to actually feel satisfied of your tracks when working on it ?
Also, what percentage of the material you create represent your releases ?

Thanks!
Fox

Nice questions, Fox.
Welcome!

Being a beginner producer I have a relentless feeling of unsatisfaction when working on tracks. I just can't enjoy it and always feel it's not good and too far from my expectations. I am not sure if it is justified as I mostly actually like my tracks when I listen to them a couple of weeks later.

I know exactly what you're talking about! This had me in a bind for years. I am not Tom, but my method to combat this is to treat my song or sound making as "time to make some garbage, just some crap music, who cares." Most of the time, it comes out sounding nice, and I actually enjoy the process because it takes the pressure way off, lowering the expectations. I'm not here to make a great song, I'm here to punch a keyboard and move sliders and click towards something that makes me happy. I haven't enough material for a release yet, but when I do, that's when I'll bring my expectations back and level criticism, getting frustrated as I work towards perfecting the tracks.

Basically, "write drunk, curate sober".

Where do you get so much positive chemical energy, so that at every concert and interview are smiling from ear to ear?

• What do your family members/ neighbours say when you're producing loud electronic music, experimenting with synths/ patches? Have you ever bothered them with what we deem awesome?
  
• Do you consult your family from time to time when making certain tracks (e.g. Salmon Dance)?
• Will the octave kitten ever get a key repair?

Okay, which one of you dorks added a poll to my post?

Most importantly, what is the SH-101 used for live? This has been driving me crazy for 15 years and I'm sure the answer is obvious. Is it just to brag that you guys have one and they cost insane amounts of money now due to hype?

It's used for this intro thing:

http://thechembase.com/media/intro-sh101.mp3

Are there any plans to release your edit of Charles B 'Lack of Love'? I've been desperate for it since hearing you play it at Bugged Out Weekender 2 or 3 years ago, it is absolutely incredible!

• Why did you give up on this track below which is also known among fans as "Problem/ Question" or "Animal" track and which you played live in 2005 (live set) and 2006 on a DJ set at Summercase festival in Madrid?
  
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0zrp5JhyAU
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LSdLc_Y9iA
  
  The melody and that synthesizer are just awesome, Tom!
  

I very much would like to know the answer to this question, what a cracking track. If I remember correctly this was pressed on vinyl or was at least an MP3 as Justin Robertson would play this out.
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Are you concerned that the Robots will one day break loose and enslave humanity?

What's the power consumption of a typical Chemical Brothers Live show?

Were/are plans for a brothers gonna work it out follow up on the table?

A very good question, it would be a great way to get some of those exclusive edits  out. I still dream about having the original it began in  afrika  / beat the clock / yellow train  edit

And problem / questions is a strange one , given Out to a select few as ebw 8. Why  did it never make it out?

• More order than question, but you have to release a full studio version snow/surface!

• Where's Hot Acid Rhythm #2?

• Any chance of releasing the unmixed version of Further?

• Is Norman right and still everybody needs a 303?

• And the most important: I love you guys!

Have you ever considered a one off live show complete with loads of your collaborators performing the tracks with you? I realize it would be a logistical nightmare but I would love this to happen.

Planning more lead vocals?

Do you ever have all the melodies in place when having guests on a track or is it always more organic than that?

At some point recently, did you considered to produce again some old school breakbeat/big beat tunes?

What are the best headphones, audio set ups, you've used in your life?

What's the best lego build you ever had?

Strange questions, but there's a lot of curiosity.

(are comments or remarks about his hair allowed I have no questions but i just admire it very much)

Anyway, what's the story behind most of the visuals?

Why did you guys remove the Out Of Control silhouttes for the BITE tour?

How did you guys find Kate Gibb for the artwork?

Why does I'll See You There have a crazy ending live?

What makes certain songs stick to the setlists and others throwaways? (like Star Guitar and Hey Boy Hey Girl being fixtures and tracks like Come Inside, We Are The Night, Piku, etc. being dumped?)

What's your favorite visual by Adam or favorite performance over the course of the Chemical Brothers?

Where do you find your samples?

What's your favorite film or show?

Who decided to make Further into an audiovisual film?

What made Mark Monero a fixture of the visuals?
I'll save this for Adam
Any chance of Chemical brand toy robots?

Mr Rowlands,

We know the capabilites of you an Mr. Howlett (the Prodigy). Will you ever consider make a song together? Like the new order ones. That would be a killer combo. (like chris nolan with zack snyder  ) greetings from Mexico.