INTRODUCTION

Soooo we’re back for the second episode of season two, did everyone enjoy the first episode (*crowd applauds). So what’s going on right now, well Suzie announced that she’s gonna be releasing an album following on from that horrid single, I think this signal’s the end of the world as we know it. We have the fan choice awards on Sunday which should be an incredible evening, lots of talented people up for awards and one of those people is our guest for tonight, Ladies and gentlemen please give a warm welcome to the incredibly talented singer-songwriter from London, Katie Coyle!!!

INTERVIEW

Okay, so Ms. Katie Coyle, first question is pretty obvious … Do you hate me?

(Katie sighs)....No. When you're like I am, you can't afford to hate people, so I try not to. I mean I hate my mom, and I hate Cassie Bitch, but I try to forgive people. I know I'm guilty of flying off the handle. I can see that more than anyone else. Believe me on that one. It's just part of my....condition? I don't know if I have what you would traditionally call a "condition", but I know myself that I'm not always 100% sane.
But no. In all honesty, I was just really sad when I read your review. I don't hate you, even though I said really angry mad things about you when I first saw what you had to say.

Your album was a great piece of work, the point I was trying to get across was that I wanted was for it to be recognized for the quality of the music, you can’t deny that what went on obviously helped sales, but like I say It was a great piece of work and deserves to be appreciated, tell us about the recording process?

Thank you, that helps me a little that you liked it. I'd like to think that the drama that is my hectic media life didn't make people buy my album, but I don't doubt that it did to an extent. In a purist world, from an artist point of view, it would be very nice to think that people bought my CD solely because they liked the songs they had heard, and I'd have challenged you about that point a few weeks back. But you're probably right. This was like my Amy Winehouse moment. Some people will like the music, but a lot of people just hear the notoriety, and it can propel your career in a way that I don't think is exactly...pure, or right, or even fair to other people.

They say that there is no such thing as bad publicity, and I don't know if I agree with that anymore. Yes, my album has been at the top of the chart for almost a month now, but I feel like I'm going to be associated with crazy rants and fighting with my future girlfriend forever. And I'd rather just be a musician again. If I was though, would people buy my music? It's a vicious circle. I don't know, I'm making my own head spin here.

Sorry, I'm totally off topic now Jake. The recording process? Yeah, for me it was a relatively straightforward, but heartbreaking process. Imagine if you had a dream for your whole life, and then when it came around, one of the major parts of what you had dreamed was snatched away. Don't get me wrong, I loved recording the album, and I love what came out of it, but I was supposed to play guitar on it, and obviously I couldn't. That killed me inside, totally ate me up.

So yes, for me, the recording process was mostly just singing. I had written the songs weeks before we went into Abbey Road (which was so amazing, as a place to record), so it was a case of just getting my vocals done. The staff there took me under their wing as well though, and I got to have a lot of input into the production of the album as well. They taught me how it all worked, and allowed me a lot of chance to have a muck around with the equipment. That was a nice thing to learn, and it allowed me to come out of it all with a new skill, which I could use for myself in the future. Who knows, I might even get the chance to produce for other artists as well.

You didn’t initially intend on having all of those guest collaborators on the record though, right?

I didn't no. As I said before, it was supposed to be me. My dream, ever since I learned to play guitar 11 years ago, was to have an album released, and I always dreamed as a little girl that it would be this folky, moody, acoustic solo album, where it was just me and my guitar. My idea of the kind of artist I was, was always built around the fundamental of purity. And that was where my dream lay...just Katie and her guitar, the purest sound that one girl could make on her own.

Obviously though, that couldn't happen, because of my arm getting broken. When that first happened, when I was lying on the floor being kicked, smacked and beaten, my first thought wasn't "owwwww my arm hurts, I hope it's not broken", or even "this is sore, I hope she doesn't kill me." No, my first, and only, thought was, "please let me still be able to play guitar". Because, obviously I felt my own arm snapping when Nicole hit me with whatever it was, but I still lay there and prayed that it wasn't going to come back broken.
So when I got the news after the x-ray, that I was not going to be able to play guitar for at least a few months, I just cried. I cried and I cried because my one perfect, pure dream was sucked out of me in that moment of violence and anger. Of all the things that happened to me over the months, that moment when the doctor told me that my arm was so badly broken, and I realised I couldn't play on my own album...well that was the single moment I pin point as the one where I went...well, unstable, in my own mind.

However, once we found a roster of people to work on the album, it was a little easier. When I saw who they had managed to get on board, I knew that I could relax, because the people coming in would do an awesome job. Even that wasn't straightforward though. The first person to offer his services to me was Ryan Ross Hernandez. I was really happy when he offered his guitar skills, gobsmacked you might say, but then I had my first real bitch out, and he had a real go at me, and we ended up not working together, which was a bit sad. I kind of regret missing out on an opportunity like that. I did get to work with some awesome people though; Eric was just so...such a genius, Jack was so versatile, and Scott was such an amazing professional...a true sweetheart. Then there was Jenny. She did vocals and guitar on the record, and she was such a calming influence to be around. She has helped me out so much since then when I've felt a little...angry or about to bitch out. I like to think I made a real friend for life there.

And why did it take so long for you to finally start recording your debut album?

It did yes. Things tend to spiral in my life. As much as I love doing what I do, I'm not a good multi-tasker, and I am a terrible procrastinator as well. I mean, you probably saw that yourself, when I was releasing songs day-by-day before the album came out. There were sometimes up to like 4 days between it. I tend to get washed away in the moment.

So as soon as Suburban Sunrise approached me to go out on tour, that was the only thing I could see really, you know? I released a single in November, and then we toured until like March or April, which meant that my focus was only on that tour. It was only when I sat down at the start of May and thought, “wow, it's been something like 6 months since my debut single.” I knew then that I had to go straight into the studio and put something out there.

Thankfully though, people hadn't totally forgotten me. It would have been all too easy for people to have just let me slip from their minds considering it had been so long, and I had only brought one song out. So I'm glad they didn't. It's a mistake I'll try not to make again. I mean, you never know if you'll be so lucky next time.

Okay, so paint a picture of your life before the Chaos awards, what was it like being Katie Coyle before all of the trouble?

It was really what you might expect for a touring, jobbing, unknown singer essentially. Most of what I did was tour. The Chaos Awards at that time were right at the end of my touring run with Suburban Sunrise and Infinite, so it kind of acts as a massive curtain between the two lives of, what to me seems to be, two very very different Katies. I don't know if that's how it looks to everyone else, but I feel like I am a world away from the Katie who walked out of that tour as a reasonably happy girl, who still had that same childhood dream. You might say I was just too naïve though.

But yeah, my life was pretty comfortable. I didn't have the money, or the fame that I have now. Life was nowhere near as glamorous. I mean I'm still getting used to the fact that if I need something, I don't really have to worry about affording it. Because, unless it's like stupidly mega-priced, I can buy what I want. I don't want to brag or anything...please don't think that, I'm just trying to highlight how different my life was back then. It was just...simple. I played a show at night, and when I went outside, I just signed a couple of autographs from people who had enjoyed my show, and then I went to my bus and I chilled out.

There were no journalists and paparazzi hanging around, and no one trying to make me verbally trip myself up. Yeah, as I say, I wasn't rich and famous at that time, and I probably couldn't have sold out a gig in a phone box, but it was so relaxing, and compared to now, although it didn't seem it at the time, it was just such an easy life. So whilst I'm thankful for everything that has happened to allow me to be where I am, in such a priveleged position, I still sometimes long for that easier way of life.

What did you think of Miss Vanity when you first met her, I was lucky enough to interview her last year. Were you seriously in love with her?

In short; yes. To give you the full story; the first time I met her was at a party in LA. Obviously there's no way I'd have got in on my own, so Eric Quillington took me under his wing, and invited me along. When he introduced me to this eccentric blonde, with a crazy haircut, drinking some really weird looking cocktail...it was one of those moments where the sun splits the clouds, and angels go “aaaaaahhhhhhh” you know? Haha. Although, Vanity was so...special, that I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't my imagination, and she actually did have someone following her with a spotlight.

From the first moment I saw her, I thought, “wow, I have to get to know this girl.” Obviously, you don't think that everyone you meet is onto girls, but when she removed her sunglasses to shake my hand, I saw her give me this look, and it melted my heart. From there, you know, I've told the whole story a million times. We met up regularly at various hotels, and to me, we were a couple in every way. Of course I later found out that Vanity didn't see it the same way as I did.

But yes, I did love her. Totally, and with all my heart. Sorry...I can't believe I'm going to cry...I just haven't even been able to accept that she's actually gone yet. It's ok, just go on.

And then everything eventually became public, do you regret denying it so much?

Of course. I never intended to keep anything hushed anyway. If it was up to me, I'd have bawled about it from the top of the first hotel we slept together in. Like I say, it was love, and I'm just a girl. It's not in our nature to hide away the fact that we are happily in love. It's not the natural way for a relationship to be. If someone was married, then it might have been the correct thing to do...but we were just two girls in love, and that shouldn't have had to be hidden away like that.

Vanity wanted to keep it secret though, because, in her words, she had a lot further to fall than I did. I was naive though. If it was now, I reckon I would have the tenacity to stand up to her and say, “No, I'm telling people about this.” I would have to, I don't think my brain at the moment could take it if it had to lock away a secret as big as that again.

I wish I knew why she was so ashamed about it. Maybe she wanted people to think she was still straight. Although that doesn't make sense, because she was such a gay icon. If anything, being gay would only have boosted her sales around the world.

I guess that's one of these things we'll never know though.

Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance to re-live this year again?

That's something you can never really say. If I hadn't been with Miss Vanity and had my heartbroken, would I be where I am now? Probably not. If I hadn't run my mouth off and gotten my arm broken, would I be with Nicole now? Probably not.

Individual things yes, like getting a broken arm and stuff, I would have preferred not to have happened. But you can't say how things would turned out if everything went so differently.

Dating Nicole Woods was a very bizarre turn of events, she broke your arm and beat you up, how difficult was it to forgive her?

It wasn't all that hard to forgive her once we got talking to be honest. She invited me for a drink, which at first was weird. I was terrified, and I didn't even know if I should go.

When I was there with her in the bar, she told me she just wanted to talk, and although she never said sorry, she just, in the end, touched me with the most gentle touch on my face, and then kissed me....I guess all was forgiven right there and then. We haven't spoken about the fight or the fall out since. Maybe that is a little repressed though? I'll admit that it is a really strange relationship. I mean, we never talk about what happened at the start, and we never discuss...we have never discussed even one single time since we've been together, my music career. We have discussed hers, but never mine.

Don't get me wrong, I love Nicole so so much, and I'd never wish her to change, but I just think that, yes, I agree with you that it is a weird, almost bizarre turn of events that we would be together, and still be together at that.

You're 19 years old and already you’ve had a lot to deal with, do you think there’s anything anyone could have done to help you deal with things a little better?

I can't honestly sit here and blame other people for my own reactions, and craziness and stuff. What I will say though, is that I think my parents might have helped me a whole lot more. My father for example, didn't talk to me once from the day Chaos Online broke the Miss Vanity story, up until my attempted suicide. For a 19 year-old girl, that's hard to take, especially since the reason he wasn't talking to me was something I couldn't help, something that was just an honest part of me, my sexuality.

Then there's my mother. She still spoke to me, but she continuously enjoyed telling me how my sexuality was just a phase. She loved to tell me how I would realise soon enough and break up with Nicole. Of course, I later found out that she also kidnapped me, and made Nicole break her arm, which was just a total...can I swear on here? It was a mindfuck. Does anyone ever expect their own flesh and blood to do that to them? As you probably imagine, that really didn't help me.

Apart from those two though, I can't blame anyone else. Maybe I was always like this, and this year's events just helped to bring it out.

And do you feel like you were under prepared for the music industry and the pressure that comes with it?

No, I don't believe so. I studied the music industry for years, and I had visions of where I needed to be, and what I needed to do. What I was underprepared for was becoming a media circus-freak.
If it had been all about the music, which I maintain it should still be about, then I'd have been just fine.

And I know I sing about my private life and stuff, and maybe that brings more than my fair share of attention to me, but that's only because my own life is all I know. I've never done drink, drugs, or, until this year, even love.

Your ability is quite incredible and like I said in the review, “She has the ability to be one of if not the biggest name in the music industry for years to come.” Do you feel yourself growing as an artist regularly?

In my own opinion, I have always had the talent to do this. I'm not being big-headed, but I have believed in myself for years, and that's an important part of how I managed to stomach the lewd behaviour and sexist nonsense in the London bar scene I had to play in before I got signed up.

I may have grown creatively if it hadn't been for my broken arm, but the lack of guitar playing has probably led to my musical skills dropping a considerable amount. That's something I'll be addressing post-haste. It's so important to me to be able to get back playing guitar, and so hopefully when I get back to that, I'll be able to honestly say that I can see myself building more of a repertoire of skill.

But if nothing else, maybe I've learned the importance of lyrics this year, because of not having my instrumentals to fall back on as much. Hopefully once I get back to playing guitar, I'll be able to fuse the two and, who knows, maybe I'll be a better artist for it.

Your gonna be on tour for the majority of this year, Is being onstage almost every night a release for you?

I don't handle the stage well. Well, not so far anyway. It's with regret that I admit I have toured three times in my career, and have dropped off all three tours early, for various reasons.

I hope to address that issue on my long touring run later in the year, but no, so far,being on stage hasn't been a release for me. I hate to keep harking back to it, but hopefully once I can stand up there with my guitar hanging around my shoulders I'll feel more at home. Maybe you can ask me that question again in the future, haha.

So I will try harder in future to be honest, but no, as of yet, it has been quite the opposite of a release!

And do you think your troubles are finally past you now, do you feel like you can finally enjoy what you have?

I don't know. I never know what tomorrow will bring. I can go from being a happy go-lucky all in love girl, to being a deranged angry psycho, at the click of a finger. It's not what I want to be, but it's true. So at the moment, I'm not totally balanced. I think that's down to all I've gone through though.

I'd like to say that in the future that'll all drain and I'll be a normal girl once again, but who am I to say? I can only hope.

What I will say though, is that the break I have had recently has really helped me to calm down, and I am certainly trying.

Okay, And finally what does the near future hold for Ms. Coyle?

Well I'm on tour for the remainder of the year, starting next Saturday.

First of all, I'm heading out with Glamazon for like July and August. That's gonna be so exciting for me. Glamazon is a favourite of mine, and she has been for so long. I know this is her own first time headlining a tour, so for me to have the chance to go out there and support her...the fact that she chose me personally, is really cool.

After that I have my own tour with Hannah Beth, Aimée Christelle, Aaron Marks and Giselle. I'm hoping that'll be more of a success than my last headline tour. I think the fact that I have other pop acts with me will help though. I mean, GoB and ENF were great bands to have out on tour with me, but I think I felt a little bit alienated because they were both rock bands. That probably didn't help my bitch-fits and my own mental state. So I think touring with solo pop acts will be really cool. I pledge to finish this tour this time, haha. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, it's serious.

And then finally, I tour with Mind, Infinite and Reported Failure in November through January. That will be cool. I've toured with Infinite before, so it'll be cool to see those guys again, especially Eric, who has helped me a lot. Mind, are just so...well they're like complete legends you know? That'll be awe inspiring to see them live every night. And it'll nice to meet a new band in Reported Failure too. I think that tour will probably see the last support dates that I do, because I think I've done enough to merit consistently doing my own headlining tours you know? Even if that sounds a little bit egotistical, I think it'll be better for my career. Then I suppose I'll head into the studio to do a second album. Afterwards, I think I'd like to do something a bit different. Maybe work with someone else. Not a band as such, but maybe another solo artist on maybe a collaborative album...something like that. I don't ever want to be seen to be standing still and just churning out the same stuff again and again.

My future buzzword will be; “dynamic”.

---

PERFORMANCE
As Jake announces her live performance, Katie stands up and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. With the studio audience applauding her, she smiles and waves as she makes her way to the performance area.

Katie walks up to her microphone, before shaking hands with her guitarist Lukey Comatose, who is sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar on his lap. Katie takes her seat on a stool alongside Lukey and addresses the audience.

“Hi everyone. This is my guitarist Lukey, tonight we’re going to play you a slightly different version of one of my album tracks. This one is called “Breakthrough”, and it’s only ever been played live once before. So this is a special night.” She chuckles to herself, leaning down to the side to lift a tambourine from the floor, and counts in with four slow beats of it on her right hand.



Whilst the album version of this track is very upbeat and poppy, this live rendition starts of very moody, with Katie keeping time very slowly on her tambourine, and Lukey playing a slow, moody, bluesy style guitar part, Katie sings the opening line very quietly, “Obscurity was once my friend
But now it seems it’ll come to an end”, and markedly slower than the pop-heavy album track. All the time, she sings with her eyes closed.

As the first chorus ends she lays the tambourine in her lap. Lukey plays a succession of solitary, slowly strummed guitar chords, as Katie hums a haunting melody into the microphone for a few seconds, before she opens her eyes, and lifts her tambourine again, just in time for Lukey to start a much quicker, but still essentially quite dark, guitar chord progression. Her voice is now louder, and more commanding, but Katie still maintains that air of calm, haunting presence as she sings the chorus, “This is not the last time you’ll see me, I’ll go up in the world, And I’m smashing through the barriers, To an all knew kind of girl”, before the guitar silences, and Katie sings the last lines of the chorus with only her very slow tambourine beats to accompany her “This is my, Breakthrough, This is, Breeeaaak-throough.”

As the chorus finishes Katie drops her tambourine and gets to her feet. “Come on guys, clap with me” she asks the crowd, clapping her hands in front of her. Lukey comes back in with a much faster blues riff, and Katie sings the 3rd and 4th chorus without a break. Throughout the next chorus she picks her mic from the stand and walks across the performance area, clearly enjoying the more upbeat feel of the song, and pointing to the camera as she walks.

The next verses, and the chorus are sung as they are on the album, at almost full speed, and Katie stands behind her mic stand, shaking her hips with a previously unseen confidence, smiling all the time, and even shooting Lukey a quick wink as he nods his head slowly in time to his guitar parts.

All of a sudden the music stops, and Katie sits back down on her stool, taking a breather for a few seconds, before very quietly singing again, “And my dreams will all come true…It will be because of you,” she sings, almost inaudible because she’s so quiet, before she gets louder and louder, singing without any instrumental accompaniment. “You believed that I could make it okay, And I promise I will be there someday…..Some…day.”

For the finale, she lifts her tambourine again, and counts four quick beats on her hand. As she hit’s the fourth, Lukey comes back in with a more rocky riff for the last chorus. Throughout the chorus, Katie stands beating the tambourine against her right hand, nodding her head in time, and tapping her foot forcefully on the floor, clearly enjoying herself.

The song finishes, and Lukey plays a quick flourish on the guitar, as Katie shakes the tambourine, held high above her head. She smiles to the crowd, before putting her mic on the stand,

“Thank you so much.” She blows a kiss to the studio audience and waves to the camera.

INTRODUCTION

Andddddd We’re back, Episode three baby!!! That of course means we’re halfway through the season already and it’s been rather enjoyable wouldn’t you say so, I know I’ve had a blast. It’s been quite a busy wouldn’t you say so, The Fan Choice Awards were a huge success, The announcement of The 3rd ever Chaos Awards were made during the week … Hmmmm and who else was in the news this week … Nope, my mind has gone blank … Oh yeah, I remember … Katie Coyle died right? … yeah she died, how crazy is that, actually dead, gone, finished, finito, alive no more, cease to exist … well almost, I’d have thought you’d be in a pretty messed up state of mind having died briefly, most people would take a week or two out just recover and try to get their head around what happened, well either that or take a young pop star out on a date and cause a twitter explosion, which is of course never a good thing. But on with the show ladies and gentlemen, and our guest for this evening is most certainly not dead, which is a bigger surprise when you find out who he’s dating, (audience laughs) Please give a very warm welcome, to the incredible … MR. ERIC QUILLINGTON!!!

INTERVIEW

So Eric Quillington, you’ve became this sort of god-like figure in the music industry as the front man for quite possibly the best rock band around, how do feel with this stature?

Eric; God-like figure, huh? First question in, and you're already inflating my ego. Keep it up, bud! Haha, well, in all honesty, I try my best not to dwell on how some people are viewing me these days. Back in the days when Infinite was just an up-and-coming band, there were quite a few acts that were like idols to me. PANIC!, Mind, Reckoner, just to name a few. They were, to me, among the only things that really mattered about music. They were the true icons, the legends, and I'm sure countless fans agreed with me. They still retain that position, of course, but it's so surreal to think that some people consider Infinite to have joined their ranks. I try not to think about it too much, because then I might start believing the hype. Still, it's very comforting to know I'm held in such high regards.

Your songs are obviously incredible and with three album titled, Blue Nebula, Midnight Skies and Insomnia, the question is … where do you go from here?

Eric; It's something I've been wondering about for a while. I never want to retrace my steps, otherwise Infinite's recording career would just be going in circles. That's why we were going to disband after the release of our most recent album, because it seemed as though there was nothing else to do. Now, of course, I realize just how stupid I was to think that way; music is limitless, it's infinite, if you'll pardon the godawful pun. There is so much you can do with a few simple notes and words, so only having three albums is just beginning to scratch the surface.

I've always been very interested in the symbiosis between two albums, if it's intentional. Achtung Baby and Zooropa, Rubber Soul and Revolver, Kid A and Amnesiac, just to name a few. The albums compliment each other, to the extent that an individual album seems like a mere half to a greater whole. That's what I'd like to experiment with on Infinite's fourth and fifth album. We're recording them at the same time, so the ideas and feelings we have floating around in our heads at this point in time will be equally translated to both albums. It couldn't really be done any other way; each time you make a new album, you're an entirely different person. I made Blue Nebula as a really angst-ridden anti-rocker, Midnight Skies was made when I was obsessing over the effects of religion on society's collective mindset, and the recording sessions for Insomnia were influenced by my irritation, and desire to change, the ridged song structures of verse/chorus/verse. This time, it'll be the same Eric Quillington on both albums. And, I know I'll sound like a dick saying this, but you'll have to wait until Dancing about Architecture's release to find out what this version of myself is like.

And what about your own personal influences, musically it’s pretty clear that the likes of Muse, Radiohead and The Beatles are influences on the band as a whole but who are your own personal influences?

Eric; I try to be influenced by genres as a whole rather than individual bands. Of course, you can't exactly control what influences you, haha. But, still, I never want to have all of my inspiration come from a select few bands, because then we're just a newer version of a band like the Beatles. I don't want Infinite to be Radiohead 20 or Muse 2.0; I want Infinite to be Infinite. There's no point in making music if it's already been done before, y'know?

Alternative music has always been the biggest influence to me. I've always loved the idea of making music that's outside typical standards, which is what the original purpose of this type of music was. Of course, alternative has now become a very mainstream form of music, so it's a massive contradiction. That doesn't make it any less beautiful, though. There's a real intelligence that comes across in bands like R.E.M. The lyrics and themes are very, very important to the song's structure. It doesn't matter if the song is catchy, it just matters if the song has a point. That's probably the biggest influence to Infinite, because I always want our music to be like that.

Do you think that you deserve as much attention as you generally receive?

Eric; That can be debatable. In the past, I've always had this self-deprecatory idea that people only noticed me because I just have a train-wreck of a personality. And, without trying to sound boastful, during the timespan between Blue Nebula and Midnight Skies, critics and fans were really only focusing on me. As admittedly fun as it was to be the center of Infinite's universe, the music seemed to be one of the lesser factors of the band in the eyes of our fans. But, that all changed with the release of Insomnia, so I can't really complain about that anymore, haha.

As an artist, it is very satisfying to receive acclaim of your work on such a large scale. There are many musicians out there who just write for themselves, and act like they aren't really interested in other people's opinions. And I can respect that, but it's just impossible for me to have the same mindset. People's opinions of what I've written with Infinite have always been crucial

What was your childhood like and did anything from your youth influence your songwriting?

Eric; It's actually really interesting that you've asked me that, because the concept of childhood memories is a primary theme on Infinite's fifth album. We think it's going to be entitled Patchwork Tides, but that's not a guarantee. I recently revisited my childhood home, just for the sake of nostalgia. And, the entire time, I was left thinking about how the rose-tinted view of my memories made it seem so much better than it actually is. There's this really strong memory in my mind; a fun day at the beach, with close friends. While standing on the beach as an adult, I realized how much of a shithole it was. Plastic bags were everywhere, the 'beach' was actually just a bunch of rocks and little sections of sand. It's the people of your past who really matter, not the place. To be a douche and quote a Coldplay song; 'Now the sky could be blue, it could be grey/without you, it's a wasted day'. These ideas will all play a significant part in this album.

And we hear that your dating Glamazon, she was a guest on this show a couple of weeks ago and well my question is this … who is in charge of that relationship?

Eric; Glamazon is, 100 percent. Or, well, maybe 99.98, as I pride myself on that little 0.02. It'd just be dangerous to my health if I admitted otherwise. My wit might be sharp as a sword, but her axe is as sharp as a fucking axe. Plus, when my career goes down the tubes in about two year's time, I'll be the vulnerable one leeching on the relationship for financial support. People love Glamazon more than Infinite, so she's got a bit more commercial stability than I do. Very kinky, I know, but this is how us celebrities decide who goes on top.

This'll sound sappy, but I am very glad to have her in my life. Most rock-stars are stuck with bimbo supermodels, so it's very nice to be dating such a creative and intelligent person.

Let’s talk about Greg’s car-accident; what were your first thoughts when you heard what happened and had that had an effect on how you live your life now?

Eric; It was the biggest shock of my life, without a trace of hyperbole. Everything just seemed to crash around me; the band that I had worked with for so long seemed to be disintegrating right before me. I felt a bit of guilt over that, because the life of someone close to me is obviously much more important than a musical career. But, Infinite is my entire life, and I don't know what would've happened to me if I'd been cut off from it at such a crucial early stage.

Much of my time with Infinite, in those days, was defined by the amount of fighting that would occur between Greg and I. There are some deeply personal reasons behind it, so I won't get into why our relationship had gotten so hostile. I think the car-accident saved our friendship, or whatever you want to call the bond between us, because it made me realize that life is too short to waste on immature squabbles. The song I'd written about him, 'How to Disturb and Alienate Others', cannot be farther from my mindset these days. It's a fan favorite, of course, so I still sing it live in recent concerts. But it's a bit more tongue-in-cheek than it used to be; I can never sing that song with a genuine connection to the lyrics again.

And your partnership with Jason Smith has been pretty interesting, how did that happen?

Eric; It began as a strictly professional one, as most interactions with musicians typically do. We needed someone for Midnight Skies, and it was around this time that he had started to advertise himself as a producer. I think him being in Mind was the biggest factor into me wanting him to work on that album. He could've been the shittiest producer ever, but it still wouldn't matter, because he's Jason Motherfucking Smith. Thankfully, he turned out to be one of the best musicians I ever worked with. The real gritty sounds on 'How to Disturb and Alienate Others', 'Lucky', and Strobe? That was all influenced by him, it wouldn't have been possible without his collaboration. But, during that time, we really connected on a personal level; him and I have the same musical interests, so that helped kick-off our lasting friendship. What sealed the deal, for me, is how balls-to-the-walls awesome it is to get drunk or high with him. You know how awesome it is to watch Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' while on acid? That experience is utter bullshit compared to drunken debauchery with Jason.

Troy Mascenon, another really close friend of mine who I've always idolized, talked to me about forming a super-group. We went over a list of names, and Jason was immediately the number one choice. So he was brought on board 'Project; Prometheus', and it became a trio. Unfortunately, it was around this time that Troy and Reckoner were dropping out of the music industry. Because of this, it just ended up being a duo between Jason and I, which is still a winning combination. So, I brought him on-board the sessions for Midnight Skies because he's an amazing musician. I formed a band with him because he's my bestest buddy.

And you’ve achieved a lot already, what are you most proud of in your career so far?

Eric; Probably the fact that I've managed to keep my sanity for so long. Of course, I'm not trying to bitch about the music industry, but celebrity is, by it's very nature, a slippery slope. As soon as you're shown even the slightest semblance of success or recognition, it's easy to disappear up your own ass. So it makes me very proud that I've kept my head above water long enough to make three decent albums, and not just one fluke. Of course, it can also be a gradual effect. Who knows? Maybe in three years time I'll be as big of an asshole as David Lee Roth.

So do you think Infinite will ever fully break up?

Eric; I really hope not. It's a complete change from how I used to feel, but I now realize that I cannot live without this band in my life. I used to think that were a band in name only, and that the only person who was really important to the infrastructure of this group was me, and me alone. With the goading of my insatiable ego, Matt and Greg used to seem like session-musicians. But, as we touched upon earlier, Greg's car-accident really changed my attitude towards them. They're incredible at what they do, I really could not ask to be in a better band. I'm just a poet, y'know? I come up with the words and concepts to our albums, but they're the ones who push me to actually make it a musical record. Music is nothing without melody and rhythm, obviously. Matt and Greg are the heart and soul of Infinite, they're the real musicians. I'm just the mouth.

Aside from my added appreciation to my band-mates, what really made me appreciate Infinite were the amount of awards we won after Insomnia was released. It's a little ironic, but the amount of praise we received during the Birdies and @Chaos Awards really humbled me. The fact that Infinite is so beloved blows my mind; it's so unreal to me. Without meaning to sound too egotistical, it seems as though this band means quite a lot to people. So, what kind of person would that make me if I took that away from people?

What are your future plans away from the band?

Eric; Well, I signed up with Studio60 ages ago, but I still have yet to do anything with the contract. During the point in time where I was convinced that Infinite would have to disband after Insomnia, because it seemed as though we had reached the end of the road when it came to making creative records, I wrote some material for an album that was going to be called Satellite Nations. It just didn't come together for me, so the decent bits and pieces that came out from those recording sessions ended up going on Dancing about Architecture. So that was a relative failure, in my eyes. However, I would like to eventually branch off for a little and do some solo stuff. It'd just be a little side-project, as Infinite is the most important thing in my life at the moment. I just think it'd be fun to make a record that's a little less serious than what I've done in the past. Maybe get some collaborators together, do some throwaway pop tracks. I have no idea when it'll happen, and I have no idea how it'll turn out. Tomorrow never knows, right?

Dividing Divinity is still going to be released, as well. Jason and I have had that record on the back burner for the past while, but I do think we'll eventually get back together and finish it up. All the tracks and lyrics are basically finished, we just need to shine it up to perfection before we're comfortable with releasing it. Honestly, I thought people had completely forgotten about it, since we announced it so long ago, which is why I was amazed to see it get the top spot on that 'Anticipated Albums' list Culture Uncut did.

And it must be pretty great being Eric Quillington right now, just how great is it?

Eric; Mr. Wilson, have you ever flown on a unicorn over a rainbow? The wind blows gently through your hair, the unicorn cries out a beautiful siren song, and the clouds are but a fingertip's grasp away. Even when the unicorn farts, it's still fucking radical, because a second rainbow shoots out from it's poop-maker whenever the animal emits gas. It's a double rainbow, all the way. That's how great it feels to be Eric Quillington.

And finally, what does the future hold for you?

Eric; I'm gonna try and have sex with my girlfriend, hopefully that won't cause her to grab the axe or anything. I'm always terrified she'll end up neutering me or something, which is why I've never bothered to whip it out around her before. This is probably making you feel more than a little uncomfortable, Mr. Wilson, so let me change the subject. I'd like for my future to be just like the present, in terms of the critical and commercial blessings I've been given with Infinite. There have been quite a few bands that try to shy away from this level of exposure, and it's totally understandable why they'd want to; celebrity is such a shallow concept. But, I've always been a shallow person, so I fit in perfectly. I've worked all of my adult life to get to this position, and now that I'm here, the possibility of losing this terrifies me. I just don't want to fade away, y'know?

With that said, I'm not a fame-whore. Creatively expanding the musical and lyrical sides to Infinite have always been very important to this band, to the extent that it's probably our top priority. As important as my, admittedly embarrassing, desire to be a celebrity is, music always comes first. Greg, Matt, and I will keep trying to make experimental and innovative music until we retire. Or die, whichever one comes first. Our music needs to both evolve and break away from the past. We will never make another Insomnia, we will never make another Midnight Skies. If making the same record over and over again is what it'll take to stay famous, then fuck it; I don't want to be Bon Jovi. So, basically, I'd like the future to involve the three of us making really unique music, stuff that we haven't even dreamed up at this present point in time. If people still remember me down the road, then that's just an additional bonus.