You once had a reputation as a rock’n’roll party animal…
I’m actually not a real party guy. I loved the acid house days and everybody on Ecstasy, but to me it was more than just taking drugs. I saw it as a huge cultural moment and was hoping for a shift in perception among people. It was the same as when we took acid. We thought this could maybe give us some kind of insight. Everybody likes a party, but we were always a hard-working band. You get a reputation as a party band, but I think the gonzo aspects of Primal Scream sometimes overrode the art.
What music was guaranteed to get you out of your seat?
If it hasn’t got a groove, it ain’t rock’n’roll. So it was always black American soul music: Motown, The Vandellas, The Temptations, Funkadelic, Sly Stone. The Stones always had a groove too.
Are you happier now you’ve given up the hedonism?
I guess the good thing about sobriety is that you’re more in the moment and more able to judge your reaction to things. I’m not one of those people who says it was all bad. All I can say is, it’s great when you’re young.
