The newest issue of the Italian magazine “Tutto” has a brand new article/interview, another offspin of the band’s recent press work. The Herald has the near-full article here exclusively. One section, a brief history of the band, has been excluded for obvious reasons (Of course you can always read Zombieguide’s Ultimate Bio). Thanks to Simone “Merry” Cirri for the translation. Scans will be coming in the near future!
CRANBERRIES – WELCOME TO OUR RESERVE
We entered the Irish band’s headquarters. A place away from space and time, where Dolores, Fergal, Noel and Mike concealed themselves in order to work on the new album, scheduled for October. We spent some hours with them, finding that passion for rock music can be conciliated with a normal life.
From the gossips which have been circulating in the Internet during the last months, we could guess that The Cranberries were about to come back on the scene. An underground, slow but inexorable tam-tam, that has been stopped in the end of May by an announcement from Dolores. “Hello, I’m on a plane on my way back from London. We spent two weeks there mixing the album. It’s gonna be called ‘Wake Up And Smell The Coffee’… I’m soooo looking forward to getting back to my babies. I’m such a lucky blessed person. I’m so thankful to God for what I have. Life’s so short, it’s essential to put love and happiness first”.
Some days after, we meet her a few thousands of meters from her home, in the band’s headquarters: a totally anonymous shed placed in the splendid Irish countryside, near Limerick. It could be a rustic house turned into an industrial storehouse, or an agricultural machines warehouse. Not at all: inside these walls the band’s music is created. To confirm us that we’re in the right place, here Dolores comes, darting beside our car on a grey racing bike. Printed on her face, she’s got one of those smiles that put you in a good mood.
WELCOME TO CRANBERRIES CENTER
Once we get over the entry door, we’re looking at what we could call the dream of every rocker: a true stage built on an iron structure, with a light system, a mixing board and some huge candelabras near the amplifiers. Guitar and bass guitar’s strings here and there, half-open instrument cases and drumstick fragments scattered everywhere are unmistakable signs of a long night of rehearsals. In this place, in the middle of the most absolute silence, the band sets up its live concerts and records the cues which then will transform into new songs. “This place hasn’t got a name” says Fergal, the band’s drummer: “I like to call it Cranberries Center, because all our activities start from here”. A UNIQUE SOUND
In the meantime, while the singer grabs a cup of hot tea, the stereo plays the just finished CD’s first notes. An album made of pure Cranberries rock, which emphasizes Dolores’ voice and guitars’ biting sound. As we listen to the album for the first time, we notice in a particular way “Analyze”, which is all based on an irresistible mix of power and melody. “The album will come out in October… We haven’t chosen the first single yet, but ‘Analyze’ has good chances” says Dolores, who does nothing to hide her magic moment, made even more special by the little Molly’s birth, five months ago. “I’ve realized that when you’re 30 years old you have to put your life in order… Albums and tours are important, but you can’t lose the sense of your life. Having children makes you very sensible. When you’re responsible for other people too, you really begin looking around. For example, I’m not indifferent to the environmental disaster that’s happening in front of our eyes. It’s been for many years that a long exposure to the sun causes serious problems. But I don’t see campaigns against the ozone hole anymore”. THAT DAY IN WOODSTOCK…
As we walk along the side of the band’s private stage, we see a red poster which towers above the entrance. In the upper area there’s the logo of Woodstock ’94, the second edition of the historical festival. With the other stars, four young Irish guys who were about to be swept away by the unlimited success of “No Need To Argue”, the album with the super-hit “Zombie”, were there too. “Unforgettable! The most difficult thing wasn’t playing in front of that wild crowd, but approaching to the backstage area before the gig. There was mud everywhere: it looked like we were in the middle of a giant swamp. Luckily we hadn’t forgotten the boots.”. One moment before she comes back taking care of Molly, Dolores tells us about her fascination for the sound of two albums recorded in the Indian reserves in Canada. “In those people’s music there’s a great sense of peace, of harmony with the rest of the world”. Then, she jumps on her bike and she goes to home. On her face, the same smile she had when she arrived.
Source: Exclusive
