A little while ago, I asked the fans on the Cult of Rachel Stamp mailing list to send in questions for a possible interview with David Ryder-Prangley. Well, here’s the results! Thanks to everyone that sent in their questions and to those of you who didn’t get their questions answered by David, you can bet your ass they will be included next time!

There have been rumours circulating around the internet that Rachel Stamp has split up. What’s happening with Rachel Stamp right now and are these rumours true or just the usual internet bollocks?
Rachel Stamp have not split up. After an amazing near-on ten year firework display of a career with many many triumphs and trials we are all working on new things for a while. Until you hear it from our mouths we have not split up.

You have been pencilling in dates for an upcoming tour under the name of David Ryder-Prangley & the Witches. Who are these mysterious Witches and what do they play?
The Witches are many varied, talented and beautiful individuals who are helping me create my new solo album and take it on the road. There isn't just one line up and the Witches aren't just the musicians but everyone involved in bringing my new audiovisual creations to you all... So far these wonderful people are David M. Allen who is producing the record, John from The Pleasure (formerley SHARD) who played drums and sang harmony on two tracks on the record, Drew Richards from Die So Fluid who is playing guitar both live and on the record, Xavior who is playing piano live and on record, and Chris Nubile who plays drums in the live band. Also the fantasic Grog from Die So Fluid sings with me on a beautiful song called 'Tears of Black Glitter'. Drew Richards has made a great film for this song which you will all be able to see very soon.

Tell us about the solo album. What inspired you to create a solo album at this point in your career?
At the start of 2005 I went through two very specific and deeply traumatic events which left me totally devastated. I was on the edge of complete nervous breakdown. I knew I had to start making music from the heart again and not care about being cool or how the music would be received, by fans, critics or even the rest of the band so I decided to make a record that wasn't Rachel Stamp. I had to make music that was different and exciting to me. I believe that songs are magic spells.

Why not just release this new material with Rachel Stamp? How does it differ from the stuff you’ve done with the band?
This music is not really 'band' oriented. Most of it doesn't have drums or bass and I wanted to play guitar. When you hear it you will know exactly why it's not a Rachel Stamp record.

Tell us a little more about the songs on the solo album. What do you remember about writing or recording the following songs...

Ass!: That song is about me looking over the edge of the abyss. It's also a reference to my most distinguishing feature... It has the line " i've got a heart full of love i've got a head full of poison" which is the title of the album. We cut it in two takes. I showed John and Drew the chords and the structure and we just went for it. I overdubbed piano and a guitar solo and it was done.

St. David of The Bleeding Heart: A very sad song. Recorded same day as 'Ass!', again in one or two takes, live, no click tracks or anything. It has a very slow opiatic feel.

Tears of Black Glitter: This is the best song I've ever written. I sang it with Grog at my Bohemia show and I was just in tears. I wrote it for the most amazing person I ever met.

Falling Down To Earth from the Stars: Is actually called 'Falling From The Stars Down To Earth'. When we recorded 'Oceans of Venus' I wrote the lyrics to 'Starbirth in the Triffid Nebula' very specifically to open the album and that song was a postcard from the hell i was in at that time and as the album goes on the songs chart my journey back to earth, ending on a hopefully positive note with 'Victory'. 'Falling From The Stars Down To Earth' is the same for this album. It's where I had to escape from. It's just Xavior on piano and me singing.

R is for Rocket, L is for Love: David M. Allen did some amazing work on this song. It's a very hypnotic, rolling song. I played all the instuments and did the vocals and then I got Drew to play a very sexy guitar solo and I guess this song sounds a little like the Doors...

David and the Sparking Girl : This song is my homage to Laura Nyro who was a wonderfully gifted singer and songwriter who sadly died around ten years ago. She made very sensual, magical music. This song is a late night haze song. It sounds like a dream. A lot of my songs are written and I don't really know where the lyrics come from and maybe a year later the song will actually happen to me, which can be very unnerving, but if this song happens to me I'll be extremely pleased.

Is it fair to say your music tells the story of your past (small town angst, religious confusion, ascent to glamour, etc)? Is this why you’re so vague about your history in interviews?
Yes.

What is it like doing your own thing in the studio and really branching out on your own with your music?
I'm really enjoying it. Which is ironic as these songs are essentially very sad. This record is mostly very quiet and stark. It's not a rock n' roll record. I'm really getting into playing guitar, which I rarely do on Rachel Stamp songs as there's not much point when Will is around and he plays the way he does. I believe Will is the best rock n' roll guitarist in the world today. The way I play is very different. I play weird chord inversions and do a lot of fingerpicking. I haven't played these songs to Will and Shaheena yet. I think they'll like them but I don't think they'd want to play them.

It seems like you’re really digging your claws into different aspects of the music biz (producing bands, solo gigs, etc). Are you happy to be busy with lots of musical projects? What aspect brings the most enjoyment?
I love producing bands and helping them get their songs over in the studio. A good producer is like the director of a film. It's my job to put the band in a situation where they can create their art without distraction and also to contribute ideas to help realise their goals. I've always been into producing. The solo gigs are tough but really great. It's a whole other thing to going on stage with a loud rock n' roll band and I'm still getting used to it, but i love singing and I've got a few other things I'm working on including writing a music show for performance in theatre spaces, and a movie.

You produced Shard’s latest single, ‘Make Me Butterfly’. What was it like to work with them?
It was truly wonderful. Shard, who are now called The Pleasure are a really great band. In many ways it was the perfect collaboration. They had the energy and ideas and talent and I just helped them channel it all onto a cd.

Are there plans for more solo albums in the future? Even more importantly, will there be another Rachel Stamp record, since ‘Ravenous’ appears to be on the back burner... (Fans are missing the mighty Stamp as you read this...)
I appreciate that the fans are missing Rachel Stamp, but hopefully they will get into the new music I'm making. If I had to compare it to any Stamp songs I would say 'Heroine' and our version of 'Carmelita' are the closest.

Rachel Stamp are famous for going from strength to strength musically, refusing to compromise their sound or image despite all the setbacks and bad luck. Is Rachel Stamp still about getting mainstream fame (TOTP or bust) or have your goals changed?
I would love Rachel Stamp to have a number one album and single, but not if it means compromise.

What’s happening with the much anticipated Rachel Stamp DVD? Well the thing with DVD is that you have to track down the rights to everything and do endless hours of trawling through old video tapes and right now I don't have the inclination to do that. I want put all my energy into creating something new. We've all been through so much physically and emotionally over the years to keep Rachel Stamp alive and kicking and to be honest I need to be David Ryder Prangley the human being not DavidfromRachelStamp at this point in my life. The way it was going the DVD would have been like 'Desperate Housewives'... "The day we found David lying dead in his kitchen with a gun in his hand we started to piece together the clues to this amazing story..."

A trip down memory lane...(Insert one significant memory from each of these years)
1977 = Chicken Pox
1980 = Discovering KISS
1983 = Discovering Prince
1986 = Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
1989 = First nervous breakdown, but I did have amazing hair. I looked like Stevie Nicks.
1992 = Biggest band in Cardiff
1995 = London
1998 = Oh, the record industry really IS corrupt and full of backstabbing idiots. At least we made an amazing album- what do you mean you're not releasing it? OK fuck you we're going on the road...
2000 = I told you I was right
2002 = I was born with a red dress on...
2004 = Falling from the Stars down to Earth

What is it about a Catholic background that makes so many people (Oscar Wilde et al) take the path of divine decadence?
I think that Catholicism misses the point of the Bible. Jesus was a revolutionary who had claim to be ruler of his country and had wisdom and radical ideas. Why and how that got twisted into what we know of as the Catholic Church today is beyond me. Years of hearing the word 'No' makes you want to say 'YES,YES,YES!!!'.

As a Camden leisure Pirate of infinite style and sophistication what is your big winter fashion tip to the discerning tart about town? Dress like Vulnavia.

What small but vital element needs to go on the Stampmobile (currently being manufactured out of a Fiat Panda, some feather boas and a jumbo bag of glitter) for it to be truly “Stampified”?
A horn that plays the riff to 'Black Cherry'.

What are your views on Donner kebabs?
Euch!

And finally, what can we expect in the future from David Ryder-Prangley?
Hopefully a truly beautiful record and more magic spells to cast on this world to make it a better place.

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