Placebo host rage
15th May 1999
Make what you will of it, but Placebo thrive on ambiguity and confusion; a glorious noise which at once both confronts and celebrates the uncertainties at the heart of the band. Even at their most elemental level, Placebo challenge the stereotypical notions of identity and gender - the pure adrenaline rush of testosterone from a band who playfully revel in subverting the sexual norms.
Placebo are Brian Molko (vocals, guitar), Stejan Olsdal (bass, guitar and keyboards) and Steve Hewitt (drums). One American, one Swede and one Englishman. There is no common background, although Molko and Olsdal have known each other since early schooldays in Luxembourg.
Placebo made their recording debut with 'Bruise Pristine', released on the Fierce Panda indie label in 1995. The band were also constantly on the road, playing club gigs and support spots in order to properly hone their music. Indeed, at the end of the year Placebo had their first taste of tangible success when 'Come Home', a single recorded for the Deceptive label, reached number three in the indie chart.
Placebo's first album was recorded in Dublin in early 1996. The 10 tracks were mostly about sex, with new versions of 'Bruise Pristine' and 'Come Home' together with 'Hang On To Your IQ', a song which had its roots in Placebo's very first demo sessions, recorded with Steve Hewitt at the start of the band.
Placebo were also invited to play parts alongside Ewan McGregor and Eddie Izzard in the film 'Velvet Goldmine'.
Their latest album was released on October 1998. It is a collection of twisted love songs which deal, in one form or another, with heartbreak and loneliness. All this is fuelled by a powerful new sonic identity; there's now sex in the groove, the result of Hewitt's obsessions with funk and hip-hop.
Click the picture to see a quicktime movie.
Songlisting (in order)
Joy Division - Atmosphere
Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter
Jesus and the Mary Chain - Sidewalking
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Girls Against Boys - Superfire
Whale - Pay For Me
PJ Harvey - 50 Foot Queenie
Baby Bird - Bad Old Man {requested by Steve}
Massive Attack - Safe From Harm
The Specials - Ghost Town
Nick Cave - Into My Arms {requested by Steve}
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Do You Love Me
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth
Depeche Mode - Useless
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
Folk Implosion - Natural One
Eels - Cancer For The Cure
Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy{Brians choice, supposedly scary to some, but
hilarious to him}
Underworld - Born Slippy
Thievery Corporation - 38.45
A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick You
UNKLE - Rabbit In Your Headlights {one funny clip}
Radiohead - Karma Police
Tricky feat PJ Harvey - Broken Homes
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
Stereo MC's - Creation
Sneaker Pimps - Spin Spin Sugar
Blondie - Heart of Glass
Abba - Dancing Queen
Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
Supreme's - Stop (in the name of love)
Iggy Pop - I'm Bored
Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
Bob Dylan - Maggie's Farm
The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine
The The - Slow Emotion Replay
The Go Betweens - Cattle and Cane
Laurie Anderson - O Superman
Public Enemy - By The Time I Get To Arizona
Cypress Hill - When The Shit Goes Down
Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
Pixies - Debaser
Janes Addiction - Mountain Song
Dirty 3 - I Remember A Time When Once You Used To Love Me
Delis - Suds and Soda
Happy Mondays - Step On You
DJ Shadow - Midnight in a Perfect World
Armand Van Helden - You Don't Know Me
Digital Underground - Kiss Me Back
Prince - Sexy M.F
Placebo - Nancy Boy
Placebo - Bruise Pristine
Placebo - Pure Morning
Placebo - You Don't Care About Us
Placebo - Every You Every Me