Toploader Transcript of the live chat 04.04.01

Daniel Waters - After seeing you live twice, and loving every minute of it, I was wondering... what is your favourite song to play live?
Joe - I think it would be 'Achilles Heel'. It's our fans' favourite song - that and 'Dancing in the Moonlight'. It's great to see people's reactions to that one.

Sophie Bellchambers - Which musical icon has inspired you the most?
Joe - Probably David Bowie, because of the quality of the songs that he wrote. He was very inventive for the time.

Lucy - What is it like being in a band nowadays, up against people like Madonna and Robbie?
Joe - It's not so much Madonna and Robbie. It's hard being up against people like Steps, because it's not real music. We play our own music and write our own stuff. So I think as long as you're good enough, you'll do alright. There are too many boy and girl bands around. But Robbie's alright!

Starfish - What did it feel like to play Wembley Stadium supporting Bon Jovi last summer?
Joe - It was amazing. There were 80 or 90,000 people there when we played, and pretty much everyone knew a couple of our songs.

Chris Powell - Will the band be playing any festivals in the UK this summer? Reading maybe?
Joe - We're not playing Reading. But we're doing T in the Park, which is in Scotland. We're supporting Robbie Williams' stadium tour in the summer too.

Amy Crew - Which support band have you most enjoyed touring with?
Joe - Probably either a band called Crashland who we toured with this time last year... and a band called The Proud Marys - they're good guys.

Jonathan Smith - How have things changed since before the album?
Joe - Things have changed a lot. All our gigs are sold out now - they didn't used to be! We've been to Europe, Japan, and we're releasing stuff in the States. So it's completely different - much nicer!

Steph Summers - Everybody went wild on the last song 'Achilles Heel' at Edinburgh on Sunday, does that leave the band on a high?
Joe - Definitely. I think probably everyone realises we're going to do it last - it's such an anthem really. It's a favourite of ours, and of the crowd... so it's a great way to round off the set.

John Hughes - Are you for or against Napster?
Joe - Neither. I think if you're really into a band, you'll buy the record anyway because you'll want the artwork and all the stuff that goes with it. I don't think Napster affects bands as much as people think. I think people use Napster to get old stuff, rather than new stuff.

Lindsay Y - What made you choose the name Toploader?
Joe - It's just a buzz word that we used to say when we were thinking of band names. There's no real meaning to it. Some people think it means washing machines, or even bras! But there's no meaning to it at all.

Jonathan Gill - Where did you get your inspiration for the album?
Joe - Just out of my mind, really! I've been writing songs since I was about 18. Some are on the album, some old, some new. It's just everyday life - things that happen to you. Anything, having a hangover... I'm the only one who writes the music and lyrics.

Ben Winfield - Do you have any new material yet to put on the new album?
Joe - Yes. I think we've probably got about two thirds. I think we'll be recording in the summer. It's almost two years since we made this album - a lot of good stuff has come up since then. We've definitely become better musicians and songwriters since then.

Claire Boyce - Would you ever do a duet with any other popstars?
Joe - Yeah. I'd like to do a motown song with Lauryn Hill. I really like her voice.

Si G - Why did you choose 'Only for a While' as your next single?
Joe - It's one of our favourites. Potentially it'll be the last single from this album - and we just thought it was time to release a ballad, really.

Bob Bobson - In all the places you've played, where did you get the best crowd reaction?
Joe - Scotland's always amazing. I think people really enjoy our sort of music there. Perhaps Glasgow Barrowlands, or Edinburgh, where we played at the weekend.

Georgina Heather - Joe, is it true your cutting your hair? If so, how short?
Joe - I've no plans to cut it! If I did, I'd probably have a grade one!

Ben Curme - What other current bands do you listen to?
Joe - Starsailor - a great band, and a band called The Proud Marys, who are supporting us on this tour. They're both really good bands. I'm also listening to Miles Davis at the moment. But I like a lot of stuff.

Loz Feasey - What did you want to be when you were younger?
Joe - I wanted to be a racing car driver, which is ironic - I still can't even drive!

Joy - What is the best bit about being in a band?
Joe - Getting to travel around all sorts of different places, and making people happy by playing your music to them.

Mark Salter - Do you have any fights with each other on tour?
Joe - Only verbal! Nothing physical. We get on really well. Sometimes we moan about the lack of days off - more of a group moan! I'm the one who tries to rally people round when we feel down - I'm an eternal optimist!

Bob Hill - Is there anywhere you haven't played yet where you'd love to perform?
Joe - Eastbourne bandstand! I don't think they'd let us though! We've done lots of touring in Europe, Scandinavia, and we'll be playing the States soon too. We made the video for the new song there. We'll be doing a showcase in New York - I've never been there.

Kat - What has been the highlight of your musical career?
Joe - So far, just the continuing success of the album. We're not like a singles band - we're in it for a long career, we're an album band. So when your album goes in at No.5 or whatever it was... it's been in the Top 40 for almost a year now.

Gemma Russell - Where was 'Dancing in the Moonlight' video filmed?
Joe - It was filmed in a house in Deptford - it was actually owned by an architect who designed it all himself. It's got sliding glass panels which turn what would be the garden into the lounge. It's very bizarre - it's sort of inside-out.

Rachel simpkin - Do you like being recognised by the public?
Julian - I get a lot less of it than Joe does. Personally, it's not my favourite thing. It's always nice to sign autographs at gigs, and to hear people tell you they appreciate what you do.

Brad Paul - When was your first kiss?
Julian - I was about 14, I think. In the cinema! It was a girl called Ann-Marie, but I don't know her surname!

Rob - What song would be the soundtrack to your life ?
Julian - Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven'. Because everything in life just gets better and better.

Jenny Kay - What is the strangest thing you've been given by a fan?
Julian - We seem to be getting given G-strings and pants and stuff lately. The weirdest thing I got was a really posh, cashmere scarf from a Japanese fan at Christmas!

Cho Ravenclaw - What's your ambition now? Where do you want to go next?
Julian - I think the way things are going, we just want to do one thing at a time. Ultimately, we'd like to be playing in stadiums, but we're aware that the bigger it gets, the more the soul goes out of it. For every step up you take, there's always a bit you lose.

Heather Pearson - What's your favourite track on the album?
Julian - 'Floating Away in the Bathtub'. It's the song on the album where we really let our hair down. We recorded it in one take, we were all a bit drunk, and it wasn't really a contender for a single - so it was a lot of fun to play.

nato labs - Is there was any band from past or present you would like to perform alongside?
Julian - I think probably Led Zeppelin. But there are so many great bands, so much good soul music, like Al Green.

Cally Harris - What's the most extravagant thing you've brought since you made it big?
Julian - I bought a laptop computer, and so did Joe. Neither of us use them at all! I paid £1500 for mine and he paid £4000 for his in Japan. But all he does is listen to CDs on it! It hasn't even got a DVD player!

Lynz Norris - When you go on tour, what's the one thing you always take with you?
Julian - At the moment we always take Berocca. And my newest discovery is a thing called Germoline New Skin - it's a lifesaver for me because I keep hurting the skin on my hands.

Anjool Malde - Have you been the victim of any false stories/rumours in the tabloids?
Julian - We've had a bad deal with the press at certain times but I can't say they've ever lied about us yet.

Michael Wan - Which country you've been to has the best atmosphere?
Julian - I really like Denmark. But I think probably the nicest place is Italy - really chilled and lively. The general vibe seems right - plus good food, wine and weather.

Chris Dart - How important is it to you to break the States?
Julian - I think it's important, but not the end of the world if it doesn't happen. I think any band wants to crack as many countries as it can. If you get a hit album in the US then you're made for life, and that's nice to know.

Emily - Where would you love to film a video?
Julian - Maybe by the pyramids in Egypt.

Debbie H - Is 'Only for a While' the last song on your album you will be releasing?
Julian - As far as we're concerned, yes, but you never know whether the record company might want to bring out another. We think it's a good one to release last.

Kairen Hoyland - Were you rebellious when you were younger or did you used to behave?!
Julian - I think I behaved reasonably well. I had my moments! It wasn't until I hit my twenties that I became the bad boy that I am now!

Ricky McNeice - Will you bring your children up to be musicians?
Julian - No. I think they'll do whatever they want to do.

Sarah Potter - Would you do anything else if given the chance?
Julian - I used to work with kids and I really enjoyed that - playschemes and what have you - so I could go back to that. I also really like cooking. I used to be a chef - perhaps I could open my own restaurant.

Matt Brown - Have you ever had any funny moments when doing a gig or on tour?
Julian - Yes! Probably the funniest was when Dan got his lead caught in a revolving light, so when the light span, he was reeled in like a fish on a fishing rod! I think there are too many moments to mention.