TONY-CLAYTON LEAtalks to Colin Devlin.
Whats on your rider?A decent bottle of red.
What would be on your fantasy rider?A decent bottle of red.
What's your pre-gig routine?Chill out, glass of wine, set list, sometimes embarrassing vocal warm-ups. That kind of thing.
How do you get to the gig – limo, taxi, walking?A combination of all of the above, I guess in descending order of preference – rarely the first. My dream is to live a Willy Nelson-type existence and chill on the tour bus with a lifetime supply of herbal remedies.
What's the best gig you've been to?I can't choose one, so I'll give you three: The Blue Nile at the Gaiety, Prince's surprise gig at the Pod, Iggy Pop, Albany, Upstate New York – all a few years ago now, I guess.
And the worst?Hard to say really, I try to block them out.
Ecologically speaking, are you closer to Radiohead Or Motörhead?It's important to keep a balance, I feel.
Who is the most famous person to have shown up at one of your gigs?I was quite impressed when Bruce Springsteen popped his head around the dressing room door at The Whisky in Los Angeles a few years ago. I signed a CD for him, "to Bruce . . .". Quite bizarre, really, and funny. He was very cool, a very nice man.
Most embarrassing on-stage moment?The usual – "Hello Cleveland", when it should have been "Hello Milwaukee". I think its a sign from God telling you to stop touring and take a break when that happens. It happens more often than you'd think.
What's your crowd-pleasing number?I wish I had one. I must make a mental note to get cracking on that.
Chatting between songs – good or bad?There's a fine line between saying too much and not saying enough. Each night is different. Personally, I think too much talking takes away from the flow of a good show. Less is more – get on with it!
Groupies – would you?Tricky question. It's definitely a rock'n'roll grey area, but the answer would have to be nein danke, pour moi. Tommy Lee would not be impressed.
- Colin Devlin plays Spirit Store, Dundalk, Co Louth on Thursday
