Placebo came on the international rock scene in 1996, no pun intended. They were a young trio creating dirty rock sounds and fronted by a diminutive lead singer with a searing high-pitched voice. What the band did expect perhaps was heaps of attention, however what they did not expect was a media frenzy that would brand them with an image they didn't relate to. The press latched onto sarcastic quotations such as "we left a trail of blood and spunk all over the country" and used every opportunity to depict the three as heroin-addled bisexual rock fiends. Regardless, Placebo's fanbase grew to enormous numbers, they gained the respect of icons like David Bowie, Morrissey and Frank Black while still making music that hits hard and sounds unlike anything else.
Sitting with Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt prior to a recent L.A. show, I find the three to be rather courteous hosts. Having witnessed the band's progression over the years and having known them to be fairly congenial, I was always struck by the media's scathing portrayal of them. This dichotomy made me curious as to their view, in their own words, on the state of their evolution in light of such press. Without hesitation, Brian candidly deconstructs the early media obsession,
"I think, in retrospect, it stands to reason because the nature of the media is that it's superficial and skims the surface in general. It's a quick fix and everybody tries to put you in a box. It was probably because of the fact, as well, that right at the very beginning Stef was very uncomfortable with interviews. Me and Robert, our original drummer, couldn't stand to be in the same room so I ended up doing all the interviews. I was quite naive, I suppose, about dealing with the media and vomited a whole bunch of stuff forward. It became kind of a cult of personality because a lot of [the attention] was focused on me, which was unfortunate."
Which provokes the question, "When numerous articles are being written painting one perception of an individual based on biased journalism, does it change you?"
"Absolutely. It led to several identity crises on my part." Brian explains. "It was quite a chaotic time at the beginning anyway filled with doubt and confusion, then you open up a magazine and see yourself painted in a way which you felt was not you - at all. It's very dislocating."
Drummer Steve Hewitt then adds, "It takes time to get used to. It's just one person's opinion at the end of the day, it depends on what mood they're in and what mood you're in."
Brian continues, "It was more about the fact that we spoke [to the press] like we would to friends in a pub, being naive, which got us a reputation. In fact, we were just doing what all young bands who had just gotten some money or attention thrown at them do."
Of course, to counter the media frenzy, one of the best things to do is simply nothing. After Placebo began holding back more, articles on them notably changed to pieces describing the band as "older and wiser". However, had the band changed or was the media extremely pliable? The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle.
Delving beyond the media, we begin a discussion about the transcontinental disparities between Europe and the U.S. The majority of the band's success, and media attention, has come from Europe. In fact, one of the first times I saw Placebo, they had come from playing an arena in France to then play a den of less than a hundred at the Whisky in Hollywood. Although a smaller audience, their American fans are a widely diverse cult following that ranges from hipsters to goth kids, overt fans to guilty pleasure listeners. Asked what their opinions are on their tepid U.S. success Brian replies,
"The only band that has really done it from the U.K. is Radiohead, apart from that, it's a struggle for everyone."
"I don't think we're just going to explode in the States," Steve candidly declares. "It's never going to happen. No bands explode anyway, it just takes years and years. We do have a cult following, as you said, which is the best way to start."
Brian adds, "On the subject of the fans, a lot of our fans have grown up with us. When you go to a gig and you step on the stage you see the audience get older as you look back. They're not necessarily in the front row like they were in '96, but what's interesting for us is that there's a whole new bunch of kids down at the front. To be able to make that connection with youth culture quite effortlessly, not going out of our way to find that connection, is heartwarming. It makes us feel like we're still vital and still relevant."
It's clear that despite the ups and downs of their journey, Placebo have a better view of who they are as individuals and as a band. They seem extremely grateful for the opportunity to simply keep making music for a living, for fans who continue to support them as well as the chance to speak honestly when offered the chance. It's odd, in light of what my own biased perception of the band may have been, I found myself rather amazed with their graciousness, intelligence and lack of pretense. They spoke with me longer than intended before their show and Brian made the effort to come up to me afterward to simply say thank you for making them feel comfortable. Quite impressive behavior for a trio of transgendered junkie rock stars...
