Carcass Bill berates lazy bands

Carcass guitarist Bill Steer has attacked bands who rely on technology in the studio – rather than delivering an honest recorded performance.

He’s branded the move “lazy” and says it makes him want to stop listening to albums when he detects the presence of too much computer work.

Steer tells AndrewHaug.com: “Technology is making a large number of musicians quite lazy. I’d rather hear human beings on albums; I want to hear the human elements.

“Obviously when you do a record you craft it until you’re happy with it. But it’s almost like some people try to strip any kind of human element, which is just boring to me.”

He reserves particular criticism for pixel-perfect choruses that have clearly been copied and pasted multiple times from a single performance. “I just switch off,” he states. “There’s nothing happening that makes we want to carry on listening.”

Carcass returned to action with sixth album_ Surgical Steel _last year – their firsts since 1996’s Swansong. Steer reported at the time they’d delayed recording until they were certain they could produce material that felt right.

Discussing a follow-up, he says: “There’s plenty of incentive there. Speaking for myself, I’d love to do another record. We’re still into our touring schedule to we can’t realistically look at new material until December.”

He adds: “All I know is, we want the next record to be very strong indeed. You don’t want to waste your time, or the audience’s, with something that’s mediocre.”

Bill Steer interview

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.