I want to ask you how it feels to be the coolest band that ever lived?
Jim Reid: What can you say to that? You've put us on the spot. The coolest band that ever lived would have something to say.
I think the band that comes in a close second is the Velvet Underground.
Reid: I would accept a close second to them.
No, you guys are first! There's a lot of Velvet Underground references on the new album. On old albums there were musical references, on Munki there's more direct lyrical references -- the song "Mo Tucker" (named after the Velvet Underground drummer) for one.
Reid: For years we were coy about it. Now I just thought, f**k it. It's true. The Velvets were a huge influence on the Jesus and Mary Chain and there's nothing wrong with saying so.
The VU references the writer mentioned also include this lyric from the song "Stardust Remedy": "Velvet skies and The Velvet Underground/I was lost but now I know I'm found/I don't need no rainy day/All I really need is Sister Ray". 8)
