This is Liam Howlett from The Prodigy Ask Me Anything!
http://www.reddit.com/r/electronicmusic ... gy_ask_me/


Announcement post:
"Liam H answers your questions: The Prodigy Reddit AMA on Tuesday at 5pm UTC / 11am PST"
http://www.reddit.com/r/electronicmusic ... 5_at_11am/

For those that don't know (I'm guessing that's a minority) - AMA (Ask Me Anything) - I'd describe it as something between an interview, a forum discussion and a live chat. People post their questions on a Reddit thread, and the band picks the most interesting ones (live). This usually is a much better and easier way to get our questions answered than something like the Twitch interview few days ago - usually much more questions are asked and answered in AMAs than interviewers want to ask in a normal interview. I'd say we need to get more organized than last time - what do we exactly want to know?



Edit : here is all the questions that got their answer :


This is Liam Howlett from The Prodigy Ask Me Anything!


Yo people

Liam H from The Prodigy here.

We jus released our new record “The Day Is My Enemy”

I’ll be lurkin here in 2 hours time from the time of this post…..hit me up wiv sum questions !

Starting: --- I'm online, lets do it. Thats it, I'm out of here, thanks for the questions people. LH





You stated in a interview “Dance music at the moment is so fucking dead". I agree but what do you think will have to happen for electronic music to become

more creative/inspired and less dead?

*everything can change by one killer record coming out , more originality less formula



Could you give us advice for personal growth? An inspiration quote from Liam Howlett.

*get some hydroponic lamps for starters



Was there a moment the band was seriously on the verge of breaking up? Can you explain.

*yes twice ,, once last year and once in early 2000, sometimes being friends gets in the way of a working relationship , but at the end of the day me and

keef are brothers so the music kinda reunites us , know what i mean



Hey Liam, I remember you from the rave days, we played on the same stage a few times. Raindance and Fantasia I believe. My act was called Zero B. W30's all

the way in those days. You've had quite a journey since then for sure. Also a mate of Tim Hutton who you sometimes write with.

*zero B , lockup ? yes brother ..killer tune , i remember it well , cheers fella



Hi Liam,
Is there any new gear/techniques that you're incorporating into your live set up? You've gone from the Roland W-30's to Mac laptops with Ableton. What sorta

gear are you using now? Any new stuff out there/favorite pieces of gear that helped with the album writing process?

*yeah im now using controllers instead of laptops in front of me so i dont look like david guetta



Any plans for a North American Tour anytime soon?

*we're talkin about it at the moment.. plannin it out now



As a musician, what do you consider to be your greatest achievement? And what might be Maxim's and Keith's answer to that question?

*i think its the way we have steered our ship over the last 24 years , kept our integrity and no compromise , done things on our own terms , keef and maxim

would say the same,, thats what we are most proud of ,,,,, no sell out!



Always wondered what film did you sample the JILTED intro from? "so i've decided to take my work back underground"?, respect & thanks for the tunes!

*we created it ourselves , the voice was a friend of richards from XL



Loved how you dug out some old demos and sampled your own back catalogue for the new album. What made you go back as far as 2006 for some bits and pieces for

new tracks? (For example tiny riff of Heatwave in Rebel Radio, and Destroy was originally a demo with Wiley from 2008, I think). Those two are killer tracks!

*correct ! well the reason was they were killa ideas that never reached their full potential , now they have



Hey Liam!
What artist/group do you think has the best live act?
Do you think you could beat Keith in a fist fight?
To what extent are Keith and Maxim involved in the production process?

*1.us 2.yes 3.none



hi Liam, first of all - the new album is an atomic bomb! love it. my question: are you an alien?

*yes



Will there ever be a sequel to the best mix album of all time, The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume Two?

*maybe



Yo Master L! Would you ever consider a fan selected set list for a one night only gig?

*no haha its a pretty interesting idea ..



I heard you guys had a routine before going on stage. Can you elaborate?

*haha no ,, only listen to a rage tune really loud in dressing room maybe ,,



What's your favorite 90s band?

*the prodigy



Another one: what is the robot-voice at the start of Rebel Radio saying? "______, rebel radio"

*pon tha go !



Hi greetings from Serbia. Have few questions for you. 1)Dirtchamber volume 2. Fans want to see your mixing skills again. What are the chances? 2)Are you

planning to work with Jonas Akerlund and Walter Stern again for prodigy video? 3) There are many unrealesed tracks. Some of them are no souvenirs wth 3d,

track with Julliete Lewis called good morning, track with peaches, wizh singer from Janes Addiction, only live played tracks... What are the chances to

realese those in some format, ep, digital only, b side collection? 4) What are the artists you never worked with but you have big desire to collaborate with

them? 5) Hows Leeroy? Are you guys in touch? Maybe to record a track with him singing? 6) You nailed it with the day is my enemy, great album and its selling

great. My favourite. Are you planning on recording another album after this one, you sure have inspiration. Cheers

*
1. possibly in next year
2. no probably not
3.




You dropped a bunch of clues months ago about the album name, like how it had the letters 'R, E, and B'. Did the name change at the last minute?

*it was called rebel radio at one point then i realised that it wasnt good enough for album title so we just used it as track title



You used to release singles before an album is finished writing (Charly, EITP, One Love, No Good, Firestarter, Breathe etc.). Baby's Got A Temper was the

last one. But since AONO was released you don't do that anymore. Why? Was it planned?

*i want to get back to that , maybe towards end of year something new might pop out



Hey Liam, "wind it up" was one of the reasons I started making electronic music. Cheers mate. Love the new stuff and pretty much everything in between. What

have you been listening to lately?

*i still listen to 80s hip hop alot -- the golden years! ,,, last night i was listening to sleaford mods , night before slaves



'You guys were a major part of my childhood. My dad played you a lot in the car when I was 5, 6, 7, etc. You, along with him, inspired me to start making

music at age 10. Now I am 21, and show no signs of stopping. I thank you.

*we live for the beats!



How is Leeroy doing? Do you guys see him every now and then?

*leeroy lives in germany so dont see him much ,, speak on the phone now and then



Would you ever like to compose a score for an epic movie??

*yes but i would have to work closely with the director otherwise its just work for hire up against a panel of big company bosses
*a killer horror would be good id kill that



Liam! Been a huge fan since 93/94! LOVE LOVE LOVE The new LP! Can you elaborate on some of the gear you used, and what DAW if any?

*im pure analogue , iv even got analogue ears



ey Liam, I've loved Prodigy for damn near 20 years! It's obvious that your music especially the older stuff is punk tinged and would see tons of punks at

your shows. How much would you say punk has played a part in your music and what are some of your favorite punk bands? Stay up, mate!

*its more the ethic of punk i like , the freedom , just fukin do it vibe ,, i luv the dead kennedys



Hello Liam! Three fast questions 1º. What city do you live? 2º. Now you sampled less than before? 3º. Will he return to produce any song hardcore/rave?

Thanks! Greetings from Spain!

*1 london town 2. less on this album 3. might be a laff under different name



were you surprised at the amount of press the video for "Smack my b***h up" received? and did it cause you/the group to be more or less cautious with future

videos/songs?

*no wasnt surprised and no , we dont give fuck about shit like that ,, all i know is being controversial for the sake of it is wack



Hi Liam. Loving the album.
Do you reckon you'll release any more singles from the album? If so, which track(s) stand out to you as likely candidates?
You've always had your links with Noisia (commissioning two remixes, for example). Any chance of seeing a full-fledged collaboration between the two groups

in the future?

*1 definatly , working on that now 2. it would be exciting



Earlier this month you said that we'll see the three of you in a music video, when could this happen and to which song/single?

*we are getting back to that right now and we are gonna be doing vids for some of the tunes that arnt singles as well . we have some good ideas



Hello Liam! Five questions from me. And thanks for everything, you guys are a major influence on my life.

I know you probably don't want to say too much about the next single, but can you give a little clue about which track you chose?
What are the chances of hearing Medicine and Beyond the Deathray live this year?
Please don't stop playing Gun Reprise before Their Law. It's epic. And I know it isn't really a question.
I know the setlist is tight right now, but is there any chance you could play 1-2 oldschool tracks at the non-festival performances (for the hardcore

fans)? For example: BREAK AND ENTER, rhythm of life, everybody in the place... and of course Comanche! While we're at it - thanks for playing Spitfire on

your 2014 gig in Poland, it was a nice surprise!
I'm extremely disappointed you dropped the promised "I love flowers" name for the album. Any chances of reviving it in the future? :D

*1. well , what would u like ?
2.pretty strong 3.ok 4.u never know 5.yes its a fukin shame innit , i tell u what u can have it



You've released two EP's. What Evil Lurks and Lost Beats. Is there anything holding you from releasing more music on this format?
I believe it could be a good way to both 1) test out waters and 2) give out music that you still consider good, but just not fitting on an album (Warning,

AWOL, etc.)

*awol may get finished at some point , maybe il just give it away



Hi Liam! Would you ever consider to work with Trent Reznor?

*no , never been into NIN



One question, what lead you to collaborating with Flux Pavillion? I'd imagine there would be a plethora of artists willing to step up. Dont get me wrong, I'm

a big fan of both yourself and Josh's work but the choice in collaboration seemed a bit arbitrary, especially for The Prodigy. Was the meetup organic? Were

you specifically scouting Flux for some reason?

*we just met through a mutual friend tom baker who is a punk rock tailor in soho ,, we just started chatting ,, not even about music ,, i just sent him an

idea and he said he could add something to it so like all our collabs , totally natural ,, sometimes collabs can feel a bit for the sake of it but not these

ones



Are there producers out there who you really envy? That you think 'wish I could came up with that".

*not envy no ,, a bit of competition is healthy anyway !



Hey Liam,
You considered yourself a few times in interviews as an impatient person. How do you find a structured way of working with today sequencers and endless

possibilities and plugins?
How important were live drums on this record? Is it all sequenced with samples or do you actually get Leo in the studio to drum certain bars? (I asked this

to you back in the days in Moscow and Kieron got involved in the studio back then)
To what extend do you have a personal say in the live lightshow? I'm always astonished what lightrigs you guys bring. Do you talk to your lightengineer to

bring certain vibes to certain songs?

*yes the lights are talked about with us and designed by our guy ,, keiron has never been involved in studio really ,, live drums are tricky because they

will never carry the power or weight of my drum sounds , so i tend to use live cymbals then it gives it a good live feel but retaining the prodigy sound



Do you (still) read fan sites and fan forums like this one and do you get secretly involved? What do you think of all your "crazy" and dedicated fans? (meant

in a positive way)

*i do sometimes but i get angry so i try not to



Two other questions I've just thought of: - What's your favourite show you've ever played, and why? (If you have one) - What's your stance on illegally

downloaded music, and how much does it impact the way bands release their stuff? Cheers, I love you guys

*theres just too many to pick from so cant answer that ,,,



i Master, is there any synth/gear you are addicted in?

*i rock analogue keyboards ,, oberheim 2 voice , arp 2600



Hi Liam. Congratulations on the new album to you and the band. Can you give us any hints on where or how to find your white labels?

*wish i knew myself



You guys are pretty keen snowboarders, I've seen you drinking in my friends bars in Chamonix and Tignes for years (since the 90's) - so where's the best

place to board and where's the best apres?

*its me thats the snowboarder , i still go , was in cham last year ,, nothing beats colorado tho its massive



Hi Liam, At the start or during the show, are you never tempted to pick up a mic and shout something to the audience??

*maybe at the end sometimes but that job is covered pretty well



You looked pretty triumphant when you finished AONO. You seem now a bit dissatisfied with the end product (you said: "When it came out I remember thinking,

'Fucking hell, I'm not into this.").
What is the turning point of you being happy with your creation, and then not being happy anymore? That question can also apply with Baby's Got A Temper, or

any music from that period of time, for that matter.

*did i ? dont remember that , it was miserable ,,,, on reflection tho i like that album and it was neccessary step to get here



How come you never performed on Top Of The Pops? And did The BBC ever try to persuade you to do it despite your constant refusals to do the show?

*because i didnt like the look of jimmy saville , ahead of the game there too



Playing Glastonbury in June?

*nah



Hi Liam! Hopefully The Prodigy will be around for a long long time, but do you see any groups or artists around these days that could hold a light to you

guys and develop and diversify the genre in the same way you did?

*no but , we ready if somebody wants to try



Hi Liam, fan since Big Love 93 here, got a few questions;
1). Would you be interested in putting out an suite style EP of atmospheric tracks similar to Beyond the Deathray, Weather Experiance, Omen Reprise, Medusa's

path etc?
2). Would it be possible to release more Dirtchamber sessions as downloads through the official site, rather than a commercial release, to save all the

clearance issues you had on the first one?
3). Ever thought of getting Leeroy back in for some vocals on future tracks, I think his different styling would really work with tunes similar to Invisible

Sun?, plus he's a fucking legend
4). I hope you got those Streetsounds Electro & John Carpenter soundtracks I sent you years ago?

* 1.no
2.dont know
3.vocals ? hell no
4.shit man , i got that john carpenter cd in my car , im not kidding either



Hi 1.Were you influenced by Serbian traditional music on tune "Medicine? 2.I think ten years ago,you said that you dont understand Nine Inch Nails.Did you

change your mind now and what you think about Trent Reznor? All da best,hope to see Prodigy in Sarajevo soon.

* 1.yeah its a trad balkan tune , i like alot of those melodies ,
2.no im even more confused now



Hi Liam. I wanna ask you something... Do you think there will be a kind of comeback of Big Beat or chemical breaks music in the next years? I would really

love if that happens, if that isn't happening yet.

*NO I HOPE NOT , lets move on



I was at your recent show in Sydney and wanted to know how you contribute to the sound live? I didn't see any laptops this time round

*they were there on my left , i used controllers in front of me in australia ,they do the same job ,,, just had enough of looking like a dj



My question is what is the most difficult part of being in a band like the prodigy? Something most people wouldn't know about perhaps?
Can't wait to see you live in Reading in May

*none of it is easy , but the things that are worthwhile and important are difficult sometimes ,,, reading will ROCK



Will your 'Take Me To The Hospital' label ever be used as a platform to sign / promote new acts like the previous incarnation of it 'Ragged Flag' was

intended to? It would be great to see some new acts emerge that get the Liam Howlett / Prodigy seal of approval.

*maybe man , id like to



LIam! What happened to the Keep out the sunlight riff? Are we going to hear it anytime in a track? Its awesome!

*i really dont know this riff , maybe i called it something else ,



Master H! Thanks for doing this AMA. I have so many questions but I'll ask just one about TDIME since you are here to promote it. Are there any finished

tunes that didn't make the album you could use as b-sides? Thank you so much for your time and the 25 years of brilliant dance music!

*we pretty much used everything . few little bits left over , but better to move on a write new stuff than go back to them



What was the first and the last song written for the new record?
What I'd really love to see is a remix comp one day. Do you check what fans create from your tracks (remixes and the like?)

*i guess it was the demo of nasty , but destroy demo dated back further but finished near end ,, last track was TDIME
i luv wen people remix our tunes please carry on ,



Was TC Matic - Bye Bye Till The Next Time an inspiration for Firestarter?

*never heard it ,



Many many years ago, I interviewed you guys when Experience came out. It was for a magazine that was run by a DJ subscription service (Music Factory) and the

mag was called Hit the Decks. I was told by the editor later that this happened to be your first magazine full front cover, and I've been proud of that

(little) achievement I had a part in for years But bugger me, can I find this feckin' magazine now? What should be a cherished piece of history (for me,

at least) appears to have been lost somewhere across time and various house moves. Shitdamncrap. Anyway, my question is - do you remember this front cover?

And if you do, was the editor telling me porkies? (And if it was true, I guess I'll just be even more pissed off that I can't find the damn thing)

*i tell u who might have a copy , a friend of mine james hyman ,, look him up he has massive archive hes on twitter @jameshyman



Hey Liam. When would you say was the moment that you knew that you could make music as a career? What was the vibe/thoughts that you had in the time period

before you realized it?

*im still waiting for that ,, i dont see this as a job , its something i have to do



1) During the 90s there were interviews where you expressed the sentiment "fuck the internet". What made you change your position?
2) Are you still in contact with Leeroy Thornhill? What's he up to?
3) I read an old bio that mentioned the early days where you went on tour with Moby, and while on the road you two clashed because of your smoking. Is that

true? What have your interactions been like over the years?

*1.ebay ... u can shop all night! 2.now and then , he lives in germany 3.yeah we were at the back of the tour bus taking mushrooms and smoking weed and he

was complaining he was getting stoned through the air conditioning ........ the dick



I love it when you play Out of Space live, but the last 3 shows in Holland you haven't played it. Is there a particular reason for this? And was it replaced

by Hyperspeed? That was a really awesome song you finished with at Paaspop 2014.

*got to change it up sometimes innit



Which psychotropic most influenced your creations? Love your style been listening for ages.

*hypnosis by psychotropic sl 2 remix google it and rave on !



Yo Liam, what's up! I've heard your interview with Eddie on Spotify and loved it. What a great interview and hearing the tunes that have inspired you in a

way. Respect. As for my question, what was the best and worst part of making this album?

*worst is starting the album , best is finishing the bastad , yeah i enjoyed that interview cheers



What's your favorite track off the album and why?

*changes all the time ,, i like playing roadblox and wall of death at the mo, that will probably change over next month tho ,



I gotta ask....what is the craziest event you have ever played for?

*Beirut



LIAM you engage with your fans a lot through instagram, blogs and doing lots of live shows but will you ever start putting material out there that doesn't

make it to albums? like maybe EPs and one-off downloads or do you feel like it ruins the hype when you do bring out an album.

*yes absolutly



How was it working with Does it Offend You, Yeah? back in 2009? Who are some other modern artists you enjoy or respect that are diversifying the music scene

like you did? Thank you for your time!

*i buzz off james , it was easy and a laff ,, i dig slaves . obviously sleaford mods



What do you like better, big festival shows or small, intimate shows?

*luv them all mate , all part of the service



No question - just wanted to say you turned me on to a life of electronic music. Thank you for that.

*not guilty ! ,, dont blame me for liking david guetta what ever u do



Bar soap or bodywash?

*bodywash, then old spice



You’ve never made anything like “Beyond The Deathray” before. Somewhere in the song some lyrics can be heard but they are hardly audible. What is being said?
It’s amazing and I wish it was longer.

*thanks glad u dig this tune because i luv it ,, the voices say 'take drugs and worship satan' no , not really it is actually a synth noise we made , but it

sounds like people talking ,,



Hey Liam. Just want you to know this is the best album you've ever made and I've listened to them all to death. When's the next album out?!

*thanks thats a good one to sign of on ,, respect to all of use who logged in for this
respect LH x



What is your favorite vinyl record?

*beastie boys , licence to ill , i played that shit to death

This is the chance to ask ALL the questions (again)

lots and lots of trolls.

getting a bad vibe from this.

Reddit isn't prepared for Liam H's caps-lock-spamming long sentences with oddly-placed commas.

Hope he answers some proper questions. Would like to know if he has changed his live equipment lately. By the looks he has at least one laptop hidden still under his synths, but not two anymore so visible. Also would love to hear more about his live methods, since the famous "listen now you douchebag" rant is pre-IMD era.

Some artists take proper time answering the questions. Knowing Liam's behaviour on social media he is often more like "FUk U ,, U aint ready for this smasha !!"

And says he was drunk afterwards.

I hoped this would happen. I still want to know why they stopped releasing singles before an album is ready.

Charly, EITP, One Love, No Good, Firestarter, Breathe, BGAT were all released before their assigned album was ready. They don't do that since AONO. Girls, Omen, Nasty, etc. were all released after album completion and I believe this has caused some downsides on their album promotions.

Never used Reddit before, submitted my questions now, don't know if I was supposed to wait until he's live, knowing me I will be busy out somewhere when that happens anyway.
Wish they would just come here or the official forums instead of mucking about with social media, (I realise this is likely the labels idea not Liam's)

Someone ask him if hes gonna release the albums faster. Plz

Can someone please ask what happened to that Sunlight Riff from that instagram clip? It's beautiful!
https://instagram.com/p/mLlHzcrM8Y/

Well, this is good news. I don't think LIAM is ready for this, hehe. He needs to be ready to answer most of the questions or feel the wrath of the fanbase.

this is not the AMA yet, there will be a new thread once the AMA starts

I'm quite a beginner to reddit myself, but I've heard about the Knife Party AMA and thought it was a good read

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2 ... nd_gareth/

you can check it to familiarize yourself with how reddit works (upvote/downvote system, how to collapse or re-open a chain of comments)

laptops moved to the side, the equipment in the centre is all new. watch the wild frontier live video, you can see most of the equipment on both sides

Very cool. I'm mod of theprodigy subreddit on there. Great format to asks questions!

I'm trying to prepare some questions right now. You'd better do the same guys! I have no idea when this starts but probably in 1-5 hours from now (I think 5pm UTC isn't 11am PST... might be they messed up UTC with GMT, PST with PDT, or generally fucked up something daylight-savings related. Or I can't count.)

Im at job so I cant join ama. But you can ask about sunlight riff. Ep, b sides, future plans for the band, physical single realeses, dirtchamber part 2, no souvenirs, awol...

You can start posting questions now I think:

http://www.reddit.com/r/electronicmusic ... gy_ask_me/