JOANNA: So tell everyone what your name is and what you do in
Hard-Fi.

RICH: My name is Rich and I sing and play guitar' generally quite badly.

JOANNA: Oh [laughs]'maybe you should take guitar lessons or something'

RICH: Well I have to make the other guitarist in the band look good.

JOANNA: That's really professional of you.

RICH: Yeah, I'm a professional kind of guy.

JOANNA: [Laughs] So I read somewhere that you don't consider your band to be in competition with The Killers, instead you're in competition with Eminem'is this correct?

RICH: It's just that in the UK there are all these bands that come out that like to have this big ego thing, and they'll start competing ' 'Oh you're crap, we're great, you're rubbish' ' you know, and all that sort of stuff. At the end of the day, I'm not sitting there worrying about if I've sold more records than Bloc Party ' the people I want to be compared to are, like, people like Eminem and U2 ' the people who are really up there. I'm aiming for the top.

JOANNA: So you don't think Bloc Party is 'the top'?

RICH: No.

JOANNA: So you're trying to tell me that U2 is bigger than Bloc Party?

RICH: Well, I'm looking at it success-wise.

JOANNA: So do you think do you think that your EP, "Cash Machine" will be the next 'Joshua Tree?'

RICH: [Pause] Well listen, if you don't try, you're never going to get there, are you? British lads in particular are all so scared of failure. I don't give a shit if this band goes nowhere. We're going to do our best and if we get there, great, and if we don't, well so what? At least we gave it a try.

JOANNA: I've interviewed a lot of British bands so far, and I think that it would be really cool if all you guys all fought each other.

RICH: [Laughs] What?!

JOANNA: Like if you guys fought the Libertines, like physically fought them, I think people would be really into watching it.

RICH: Would it be in some kind of, like'oiled up tub?

JOANNA: [Laughs] Yes! A Jell-O wrestling match would be perfect!

RICH: Yeah'

JOANNA: And then the winner of the fight between you and the Libertines would have to fight Bloc Party! Would you guys be up for the challenge if I set this whole thing up?

RICH: How about the winners of The Libertines match then fight Bloc Party' and then the champion gets to have a hustle with you in the Jell-o?



JOANNA: [Laughing] I would love that!

RICH: Or perhaps you just want to have Bloc Party and The Libertines and Me and the rest of Hard-Fi and you all in the Jell-o!

JOANNA: Yes! I'll fight all of you bloody wankers!

RICH: Yeah, I'll try to make that happen!

JOANNA: [Laughs] I think that I would win.

RICH: We'll see about that.

JOANNA: So do you know what you're being interviewed for right now?

RICH: BurningAngel'some kind of racy website I was told'

JOANNA: Did you have a look at it?

RICH: I'm going to.

JOANNA: Do you often find yourself looking at racy websites?

RICH: Well, when you're in a band, you always look at racy websites. You spend a couple of weeks on the road'but BurningAngel is not one I've checked out, so I'll make sure I do that. Do you recommend it?

JOANNA: Yeah, I highly recommend it. I'm kind of bias though, so'you might want to ask someone else how they feel about it. So has anything scandalous happened while you've been on tour? A lot of girls are suckers for those British accents.

RICH: Yeah, that's one of the things that people have been telling us' that US girls like British accents.



JOANNA: So has anyone in the band cashed in on their accent?

RICH: Ummm, our drummer may have. He's trying to collect photos of American girls' tits'

JOANNA: Wow. How many photos does he have? I bet he doesn't have as many as I do'

RICH: I don't know the exact number but he's definitely doing quite well with this new hobby.

JOANNA: Well good for him. He could probably put them all in an art exhibit one day.

RICH: Yeah, exactly.

JOANNA: [Laughs] I want to go on tour and collect photos of guys' dicks.

RICH: That's a good idea!

JOANNA: Tell your drummer that he inspired me.

RICH: I'm glad something creative has come out of this.

JOANNA: You guys are on Atlantic? Is that correct?

RICH: Yes.

JOANNA: Did they give you a bus?

RICH: A what?

JOANNA: A bus - like a tour bus.

RICH: Oh yes' we do have one of those.

JOANNA: Do you think that when you guys come to New York that I could film a porn video on your bus?

RICH: Well'.I suppose we could make some kind of arrangement to do that.

JOANNA: I've always wanted to film a video on a tour bus. I'm sure Atlantic wouldn't mind, right?

RICH: Well, they don't have to know about it. Would you star or would you direct?

JOANNA: Oh, I do both at the same time.

RICH: Oh, cool.

JOANNA: Yeah, it's a tough job but someone's gotta do it.

RICH: Cool.

JOANNA: Well, anyway, is there anything you'd like to add before you leave?

RICH: Ummm'just need to urge everyone to come and see Hard Fi.

JOANNA: Ok; EVERYONE COME AND SEE HARD FI!!! Is that good?

RICH: Yeah.

JOANNA: Ok bye!