Tim Butler's Lineup Ranking

I thought this was interesting but here's how Tim Butler ranked The Psychedelic Furs lineups from an interview with the Chicago Tribune back in 2014.

1. The current version*: "The best that has ever toured."

Left to right: Paul Garisto, Rich Good, Mars Williams, Richard Butler, Tim Butler, Amanda Kramer. Photo by Reed Davis.

2. The first version: "Usually we were not sober, to be honest."

Left to right: Duncan Kilburn, Vince Ely, Richard Butler, John Ashton, Roger Morris, Tim Butler. Photo by Tom Sheehan.

3. The version that toured in support of the band's smash Midnight To Midnight album: "Very polished."

Left to right: Mars Williams, John Ashton, Paul Garisto, Tim Butler, Richard Butler. Photo by Henry Diltz.

Marty Williamson: Backup guitarist for the Midnight tour.

Roger O'Donnell: Keyboardist for the Midnight tour.

4. The rest of the '80s versions: "Very keyboard-y, a very big sort of stadium sound." (This one is pretty much a tie)

*Nowadays the lineup is still mostly the same but this time Zachary Alford is on the drums. He's very good and I would love to see him play with the band live someday.

Left to right: Tim Butler, Mars Williams, Zachary Alford, Richard Butler, Rich Good, Amanda Kramer. Photo by Matthew Reeves.

Shrink Rap: Richard Butler

Photo: Tom Sheehan

Richard Butler was featured in the Shrink Rap section on the February 10, 1990 issue of British magazine Melody Maker.

How do you feel?

Fine so far...

Where did you go last night?

Played a gig in Nottingham.

What will you do today?

If I knew that already I wouldn't get out of bed.

Who are your favorite singers/musicians?

Martin Rev, Arthur Lee, Hank Williams.

If you could be someone else (alive or dead), who would you be?

Pablo Picasso for a day.

Who would you most like to kill if you could?

I never really think that.

What annoys you the most?

Stupidity, waste, pride, arrogance, hatred, fear, shame, need...

What do you consider your greatest strength?

As a musician, that I can't sing and that I like words.

What is your favorite record?

Love, "Forever Changes".

What was the last act you saw live?

Bob Mould at The Ritz.

What was the best moment in your life?

June 6, 1971.

What was the worst moment in your life?

July 18, 1987.

What is your greatest regret?

All your actions are final.

What's your favorite article of clothing?

Georgia Workboots.

Who would you most like to meet?

Jesus Christ.

What book are you reading at the moment?

"Jackson Pollock" by Steven Naifeh and G. White Smith.

What was the last film you saw?

"Roger And Me".

What do you never miss on TV?

Repeats of "The Living World" on cable.

What did you last receive in the post?

Postcard from London con Edison Bill.

What's your favorite word?

Anodyne.

What would you say to an alien?

Sorry you caught us at an awkward time, could you come back earlier?

What's your favorite tipple?

Saratoga.

What would you like your epitaph to be?

All of this and I regret not a day that I was sent.

Behind the Songs: Torch

Photo: Peter Robathan

Richard Butler: "You do get to a point where you wonder why you're doing things and whether what you're doing is of any value. Take 'Torch'. It asks whether to regret my past. Or if it's even worth worrying about."

Interviewer: "I liked the cello on that."

Richard Butler: "[Emily Burridge] did a great job. Originally, 'Torch' had electric guitars, it was an electric song. Then the way the cello track came out took the song into a whole different place."

Interviewer: "So you took off the electric tracks?"

Richard Butler: "Yeah. When we were mixing, we happened to put the drums up first, then the vocals, then the cello, and it sounded great... We stuck in electric guitar, then took that back out... then we pulled the drums out and put in acoustic guitars."

Interviewer: "And now, that song seems to signal a difference about [Book Of Days]."

Richard Butler: "I want to do more like that in the future. I've wanted to do acoustic songs for a long time." (Puncture Magazine 1989)

Richard Butler: "I'm enjoying singing on [the Book Of Days Tour]. We've been doing acoustic versions of songs like 'The Ghost In You' and 'No Tears'. Last night we did 'Pretty In Pink' and 'Torch' that way. I really enjoy doing 'Torch' live. It feels quite different to be standing onstage with just cello and acoustic guitar. You feel very exposed singing it. I liked that, being exposed. When the whole band is playing you've got a large noise you're part of—you're not featured. But when you sing something with an acoustic guitar, the words you are singing become more important. The songs become more fragile all of a sudden." (Puncture Magazine 1989)

Richard Butler: "Originally ('Torch') was just a regular electric song. We'd put acoustic guitar on a lot of tracks [from Book Of Days] and when it came down to mixing 'Torch' we brought up the acoustics and drums and cello first. We hadn't brought up the electrics yet and I thought, 'Well that sounds pretty good — now let's try it without the drums.' We tried it without the drums and I liked it much better." (Southtown Star 1989)

Interviewer: "You said that there would be no singles on Book Of Days."

Richard Butler: "Well, we made the record and I didn't think that there was anything that I could really hear in the top ten. It's not that I don't think there are great songs on there. What I think are my favorites off this record are 'Shine' or 'Torch' ...but good songs and singles are two entirely different things, I think." (The Bob 1990)

Richard Butler (on being asked what he would like his epitaph to be): "'All of this and I regret not a day that I was sent.'" (Melody Maker 1990)

Richard Butler: "We've never sung a song that was just a ballad, with acoustic guitars and cello before and I liked... the change, or just the minimalism of the arrangement." (The Tampa Tribune 1990)