RS: Speaking of re-releases, up until recently the last thing I saw of yours was a remix of "Don't Give Up" that came out around Christmas time, and it retrospect that seems appropriate with what you've been going through. Was it a personal theme and why was it released around Christmas time?
Alex: Yes, it was an idea from one of the guys that I work with who said thatI should remix it because it was an anthem from the label and it was a record which I think that deserved a remix.
It was a number one hit a couple of years ago and there was a little inspiration there because it was a very dark time. The truth be known, I was sort of walking around again about three to four months after the accident and I could just sort of get up, walk around and sit in my car. But, I think that it's the psychological effect of that kind of injury that it has on you, and it just devastates your whole life. By the time I'd spent a little time at home after coming out of hospital, I came back to my company almost six months later and there was just a great big void there. So we went quiet for a little time and sorted everything out which was the most difficult time to be doing it, because of the way that the record business is right now.
We had a bit of success with a number of projects and now we're sort of back up at full play again. We just put had another big hit record at the moment with a record that's on the play lists of fifty-four regionals in England, called "Fast Car." We just had the Agnelli and Nelson last week, "Holding On To Nothing," which was a pretty big record. Then of course there are the remixes…
RS: I just a heard a remix you did of Annie Lennox.
Alex: Yes, the theme tune to Lord of the Rings - "Into the West."
RS: You did an incredible job on it. You took the record in a completely different direction than the other versions - giving it a sentimental tone while keeping the Annie's incredible vocals in the forefront. The Agnelli & Nelson song seems to have be a really dark element in that similar to the dark element in your remix of "Don't Give Up." Is that your effect on the music or did they come to you with that song?
Alex: No. I executive produced that one but it was really the guys (Agnelli and Nelson) who were responsible for writing it. I think that there was an emotional feeling all around because they missed me and I think they were expressing their feelings. Rob is a very good friend of mine for many years and he's been with this label for eight years now, we go back a long way. We're all family here and everyone was just devastated by the accident. So I guess that's what kind of came out in the song that, you know.
RS: And also that video, it's quite dark.
Alex: Yes, it's just the way everybody was feeling. Some of the best records are written out of deprivation and when people are feeling down. I guess that's probably why people from the British Isles are pretty good at writing songs because life here can be quite tough sometimes. I guess it's tough everywhere, but America's a fantastic place to be and I even though I often hear Americans bitching about the government and this or that, I still think that America's a wonderful country. It's a magnificent place to be and work especially if you're in the entertainment business. It's an entrepreneur's paradise and if you're a record producer, there's so many opportunities that are open in your country which are not open in the United Kingdom. For example, film work and so on and so forth.
