2007年9月East Magazine采访Richard的报道

Rich: “It’s still amazing, the moments where you think ‘What the **** am i doing up here, how did ths happen?’” says the gently spoken, ex-Vinehall pupil, staring down at his palms. ‘I nearly forget to come in every time on Hamburg Song because Tom starts off and I listen for about three minutes, lost in it, thinking this is insane. I’m surrounded by thousands of people and it’ s completely bonkers. And then look down at my drum and it’s got my name on it, given to me by Yahama, made for me in the colour I wanted. And I think this is just…at some point I have to wake up. And go back to my mum and dad’s house.”

Even the snack table beside us resembles willy wonka’s wet dream. And here, deep in the winding backstage maze of the O2 Arena, feels a world away from the placid greenary of East Sussex.

Rich:”Growing up in the country is great. But people have this image that if you’re a kid in the countryside that you sort of get up and run through fields for your entire childhood,” laughs Hughes. “A Sound-Of-Music-style upbringing it is not. However in terms of music scenes I do think it’s time the countryside fought back, I mean why should cities like Leeds and London have all the glory? Why can there not be more established musc scenes out in te countryside? Music is one of the few things you can just do, wherever you you are – whether it’s an acoustic guitar in a bedroom or amp in the garage.”

Hughes says, “The history of Keane is a long one.”

Amid the inevitable whirlwind of tabloid furore, August 2006 saw frontman Tom Chaplin admitted into rehab for drink and drug problems, consequently canceling the band’s entire US tour.

Rich:”Ah, yes,” said Hughes, with a weary smile. “Yes there were times when we weren’t having as much fun as we should have done. There was a period during the making of our seocnd album where we really didn’t know what was going to happen. Tom went off for his first effort in Rehab. He was falling to pieces. And then he went in again. And we didn’t know if we’d ever release this record.”

But they did release it. And Under the Iron Sea topped the UK Album chart for two weeks and sold 2,500,00 copies woldwide.

Rich:”Yes Tom’s better, he’s so much happier, and that means we’re all much happier,” he continues. “Because we’re all very close friends off stage. And you know what, we should be happy – absolutely happy – because it is damn good fun what we do!”

How does someonelike this cope with the vicious revies and scathng contempories Keane have been subjected to over the years?

Rich:”There is negative press about anything ever done by anyone because it’s easier to get a headline saying something bad.” he says. “And yet so many truly bad things don’t get reported. It’s really weird. Some poeple have a pop, but tht’s just the easy way out. There’s no actual opinion, its just saying something cynical. Tom’s the face of the band and direct abuse at him is inevitable. I wouldn’t stop being the anonymous drummer for the world! But aside from that I do think there is a huge amount of love for him.”

When questioning the band’s motives for featuring in the London Leg of Live Earth last July it became blatantly obvious what makes the lads tick.

Rich:”Live Earth aims to connect with a generation who feel quite disconnected from the political process, and rightly is, because the political process is f***ed,” says Hughes, who now holds eyes contact. “All these politicians have got children and grandchildren who are going to hate them for the way they are running the world right now.” He continues, “No. There needs to be a political chage. There needs to be a change that removes corporations from having so much influence over government. Till that’s broken then we’re f***ed. Totally f***ed. The point of the bands was to be the big flashing lights that grab your attention. Al Gore’s view is that musicians have a special connections with people; music can make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. There aren’t that many things that do that. If I’m going to think of George Bush that certainly doens’t happen – I end of ranting and shouting!”

Rich on what the band does to be green:”At home my energy supplier is Good Energy which is only from renewable sources and I’ve started cycling round London. (Although Yes I do have my Oyster Card just in case!). As a band we try to do as much as we can.”

It’s fair to say a lot has happened since East last spoke to Keane, since they returned to East Sussex two years ago to headline the Hastings Beer and Music Festival, hoping to raise over ￡70, ooo for local causes. Nut what hasn’t cahnged is their sense of home.

Rich:”We still have a lot of friends and family in Hastings and Battle. The peole I grew up living next door to are still there, those patient people who put up with the noise of me learning to play the drums! It still feels like home and we go down there quite a lot. Tom goes to lost of local events and I’m doing Battle Bonfire again!”

So is there another East Sussex Keane gig on the cards?
“It would be nice to do a home gig soon. It always is. Once the tour is over our immediate plans are to hide away in this place where we write. It’s in Sussex but the location is secret. If I tell you I’d have to kill you. Actually I’ll explode – you see we’ve all had implants. It’s just a nice place where we go, out in the countryside.”

And I’m leaving the dressing room beaming, saying goodbye to on of nicest people I’ve ever interviewed.