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Džon Lejton otkriva razloge napuštanja Juraje Hip, kako se proveo u Srbiji i najavljuje novi album
ROKER SA BLUZ DUŠOM
 9. maja 2008. u Dimitrovgradu na Peace festivalu nastupila je internacionalna zvezda Džon Lejton ( John Lawton) koji je poznat po svom radu sa bendovima Juraja Hip ( Uriah Heep), Lucifers frend ( Lucifers’s Friend), On d roks ( On the Rocks), Le Hamfris Singrs ( Les Humphries Singers)... Posle sjajnog koncerta našli smo se sa gospodinom Lejtonom u njegovom hotelu i za čitaoce www.balkanrock.com – a uradili intervju koji će Vam biti predstavljen i na engleskom i na srpskom jeziku. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ On May 9th 2008 in Dimitrovgrad on Peace Fest, performed an international star John Lawton famous for his work with groups like Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend, On the Rocks, Les Humphries Singers... After great show, we met with Mr. Lawton in his hotel and done interview for www.balkanrock.com readers, which will be presented both on English and Serbian languages. English (original) version/Engleska (originalna) verzija:  -What can you tell us about your On the Rock’s band album “Mamonama”?
The CD is recorded and remastered, everything is done. The deals are there, we just have to finalize the cover and the booklet. It should be, maybe, ready and out within next six weeks. It’s three Brazilian musicians: Brazilian bass player, drummer, keyboard player, myself and Jan Dumee who used to be guitar player in Dutch band Focus. All original songs, it’s not heavy metal, it’s kind of rock with blues, jazz and there’s a little influance from Lucifer’s Friend. It sounds good, and I’m very happy with it.
-In 1975. you were representing Germany in Eurovision song contenst with Les Humphries Singers. What’s the difference between that competition and now-a-days one?
Nothing’s changed...It’s still politics. The Scandinavian countries all vote for eachother. It doesn’t matter whether the song is better. Sweeden votes for Norway, Norway votes for Denmark...And the Balkan countries always vote for themselves as well. It was just as same in 1975. The Dutch people don’t like Germans and they don’t vote for them. It’s all politics, it has nothing to do with songs, except maybe for Abba who were the only one who really made progress, but everbody else...No, you don’t hear nothing special from them anymore.
-What’s your favourite era in your career?
I would think probably Lucifer’s friend period from 1973. to 1975. It’s probably my favourite, some of the best work that I’ve done was in that period. Than during Uriah Heep was ok, but I don’t consider it my best work. I did a solo album “Still Paying My Dues to the Blues” which I consider another piece of good work, it was well produced and the songs were good. I enjoyed making it. I did enjoy working with Uriah Heep, don’t get me wrong, but every musician has his favourite part of life, and Lucifer’s Friend is the period of time when we were very productive as a band.
-What were the reasons for your departure from Uriah Heep?
Oh, many reasons. Many, many reasons. Conflicts, problems inside the band, especialy with Ken and myself. We had a lot of problems, but not just that, also the music. They were trying to write songs like “Free Me” and I thought that, that kind of song was not what Uriah Heep was all about. Uriah was about songs like “The Wizard” and all good classic songs. We had a hit “Free Me” which brought a lot of many to Ken and he wanted to write another one like that and it is very difficult to do something like that. So, we agreed that we should apart.
-In what relation are you now with Uriah Heep members?
We get along great. Mick Box and I e-mail every couple of weeks. With rest of the guys in Uriah Heep, we’ve always been good friends, even when we split. When Bernie Shaw had throat problems in ’95. Mick Box asked me to tour with them and I said: “Yeah, ok”. Ken and I also get along well now, we solved our problems and that’s why we do concerts together. I think there are still problems with Ken and the rest of Uriah members, things that can’be resolved. I don’t think that eather side is going to try to resolve them.
-What were your expectations before coming to Dimitrovgrad, and what are your impressions now after concert?
I had no expectations. I’ve never been to Serbia before. When we arrived, we went straight to the stadium than to the hotel to get some sleep, so I didn’t get the chance to see any of it. But, now, just driving down the main street when all the lights are on it looks great. I think that people here are really friendly like in all the Eastern European countries. Bulgaria’s people are very friendly, I think that Serbian people are also very friendly...so I’m gonna wear good memories from here. The crowd was great tonight, they knew all the songs. I was very surprised that some young people in the front knew all the words and I think that’s great. I enjoyed it.
-What are your future plans?
I’m going back to London tomorrow morning...very early from Sofia. I’m going to Spain at the end of may for four weeks, then I do Sweeden rock with Ken Hensley (laughs) and I go to Germany. At the end of July I’m going to Moscow to record with Russian band together with Glenn Hughes, Graham Bonet and Ian Paice...they all done pieces on this album and they want me to sing two songs. So I will sing two songs and have concert in Moscow.
-Will you be touring with On the Rocks once the album is out?
Hopefully, yeah. It just depands how people hear music. People expect something rock from me and they are going to be surprised. It’s not pop songs, but the songs are really good, players are excellent and Jan Dumee is fantastic guitar player. So, hopefully when it’s realesed we’ll go out and do some gigs, and maybe we’ll come to Serbia.
-Do you know anything about rock scene in Serbia?
No I don’t. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t understand the language.
-Thank you for doing this interview.
You’re welcome, and I will check out your website  Interview was done by: Miloš Najdanović
Photo by Aleksandar Ilić Press: Milan Mihailovic
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Srpska (prevedena) verzija/Serbian (translated) version:
-Šta nam možete reći o vašem novom albumu benda On d roks - „Mamonama“?
CD je snimljen i remasterizovan, sve je gotovo. Imamo ponuđene ugovore, samo treba da odredimo omote. Trebalo bi, možda, da bude spreman i da izađe u toku narednih šest nedelja. Bend čine tri brazilska muzičara: brazilski basista, bubnjar, klavijaturista, ja i Jan Dume bivši gitarista holandskog benda Fokus. Sve su originalne pesme, nisu hevi metal već neka vrsta roka sa bluzom, džezom i sa malo uticaja iz benda Lucifers frend. Zvuči dobro, i veoma sam zadovoljan njime.
-1975. ste predstavljali Nemačku na pesmi Evrovizije sa grupom Le Hamfri Singrs. Koja je razlika između tadašnjeg takmičenja i današnjeg?
Ništa se nije promenilo...I dalje je politika. Skandinavske zemlje glasaju između sebe. Nije bitan kvalitet pesme. Švedska glasa za Norvešku, Norveška glasa za Dansku... i balkanske zemlje takođe uvek glasaju između sebe. Isto je bilo i 1975. Holanđani ne vole nemce i ne glasaju za njih. Sve je to politika, nema nikakve veze sa pesmama, osim možda Abe koja je jedina napravila pomak, ali svi ostali...Ne, više ništa posebno ne čujete od njih.
-Koje doba iz vaše karijere vam je omiljeno?
Verovatno je to period Lucifers frenda od 1973. do 1975. To mi je verovatno omiljena, neka od mojih najboljih dela su urađena u tom periodu. Zatim za vreme Juraje Hip je bilo ok, ali to ne smatram svojim najboljim radom. Uradio sam solo album „Still Paying My Dues to the Blues“ koji smatram još jednim dobrim delom, bio je dobro produciran i pesme su bile dobre. Uživao sam snimajući ga. Nemojte me pogrešno shvatiti, uživao sam u radu i sa Juarjm Hip, ali svaki muzičar ima svoj omiljen deo života a Lucifers frend je vremenski period kada smo bili izuzetno produktivni kao bend.
-Koji su bili razlozi vašeg odlaska iz Juraje Hip?
Oh, mnogo razloga. Mnogo, mnogo razloga. Konflikti, problemi unutar benda, pogotovo između Kena i mene. Imali smo puno problem, ali ne samo to, isto i sa muzikom. Pokušavali su da pišu pesme poput „Free me“ i mislio sam da takva pesma nije Juraja Hip. Juraja su pesme poput „The Wizard“ i ostalih dobrih klasičnih pesama. Imali smo „Free me“ hit koji je doneo dosta novca Kenu i on je hteo da napišemo još jednu takvu pesmu, ali je veoma teško uraditi tako nešto. Tako da smo se složili da se raziđemo.
-U kakvim ste odnosima, sada, sa članovima Juraje?
Odlično se slažemo. Mik Boks i ja šaljemo mejlove svakih nekoliko nedelja. Sa ostalim članovima sam uvek bio dobar prijatelj, čak i kad smo se rastali. Kada je Berni Šou ima problema sa grlom ’95. Mik Boks me je pitao da uradim turneju sa njima i ja sam rekao: „Super, ok“. Ken i ja se sada dobro slažemo, rešili smo naše probleme i zato sada zajedno radimo koncerte. Mislim da i dalje postoje problemi između Kena i ostatka članova Juraje, stvari koje se ne mogu rešiti. Mislim da nijedna strana neće ni pokušati da ih reši.
-Kakva su bila vaša očekivanja pre dolaska u Dimitrovgrad, a kakvi su utisci sad posle koncerta?
Nisam imao ikakva očekivanja. Nikada pre nisam bio u Srbiji. Kada smo stigli, otišli smo direktno na stadion i onda do hotela da odspavam, tako da nisam imao priliku da vidim grad. Ali, sada, doka sam se samo vozio kroz glavnu ulicu gde su sva svetla upaljena, sve izgleda super. Mislim da su ljudi ove zaista prijateljski kao i u svim istočno-evropskim zemljama. Bugari su veoma prijateljski, mislim da su i Srbi takođe...tako da ću odavde poneti dobra sećanja. Publika je bila super večeras, znali su sve pesme. Bio sam veoma iznenađen nekim mladićima iz prvih redova koji su znali sve reči i mislim da je to sjajno. Uživao sam u koncertu.
-Koji su vam budući planovi?
Sutra ujutru se vraćam za London...veoma rano iz Sofije. Idem u Španiju krajem maja na četiri nedelje, pa radim švedski rok sa Ken Henslijem (smeje se) i potom idem za Nemačku. Krajem jula idem u Moskvu da snimam pesme sa jednim ruskim bendom, zajedno sa Glen Hjuzom, Grejam Bonetom i Jan Pajsom...svi su oni snimili delove albuma i hoće da im ja odpevam dve pesme. Dakle, pevaću dve pesme i onda imam koncert u Moskvi.
-Da li ćete raditi turneju sa On d roks bendom kada izađe album?
Iskreno se nadam. Sve zavisi od toga kako ljudi čuju muziku. Ljudi očekuju rok od mene i biće iznenađeni. Nisu pop pesme u pitanju, ali su veoma dobre, muzičari su odlični i Jan Dume je fantastičan gitarista. Nadam se da kada album izađe da ćemo uraditi neke svirke i možda dođemo u Srbiju.
-Da li znate nešto o rok sceni u Srbiji?
Ne, ne znam. Ne zato što ne želim, već zato što ne razumem jezik.
Hvala na intervjuu.
Nema na čemu i pogledaću vaš vebsajt.
Intervju uradio: Miloš Najdanović
Fotografije: Aleksandar Ilić Press: Milan Mihailovic
9.maj 2008.
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