BACKSTAGE AT TRNSMT WITH BUTCH VIG (GARBAGE) | INTERVIEW

In terms of Rock Royalty, we often rhyme off the stars; John Lennon, Debbie Harry, Kurt Cobain, Stevie Nicks (you catch my drift) but often, the biggest icons are the ones in the sleeve note small print. The producers or the sound techs, the ones who take somebody else’s art and turn it into something truly spectacular for the listener. This couldn’t be more true for our next guest interviewee at this years TRNSMT, Butch Vig.

Penultimatly closing the main stage on Day 1 with his band Garbage – led by Scotland’s own Shirley Manson – the Garbage drummer is best known as the legendary music producer responsible for the likes of Nirvana’s 1991 breakthrough Nevermind and Smashing Pumpkins iconic Siamese Dream (1993) to name but a couple. In 1995, Butch Vig and Shirley Manson formed Garbage and the rest as they say, is history.

Their 7th album No Gods, No Masters (2021) was met with mixed reviews from critics but almost 30 years in, the band continue to evolve and expect 2025 to open yet another chapter in their creative journey. Here’s what Butch had to say ahead of Garbage’s first ever TRNSMT appearance.

Anne: Butch, thank you so,so much for taking the time to chat to us. Is the first time Garbage has been in Glasgow, or Scotland for that matter, for quite a few years now?

Butch: We’ve played here a bunch of times, especially the Barrowlands; that’s one of the greatest venues in the world as far as we’re concerned. I think Garbage are actually honorary members? The last time we played there, they gave us some Barrowlands award. It was pretty special.

I think this might be the first time we’ve played this festival but we’re totally thrilled and the line up is great. We’re excited to see Liam Gallagher tonight after we go on.

Anne: Your last album, No Gods, No Masters was released in 2021, since then you’ve released a handful of reissues with the last one being 2005’s Bleed Like Me in April just there. When can we expect Album no. 8?

Butch: Right before we came on tour we finished the bulk of the recording. So we get back to Los Angeles in August and then in September/October we’re going to finish up and get all the mixing done. Fingers crossed it will be coming out in April next year. Album no.8, we’re excited about it. It sounds like Garbage but it doesn’t sound like Garbage.

Anne: Okay, that sounds interesting. I look forward to hearing that one.

Butch: Yeah, there’s some interesting detours on it which will be cool.

Anne: Do you feel that your sound has changed over the years? Do you feel it’s moved in a different direction?

Butch: It’s hard to tell until it’s done and it’s mixed but right now the songs all sort of have journeys. They started in one place and they end in another place. They go on a lot of detours, like 4 or 5 of the songs are like quite rollercoaster ride. So fingers crossed it’s all gonna be done by October. 

Anne: Next year will mark 30 years of Garbage, any plans to celebrate it?

Butch: You know, I don’t know…

Anne: You already done the debut album reissue, was that the 20 year anniversary?

Butch: Yeah it was, we’re gonna try and go to the US, Europe and the UK again next summer on tour. And then we’re going to go to Australia for the first time since pre covid in December which will be great. But we’re having fun and so long as we’re having fun, we’re gonna keep doing it.

Anne: Do you enjoy being out on tour?

Butch: It’s nice to be here, I haven’t been here since, again, pre covid. Last time was like 2018/19, something like that. We had a night off last night in Edinburgh and tomorrow we also have off. It’s rare that we ever get days off like that on tour. We’re usually travelling in a plane, or a bus somewhere.

Anne: Because you have a headline show in Edinburgh on Sunday?

Butch: Yeah Edinburgh will be a big one. Shirley’s from there..

Anne: Is Shirley excited to be back in Scotland?

Butch: Oh yeah, Shirley is very excited to be here! It’s funny because she’s lived in the states now for 30, no 20 years probably, her accent has diminished a tiny bit so she’s got a tiny bit of American but not really, and the second she comes back to Scotland she goes full Scottish and I can’t understand a damn thing she says.

Anne: Obviously, we can’t not mention the fact you have produced some of the biggest rock albums of all time. But how do you feel the recording process has changed over time?

Butch: Well it’s kinda hard trying to comprehend just how long I have been doing this now, like it’s been over 30 years. I’m just lucky that I have been able to work with such amazing artists. Doing Nevermind profoundly changed my life. If that record had never happened then I wouldn’t have then had the opportunity to do Garbage. I’d still be making music I’m sure as it’s in my DNA, I don’t have any hobbies (laughs). That record changed my life and allowed me to pick and choose projects and artists I want to work with.

But it’s been interesting because music always goes in cycles, and certain genres become popular then they sort of fall into the gutter a bit. But I just sort of looking at everything I’ve done, we’re just lucky that Garbage are still here, it’s been 30 years and we’re still making music. We’re trying to outlast The Rolling Stones  (laughs) but they have like 10 years on us, we have to catch up with them first.

Hope – You’ve toured for many years now but is there anywhere you are excited to go to for this next tour?

Butch: Yeah sure, like I said, this has been our first time in Europe since 2018 I think? I can’t remember the last time we played here but all the audiences have been great. We played a couple of shows in Spain and three shows in Germany where the crowds were wild. I don’t like to stereotype but they’re usually pretty mellow there – they’re more stoic, I should put it that way. But I think that with our band being around for [a while] now that our fans are pretty hardcore, so it’s like a love fest. They sing the lyrics to all the songs and it’s fun, it’s great to be out doing it.

Anne: So for tonight’s set, is there anything we can expect?

Butch: I think Shirley’s trying to arrange a surprise intro and we’re probably going to play songs from all the albums. There will be a couple from the latest album but there will be hits from all the albums.

Anne: A greatest hits then? Like Anthology?

Butch: Yeah, like when you’ve got 7 albums you’ve got a lot of songs, but that’s a good thing, it keeps it interesting.

Anne: I think it’ll be one of those moments where the crowds – especially the younger ones, which there a lot of – will be like ‘I know this song!’

Butch: It’s cool though, you see fans with the garbage shirts and I can tell by the swag that they bought them like 20/30 years ago. Then you see all of these kids next to them and they’re rocking out and singing the lyrics. From our point of view, that feels really good.

Anne: It must feel like a real full circle kind of moment at times.

I know we’re pushed for time so final questions now. Do you prefer the production side of things or playing in a band?

Butch: I will say this, I love playing live but I don’t like the travelling. Planes, trains and automobiles wear you down and you’re just constantly exhausted. But also, I love the studio. I can be like a studio rat; I can go in there at like 10/11 in the morning and work all day without even taking a break because it’s so much fun. But the cool thing is I’ve been able to do both, I sort of have like 2 hats I wear. I can go into band mode or I can go into producer mode. I’ve been doing it for at least 20 plus years and it’s been healthy for me as it gives two different perspectives. When I’m the producer it’s not my music, it’s the artists music and it’s my job to help understand what their vision is. But in Garbage, I’m writing the songs, I’m ordering dinner and I’m selecting the wine (laughs) ‘you poor thing, who’s choosing the wine tonight’. It’s a good balance to do both.

Anne: Definitely the final question now! Finish this question; the best thing about Glasgow is? 

Butch: The Barrowlands! 

Butch was a delight to chat to. Despite having so many accolades to his name, the Garbage drummer remains incredibly humble. Although we touched upon on his production days, Butch’s heart is very much with Garbage and despite it being almost 30 years since their debut album dropped, his passion for the future of this band is as genuine as ever. Going on to watch this accomplished rock band perform to tens of thousands of festival goers, they knock so many of their predecessors that day out the Green. A true treat to watch live and a band who I genuinely hope will out-tour the stones one day.

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