41 Questions For Nigel Twist

An interview with Nigel Twist of The Alarm, conducted via email in 1997.  Twist had just started subscribing to Steve Varty's mailing list at the time, and it was a wondrous time to have a member of The Alarm communicating with us on daily basis.   Twist is a very unique character and has never wavered in his opinion on just what The Alarm is, and who it should be.

 Do you have a favorite Alarm song? How about a favorite Mike Peters or Dave Sharp solo song?
  Favorite Alarm song: I have many, but I like "Rain" , "Sold Me" & "We are the light" Twist & Sharp song: "Drive these blues away", Peters song: I haven't heard the album yet. 
 Do you still listen you your Alarm albums, or do you find it difficult to do so? 
 I haven't listened to an Alarm album in a while. The band never reached the production plateau we should have, however we came close with "Change" and "Eye of the Hurricane." Listening to our albums is like opening a photo album & seeing all the memories come flooding back (the bitter taste of dissapointment). ("Knife Edge").

 Was there a time when you felt The Alarm had finally "made it"? 
 "There was never a time that The Alarm had "made it", it was a continous struggle from the get go. Maybe after the US tour with U2, when we should have exploded into America. But due to many factors it never happened". 

 Since you were once a guitarist, would you have rather played guitar in The Alarm than drums? Do you play guitar now?   "I still putz around on the guitar but I never had any delusions about being a guitarist for The Alarm. Providing the backbone to the band was very fulfilling and I'm happy I did it, although at times it was like trying to drive a stagecoach with three crazy horses in front!" 

 How do you view the "Raw" album now 5 years later? 
 "The Raw album was a very saddening experience for me. My stepfather had just commited suicide and the atmosphere between the band members was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It felt like all we were doing was trying to make a fast buck so that everyone could leave and do their own thing. I think Mike was laying his foundation here to leave the band".