AMZ: So you're on your first American tour in ten years and you've got a handful of shows under your belt. What do you think of your American fans.

Fish: I'm very impressed with them. They're very similar to my European fans -- there's not that much difference in their reaction. I'm amazed about the knowledge of my solo career. I mean, I'm coming across here and I'm thinking a lot of this stuff is going to be kind of over their heads, but it's not -- there's a lot of awareness. So I mean, in one sense, I kind of wish I didn't take so long to come over, but then in another sense I didn't have the promoters to back me because I didn't have a record company.

AMZ: I've been to a couple shows with your former band (Marillion) and they can be pretty intense. I imagine you're playing to the same set of fans more or less, right?

Fish: No, it's interesting the way it's breaking away I mean, we picked up 50 ads in college stations so it's a lot more than just fan base. You know kids in college were 8 years old the last time I was here and I find that exciting the fact that, you know, it's the album that's breaking it -- it's not just the reputation.

AMZ: So you're finding fans on your own merit rather than just people who know you from your other band.

Fish: Yeah. Especially because "Brother 52" is picking up a lot of ads at radio and a lot of people are getting switched on and interested in coming along and I think the shows have been great and the crowds have been really good and like, you know, everybody who walks away from the show with a smile on his face is going to be noticed by 5 other people. That's the way it's going to go there and that's why I went with Viceroy (records), because they're looking at a long term investment rather than something that's going to be like an 8 week window -- going off like a firework. So we've already got plans to come back in February and March and also in May. So right now I think we're in a strong, personal build situation. And I must admit that I'm a lot more excited now than i was on previous tours. You know, I'm trying to remember. Was this not the last gig I played with Marillion in America? I'm sure we shot down to Poughkeepsie and I think that was our last show.

AMZ: In your show obviously you're playing mostly your own music. Are you still playing any songs from Marillion?

Fish: A couple of them yeah, but they fit in the set. And there's absolutely no fucking point whatsoever in coming across to America and doing a chicken-in-the-basket Cabaret set. That's not where I'm at. You know the reason I'm here is because of the "Sunsets on Empire" album and you know, that's the core of the set. I picked the set and there's a lot of high-groove stuff in there. And the songs that we do use, the songs like "White Feather" and "Assassin" from that era, they've got a lot of groove in them. Occasionally we'll finish with "Lavender" and stuff like that, but there's a groove to them, a lot of feel in those songs. I mean, it would be pointless to come across and do "Script" or "Fugazi", because I don't think we could do it right. You know it was a long time ago and as I said we're here because of Sunsets -- we're here basically to make people aware of what I'm doing now and Sunsets is what I'm doing now. It might be different if I had a huge following here, but I don't. The bottom line is that Marillion never broke the States. We had fan bases in little core areas, but we never broke the States. We never got the support of Capital Records. They didn't understand the band and they didn't back us. They didn't promote us.

AMZ: How is the press treating you here so far?

Fish: It's been really good. I mean, it's very respectful and pretty intelligent press as well.

AMZ: Do you find they know who you are as well?

Fish: Yeah. There's a lot of old fans who are now in the industry. So we're getting a lot of press. Yeah they've been very respectful and very enthusiastic. The reviews so far have been brilliant. You know, it's quite refreshing because I'm coming over here and I'm a new act.

AMZ:So you've been around forever, but yet you're brand new.

Fish: Yeah. Which is nice.

AMZ: So as you said before, you're coming back again after this tour is over?

Fish: Yeah, my agent has already been getting calls from people in Florida and Arizona as well. It's a big country. My agent has done a great job. I mean, he picked us up 29 shows. I come in as a brand new act right with the album as well and get 29 shows -- that's pretty good. And up to now we're breaking figures. We're breaking the guarantees and taking percentages which is a good sign. So the promoters -- if they see a lot of guys coming along for the gigs that's a good sign. I don't know if we're going to sell this place out tonight, but it's going to be close. You know, I think it's good to play these size places and sell them out rather than sell a really big place and have it only be 50 percent full. I think the crowd gets a kick off it, the band gets a kick off it, the promoter gets a kick off it and the agent gets a kick off it. And then the press -- you know -- when you register a sell-out then the people, the next time you're coming in, they're going to be damn sure that they're going to be buying tickets.

AMZ: And it looks good for you no matter what size venue.

Fish: Yeah exactly. I mean, let's put it in perspective. This is the first time I've been back in 10 years. I don't expect to come in on a chariot with laurels on my head!

AMZ: How is your voice holding out?

Fish: It's okay. This is the only four in a row I've got on the tour and I tested upstairs and it sounds pretty good. I mean, I'm a very different individual than the one that was here in '87. I'm much more mature, a lot more confident in my own abilities and I think that shows on stage. I was only 29 years old the last time I was here. I mean, it's difficult material to sing. There's a lot of dynamic in it. I mean, it's not a straight heavy metal gig or something where .. you know.. once your voice develops a shape on tour, then that shape tends to stay with it. And the shape my voice forms can get quite elaborate. And you know, I'm a European and I'm not used to air conditioning and . . . I fucking hate it! I mean, you're sitting on the bus and you've got a choice either being really hot and sweaty or . . . and yeah then I really welcome it on the real hot days to walk into the air-con room, but at the same time it dries my voice out. I mean, I like water! I like moisture, I'm a Scotsman! So we switch the A/C off when I'm doing the gig which is something I never used to do. There's nothing worse than singing in an A/C'ed room because the air just goes past you and it's drying your throat out and the chords swell up. And then they become very easily irritated. Plus, I smoke. It's a terrible habit, but you know -- it's something I'm not going to kick.

AMZ: You know, here in America we don't get a lot of exposure to things you've done, like your videos. As a matter of fact, the only video of yours I've ever seen was the one for "Credo" and I saw that one five or six years ago as I was walking through a Sears store. They were using it, among others, in a big video array to advertise mens' clothing or something.

Fish: That's Polydor. That was a cluster fuck. I mean, I sort of had my problems in my solo career and it's made me so Goddamn erratic. I mean, in retrospect one of the worst decisions I made was to try and sue EMI, but you know there's yin and yang in everything and through doing that I learned a lot about the business side of things and I think, you know, I'm glad I did that. You look at Marillion nowadays; they've been dropped by EMI and you know when you get in a situation where you're fairly well on in your career and you're dropped by a major, that adjustment from major to indie is a big fucking jump. I mean, I 'm lucky I did it in '93 after Polydor.

AMZ: Any plans for the next single yet?

Fish: "Change of Heart" is the next single. It's coming out in August in Europe. We'll see what happens. I've kind of stopped caring now about a lot of stuff. I enjoy life. I mean, my wife is here. I brought my wife over because it's our 10th wedding anniversary and that's a hell of a kick. There's a lot of kids back home who never get a chance to come across to America. I don't take it for granted as much as I used to back in the '80's. I just don't care about platinum albums. I mean, next time I might have an album, I might not. I mean, it depends -- it's all about energies in and out. There's a lot of energies -- we're all on a big ride. I kind of want to see how the European tour goes. Europe is kind of tough. It's tougher to sell records now. And now I'm on the road for 12 months and I'm away from my wife and family for 12 months. I mean, I see them, but in 12 months my relationship with my daughter is ... um... let's just say it's not what it should be right now and I feel kind of bad about that. So maybe next year I might turn around and say, well . . . I might make an album and not tour, I don't know. I mean, we're going to have a crack at America, we'll have a look at it and we'll see what Sunsets does. We'll see what the sales potential is. You know, I'm not just an artist now, I've got a lot of other things in the drawer. I'd like to develop my acting a lot more which has been really left and I feel bad about that.

AMZ: Are you having opportunities in that?

Fish: Yeah. I'm having to turn down a lot of stuff because I'm on the road all the time. I'd really like to get into some serious writing -- writing screenplays. I'm really interested in movies. And it's one of those things where at the end of the tour at the end of the summer I'll do an evaluation. Like I said you've got a lot of energy in and it's what you're getting back for it -- and I'm not talking in financial terms I'm talking about how you're dealing with a time of your life and I think it's really important. I love music and I love performing, but I don't want to give the rest of my life to other people. A lot of people are always asking, when's the next album, what's on the next album and I tell them I don't fucking know, you know? I mean, I get white fear when I think about writing another album.

AMZ: How long did it take it to write "Sunsets"?

Fish: Not that long. Maybe 3 months.

AMZ: You've always had an edge for politically motivated songs, but it's like you've come into your own with this album, like you've elevated to another level.

Fish: It's like I said about evaluation. It's a great album. But if it doesn't sell like a great album, then what's the point? I mean, I make the albums for myself, but we're aware of certain commercialities and certain trends. I was aware I had to change direction with this album. I had to be a lot braver than I was with "Suits". I put the tracks together for myself. You know, Perception of Johnny Punter, we changed the first four lines of that lyric for the American market because we weren't going to get a deal otherwise -- or it was very unlikely. So you do bend and you do compromise sometimes.

AMZ: How do you feel about changing the lyric for the American market?

Fish: America is so fucking P.C. It's just so P.C. it's unbelievable! I mean, I did a joke about Versache on stage the other night and it was like ooooohhh... It's what we call a tumbleweed joke back home and everyone was just like silent. So there was a chance that people would listen to those first four lines and get the completely wrong impression, like a knee-jerk reaction. And you know there is a disclaimer at the end of it. But I just put the record out and there was a chance that there could be that knee-jerk, P.C. reaction. Some people just don't listen to the whole song.

AMZ: "Brother 52" is an incredible song. I've read your account of who Brother 52 was and the whole situation, but how do you feel about the subject? About the militia movements in our country?

Fish: We live in a corporate world. Western Civilization is so fucking corporate and corporate does not like individuals. They don't like people that are out with the norm. People like 52 and guys like that, you know, they don't like it. They don't like free spirits. They like people to be kept in sort of like . . . civilized tribal mentality. And you know, I've been fucking hit with it. I've suffered because of my outspokenness. When someone asks me a question I'm very outspoken. And people like 52 and people like him have sacrificed. It's kind of like eliminating the free spirit. They do it in the music industry. I don't relate to a lot of the corporate rock and roll that goes on nowadays. It's become like cans of beans.

AMZ: Like Phil Collins touting around the Sears logo wherever he goes?

Fish: Nah, I don't have a problem with that. Phil can do whatever the hell he wants, but you know.. umm it's a corporate world and sometimes like I say there's compromise, but it's like sometimes you just gotta live with it. You're not going to change it, you've just got to live your life as you want to live it. I think as long as you're not hurting other people and you're not abusing other people then that's cool. 52 didn't abuse other people, he didn't hurt other people. He wasn't a Nazi, he wasn't a racist; he followed something that's in the Constitution which is the right to be at arms.

AMZ: Okay, let's switch gears. You say you want to write screenplays, what are you writing?

Fish: I've got 5 or 6 synopses kicking around. But I've not had the chance to really work at them. I'd love to take a year off and go and study movies -- go back to college. I mean, there's not the age thing in movies like there is in Rock and Roll. I mean, you can still be an actor at 60 years old. You start hitting 39 and they start telling you, are you relevant to the youth of today, you know? And actors don't have to be relevant to any particular age group.

AMZ: One last question. There's a rumor I've seen on the internet about you being considered for the slot that's open in Genesis. Any truth to this?

Fish: Nope. I don't think they'd have me. They go in September and I'm going to be in Europe anyway.