Shine on, you crazy diamonds

Two years ago, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Cooper Temple Clause were coming to an end.

After the release of 2004’s Kick Up The Fire And Let The Flames Break Loose, the six-piece fell out of favour with their record company RCA, and then suffered the double blow of losing their keyboardist Didz Hammond to Dirty Pretty Things.
“It was his leaving that made us find our sense of purpose again,” recalls frontman Ben Gautrey, relaxing in Dublin’s Library Bar. “It was tough at first, but I personally don’t miss him.”
“Yeah, I even forget he was in the band in the first place,” agrees his multi-instrumentalist colleague Tom Bellamy. “It’s something that comes out of necessity. You have to move on, otherwise, well, you won’t go any further forward.”
When the Reading troupe first entered the scene, back in 2002 with See Through This And Leave, they redefined mainstream rock by adding a mighty dose of electronica. Now in the age of ‘nu rave’, they’ve ironically reversed their role with Make This Your Own, an album that has more in common with Manic Street Preachers than Ministry.
“We could've made an album with lots of bleeps to be part of 'nu rave', but one of the best things about this band is that we try to steer clear of scenes,” explains Tom of their decision. “The quicker you rise, the quicker you fall.”
One suspects it's an album that's going to sound absolutely awesome live.
“One of the most insane shows we've done recently was in Falkirk in Scotland,” Ben recounts. “We played with a band called Brutal Deluxe. The drummer had a perspex drumkit on a massive riser in this tiny venue, and they were head to toe in tribal paint.”
“Yeah, neon paint,” interjects Tom.
“The UV stuff,” adds Dan excitedly.
“It was fucking mental. And it was a brilliant gig,” Ben pauses. “Not by them, by us!”
“We all loved playing the Curiosa tour as well,” says Dan of their 2004 Stateside tour with The Cure, Interpol, Mogwai and Muse. “Matt Bellamy took a liking to Tom because they have the same surname.”
Tom picks up: “On the first night, he spotted me in the audience watching their set. He shouted over the microphone ‘Ah, Mr. Bellamy!’. I was very happy.”
Ben: “Although everyone else must’ve thought he was talking to himself!”