Professor and the Madman’s Rat Scabies
The legendary punk drummer discusses the fourth release from his trans-Atlantic band featuring former Adolescents and D.I. vocalist/guitarist Alfie Agnew, ex-D.I. and Mind Over Four vocalist/guitarist Sean Elliott, and Scabies’ old Damned bandmate Paul Gray on bass.
MD: What was the writing and preparation process like for Séance?
Rat: Alfie and Sean had already written the melodies and arrangements, but not the lyrics. So when I first received the basic tracks, I didn’t know what the record was about. Sean was basically singing “la la la.” But the batch of songs they sent immediately felt like a progression from the prior album, Disintegrate Me, which isn’t to knock that album in any way. Even though the range of the new tunes was quite eclectic, the overall feeling of the album was more thoughtful and structured—grown up, you might say. While every track was different, it all sounded like Professor and the Madman.