What's it like to spend more than 35 years on the music scene? What's it like to play in one of the oldest rock bands playing today? How does a person change from women's hairdresser to rocker? This and much more we try to clarify with Tony Clarkin - guitarist of the legendary Magnum ...

It was year 1971 and there is band Magnum performing it´s music for the first time in Rum Renner Club in Birmingham. Have you remember the beginning of this whole story of Magnum?

Yeah. We played in Rum Runner, club that isn´t there anymore. Oh, it was a long time ago. We played there for two or three years and it wasn´t magnum like now, but that´s what we miss. 

You are trained as woman hairdresser. When you decide for first time to do music? 

When I left school I was playing guitar and I couldn´t really concentrate on that ladies hairdresser job. I was still thinking about playing guitar. So, I worked about two years as a hairdresser and then I left and became musician full time. So...that´s happened. 

How looks like your starts as a musician. Nowadays, when you look on TV and all that talent shows, it looks like anyone should be a musician. How was it, when you start?

I think there is more opportunity these days, believe me or not. Tonight, it´s really tough in music business. When I started, you have to play instrument. Nowadays, it is pretty much about look. Maybe, it doesn´t really matter if you can play instrument or not. But it is always pretty tough. When you are trying to make people listen to your music, which is the toughest thing. I will imagine that all the problems are pretty much the same… 

What about idols in these times. Who made you play guitar?

(Laugh) That’s the person I´d have to say. It was Hank Marvin from The Shadows. When you see old blues he plays...it was like as you see saint with guitar. He made me do it. I guess it was him. 

There is good times as well as bad. In 1995, Magnum has split up but you cannot give up. Let´s try to describe years in Hard Rain. What has changed for you?

We thought we can rest off the Magnum for a time. I think, we get for 7 years off. It was good, in way, but it was making me crazy at the time and I just want to get away, really. And we did that and Hard Rain was just something to do in main time. Whole Hard Rain thing got a couple of albums which didn´t go very well at all. But it was a good inspiration for me to write new material and to concentrate again. It makes me strength again. 

You and Bob are the one former members of Magnum playing until nowadays. Is it some kind of musician chemistry?

We both like what we do. I think, that what comes from our work is pretty good specie of music, like the previous three or four albums. It´s been step forward each time we are doing an album together. Really, we just enjoy working together.

We are getting closer to present times. About 5 years ago, you made last change of band member. Are you satisfied with band and all members already?

I think this is best Magnum it´s ever been. 

And, the most actual theme. You are releasing studio album after 2 years. Can you tell us its story? Story about how was it made?

It was recorded in sixteen month period. First of all, we record everything at home and get it in good shape. It was sixteen month period of writing and recording. We only get into studio for few days in time, after we´ve got about two weeks off and we listen all of material again to see, that the things are working. That is because I´ve written quite a lot of songs and we have to choose the best of those songs.

From how many songs are you picking „the right“songs for the album?

It was about 40. But those are only finished songs. I wanted to be lucky complete album to me. It´s all about living out with the songs, building them up beat by beat and in the end of the day these songs choose they souls and you see if they works or not...

Let’s try to get deeper to its ideas. What are your feelings about this album? What is it all about? Tell us more about it... 

Well...that is impossible question to answer. After all it´s music and each song is separate entity. It talks about different subject. If you read their name well, you can get behind them and if you listen the album three or four times carefully, you can get it all. It´ s not something like personal things, absolutely. I´m really not trying to convince anyone….it´s just about listening and if you like it, you like it. If you don´t, you don´t. It´s simple and it´s about it.

Tour for promoting new album will hit mostly UK and Germany (except 4 shows). What about the other countries? Are you planning to hit them as well?

Perhaps yes. It´s still about agreements. We haven´t anything in plan but we´d be happy to play more. 

You wrote more than dozen of albums. Where you get inspiration?

It can be from anywhere. I really don´t know. It comes when you are reading something, when someone says something, it comes night and day. It´s really hard to say. You know…..it´s about starting writing off rubbish and hoping it get to something good….that is pretty much of it. (Laugh) That´s how I do. It´s about getting feeling into what you do. But lyrics are hardest thing to me. It´s about right feeling. Cause, you can´t get yourself into mood. It´s blank page in front of you and you are trying to get right feeling on it and inspire by….whatever it might be. 

What do you feel when you look back and you realize, that you are on top more than 35 years?

Yeah, it is. And whatever you think about it, it is pretty concealable. (Laugh) I just carry on doing, keep playing and keep writing songs, because this is thing I enjoy much. I just want to keep on doing all of this.

Where you get energy to do all of this about music? Playing concerts, going on tour, etc.

You really don´t need much of energy. People are saying “Aaaaah….I am so tired of it…”, but it´s all crap. Mostly, people enjoy what they are doing in music. I can be wrong. I don´t know. I just enjoy it and it doesn´t tired me. I think, that maybe if I was a singer…..It´s tougher for Bob I think, cause I just stand around there and play the guitar, but it is harder to sing….it´s more physical thing.

Can you imagine yourself doing something else, not to play guitar for big rock band?

Not really. I have really no idea what else I can do. Probably nothing. I should be professional lazy person. (Laugh) You see…this is thing I´ve never think about. It´s cause I always done this and it´s my life. It´s something nobody ever question me…..really. I am happy to do it … 

What would you recommend to young bands or musicians to be as famous and successful as you are?

Well…it´s not as glamour as everyone thinks it is. There is a lot of time, when things go wrong, there is not justify in it, but the good times are worth much more than the bad times and when you´ve got good times, it´s really great…shows…oh it´s really perfect reward for you. And…oh….that´s my dumb talking. But it´s just about trying hard and working hard plus you have to keep going. That’s what we do.