dotmusic: Where is Phil today?
Paul: Basically, Phil has the shits and is back home in Brighton, nursing a sick stomach

Pavel from jyväskylä, finland asks: when do you plan to play live again?
Paul : Probably not until say, November this year after releasing an album in September, but we may do some festivals, as near as Brighton, as far as Japan

Helen from Neasden asks: who would your fantasy collaboration be with? I could really see you on top of the pops with cliff!
Paul : Cliff doesn't appeal! I haven't got one to be honest - we prefer to work alone.

Richard Wakefield from rwakey123@hotmail.com asks: How long roughly do you spend on writing a song or do you always have several on the go at once?
Paul : In the last few years we've had several on the go

Rob P from Milton Keynes asks: How did NYE 2000 compare to other's?
Paul : Scarier - not the bug though! Very nerve racking

Leslie from London asks: Why is your website called Loopz ?
Paul : Steve Price who runs the site called it loopz, it was a fan website and it was far better than the official website, so he's ended up being the official site by being the best one

Tim from Surrey asks: What do you think of Jean-Michel Jarre's music?
Paul : It's funny - I used to love the Zoolook album and Revolutions but didn't know the early stuff like Oxygene and Magnetic Fields until recently

Cranky from Miami asks: Are you aware that there is an MP3 station that plays Orbital 24-7?
Paul : No

Funky Dung from London asks: Where was that cool sample you played in the middle of 'Satan' at Cream 2000 from? It made the tune even more brilliantly evil than ever!
Paul : I did't think anyone else heard that, and I wouldn't tell you!

Jonas Ingerlund from Stockholm, Sweden asks: What is the lowest bass frequency used in "Out There Somewhere?" on the album "In Sides" ?
Paul : I wouldn't have the faintest idea!

Tom from Brighton asks: Whats the best bar in Brighton in your opinion?
Paul : Best bar? It's been a long time since I've been out in Brighton, but the Mashed Tongue, the Tin Drum was good, but my favourite pub was the Sussex Yeoman

Arfie from Cambridge asks: Why are some of your edits called "Industry Standard"?
Paul : Because that's exactly what they're trying to comply with - 3 1/2 minute pop songs for the radio

Andy from Reading asks: What sample would you most want to use if you could get permission?
Paul : I wanted to use Rolf Harris on the last album, but we couldn't get permission. I tend to not ask for permission anyway and disguise them. I don't like the big obvious things

Sean from London asks: What do you make of the MP3 revolution and the direction that music sales is going, do you see the day when ALL your tunes could be bought and downloaded directly?
Paul : I think that day's coming very soon. And why not?

Richard Wakefield from rwakey123@hotmail.com asks: Do you have any songs you have done that you wish you could go back and alter? Are ther any songs you haven't been 100% happy with?
Paul : I would alter Monday on the Brown album because a friend was going to sing on it and it was an Edward Barton song and we were going to splice with Monday, but Opus III did a cover of it so we didn't to it, but when I heard what they did I realise we could have done it

Mime from Brighton asks: Do you have many obsessed fans ? Any that follow you from gig to gig or model themselves on your looks :)
Paul : (laughs) We do have some mad fans, but you've got to love them for it. If you meet these people they almost always end up backstage and you get to know them. If someone's that fanatical about what you do you inevitably end up with lots to talk about! Paul: We've had no scary ones though. As for modelling themselves on our looks, I can't imagine that!

Doggy Woggy from The Kennel asks: This is not a moan btw. Will this album be delayed like the last one ?
Paul : I sincerely hope not. The last one was delayed by London going through a corporate sale for a good two thirds of a year, we toured more than we expected to - eg Lolopolooza and there was a lot of film work. That's why were trying to get on with the new album now

Shea with Hyper Synthetix from Wichita Kansas asks: Are you happy with all the "virtual analog" equipment your now using as opposed to the "old analog" used on the previous albums. I love Middle of Nowhere stuff.
Paul: I'm happy with all the synths we're using now. The virtual analogue sounds different to the real analogue, but that's not to say worse (or better) just different

James from London Bridge asks: Are you still in touch with the traveller lifestyle?
Paul: Not really, not at the moment It's the sort of thing you tend to drift in and out of. I still know a lot of the people from the time who don't really travel any more

James "Stalin" Sumners from Altlanta, Ga, USA asks: When you played The Tabernacle on July 14 1999 there was a lady running around on stage during your set. Do you know who she was and if so do you know if the pictures will ever be made public?
Paul: That was my mum!

Danny from Virginia, USA asks: What's the single most important piece of gear you've owned? Did it incorporate both electronics and biological material? A synth with some sort of bits of a dead squirrel incorporated into it? SOmething like that?
Paul: My record player! The sampler though

Cranky from Miami asks: Besides Phil being home with the family, how come the last tour in The States was only 3 weeks?
Paul: Most of the tours in America have only been three weeks apart from things like Lollapalooza. We try to only tour for three weeks at the most. In the past we've come to the States and played three weeks. All part the fact that wer're trying to get an album out, we won't be touring there with Middle Of Nowhere

Cranky from Miami asks: Heard any of the new remixes up on the Loopz site done by the fans?
Paul: No - I've just got four CDs from Steve and I'm about to listen to them. It's taken from November to collate the stuff and burn it. I got them on Saturday - it's going to be good hearing what people can do with no resources!

Chris from London asks: I read somewhere that MON was originally intended to be a dark-ish album, though did not end up that way. Does that mean that your next album is going to go more towards the dark side?
Paul: (Darth Vader impression) The middle of nowhere was intended to be jolly. It was supposed to have short tracks though. I don't know if it did come out jolly but the new album, I'm not sure how it's going to come out. It never ends up sounding how we want it to!

Arfie from Cambridge asks: Have either of you read any of the recent BBC and/or Virgin Publishing Doctor Who books?
Paul: No - I've only ever read a compilation of three Dr Who books on holiday on the Isle Of Wight. I just recently read Dr Who and The Loch Ness Monster. I had it on the shelf for years and finally got round to reading it!

Danny from Virginia, USA asks: Why don't you and Phil bust up your equipment on stage like Atari Teenage Riot does?
Paul: More to the point - Why do ATR bust up their equipment?? I don't like wasting things! I did try and kick my equipment over once at a festival but I'm not saying which one! I don't think our music is aggressive enough to do this! Every time you do it there must be poor musician cringing!

Sparky from Euston asks: Have you been approached by any major stars to produce material - ie. fancy doing a William Orbit?
Paul: (laughs) No but I suspect it would only happen by accident because we're called Orbital! brian from miami, florida asks: out of all your songs which one/s do you replay the most Paul: The Peel Sessions. The Style remixes too

Tom from Brighton asks: I read somewhere there was a small mistake on 'middle of nowhere' but it was too late to rectify, is that true? if so....
Paul: There's more than a small mistake on most Orbital records! I can think of many little mistakes on MON. There were mistakes with the cover that were too late to rectify.

brian from miami, florida asks: hey paul whats another one of your favorite past times other than music? reading, exercise?
Paul: I like to go away for the weekend to strange countryside or fishing towns and walk along cliff tops and countryside pubs. The lifestyle I miss in London. I love lighthouses!

Doggy Woggy from The Kennel asks: Do you like Aphex Twins music ? Is he mad or what ?
Paul: I really like his music. Some is too much for me, but a lot of it I really like. Some is too excessive!

Danny from Virginia, USA asks: Do you and Phil even get into fights like the guys from Oasis?
Paul: No, not really. We've only been asked that question since Oasis Danny from Virginia, USA asks: My girlfriend also wants to know what your favorite tubestop in London is and why..?

Paul: There are a few good tube stops... Old Street means I'm home or just going out (which is nice!) There are great art deco ones way out west. Green Park is nice, Baker Street Bakerloo line reminds me of Sherlock holmes!

Cranky from Miami asks: Do you have a Korg Kaoss pad? I could see Phil going nutz on it.
Paul: No, not yet.

Loopz from Sunny ! Birmingham UK asks: A question i always get asked - Why wont you release Dr Who ? :)
Paul: Because as far as I hear, someone else has done it already. A band called the Daleks has released a dance Dr Who which Steve Lamacq is playing. We were saving it

Arfie from Cambridge asks: What were the mistakes on MoN's cover?
Paul: The European cover was wrong - The O had to be engraved because the labels couldn't afford it and the figure was hidden beneath it instead of being on top of it. Also, the vinyl in the UK wasn't supposed to be a gatefold sleeve. It worked well though

Jenny from Paris asks: How did you take your inspiration when you were composing the track for the Beach - did you just watch the film or were you invited to witness it in production?
Paul: We watched the film, we met Angelo Badalamenti at Air studios where he was recording the score, we spoke to Danny Boyle then brought all the orchestral bits back here, and just started from there dotmusic:

Paul's got time for one more question Danny from Virginia, USA asks: After seeing the success of Carlos Santana at the Grammys this year, are you going to start doing Latin music?
Paul: I had no idea about the Grammys, but I've always loved Latin music. There are influences in our records. Chime has Bossa Nova infulences. But I'd have to learn how to play instruments!
Paul: Bye!
Paul: I'm back to work!