In 1969 The Seekers became The New Seekers and in 1970 they had international success with the song, What Have They Done to My Song Ma? In 1971 they released what has become one of their most popular hits, Never Ending Song of Love. At the end of that same year they recorded an adaptation of the Cocal Cola song, I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke into I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing. This song is still in the top 100 best-selling British pop songs. In 1972 they entered the Eurovision Song Contest and came 2nd. A string of hits followed and The New Seekers still tour on and off to this day. Here, Serpent Films speaks to two of the original members of The New Seekers, Paul Layton and Marty Kristian.
Paul Layton
My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?
Definitely the music, sometimes, as with books, the meaning is fictional.
We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?
Well, I do believe in a democratic system of one sort or another. It's never going to be perfect but it sure beats living in a dictatorship!
Can you tell us all about your past, present and future? We hear there’s something really exciting on the horizon!
In New Seekers terms, the past has been a great experience. To have been able to perform to so many people through all mediums has been a joy and I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to travel and see such a variety of cultures.
Tell us a little about your kind of music please!
My kind of music is very varied. I like almost everything as long as it's good.! The New Seekers music has always had a very wide appeal and that has been evident in the cross section and age range we see in our audiences.
Which decade was best for music, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s or the 00’s?
The 60's? It still has to win hands down - for originality, creativity and raw talent.
Would you still like to teach the world to sing?
We do, every time we sing the song!
If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?
I guess it depends on how it compares to where I'd come from but before I went back, I'd have a curry!
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
In musical terms - getting to the top of the charts all over the world and in personal terms - finding my wife and bringing up two great kids.
What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?
Walking around on the moon!
If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?
Make love not war and always remember to listen before speaking.
If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?
Pretty boring answer - Eastenders.... cockney is the only accent I can do.
If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?
Just Good Vibrations!
Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?
I've never felt pressured, I always felt we were doing the right thing just by seeing the smile on peoples faces.
What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?
Be honest with your music and if possible try and write it. There's nothing wrong with technical development but sometimes it's best to get back to your roots.
Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?
Music is universal, you don't need to be literate to enjoy it and if you enjoy it, the message is absorbed.
What kind of movies do you watch and why?
Again I have very varied taste. I don't like violence in films unless it's treated with real sensitivity. I like comedies 'cos like most people I love a good laugh.
What are your opinions about the power of the internet?
I think it's incredible but can be very dangerous if misused.
Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?
I believe Man creates God so I guess that's the other way around.
A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?
Probably on balance a good thing. There's too much dogma attached to most religions.
Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?
Man can always be free in his own mind.
Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.
I don't think we have much choice but to follow that route but to build in as many safeguards as is possible. In Japan, I think they knew how to legislate for an earthquake but not a tsunami. I do believe in developing alternative green power but I think, on it's own, it wont meet our future requirements.
Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?
No, but I do believe in goodness if that's your God.
Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?
Only as a result of alcohol or other substances, It can be beneficial creatively for some people but not for me, so no, I wouldn't recommend it.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
You've got me there ... maybe abseiling off the top of a shopping centre in Watford.
What would you still like to achieve?
I'd like to write a great song!
Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?
No, he'd make me look too ugly :-)
Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?
I think it's a fact that it's manmade or at least man has contributed towards it.
And lastly please feel free to say anything at all you want to the world of readers and tell us all about what you’re up to these days, plug an album, website or carboot sale.
Thank you for reading this and good luck in all you do. The New Seekers are still performing but after 4 years of touring we're taking a bit of a break. You can catch up on all aspects of the group at our website which is: www.thenewseekers.com
Marty Kristian
My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?
Our hits in the 70’s gave me great joy as being part of a successful act. However on the stage of life it is just a snapshot in time and mostly will be of little significance in the bigger picture after we have departed.
Music, as with everything else is in a constant state of change and popular music especially reflects the mood and echoes the sentiments of the people that were attracted to it at the time. – Some tunes will stay in the memory longer than others and that goes for all genres of music.
We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?
Politics on the world stage appears to be a difficult juggling act. – continually trying to balance the competing interests of countries, states, tribes and individuals. Selfishness is endemic in the human race and whilst we retain the “this is mine” consciousness , it will always be a juggling act between the “haves and the have nots”. But every era has some shining lights that have humanity’s interests at heart and hopefully they can have an influence in changing the world’s consciousness.
Bill Gates appears to have set a nice example.
Can you tell us all about your past, present and future? We hear there’s something really exciting on the horizon!
How far would you like to go back?
I consider myself very fortunate. I grew up in Australia and my widowed mother gave me the freedom and encouragement to explore and follow my ambitions.
I studied Architecture at Melbourne University for a couple of years before dropping out to pursue a singing career, which eventually brought me to England and the New Seekers.
The New Seekers have had several changes in line up since the definitive group split up in 1974. I continued to sing with them till almost a decade ago when I decided it was time to hang up my guitar as I was starting to sound more like a New Squeaker than a New Seeker. – Currently I have an interest in a small surveying firm but much of my time is spent in Wales where my wife and I own some holiday cottages.
I enjoy drawing and painting and in the process of writing and illustrating a children’s book about two Koalas called “Walt ‘n Matilda” – being a song writer I thought they were good names to give them.
Tell us a little about your kind of music please!
I enjoy all kinds of music from Classical, Country, Pop and Rock.
I don’t spend a lot of time listening to albums these days, although I do enjoy hearing my son Oliver’s compositions. His writing is a cross between Ray Davies, Bowie and Bob Dylan. He’s in the process of forming a band called “MOONS” – so we’ll have to see what happens.
I still enjoy the Eagles and some Country Rock music.
Which decade was best for music, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s or the 00’s?
In my book there is no such thing as the best decade for music. – Popular music is all about the fashion and mood of the time. It’s like everything else - in a constant state of flux being re invented and regurgitated. – The 60’s and 70’s was my era and so I suppose I’m more in tune with those decades. – Hey -Whatever floats your boat.
Would you still like to teach the world to sing?
“I’d like to teach the world to sing” was our biggest hit selling 7.5 million copies world wide. It was light relief with a positive message that struck a global chord after the horrors of the Vietnam war
The song was a simple ditty with a simple message crafted from a jingle.
It is what it says on the tin and I hear that it has become an anthem today for primary kids at school. – Often the most simple words can have e a subliminal impact.
I think the message that “we are all part of the one” is a worthwhile concept to ponder.
If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?
Depends on what my motive was for coming to earth and what powers I possessed to be able to influence the planet.
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
Every hurdle and every so called problem solved is an achievement of sorts for all of us . – Musically I guess having had the world-wide success with the New Seekers. And on the personal side having a happy long-term marriage and a wonderful family.
What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?
Where do we start?
If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?
You are responsible for your thoughts and actions and only you can change them - As you think – so you are …. Strive to understand what your life is about. It is only when you stop …and look deeply, that you will begin to realise that we are all part of the Oneness …..Read some uplifting books and spiritual teachings, which can motivate us and take us out of our mundane lethargy. Learn to love life.
If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?
As an Aussie … It’s gotta be Neighbours.
If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?
What is sound but a vibration – What is a vibration but a part of the Oneness – The Universal Mind hears feels and touches all.
Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?
As a performer, I never gave it much thought, but when I look back perhaps we said what we had to at the time. – What was right then is not necessarily right for now or vice versa.
What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?
Keep being creative and do it with enjoyment. The technological advancement of today means that many more of us have the facility to become musicians and writers in our home environment. Music and the Music industry will continue to change and reflect the fashions of the day. – Can’t really comment on the marketing – you probably need to speak to my son Ollie who is more up with what is happening on the music scene today.
Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?
Rhythms and melody combined with lyrics can provide a subliminal and often hypnotic message. The fusion makes the package more memorable than words by themselves.
What kind of movies do you watch and why?
Depends on my mood and point of interest. – I like documentaries
What are your opinions about the power of the internet?
A fabulous communications tool – but a double-edged sword –As you ask so shall you receive – As you think so you are! – The choice is always ours.
Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?
Yea… right ! – The time old question of “What’s it all about and why are we here…”
It depends on what one’s concept of God is.
Is he or she a so called benevolent entity sitting somewhere on high, in judgement on us like a strict tyrant?
Or a selective deity who has his favourite “chosen people” and bugger the rest.
Or a god , who’s prophet is his mouthpiece and is not to be maligned, questioned or contradicted in any way for fear of death by his followers.
For many, those are the concepts that have become part of their reality.
For me, it would appear that there is a Universal Intelligent Energy, which pervades everything and is everything in various manifestations – call it God, Universal Consciousness, Nature or whatever you like but its all the same. There is an underlying intelligence and energy that pervades everything and everything is inextricably linked to everything else – we are all part of the “Oneness.” We could get into quite deep territory here but for now I’ll keep it brief.
Look at nature, this planet – the universe. Nothing is random – There is an order to everything in the Universe and everything exists within the parameters of this universal energy. The physical world as we see it is just condensed energy at it’s source. Take a glass of water. – It appears as liquid. Change the vibration of the atoms by cooling it and it becomes a solid … a block of ice… Change the vibration by heating the water and it disappears as mist – So you see, things are not always as they appear. but the atoms and energy are never lost to the universe – they just take on a different form. – The spirit or Universal Intelligent Energy or God if you like pervades all, and as such everything is in the image of “God”…..- we could talk about reincarnation as linked with evolution next if you like….
A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?
In this new technological age of communication the interchange of ideas philosophies and understanding have been raised on a global scale to a height never seen on this planet before. This, in my view will ultimately raise the level of consciousness of humanity and with it will eventually come a new understanding in all things including a fusion of spiritual awareness.
Whilst human nature is as it is, there will always be dogmatic and radical views, however everything eventually changes and my hope is that it will be for the benefit of humanity.
Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?
We have to define what we mean by “free will”. We are governed by natural forces and universal constraints on this planet. We, as a society are also compelled to comply with community laws that have evolved over a period of time and which continue to evolve with new circumstances. Under those parameters we are free only to a point. Where so called “Free Will transgresses against humanity, a price must be paid.
Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.
Don’t know too much about Nuclear Power but if there was a viable choice I would be pleased if we could harness the energy in a potentially less dangerous way.
Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?
I believe that we are not the only life in this Universe and as such the possibilities are endless. – I think we’ve touched on “God” before don’t you?
Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?
A change in consciousness can happen in numerous ways. One can have a profound “religious experience”, a” near death experience”, an” out of the body experience” a” drug induced experience” or any other mental or emotional changes causing trauma, anxiety, elation or other such feelings. All of us in some way have embraced some of these experiences, but it depends on the circumstances and to what degree they affected us as to whether we experienced a permanent shift in consciousness.
I’m sure many of the world’s pre-eminent individuals have had altered states of consciousness. Let’s hope some of them have made positive contributions to society as a result.
What would you still like to achieve?
Get a children’s book published … and some other things…
Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?
Don’t think it would benefit his career much.
Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?
Haven’t pondered on this too much. – Would like to see more of both sides of the argument. However I am sure that we do harm the environment by the consumer society waste disposal, cutting down of rain forests and many other things we do that disrupt the balance of nature.
And lastly please feel free to say or plug anything at all you want to
For anyone that might be interested, I have recently released an album of demo recordings of songs I have written or co written in the 70’s & 80’s
The Album is called “Echoes” and is available through the New Seekers web site www.thenewseekers.com
Last but not least – please have a look at our holiday cottages in Wales.
Just put GEUFRON into Google and it will come up or type www.geufronholidaycottages.com
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