Welcome to the Q + A section of Thunder Online.

To pose your question to the band CLICK HERE and fill in the web form. Alternatively you can email your questions in to q (at) thunderonline.com.
 
All the questions previously asked through then Q + A section can be seen below or by browsing our archives!
 
BEFORE ASKING A QUESTION PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

Please note we will make every effort to make sure that your question gets answered, however, we cannot guarantee that you will receive a reply.  If the question is seen as unsuitable by either Thinny or the band your question will not receive a response. Questions asking why Thunder did not play your town/city/county or asking when the band will play your town/city/country will not be answered.  We get many of these questions every single day, but we cannot answer them all, nor can we see into the future. As soon as anything like this is confirmed it will be posted on the GIGS page. This is not the place to request songs for forthcoming shows, ask for backstage/aftershow passes or ask the band to say hello to your mate from the stage. Also, please note that the band are not available to play your birthday party, wedding, bar mitzvah, etc. Also, if your questions has been asked a number of times in the past, then it is unlikely that you will receive a response.
 

Colour Code: DANNY, LUKE, BEN, HARRY, CHRIS, THINNY


QUESTIONS FROM AUGUST 2008:


Q: Hi Guys. This one's mainly for Harry but I guess the rest of you may want to comment?! I was interested in Harry's thoughts on the recent research from the University of Gloucestershire which found that drummers
>> who play regularly can be as fit as Premiership footballers. Could you be the secret weapon that Crystal Palace uses to get to the big league this season? Looking forward to seeing you in November. Gav, Isle of Skye
H:  Sorry for the late reply Gav but I've been in Beijing for the past couple of weeks. It's true you have to have a lot of stamina but most of the drummers I know (including me!) wouldn't last 90 minutes on a football pitch especially in the Premiership. The jury's out as far as I'm concerned on this project. As for me being the secret weapon for Palace........? We'd probably get relegated!!!


Q: I know it's a question you have asked numerous times in the past. Is there any chance of Dangerous Rhythm, I can still hear the music, and Dance, dance, dance (until the night is through) being re-issued at some stage in the future. I know they were originally on EMI. Do the rights revert to yourselves after a period of time. A nice pristine CD version would be nice. Be it as a separate release or as extra tracks. My versions are starting to sound like a well known cereal (i.e. Snap, Crackle and pop). As you can tell I still enjoy listening to the older material as well as the new material. Many thanks and I'm looking forward to seeing you at Wolverhampton in November. Les Briscoe,  Shrewsbury
T: EMI still own those recordings, so it's completely up to them. No, I'm afraid that the ownership of those tracks, or any of Thunder's EMI catalogue, won't be transferred to the band after a period of time. EMI paid for those recordings and unless they decided to sell the rights on (which is unlikely) the can continue to let them rot in the vaults for as long as they desire...


Q: Hi, I have just completed 2 years at college studying British Sign Language. Are any of you guys fluent in another language?? Donna, Nottingham
H: I speak pigeon French? Un oiseau dans la hand vaut deux in le bush.......But seriously, French is the only language that I stand half a chance of understanding and speaking un petits pois!
D: I got quite good at Portuguese a while back when my family had a house out there, but nowhere near fluent. That's it I'm ashamed to say. I'll avoid the band's stock "Norwegian when drunk" reply as I'm sure someone else will say it.
B: Of course, The language of Love.
L: I speak schoolboy German and that's about it. I have been known to speak fluent Norwegian but only when drunk.


Q: Hi guys - really looking forward to the new album and tour! Having proposed the day of the Chepstow last year (what a night!) I'm getting married very soon. Nowadays people seem to be naming their tables for the meal, and as we have 8, I figured Thunder albums were the obvious answer. Unfortunately my Fiancée seems to think no-one would want to sit at Robert Johnson's tombstone! Do you have any suggestions? Chris Knowles
H: Taking Ben's song title idea, why not have a table called "Stand Up"..........and see if anyone sits down. Sorry that's just silly. I'll get me coat.
B: I love the idea of naming the tables after album titles, you could use song titles instead giving you a wider choice. I could sit at Hotter Than The Sun.


Q: Travelled down to Cardiff to see you in July, sporting my RJT polo, had lots of comments from both Whitesnake and Def Leppard fans who had to agree you boys stole the show. Anyway Danny, heard you on Planet Rock a couple of months ago and you chose a couple of songs from Free and Bad Company.I have been lucky enough to get tickets to see the great Paul Rogers sing with Queen at the O2 in November, will you be taking in any of their shows. See you in Glasgow !!!!!!!!! Scott, Forfar, Scotland
D: Thanks for the nice words. I'm hoping to see them this time around, but as ever it all depends on what else is going on at the time.


Q: Hi boys!!! Did you ever befriend Ricky Warwick or any other of The Almighty guys???? Do you like their music???? Both bands shared the stage at Donington in 1992 and maybe you have met more than once along many years of touring...On the other hand, Ricky Warwick solo albums follow another musical direction but I find them very enjoyable as well...he has a great voice...what do you think??? Diego, Spain
D: Ricky is a good guy. Talented too. Our paths crossed a few times in his early Almighty days, but not so much of late.


Q: Hi Danny, how many cups of coffee are you drinking in a day? Do you like chocolate? Nice day. Janka, Slovakia
D: I drink between 3 and 4 cups of coffee per day. I do like chocolate. It's not a very nice day where I am.


Q: Hi, who chooses the music that plays before the band comes on, is it the band, or the venue? I've just been to see George Michael and had to sit and endure orchestral music, polly put the kettle on being one of them (ok, stop laughing). I couldn't believe I had to sit through such crap, didn't want to go out as he was meant to be on at 8 and thought that as soon as I moved he would come on, he eventually came onstage half an hour after expected. Lucky its his final concerts really as he's totally put me off seeing him again! You always have good music, if he does tour again, can you get in touch and let him borrow your music, in fact he could just play Thunder songs! Caroline, Oxford
T: All of the music playing as you come in to the venue, between bands, etc is all chosen by Thunder's sound man Big Pete. Thankfully Pete has great taste in music. I'll ask Pete to see if he's free next time George is touring but I have a feeling he might be washing his hair that night...


Q: Having just got back from seeing Ian Mclagan live, I wondered (as you too are big Small Faces fans) if you had had the fortune of seeing him? When I met him after the gig I told him that the best cover of a Small Faces tune, I had heard, was your version of 'Lazy Sunday'. He said he had heard it and was impressed! How cool is that? Steve, York
D: No I've never seen him. Nice to hear he likes our version of LSA.


Q: I was just wondering if you ever had a number 1 in the UK? Helena, Ireland
T: Unfortunately not. They did come very close to having a UK no. 1 album with Laughing On Judgement Day in 1992, but were pipped at the post by Kylie Minogue's Greatest Hits.


Q: Guys, Really looking forward to the new album and also to bringing my wife to her first Thunder show later this year. I have a few guitar "nerd" questions for Luke and Ben.
1) Do you use any tunings other than the standard EBGDAE when you play live, and in the studio?
2) What strings and picks do you use and do you find that this choice makes a big difference to your tone?
3) What guitarist had the biggest influence on your style of playing?  (Obviously you guys are who I (everso pathetically) aspire to play like and Thunder (and to a lesser extent Quo) were my big inspiration to pick up the guitar in the first place.
4) When arranging the songs for live performance, how do you decide which one of you plays what part, riff/rhythm, solo etc and do you ever argue about it? (I liked the way Ben picked up Luke's riff on RJT in Huttwil  when Luke's Guitar "blew up", way to save the show Ben!)
5) What did happen to that guitar?
6) Lastly, Ben, do you have a different set-up on the Les Paul you play slide on RJT Live, or is it the same as your other stage guitars. Thanks Guys. Robin, USA
L: We have used a drop D tuning on 'The Devil Made Me Do It' and again on one song on the new album. We've also used a DADGAD tuning on the new album but as it's not released for a couple of months yet you won't know what  I'm talking about! I've started using heavier strings for recording and I may well use them on our next tour. I used to use 10 - 46 but it'll probably be 11 - 50 from now on. I use a standard medium gauge pick. I don't have a favourite guitar player but I did spend a lot of time studying Jimi Hendrix when I first started playing. We decide who plays what according to what's the most practical in a live environment.


Q: A similar scenario has probably been put to you many times before; does it annoy you that artists such as Kid Rock with limited real exposure to the British public can achieve a number 1 single whereas other artists, such as yourselves, who constantly put yourselves at access to the public, struggle to achieve the recognition, in terms of sales, that you deserve? Kid Rock, and others previously and no doubt in the future, obviously are receiving an insane amount of publicity in the media from their record companies which surely cannot be recouped from music sales alone. It annoys me so much to see such drivel advertised on national tv as if it is something new that deserves our attention. I no longer listen to the likes of Radio 1 due to the constant drivel they play but I assume (rightly or wrongly) that they also have had their part to play in this. I can just imagine their DJ's(?) raving about Kid Rock as if he's producing some sort of music the likes of which has never been heard before. I dream of utopia where only the best music is broadcast to the public and of course Thunder are an essential ingredient. Mick, Desborough
L: The Kid Rock record is a combination of two very popular, familiar songs plus his own lyric and melody. Whilst I agree with you that it isn't by any means a work of genius, I do understand why people like it. I try to not worry about other artist's success or failure. When it comes to our lack of exposure on the UK's mainstream media despite some of our records being extremely suitable, I have been and continue to be very disappointed. I know I should be used to it by now but I don't think I ever will be. Should the day come when I'm not disappointed that will mean I'll have given up hoping and that isn't going to happen. I know the quality of our work and thankfully there are a good few people like yourself out there that know it too so go forth and spread the word!


Q: Hi guys, my brother just sent me a very scary You Tube video of  a lady called Lonnie Gordon doing a dance version of Dirty Love! 1) Are you aware of it and 2) If you are aware of it, what do you think? The original is so much better! Anyway, second question because I'm cheeky!!. With the advent of Guitar Hero the video game, is this something that you would consider like other bands having some of your songs to download and play in the game? Thanks all!! Paul Ryan, Warrington
L: I actually have a 12 inch vinyl of Lonnie Gordon's version somewhere. I think it's no better or worse than a lot of dance records that get made. The only weird thing is hearing such a different interpretation of a song I wrote. Anything that gets us out there I approve of so I don't have a problem with it. If we were approached by Guitar Hero I can't think why we would say no!


Q: Hi Luke my 11 year old daughter has just started to learn guitar. She has been watching you at Donnington on an old video of mine and you have become her idol as she is a leftie like you. She says she finds it quite hard with her tutor as they are right handed. Any tips. Phil, Nottingham
L: Try getting your daughter to play in front of a mirror and then she'll get used to looking at how a right-handed person plays. Sounds daft but it does work. She'll also be able to practice her rock star poses!


Q: Hi big year next year 20 years of thunder, lol with the little break.question is, will you being a special anniversary (hate that word) tour, playing a greatest hit tour.be great. gigs be great to. us fans, via competition, we can pick the support bands. also, wood you play any terraplane. nostalga lol. thanks for the last 20 years guys. ive seen you from terraplane to thunder, never seen you play bad. Graham, Portsmouth
L: There's a few things in the pipeline for next year but it's way too early to be definite about what we'll be doing. I can tell you we won't be doing any Terraplane songs though for reasons stated here before. There are many facets to choosing our support bands and I'm afraid it's not as simple as just picking them. We do however always try to make it a good evening for those of you who are good enough to part with your hard-earned readies!


Q: I don't really have a question.... I just wanted to say that I sent you guys a message on myspace and I'm not really sure if you guys read them or not so I decided to send one here too...... I'm a singer in a rock band here in Greece and have been a fan since 1989!!!! I grew up in the U.S. but unfortunately you guys never made it to my town so I never saw you live... well I decided to go to Nottingham on the 17th of July.... it was a dream come true and it wasn't enough! I definately want more... I will be visiting England again soon just to see you guys...... but want I really need to say is that, Danny you were amazing..... your voice, your stage presence, everything..... you are sooooo beautiful, especially when you sing!!!! What I'm about to say may make me sound like a little bimbo but
it's the truth...... I fell in love with you that night!!!!! Please don't take offence but you sang straight into my heart and my only dream is that one day I can make someone feel with my voice what you've made me feel with yours!!!! God bless you all!!! Thank you for the music....... Fofi, Athens
D: Wow, I don't get a note like this every day.. If I did I may get a big head.. I don't know what to say, except I'm glad you enjoyed your first Thunder live experience..


Q: Oh dear - my apologies Danny . . . in your response to my question regarding voice issues, I realise that you may have thought I was referring to yourself when I said "being a person of dubious dulcet tones . . etc". I was, of course, meaning myself (I sing like a cat). I wouldn't dream of causing my favourite singer any offence.  Feeling bad now, and wanting to clear up that mistake a.s.a.p. Your tones are definitely first class, and always put your 'support bands' to shame. On the other hand . . . if you were just being funny, then you've made me feel a right gibbon ! Methinks I am damned if I send this, but damned by all fellow Thunder fans (for sounding churlish) if I don't? Lesley, Stewart
D: I think the mistake was probably a mutual one. Let's call it even, and please don't think of yourself as a gibbon, perhaps a nice bushbaby?


Q: Hi Guys! Its so amazing the people that you meet that know thunder especially at mum and toddlers group! myself and two friends (who don't know each other yet) are taking our hubbys (who also love your music) to Astoria in Nov!! Cant wait!!! what a night its going to be!! Danny do you ever sing to your wife and children and what do they make of your fantastic vocals? my daughter tells me to shhhhhhhhh mummy be quiet!! Nice! see you all soon x  Helena, Kent
D: I sing all the time. To be honest we all sing all the time in my house so no one listens to me, unless I sing something stupid (which I tend to do all the time), and then the response is the same as your daughter's. Please continue to tell the world about the tour, it always helps in lots of ways.


Q: Hi Danny, I hope you are having a wonderful summer. I'm thrilled to know that the new album is done now and I'm so excited to imagine that I'll be listening to it in a couple of months. Lately, I've been thoroughly re-enjoying all of your previous Xmas live CDs, and I was wondering, isn't it time for you to make an another Xmas DVD? Five years have passed since your last (and only!) one. I know I'd love to have a new one, and I bet there are lots of fans who'd love it too! So would you kindly think about it, please? And also, may I suggest something for further Thunder merchandise? How about making tote bags? I'm not sure how things are in the UK, but people are going crazy for them nowadays for ecological reasons over here. I've been working at a bookstore for a long time and this is one of our biggest sellers! (I thought the "six of one" egg designs would be particularly ideal!) ;) Thanks for reading!  Fumi, San Francisco
D: Thanks for the note, and the suggestion. I've just been on my hols so I am very relaxed.
I'm not sure another DVD is a good idea at this time. To be honest we've released 5 DVD titles in 5 years, and we feel the next one has to be different in some way if it's to have the necessary "must have" appeal.
Apart from that I'm keen that we shouldn't keep asking fans to repeatedly buy things from us at short intervals, and we already have a few new things coming through in the next few months. You've asked about the bag, let's see if it sparks a torrent of interest from other fans. If it does we may consider it.


Q: Just bought the new Stone Gods album and noticed that they acknowledged Thunder in the sleeve notes; any particular reason?  Nick, Leicester
D: I'm not sure why they said thanks to us, but we did ask them to play a show with us at UEA in Norwich last year. Nice of them to thanks us.


Q: Daft question - but what do you guys do when you are not doing the "Thunder thing". I know Harry plays with Bad Influence (a stonking good night out!!!), Magnum, Bad Company etc - but what about the rest of you? Looking forward to the November shows by the way. Mark, Oxted
D: I do nothing at all most of the time. The shows, the deals, the record releases and promotion all arrange themselves. Come to think of it Luke doesn't write any songs or produce any records, and Ben doesn't engineer or mix the recordings, and strangely Chris doesn't design any artwork or merchandise. We're very lucky like that. Seriously, I'm being vile to you, and I apologise, you just caught me on a particularly non busy day when I wasn't doing any of the above (as usual).. Ha ha.
B: I often record other artists, I'm just about to do some recording with Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac fame.
L: Thunder takes up most of my time with the writing, demoing, producing and worrying about which songs we're going to play. The last year has been one of the busiest with an album and three EPs. I do enjoy a game of golf when   I can.