Hi Guys, I watched back some old video's last night and came across your MTV unplugged performance. It looked like it was a challenge but also good fun to do. I just wondered what your memories are of the event now that 12 years have passed by? Best wishes, Dave Stott - Mansfield, England

A collective answer:

WE HAVE VIVID MEMORIES OF THAT DAY. IT WAS RECORDED ON A SOUND STAGE IN NEW YORK CITY AND WE HAD REHEARSED THE SONGS FOR A FEW DAYS, AS THEY WERE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS. WE HAD NEGOTIATED THE SET DESIGN WITH MTV - OUR FRIEND STEPHEN SPROUSE HAD MADE SOME PAINTINGS OF SPEAKERS AND AMPLIFIERS FOR US, WHICH WE HUNG ON CHAINS SYMBOLICALLY REPRESENTING THE ABSENCE OF REAL AMPLIFICATION. WE HAD ALSO BROUGHT IN DRAPES AND A CHANDELIER - IT LOOKED QUITE BEAUTIFUL ON THE DAY. IRONICALLY, WHEN WE FINISHED TAPING OUR SET, THE NEXT BAND TO FILM SEVERAL HOURS LATER WAS NIRVANA. SO EVERY TIME WE SEE FOOTAGE FROM THEIR UNPLUGGED SHOW, IT REMINDS US OF OURS, AS MTV KEPT THE SAME DRAPES, CHANDELIER AND LIGHTING THAT WE HAD REQUESTED.

MUSICALLY, IT WAS MORE OF A CONTRAST FOR US THAN MOST OTHER ARTISTS WHO HAD PREVIOSULY PERFORMED ON THE SHOW SINCE WE NORMALLY USE CONSIDERABLY MORE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY. WE FEEL WE ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE, AND ENJOYED THE PROCESS OF FORCING AN ORGAN TO SOUND CLOSE TO A SYNTHESIZER. THE ADDITIONAL PERCUSSION WORKED WELL FOR US TOO, AS DID THE STRINGS - ALTHOUGH IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THE NUMBER OF ORCHESTRAL PLAYERS TO BE EXPANDED.