U.K. four-piece (started in Scotland circa 1988) The Almighty have just released there most diverse and last - you heard me - last record _Just Add Life_ (produced by Chris Sheldon - Therapy?) via Castle Records in the United States. The band, fronted by singer/guitarist Ricky Warwick, guitarist Pete Freisen, drummer Stumpy Monroe and bassist Floyd London, have decided to call it quits following the release of their fifth album _JAL_. This being their most diverse record, singer Warwick decided it would be beneficial to talk to the fans one more time about the demise of The Almighty, the changes the band went through musically and the amicable split the band decided to take from one another. Not utterly saddened by the demise of the band, Warwick, as well as the other three members, are presently working on other projects. Here is what he had to say:

CoC: Let us start off about the record _Just Add Life_. What are your thoughts about the record and what fans can get out of it?

Ricky Warwick: I think the record shows the melodic side of the band. We used to be seen as just a hard band and I think it will be suprising to see how much melody is in there. Hopefully people will also pick up on the diversity of the songs as well.

CoC: Do you think that a lot of people that were into the band from the start will be lost with the changes that the band has taken with _JAL_?

RW: I think we will. There will be those people that will have not grown with us and want us to continue making music like the first two records and I am sure that we will gain new fans too due to the music on this record.

CoC: How do you feel about the image and sound of a band? Did you make the calls on what you do about marketing or did the record companies that you have dealt with make the decisions?

RW: In the beginning we probably listened to people because we were looking for good advice but then as things go along you only should be listening to yourselves. In the past four or five years we haven't be pressured into doing anything that we didn't want to do. People have told us what to do but we don't listen.

CoC: Any regrets from the days of The Almighty? Something you did that you wish you could have corrected?

RW: When I look back at it now I wish we would have used different producers for the first two records. Another thing is that we were never really able to tour a lot in the United States, something I would have liked to have done.

CoC: Where does the album title name come from?

RW: It is like when you buy soup and read the directions and it says 'Just Add Water.' People always buy stuff to make them feel better like cars or clothes. And what I am saying is that you need not do that to make yourself happy. Just start to feel good about yourself and that is a start."

CoC: Are you comfortable playing this sort of hard pop/punk music?

RW: Completely. I am really happy playing this stuff. It reminds me of the type of music that I grew up on like The Clash and stuff from that era.

CoC: How did you hook up with Castle Records?

RW: Well, the day we came out with the record we went in and told EMI that was it and they decided that they didn't want to spend money promoting the album so we took the album over to Castle Records for release. It has worked out for us. They put the record out and that is all that matters.

CoC: Over the years and all the stuff you had done with The Almighty, did you learn anything or become a better musician?

RW: Yeah, you learn more when you learn about the people you work with and playing all those gigs. You learn from everything that comes with being a musician and you can either learn or get stuck in one style. We learned and grew with our music.