"KEEF IS WITH US," The Prodigy prepare for their 2025 Australian tour

It’s been a long while since The Prodigy have appeared down under, and much has happened in the time they’ve been away.

Set to return five years after the tragic and sudden passing of the group’s vocalist, Keith Flint, Mixmag ANZ spoke with Liam Howlett about what the group has prepared for their impending tour.

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Q: What has been the motivation to come back to touring?

LIAM: AFTER KEEF DIED , ME AND MAXIM DIDN’T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE BAND FOR A YEAR.

WE DIDN’T KNOW IF WE WANTED TO OR IF WE COULD GO BACK ONSTAGE ,, SO WE DECIDED TO DO A SMALL UK TOUR AS THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IF WE WANTED TO CARRY ON , THAT WAS SUMMER 2022 …

IT WAS SO EMOTIONALLY CHARGED AND DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH , BUT WE REALLY FELT THE PEOPLE WERE TOTALLY WITH US , SUPPORTING US ,, THAT IS SOMETHING I WONT EVER FORGET .

THAT TOUR ANSWERED ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD IN OUR MINDS ABOUT CARRYING ON ,,

IT’S WHERE THE PRODIGY BELONG ..

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Q: What have you received from Australian crowds that you’re excited to experience again next year?

LIAM: WE’VE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF PLAYING IN AUSTRALIA AND WE’VE ALWAYS LUVED IT ,,

I MEAN ITS A FUKIN LONG WAY TO TRAVEL IF THE CROWD WAS JUST AVERAGE ,,,

SO THE GIGS THERE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THAT EXCITING EDGE TO US ,,

FROM OUR FIRST TOUR WHICH WAS 1992 I THINK ,,, THEN PLAYING ‘THE BIG DAY OUT’ FESTIVAL ,,,

WE WERE ONE OF THE BANDS THAT PLAYED BIG DAY OUT THE MOST TIMES ,,

THEN AFTER THAT THE ‘FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL’ A FEW TIMES ,, ALL GREAT MEMORIES ,

WE JUST WOULD’NT BOTHER COMING BACK IF IT DID’NT GIVE US THE BUZZ AND EDGE WE LIKE ,,

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Q: This tour used your iconic ant logo, one that hadn’t been used all too much in recent years. Why did you decide to relaunch it now?

LIAM: WE HAVE ALWAYS USED OUR ANT LOGO , ITS NEVER NOT BEEN THERE ,,

ITS LIKE THE BATMAN LIGHT , IT WILL APPEAR WHEN UR LEAST EXPECTING IT AND LIGHT UP THE SKY…….

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Q: We recently celebrated the 30 year anniversary of Music for the Jilted Generation. How does it feel looking back on that release in particular all these years later?

LIAM: LOOKING BACK AT THE TIME WHEN I WROTE THAT ALBUM I THINK IT WAS A BRAVE RECORD TO COME OUT WITH .

IT WAS A STATEMENT OF THE PRODIGY STEPPIN OUT OF THE BOX OF JUST THE ‘RAVE’ SOUND WE WERE KNOWN FOR . IT WAS A REACTION TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND US MUSICALLY AND AS ALWAYS INFLUENCED BY PLAYING DIFFERENT LIVE GIGS OUTSIDE THE RAVES , WE STARTED TO PLAY FESTIVALS AROUND THAT TIME.

IT'S AN ALBUM IM PROUD OF , BUT ITS MAIN PROBLEM IS IT’S TOO LONG …….

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Q: Dance music has arguably never been more popular. What do you think are the two best & worst changes in dance culture that you’ve seen in your career?

LIAM: I DONT KNOW ,,,,….. YOU SHOULD ASK A ‘DANCE MUSIC’ EXPERT ,,, MAYBE TAP GUETTA UP

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Q: The tragic passing of Keith is something felt by your fans the world over. I’d love to know if & how you feel connected to him as you continue to perform under The Prodigy?

LIAM: KEEF IS WITH US , HIS SPIRIT IS EMBEDDED DEEP WITHIN THE MUSIC ,,

AND THAT ISN'T SOME HIPPY NONSENSE EITHER , IT IS JUST FACT ..

IT ISN'T A KEEF TRIBUTE SHOW WHAT WE ARE DOIN , I WILL SAY THAT ,,

AS ITS IMPORTANT TO US TO KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD , BECAUSE AS WE KNOW , LIFE GOES ON ,,

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Q: What are you most excited for, now returning to touring life?

LIAM: THE THING IS WE’VE NEVER REALLY STOPPED TOURING SINCE THE BAND WAS FORMED , SO ITS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF OUR LIVES , THE LONGEST BREAK FROM TOURING WAS AROUND 2000 TO 2005 I THINK ,

WE WEREN'T REALLY SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER DURING THAT TIME , KEEF AND ME I MEAN ,,,

BUT WE GOT THROUGH THAT , COZ WE ARE BROTHERS.

ONE THING I KNOW IS THE PRODIGY CANT FULLY EXIST UNLESS THE MUSIC IS TAKEN LIVE TO THE STAGE ,

IN THIS ONLINE WORLD WE LIVE IN NOW IT’S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO US TO SEE PEOPLE DIRECTLY REACTING IN FRONT OF US TO THE TUNES AND SEE THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES ,,,,

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Q: Can we expect any new music or twists on old classics? If so, how & what?

LIAM: ALWAYS !

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Tickets to The Prodigy’s Disrupta tour are still available here.

Jack Colquhoun is the Managing Editor for Mixmag ANZ, find him on Instagram.