Placebo 'damaged' by lineup change

Placebo have conceded that Steve Hewitt's departure from the band in 2007 damaged their reputation.

Singer Brian Molko admitted that a core of their support were angered with the lineup changes but insisted that the group was like a "rudderless ship" before drummer Hewitt left.

"I think the die-hards took it quite badly and I think there was a certain amount of anger surrounding Steve Hewitt's departure," he told Music-News.

"A lot of die-hards had become very attached to what they considered to be the classic lineup but really we were nothing more than a rudderless ship with a hole in it."

Molko added that the group's appeal has continually expanded with the release of each new album.

"Everytime we release a record there's a whole new generation of 16-year-olds down the front and the people that were there in the front two or three years previously are now in the back five rows.

"So somehow, even as we've gotten older, we still manage to somehow connect with young people."

Placebo release new album Battle Of The Sun on June 8.