13th April 2001
Back to index
Don't take this the wrong way - and I'm sure it will never get up on your site 'cos it's a bit too damn negative when you're all in the blissful honeymoon period of getting back together (ie, you still like each other) - but in your heart of hearts, don't you realise that the good old Wildhearts getting back together is incredibly sad really?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought The Wildhearts were a band extremely hung up on morals and principals and never sucking the corporate cock, etc. Well, you've basically now gone and blown that out of the water and rubbished everything you stood for in the first place. For you to go back now is an absolute disgrace, and you are basically shitting on everything that made you great in the first place.
Come on, a pleading article in Kerrang! asking people to write in and get you on the bill at Reading? What's all that about? Desperation? Fuckin' earn it like you did in the first place. Don't get on your knees and humiliate the good name of The Wildhearts. OK, so you never were the Sex Pistols (and never will be in that league), but you were a fuckin' amazing band and you are basically doing a 'nevermind the filthy lucre' tour. And everyone was blown away by the artistic integrity in that, weren't they? Nah!
I know this won't change a thing, and maybe
I'm wrong, but this is just sad. Yeah, get wrapped up in the euphoria of minor
'celebrityism' again. But believe me, when the honeymoon is over, I genuinely
believe that it will never be the same band again. I'm sure the songs, gigs,
etc, will be great, but it will all be for completely different reasons to the
ones that set you apart in the first place. You will undoubtedly rant and rave
in some way at my comments, and you will probably come up with some witty
Geordie-type saying to put me down and make yourself look great, but I really
don't give a fuck any more, 'cos you finally gave into the easy
option.
Neil
All I can say is that you must come to one of the shows and see for yourself if this thing is real or not. I'm sure you will receive the same injection that me, Danny, CJ and Stidi - as well as the rest of the people - will be getting.
Top news about the singles, the acoustic gigs
and the Wildhearts tour. I missed you guys first time round (too young I
suppose) so I intend to be at as many of this lot as possible. Just one
question though: why Cambridge? I mean I live there, and I'm totally chuffed
that you're playing the town, but it seems a bit of a strange choice for a
five-date tour. I'm just curious as to why you picked the Junction rather than
somewhere in a bigger city.
David Orton
You'll have to ask the booking agent that question. Probably because this tour is only a small one to start with, and Cambridge is easy to get to for when London sells out. We'll be playing many, many more places when things take off.
I'm very excited to hear about the reformation
of one of my band's greatest influences of all time! Although I'm very suprised
at Ritch's decision to decline. Why?
BJ
He's invested a lot of his time into Grand Theft Audio and it would be a huge gamble for him to just throw it all away. Having said that, Stidi is perfect for us as he's worked with CJ for many years, and him and Danny have hung out since they were kids. And I've known him since forever too. Three Geordies in a band makes for some serious madness, too! Everything works if you let it (copyright Cheap Trick).
Any idea which festivals you'll be playing this
year?
Scurv
We're doing the Bulldog Bash. Everyone else has turned us down. I think it's pretty fucking cool to be turned down by everyone but the Hell's Angels, don't you?!
When you tour, what are the chances we'll see
the whole Wildhearts family play? How about this: The Yo-Yo's open, next up is
SilverGinger 5 (give you a while to rest the old voice), then The Jellys and
finally The Wildhearts - four hours of mayhem! You could even throw in a few
Honeycrack tunes for good measure! Talking of which, is Willie going to be
involved? It just wouldn't seem right without him...
Michael
Church
Come off it, man. I love Willie to tiny bits but he was only in the band for one bleedin' tour!
How about a Clam Abuse gig sometime as well? I
found the CD in a bargain bin in Edinburgh and gave the guy the bollocking of a
lifetime! It's an amazing record!
Rod
At last I achieve one of my oldest goals - to feature in a bargain bin. I never get in those bastards... ever. All my favourite albums as a kid were procured from bargain bins, so this is a good sign.
I'm so pissed off that The Yo-Yo's split as
they were one of the best bands I'd seen in ages. I've heard loads of rumours
as to why they finished, a lot blaming your good self...
Davey
Munroe
Please let me know how the Yo-Yo's split could possibly be my fault! I've heard some good ones in my time, but I have a feeling these are gonna be beauties! I love a good rumour if it's about me!
Why did you decide to release your new singles
under the name of Ginger?
Chotto Shio
I want to do something that isn't bound by preconceptions. I have a band to be as musically amazing as I want (SG5), a band to be as crazy as I want (The Wildhearts)... and now I have something that is all me, something that doesn't have to be anything. I'm a very lucky man!
How do support bands get chosen when you do gigs?
Do they have to be signed, or do they just have to rock? Do you choose them
yourself, or is that someone else's job?
Russ Palmer
I always personally pick the support bands. They don't have to be signed but they do have to rock supremely, as well as be the sort of band that our audience would enjoy. Obviously you can't win 'em all, but I never pick anyone that I don't at least love!
Is there a chance that any of your forthcoming
tours will reach Wales?
Oblivious
I hope to reach all aquatic mammals.
Will AntiProduct be supporting at any of the
gigs?
Loulou
If you close your eyes tight and wish real hard, then that wish will come true.
Just wondering where get your plecks
personalised.
Mike Baggs
Plecks? I haven't heard anyone say that in a looooong time! A guy in Japan designed them and a guy in England makes 'em.
Clam Abuse - Ween inspired or what?
Ben Howard
What? Two goofy looking guys playing experimental pop with rock leanings to a largely confused audience? Whatever gave you that idea?
What's your favourite Ween record?
Ben Howard
Chocolate And Cheese is the one that, for me, is the most consistent. But Ocean Man from The Mollusc is the coolest song they ever wrote. I fucking love that song.
What do you think of the TV show Popstars?
Chris Brown
What? The death of shit music? The final nail in the pop coffin? The first true example of how manipulative the corporates are and how gullible the public are? How can you not love that?!
Have you ever been to Scarborough? If so, what
did you get up to in such a crazy place?
Rob
Thompson
Yes, I have been there. I didn't get up to much as I was about eight years old, but I do remember it having some cool bric-a-brac. Got me a fine ashtray of a skull with the legend "poor old Fred, smoked in bed, now he's dead", which I used predominantly in later years reminding me that the spectre of death looms above every drag of every cigarette... oh, and also that Scarborough is fucking freezing.
What advice would you give to someone going to
Queens, New York for the summer?
Rob Thompson
Don't walk around looking in the air like a tourist. Don't wear a Rolex. Don't ride the subway to Coney Island. And talk to people.
What's your opinion on the so-called
American "punk" bands such as The Offspring and Blink 182? Some US punk is
okay, but does this poppy crap that we're being force-fed really count as
punk?
John W.
My idea of punk and that American pop stuff is vastly different. I guess being around for the original punk explosion kinda soils the enjoyment of the nu-watered down version quite a bit. I don't really have an opinion on those kind of bands, to be honest. I just don't call it punk.
You've released many, many different styles of
music in the past, but I was thinking - you've never really done an album on
which every song could be described as "beautiful". What I mean by this is that
you've never released a really soft, melancholic album (such as Ryan Adams'
Heartbreaker or Smashing Pumpkins' Adore). I just wanted to know if you had
ever thought of releasing something like this, because I reckon you could pull
it off beautifully.
Will Steptoe
One day I'm sure I will, but I still got me some rockin' to do first!
Have you ever heard any Ryan Adams?
Will Steptoe
Yeah, he's amazing. That song, Come Pick Me Up, is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.
Who's your favourite member of KISS and
why?
Stuart
McMillan
Ace, as he was the one that was always pissed and in trouble. I always supported the rock 'n roller in any band I was into.
What's your fave Beatles track and why?
Mickey
In My Life, because Willie Dowling played that song on acoustic when we first worked together (way back in the 50s) and I'd never heard it before. Not being a huge Beatles fan I tracked down the real thing and found out that Willie kicks The Beatles ass.
What's the difference between a caffeine bomb and a
sonic shake?
RC Culley
The brain sugar.
I went through a bad time round about when
p.h.u.q. came out, and if it wasn't for that album I don't know what would have
happened to me. I'm not saying I was saved or any shit like that, but it had a
major effect on me. Is there any band or songwriter that you believe has helped
you or enhanced you when you needed it most?
Clarkie
Oh man, there have been quite a few, but Steve Earle always seems to sing specifically to me. He has a song called My Old Friend The Blues that nails down everything I have always thought about myself and life in general. Check it out... on Napster before someone butt-fucks them out of business.
Did you ever find out why Izzy Stradlin kicked
The Wildhearts off his UK tour? Maybe he felt the band weren't suited to his
style? Or was it a case of just being a prick, like Danny stated on the matter?
I always thought Izzy was the coolest Gun so was kinda curious.
Si
H
Izzy never gave us a reason for kicking us off his tour. It looked, to everyone present, that we were too much of a challenge to his more 'laid back' style. Let's face it, we were young and hot and he was playing blues. I wouldn't want to follow The Wildhearts with a blues band, would you?
The cool Don't Be Happy... Just Worry guitar
was stolen, but the other day I was watching my video of The Wildhearts' Top Of
The Pops stuff and Jef was playing it while performing I Wanna Go Where The
People Go.
Josh Babcock
Well spotted eagle-eyed one. Unfortunately yer still wrong! That wasn't Jef on guitar but the producer of TOTP, Ric Blaxhill, who was a huge supporter of the band. As thanks for all his help we had him a copy of the 'smileybones' guitar made and invited him to come play on his own show with it (a first for him), as we were a three-piece at the time.
Is it true that you walked up the
stairway at Mushroom Records tearing down posters of Symposium, Ash, etc? If
so, why was this?
Ian
Hitchman
Maybe, if I was drunk, yes... this explains a lot of weirdness between that company and me. Life makes sense again.
I've noticed that you don't take to criticism
very well. When people dislike something you do you seem to get annoyed and
offended. Isn't criticism a big part of the music industry? If so, you should
be used to it by now instead of taking offence at it.
Leanne
Criticism and compliments - I could live without either. As a motivating force they can both occasionally be useful, but neither make the job easier. Are you honestly saying that just 'cos a bunch of people tell me they like what I do, I have to listen to some other people telling me they hate what I do, or suggest how I could do it better? I never ask for compliments, nor do I go looking for them. And if it means that the door is therefore open for insults then you can keep them! There are enough musicians that need their ego feeding - tell them that they're great!
