12th August 2001
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Who are Pink and Frankie, as mentioned in the two different
versions of 29 X The Pain?
Jason Knight
Frankie (aka Pink) is a very talented songstress that never got as far as she should have. She was the then girfriend of Ray Zell's brother, KK, who engineered on Earth vs The Wildhearts. Frankie was old friends with Spike when I was in the Quireboys. She's a fine, fine lady, and no mistake!
We all know that the lyrics to 29 x The Pain highlight your
influences, but I was wondering: a) Were there any musical influences that you tried to include
but lyrically couldn't fit them into the song? And b) if you wrote the song today, would there be
any artists that you'd add to your list?
Dazz
a) No, but there were a few that I forgot, and a load that I got into just a little too late to include. b) Steve Earle, for one. Guitar Wolf, Strapping Young Lad. Maria McKee would be in there, too, but then she's one of the ones I forgot to mention in the first place. I also forgot Long Ryders, Kix, Hoodoo Gurus, Angel... and whole bunch of others. To be honest, I was writing for a B-side and never thought in a million years that it would end up as popular as it did.
I was listening to Total Rock recently when Krusher mentioned
that he had been the inspiration for Caffeine Bomb, after taking you and someone else (I've
forgotten who) to a Turkish restaurant. When he ordered some Turkish coffee after the meal, you
(allegedly) said "What the fuck is that?", to which he replied "A Caffeine Bomb".
Apparently you told him that you were going to write a song about it. Is this true or was
Krusher just talking a load of shit?
Ogden
Ah, Krusher's favourite story. Yes, he did indeed name the Caffeine Bomb, but I added the whiskey!
I'm a huge fan of all Ginger related bands, and an even bigger fan
of Adam Ant. I heard you were going to cover Vive Le Rock many years ago. Are you a fan or is it a
case of you just liking that one song?
Jason Gleeson
I'm a huge fan. I kinda got into them long after the fact. That's their best song in my opinion. I'd still love to cover it.
How do you decide whether songs are going to be for SilverGinger 5,
The Wildhearts or solo?
Shaun
I dunno, they just sound like they fit into a particular mould when I write them. Anything that doesn't fit anywhere goes into the solo pile.
How did you come across the obscure yet brilliant US band Starz,
and what are your favourite tracks by them?
Hez
A friend of mine bought Violation from a bargain bin because he liked the cover, but he hated the record so he gave it to me. I got me a good deal that day. Been in love with them ever since... although if Ritchie Ranno keeps releasing rubbish and palming it off as Starz rarities every month (as he seems to do) I could eventually get pretty sick of them wasting my money. Favourite tracks? Aw, man, impossible. Cool One, Detroit Girls, Fallen Angel, Cherry Baby, and on and on... it'd be easier naming the tracks I don't like.
Where did you get the idea for the Purple Rain piss-take
that you did in the Office gig South Shields?
Simon O'Neill
It absolutely just came into my head right at that moment. Stuff like that can only happen at acoustic gigs. They're like diamonds, no two are alike. That's why I will probably always do them as long as an audience turns up.
I saw a picture of you in Kerrang! and you had a Sepultura sticker
on your guitar. When did you get into tribal heavy metal?
John Philip
I got into Sepultura about 1991 when Beneath The Remains came out. Sepultura used to rule when they just sounded like a straight thrash band. I hate this 'tribal' shit.
The Throbs had a member called Sweetheart, didn't they? What did
you call him when you were chatting? If he was on the other side of the room, what did you shout
out? Did he have a sense of humour about it? If you said "Sweetheart", did he say "Yes Honey?"
Brett Callwood
His name was Ronnie Sweetheart, and I called him Ronnie as you can imagine.
Do drugs make you a better songwriter?
Andrew
Scarborough
No, just a more broke one.
When you read comments by people having a go at you, whether
it's about your new stuff, or about the bullshit that people invented about you and Danny, does
a part of you feel like saying "fuck it", and just running away? I've had the same kind of crap
(on a much smaller scale) said about me and my music, and past bandmates and that. Dont you just
want to quit? How do you keep yourself motivated?
Dogg
I just keep repeating "everyone's full of shit... everyone's full of shit... everyone's full of..." Works for me, anyway!
Although I like the song There's Always Someone More Fucked Up
Than You, I'm not sure that I agree with the sentiment. Do you think it's always a good thing to
know there are others worse off than you, or does it just make you feel worse to know there's so
much bad feeling about? I think maybe it's sometimes better to be selfish for once and not worry
about others' suffering. You can't pull someone out of the shit if you're doing the front crawl
next to them!
Dave Baird
I think it puts things into perspective when you know that you're not the only person in the world who's suffering, and that it's more of a 'general human thing' than it seems at the time. It's the acceptance of things being universal that make those things that much more bearable.
I've just got your ace acoustic album and have to admit that
the Korgis number you played, If I Had You, is simply fantastic. I like it so much I'm going to
get some of their stuff, but what do you recommend?
Paul Speed
I have to be honest and tell you that the rest of their material isn't all as good as that. You can probably pick up that song (which is well worth owning) on a cheap 'best of', or even find the album it's on in a bargain bin somewhere. Good luck.
In the lyric of Thailand Uber Alles, is it "all that I got was
a big mistake and it looks like it's just another heart attack"? Or is it "...hard to take", or something
different?
Mark Leatham
It's "hard intake".
How come I've never seen Jon Poole and Fatboy Slim in the same place?
Strange that, don't ya think?
Lee Fletcher
No, not really. They're the same person.
What's the background to Just Stay and And The Bullshit Goes On?
How come they have the same tune?
Paul O
We recorded Just Stay for Earth Vs The Wildhearts, but at the time I was strictly against anything to do with love. So it was binned (along with Church Of The Broken Hearted) and resurfaced when I needed a tune to slag off EastWest during one particularly stressful time. Silly really. Hey, we've all gotta be young and stupid, right?
Is there any chance of Re-inventing The Wheel making it onto one
of your singles?
Pete Slater
It already is, mate. It should be rearing its pretty little head on one of the next three singles.
Somone recently told me that it was the Queen's Golden Jubilee
next year. I was wondering if you would cover God Save The Queen to commemorate this event.
Ollie Johnston
I'd sooner have my balls taken out, roasted, and fed to me while being butt-fucked by Prince Phillip.
Have The Wildhearts ever done a song with Devin Townsend?
CJ
Yeah, we did a song for one of the Endless, Nameless B-sides called Kill Me To Death. It's pretty full-on. Devin had almost lost his voice on the day but it didn't do a thing to stop him screaming like the full metal nutjob that he naturally is.
It's well known that you're a fan of Nirvana / Kurt Cobain, but
what do you think of the Foo Fighters? Does David Grohl cut it as a singer / songwriter in your
books?
Wayne McCrory
I just don't like them, to be honest. They do nothing for my feet. I find bands that 'kind of rock' like aural valium.
Who in The Wildhearts can drink the others under the table, and
who's the first under the table?
Wayne McCrory
I'm the best drinker and Danny's the first under the table.
Which record in your collection would most shock your hardcore
fans? C'mon Ginge, time to 'fess up to that Yes record skulking at the back of your vinyl!
Wayne McCrory
Yes?! I have nothing so rubbish in my collection. I actually like all my records. Some people would balk at Klaus Nomi or The Proclaimers, but I have nothing to hide.
Robbie Williams - pretentious twat with a huge ego or a modern day
pop icon with all the stage presence and attitude of a 70s rock star?
Wayne McCrory
A bit of both. I don't really like anything he's done (well, Angels was a nice song) but he's doing it the way no one else is in this country. OK, it doesn't harm him coming from a huge 'boy band', but he's still making it look easy... and believe me, it isn't.
Did you ever have a normal boring job, or have you always been an
international rock Star?!
Wend & Dale, Dan & Shelly, Al & Alex
Hey, even when I was excavating a Roman fort, painting huge murals on walls, making leather goods, working in a cigarette factory, and working in a butcher's shop, I was always a rock star!
Have you wrote a song for your wife Angie and your son Jake?
Arthur
Nah, that's just too crass. The only people that do that type of thing are people that haven't wrote many (if any) songs, and can't think of a decent subject to write about. It's so desperate. Angie and Jake don't need a song written about them to know what I feel.
Who's Sue, the woman that (Whatever Happened To) Rock 'N' Roll Girls is
dedicated to on Black Leather Mojo?
Arthur
A good friend of mine, and a true rock 'n' roll girl. She sadly died and made a big hole in the lives of everyone that ever met her.
Has anyone seen my fish?
James Patterson
Have you looked under the bureau?
Who would win a fight between the first human dung beetle and
my nan? Any thoughts?
Garence
Your nan has the mental advantage (those things are pretty stupid), but I think the smell would get to the old girl in the end. Verdict? The human dung beetle gets it on a technicality.
