16th October 2001
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Are you going to make a new Wildhearts album?
Atsushi

To be honest, it's not top of my list. I want to concentrate on SilverGinger 5, and whatever happens to The Wildhearts will happen naturally... or not happen naturally.

If you don't see Danny much any more, will there be a new bassist in The Wildhearts? Or are The Wildhearts on hold for a while again?
Greg Walker

The Wildhearts are on hold for a while. I really wouldn't like to do this with another bass player.

I hear that The Wildhearts have broken up. Is this true or a rumour?
Atsushi

Broken up? I never heard that one. I don't know. The Wildhearts is the decision of four people, and if those four people don't want to do it, then there's no reason to bother. It seems to me that The Wildhearts broke up about three days into the last tour, but if the other guys really wanted to do it, then I would be very impressed and would agree.

Do you now enjoy playing with SG5 a lot more than the Wildies?
Simon O'Neill

Well, SG5 comes with a lot less drama. I could live without things getting in the way of the music. Having said that, I really enjoyed the Bulldog Bash because the entire band were on form. I guess the point is, when everyone is into it, then I am too. When people seem like they don't give a fuck, that's when I hate it.

What, if anything, is your problem with Feeder? Apparently some remark was made at the Bulldog bash, which I sadly had to miss when my two favourite bands in the world were playing. Do you begrudge them their new-found pop success, or do you just hate them?
James Hawkes

The remark I made wasn't aimed at Feeder, but at the Wildhearts fans. We were sitting backstage and, when both bands were announced together through the PA, the crowd cheered louder for us than they did for Feeder. Having Danny back, this gave us an extra shot of confidence, hence the "you don't need to be in the Top 20" remark. I have absolutely nothing against Feeder, and actually really like that Buck Rogers song.

I was just wondering what the plans were for the SG5 shows regarding pyros and special effects. Can we expect to have our faces burned off by big, noisy flashbombs?
Andy B

The plan is basically this: we are taking out our very own pyro-master, who'll fill the venue with whatever effects the venue will allow. Some venues have gotten in touch with their local council and have been refused a licence, some don't seem to mind what we do as long as no one gets hurt, and some... well, some haven't even bothered to get back in touch. On such a small scale tour I assume no one has ever taken out a pyro show to these venues before. So, like me, you're just going to have to wait until the night of the show to find out what's gonna go down.

In the last Ask Ginger you rubbish the idea of writing a song for Angie and Jake. But I always thought that The Miles Away Girl and Jonesing For Jones were about your old girlfriend. Am I wrong?
Nick Bason

Not entirely wrong. The Miles Away Girl was written about a girl, and that's why we didn't play it live very often. Jonesing For Jones was written, as are tons of my songs, with a girl in mind, but using relationships as an analogy for something (in this case the link between drug withdrawal and love withdrawal). I do intensely hate songs written because some guy decides to have children, like you have to suddenly become fucking Teletubbies or something. It also cheapens the experience of fatherhood a lot. And I don't tend to like songs with girls names in them because they mean nothing if it's not your girl's name. And even if it is your girl's name and you don't like the song it means nothing... er, did I make my point?

I own an old poster that came with a 1996 issue of Metal Hammer which shows you and Danny grinning at the camera. However, on closer inspection, I noticed that you both seemed to have cut holes in your jeans around the crotch area. How / why on Earth did this crazy "fashion" trend start?!
Gal Herrington

For the record, I would like to state that I (nor Danny, I would imagine) would never cut holes in our jeans, owing to the fact that they cost far too much to go all scissor happy on them. I have no explanation for the holes in our crotch areas, other than the fact that the friction from the endless gyrating of our superhuman genitals against the straining denim has eroded the material in said area.

What did you think of KISS's Psycho Circus? Do you think it's sad to have Eric Singer dressed in cat makeup finishing the farewell tour?
Sam

I think that the levels KISS will plummet to disgrace themselves are still being mined. Wait for "KISS souls for sale - only 5000, limited edition offer, first come first fleeced" - which is obviously slightly misleading as it is now obvious that KISS do not possess souls, but instead have tiny little bank managers that control the host from within. KISS are a disgrace.

I bought the Proclaimers album Sunshine On Leith the other week, and was just wondering if bits of Geordie In Wonderland were all influenced by the song Cap in Hand.
Moc

Nah, not particularly. It's just a well-used rhythm that both songs use. I actually think that's one of the weakest tracks on Sunshine On Leith. But that title track? Oh man, I wanna cry just thinking about it. The note those guys make when they sing "SUNSHAYYYYYYNE..." - that, to me, is what music is all about; the unique blend of tone and vibration that people make when in the same room together. Put them with other musicians just as talented, or even more talented, and the results can pail in comparison.

Just wondering what you thought of Fluffy when they were about.
Medichi

I thought the drummer was as cute as all fuckery!

I was just wondering what you think of Enuff Znuff. I know you did a cover of one of their songs (which was cool). Any chance of working with them?
Stephen Lilley

I think they're really underrated. I'd love to do something with them one day. With our shared love of pop / rock, and my mate Alex Kane being a one time member of them, I'm sure our paths will cross at some point.

Do you have any plans to release a video of any form (live, promo vids, interviews, etc)?
Peesh

Yeah, one day. I'm sitting on some amazing footage that I'll be bound to use at some point.

When do you think we can get to hear the tracks you recorded with Jason Ringenberg? Are they gonna get put on whatever the Wildhearts might record or relase next, or are they getting a separate release of their own?
Andy B

One of the tracks (One Less Heartache) is for Jason's new solo album. The other track is an old Jimmie Rodgers song that I'm keeping for something special.

You've lived in both LA and the UK. Which has the better porn? US, UK or somewhere else?
Alex

LA is obviously better for porn than anywhere in the UK. The place exists because of the revenue brought about by the porn industry. The only place that beats US porn is Italy, because the girls are darker and prettier (in my opinion).

From your History section: "Ginger (age 12) plays snare drum and kazoo in a local jazz band, where he smokes pot for the first time." At the risk of asking the stupidest question you’ve ever been asked for Ask Ginger, which jazz band were you in? I'm just curious as my fiancé was in the Heaton Fusiliers!
Mark Kennedy

Jeezuzzz... I was bleedin' 12! If you can remember that far back you need to get out more!

What happened with Eureka in the end? Did you do anything with it at all?
Velv

Too many drugs, not enough commitment. It's a pity because we were really good, in a jamming kind of way... but I think it would have confused people too much. And you think Clam Abuse divided the fans!

Hey Ginger, how come you turned down the tour with AC/DC in 1996? I would kill to do that!
John Philip

Haha... turned it down?! We left because we couldn't get our shit together to continue the tour in America. Typical Wildhearts behaviour - one step forward, two steps back, fall on arse, scratch head for a while, start again...

I was wondering what happened to the film that The Wildhearts were supposed to be doing the soundtrack for? I vaguely remember reading about it a while back, but didn't hear if it ever got finished or released.
Andy B

The last I heard it was being financed and written by Jimmy Nail, and the only movie from around that time to have him producing was Still Crazy (occasionally funny 'has-been' band reform for fun 'n' nostalgia), which might not have been an altogether good thing to get involved with, considering how fate would throw us a similar script.

I was wondering if you could answer my couple of queries. It's about the site and how, say, in the month of June, you were very active, performing with your three acts and also releasing your first solo single, yet hardly anything was mentioned on the site. I mean the news is always updated, but there's never any reviews of the shows from external sources or any of your own thoughts.

What I'm saying is that I, the fan, can see you doing all this stuff, but don't know how any of it went (from both your point of view and others). Once again, you were in Japan at the end of July, and once again, nothing was posted afterwards on the site and so I'm left wondering - was it a success? Was Danny there? What songs did they play? And so on.

I appreciate fully all the time and effort that you do actually put into the site and don't think I'm kidding, but I quite often feel that I never know what's really going on! I've probably could have explained this a little better, but what do you think?
Gareth Hope

The main reason I didn't report on the activity much is largely down to the fact that I was too busy with the activity itself! I don't own a laptop, and I'm far too busy to write reports when I get home. Add that to the traumatic effects of the whole 'Danny situation', swapping bass players, rehearsing bass players, Japanese tours, recording and mixing for the Singles Club and being a dad, there's not much time to do anything else but sleep. But I have to leave the final word to Darren himself, the lord of our web site and the voice of reason in an unreasonable world:

Darren says: "June was a busy month, and we did our best, Gareth. Did you miss our extensive report on the acoustic shows (found in the Features section), the sound clip and Ginger's dissection of I'm A Lover Not A Fighter, and his comments on the Wildhearts tour and Danny Situation? I dunno if you read The Wildhearts Mailing List, but if you don't, you should definitely hook yourself up with that. A lot happens there - fan reviews, gossip, the odd beheading..."

Tell me who you think the most attractive person on the planet is.
Lyndsey Capper

Angie, my girlfriend, is the most beautiful person I know. Fantasy wise, Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie, Scary Movie) is gorgeous, and the one in Mis-Teeq (Alesha, I think her name is) is totally knockout too. Can I have three choices, please?

How did you grow your dreadlocks? I'm really wanting to have dreads, but have no idea how to get them done!
Elspeth Gibson

The secret is: get your hair real dirty, and then just keep twisting the hair into dreads. Apply as much crap on it as you can (by this time, your hair will feel like a wet sheep, so more 'extra strong hold' gunk won't make it any more uncomfortable. You can also invest in some bees wax, which comes in huge lumps and has to be melted with a hairdryer. Warning: applying too much bees wax will turn your hair into a white mess of hardened wax. Ugly.

I've gotta say that the first year of having dreads is a pain in the ass. You'll develop blisters on your fingers from twisting all day long (and make sure you twist the hair in the same direction every time, otherwise you'll be de-dreading yourself!). But after 12 months of looking like a bit of a tramp, you'll be able to go to a hairdresser and get them tidied up. If you go to a hairdresser first, you'll look like one of those platted-haired Marilyn Manson freaks... and a tramp is slightly more attractive. Having said that, you will be on a mission, and being attractive is not the task... which is fortunate as you won't be desirable to anything but mountain goats.

Good luck, happy twiddling, and when you eventually get them... don't cut the fuckers off, like I did once!

If, in the future, Jake said that he wanted to be a musician, would you tell (or "advise") him not to? If so, why?
K Roberts

I would never push Jake into, or discourage him from, doing whatever he wants to do (unless he wants to be a serial killer or something, y'know). I would always point out how difficult it would be, based on experience, but then it's up to him. Anyway, he's looking set for a life in modelling at the moment.

Which, if any, Wildhearts song would come close to defining you? And if you had to choose one, which would you have played at your funeral?
Jay

To be honest, none of them. I like 'em and everything, but as for any of them 'defining' me, there's just Steve Earle that's managed to do that. It's like falling in love... only someone else can remove you from yourself enough for that kind of devotion. And I definitely wouldn't have The Wildhearts playing at my funeral! Man, I wouldn't even invite them. They'd probably draw on my face!

Am I naive in thinking that you are the real Ginger? It's just a bit hard to believe that someone so famous has time to email me personally. It would annoy me if there is a select group of people answering your emails for you.
Rik Stewart

A select bunch of people as witty and warm as me? I don't bloody think so.

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