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<<What can you tell us about the new album Chutzpah? >>
It seems to be very popular so far. People seem to love it. I'm
very happy with the response so far, but for me it's just another Wildhearts
album. I like them all.
<<Tell us about your recent American dates. >>
The Wildhearts is an expensive band to run so we can't really afford
to send them to US, so I play as many solo shows as I can for the US
fans. I love it over there and have a lot of friends, so I'm more than
happy to play as many shows as possible. I also have some great musician
friends who are happy to play with me for free, which helps greatly.
<<How important is age in rock'n'roll? >>
From an aesthetic side the cheek bones tend to be more pronounced
in young, cute boys but older guys have the better stories and the greater
level of
skill and charm, whichever side of the equation is more important to
you.
<<What can people expect on the forthcoming tour? >>
I still have no idea. I'm so busy that I won't know our plans until
we start
rehearsing on Sept 5th or something. I want to play the album in its
entirety but I don't think the guys in the band are too keen to do that.
<<We've admired and interviewed you for over 15 years now.
Who are some of your long term heroes? >>
My absolute heroine is Maria McKee who I've been hanging out with
here in Sweden. We played together last night and have been hanging
around the campfire singing songs and eating great food. It's a dream
come true for me. Earlier this year I wrote most of the Jason &
The Scorchers album in
Nashville with them. JATS and Lone Justice is where I started so this
is proof that dreams come true if you stay positive and stay honest.
I'd still love to meet and work with Steve Earle and Imani Copolla.
Danny Widheart with R*E*P*E*A*T #3, 29.9.95
<<You recently released an album of covers. Who would you
most like to see cover one of your songs? >>
I'd still love to write for Cheap Trick. Robin Zander singing one
of my songs would take some beating. Maria Mckee, Steve Earle, Robin
Zander, Imani Copolla and Ryan Adams are the people I'd most like to
write with or for. Oh, and Dolly Parton, of course.
<<Do you intend to continue to play with the Wildhearts and
to produce solo albums? >>
Absolutely. There is time in life to do both and still have space
for
another two or three projects, which I fully intend to do.
<<What is your favourite Wildhearts B side?>>
Hmmm, that's a hard one. There's a song that didn't make it on the
album called Vernix that I love, as for the older singles I really like
'Got It On Tuesday' and 'Bad Time To Be Having A Bad Time' as b-sides.
<<And what about favourite B side from other people? >>
Sweet used to have amazing b-sides. I really likes Burning, from
the Hellraiser single. Sparks have great b-sides too.
<<What do you listen to when hoovering?>>
I don't hoover as I pretty much live in hotels.
<<You recently played a Love Music Hate Racism gig in Cambridge
for us. What do you think can be done to stop the rise of racsim as
shown in the
increased support for the BNP?>>
I predict that racism in UK is based on lazy ignorance and not hatred.
People are just too uneducated to get the facts and have therefore inherited
social and domestic habits due to this. Education is paramount. If we,
as a Nation allow lazy people to stay ignorant then we have to take
some of the blame for the rise in racism. The part of every smart person
out there is to teach by example, through patience and forgiveness.
Judgemental attitudes are only going to fuel this ugly fire.
<<At the gig CJ said here that
he'd give me half his bet money of 50 quid if I printed his spoof Black
Metal Band Names, can you ask
him to pay up please?! >>
Your bet with CJ is purely between you and CJ. He's a law unto himself
that lad.
<<We're a Manic Street Preachers inspired fanzine, so I have
to ask you about when you toured with the Manics back in 1992. Were
they really as
quiet and bookish as is made out? >>
Compared to us they were but in fact they just had a much more practical
work ethic. We used to burn ourselves out quite regularly but were so
full
of speed that we didn't know how badly we were burning out. The tell
tale signs were when we moved onto harder drugs. The Manics moved onto
bigger venues and better sales and therein lies the moral of the tale.
<<Have you kept up with them and have you heard the new album?
>>
I've lost contact with them which i hope to regain. I love their
new album and have a massive amount of respect for them. They share
a similar attitude towards their continuing success as I do. If I didn't
believe in this I wouldn't do it, and I feel they think like this too.
I love that they've made such a success out of their career as they
have. God bless 'em.
<<What are the best and worst things about being in the Wildhearts?
>>
The best is the intensity of the shows and the party afterwards,
the worst is that they don't work hard enough to promote the band and
communicate with the fans online.
<<Who has had the biggest influence on your career? >>
Any bands and artists who are in this for life. Whether that is Willie
Nelson or the Manics.
<<What's best, chips or cream buns? >>
I'm in a savory mood right now so a plate of chips with extra salt and
vinegar would go down a storm.
Gx
Thanks to Ginger for his time and the years of music
and inspiration. Thanks also to Jay at Quite Great for fixing things
up.
http://www.thewildhearts.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thewildhearts
Chutzpah is out on August 31st with a UK tour to
follow.
Pix 2, 3 + 4 by Rosey
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usicm
the 3rd album?