On another label?
Not sure at this point, it might be on Ratchet Blade Records.
Is your tour scheduled yet? And are you gonna play in Denmark or Sweden if you go to Europe?
No European tour booked yet, we did well our first time over, but we're looking for a new European booking agency, our old one is no longer. And yes, we always try to get to Denmark and Sweden, we had a blast in Copenhagen last time.
Your first LP was out in 2008, I heard it was done a long time before. why was it delayed??
It actually came out in 2005, it was recorded in 1993, just me and Sean, then we shelved it because he started Throw Rag and I joined Mr. Badwrench then the Cramps.
Do you still have your ‘64 Ford Galaxy?
Yes, and it's a 63 1/2 Galaxie by the way.
It´s the one in the video for Bad Ass Dad right?
That is correct, good eye.
Do you have a steady car-dealer? Can we get his name? (hehehe)
No steady dealer, you hardly ever find great old cars like that in a car lot, just got keep your eyes (and ears) open. I was in a car club called The Motorvators back in the day, we were always finding rare cars and parts.
You’ve been in several bands before, could you name them and tell me a little about them?
The Mau Maus (original Hollywood punk band) were my first band at 17, then the Joneses (trash rock n roll), Mr. Badwrench (gothabilly), and the Cramps. Lately I've played w/ Wanda Jackson, Doghouse Lords (rockin blues w/ members of the Blasters) and just joined Nick Curran & the Lowlifes. The Lowlifes will be coming to Europe later this year.
How did you end up with The Cramps? I know it´s a tough band to be in when its only Lux and Ivys band, still, you were in Cramps several years. Must been ups and downs there right?
Lux and Ivy came and saw Mr. Badwrench and asked me to try out. It wasn't tough, played on the last studio album and did several tours, had a blast.
I saw Nashville Pussy when Corey was in the band and she's really great on stage!! Before the gig I was outside and didnt know that Corey stood behind me. I turned around and stared straight into her tits!! I was so buffled,it took some seconds before I realized what I was starin at. And I felt very ashamed!!! She´s much taller than I had imagined.
Yes, Corey is great, I think she loves Charley Horse more than any of us do!
So who is the tallest bassist you know??
Corey and I are about the same height, hard to tell though, she's always wearing high heels.
Do you prefer the guitar instead of bass?
Yes, I prefer guitar, but I always try to have two guitars in a band, get a Clash/Stones type thing going.
Who taught you to play? Or have you also learned from putting on Ramones first album and practised from that?
Well, I've never had lessons or anything, I did learn from Ramones and Stooges records, then from watching Greg Ginn of Black Flag rehearse when I roadied for them as a teenager.
Oh, man!! I didnt know youve been a roadie for Black Flag!! Awesome. Were you with them in sweden in -83? I was at that gig in Malmö.
No, I was in the Mau Maus then, I was only a roadie as a youngster.
I like the new album! Corey is doing more singing and its a great combination together with Wheeler!
Yes, their duet of The Real Thing is like a punk rock George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
Are you and Wheeler old friends?
Yes, we’ve known each other for over 25 years, we started doing music together pretty much right away.
You do a Tom Waits cover, a great one. Tell me some more about it, who picked it and why?
I picked it, but everyone in the band is a huge Tom Waits fan. It just sounded like a perfect fit for this band, I tune down to C to play it, pretty sick.
You are members from Nashville Pussy, Cramps, Throw Rag to name a few, do you play any songs live from those bands ? You must hear people asking for it, right?
No we don’t, there’s so many good old songs to cover that it wouldn’t seem right to do one of those, and we don’t really get any requests for them either.
You're an "All Star Dream Team-Band", is Charley Horse a side project from your other bands, or have you all finally "come home" ?
I don’t really have main projects and side projects. I like to work with talented people, and those types are always in demand, so you have to vary schedules, I think the others feel the same way. Charley Horse is definitely one of the better ones though.
Any more releases from Doghouse Lords?
The Doghouse Lords have about half of the songs for the next record tracked, and we’re continuing recording at the end of May. We’re also appearing in a film called “On the Run” and we’re shooting our parts around then, too.
Sounds really fun!! Are you in 2 bands with Blasters members? It reminds me of the film "Yojimbo", or "A Fistfull of Dollars" where one man joins both gangs in one town... are you the missing link?
I’m only in Doghouse Lords with Blasters members. I love Fistful of Dollars, but I don’t play anyone like that. I like to stay busy, but I won’t do a project if it’s not good.
I heard some songs from the Lowlifes album, great stuff!! Are you touring Germany or Copenhagen Denmark? I can understand if you don't come to Sweden its too far up the north pole.
I believe the Lowlifes playing a festival in Helsinki in September, so we may do some other northern shows around then.
It seems today that there are so many great Rockabilly and 50s rocknroll bands, and with many former punk bandmembers in them.
Yes, to me punk rock was the second round of the rebellion of the 50’s, the Sex Pistols used a lot of Chuck Berry riffs and the Damned sometimes sounded like an early 60’s band. I was into oldies and doo wop as a kid so rockabilly, blues and country were already in my blood.
It seems that it´s as good as in the 50s. There were bands in the 80s doing this thing, The Blasters, Cramps, Gun Club etc. and the english bands back then , Milkshakes,meteors, Sting rays, Vibes etc. But I think the quality is better today, and there are MANY !! plenty of them, including charley Horse and your other bands. I mean you could easily count them back then, but today, there are countless.
Yes, the pile of good bands is a lot bigger, but the pile of crappy bands got a lot bigger too.
Do you know about Reverend Beat-man and his label Voodoo Rhythm?
I’ve heard good things about him, but I haven’t been able to check him out.
Do you know Bloodshot Bill? Or heard him?
No, I don’t.
Any swedish bands you like?
I dig the Go Getters.