| Mick Gets chatty with Red |
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| NF: How did you get started and how did the band meet? Mick: I moved down from Sunderland to London to find a band. I`d played in bands back in the north east, but it`s like a different planet - you could be the best band in the world, but if you`re in sunderland, nobody outside of there gives a shit. So I moved down to find a band with not only great potential, but the the drive to truly become rock stars. NF: Where you got your band name from and what inspired you? Mick: It`s actually the name of a KISS song - anybody who knows me at all knows I`m a bit of a KISS freak and when the name was thrown in as an idea, it just kinda stuck. It`s gotta be better than `Love Gun` ! NF: What is your favourite song that you have written and why? Mick: Possibly Wasted - I wrote it when I was 17. Ever since then I`ve struggled to write something that I could consider to be better, or that people would prefer as the signature song.....but it`s still the one we close the set with! I`m really proud of the stuff we`re writing at the moment though - `Bad Habit` rocks and it`s cool because it`s one of the first songs we wrote as a band, along with `If You Wanna Fight` when we first got together. NF: Your favourite venue to play? Mick: I like playing the Camden Underworld. The stage there is cool and it`s nice to be able to hang out backstage away from the chaos that tends to be going on the other side of that door! Headlining there at Xmas kicked ass - it`s a strange feeling to go from playing to a sold out Underworld crowd then going into the relative tranquility of the backstage rooms. NF: What is your favourite song to perform? Mick: This might change soon because we have a pile of ass-kicking new material about the get recorded.....so when we`re playing those new ones live I may have a new favourite! At the minute it`s either Bad Habit or Cheap n Nasty - mainly because they tend to be the ones people cheer for as soon as Max announces them! That`s a pretty cool feeling. It`s great to see people you`ve never met before singing every song - it`s nice to know that they`re really into the music and you`ve got to them in some way. NF: Do you have any plans to tour in the near future? Mick: We`re looking at a tour of Finland followed by a UK tour for the end of the year - a European tour with another London band is also on thecards. I`m not mentioning any names yet, but you`ll know what I mean when it`s announced! NF: Name one band you would like to tour with. Mick: Guns n Roses maybe. Aerosmith? KISS !! I have a fairly huge range of influences....if the music was more like his I`d like to tour with Marilyn Manson. Maybe it would work as it is.....but his stuff tends to be a lot darker. Having said that, a lot of our new stuff is heavier than a lot of people might be expecting from us. Watch this space for that! We`re back in the studio soon. I`d love to tour with some legendary bands like KISS, Aerosmith, Guns n Roses maybe, but realistically I`d rather tour with some bands who are breaking on the scene at the moment. We bump into Ville Valo (HIM) from time to time.....I guess that tour would be pretty cool. There are a lot of bands in London who kick a LOT more ass than many people might give them credit for - we`ve got a load of cool friends round here who it would be a pleasure to tour with. NF: What should fans expect from the new album? Mick: Dirty rock and roll the way it`s supposed to be done - it`s not Glam Rock, it`s not Sleaze rock or any other hideous tag certain journalists might wanna put on it, it`s hard rock/rock n roll all the way. Some of the material we have lined up for the album is heavier and maybe even a little darker than people have been hearing so far - not dark like Nine Inch Nails, think more Ozzy`s `Perry Mason` compared to Motley Crue`s `Kickstart my Heart`, if you see what I mean. NF: Tell me a tour story... Mick: Er, what can I say here? There always seems so be something ridiculous happens when we`re around! I was once getting a blowjob backstage when Muggsy walked in pissed to find out where I was.....that was mildly awkward! (laughs)We had a human suspension guy swinging around above us when we headlined the Underworld. We were once driving to Nottingham, in the middle lane of the motorway, when the car in the right lane hit the car in front, then the barrier, then skidded within feet of us at 80mph, across the road and right into the path of a Royal Mail van which promptly ripped it to pieces. I think everybody was ok - at least nobody seemed to be dead! - but that was crazy. Everything skidded to a halt, you kinda wanted to get out of the car to make sure everything was ok, but then you realised you`d better get the fuck out of there because you were stationary in the middle of the motorway and the cars coming up behind you were doing 80 ! NF: So I hear you are one with the ladies at least that is the census from others..Is it safe to say that to find you at a gig is a bit difficult? Mick: Hehe not difficult necessarily.....just follow the line of breasts to the end and that`s where you`ll usually find me! haha Maybe girls love the guy with the guitar....Some people get a bit weird about that I suppose, but anyone who complains about the amount of sex you might get tends to be green with envy that it`s you and not them. I like girls - it`s basic biology....there`s nothing wrong with that! Mick: Believe it or not, album of the moment is Eminem`s Marshall Mathers EP. The guy`s a genius. I like to get away from rock and metal now and again and listen to something different. The library of KISS CDs will have to come with me though! I like a lot of Black Label Society Stuff (Blessed Hellride album), and maybe some Aerosmith (Nine Lives). KISS unplugged in New York if you wanna just chill out, an Yngwie Malmsteen album ( Attack!) and a Marilyn Manson album. I don`t really mind which one. NF: What are your current favourite bands and / or songs? Mick: KISS! - `Unholy`. Black Label Society - `Lowdown`. Black Sabbath - `Dirty Women` NF: What is the weirdest or strangest thing you have been sent by a fan? Mick: I had a stalker who used to wait outside my house all day long and bring me apples. That was more than slightly creepy. I seriously thought the police might have to get involved. I think we`re fortunate enough as a band not to have met too many lunatics - mostly of our fans seem to be in full grasp of their sanity, fortunately! NF: So tell me, how did you get rid of her? Mine end up in Jail so I lucked out? Mick: Eventually she seemed to just stop coming round. Maybe she got the idea and buggered off eventually. It was kinda weird though. I read in the paper about some woman who tunnelled under George Michael`s house and jumped up through the floorboards to `surprise` him when he was watching the TV. I was kinda worried something like that might happen! (laughs) It was good that she just stopped coming round - I didn`t really wanna get the police in coz it would have just been weird. Then again, when she was there it was that bizarre that she could have pulled a gun from her handbag and it wouldn`t have seemed at all out of place NF: What is the one cd that should have never been made? Mick: St Anger.(laughs) Nah it`s not that bad I suppose. There are a lot of dreadful pop-girl/boy band CDs floating around that are too shit to even comment on. But at the end of the day they`re in it for the money and it pleases little kids....whatever. I don`t really think there`s any particular CD comes to mind - if you listen to a certain song and it hits you in the right way then it`s good music, regardless of style or genre. I`m sure there`s a lot of stuff I would think is brilliant that you would think is garbage, and vice versa. If it`s out there on the shelves them presumably someone is listening to it... NF: Do you think that the manufactured bands are making it more difficult for the real bands that are out there really working their asses off? Mick: Not necessarily - I think it`s just up to the listener and whatever it is they wanna hear. Realistically I can`t see the real rock n roll fans rushing out to buy the latest N Sync record just because it`s at number one or whatever. I think there are certain groups of music fans - you have the kids who all like the manufactured pop tripe and that`s fine I suppose.....but then I can`t really see them running out to buy the new Metallica record either. It`s all about what you`re into and how it`s all marketed. It doesn`t matter how many new manufactured pop bands are out, the real rock music fans aren`t gonna like any of them. I think the trick is just to make sure you play quality rock n roll music - as long as you do that, people will always want to come and see you play. NF: Tell us a random fact about anything... Mick: Mohammed is the world`s most popular first name! NF: What do you do to relax? Mick: Have a lot of sex. I`m in a fortunate position where I have no trouble getting girls! haha I dunno if it`s the band, the arrogance or the fact that they see you with other girls and want some too, but it sure makes a fun way to relax on those cold winter night! Maybe I`m just devastatingly handsome! (laughs) I like to chill out with my guitar, write some cool riffs and smoke a pack of camels. Not that I would condone the smoking....it`s pretty disgusting. Remember kids - just coz Slash has one doesn`t make it cool! NF: What is your favourite movie and what kind of movies do you like? Mick: Favourite movie might be Demolition Man, Commando, Predator....some ridiculously testosterone-filled overly-macho action-packed load of crap. I don`t like horror movies like the majority of rock n roll guys will tell you they do. If it`s over-the-top an one of those films that just `would never happen`....it`s probably right up my street. NF: Do you believe in ghosts and have you ever had a creepy experience? Mick: I used to work in a pub when I was about 18 and one night during a lock in, the cork fired out of a vodka bottle, smashed off the ceiling and ricocheted down the bar. A bottle of vodka is entirely flat, and this thing fired out like a cork would from a champagne bottle if you really went for it. That was really weird. You wouldn`t put a cork in a bottle of Evian and see it fire out like that! A friend of mine was house-sitting in a haunted house once and told me some pretty awful tales.....! Stuff like that tends to give me the creeps anyway. NF: I hear you. I have a tendency to have odd shit like that happen a lot. but you have a point. Vodka isn't fizzy. So which of the seven deadly sins do you most resemble and why? Mick: Greed! (laughs hard)I want all the girls! `Yes darling of course I love you. I just wanna fuck your mum and your sister too.` NF: ( laughs) Wouldn't you think lust would be in there as well hun? Mick: (laughs) I guess maybe it is! I`m not some maniac (laughs) I just have a healthy interest in the opposite sex ! If there`s some gorgeous girl wants to take you to bed and you don`t....then you`re a bit of a tit aren`t you?!(laughs) Rapid Questions: Les Paul / Gibson? They`re both the same.....personally a Jackson every time. A Randy Rhoads with a Jem 7 setup. Oh wait I have one of those! haha Nail Varnish or no? Yes, and as extravagant as possible! London / New York? Never been to New York. Would like to go visit Ground Zero, but having never been there I`ll play it safe and say London/ Absinthe / Budweiser? I don`t drink or take drugs so I`d say neither. Having had them both before though, I`d say Budweiser every time. Absinthe is an overrated, overpriced load of crap! Vanilla / Lemon? Please explain. Lemon. Only because I like lemonade. Surely a vanilla-ade would taste horrible. NF: If a fan were to bring you a care pack while you're on the road, what could you find inside that would make you smile? Mick: A large pack of condoms, a pack of Lambert and Butler Superkings (the silver ones) and your naked sister, if she could fit in there. Maybe something nice to eat! Food on the road tends to be pretty bad! A roll of money so I can spend someone else`s for a change! I have no idea. What would you want in there? I`m always pleased when a fan comes to talk to you like you`re some sort of God - the same sort of way I did the first time I met Zakk Wylde! Seeing someone smile from ear to ear just because they`re so pleased to meet you is a great feeling. Especially if she`s hot! |
NF: What are the band's musical influences and why?
Mick: I think the band`s influences consist of the influences of each individual band
members, and we`re into pretty different stuff. Well, not really I
suppose.....rock/metal is 90% of the taste here.....Wim`s into metal,
Machine-Head style. Max is into mainly rock/hard rock/gothic rock/metal....Muggsy is
a huge Maiden fan.....I listen to anything from
Mozart to Marilyn Manson via Dr Dre. I listen to a lot of hip-hop/rap
records. Not that I`d ever class that as an influence particularly, but I
like to listen to a wide variety of styles. I`m a big Rat Pack fan. Dean
Martin in particular, but the more I read about Frank Sinatra the more I
seem to like the guy. Guitar-playing-wise, I`m a serious Yngwie Malmsteen
fan. The guy`s a God. Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Paul Gilbert are all
influences, as well as Slash, even if he doesn`t really tend to have the
licks of the other guys. I like Zakk Wylde, but a lot of his guitar playing
solo-wise tends to sound similar recently. Kirk Hammet is dreadful. People
assume he must be an influence but I find him truly awful, everything sounds
the same, has a ridiculously over-the-top wah effect on and he has no
vibrato at all. James Hetfield is much better.
NF: What is the one CD you cannot live without while on the road?
Mick: I think the band`s influences consist of the influences of each individual band
members, and we`re into pretty different stuff. Well, not really I
suppose.....rock/metal is 90% of the taste here.....Wim`s into metal,
Machine-Head style. Max is into mainly rock/hard rock/gothic rock/metal....Muggsy is
a huge Maiden fan.....I listen to anything from
Mozart to Marilyn Manson via Dr Dre. I listen to a lot of hip-hop/rap
records. Not that I`d ever class that as an influence particularly, but I
like to listen to a wide variety of styles. I`m a big Rat Pack fan. Dean
Martin in particular, but the more I read about Frank Sinatra the more I
seem to like the guy. Guitar-playing-wise, I`m a serious Yngwie Malmsteen
fan. The guy`s a God. Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Paul Gilbert are all
influences, as well as Slash, even if he doesn`t really tend to have the
licks of the other guys. I like Zakk Wylde, but a lot of his guitar playing
solo-wise tends to sound similar recently. Kirk Hammet is dreadful. People
assume he must be an influence but I find him truly awful, everything sounds
the same, has a ridiculously over-the-top wah effect on and he has no
vibrato at all. James Hetfield is much better.
NF: What is the one CD you cannot live without while on the road?
