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Backstage Pass |
with Ed Mitchell
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It feels like I’ve been round the world this past five weeks. In reality, I’ve been to Austin, Texas for the NAMM show – see my report in last month’s Backstage Pass – and up to Scotland three times from my home in Somerset. It might not seem that much but it soon takes its toll. Every time I travel to Scotland I realise how much I like being back there. I miss the banter, good old Scottish rain and the scenery. I was in Aberdeen a couple of weeks ago for a funeral. I say Aberdeen; it was actually a village a fair way from the Granite City called Banchory. It’s a beautiful place with stunning scenery and, unlike my current hometown of Frome, the locals could actually understand what I was talking about. It makes a nice change. Plus, I bought four drinks and got change back from a tenner in a wee pub there. Try that particular feat in Bath and see how far you get. I’m welling up here! Maybe my wife and I will move back home one of these days but for the foreseeable future our work will keep us in England. Maybe, John Wiggins will give me my old job back at Macs…
Speaking of travelling, I’m off to the USA again next month. I’ve been invited to the opening of Yamaha’s new artist centre in Los Angeles. This new facility will deal directly with rock’s great and the good, giving them whatever they desire in a new guitar. I’ll be having a snoop at the new custom shop there and hopefully speaking to a few well-known faces. I’ll be expecting to bump into the likes of Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit, Billy Sheehan of Mr Big and David Lee Roth fame, Michael Anthony of Van Halen (he’s the bassist) and little Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction. Unfortunately, dinky Dave will now not be accompanied by his wife Carmen Electra due to the fact that they have had a falling out and are getting divorced. Shame, I could’ve been in there. Yeah, cheers Dave…
As usual I will take photographs and bring you a report of the event when I return from the States. In the meantime, enjoy my interview with punk icon Tim Armstrong. See you next month!.
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By the way, if you’re bored with the sounds on your iPod and need some inspiration here’s what I’ve been listening to this month. The new Tom Petty album Highway Companion is great, with the first single Saving Grace being a particular standout. The latest Johnny Cash album, A Hundred Highways should be on your playlist. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like country music – Johnny Cash transcends any notions of genre.
I reckon Cumbernauld-based punk band, Monthly Disposables (love that name guys!) are going places. The band, featuring my mate Amy Johnson on guitar has just posted a track on their MySpace site (www.myspace.com/monthlydisposables). Have a wee listen…
As for movies: I’m currently loving Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy and I just bought the repackaged DVD release of Goldfinger with big Sean Connery. ‘I mush be dreaming...' |
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| EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - TIM ARMSTRONG from RANCID |
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Many of you will have been thrilled with the news that Rancid are touring the UK this month. The past year hasn't been an easy one for fans of the band what with Tim Armstrong's other great band Transplants disintegrating suddenly and Armstrong himself disappearing from view.only to gradually re-emerge through guest appearances - most notably on the superb debut album of LA punk band Time Again. Well, Tim and his band mates Lars Frederiksen, Matt Freeman and Brett Reed are back and while there's no new album in the pipeline yet, it's always an awesome experience to see the band play live. If you haven't heard the band before they are a splendid mix of The Clash and The Specials and their song writing is second to none in the punk world. And you can take that to the bank.
The only downside of this news from a journalistic point of view is that Rancid won't be doing any press on this visit to the UK. So, this month I have an interview that I conducted with Tim Armstrong at the time of the release of the Transplants brilliant Haunted Cities album. Tim was talking to me from his tour bus in the blistering heat of the Arizona desert on the US Warped Tour.
Ed: How do you capture song ideas when you're out of a large tour?
Tim Armstrong: "I've got my studio on my bus with me right now. It's cool man. And it's a real studio. We've recorded Transplants tracks in here. We'll put Travis' (Barker, Blink 182 and Transplants) drum kit in the hallway and record like that." |
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How do you decide which of your songs is for Rancid or the Transplants or Lars' side project, The B******s?
Tim: "I just write, right? I don't write songs with any of the bands in mind. Lars will hear tracks and choose the ones he likes. Rob (Aston, Transplants vocalist) will go through a bunch of tracks and he'll pick out his favourites. And then we'll focus on the song for the particular band or record that we're doing at that time. When Lars did his Viking record, the song Switchblade was supposed to be a Transplants song. Lars heard the song and said, 'No way man, I'm having that one!' We were doing Lars' record first so we put the song on there. Not that I was showing favouritism for Lars. I just concentrate on whatever record I'm doing at the time."
You're such a prolific songwriter. How do you maintain your amazing output?
"I just write everyday. When I'm on tour I'm on a mission to write a song everyday. On the Warped Tour, it's great because I'm surrounded by so many great musicians. They jump on the bus to hang out and jam so that makes it easy. For instance, on the Transplants first tour Pink tracked her vocal for her song Trouble right here on my bus. And she won a Grammy for Best Rock Vocalist with that vocal that was recorded on the bus. We couldn't beat that performance that we captured that time."
With the dozens of bands that take part in something like the Warped Tour, aren't there ego clashes and the occasional battle to deal with?
"Oh yeah, there can be. But we're ok. Nobody ever messes with us!"
For more information on Rancid visit the band online at www.rancidrancid.com |
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| | Back
Issues of Backstage Pass... |
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You can now view back issues of
'Backstage Pass' below...
AUGUST 2005
- Interview with Noodles from 'The Offspring
SEPTEMBER 2005
- Summer Naam Report, Interview with Richie Sambora
OCTOBER 2005
- Interview with Les Paul, Playing tips from Brian
Setzer
NOVEMBER 2005
- Interviews with Jonathan Davies and Hugh Burns
DECEMBER 2005
- Interview with Steve Stevens
JANUARY 2006
- Interview with George Thorogood
FEBRUARY 2006
- NAAM Show Roundup - Deke Dickersons Guitar Geek Show
MARCH 2006
- Exclusive Joe Perry Interview
APRIL 2006
- Exclusive interview with Roddy Byers
MAY 2006
- Exclusive interview with Hank Williams III
JUNE 2006
- Exclusive interview with Morrissey guiarist Boz Boorer
JULY/AUGUST 2006
- Exclusive Summer NAMM Report
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McCormacks
Musical Instruments
Ltd. - 29-35
Bath
Street -
Glasgow - G2
1HT
Tel. 0141 332 6644 -
Fax. 0141 353 3095 - E-mail
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info@mccormacks-music.com
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