Lou Molinaro

HALF CSONTOS HALF BREAU
A JOURNEY CALLED SIMPLY SAUCER

Howdy Folks…

I had the honour of interviewing Joe Csontos and Edgar Breau from Simply Saucer in the past few days.  When I was getting ready to interview both of these dudes, I realized that Art is so often misunderstood or taken for granted.  While society is inundated with commercialism, many of us tend to forget real art.  Waves that come and go musically frustrate the market, as well as frustrate the consumer.  Simply Saucer represents the true essence of Rock Music.  The dangers that lie within the songs, the risks that artists take to be genuine, and the fortitude of expression is what makes REAL music live on. 

Luckily, for Simply Saucer, their story is “Here Yesterday,BUT Lookout For Tomorrow”.

Simply Saucer will be celebrating the release of HALF HUMAN HALF LIVE on Friday April 4th 2008 at The Westside Theatre.  It’s an honour to be promoting this event, and more importantly, its an honour to have these gents as peers.

Enjoy this very entertaining look at Simply Saucer.

JOE CSONTOS

Simply Saucer is a selective sounding Rock N Roll band.  As loud as the influences are, would you say that the departure from the project probably has influenced the sound of the current Simply Saucer the most?

Funk,specifically the euro-type of  funk of Can. Of course,it never sounds like that in the finished product but it is there at the inception. James Brown for the simplicity of the arrangements ,at least that’s how they start and the layering process begins. Jimi Hendrix as well...

You fit into this band both musically and logistically.  You represent the “new blood” of Simply Saucer, as do Steve Foster and Dan Winterman.  Did it take long for this current line up to gel?

I think the band really started to “gel” as you would say after Steve Foster joined the band as a full time member and suffering through a  a few gigs with us in Montreal and Ottawa. Suffering the travel with the band not the music.that is...

How did you get invited to join Simply Saucer?

Bruce the Mole asked me several years ago to consider a one off with Sparky,Kevin and Edgar in 2006. 

Stepping into a band that has Seminal status, and Cult like existence, there has to be some sort of extra responsibility towards maintaining the Cool vibe of the band.  Do you find the Saucer fan base somewhat different in comparisons to other projects that you were involved in?

The fan base ranges from people in their early 20’s to people our parent’s age. Me Mum loves us.

Just like Simply Saucer, you as well took a break from road travels.  Is your approach towards traveling with this band more different than previous excursions?

It’s all about balance,which at times is a challenge...but my wife and kids know that if I don’t play music I will drive them crazy at home...it’s kinda like cabin fever,really.

The new record HALF HUMAN HALF LIVE is a collaboration of live and studio recorded material.  Why choose this concept?

I think because the  Cyborgs record were low-fi recordings never meant for release in that particular state and the fact that people loved perhaps for that reason that “we” wanted to bridge our new recordings with a touchstone of the past,even though most of the arrangements have been re=worked by the new incarnation.

Compromise in your life now must mean a lot.  What does your family think of you being part of Simply Saucer?  Obviously, you thought out the whole plan before committing to a potentially lengthy adventure.  Are all of you comfortable and ready to make this your main focus?

Never say never to any possibility but for now see above question for the answer.

Simply Saucer live is energetic and tight.  However there is a definite noticeable flow.  The songs seem to get from Point A to Point Z very easily.  Loudness is also another element that has been audibly noticeable.  Simply Saucer’s dynamics of loudness remind me of a Blue Oyster Cult show from long ago.  BOC were soooo loud but clear.  Did you guys put effort in making the live shows loud?

I think some of the best bands live understand and understood the use of dynamics and space. Ask Don Van Vliet.

The demographic of Simply Saucer is interesting.  Its made up of fans who take their music very seriously, but there is also a noticeable range in ages.  Are you somewhat surprised at how many young people enjoy Simply Saucer?

A little surprised but I think it is wonderful.

You have been a friend of SS for a long time.  You were hanging out with the band during the “Saucer House” era.  Are there any moments that stand out during those early Saucer years?

Nothing that is shocking or lurid but we had some extremely “out there” philosophical discussions on a few nights. H.P. Lovecraft and Crowley thrown in with an intensely loud soundtrack of Motorhead’s Overkill by Carl.   

How was the band live back then?

Definitely more short song oriented but there was some extended workouts ala the song Reckless Agitation. 

You have a very interesting connection to Teenage Head as well.  Care to mention what happened during the Hamilton Music Awards sound check?

I was the first drummer in T-Head for about 2 days when it was Gordie,Steve and Nick was  the singer. When Jack Pedler had to duck out of the HMA sound check I was invited to play once again w/ the ‘Head. It was fantastic.

Saucer is an example of how Old Records Never Die.  Did you think back then that Simply Saucer would be like a phoenix and rise again?

Never in a million years...so once again I reiterate”never say never...

Listed as #36 in Mesereau’s - All of you must have questioned perspectives.  How often has the band referred to that recognition for extra assurance?

Perspective changes throughout the ages...who said if  you  hang around long enough,”they” will eventually give you an award. Something to that effect. One record and one gig at a time.

Ayers or Cale?

Are you kidding me,Cale,of course,imagine yourself at 65 years old still looking menacing and cool ,all at the same time.

Who would Joe Csontos like to see replacing Sonic Smith and Rob Tyner for the DEFINITIVE MC5

There are no substitutes for those two.

Detroit or New York?

Trick question? In the seventies and early eighties definitely NYC but since the 90’s
and currently-Detroit Rock City,baby.

New Christs seem to be a perfect example of a band who are probably huge Rock N Roll record collectors.  Think of any other examples?

Mars Volta,Robert Pollard,and Ken Fox. Do I get to talk about Imants Krumins yet?

Mudhoney seemed to best represent Seattle in my honest opinion.  How about you, Joe?

Initially,I thought so too, but Nirvana killed me with Dave Grohl-chunkier,harder and the songwriting just got better.

EDGAR BREAU
Simply Saucer's second wind is very important because it sheds light on the true meaning of the Independent music existence. A cult status band who has been labeled as a proto-type punk band in 1974 comes back 30 years later and receives international attention.  Does this make sense to you, Edgar?

Only when you know the whole story of how it happened and the role played by certain music critics who took up our cause and promoted the band when we were long dead. As well, our influences themselves over the years grew in importance, especially the Velvet Underground who had become one of the most influential bands in the world despite never having a hit record.

Hamilton definitely had some sort of magical ingredients in the Burlington Bay.  Take this into consideration.  King Biscuit Boy, Gord Lewis, Mickey DeSadist, Dave Rave, Tim Gibbons, Tom Wilson, Edgar Breau, Harrison Kennedy, Daniel and Bob Lanois, and a bunch more.......What explains this musical mythology?

All of the above artists could have moved away and stayed away but we all chose to keep a strong connection to this city because we love the people here and believe that our work has an integral connection to this area. Without it we wouldn't have been the same. I think there's a stubborn tenaciousness in all of us. Also not being part of a trendy scene in a way helps the artist arrive at a vision that is truly his/her own.

How did Simply Saucer start?

Simply Saucer started with two boys attending Bishop Ryan High School, myself and Paul Colilli a keyboard player talking endlessly in and out of class about all the cool records we were buying. Later on, we met a couple of others at Bob Moody's Record Bar on John St. My foster brother played synth and audio generator and the bass player Kevin Christoff I met at Sir Wilfred Laurier High School. We used to have record spinoffs with Imants Krumins, where we drank a lot of wine and played and rated records..bands like the Saints, Savage Rose, the Velvets, Flamin' Groovies, Hawkwind, Kinks, Thirteenth Floor Elevator, Seeds, Can, Faust, Sun Ra..etc etc

Did being so different musically, effect all of you on a personal basis?  For some reason, I get this mental image of people looking at you guys and thinking..."who are these guys?"  Is there any validity to this?

Yea there was a certain artistic, not exactly affectation, but a deliberate turning away from the mainstream not only musically but in some ways socially. We were similar to the French linguistic deconstructionists who wanted to start all over again with language. Music was something to be deployed like a weapon against the unsuspecting audience. Unfortunately at the time there WAS NO audience for our music which was chaotic and very much improvised.

Obviously, the name is an ode to early Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett.  How did you first learn about the mentioned names?

I'm sure it was Paul Colilli who introduced me to Piper at the Gates of Dawn '67/68. He read a lot of English Pop mags and eventually we discovered the Move, the Herd, the Soft Machine, Tyranosaurus Rex and many other great bands.

Explain what Hamilton was like musically in the early 70's?  Where did you shop for records back then?

There were a lot of cover bands. I bought records at Kresge's, Melody Lane, Bob Moody's Record Bar, Hermandad's and of course Sam the Record Man's and various Buffalo stores. Plus from import record catalogues.  You could find records in variety stores as well on budget labels.

What were the early Saucer shows like in Hamilton?  When was the official first Simply Saucer show?

The first show we played was at St. Alban's Anglican Church on Brittania St. in the east end. We were an east end band. We played three sets and I know the second set consisted of one song called "Noise". We only played that one once. It was completely improvised and I played an audio generator. In the middle of it, fights began breaking out in the audience and eventually the cops arrived and hauled some people away.

At what venues did you perform in Hamilton?

We played Westdale High, Sir John A. McDonald, Burlington Fair, the YMCA, YWCA, the Kiwanis Club

Bands like the Velvets, Stooges and Barrett's version of Pink Floyd are often name dropped by those who try to explain Simply Saucer.  Are there any other bands that we should also acknowledge as inspirations?

Can, the Krautrock bands in general,for me Moby Grape, Lighnin Hopkins, the Kinks, I'm sure the Stones and a little bit of Hendrix, Hawkwind, the Soft Machine, Pink Fairies, Eddie Cochrane, Terry Riley, Sun Ra lots of others

I understand that you kept in touch with Craig Bell of Rocket From The Tombs back in the early 70's.  How did you learn about RFTT?

Craig and I were both members of the Syd Barret Appreciation Society and began corresponding around 1973 or so. He was playing in a band called the Saucers at the time and eventually ended up playing in Rocket from the Tombs.

You must have felt some ambition from knowing that Cleveland was tapped into the same headspace as Breau and Christoff back in the early 70's.  Did you ever have the chance to see each other's shows back then?

No, unfortunately not..Craig did come to Hamilton looking for me but I was out of town the day he arrived. His wife, was a prof I think  doing a seminar on Women's studies at the u. of Toronto.

There has been folklore built on the "Saucer House".  Many local musicians will always make reference to various stories, but most importantly, they always comment on how Simply Saucer formulated a sound, image and dynamic at the corner of Main and Ferguson.  What was the environment like at this historical location?

There was constant stream of people that came through the house and so often when we rehearsed there was a ready made audience which was great but eventually the party atmosphere got totally out of hand and got in the way of the artistic ends of the band. Band members got burned out, addicted and messed up and the centre did not hold. The centrifugal forces hurled us all into various parts of the universe...

You played with Pere Ubu back in the late 70's.  Plus you revisited the experience a few months ago in Hamilton.  You must have been somewhat delighted to see that although so many things change, its good to see things stay the same.  Both bands seemed more mature, and both acts still had this overflowing passion about their art.  How important was it to reunite again with the Ubus for you on a personal level?

Yea it was fun to see that sort of commitment on the part of Pere Ubu to an uncompromising musical vision. Both bands came from cities with industrial backgrounds in the shadow of larger more sophisticated artistic centres but managed to make  their musical statements apart from universal adulation. 

During the 1977 punk scene, Simply Saucer were musically different compared to the young punk bands.  Both the Saucers and the punks bands had the same musical inspirations, however your styles were very different.  Did you think of this as a positive foundation for SS or was it a deterrent?

Well yeah it was in some ways a more difficult sell for us because our musical mix was more diverse than some of the Toronto punk bands. We were listening to the Ramones and aware of the Sex Pistols and the Damned and all the rest.. It was just that we weren't musically influenced by them to any great extent. My favorite English bands at the time were the Only Ones and the Soft Boys. I had grown up in the East End of the Hammer with real punks..I didn't need to wear safety pins but I did wear a leather jacket. The whole deliberate minimalist approach to music had drawbacks as well, least of all some very boring and repetetive arrangements. I tended to prefer the punk/artiste Television Patti Smith axis to the fast/loud and ugly version that was dominating in Toronto. Teenage Head had some influences like the Dolls, Groovies, rockabilly and apparently Hawkwind that kept the mix interesting but again they were a kind of hybrid like ourselves.

You recorded your music with Bob Lanois.  How did you meet Bob?

The first time I met Bob was in 1974 when him and brother Dan had a studio in the basement of their mother's Ancaster home called Master Sound Studio. Our manager Rick Bissell had booked some time for us to record demos to interest clubs and hopefully labels.

What was the recording experience like?  Was Bob aware of what you were trying to do musically?

Bob did most of the recording though Dan helped as well when he was around. I wasn't sure just where their musical tastes lie so I brought a copy of the Stooges Raw Power and the Velvet Underground's White Light White Heat to give Bob an idea of what we wanted. Bob took it all in stride, was very professional and interested in the electronics we were using.

How long did it take to record all these songs?

I think it was all of two days..much of it live off the floor.

Was there an official Simply Saucer release during the initial existence of the band?

No but there was an unofficial wine fest along with some other incidentals...

Many times, I hear more of the early 70's English Rock in your music as compared to New York or Detroit.  I hear many traces of early Pink Fairies and Hawkwind in Cyborgs. Did you guys have specific records that you wanted to sound like? 

I really liked the first Pink Fairies record with Larry Wallis..kings of oblivion
We had a Detroit influence (the Stooges) mixed with a New York Influence (the Velvet Underground) topped with an Anglophile love affair

When did the official break up actually take place?

1979, the fall? K.C. would know he's the archivist

Did you put together another band after the break up of Simply Saucer? 

I reunited with David Byers who was an original member in a band called Third Kind around 1983. Kevin Christoff from the Saucer played bass and his brother Dereck played the drums. We did some interesting recordings but never played live.

There was this pure volatile sound to Simply Saucer.  It seems that some bands try to sound this way, while others unfortunately live it.  How much did Saucer bleed its real life experiences or references to its music?

Quite a bit actually I was living wherever our rehearsal space was and at one time in a store front, sleeping on a thin piece of foam, without a bath, shower, closet, stove..that's where Cyborgs Revisited was born..in the distance the smoke stacks and the mysterious clanking of steel...

After a hiatus, you stepped back into the scene on a solo basis?  How did it feel stepping into the "acoustic" field musically?  Also, how different was the music scene in Hamilton since the departure of Simply Saucer?

For me it was a refreshing change playing acoustic. I was a big fan of John Fahey, Nick Drake Mel Lyman, Sandy Bull, Mississippi John Hurt, Pentangle  countless others. I decided doing the troubadour things wasn't such a bad idea. Many of the bands I admired also had a softer side.

How did you meet Bruce Mowat?

Bruce caught a set I did at the Baytides Cafe and introduced himself.

Bruce singlehandedly established Simply Saucer as a MUST HEAR band.  Were you overwhelmed by his enthusiasm?

Yea still am he's a one man promotional army, a good friend, mentor and an inexhaustible resource for local musicians.

Again, Simply Saucer is tainted with these great valid anecdotes.  Were you at Copps Colliseum when Thurston Moore dedicated a song to Simply Saucer?

No I learned about it the next day reading the review in the Spec and then the spec called for an interview about it.

You must have been freaked to hear that Thurston Moore was paying homage to a Garage band from Hamilton.  Did that make you look at your work or musical involvement differently? 

Yea validation from your peers is always nice and gives you encouragement to continue on..

Afterwards, younger fans were picking up on Simply Saucer, and they treated SS like a rare discovery.  Were you prepared to consider the revisitation of Simply Saucer? 

Not at first, I had been separated from my own repertoire, my own catalogue for many years and it was only by a very convoluted process that I was brought to the point where I could ask myself the questions like "what if' or "how" or "with whom" or "can you do it again'. I think that having a new young audience that were digging the band played a large part in my decision to reform Simply Saucer and wherever I played solo they would come out of the woodwork and ask about the band.

How important is it to be a Hamilton band?  Would this band have been the same if it was started in another city?

No, it wouldn';t have been..that industrial hardscrabble sub text gave the band it's grittiness

Luckily for us, you were performing acoustic shows during the 2nd phase of Simply Saucer.  Both shows are musically different.  Do you need that balance as an artist?

Yea pretty well..it's all part of my many sided personality that I'm still trying to sort out.

How long did it take before Kevin Christoff and yourself decided to reform SS?

I think cranking the Les Paul up on stage at our first mini show at the Corktown did it for me. The other factor was finding creative musicians to play with and Joe Csontos, Dan Winterman and Steve Foster fit the bill admirably. All of them bring substantial musical gifts to the table and eventually we began to jell.

SS -  thats kind of funny in its own way..hahahha

not going there, man...

Do you feel comfortable as being tagged as the leader of Simply Saucer?

Yea I suppose so..but it is a real band it's not Edgar Breau and Simply the Sidemen

How did you meet Foster, Csontos and Winterman?

Joe was a part of the Saucer circle way back in the seventies, hung out with us, gigged with us, booked us, partied with us..he was invited by Steve Park to see Steve's first gig with us at the YWCA. Joe played with the Loudmouths who opened for us way back when. Daniel I first met as part of the Velvet Underground tribute band doing a benefit at the Casbah..or was it with the 'Battleship Ethyl?  Steve, we rehearsed at his studio on Napier st in Dundas and soon he had joined the band and was recording our new album at Catherine North.. Steve moves fast

Your visits into the studio were close to 30 years apart.  How did it feel going into the Saucer recording headspace?  Any similarities to Cyborgs?

It was surreal, a fantastic full circle and Duke and Steve Foster were great to work with

So Simply Saucer has achieved real estate in the Canadian Rock N Roll Art History.  Who would have thought that 30 years later, Cyborgs would achieve status as 36th on the TOP 100 Canadian Records.  Ed....these are bragging rights.  Plus you are in pretty good company!  What do you make from all of this?

I think there's always a good thing waiting for you around the corner, man
the future is up for grabs
here's to yesterday, today and tomorrow!

here are a few quickies...

You played with Richard Lloyd recently.  He definitely brought 2 lungs full of New York and shot it out musically.  Richard also openly mixes the street life with spirituality.  Some see this as a oxymoron.  What is your take on this?

There's life lived existentially. There are messages from outside. There is reason. There is faith. Science. Poetry. Music.
Richard is in pursuit of that. It's just that he looks in some very dangerous places. I have to admire that. At the same time we are very fragile beings...His session at Grant Ave was amazing

Have you ever thought about working with Gord Lewis?  Both of you have a very deep root to New York, Detroit and England, musically.

Gord's a true Hamilton musical legend and sure I'd work with him. We could call the project Simply Head (just joking)  Saucer have some real connections with Teenage Head. Steve Park came over to Saucer after helping form the original five piece version of Teenage Head. Our drummer, Joe Csontos was their first drummer. I'm sure there are some common musical influences as well like the Stooges..I was a big fan of the Flaming Groovies who's LP, Teenage Head gave them their name.
Last but not least both my father and Frank's father were guards together at the Barton St. jail..now how's that for a connection?

Have you heard Kevin Ayers newest record?

No but i've heard it's really awesome..

You saw Willie P Bennett perform in Feb 2007.  What did you think of the show?

It was my first time seeing Willie and I was totally blown away

Have you ever thought about having your own satellite radio show? 

No but I once did a show at CFMU with Imants Krumins

What do you remember about the first time The Forgotten Rebels opened for you?
I remember my friend Mickey burning the Canadian flag and my brother Mike punching out three of their roadies for badmouthin us.
Did you ever see Slander?

no

I KNEW AND DROPPED OUT WITH EXPATRIATE GLUCK

   

Howdy Folks...

 

The magic dust still keeps getting sprinkled on yours truly, and because of this special powder, I am getting freaked with the opportunities of interviewing Heroes and Iconic figures.

 

Many years ago, I bought a Barracudas record on a recommendation from a friend.  I remember walking into Star Records in Oshawa and asking Mike Shulga if he heard of a band called the Barracudas. Luckily, he had a play copy available and spun it in the store.  I immediately loved it. It's a great slice of power pop with all sorts of nods to surf and 60's Garage music. 

 

When I bought this record, I had no idea of bands like the Seeds, The Standells or The Remains.  I learned about these bands by following 2 bands quite closely.  The Chesterfield Kings from Rochester NY and The Barracudas from London England were door openers to a completely new vibe and style of music. 

   

Later on that same year, I went to Carleton University, and all the cool record stores were talking about this guy by the name of Jeremy.  I finally figured who the mystery man was once I stepped into CKCU and met Nadine Gelineau.  As she was speaking with another radio host, John Stamos.....not the actor, I overheard the 2 of them speaking about this Jeremy guy again.  Finally, I asked Nadine who he was referring to, and she replied: "Jeremy Gluck".  In my mind, I thought...."JEREMY GLUCK OF THE BARRACUDAS!!!!!  THAT'S HUGE!!!" 

   

So, after the mental freakout, I regained my psychotic composure and realized that good ol' Canada was that much more cooler for producing a dude like Mr. Gluck.

   

Couple of years later in Ottawa, I worked part time in a record store.  It was an awful chain record store. I tried to convince the manager to let me bring in my own music during my shifts.  However, with tons of confidence, he replied "Lou, no one cares about the shit that you listen to".  So, I was stuck having to hear Amazulu, INXS, all sorts of very bad French dance (danse) music, and A-HA.  Not a word of a lie.....The music gave me a mental rash!!!!! 

   

Luckily, this record store brought in an Assitant Manager who actually liked cool music.  His name was Blair.  I can not remember his last name, but he could have been Michael Stipe's twin.  He noticed a cool T-shirt that I was wearing, and that began the conversation about musical likes.  You see, I ALWAYS wear cool T-shirts, and even though my personality can not start a conversation, my Tees always do!!! 

   

He asked me something along the lines of what kind of music I was enjoying.  I remember name dropping Jeremy Gluck's BURNING SKULLS RISE.   Blair lit up a smile and told me that he knew Jeremy very well. Furthermore, his worshipping sessions about Mr. Gluck made him a Cult Status ROCK GOD! 

   

Just recently, I had the opportunity to touch base with Jeremy Gluck.  He was kind enough to answer a bunch of questions that I always wanted to know.  I think that this is a great interview and I am that much better off in life because of this Q & A opportunity..

   

Ladies and Gents...My interview with Mr. Jeremy Gluck.

   

Jeremy Gluck is a name that is associated with a distinctive slice of music. I would even go far enough to say that your fans are "Music snobs", like myself, who take their music seriously.  As an artist, were you more intrigued with playing music for those who shared the same musical likes as yourself?  Or, did you pursue music hoping that you could convince the mainstream minds to take those musical risks?

   

I would have to say that it had been a combination of the two. Growing up in Ottawa before punk rock rescued us, I gravitated to the music my older brother and older friends fixated on; The Stooges, MC5, the Dolls, Nuggets and so on. The seed of eclecticism was planted young. Robin and I formed The Barracudas consciously set upon playing music alien to those around us. We did have an almost evangelical love of garage punk and power pop: Hey, you don't play King of the Surf for skinheads without some degree of commitment! We did want to convert the massses, but as we loved cult bands we also wanted that backward kudo of carving a niche and being poor in it. But we were always interested in a big record deal, big studios...those drugs of the aspirant rock n roll star. And we got them, for a while.

   

When I was first turned on to the Barracudas, I honestly felt that you guys were possibly the best power pop band in the world.  

   

Now I'm blushing. But...only "possibly"?

   

I remember thinking that The Barracudas music was a musical marriage of bands like The Boys, The Beach Boys, The Clash's first 2 records, early Kinks, The Standells, and The Ramones. Was there a musical prerequiste that each musician had to have in order to be in the Barracudas?

   

The definitive Barracudas line-up comprised one singer who couldn't sing – that'd be me – one excellent drummer in Nick, and a bassist who was taught bass by the great guitarist – Dave and Robin. The Boys! I love “Brickfield Nights”. Like any good band we were more than the sum of our parts. Robin and I were united in our love of certain musical genres and bands and a sense of humour about same. Dave just looked right, and Nick was a very good drummer with a bent for practicalities. Robin and I got into the surf angle because we played so many styles nobody knew what we were about. The surf thing got us in the papers right away. We were “cool”. And it's always good to be cool!

   

Robin Wills overheard you speaking about The Seeds, and that apparently united the both of you.  Is that true?

   

The first time I was in London in early 1977 I did indeed go to The Speakeasy to see long-lost Pye band Dead Fingers Talk and was conversing with some marginal music journalist about The Seeds. Lurking nearby was a shortish fellow who, when I ended my conversation, approached me and asked if I had been discussing The Seeds. At that time, on the eve of the Pebbles boom, this was not an everyday occurrence in the clubs of London. Within minutes we were yakking volubly. I soon went to Robin's parents place in Motspur Park where he was still living and saw and heard his enormous collection of prime vinyl. We became fast friends.

   

How did you meet Nick, and David?

   

When I went to London to live in 1978 I met some characters who squatted in Westbourne Grove, some of whom attended Hornsey Art College and were in or associated with The Raincoats. Amongst their pals were Nick, who came from affluent 'burbs folk. We lured him in. David Robin stumbled upon at the White Rats gig at The Electric Ballroom and, admiring his Byrdsian haircut, invited him to play bass with The Barracudas; as he couldn't play, Robin proceeded to teach him.

 

When I attended Carleton University, I went to a lot of the record stores in Ottawa, and I would say that the 2 names that I heard  often in record stores were Les Emerson and Jeremy Gluck.  At that point, I realized that your name already achieved a Cult Status reputation.  Musicians who I have interviewed dislike that particular tag, while others feel that it is the most credible honour.  In your point of view, Is that a positive reputation to have as an artist?   

   

It can be but it is also a double-edged sword in that it can be a consolation prize position in terms of commercial success. I grew up loving cult bands of that time – the Groovies, Stooges et. al. - so it was not something I felt was negative. On the other hand, I think that had we not self-destructed The Barracudas could have been much more than a cult band. Now it seems that The Barracudas are more popular than ever. We had a track on a UK compilation a few years ago that sold hundreds of thousands of copies, so we seem to have become an enhanced cult band. Or something.

   

You were born in Canada, but you moved to the UK to pursue your musical career.  Back then, was there something about Canada's music industry, or Canada's music scene that deterred you from staying here?

   

Only that I saw Toronto bands getting big...in Toronto, And I realised that was the only place they would ever get big or be noticed to any great extent. And so it proved. I wanted to see London, and I thought that if I could make something happen in London it would be a real achievement. I loved The Viletones, Teenage Head, and The Diodes et. al. But by early 78 when I left it was already obvious there was not going to be a serious uptake of such acts by the public. All credit to The Diodes for their CBS deal, though.

   

I often think, "What would Canada have been like if Jeremy Gluck stayed in Canada?"  You are obviously a charismatic artist who is confident about your art and style.  I am sure that when Punk Rock was breaking in Canada, and even after the initial TORONTO 1977 scene, you could have Captained a national scene.  Do you ever wonder what it would have been like had you stayed and pursued your music in Canada?

   

An interesting question...who knows? After I'd visited London in 77 I was only interested in going back there, I had fallen in love with the place. So it never would have happened. I'd met Robin, too. The die was cast.

   

Are there any musical moments from Ottawa that you have cherished?  This could be either with you as a musician, or as a fan.

   

Many! Growing up in Ottawa in the 70s was a bonanza for rock n roll. No kidding! Local heroes like Murray McLauchlan and Pagliaro came thru a lot, and I listen to them to this day. And then every tour: Alice Cooper, Bowie, Roxy Music, KISS (Simmons' hair caught fire during the fire-breathing act and a roadie had to put it out!) the list goes on and on. Seeing Springsteen at the NAC in 73 was...words fail me, and the next time in 75 at the Civic Centre he was cataclysmically awesome.

   

Once you arrived in England, you must have felt somewhat overwhelmed with the thick musical scene at that time.  Tell me about your recollections of that magical time?

   

The first time I went, in Sping 77, it was as though Heaven had come to Earth. I saw a gig every nite, and what gigs...Gen X, The Saints...incredible. Everybody was in a band or forming a band or hanging with or going to see a band. I could have seen the Pistols if I'd gotten to Sweden a few days earlier. D'oh! The second time I went to stay, in 78, was also amazing. I flew into Heathrow, Robin met me and we went to his friend's flat where he played me Complete Control, it had just been released. I said, They sound like The Beatles now!, and Robin thought that was very funny. :-)

   

While you were in England, the 1977 Punk Scene had exploded, and a few years later, this explosion would act as a foundation to other musical expressions.  Acts like XTC, Elvis Costello, The Police, The Stranglers, and The Cure were born.  However, the Barracudas went backwards musically, in order to progress.  What other bands existed in England that were on the same page as the Barracudas?

   

None that I am aware of, and I'm not being precious. Can you think of any?

   

The United States of America had the Chesterfield Kings as the teachers of Nuggets, and Pebbles.  England had the Barracudas.  Would you say that's pretty accurate? 

   

Yes, I would. We were missionaries for the garage sound.

   

Who was Geoff Mann?  I know that he was a Surf Music fan.  Was he a musician as well?

   

Geoff is a dear fellow, now employed in the higher echelons of some London borough council. In 78-79 when The Barracudas were beginning, he was one of our regulars at gigs. He had a little label, Cells Records, and had released one single when he approached us. He wasn't a musician, just a raving fan.

   

The Barracudas played with acts like the Stray Cats, and even the Tourists (pre Eurythmics). Are there any particular Barracudas shows that stand out? 

   

With The Stray Cats we played Brighton, it was a hellish tour. On the nite in question unbeknownst to us our publisher, agent and others were in attendance. We had major Teddy Boy problems on that tour with fake Teds harassing us. At one point I harangued them for not being American whereas our bassist Dave was. A hail of cans was directed at me, one which bounced off my forehead to great applause. It's tough at the top.

   

Nick Turner went on to join LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH.  Personally, I thought that the LOTNC were a supergroup of sorts.  It must have been great being present during those early LOTNC shows.  What did you think of the Lords?

   

Stiv's strategy was clever, and some of their songs rocked, but to be honest the Lords bored me. All that fancy dressing and other nonsense did nothing for me.

   

The Barracudas had a Flamin' Groovie play for a duration of the band's existence.  How did you meet Chris Wilson?

   

After Drop Out there was a short-lived Paisley Underground scene in London we got associated with, although most of the bands were awful. Anyhow, a friend of ours had a psychedelic clothing stall in Kensington High St Market we'd bought stage clothes from. He'd hung out with the Groovies in San Francisco and one day told me he'd heard Chris had left the band and was headed to London. I bided my time and then when he arrived a meet was arranged at a club. We got on good and little by little he joined The Barracudas.

   

I read on the liner notes of TWO SIDES OF A COIN, that Chris' addition to the band took away from the band's "Puritanical monomania".  Were you hesitant to take the band in a different direction?

   

Robin, Jim and I all considered the Groovies godlike. I mean, for God's sake, Chris co-wrote the Shake Some Action originals and songs like Between The Lines that I worshipped. It was exciting and surreal to have him in our band. He did soften the sound, which eventually became a sore point although live we retained our edge. Writing with Chris was the fulfilment of a dream I hadn't dared to dream. So we embraced working with Chris. Other matters arose in time that made things more difficult but what matters is that Chris will always be one of the true greats and I was very lucky to play with him.

   

During the tenure of the Barracudas, the band penned iconic songs like I WISH IT COULD BE 1965 AGAIN, I CAN'T PRETEND, and I WANT MY WOODY BACK. These songs have obviously stood the test of time.  Did you know this back then when you were writing these songs?

 

Speaking of the B.O. Cult I once interviewed E. Bloom and asked him about Don't Fear The Reaper becoming a huge smash and he pointed out they had no idea it would be until it was. On a more modest scale, we really didn't know. Robin did call me and play Summer Fun over the phone, though, and said it would be a hit and it was indeed a minor hit.

   

EMI worked with the Barracudas.  Did EMI really understand what the Barracudas were all about musically?   Was the band's working relationship with them unbalanced?

   

The guy who signed us, Roger Ames, saw the commercial potential. His successor didn't. They liked the pop-novelty thing but once we started getting more complicated big differences arose. In a way EMI was good for us, but we should have signed to Sire maybe, who also wanted us. We would have been at home there.

   

Is it true that The Barracudas recorded at Ringo Starr's studio?

   

Yeah. Starling. We did Meantime there with Pete Gage (Vinegar Joe) producing. Our drummer Terry knew Pete. Fine little studio, and I did once glimpse Ringo through a dark window!

   

Did you guys do a lot of touring in America back then? 

   

We never toured America. The closest we came was a very short tour in Canada to support Wait for Everything. We toured Europe a lot, over several years.

   

In the latter part of the Barracudas, Australian musician Jim Dickson joined the band.  Since Jim was connected again with Cult Status acts from Australia, Did this allow the band to tour in OZ?

   

We never toured Australia.

   

Musicians or artists always tend to validate their professional existence on meaningful relationships.  Would you say that Greg Shaw releasing your music on VOXX provided that validity?

   

I was aware of BOMP from Groovies and Poppees singles and so on, he was a major inspiration. When he loved and released Drop Out Robin and I were thrilled. We met Greg a few times, he saw us in Paris in 82 and we had a great meeting beforehand. Wonderful man.

   

You credit your brother for being integral to your musical upbringing.  I am presuming that the both of you had a great record collection.  Did you keep a lot of your vinyl?  Did your brother play music?

   

My brother had (and still has) a fantastic record collection. His record collection was my education in good music. He also gave me seminal albums from time to time – The Who, The Velvets – that became touchstones of my taste.

   

I was surprised to see that you too are a Blue Oyster Cult fan!  I am in touch with Albert Bouchard all the time.  I think that there are 2 chapters to BOC.  The first chapter is the Albert Bouchard era, the 2nd is the Post Albert Bouchard era.  BOC was NEVER the same sans Albert. Do you agree?

   

Yeah. Sure, they weren't the same band. Mind you, I saw them 4 years ago here with Alan Lanier and they were incredible. A band that's toured for like 30 years or more do tend to be tight. I do love some later stuff like “Take Me Away” and "Perfect Water" but clearly the first four albums are one of the great rolls of rock history. I listen to “Od'd On Life Itself” and it still is visionary. Some bands – Suicide is another – just sound more and more ahead of their time. It's a gift and prime time BOC have it in spades.

   

Eventually, you started playing more acoustic guitar music, still with lots of musical energy.  Some would say that it was the Folk side of Jeremy Gluck.  Was Rock N Roll becoming too repetitive?  Did you need a breath of fresh air in order to keep you more creative and artistic?

 

The musical and logistical simplicity of acoustic work appealed to me. I also followed as much as led, for example with Nikki, whose solo work was often acoustic. I liked the traditional aspect of it and the connection with country and western music. It could also be easier to sing to.

   

I remember buying BURNING SKULLS RISE and thinking that Jeremy Gluck was musically maturing.  Songs like SORROW DRIVE, and EPISODE IN A TOWN made me think of Jeremy Gluck as an older experienced brother.  Was there any particular music inspiration at that time that convinced you to change gears?  Was it Life itself?

   

Part of it was life and a desire to bring through a different kind of lyrics. I'd done songs like Ballad of a Liar with The Barracudas, but I wanted to be more plain. I was very influenced by old country on Skulls, hence the cover of Marty Robbins that Thin White Rope also covered later. Sorrow Drive and Episode in a Town (the latter the best lyric I've written IMHO) were attempts at archetypes of country and western with lines like “Now I know why they call Main Street a drag” aiming for that brilliant twist in country lyrics that is right on the cusp of comedy and tragedy. I wanted to capture the lostness and sadness of so many lives that were not wasted but not used either, but more like time that breathes.

   

BURNING SKULLS RISE had great musical moments that were driven particularly by emotional passion.  Would you say that your solo material made it easier for your to be more sentimental as an artist?

   

Although there is often more sentiment, I wouldn't agree with the term “sentimental”. On Burning Skulls Nikki and I were very influenced by 50s and 60s root country. I like the hard softness you find in that music and songs like Sorrow Drive aspired to emulate it. There is little directly personal writing in the lyrics, apart from the title track. However I did put in a lot of ideas I had about things beyond the immediate work, an example being The Proving Trail. “Why do we end up so far from where we belong?” was a cop from some French writer, and there are a lot of words and moments that try to reflect a more melancholy and rounded view of life. The title track was later covered by Rowland and Lydia Lunch and now appears on several Goth compilations. Go figure!

   

21 years ago, you released I KNEW BUFFALO BILL.  The crazy thing about this record is the guests that perform on it.  Jeffrey Lee Pierce, Nikki Sudden, and Rowland Howard appear on BUFFALO BILL?  How did all of you meet? 

   

It's all down to Nikki, whose Swell Maps were of course a Rough Trade act. Back in the day Robin and I would hang around the old Rough Trade shop in Kensington High Street, and Nikki would come and go. We did some shows together, hung out, became friends. Over the years we saw a lof of each other and were always planning to record, wrote some songs, did some demo's, the usual. Meanwhile Nikki had met and become buddies with Rowland, whose band his brother Epic drummed with. I was on good terms with Frenchie Gloder of Flicknife Records, who was a monster Barracudas fan. Nikki was in the studio with Rowland and Epic working on an album and he called and asked if I wanted to tack some time on to their session and do our album together. Frenchie jumped at it – a dream line-up! - and it began. Jeffrey was put in for another name; Frenchie gave him some drug money and brought him over to do some slide overdubs at the studio where we finished the album.

   

Care to share some moments during the making of I KNEW BUFFALO BILL?  I would have LOVED to be a fly on the studio walls!

   

Ha. Thing is, Lou, most flies in this situation witness only musicians bitching at each other! There were some charmed moments, though. As I was somewhat in awe of Rowland I let him do much as he pleased. Likewise, Epic, who as Nikki's brother and himself a formidable musician, needed no direction. It was a lovely week or whatever. My favourite moment was when I was struggling with the vocal to Nikki's “Gallery Wharf”. I was getting more and more frustrated and then the engineer said, Look, let's do one more for rehearsal and have lunch and try another take when we get back. I liked that and did a very good vocal, and said, I wish we had taken that! There was laughter from the booth: of course the canny engineer had taken it, bless him. Psychology 101.

   

Personally, I thought that the songwriting on I KNEW BUFFALO BILL was very strong. The making of BUFFALO BILL must have provided you a musical learning opportunity.  Did you ever film or document the making of the record?

   

I'm not sure how much I learned as such. But working with outstanding musicians I loved – Nikki – and admired – Rowland and Epic – was a great privilege. Some of the songs, like Four Seasons of Trouble, Nikki and I had written in 1983. Others, like Time Undone, were written by me close to recording and the music composed in the studio just before or when I arrived. Time Undone, which has some brilliant guitar from Rowland, is a lyric that does show my desire to tell stories with a metaphysical shading. “To myself I was nothing, as worthless as straw” was a line Rowland and which I had to tell him I had paraphrased from Meister Eckhart, one of the great mediaeval mystics and typical of my reading of the time. Episode In A Town we just doubled in speed for April North! (16 Wheels we...well, I asked Rowland to play Folsom Prison Blues backwards.)

   

A few years later, both Robin and yourself would reform The Barracudas. The new recruits were Steve Robinson and Jay Posner.  The producer of the WAIT FOR EVERYTHING record was the one and only ANDY SHERNOFF.  What made you decide to have Andy as the project producer?

   

I am sure you share my love of The Dictators. Go Girl Crazy was a touchstone when I was still in Ottawa. I got in touch with Andy through my old friend Lindsay Hutton. I just wanted a sympathetic producer. I remember when Andy returned my call I was amazed that he knew all our stuff and even wanted us to re-record a song from Endeavour To Persevere with him. He did a fine job, though the album is for me hardly a success, most of the songs are weak and despite a fantastic drummer in Jay (RIP) the line-up never gelled.

   

WAIT FOR EVERYTHING was another reflection of the Barracudas in comparison to DROP OUT.  The Pop sensibility never went away, and I do not think any of us expected it to vanish.  However, the songs seemed fuller in the way that the band played more into them.  Metaphorically speaking, it would be like the band taking out the other 56 crayons from the box and using them to colour the page, instead of only using 8 colours.  Is this what Andy brought to the record?

   

Andy did have a clear idea about and the ability to get a very crisp pop sound. I've always loved that trebly, crystal power pop thing. Snare sounds that can slice bread and so forth. I don't like the album much, although Can't Get Away From You I find perfect: a classic Robin Wills composition, incredibly economical and tuneful and I sing it well. Steve's I'm The One is superb, I listen to it all the time, even now. But we didn't have our feet in the stirrups and let the things get away. We fixed that on the 2005 album, because we had a new, killer rhythm section and Robin produced himself with a perfect grasp of how we should sound. That album I am very proud of. Wait I see as a missed opportunity.

   

Additonal vocals on WAIT FOR EVERYTHING are courtesy of the SURFIN' LUNGS.   When and how did you meet the Surfin' Lungs?  I have the LET THEM EAT SURF record, and I like it a lot.  Did Robin play in the Surfin Lungs after the Barracudas?

   

Robin worked with and produced the Lungs, I believe, but I really don't know that much about that collaboration. We knew them from an early stage of the band. I envied them their harmonies.

   

Songs like LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO FALL, and GONE FREE were examples of how well both Nikki and yourself worked together.  Prior to Nikki passing away, the both of you collaborated on the soon to be released record called VICTIM OF DREAMS.  When was this recorded?

 

The new album is really an old and new album. I wanted to compile the best of my older material and throw in new. There will be a companion iTunes album eventually that covers what the album doesn't include. My original idea was a kinda Bill – The Sequel. While Nikki was still alive I contacted him and he recorded two songs for me, which I overdubbed at home. I did some new thematic songs with my local pals Superczar – Train Station and The White River – and some 'net collaborations, notably with Circo Fantasma and Indianpalms, Italian bands whose quasi-tribute “I Knew Jeffrey Lee” Nikki had told me about and includes covers of 3 songs from the Bill album. I did want to write with Rowland again but it just didn't happen, although we did speak just before and after Nikki died. Other songs have diverse origins, from sessions in 1985 in Paris, to work with electronic duo Zone to whose albums I have contributed over the years.I've done a lot of electronic stuff, including lately with Michael Dent formerly of TO legacy punks The Dents, putting his words to sounds collages.

   

The VICTIM OF DREAMS is an interesting title.  Is that a true reflection of yourself?

   

The title derives from a poem I wrote in 2006. I would say that it is a reflection of one or more of my selves but maybe not all. A friend took issue with seeming to term myself a “victim” but I'm not partial to psychobabble definitions. I know what I intend by the title. As they say in Zen, “Explanations never convince”, so I will desist from explanation.

   

Many of us also know you as RALPH TRAITOR, the music journalist.  You wrote for SOUNDS, BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS, MOJO and even LINDSEY HUTTON'S NEXT BIG THING.  Your writing was an incredible documentation of a very diverse musical period.  Were there any highlights from your Journalistic adventures that stand out? 

   

One alone must take top spot and that was meeting Brian Wilson. Say no more.

   

You have also written a few books where you are spoofing the American Culture.  I am presuming Burroughs was an influence? 

   

My older brother influenced me a great deal in books, too, and I read Burroughs' work as a teen and over the years used the cut up technique extensively in my own writing. Burroughs was a revolutionary of the word and his final novel, The Western Lands, I absolutely venerate.

   

I have not had the chance to actually get hard copies of  GOD IS LOVE - GET IT IN WRITING, or NECROTRIVIA vs SKULL.  I have read reviews and both of these titles are critically acclaimed.  Did you find it different being a literary artist as opposed to a musician?  Is one more rewarding than the other?

   

I've always written and done music in parallel. Love both.

   

Which pays better?..hahahha

   

I do what I do for love, Lou, you know that!

   

Just from what I have read on the reviews of your books, we are introduced to another side of Jeremy Gluck.  For an example, Sci-Fi seems to be predominant in both books.  Have you ever thought about writing music with Sci-Fi stories? 

   

Not since my teens. I loved 50s and 60s sci-fi, with its naivete and story telling. I don't read sci-fi. I don't write it, either, my books are more straight satire with flourishes around spirituality and technology. I did write a third novel, The Love Gun, but it was unpublished; it did have more sci-fi in it but was mostly a dark and cynical meditation on the so-called New Age.

   

You are involved with Spiritech.  I understand that it is an Electronic Religion.  Its about the Spiritual Revolution in cyberspace.  How would this compare to more common religions and spiritual practices?

 

My Spiritech project has now been retired. It was active from about 1996-2004, but its height of activity was maybe five years. The e-book I published based on the Spiritech material is still online at http://www.ebookmall.com/ebook/65163-ebook.htm.

   

How has SPIRITECH changed Jeremy Gluck?

 

Spiritech played a major role in my life for some years. As I originated it for the most part in the form it took and the content it comprised I don't feel it changed me: it was an expression of me. I had an adventure with Spiritech but this isn't really the place to go into it, and in any case it is behind me now.

   

Did you get a chance to see Arthur Lee and Love in 2003?

   

Yes, but passed. No judgement of Lee, I just didn't go.

   

Who are you currently listening to nowadays? Any new acts or artists that impress Jeremy Gluck?

   

Huh. I tend to know nothing of what I term “young people's music”, which would be anything after about 1995 ;) The last band I went for in a big way was early Placebo. I listen to what I always did, with later loves like Van Morrison and The Smiths also high on the list. I listen to The Who compulsively, they have been my musical heroes since before my teens. I get into stuff like Denim, then forget it. As I write this I am listening to Mink Deville, The Comsat Angels, and Bebop Deluxe. I heard The Arctic Monkeys once, for thirty seconds and put on Baba O'Riley. Who needs the aggravation?

   

If you had the chance to produce a band, who would you choose?

   

Britney Spears. If ever there was a candidate to cover “Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White” it must be Brit!

   

Has there ever been a record by an artist or band that you wished you either played on or produced?

   

Where do I begin?

   

MC5 - Did you know that Bob Seger sang back up on High Time?

   

No. Did you know that The Kingsmen's Don Galucci produced Funhouse?

   

What did you think of The Stooges' WEIRDNESS record?

   

Let me preface my few remarks by assuring readers that I adored The Stooges and Iggy for years and still venerate their seminal recordings. I did listen to some of the new album and was left cold. The lyrics are lousy, and although the Ashetons still can make you feel a truck has been dropped on your head from an upper floor, it all seemed like a “Look Ma, new band!” exercise. Today we are stuck with digital sound, which is clean and clear but means bands sound like people playing at the same time, not together. I love The Stooges, but it did nothing for me. Look, Moses comes down from the mountain only once in the Bible. That would be Funhouse, by analogy. What did they propose to bring down this time?

   

When did you last visit Canada? 

  

Not for some years, too long.

   

When did you first meet Ralph Alfonso?

   

In Toronto in 1977.

   

Do you have any great Teenage Head memories?

   

That's a rather personal question, Lou, and if you're not going to be nice I am afraid I am going to have to end this interview!