Is it true you nicked a few of your early gear from David Bowie’s vehicles outdoors the Hammersmith Odeon on the final Ziggy Stardust present, in 1973?
There’s undoubtedly some reality in that. It wasn’t outdoors in vehicles although – it was on the stage! They performed two nights, and after the primary night time they left all of the gear up, as a result of they had been taking part in there the following night time. I knew the Hammersmith Odeon just like the again of my hand, I used to bunk in there on a regular basis. I used to be just like the Phantom of Hammersmith Odeon.
It was about two within the morning. I stole just a little minivan and I bought in. There was nobody there, apart from a man sitting on the fourth or fifth row, asleep – he was loud night breathing. It was lifeless silent. I tiptoed throughout the stage, and I nicked some cymbals, the bass participant’s [amplifier] head – a Sunn amp it was – and a few microphones. I bought Bowie’s microphone along with his lipstick on it!
Did you ever fess as much as Bowie about this?
I form of did, on a cellphone name. He knew I’d performed it; he thought it was humorous. Truly, I don’t assume I nicked something off him, I don’t assume the microphones had been his. The one ones I felt unhealthy for had been Woody [drummer, Mick Woodmansey] and [bass player] Trevor Bolder.
I really did make amends with Woody. He got here on my radio present a number of years again, and I assumed I’d inform him dwell, after we had been on the air, what I did. I used to be like, “I’ve bought to make amends to you, Woody, I nicked a few of your cymbals. What can I do to make it proper?” He goes, “I don’t know; give us a few hundred bucks.” I believe I gave him $300, so he was effectively comfortable.
What album do you at all times return to?
Oh, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust is at all times a go-to.
What’s probably the most chaotic factor that’s ever occurred to you on stage?
There was a time in 1996, when the Intercourse Pistols performed in Milwaukee, an enormous membership which had a ridiculously excessive stage – it was about 20 foot. Some man walked on the stage, I don’t know the way he bought by way of. John [Johnny Rotten, nee John Lydon]’s safety Rambo noticed him and got here operating throughout the stage. He grabbed the man, the man hit John, and John fell off the stage, head first. And I assumed, that’s the tip of that. However he bought up and carried on!
Punters are raving about Frank Carter as the brand new singer of the Pistols. How does it really feel taking part in these outdated songs with a brand new frontman?
It’s nice, it’s refreshing. He’s youthful – effectively, he’s 40. I’ll be 70 this 12 months! However he’s bought bundles of power, and he’s nice with an viewers. He’s not making an attempt to be Johnny Rotten. Individuals like it. My philosophy is, don’t play greater than an hour and 15, an hour and 30, max. Every time I’m going to a live performance, I’m not thinking about seeing a band for 3 hours. I assume some artists assume the group’s getting their cash’s value, however for me, I’m bored after an hour or so.
We frequently ask individuals who they want to play them in a biopic. You’ve already had one! Did you get pleasure from Toby Wallace’s portrayal of you in Pistol?
I really like Toby, he’s nice. He got here out [to Los Angeles] and he’d stare at me for a very long time, making an attempt to select up my mannerisms. He needed to get somebody to assist him along with his speech, clearly, as a result of he’s bought the Australian accent. Generally he slipped up just a little bit, however I assumed he did fairly good.
The one factor that bugged me was this scene the place they go on about my guitar – “Oh, it’s like Excalibur!” – however they couldn’t even discover one near mine. The one they used appeared prefer it was from Woolworths. It should have price a tenner. I might gladly have lent them certainly one of mine.
You realize lots of people. Who’s probably the most well-known individual in your cellphone?
I do know many well-known folks, however this can be a nice story. After I was doing Indie 103.1, I bumped into Cliff Richard. I mentioned do you wish to come on the present, have a larf? And he mentioned OK. He got here down, introduced his guitars, and I couldn’t get him to close up. He went by way of all of the outdated basic songs. He’s such a professional. They don’t make ’em like him any extra.
Anyway, he left, I had his quantity, and funnily sufficient he known as me on my landline after we bought accepted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame. He left a message and he simply began singing, “Congratulations! And jubilations!” It was the funniest factor ever.
In addition to Cliff, you’ve hosted everybody from Judas Priest to Brian Wilson in your present. Who was your most chaotic visitor?
I might say Jerry Lee Lewis. He was actually ornery and prickly. I believe I mentioned, “What was it like once you went to England?” And I don’t assume he really bought to tour in England – he bought banned as a result of he was married to his cousin, who was underage. And he simply turned on me: “I don’t wanna speak about that!” And there was silence. I didn’t know what to do, I began to panic.
Within the late 80s you performed on a Bob Dylan track, Sally Sue Brown. How was Bob in these days?
It was weird. I met him a few weeks previous to him asking me to place a band collectively out at some social gathering. I had lengthy hair and was on my Harley with no helmet, and he was gravitating in the direction of me. Somebody should have instructed him I used to be within the Intercourse Pistols. We frolicked for a bit, and I bought a name two weeks later, can you place a band collectively, and we’ll do a session down at Sundown Sound [studios].
So, I did. Paul Simonen [ex-the Clash] occurred to be on the town at the moment. I bought the drummer from Pat Benatar’s band, the keyboard participant was taking part in with Rod Stewart. We ended up on that track, which is a canopy. We form of gelled on that one.
What track would you like performed at your funeral?
That’s a humorous one. I assume some people who find themselves narcissists would already be pondering of these things, proper? I’m not as narcissistic as lots of people I do know, however I’ve realized over a few years of being sober that it ain’t all about me. I don’t know, that’s a depressing query. It simply tells you you’re gonna die in the future.
Do you could have a celebration trick?
I wish to fart in entrance of individuals. You possibly can inform if somebody’s cool or not from their response. I farted in entrance of Lisa Marie Presley as soon as. She was sitting outdoors Starbucks and I used to be entering into, and I simply let one rip. She had this look on her face of disgust. I simply carried on strolling into Starbucks. Is that unhealthy?
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