Interview with Nick Cooper from Marky Ramone & the Speedkings (November 2002)

Interview made for www.speedkings.fr.st, November 2002


1) Ok Nick, let's start at the beginning...when did you first started making music?

I think I must have been 15 or so. I had practised playing airguitar for the biggest part of my pre-teen years. I got anaccoustic guitar at the age of 12 and bought my first electric guitar when I was 14. It was a very cheap Les Paul "BlackBeauty" copy. That same week I put up an ad in a musicpaper and a couple of weeks later I was in my first band. At thatmoment I could not even play chords. As a matter of fact I still can't. I play this akward power chord bars, but it works so fuck all those technicians... hehehe. Well except for Dee. He is the "technician" in the SpeedKings. So he's ok.

2) Is there anybody who inspired you in becoming a musician? What are your main influences?
My first recollections of "rock"or "pop" music must have been bands like The Sweet, Slade, Garry Glitter, Mud, TheRubettes, Bay City Rollers and Suzi Quatro. I was going crazy when I saw those bands on TV. And next to them I wasin deep awe for AC/DC. Although at that time there was no such thing as crossover. You were a disco guy or ahardrocker. Nobody seemed to like different types of music. So you always ended up hiding some of your tastes for the outside world. Then came new wave and punk and I was totally hooked. The Sex Pistols, The Clash and expecially the Jam. And from overseas there was of course the Ramones and later the whole hardcore thing with bands like Black Flag,Misfits,... The funny thing about all those bands in that time was that you felt things were changing but you could notrealize how legendary some of them would become. Now people go to see a "legendary" band... then you just went to a punk show.
As for my main influences as guitarplayer, I would say Angus Young, Steve Jones and Pete Townshend. As a singer, I like Lemmy a lot but to be honest I have always been more into band with women singing, hahaha... And finally as asongwriter, my biggest admiration goes to Paul Weller.

3) Could you tell us a little bit more about your previous bands The Midnight Men and The Buckweeds? What happened with the Buckweeds, why did you split when you were becoming quite famous? And what happened with thelast record which was banned?

After my first ever band, I went on to form some sort of an anarchoband called XXX. We were just a three piece band,very much in the vein of Crass, Poison Girls, etc. We recorded one album which came out on cassette, which at thattime was a very DIY thing to do. And we had two tracks on a UK compilation called "Rot In Hell" on Rot Records andnow re-released on Cherry Red Records. At a certain moment I started to discover rock'n roll on its original form. 50's and 60's stuff and I got totally in sixties punkstuff like Sonics, Shadows Of Knight, Standells, ... and I formed a new band called MidnightMen. It included the bassplayer of The PIGZ which are the most famous and collectable KBDBelgian punkband. This band recorded two albums internationally and a couple of 7 inches. One of those was on theUS label "Sympathy For The Record Industry" but we also did stuff for Dog Meat in Australia, Shakin' Street in the UK,Wipe Out in Greece and eventually we were in touch with Estrus but never finished any stuff for them. There is alsonumerous compilations albums. The band did some appearences on National TV and I decided to split up the band atthe moment we were going to sign a big recorddeal. I felt that we were through and we could not top ourselves. It was avery hard decision but we ended in a beautifull way and I am still proud of what we managed to do.
After the MM I concentrated mainly on studying and did not play for a couple of years until I saw an ad (in the samepaper that I had had put my first ad in when I was 14). Some band looked for a guitarplayer and I felt like playing but notbeing the main man in the band. Anyway that band played some grungy type of music and I felt very uncomfortablewith them after a few shows. So I told this to the bassplayer and he seemed to feel the same, so we just quit the bandthat very moment and started a new band, The Buckweeds. I called the drummer of MidnightMen and some old friendcame in on vocals and that was it. The Buckweeds lasted for 5 years and we did 3 CD's, one 7inch and somecompilations. This was also the first time I xperienced real touring. We did 4 European and one Japanese tour. Mainlybecause I had stayed for a long period in Japan and managed to set up a couple of shows.
The Buckweeds started out as a poppunkband but we evolved into a more hard rocking unit tending towards bands likeZeke, Motorhead, Speedealer, ... and we had lots of attitude. The band was quite infamous because we once ended upin some sort of a fight with the audience and that reputation kept on following us around. The lyrics were very explicitand the middel finger sign was quite popular at our shows. When we released the third CD, the pressing plant felt thatthe iron cross, the naked girl on the inside cover and the songtitles were too much for them and they refused to press it.But as you know, there is ways to do things, so the CD came out anyway. Just in time for our final tour. At that timewith Marky Ramone on drums. The bassplayer and myself started to have some different opinions and at some pointafter that tour, the band was finished. The Buckweeds were no doubt the best thing I ever did at that point and if itwould not have been of the trouble inside the band we could have become a lot bigger. The whole trouble was an ego-thing. Pure stupidity, stubornness and an asshole attitude. So damn happy I don't have to deal with that anymore. Thesplit was a big relief. So I never saw the split as an end, rather a new start...

4) Could you tell us the 'History' of the creation of the SpeedKings? When, and how, did you decided to form this band?

Well already during that last tour Marky had talked to me about forming a new band after giving up the Intruders.When the Buckweeds splitted up, there was no way that they would become the new band so I started to look foranother bassplayer. The whole idea was to be a three piece unit. Finding a name was hard and at that point we endedup calling the band MARKY RAMONE GROUP. That was just a few weeks before Joey died. We played three showsunder that name in April of 2001. Then the whole hassle began with the Ramones estate and all and we decide tochange the name. Since I am crazy about all those 50's girls and cars stuff, I came up with Speed Kings and that was it.

5) How long did you stayed in the studio to record the debut album? Was it easy?

I think we recorded the debut album in 4 or 5 days. Then the mixing took 4 days because we were not pleased with thefirst mix and the mastering in took one day. All the recording and mixing was done in Belgium in the Midas Studios.Tony the engineer is a good friend and we work well together. I did the production of the album because I know how Iwant to make things sound. To be honest, I don't always manage to get what I want, but at least this band is 100%owner of the sound and nobody else is messing with it. So it is very funny to get reviews about the good production.In the US some journalist even wrote that I should be in high demand for more production work... so if anyone reads this... I am available!

6) Apart from the guitar... do you play other instruments? Why do you prefer Gibson Guitars?

I have played some bass on studiotracks but I kinda stick to sixstrings. I am a very lousy guitarplayer, but I guess thatthe things I do know, I do really good. I am not the guy who wants to practice all the time. I play on my emotions andsometimes it is great and sometimes it sucks, althouh with this band we start to deliver good shows everytime we play.The band is really tight and everybody found his own place in the sound.
Why do I prefer Gibson Guitars? Basically because I like "originals". Gibsons is the classic rock guitar and the design istimeless. I have 4 of them now. A Gold Top Les Paul, a vintage cherry red SG, a sunburst Firevird V and a cherry redFlying V. Gibson gives the raw rock sound that I am looking for and in combination with a tube drive Marshall amp, thegibson blows everything away.
I do have other guitars. One is a Vox Phantom and I also own a US Fender Telecaster. In the past I had a '65 Mosriteand a Rickenbacker guitar, but I sold these. I have something going for classic guitardesign and I totally hate those 7strings or whatever moron guitars... So good that there is Nu metal so they can buy all those crappy instruments.

7) I believe that you've always been a big Ramones fan (The Buckweeds were obviously influenced by them and if I'mnot wrong you even had a song called "She looks like Joey Ramone")... how is it to have Marky Ramone himself inyour own band, and to perform with him your songs and some Ramones songs Live?

It would be an exageration to claim that The Ramones were my favourite band. I liked them a lot, but I did not have all the albums... and I still don't. However the Ramones were a very big influence on the Buckweeds in the beginning. In the later stage we would move more towards the Motorhead approach although there will always be that connection between Motorhead and the Ramones.
When I was in the Buckweeds, we did a few Ramones covers and it was real fun to do that, but when we had this firstever rehearsal with Marky behind the drumset... it was like real magic. Wa had played those songs so many times butwhen he gave us the real Ramones beat... you cannot imagine. I have never been in total submission for Marky but itwas very special to say the least. Now he has become a real friend and over the few years that I know him he turns outto be a real funny and cool guy. Anyway you met him, so there is nothing rockstar about him. He has his shit togetherand his feet on the ground and he is professional as hell. If it wasn't for him we would not be half as pro as we are todayand we still have a long way to go. He taught us a lot and it is amazing to play and record with him.
And live, off course it is a real experience. When kids see him, they go crazy and I guess we have a pretty good set at the moment so it only adds to the excitement of the band and the audience.

8) You're soon leaving for a USA Tour... Do you like touring? Do you have fun being on the road?

I sometimes have the impression that I loved touring better in the past. With the Buckweeds we did a couple ofEuropean tours and it was always great fun. There was no pressure and all. Now things have changed a little, meaningthat it is all more serious now. We can't fuck up, we always have to be good. Kids pay good money for a show so theydeserve one. And even if there is not a lot of people we still have to give them at least 100%.
Touring is hard work and not as glamorous as people sometimes think. It is not all sex and drugs... And mind you westay away from substance abuse. This band is physically fit. We all work out, try to eat good and get enough sleep.Because some of those tours, over a month or more, really take a lot of your body and your mind.
Anyway, I would be lying if I said I didn't like touring. It still is the best thing I can imagine as a job. Especially since weknow so many people all over the world and whenever we play their city, we get together and have fun. There is nothing like it!

9) "No If's, And's or But's" is now available in the USA with a new title ("Legends Bleed") which I guess is inspired by the tragic death of Joey and Dee Dee, and it is distributed by Warner Bros... are you happy with this new record-deal? Do you think that the DVD project you had will be released by Warner Bros?

"Legends Bleed" does in fact mean that we are all mortal and that people who we think will live forever, also have to go someday. Thirsty Ear Records is a very good record company and they have great distribution. So I am happy with thedeal although the release comes pretty late. Almost one year after the release in Europe. I hope for the upcoming album there will be a better worldwide coordination.
As for the DVD, we have so much footage but it takes tremendous amounts of time to go through everything and toedit that stuff. So eventually some stuff will come out, but there is no planning yet. We have one amateur videoclipright now and we might put that on the web soon.

10) Do you manage to live as a musician now or do you have to keep on doing another job?

At this moment we all live from the music. It is really tight to make ends meet and we have to be on the road all the timeto make a decent living. That's why I am trying to expand some of my activities in the field of production and design.But even though it beats any other company job.

11) What is the idea behind the SpeedKings music?... how would you describe the band?

I would call it "RAWK'n Roll". It has a lot of rock feeling in it, incorporating rock'n roll, surf and punkrock but we try tobring it in it's basic and rawest essentials. We all share a common love for 50's style vintage stuff and we want the bandto give people a taste of the best of the last few decades.

12) You've written most of the songs for the first album... could you tell us what is your method (if you have a method)of writing and how long does it usually takes for you to write a song?

Most of the great songs come with a split second. They are just there. If I have to slave my ass over a song for hours ordays, I know it will suck. Usually everything starts with a riff. I keep on playing and playing a riff over and over againand in my mind the whole chord progression starts to form. Usually I have some ideas lying around for lyrics and I justtry out some stuff. There is no secret for songwriting or making that ultimate hitsong. Hell, if that existed, I would havewritten my classic tune already.

13) Glen is the third bassplayer since the beginning... what happened with the two others?

Stevey Jay was the first and original bassplayer who played the "Marky Ramone Group" shows. He was living quitesome distance from me and it wasn't always easy to get together to rehearse. Anyway, a few months before the 2001December tour, he found a job and couldn't get the time off to do the tour. So at that point I asked Vito Jr., who is an oldtime friend and vocalist of the HC-band Liar, to join on bass for that particular tour. He agreed and we were all set to go.
Just after the tour, Stevey called me on the phone and told me that he was going to persue different things in his lifeand that he would not return to the SpeedKings. So at that point we were back to square one. I tried out some otherpeople at that time, but couldn't find anybody up for the job. By coincidence and through a lead from another musician,we got in touch with Glen. From the first time we spoke, I knew he was going to be the one and it turned out that wehave finally the bassplayer we need. Glen is a great guy to play with and to have on the road.

14) You have brilliantly produced the first album and the live album... have you produced other albums before? Wouldyou be interested in producing other bands? And is it important for you to produce yourself your own band and to be,therefore, implicated in every step of the project?

Initially, I had never considered this as "producing". I just did things out of neccesity... meaning not having the moneyto pay a producer. But I always had a good idea of how I wanted the music and songs to sound like and over the time I learned some stuff and I am getting closer and closer to what is in my head. Basically in all the band I was in, I did this"producer" thing but now I find out that some other bands are eager to get me in the studio to do that for them and Ithink that is very interesting, so in the beginning of next year I will do a punkrockband MCD and if any band isinterested, they should just call me and if I like them, we'll be right on it!

15) Are you going to produce the new album which is planned for 2003? Can you tell us about this new album andwhat we're going to find on it?

I am now working on the new SpeedKings album, of which you already heard one rough mix.
After the Japan tour I will be in the studio for another week with the guys and I think that just before Christmas I should be able to finish the whole album.
The new album has 15 tracks and in my opinion has a couple of great rockers, but also a few really cool popsongs. We are very much experimenting with the sound of everything and I hope it will come out very fresh and exciting.
For this album I also got the help of Dee to write some songs and Ben Trokan of the Intruders wrote two tracks. We also recorded Chinese Rocks with Marky on vocals and another cover song called "Red Rubber Ball" by a band called Cyrcle. Originally recorded in 1966 but a super cool track.

16) What would you say if you had to take stock of the SpeedKings so far? Are you happy with the results? And is itworth the work you've accomplished?

For me, it is never "enough"... not in quantity or in quality. But I shouldn't complain. We exist for only two years now,in fat in April of 2003 we will have our second anniversary and we have released two albums, with one on the way, thereis 3 seven inches with two more coming... Most of the stuff came out worldwide. We played great shows and kids like us. So what more can I ask for?
I just hope to play around 200 shows in 2003 and to establish the band even more. We all enjoy it as much of our fans and it feels like one big family. So we will just keep on working on it and make things even better!

17) What do you love about music & about rawk?

I am addicted to the energy, the power that comes from a loud amp and the cheers of the kids upfront. I couldn't livewithout all the friendship I get from people all over the world.
When we play and I see those happy faces, slamdancing like there is no tomorrow, then I know we made a differencefor that day and it gives me a good feeling.
This is what I wanna do with my life and I have never been more sure about that !