The solo Spanker on his new
record, rock ‘n’ roll, and how a certain rock star ripped him off.
Dig Wammo. He’s one subversive,
pot-smoking, beat poet, trouble-makin’ S.O.B. He’s a rocker, a roller. Wammo is
a man for our time. From the arguments he starts with strangers in bars, to the
poetry he slams, to the incredible music he makes with the Austin, Texas-based
The Asylum Street Spankers, Wammo leaves no turn un-stoned.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It’s
with The Spankers’ no amps, no mics, no frills approach to classic Americana
roots-jazz that Wammo wreaks his lyrical insanity and makes poignant
observations on topics such as the war on drugs, the joys of sleeping in the
wet spot, and his scrotum.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย During
the Spankers’ last visit to town, back in November, they shocked and awed the
crowd at Milestones, many of whom didn’t know what to expect. The band
entreated all the musically rebellious freaks there to get down, hoist a pint
skyward, and sing along. Because of the Spankers’ complete lack of
amplification, Wammo suggested several times that folks “just shut the hell
up.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย After
the show, some of the Spankers, apparently enemies of this activity we call “sleep,”
drank Monty’s Korner out of top-shelf scotch. As their intoxication hit epic
proportions in the wee wee hours, they taught several eager Rochester rockers
how to read minds, baffle the Philistines, and amaze their friends.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The
Asylum Street Spankers will be back in town for a show on April 8. Behold.
Marvel. Lock up everything.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย A
fresh Spankers platter is on the way. Wammo’s got a new solo album brewing, as
well. And he’s got an ax to grind.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย We
talked on the phone recently. We laughed, we cried, we exchanged war stories,
we name-called, and, ultimately, decided to change a few of those names —
them lawsuits is a bitch.
City: Wammo!
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: What’s up, biznitch?
City:
You’re wrapping up your new solo
record. What’s it called?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: I’m not gonna say. It’s so cool, someone’ll steal it.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: Why?
Has someone stolen ideas from you before?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: Well, I went backstage at a show in Austin, where a
guy fronting his own band, who came to fame by playing drums in a very famous
grunge band we’ll call “Enlightenment,” was playing. He’s now fronting this
band I really like — let’s just call them “Friendly Finger.” We were talking
back stage, and I gave him a CD-R of my album, Faster Than The Speed Of Suck.
He asked me about it, and I explained the theme: two people traveling across
America, the tape player’s jammed, so they have to listen to the radio,
and basically it’s a spoof on how commercial radio in America sucks.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย And he said, “Wow, what a great idea for a record.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย So, two years later, sure enough, another band,
let’s call them, oh let’s see, “Kings Of The Paleolithic Age,” put out a record
with the exact same theme, right down to the same sound effects I used on mine:
the car starting up, the scrolling down the radio and catching static and snippets
of radio stations. Guess who was playing drums on that record, but that very
same rock star I initially gave the album to.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: How’d that make you feel?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: First, I felt a little complimented that he would
steal from me. But [later] I felt pretty betrayed and extremely disappointed in
somebody whose music I really dig.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: Are you going to respond artistically?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: Write a song about it? Fuck that. I’m just gonna keep
putting out original stuff that I dig and let the chips fall where they may.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: But you’re covering your ass in the
meantime with this new record.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: Somebody might already have a record in the can and
like my title. The only thing you can rip off from this record is the title.
It’s just a rock ‘n’ roll record, man.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: So who are you ripping off with this
record?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: Musically,
the Beatles, AC/DC, The Stones, X, and Black Sabbath. Yeah, this is a full-out
rock record. I’ve already made Tommy. It’s time for Who’s Next. You
know what Pablo Picasso said, he said, “amateurs borrow, professionals steal.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: What’s new with the Spankers?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: We have a new single out on CD called “Stinkin'”
[backed with] “Goodbye Cousin Early.” It’ll be available on vinyl, too. We just
finished recording a record live to two-track on a bunch of old, old recording
stuff we’d been dickin’ around with. We rented an old empty church and recorded
it in three days.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย City: A church, huh? Any religious or gospel
tunes?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wammo: Nooooooooooooo.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I really dig the line-up we have right now. We’re working
on a bunch of new stuff. We have some new songs and at least one new cover
that’s gonna blow people away.
Come watch Wammo exhilarate,
pontificate, titillate, rage, croon, and swoon with the sensational Asylum
Street Spankers, in all their ragged, Tin Pan Alley glory, on Tuesday, April 8,
at Milestones, 170 East Avenue, at 8 p.m. Tix: $12-$15. 325-6490.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2003.
