3-Wind with Butch Walker, 7/8/02

We first did 20 Questions with Butch on February 1, 2000.
Then we did his Rewind on May 24, 2001.
Now it’s 2002 and time for his 3-Wind! And what do you know, his new album, “Left Of Self Centered,” is out now! What timing! You’d almost think that was planned.

Like his live shows, Butch is a very entertaining guy and this 3-Wind is no different. Enjoy!

1. What are you up to?
i am nursing a head injury, from a fight that i had with a bottle of vodka last night. he won. oh well…

2. What happened to the Butch Walker Tour Diary you said you were going to do for us?
well, you know, being an egotistical, self-centered prick, i went solo, and
decided to do everything myself, which meant that i would be having to do all the business now. i just havent had time to stop and do anything, what, with all the law-suits, court dates, phone calls, and meetings (being in the rock and roll business is easy and fun!)….

3. Who’s in your band now, where did you find them, and do they have any say-so at all?
they are: k-dog on drums, monkey boy on guitar and bass, j.j. on bass and guitar. and of course they have lots of say-so. why would i want to be a controlling, vicious tyrant? oh… that’s right…… i am…

4. After dealing with record label bullshit for the last decade, what made you decide to sign with Arista and why do you think things will be different this time?
i dont really know if things will be different. all i know, is that labels call me everyday to produce and write for their artists, and wanted to sign me as an artist when they found out that i was free from my neglectra contract. i wasnt sure if i wanted to go the “white trash wins lottery” route again, but i realized that life was too short to be worried about the outcome of record sales and such. i mean, i have already proven that i can do records by myself, put them out independently, blah blah indie-cred blah… i dont need to fucking prove anything, so i just went with a company that the president and the a&r guy really loved what i do and what i stand for. LA Reid was wanting to sign me years ago, when i was on elektra. he has always been a fan, and the best part? he is an artist, producer, songwriter himself, and doesnt question my abilities or decisions. we see eye to eye. like i said, i cant predict what will happen, but if my album flops, it wont be because the label didnt believe in it. it would flop because the state of the music business is the way it is: a fucked-up, creative-less, monetary influenced, scandal that has everyone shaking in it’s shoes. hey, if half the shit that i hear out there gets big, and most of it sounds so 5 years ago, i wont cry if i dont hit the jackpot. i’ll just keep making records, while they go back to the post office gig. god, i sound pretentious as shit…….

5. The last of Butch Walker:
Last time you talked to Jesse Harte = about 4 weeks ago.
Last song you wrote = yesterday (not the beatles song. i really wrote a song yesterday.)
Last time Mr. Bill shit on the floor = he was coiling one when i left out the door for the tour last week. i love him so much!
Last movie you saw = about a boy
Last time you loaded your own gear onto the truck = i dont remember that long ago. i have LSD (lead singer disease).
Last time you smoked pot = i dont remember that long ago. (then again, i may have been smoking pot, therefore, i cant recall…)
Last rock star you shook hands with = hmm…. i masturbated yesterday.
Last CD you purchased = the hives! it fucking rules! dont believe all the hype with all those other bands that have names that start with “the”. these guys are the real deal!
Last book you read = books?
Last time you teabagged a chick = i dont hit girls with objects, let alone a tea bag…. (dont worry… i know what you meant.)

6. In the credits for “Ready, Sex, Go” it says that Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pitt, Paul Stanley, and Jack Black all did background vocals. How did you manage to get that diverse group of people to do backing vocals or was that just a joke and we were too stupid to figure it out?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa! joke.

7. You write a lot of songs about chicks that fuck over guys. You also went through a divorce. What’s the most fucked up thing that a chick has ever done to you and how many songs did you get out of it?
well, a lot of people ask me about a few songs i have written about bisexual situations. when i was in high school, i went to the beach with my new girl-friend, who was already out of high school, and i met her at a club i was playing often. we got down there, and i noticed a tattoo i wasnt supposed to see. it was a girl’s name. so, okay then.

8. You produced Injected’s CD. As of June 2002, they’ve sold 75,000 CDs. Are you happy with that number or do you think it should be higher by now?
it’s great! they have sold more records than most bands can (all without playing “mad at your dad” rock), and they are about to release the 2nd single. i am proud of them, and they are on a pretty decent label. of course i think it should be a higher number, how am i going to hit the split point and start making my producer royalties if they dont sell a certain amount of records? get to it guys! start selling more records, dammit!

9. How do you end up having Nikki Sixx play bass on “Into The Black”?
he’s like my bigger brother that i never had. at least, that’s how i feel. i found out he dug the marv3 and freaked out, cuz you know, i have a scrapbook of nikki from when i was 8th grade. he was everything i wanted to be. i called his management, and asked for his number. we hung out and had a blast. i asked if he would play on a track on my new record, he said yes. i was stoked. he did awesome! nikki for president!

10. What do you remember about writing or recording the following songs:
Tug Of War = i dont.
The Last Sleep = the breakup album. it is a bitter record.
Every Monday = i wrote it while driving. ironically, it’s about the road.
Let Me Go = another ditty sponsored by divorce
Merry Christmas = wrote it and recorded it drunk, in the winter of…mm…1999?
Grant Park = another ditty brought to you by… same sex betrayal.
Radio Tokyo = about the music industry, but somehow got turned into a vodka induced, fairy tale.
Get Down = about coming to terms with your celebrity. you battle being normal everyday…usually with yourself. my friend chrystina lloree sings on it. she rules.
Alicia Amnesia = a ditty about the girl that we all fall for that acts like she doesnt remember you the next time you run into her. i watched too many john hughes movies growing up.
If (Jeannie’s Song) = a song about cancer. i dont want to talk about it.
My Way = well now.. everybody knows i have to put at least one anthem on each record. i just want to make sure people do their own thing. dont be a sheep. be the motherfucker that grabs one, shaves it, and and makes the baddest-ass pimp coat to wear… even in the summer.

11. The opening of your CD features a comedy bit called “Rock Vocal Power.” It sounds like it takes a stab at Creed, Korn, and Kid Rock. True?
it’s actually a stab at everyone, including myself. i think it’s just funny how when one band sounds a certain way, every fucking band jumps on it and copies it exactly. all because they think they wont sell any records if they dont sound exactly like what the successful artists sound like…. actually.. that is the truth.

12. Southgang was one of the first bands to tour China. Of all the bands in the world, how did Southgang manage to pull that off, and what do you remember about China?
dont get me started about that whole label ploy to “get the band out of the country till their album dies, because we are tired of them bothering us.” it was a disaster that almost left us exiled. i dont have enough time to tell you the whole grueling story, but sit me down one night, with a bunch of booze, and i will blow your mind with some of the shit that we saw. i came back and wrote a million songs about my patriotism for america. i also, kind of knew the band was over at that point.

13. You just got off the road from doing a month long tour. What are 3 highlights and 3 lowlights of that tour?
highs:
hanging with Lit every night.
going to disneyland with a “fast pass” (no lines!).
the cookout at my house with all my friends.

lows:
waking up from drinking with Lit every night.
breaking down (the bus… not emotionally… i’m not all emo on you yet..) in wyoming.
playing a show in denver, where i was advertised as “Butch Davis”.

14. What made you decide to dye the side of your hair blond and look like a skunk?
you will no longer call me daddy-o. you will address me as wendy-o, from now on.

15. There are 4 guys in the van and the next gig is 1,200 miles away. Your 2 bandmates drive for exactly 4 hours each at 70 mph. The third guy drives for 3 hours but is on crystal meth so he’s doing 100 mph. Now it’s your turn to drive. How many miles does Butch have to drive to the gig?
A. 280 miles
B. 240 miles
C. 340 miles
D. 360 miles
van? dude. that is so 1997 for me. i dont do anything less than a 45′ prevost tour bus. if i ever get back in a van again, it will be a custom california dodge 70’s job, with silver glitter paint, and a logo on the side that says “chick magnet.” i suck at math.

16. Name some bands from the late 80s Sunset Strip that you thought had the best & worst band names, images, stage shows, gimmicks, and stage names?
warrant: best show
paradise: best teeth
zoom: best gimmick. they would go up and down the strip, flyering for their shows with nothing on except roller skates and bath towels. the guitar player (rivers cuomo) must have really been stoked about that.
bang tango: best logo-christened biker jackets.
love-hate: best in rock award.

worst stage names: anyone with a fake french last name ( like punky lareaux, steve st. sheveaux, or …. you get the idea….).
chuck e. weiss and the goddamn liers: best band name.
byte the bullet: worst band name
southgang: absolute worst band name…. ever……

17. MTV has a show called Cribs. Of all the ‘stars’ you’ve visited over the years who had the most bitchin’ crib and why?
probably desmond child’s. he has pretty elaborate taste. there were a lot of big guys hanging out over there though. nikki sixx has a killer house, and some sick cars. jermaine dupree has a sick house and sick rides. jeremy from lit has an awesome house, with mad style. actually, i think i like my house the best. nothing special, but my girlfriend and i, have it tricked out to the hilt. there’s a cat door that goes from the closet, to the the tool shed, so we dont have to smell the cat shit. that’s pretty pimpin’…

18. In the last 6 months the music world has lost several musicians to various deaths. What is your take on these people and how did they affect or influence Butch Walker?
Robbin Crosby = i thought he was the shit. he was a big dude. a good dude, who got hooked on dope. bad mistake. i am sad about him dying, but you fuck up by getting hooked on heroin.
Randy Castillo = that is crushing. he didnt have a choice, and that kills me. he was a metal veteran. i was rocking to him back in the old lita ford days.
Dee Dee Ramone = again, i am super bummed. the ramones influenced the shit out of me, but he got hooked on the sauce. its stupid to do that shit when you get that old.
Bianca Butthole = not fair to her. she was straight. i heard the driver wasnt. my bass player j.j. used to be in a relationship with her. he went to her funeral service, and i remember him saying how moving it was. god rest her soul.
Layne Staley = stupid. again, i dont wanna sound preachy, but he should have seen it coming.

19. What target market is your album cover most likely to appeal to?
A: Rick Springfield fans

E: Fans who are blind
i never realized how much i look like wynona rider until you just said
that… kool! i guess i could have been like most artists that are around now, that had a history in the 80’s, but you would have to be comparing me to wynona judd, rather than wynona ryder. i will take it as a compliment.

20. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name and you give us your thoughts.
Shakira = connected.
The Strokes = converse sneaker sales are up 300% in the past year…. thanks Strokes!
David Lee Roth = ol dirty bastard
Zachary Stevens = hell of a metal singer
Vince Neil = sober up and get back with the crue. you guys can still be the next fucking american legend, like aerosmith. i think tommy is almost done rapping.
Ted Nugent = snap into a slim jim!…. then, snap out of it, stop fucking talking and start fucking rocking again…
Sum 41 = i love them. they are funny as shit, and canadian!
Jackyl = for the love of chainsaws! i think jesse is one of the hardest working guys in the business.
Scott Stapp =
The Osbournes = amazing how somebody that hasnt sold a record in 10 years, cant talk, cant hardly walk, and has no brains left, has become an american icon. sharon is a fucking genius…. or the devil.. i havent figured it out yet…

Now that was an entertaining 3-Wind! His CD is in stores now and he should be playing a city near you soon enough. If you haven’t seen him before, check it out and see how a rock show is supposed to be done.

For more info on Butch, you can visit his handy dandy website at www.ButchWalker.com