20 Questions with Jesse James Dupree, 4/2/02

 

20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Jackyl Singer Jesse James Dupree

This is by far the longest interview Metal Sludge has ever done! This took us way too long to transcribe because it was an audio interview, and everybody knows Jesse James Dupree likes to fucking talk! Now we remembered why we like to do email interviews….we don’t have to do any work! But this interview makes up for our years of laziness. The tape was 67 minutes long! You try transcribing 67 minutes of Southern talk and see how you like it. So before you go to read these very long 20 Questions, be sure to pack a lunch.

This interview was conducted by Sludgeaholic Bob on February 15, 2001, on Jackyl’s tour bus in Indiana. Bob wrote, “The first thing Jesse said to me is ” I understand Metal Sludge don’t like me but I will still do the interview with you” then the next thing he said is “I am not getting on the bus unless I drink salt on the rim with him (salt on the rim – salt all over the top of the beer can)” I believe the name should be “60 minutes on the bus with Jesse” instead of 20 questions with Jesse. (hehehehe) anyways you will fiqure out all this shit once you hear the interview. Props to Jesse and Jackyl for being down with Sludge and doing the interview.” The photo to your right is Jesse doing the 20 Questions while playing the guitar.

So sit back and prepare to know everything you ever wanted to know about Jackyl, a quite a bit more. Enjoy!

Bob: We have here an interview with Jesse James Dupree of Jackyl, and the date is 2-15-02….
Jesse: And you’re drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon with salt on the rim.
Bob: There you go. Yup! Something new that I haven’t tried.
Jesse: It’s the only proper way to drink.

1. What are you currently up to? This is your one and only chance to promote whatever it is you have to promote.
You mean out of the 20 Questions this is the only chance I have to promote?
Bob: Right. They start out all their 20 questions that way. To everyone they ask, that’s the first question. You know, plug your stuff!
(pause and Jesse strums on the guitar) When it’s time for me to go into promoting mode, you’ll damn sure know it.
Right now, I’ve just promoted salt-on-the-rim of a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Did you like it?
Bob: Yes I do.
Ok, next question.

2. What’s your opinion on the future of music?
My opinion on the future of music. (long pause) My opinion on the future of music. (long pause while playing the guitar) I’d have to say that, uh…..(pause) just like the boil on society’s ass that we’ve always been, everybody can expect in their future another Jackyl record, and that’s really all I’m to be concerned about. Past that, there just ain’t no call for it.

3. Give us 3 highest points & 3 lowest points of Jackyl’s career.
(pause) Of Jackyl’s career……God damn. I’m a have a hard time thinking ’bout any of the low points. It’s all been God damn good for us. I’d have to say the 3 low points would have to be the bullshit lawsuits that you
end up having to go through. ‘Cause there’s always some asshole who’s trying to get a piece of ya and that kind of takes away from the giggin’ and the making of music and the traveling and the goin’ and doing kind of stuff. We’ve had, actually, more than 3 bullshit lawsuits. I’d have to say that any one of those 3 would go in that category.
And as far as the high points, Woodstock 94 was a cool thing to experience. That was awesome. Doing 100 shows in 50 days, setting Guiness Book of World Records, it was a crazy thing to do but, uh, it was a goal that we set. And we achieved it so that was great. That was a high point. And another high point which would be the fact that irregardless of what trends come & go, regardless of what people can write or say about you, regardless of which way the wind’s blowin’, we’ve been fortunate enough to have people out there that connect with us. They either get it or they don’t. If they get it, maybe they catch a good buzz, listen to some rock n roll, go home and get a little booty, and if they don’t get it, they can stay at home and surf the web, or study for their underwater basket weaving test. That’s that, you know? But those are the 3 high point. We’ve been fortunate enough over the last 10 years, and we’re going on 10 years now…..and we’re very fortunate to keep doing what we do.

4. What hard rock / heavy metal band should give it up and call it a day?
(long pause) God I wouldn’t have a damn clue, cause I haven’t seen any of ‘em. I’ve been too busy playing myself, and playing with myself, to give a shit what anybody else is doing. (Jesse laughs) I mean, God bless ‘em all. As long as they’re having a good time doin’ their thing, don’t ever quit. I know I damn sure ain’t!

5. Rate the following singers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being someone who sounds like a broken chainsaw, and 10 being someone who sounds like a brand new gasoline-powered chain saw.
Umm….let’s, let’s pause for a drink.
Bob: Hell yeah!
Jani Lane = Jani Lane. (pause) And what does he sing?
Bob: He’s the lead singer for Warrant. On a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being someone who sounds like a broken chainsaw, and 10 being someone who sounds like a brand new gasoline-powered chain saw.
God damn, I’d be hard pressed to know what the hell they sing. Well what do they sing?
Bob: Cherry Pie.
Ok. Well they sold some damn records. So I guess he doin’ pretty good. (Jesse laughs) I guess there are a couple million people out there that can verify he’s a good singer, huh? I guess, maybe, give me some names of people that I can…..
Bob: There’s a list! Ok, we’ll give him an N/A.
Vince Neil = Vince Neil.
Bob: Yup, you know, lead singer of Motley Crue.
Yeah, ok, I’ve heard some Motley Crue. Scale of 1 to 10. Vince Neil, 1 to 10. I’d have to give him a 10 of sounding more like Vince Neil than anyone I’ve heard. I’ve never heard anybody that sounded more like Vince Neil than Vince Neil. So I’d have to give him a 10 for sounding the most like Vince Neil than anybody.
David Lee Roth = Man, David Lee, he told you how it was from day one. It’s not how you sound, it’s how good you look doing it. I’ll be goddamned, we played some dates with him last Summer, and Diamond Dave was rockin. So he’ll always get a 10 on any scale. I think he deserves the utmost respect and he’ll always get it from me. I was never that big of a Van Halen fan because I was so into Billy Gibbons, that I despised all the finger tapping stuff. I didn’t understand why, you know, why people didn’t always just, forever, know that Billy G was GOD on guitar. I mean all the other stuff is cute and it’s good but Billy G was God. I stood in front of him and cried as a teenager because I thought HE was everything in a guitar player that I wish that I could have been, you know, which is why I got into music to begin with. So I say that about Diamond Dave, out of just total respect, not that I was a huge fan of Van Halen or nothing. I totally respect them. But Diamond Dave, absolutely deserves the most respect so he’s gets a 10.
Bret Michaels = Bret Michaels. (Pause) Bob, tell me a song Bret Michaels sings.
Bob: He’s Poison. Every Rose Has It’s Thorn. Nothing But A Good Time.
Man, I totally, I’m tellin’ ya, I missed….I couldn’t rate him. I’m serious. I just don’t….I missed the whole Poison thing. I don’t know what…..I couldn’t point Poison out if you.. God bless ‘em. Seriously. I mean, I cannot rate him. Don’t know enough about him, never heard ‘em live. You can sit here and name some songs off and I can say ok I know the song but I still….you know, unless you played it for me right now I…I just never paid any attention to it. So I don’t know.
Tom Kiefer =
Bob: He’s from Cinderella.
Tom Kiefer from Cinderella. I like Tom. I never saw….yeah, I think I did see Cinderella. I saw Cinderella. I don’t know who the hell they played with. God, it was forever. But I remember, he pulled off things….he was able to pull off things live like they were on the record. So I definitely dig that. It’s one thing for somebody who’s got, you know, barbed wire vocal cords such as I do, I have a rough style of singing, so it was cool to see that he still maintained his level of power and intensity of singing. It’s been a good while since I’ve seen him, but if he’s still doing what he did then I’d have to give him a 10.
Sammy Hagar = Sammy. Once again you talking about a guy that…..ultimate respect. I give him a 10. I give him a 10 on the album that, that uh, was it his first Van Halen record that Mick Jones produced the vocals…..sang his ass off. I mean totally capable of, of, of, not having any boundaries. You know, the guy would just sing his ass off. But then again you get back to the Rock Candy and all that kind of stuff, you know. He had a great fiber to his voice, you know, so definitely give him big scores.
Kid Rock = I’m familiar with Kid Rock. I can’t really rate him as a singer though. I just heard the rap thing he
does. Definitely doesn’t sound like a broken chainsaw. But he does his thing. I give him a 10 for doin’ what he does. I’ll give him a 10 for the 10 million he sold, how’s that? Didn’t he hit Diamond? Yeah.
Sebastian Bach = Sebastian Bach (Strums guitar) I heard him the other night on that new TV show he’s got.
Bob: VH-1
Yeah, and he sounded better than ever. He’s on there with Rob Halford and they were kind of yodeling back & forth & both sound like they still got what it takes. Both Rob and Sebastian. How can you not, how can you not rate somebody who who’s performed on Broadway before? Go Sebastian! You know, let me tell ya, I think Sebastian sounded the best was when I came off the road one time and he left me a message. I never spoke to the guy in person but when things first started kickin’ for Jackyl in like 92, 93, when the first album came out, I came home from the road and there was a voice mail from Sebastian Bach. And I couldn’t understand a word he said cause he was over driving the answering machine. Just so fucking intense…it was awesome. It was awesome. But I’ve never had a chance to shake his hand and uh…but I just thought it was cool to get a message from him. Whatever he was sayin’ he meant it. And he sounded damn good! (Jesse Laughs)
Kevin DuBrow = Once again, dig the intensity, you know, of where they came from and stuff. I never saw em live. Umm….wouldn’t necessarily……wouldn’t necessarily give it a 10, you know, as far as my skill of bringing it absolutely from the gut. So there’s a big difference when you power up, you know, it comes from the either gut or throat, you know, as far as….if you’re mimicking the sound of distortion and stuff. So, you know, I’d like to hear him live just to see where he’s bringing it from. So, you know, I’d give him, based on….I dig the attitude that they had whenever they came out, so I’d have to say, uh, you know, “Come On And Feel The Noise” stuff, so I’d have to give him a, you know, 8. 7 or 8.
Brian Johnson = once again you’re talking about a man who, you need to put a Sir before that. As far as I’m concerned, he gets the ultimate score of a 20, you know, or a 100, out of 10. You’re talking about a guy who absolutely brings it from nowhere but the deepest bowels of hell. And you know, I’ve had the fortune of experiencing it first hand when we were in the studio singing “Locked and Loaded” together, which was like…..you know, I should have mentioned that as the high point for me, because…I mean, having somebody I’ve camped out for tickets, I mean, I camped out for like 2 or 3 nights to get front row tickets for “Back In Black.” You know, and then to be able to write songs with him. We have a new song on the new album that we’re recording that I wrote with Brian called “Kill The Sunshine.” When just been really lucky to have Brian and all the guys in AC/DC support us like they have, you know, it’s been a good experience to get to know those guys.
Mark Slaughter =
Bob: He’s from Slaughter.
Ummm….(pause) He sings real pretty. Yeah, I’d say he sings real pretty. You know, don’t really identify with it as opposed to what I’m about.
Bob: So what would your rating be? A broke chainsaw?
Nah, he don’t sound like that. He sings real pretty. If we’re going from 1 to 10…….I’d have to say the 1 to 10 is a vertical rating. I’d have to rate him horizontally. (Laughs) Because he’d have to be rated on a different scale cause he sings real pretty. See everybody else you’ve asked me about, that I knew of, or should I say that I knew enough about to rate, you know….cause I don’t want to go jawin’ off about somebody I don’t know. But I have heard him before and he sings real pretty. He’s got a real high voice.

6. We heard you had an interesting theory on CD burners what would that be?
My theory on CD burners is if you take a brand new CD-R and put it into the damn player you can record on it and then you have to finalize it and then you have the music on the CD.

7. What ever happened to your Foot Fetish contest where the winners would be flown to London, England. Who won
that contest and how did it go?
The contest went good….We had so many damn entries, some were down right sickening and other ones were quite darling, you know? But that was all handled internally at the V2 label. Because you know, I only have a short period of time that I was out touring before we got back to doing the Jackyl thing. When we got through the 100 shows in 50 days, you know, Jeff & Chris went and did the SuperV thing. And, uh, you know I went and did my solo album and of course that’s where I hooked up with Roman Glick from Brother Cane who’s playin bass with us now. And a….I just had a short window of opportunity to tour and everything so I didn’t….I wasn’t at a computer all the time so I wasn’t able to see every single entry. And the ones I saw…..I had my vote on the ones that I liked and stuff but it was decided internally at the label because of my touring schedule. As far as I know, everything went great and they had a good time in England. Checked out some fetish clubs. I personally have never been to the fetish clubs in England, I’ve been to the ones in Munich, Germany, when we were over there doing festivals a few years back and that was pretty cool.

8. When you wrote that song about Osama Bin Laden, were you hoping for more of a response from that?
Hoping for MORE of a response? God damn! Really, it was exceeded anything that we could have thought of. I mean, we got uh….
Bob: And it’s a fine song too, sir, if I may say so myself.
Well, you know, it is what it is. We were out in the middle of tryin’ to record a record, you know. So we were already set up in the studio. You know, the events of September 11 went down, and anybody who says it didn’t pause them for a minute is a God damn fool. You know, I think it pretty much paused everybody, you know, for a minute or longer. Of course for us, for several days, I mean I was still trying to contact people that I knew in New York, you know, make sure everybody was fine and see, you know, what played out with everything that was happening around the events of September 11th. And we were trying to get back to our normal recording procedure. It was….we felt for our own piece of mind, and also we had a lot of people on the website and stuff that we asking what we thought about it and where we were and what was going on. And one way we could kind of clear our conscious to at least feel decent about going back to work in the studio. You know, because we’re just trying to make a fun rock n roll record. So uh, and obviously the September 11th thing was about as far away from a fun rock n roll thing as you could think of, you know? So it was kind of just necessary for us to at least feel like we could have a license to move forward with our fun rock and roll that we were doin’ and feel like we at least addressed it somehow. So we wrote the song. It was all done in one day. Recorded everything, just in one night. Mixed, everything, just right there on the spot. We put it up on the website. It never was pressed as a single, you know, by us to be released. We put it on the website and it ended up costing us over $10,000 because we overloaded…..there was over 70 something thousand people just in two weeks time hit the site and downloaded it. And uh, it overloaded our server and exceeded what our limit, whatever the hell our limit was. So the server people ended up fining us. They fined us, you know, for the overload and then uh…..and then it was the only song that was ever available…..you know that song is only available as a MP3 download and it was the first time that a song that was released only on MP 3 charted on the R&R charts. It debuted at number 46. I was totally blown away that it hit with such impact as it did. And then we authorized the use of it to anybody that wanted to put it on anything to make…you know, any of the radio stations that were doin’ fund raisers, like, the burn center up at the Pentagon, you know, they raised a bunch of money with the song. I mean, it is what it is. We’re not standing on our soap box about it it. I mean we just put it on the website and next thing you know it kind of took a life of it’s own. It was cool to know…..I’ll tell you what. Regardless of what anybody else’s thoughts over here were about it, the most rewarding thing is being that we still to this day are getting an incredible amount of feedback from the troops and stuff that are stationed over in the Persian…I mean, over in the…….you know, the….
Bob: Afghanistan.
Afghanistan. And the ships and stuff that are running the soldiers back and forth. The Theodore Roosevelt, for instance, they’ve emailed us several times, you know. They have a radio station on the ship. You know, and they just had an incredible connection with the song and so, you know, I mean if people are finding some cool connection with it and especially if they are over there having to deal with some shit that, that I know that, I know sucks for them having to be over there, stationed on a ship, hanging out off the coast of Afghanistan, or traipsing across that desert over there. So if they connect with it then I could give a damn what anybody else’s opinion of it is over here past just respecting it for what it was.

9. What’s your opinion on Napster-type software and people downloading music for free over the web.
Um, (long pause) my opinion is that, you know, (pause) the bags been opened, I mean as far as technology. Digital technology if you will. And uh, Napster is really just a pimple on the ass of things to come. I mean, you know, with the satellite radio coming in and stuff, who the hell, who the hell can guess exactly. The labels aren’t going to be able to sustain themselves doing business the way they’ve done in for the last 30-40 years. I mean, the record industry is the most arrogant business ever. And you know it’s only existed for 30-40 years as we know it anyway. I mean of course it’s been around longer than that but as far as it turning into the big number business that it’s been doing since the 50s 60s 70s 80s, that kind of thing, you know, of course in the 70s and 80s it was really peaking out. You know, people got to realize that Peter Frampton was like the first rock act that ever really started selling multiple millions of copies. And that was only in the mid-70s. So the record industry only turned into this giant just in a short period of time. But in that short period of time, they’re so arrogant they could never visualize that there day could end just as quick as it began. And uh, so who the hell knows how long they’ll be able to sustain business that way. The one thing I know that is a constant is you can’t beat a good live rock and roll show. And in this day and time, we built our agenda on going out and playin to the people that connect to what we’re about. And that’s having a good time. Not over analyzing it. Not categorizing it. Just havin a good time and that’s the way we’re going to continue. That will be the constant that people will always like a damn good rock n roll show. And uh, you know, to us it really hasn’t mattered if they get it off a Napster or if they buy it, whatever, the record companies are going to screw you out of the money you’re supposed to get anyway, you know, if they can. Or should I just say the nature of the business is going to screw ya out of…….you can’t…luckily you can say this business beats the hell out of pouring concrete. And I’ve poured concrete. So I appreciate the fact that I get to get up on stage everynight and make music and if I make $1 or $100 or $10,000, I appreciate it all just the same. I’m very fortunate to be able to have the existence we’ve had.

10. Give us a touring memory about the following cities:
Los Angeles = Los Angeles, California. (long pause)
Bob: I hate to interrupt and I know we’re recording, but can I get another beer off ya?
Yeah man
Bob: Thank you sir.
Put a little salt on the rim. A touring memory would have to be that one of the first times we played there we were opening up for Aerosmith at it was in the early 90s. 93, 94. We’re at the Coliseum, the LA Coliseum, whatever it is. That big building where people go to see concerts in. And uh, (pause) I remember we came off stage thinking, “God damn, these people just don’t respond. Well they must’ve hated us.” You definitely got the vibe that they were…they’d nod their heads and jammin to the show and stuff but you get through it and it was like “yea, whoopdie doo” kinda thing. So we were thinking, “ok, this is kind of a rough place to play.” We were feelin kind of bad about it until Aerosmith hit the stage and I think it was Joe Perry (laughs) who came off the stage…after they got through “why the hell”…..(laughs) you know, it’s just, it’s just, it’s definitely in comparison, it’s more of a…..you know because so many acts go through there, you know. It’s definitely a more jaded audience as far as, you know…it would be nice to see them let loose one time and just really get down and have some fun. I would like for all the Los Angeles rockers to come out and hang out in Georgia for a day or two and just be able to experience…you know, let it hang out and not bein’ so damn reserved. But I gotta tell this, we have had some shows, like we played the Cat Club the last time they tried to get it goin’, and uh, and that was some cool gigs. Those hardcore people came out to the smaller venues and was a whole different story.
Cleveland = Had a guy who was working for the sound company, once again when we were with Aerosmith, and he was fucking with the house EQ while we were on stage. Cutting some of the ground stacks off. And had stopped the band like second song into the set. Flew off the stage and chased his ass round the damn floor of the arena. You know, he, he, he was running from me. You know, and threatened to literally bodily whip his ass, you know. You know, if he didn’t back off. But of course, then everything came back on and we ended up having a good show after that. But then, you know, from there on out, Aerosmith’s management uh, restricted him from….anytime we were in the arena performing he had to go sit in catering. So that was kind of good vindication for him fucking with us.
Milwaukee = Milwaukee. Uh they got a cool bar there. What’s the name of that place? That spy bar. There is a cool bar there. You gotta know the passcode to get in. This bookshelf moves and you go downstairs. It’s set up like James Bond, 007. It’s called the Warehouse or something. An export, import, export business or something. It’s the name of whatever James Bond’s business is in his books. And uh, anyway, you go there and you’ll be sittin there and the stool you’re sittin in at the bar drops down to the floor down below. And they’ll tilt you back and give you shots and stuff. It’s pretty cool. It’s a good place to go whenever you’re in Milwaukee.
Dallas = Dallas. Hottest gig we ever played in our lives at a place called Dallas City Limits. I think we damn near came the closest to death ever. And uh, also too, where we played our 1st headline gig that we had over 10 thousand people. Matter of fact we had about around 18-19,000 people at the…..it was the first time that we had a huge headline show that we drew that many people. It was a very, very active audience. There were 3 rock stations back when you had competitive radio stations, and there were just 3 stations just beatin’ the shit out of each other to be the #1 station. So you just had a rabid audience that was always ready to rock.
Phoenix = Phoenix. (pause) Phoenix is where when we got through playin’ some show there one time and we went to this little bar and went in and Rob Halford was just starting his solo thang, remember that? And he was up in this little bar, with maybe just 2-300 hundred people in there and he was screaming his ass off. And that was cool. Just to kind of walk in and catch Halford in an intimate setting.
Bob: Yea, up close and personal.
Yeah, but not too up close and personal. But it was great. He was awesome.
Seattle = Seattle. Had the guys in Nirvana, came out to see us play. And uh, and we were all in the dressing room and Kurt was drinking draft beer out of a gallon milk jug. And they were rockin’ and we got on stage and we broke into “I Stand Alone” and they got plum unruly down in the middle of everybody, slam dancing. And a couple of them got grabbed by the security guys and threw out the side door. And my road crew guys had to back around and let ‘em back in. So that was pretty cool that they were out jammin’ that hard.
Boston = Boston. Great band. Incredible band. What was that song, “Long Time.” I remember hearin’ that for the first time. (Sings) “It’s been such a long time, I think I should be goin'”. Yeah. That was a cool memory. I was like in Junior High School when that came out. It’s pretty cool. That is where Tom Scholz invented Rockman, guitar thing. That’s another good memory. Hearing the Rockman for the first time.
Atlanta = Atlanta. Atlanta is home town. An it was an incredible city for us to …..you know, to come home to up until we damn winded that Longhorn Steakhouse with the damn chainsaw and got all those damn lawsuits against us. And cost us over a million dollars. And then, and then, the Longhorn Steakhouse threaten to pull the damn radio advertising, their advertising, from the station because one of the jocks was making comments that you had to have a chainsaw to cut up their steaks, because they were so tough. And that further got us into a bunch of shit.
Nashville = Nashville. Nashville…….God, we got a lot of great memories of Nashville. But I’d have to say the best memory would be……..We played a big river fest down there and that Bubba Blackwell jumped about 15 or 20 cars, or trucks or something. 19 trucks, yeah, on a Harley Davidson. So that was pretty cool.
Bob: Did he crash?
He didn’t crash that night but he died like shortly thereafter at another event. But that was pretty cool having him jumping all those damn cars right before the concert. That and playing a monster truck….we played a concert right after they raced Big Foot and Grave Digger. Jackyl and Monster Trucks, definitely
Detroit = Detroit. There was a gig we played in Detroit, I think the building is torn down now, but it used to be called The Ritz. And they had the damn toilet in the dressing room was hooked up to the hot water heater. So when you’d sit down to take a shit, you had the steam from the hot water blowin’ up yo ass. And that was a….I gotta say that was a strange sensation. But it’s something you never forget. I wouldn’t necessarily hook the hot water heater to my toilet at home, but it was an interesting experience. Steam cleaning! (everybody laughs)
Omaha = Omaha. Where’s that? No, I’m just kidding. Omaha, Nebraska. When we were doing the 100 shows in 50 days, because we were doing 2 shows a day, we did 1 in the morning and one in the evening. And we played one of the morning shows in Omaha and that evening we were in Lincoln. And I remember gettin out there in Omaha and there were 3,500 people at 7:30 in the morning just jacked to the nines ready to jam. So that was pretty cool.
Bob: And the next one I added myself because I’m from around here. And that would be Merrillville, IN = Well the Holiday Star Plaza in Merrillville…(pause) it’s such a great room acoustically. You know, I mean, when you get everybody, when you get the audience responding back to ya, you know. It’s just like, I mean, it’s just perfect because you can understand just everything they’re sayin’. It’s not just like a wash. It’s just a great room acoustically. So the rapport with the audience is, although there is 3,500 people there, it’s just almost like bein’ in a very small club with 3,500 people. That’s always been like a home town gig for us to play up there. It’s a wonderful room and the people who run it just take real good care of ya. The catering is just always incredible.

11. Where is Jimmy Stiff & Tom Bettini?
That’s a good question. And their pictures are on milk cartons now, so if anybody see them, go respond to the information on the milk cartons. Nah, you know where they are? They’re doin’ their thing with with our blessings. That’s the straight up answer. But their pictures are still on milk cartons.

12. Nowadays package tours are the way to go. Is Jackyl trying to get on a package for the summer, or hasn’t anyone come knocking?
We’re not opposed to package tours. They’re always…I mean, we’ve obviously done festivals with multiple bands and stuff. It’s always interesting. Uh, but at the end of the day, we are the read headed fuckin’ step bastards of Rock and Roll. I mean, it’s goin’ to be to see, you know, just exactly what package we could go out with. But I mean, everyday we take massive strides just to do our own thing. But I mean if it works out that somethin’ falls in front of us that we can connect with and feel ok about, then that’s fine too. But I mean as far as, but as far as givin’ you any specifics, I don’t have any. I mean, right now we got an incredible Summer lined up, playin’ for the fourth year in a row we’ll headline the Sturgis Harley Davidson rally out in Sturgis, South Dakota. Set a record for that place with over 10,000 last year at the Full Throttle Saloon. Which is just a God damn incredible place to play. And it’s like playin’ inside the F-Troop fort. Did you ever watch F-Troop?
Bob: No.
You never watched that? Anyway, it’s just really cool. We played there, and we’re playin’ another big festival in Cherokee, North Carolina, comin’ up in April. Playin’ in Columbia, South Carolina, at a Cotton city concert that’s goin’ on down there that we’re headlining, because that’s basically home town for us. We’re playin’ the Hemp Festival up in Maine for the 2nd year in a row, you know. God damn, they grow some potent ass shit up there in Maine. But uh, we just, you know, we got a great Summer lined up. We got dates scattered from April to September as it is, so who knows what’s going to be happenin as far as a package tour, but as of right now we definitely got a good start on our own headline thing as usual.

13. What Rock Star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?
What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth. (really long pause) God Damn I wished I paid enough attention to some other motherfuckers to God damn……(laughs) I mean I seriously, unless someone’s up in my face, I could give two shits about what they’re doing, or what happens to ‘em. A slap in the face, a good fuck, whatever. As long as it ain’t directly affecting me or too damn close to an indirect effect to me, then I’m not going to be slapping anybody in the face. But other than that, like I said I don’t pay enough attention to them motherfuckers to God damn judge who needs a slap in the face.

14. You & John Kalodner are supposed to be good friends. If that’s the case why didn’t he sign you or Jackyl to Portrait?
At the time he was doin’ Portrait, I was doing my solo thing and Jeff and Chris were doin’ the Super V project. And uh, and Jackyl, we weren’t active. We were taking a year break on Jackyl. I mean the Portrait, the Portrait label was focused on the Iron Maiden and the….what other bands did he put out….
Somebody says: Ratt
Yeah, he put out Ratt. And also too, uh, he was more into, it was more into, I think, it was more based on doin’ a revival thing for some of those bands as opposed to…I mean, you know, like I said we’ve been pretty damn consistent to trudge through and do what we do. And I don’t even know necessarily if we had of been active we’d still been in the right realm of what he was doin at that label. But I mean, John Kalodner, had John Kalodner…you know, called us and needed us to come and (pause) I don’t know how to even word this. I mean, we’d do anything for John. John’s great. There never really was an issue one way or the other cause we don’t…ain’t a day goes by that I don’t have a full one. I can wake up….there ain’t enough hours in the day for none of us. So it never really was an issue to what was goin’ on with his Portrait thing. I was aware of him doin’ Portrait but uh, I think it was based on a whole other agenda of bands and stuff. I mean, if a…if he….had it worked out I’ll always work with John. I’ll work with John if he’s doin’ bikini waxes down in Jamaica. I mean, John’s an incredible, incredible insight to not what the critics are goin’ be worried about. John’s thing is what people dig. He just wants, he never has, EVER, EVER, deserted what his beliefs of what rock n roll is supposed to be about. You just can’t fault him. He’s got so much integrity and uh….there’s not a day goes by that I don’t thank God that I was able to learn from him and experience, because he’s really got this extra sense of timing. He’s just a very interesting man that’s connected with music. It’s pretty cool to watch him and witness him doin’ his thing.

15. What do you remember about the following years:
1975 = (long pause) God damn, what was I in 75. I remember that Bon Scott was still alive then.
1980 = (very long pause) Ain’t that back when MTV played music videos, ain’t it? I think that was back, I remember about 1980 is MTV used to play music. They’d play like, they’d take a band, and they’d play like one of their songs accompanied by a visual film of something. Like the band doin’ a video of something. And they would do that, it was pretty cool.
Bob: Actually, I think MTV was launched in 1982.
Some other guy: No, it was 1980, even.
NOTE FROM METAL SLUDGE: You’re both wrong. Try August 1, 1981. Nice try.
1984 = (pause) What the hell do I remember about 1984? I was just hittin’ the bar scene playing in bar bands trying to get my damn legs underneath me as far as figuring out what the hell I was capable of doin’. Singin’, playin’. Played this little bar down in Shreveport, Louisiana. I went downstairs with the guy claimed to be the general manager of the place and there is this old softy son-of-a-bitch sittin’ behind this desk. He didn’t say nothin’. And the general manager sits me down at his desk and he pulls out this little tape recorder and he mashes play, and it was this damn little voice goin’, “hello welcome to the (Name of the club)” and he gives me all these damn lists of rules. Of what you could and couldn’t do at that damn club we were playin’ at. So I got through listenin’ to all that and he goes, “I hope you have a good time…” So there was something that wasn’t addressed on his list of things and I asked about it, and the general manager couldn’t answer the question, so he looks over at the guy that had been sittin’ there right besides us the whole time and asked him the question and it was the same voice that was on the tape recorder. It was just funny, the guy sittin’ there the whole time while this tape recorder played. You know, I was dealin’ with some weird son-of-a-bitches back then.
1988 = (long pause) ’88. ’88 I found out I was gonna have a son. That’s what I remember about 88. I remember finding out that I was gonna be a daddy.
1992 = 1992. That’s the first Jackyl album. That was the year of the first release. That was the year that I…first thing they did they sent me on a promotional run. Put me on a plane and sent me to all these radio stations, DJs, program directors and stuff. One of the the first places they sent me was to Austin, Texas. And I didn’t have any idea what it was going to be like goin’ into these radio stations and meetin’ these people. And my first experience was the only experience like this I had. I walked in, the streets are crowded, cars cruisin up and down that strip in Austin. They’ve got their radios turned on, you can hear the songs cranking out. And we went into this little back alley and went upstairs in this little smoke filled little cubby hole. And the station we were listening to sounded so massive, and we went into this little small little closet of a room and there was this disc jockey smokin’ herb, drinking Tequila. We go on the air and he plays 3 or 4 Jackyl songs and I was thinkin’, “Man, if this is the way it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be smooooooth sailin’!” Unfortunately, especially now a days, these radio stations are so damn corporate and stuff. But as far as the actual buildings that they’re in. And it’s so uptight. It’s just far away from the rock n roll thing that we see out here on the road everynight.
1998 = 98 was us doin’ our 100 shows in 50 days. We set a Guiness Book Of World Records for 100 shows in 50 days. We released our “Choice Cuts” album, which was the best of Geffen recording of the best things we’ve released. And we set that Guiness Book Of World Records.
2001 = umm, I have to say that after a three-year break, we jumped back in the saddle with Jackyl again and started writing songs and recording. And that’s what we’ve been doin’. We’re up to 30 songs now to pick an album from. Instead of just goin’ in and recording 10 or 12 songs and sayin’ “that’s the album” you know, we just tryin’ to record as much stuff as we can. It’s just going to be a unpretentious, just a god damn straight up rock and roll record. Two guitars, bass, and drums. Everything the loudest thing in the mix and once again you’ll either get it or you won’t. If you get it, you crank it up jam a little bit. If you don’t, just can study for that underwater basket weaving test.

16. Any truth to the rumor that you live with your mom and that she manages you?
No. But my mom is at the house quite a bit. My mom is the shit! She’s into everything. Her and my dad just have been incredibly supportive of everything I’ve did. My dad’s hair is longer than mine. I’ve never uh, the whole time I was growin’ up, he always had a Harley Davidson sittin’ on the porch. He and my mom would ride down to bike week in Daytona and bring back the little video tapes of Hell’s Angels riding around and stuff. They’d wake me up in the middle of the night and I’d come out in those pajamas with the plastic bottoms on…you’d slid across the wooden floor. Did you ever have any of those?
Bob: No.
You never had….Hell, I still sleep in ‘em. They’re awesome. But anyway, I’d have those on and they’d drag me to watch Little Richard on TV, or John Lennon on the Mike Douglas show, or cool stuff like that. Elvis Presley. I got incredibly cool family. My mom is….cause I got a son that’s 12 years old and my mom’s really family oriented and stuff. She always in our life everyday. But let me just tell you, as far as somebody cuttin’ a deal for ya, your mama is the best one to do it. She will ream somebody’s ass! You can’t do better than that. The only thing better would be if your mama had a law degree. Wouldn’t that be cool? Mama the lawyer. (laughs)

17. This is the last of Jesse James Dupree:
Last 80s band you gigged with = (very long pause) We did a radio thing……..didn’t Ratt open up for us in North Dakota? (pause) It was probably Ratt.
Last book you read = Last book I read. The last book I read was my new Panasonic cellphone book that I just completed today. Gives me all the instructions on how….the Nokia just didn’t hold up. This one’s rubber coated, you see? Check it out.
Bob: Hell yeah that’s a bad ass phone buddy!
Yeah so I just got that and I can send emails. So I’m so damn plugged into damn new technology, it’s not even funny.
Last time CB radio = well last night. Yeah, that’s my favorite pasttime. I sit up side the bus driver every night, 10-4 good buddies all day long. What funny is, what funny is, we had a bus driver named Beavis and we had a tractor trailer rig that was carrying all our gear. And we’d get up there with Beavis and stuff and we’d tell people that we were the tractor trailer driver. And we’d stir up fights and shit, ’bout get the tractor trailer driver killed. It was pretty funny. Yeah, we fuck around with that CB all the time. Especially when you’re at a damn truck stop, you can stir up some shit. You get them somabitches jawin’ at each other….God damn!
Last time shot a gun = last night. I got a 12-gauge goose gun as a mic stand and it goes off at every show.
Last band you produced other than Jackyl = Blackberry Smoke guys, yeah little southern rock band from Atlanta.
Last time your chainsaw ran out of gas = it don’t run out of gas. That’s was chainsaw techs are for.
Last time you wore a rubber = It’s been a long while…
Somebody else: He’s wearin’ one now!
I’d have to say it’s probably been a while since I’ve had to. I wear one 24/7. Actually, I’d have to say that I’m I’m fortunate that my lady is on the pill. So I don’t have to mess with those things.
Last time you saw a UFO = (long pause) she did this incredible thing with her toe, err her tongue. It made my eyeballs roll back in my head. I don’t know about a UFO but I think I was seein’ God. It was a pretty incredible experience.
Last fight you got into = Buffalo, NY. 2 years ago Halloween.
Last time you got a haircut = (pause) ummm. God damn. That’s a good question. Probably a couple of years. I figure if I get split ends that means I have twice as much hair.
Last famous person you shook hands with = (pause) Who would that be? (long pause) The last famous person I shook hands with probably was Dale Earnhardt. That was in Indianapolis. When was that I shook hands with Dale Earnhardt? It wasn’t too long right before he crashed. It was him and Darrell Waltrip was having dinner at a steakhouse. Our tables were right beside each other.
Last time you had sex with a blood relative? = God damn! A blood relative. That’s a good question. Umm…I probably it’s been more than a couple of years. Probably been more than a couple years. That’s when I discovered what relative humidity was. That’s the sweat that builds up on your sister’s ass when you’re done fucking her from behind. (laughs) But I don’t have a sister so…

18. Are you calling the band Jackyl because you realize the value of your name as a solo act isn’t going to draw as much money as the name Jackyl?
The band’s name is Jackyl is because that’s what it is. Actually, to be honest with you though, I get pretty much get paid $100,000 flat, whether it’s with Jackyl or without. So it’s pretty much the same either way. The only thing that varies is the deli tray. Yea, with Jackyl I’m able to ask for like sliced turkey straight off the real turkey, where as with my solo thing I had to put up with like sometimes it was pressed meat. But other than that, the $100,000 stays consistent.

NOTE FROM SLUDGE: Jesse was being a smartass. Jackyl does not make $100,000 a show, thank you.

19. Looking back at posing for Playgirl, do you have any regrets doing that, especially considering, uh, well, how small your chainsaw looked?
Bob: I don’t write ‘em I just ask ‘em man!
I have no regrets. As far as someone gauging me, uh there’s a big difference in measuring somebody standing up in front of 3,500 people. You know, some men may be able to stand up in front of 3,500 people, and hang relaxed. I personally went completely North with mine. That’s that kind of thing that’ll make your dick crawl back up in your damn belly in about a heart beat. Cause it’s not like you run out on stage naked everyday. However, my repeat business has always been pretty damn good, so I don’t have any regrets about a damn thing.

20. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name and you give us your thoughts.
Kid Rock = A Detroit boy that always, how do I say this, respects the turf that I grew up on. As far as the South. I’d have to say when I think of him he definitely always been utmost respectful about my Southern roots. The things I grew up lovin’ too, whether it be Hank Jr., Skynyrd or whatever. It’s no secret that he’s definitely a big fan of the South, and that’s cool.
Nikki Sixx = I’d have to say he’s a damn good businessman.
Rikki Rockett = Rikki Rockett. Who the hell is that?
Bob: He’s the drummer from Poison.
Man, I keep telling you, I mean, I know they did good, I heard their name forever, but I swear to God I missed that whole thang. I don’t know, and I’m not just sayin’ it, I fucking just don’t know too much about that shit to even make a comment. I don’t even know, and I’m not just fuckin’ sayin’ that, I seriously am totally unaware of that whole thang.
Jani Lane = I know those guys had a great run and they do their thing but I’m so fuckin’ uneducated. I seriously just…I don’t even know ‘em. I don’t even know ‘em to….as far as I’m not educated enough to damn be able to make a comment on.
Ted Nugent = Ted Nugent is Ted Nugent. (laughs) He is all Ted Nugent. My thoughts on Ted Nugent are he will kill and God damn hunt his ass off. He’ll go huntin’ in any fuckin’…..we were in a damn songwriters in France at this 13th Century castle. 8 days dedicated to nothin’ but song writin’. And there wasn’t a day he didn’t march outta the gates of that damn castle with his bow and arrow to go an hunt. He’s a huntin’ mother fucker! And if all hell breaks loose over here in this country, I’m glad I know where he lives cause I wanna go stay at his house. He is loaded for Bear in ever sense of the word.
Dana Strum = Dana Strum. (pause) uh once again I don’t know enough about him to make any comments.
Butch Walker = he’s an Atlanta boy, I know him. He played in ummm, he played in a couple of bands. Southgang, and now he’s doin’ his solo thing I heard. But I really, uh, I helped a radio station in South Carolina put on a show. It wasn’t a show that Jackyl or we played at or anything. Just a show I helped put on and he played there. They came out and rocked. I mean, once again, I just know him from bein’ around Atlanta. I don’t know him, know him, you know?
David Geffen = oh just one God damned, smart sumbitch to take a company that Warner Bros funded. He didn’t have any of his own money in it and he built it up to the point that he sold it for a damn clean 750 million. God damn! Go David Geffen.
President Bush = My thoughts on him is thank God it’s him and not that damn Al Gore.
Jimmy Stiff = My thoughts on Jimmy? Praise Jimmy Stiff.
Jefferson Davis = I though you were gonna say Jefferson Starship. He was one of our presidents. Wasn’t he? Was Jefferson Davis a president? I don’t know. He might’ve been on the Starship Enterprise.
Tom Bettini = No longer in the band.

Did you make it all the way through? Did you read everything?

Now if for some reason you want to know even more about Jackyl, well then you’re a sick fuck! But regardless, you can go to www.rockmerollmejackylmeoff.com for more info!

Thanks to Jesse for putting up with our questions for over an hour and being able to hang, and to Bob for pulling it off!