20 Questions With Ryan Cook, 11/28/00

20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Hair Of The Dog Singer Ryan Cook

Well we talked to Hair Of The Dog’s John Sepetys and Boot last Spring, so we figured it was only fair for Ryan to join the fun and get harassed with our 20 Questions. And what a coincedence…Hair Of The Dog is also playing our Metal Sludge Extravaganza this Thursday, November 30th, at Paladino’s in Tarzana, CA. Funny how things work out, huh? You’d almost think we planned it that way!

Anyways, Ryan was a good sport and gave us some detailed answers.Enjoy.

1. What are you currently up to? This is the only chance to plug your stuff.

We’ve currently been touring in support of our latest release, “RISE”. This is not opinion, this is fact: If you like good time, kick ass, party rock and roll music, HOTD is worth checking out. We’re not pissed off, we’re not out to air any grievances. Our duty is to see that you get nothing but pure, raw, complaint free rock and roll. Tired of N’Suck? Tired of hearing so called “rock stars” complain about everything? Well, look no more. You’re about to meet your new favorite band. If you like the record, buy it for a friend. If you don’t like the record, buy it for an enemy.

2. Do you have a day job and what do you do to pay the bills?

Prior to my days in HOTD, I’ve always been fortunate to have a career in the music industry (besides being a musician). I started out working at record labels and eventually made my way into music publishing. Up until now I’ve continued working in publishing when I’m not on the road. I know working a day job doesn’t seem very rock and roll, but I look at it this way: Remember that VH-1 special and they show the dude having to paint billboards because he blew all his dough from his record deal? That ain’t for me, brother. This little pig actually saved some of his advance and works to supplement it. I look at it as extra beer money.

3. You guys seem to have problems getting on tours. Why is that?

It’s not necessarily that we have a problem getting tour offers, it’s a matter of getting offers from people that we want to be on tour with. We’ve actually turned down offers more than once just because we didn’t feel that it was right for us. We figured as soon as we got a deal that it would be much easier to get major tours. We learned real quick that there are a lot of politics involved and that you still have to work your ass off to prove that you’re worthy of touring with the big boys. That’s fine with us. Let’s face it, straight ahead, kick ass rock and roll is still slowly working its’ way back into the mainstream, and a band like us builds it’s following by touring relentlessly. If we have to play clubs and theatres for another year to prove that we’re ready to move to the next level, so be it. It’s not like we don’t dig playing a show every night. My motto is “Have guitar, Will travel”.

4. What hard rock/heavy metal band should give it up and call it a day?

I won’t lie to you, there’s more than one band out there I’d be happy to never hear again. But for me to tell them to give it up wouldn’t be cool. Chances are that if I don’t dig them, they probably don’t like my band either. Of course that would be very wrong if they didn’t like HOTD. What are they, fucking idiots?!

5. Rate the following singers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a horrible singer and 10 being the bomb.

*Before I continue, let me just say that my opinion of my own singing doesn’t even get a 1 on this scale. Now let’s let the shit fly*

Paul Stanley = 10. Paul, your voice is better than ever and Kiss is the reason I got into Rock and Roll. Now quit sucking your fucking finger.

David Lee Roth = 10. The ultimate frontman. The high notes he can no longer hit are made up for with charisma. I also think he’s cool ’cause he made John Sepetys puke.

Vince Neil = 8 for his voice, 10 for his alcohol consumption.

Jani Lane = 8. I was never really into Warrant, but that doesn’t mean the guy can’t sing.

Phil Lewis = 6.

Johnny Solinger = 10. I feel like he gets a bum rap because people don’t listen to him and say “Wow, he’s a great singer”, they listen to him and say “Does he sound exactly like Sebastian?” But hey, he took the gig. He’s a great guy and treated us with respect.

Ajay Popoff = 10. Great voice, good Pop sensibility.

Stephen Pearcy = 5. “Hey man, these monitors suck!” Whatever, dude.

Jizzy Pearl = 8. Haven’t heard him with Ratt, but liked him in his Love/Hate days.

Bret Michaels = This is a guy who doesn’t pretend to be the greatest singer in the world but makes no bones about having a good time. That’s a 10 in my book.

6. Have you guys ever seen the inside of a tour bus?

We’ve used every mode of transport: bus, cargo van, passenger van, motor home, we even fly the friendly skies (rarely). We generally won’t get a tour bus unless we have the itinerary to back it up. When we’re out 3-5 months at a time a bus makes the most sense. Our bus was christened the “Sinwagon” and we did everything possible to make sure it lived up to its’ name; it was basically a night club on wheels.

7. Boot said in his 20 questions that you guys sold 10,000 CD’s of your first CD on your own, but now that you have national distribution on a record label you guys haven’t even broke 5,000. What’s the story with that?

Thanks for bringing that up, really (sarcasm mode now turned off). I think the non-stop touring on our first record had lot to do with the amount of exposure we received. We literally toured for almost 2 years on that record. It becomes much easier to sell records when you’re performing in a different city every night. We’re the kind of band that attracts fans through our live show. Once we hit the road, and I mean really hit the road doing 5-6 nights a week for months at a time, the sales will increase. I think everybody who reads this should call or email Spitfire and tell them you want to see and hear more of HOTD. If they feel the heat from the fans, they will respond.

8. For $100,000: Would you attend a hard core prison for one month with no special protection or provisions. There will be nothing on your criminal record when you are released.

No way. I’d much rather keep my ass intact than pad my bank account. Thanks anyway.

9. Ever banged 2 chicks at once?

When I first moved away from home it was to a swanky apartment complex in Orlando. One of the many amenities offered at this place was a do-it-yourself car wash (which happened to be located right by my apartment). So one day I come home and see two lovelies washing a Jeep. As I got out of my truck they asked something about helping them “turn on the hose”. I gladly obliged, we made chit chat, then they offered me a beer. Later that night they turned on my hose. Those girls really taught me about teamwork.

10. Rate the following chicks on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a hideous mess and 10 being a hottie.

Shannon Tweed = 7

Alyssa Milano = 10

Anna Nicole Smith = 3. She’s had some old dude’s balls on her. Gross.

Carmen Electra = 10

Cindy Margolis = 10

Rose McGowan = 6

Bobbi Brown = 10

Jenny McCarthy = 10

Samantha Maloney = Who?

Ruta Sepetys = 12. Beautiful, intelligent, and my great friend.

11. What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?

Just one? I’ll give you four: Axl, Duff, Slash and Izzy. Get Guns back together already! Of course, HOTD would be the support act on their World tour.

12. Give us a really good drunk story on your following bandmates.

John: During the making of Rise we set up camp in Nashville, TN. Being that this is the capital of Country Music with many fun Country facts and artifacts, we went to Deja Vu. John was on this “Natural Ice” kick. Natural Ice is beer with a 5.0 alcohol content. So John drinks about 40 of them and passes out while sitting in his chair and the girls were still giving him dances. Boot just kept putting money in John’s lap and the girls kept dancing. They were true professionals.

To read John’s response to this accusation, click here!

Boot: You realize picking just one drunk story for Boot is like choosing the most beautiful snowflake; there are just too many to choose from. On our last road jaunt we all went to a house party after our show and yes, we had a bit to drink. We all got separated for awhile and when I finally found Boot around 3:30am he was with one our techs throwing full beer cans at my head. This wasn’t much fun for me. I also heard he was walking into strangers homes asking for someone named “Billy”.

Mike: I have a lot of fun with Mikey but have yet to see him completely obliterated.

*Note to Self: Get Mikey drunk this weekend and send story to Metal Sludge.

13. What do you think about Metallica suing Napster?

I think Lars must be hanging out with Gene Simmons.

14. Who banged the most chicks during your last tour?

We didn’t shoot anybody. Heh Heh.

15. Which do you prefer and why?

Backstreet Boys or N’Sync = Fuck off

Stephen Pearcy or Jani Lane = Jani Lane. Because he hasn’t attempted to screw my band over while touring with him (see Boot & John’s 20 questions)

Sebastian Bach or Johnny Solinger = Since I don’t know Sebastian, I’ll have to say Johnny Solinger. Like I said earlier, he treated us with respect and gave us props from the stage every night.

Christina Aguillera or Britney Spears = Christina. Great voice, Nice ass.

Rainbow or Crazy Girls = Rainbow. All the dancers at Crazy Girls end up at the Rainbow eventually.

Vodka or Southern Comfort = Vodka. It keeps me level headed. BAWHAHA!!!

Janine or Jenna Jameson = I prefer them both, thank you.

Playing guitar or singing = Since I’m always doing them both at the same time, I’ll have to call it a draw.

Shaking your ass like Paul Stanley or doing a chick in the ass = This is hilarious. How about doing a chick while she shakes her ass like Paul?

Ted Nugent or Rikki Rockett = I’ll go with Uncle Ted. He is a bad Motherfucker. No offense Rikki.

16. Hair of the Dog’s album came out in April, but you guys didn’t tour at all during the entire Summer. How do you expect to promote an album if you sit at home all Summer?

Are you psychic? I wondered the same thing while we “sat at home all summer”. See question 3. We will tour and we will kick maximum ass.

17. What’s the most Rock and Roll way to die?

a) Choking on vomit like Bon Scott or John Bonham

b) O’ding on heroin like Shannon Hoon and Bradley Nowell

c) Contracting Aids like Freddy Mercury and Easy E

d) Crashing in a plane like Randy Rhoads and Ronnie Van Zandt.

e) Committing suicide like Kurt Cobain and Wendy O’ Williams.

I’ll have to go with D. I’m also happy to say that we’re not big enough to fly very often.

18. Do you guys think you’d have more success if you had a better name than Hair of the Dog?

I wish it were that easy. But I do see your point. I think we should simply call the next record “Metallica”

19. Would you agree that playing our Metal Sludge Night at Paladino’s is the biggest thing that has ever happened to Hair of the Dog?

Oh, definitely. Look at the audience we’ll be playing for: Rock Stars, Porn Stars and Sludgeaholics. This is very Rock and Roll.

20. Time for Metal Sludge’s word association. We give you a name and you give us your thoughts.

Jani Lane = He saw Red.

Sebastian Bach = Pissed off

Bret Michaels = Nothin But A Good Time

Stephen Pearcy = Nothin But A Shitty Time

Lars Ulrich = Napster

Cinderella = Cool

Johnny Evans = Bitter

Dokken = Where’s George?

Kid Rock = American Bad Ass

Neil Zlozower = Outrageous, Awesome, Hilarious, Great Friend

That was well done! We also like to thank HOTD for having the balls to play our 1st LA Metal Sludge Party! For more info on Hair Of The Dog and to find out when their co-headlining stadium tour stars with Aerosmith and Guns N Roses, check out their page atwww.hotd.com! And buy some shit too!