Metal Sludge The Power and the Glory
20 Questions w/ Randy Cooper of Texas Hippie Coalition!
Randy Cooper of Texas Hippie Coalition
Welcome everyone to a new installment of 20 Questions. This week we interview Randy Cooper of Texas Hippie Coalition. Now for those of you not from Texas, or the various club circuits in the central US – you might be saying Texas Hippie who? Well fear not. This band has been making big waves, rocking stages and kicking next level ass for a few years now. In fact, really BIG waves. The band is fronted by a near 500 pound singer simply named Big Rich. It appears that Randy, and especially Rich – have a heavy appetite for southern tinged hard rock, along with buckets of beer & jack daniels by the jug full. Randy plays lead fiddle for the group, and here he is with some inside scoop on Big Rich and THC. Enjoy!
1. What is Randy Cooper and Texas Hippie Coalition currently up to? This is your only chance to plug your shit (music, tours, etc).
We just released the single BEG off the Rollin CD. Its a remix from the record called the 420 recording. get it off itunes for 69 cents. Constantly touring , just played the MayHem festival in OKC, Headed to El Paso and Miami OK, to do a couple of shows on the Rock Alliance tour with Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, etc. Ride For Dime coming up, then headed to the East Coast. Got a couple of shows in Ohio for EZ Rider. Then the one Im waiting for. 3 shows with BLS. OKC, Mempis, and New Orleans. first weekend in October.
Download “Beg (The 420 Recording)” @ iTunes for .69 cents http://bit.ly/poDLxG
2. With hair straight out of the 1980s, were you ever a “hair metal hippie” back in the day? What was the first band you ever played in and how old were you?
I’ve always had this hair. I knew what I wanted to be in grade school, starting with growing my hair long. I played talent shows in Jr high and High school in Dumas and Denison Tx. At 16 started the band called Sniper in Denison. It didnt take long to meet Pantera and start getting opening slots in the North Texas, DFW area. That was with the first singer Terry Lee. Then with Phil. This was before Cowboys From Hell came out.
3. A lot of people say Texas Hippie Coalition sounds a lot like a combination of Pantera, Black Label Society and Corrosion of Conformity. Hailing from Texas like Pantera, did you ever meet Dimebag or Vinnie? Any good stories you can share?
I met Dime and Vinnie when I was 16. Got to open shows for them in the North Tx. and DFW area. I saw Pantera more than any band on the planet. They kicked everyones Ass. My favorite story is Dime hooking me up with the dude I bought my first Dean from. It took me a couple of years to get it floyd rosed and then got painted black with white lightning on it. I showed it to Dime and handed him a nail and said sign it. he said no way, its too beautiful. Namm 2009. I meet Buddy Blaze doing the anniversary of Dimes Lightning guitar. Its buddy Blaze blue with flames. He gives it to me and I debute it at the House Of Blues in Anehiem Ca. After the show I had him the guitar and a nail and say sign it….He was more than happy to carve it up.
4. When THC is out on the road, who sleeps in the top bunk of the Texas Hippie RV?
Im the next to the floor guy. The drummer Timmy claims that bunk.
Can anyone spot which guy is named Big Rich in this pic?
5. What’s Big Dad Ritch like offstage? Is he “pissed off and mad about it” all the time? Who makes important band decisions?
All business. Works on this band all the time. That will make you pissed off…At home with the Kids. The biggest teddybear/ Sasquatch you ever saw.
We take a sit down meeting at the round table, and talk it out for the best moves to make, we have a great management and label team.
6. What’s the most shocking backstage or rockstar tour bus story you can tell? Names can be changed to protect the innocent (or guilty).
Shocking to me is to finally meet someone that was a life long hero and they really aint as cool as a video or a song made them to be.
I was shocked to see Slash at the Namm show. I couldn’t get within 50 feet of him. The crowd around him was insane.
7. In Randy Cooper’s world, What hard rock/heavy metal band should give it up & call it a day?
BULLETBOYS
Texas Hippie Coalition Live!
8. Rate the following guitarists on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being somebody who totally sucks balls and 10 being a guitar God.
Eddie Van Halen =
C.C. Deville =
Wes Wallace =
Zakk Wylde =
Gary Rossington =
Slash =
Jimi Hendrix =
Dimebag Darrell =
Eric Clapton =
Jay Jay French =
All 10s. I love them all. I love sitting in with bands and jammin songs of my favorite guitarist
9. What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?
David Lee Roth for quitting Van Halen
10. What are your thoughts on the state of the music industry today when it comes to rock music and heavy metal compared to, say, 20 years ago? Are things better or worse today overall?
I watched every band on the Mayhem fest. Heavy Metal is alive and kickin. Great freakin players. I love the guitar shit that is coming out now. when you hear Eddie Van Halen play back then you say how in the fuck did he do that. Now every band you hear you say that.
Big Rich grabbing his crotch like a 80s Rock God? Look out Steel Panther!
11. Who is the most overrated band or artist of all-time to you where you ask yourself “how the fuck was _______ even signed?!?!?”
BULLETBOYS
12. Memory lane with Randy Cooper! What do you remember about the following years?
1975 = Grade school, sports KISS, alls I wanted to be was Ace Frehley
1982 = Randy Rhoads died. Got a Ibanez Destryer II. Caught Paul Stanleys guitar on the Creatures of the Night tour in Amarillo Tx.
1985 = Graduated high school. Work at the hospital as a Respitory Therapist. trying to figure out how to be a Rock Star
1989 = worked as a Respitory Therapist, and trying to figure out how to be a rock star
1992 = Recovering from a near fatal car wreck. I broke my neck and was a quadraplegic relearning how to walk and then play guitar again
1996 = On the road with John Exall in a band called Atomic Playground
2000 = Working as a Journeyman electrician, trying to figure out how to be a rock star
2003 = Started THC
2007 = Recorded Pride of Texas with David Prator
2011 = Touring Rollin CD
Randy pays tribute to Dime with the Dean made famous by the Texas legend!
13. If you could bring any three musicians back from the dead, who would you choose & why?
Randy Rhoads, and Dimebag. they werent done making music. Layne Staley. I never got to see Alice in Chains
14. What are the three best and worst moments in your career so far?
Three best = getting signed, going to Europe, Going to Brasil
Three worst = Driving Rv, Being my own road crew, Driving again. sux.
Texas Hippie Coalition
15. How much money do you have in your pocket right now, including change?
my kids are with me…None. they rape me of all money.
16. Time for Metal Sludge’s Fuck/Marry/Kill question. You have three choices – kill one, fuck one and marry the other.
Ashley Melnick (Miss Texas 2010)
Big Dad Ritch
Michelle Obama
Editor: There was no answer to this question?
17. Have you ever:
Tasted your own urine = no
Ate a girl out on the rag = no
Touched another man’s penis = no
Considered suicide = no
Seen Big Dad Ritch naked = yes try not
Shoplifted something = no
Illegally downloaded MP3s = no
Considered shaving your head = never
Considered moving to Delaware = no
Been in an 80s hairband = yes
Former hair band member, Randy Cooper. Now, send us those pics! Lol.
18. Hypothetical question – you have only 24 hours to live, but with one choice, you can prolong your life and live past 80 years of age. Which one do you choose in exchange for prolonging your life?
A) You must give Big Dad Ritch a spongebath immediately after every gig for the next year.
B) Cut your hair and go on tour with Miley Cyrus as her personal assistant for $100 a day.
C) Continue playing guitar, but only in an 80s hair metal cover band that never plays outside of Sherman, Texas.
Which do you choose and why?
C. I dont give men sponge baths, I dont like Miley Cyrus, Like I love my Hair. I like my home town so I could live hear forever
19, Finish this sentence. One thing not many people know about Randy Cooper is that…
I broke my neck in a car wreck, and i have no feeling in my fingers.
20. The last of Randy Cooper:
Last time you puked from drinking = Cant remember. Im not a big drinker
Last concert you watched from the crowd (not counting a gig) = Mayhem Fest 2 days ago
Last fast food you ate = tacos
Last famous person you shook hands with = Sully GodSmack
Last time you listened to rap music = never
Last time you cried = today. lost my brother in law
Last CD that you paid full price for = new BLS
Last time you visited a trailer park =today
Last time you had short hair = grade school
Last time you visited Metal Sludge = today
For more information on THC check out the following links:
Official website / http://www.thcoutlaw.com
Facebook / http://www.facebook.com/texashippiecoalition
Twitter / http://twitter.com/THCOfficial
Myspace / http://www.myspace.com/texashippiecoalition
Randy Cooper Dean Guitars bio / http://www.deanguitars.com/thc.php
We wanna thank Randy for this. Now send us Big Rich, we got some questions for him!
Metal Sludge
Texas Hippie Sludge
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