“Well, of the thousands of interviews I’ve done this was certainly the wierdest……..”
— Kip Winger of Winger – November 2001
SLUDGE FLASHBACK — Here we are taking a look back at another classic Metal Sludge post from over the years, and today it’s one of our 20 Questions interviews.
The following 20 Questions interview was posted on November 27th 2001 with Kip Winger of the band Winger.
This below was the exact intro, layout, questions, answers and editors notes – including Kip‘s typos – that we published more than 24 years ago.
Enjoy this and please share with your friends…. now get ready to Sludge At The Devil!
Metal Sludge
Metal Sludge: 20 Questions
Date: November 27th 2001
Over the last month or so, we’ve been on a roll regarding our 20 Questions. We’ve had some great answers and some in-depth interviews. Well it can’t last forever!
And on that note, here’s our 20 Questions with Winger’s Kip Winger!
1. What are you currently up to? This is your only chance to promote your projects.
Kip Winger: very Funny! .I’m currently just writing my ass off.Alot of songs..and working on a ochestral piece.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Actually we weren’t trying to be funny. We start every interview this way. If you think that’s funny, you ain’t seen nothing yet!
2. Poison was out touring for the third Summer in a row & once again drawing some very big crowds. What’s your take on the reason why Poison and Kiss are the only hairbands to draw such a large crowd while the others are playing clubs or small theaters?
KW: Bon Jovi’s not doing too bad… Basically the bands that sold Millions of records can still draw enough people to survive.
3. Do you think Winger was musically superior to the typical 80s hairband?
KW: Those would be you words…Obviously we were all good musicians..and strived to write more challenging stuff.
4. What hard rock/heavy metal band should call it a day?
KW: Only the ones who dont love what they’re doing.
5. Rate the following singers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being somebody who sucks and 10 being a vocal god.
Steve Whiteman = 10
Alice Cooper = 9
Bret Michaels = 4
Sebastian Bach = 9
Jani Lane = 2
Vince Neil = 3
Stephen Pearcy = 2
Don Dokken = 1
Marilyn Manson = 10
Mark Slaughter = 5
6. Isn’t ballet kind of…well, gay?
KW: I guess if your completely uneducated and uncultured..and have your head buried in your ass.And by the way for the stupid people who make comment like that..I dare you to try it..you wouldn’t last 5 mins.
If you watch pro-football consider yourself a gay lover..cause most pro athletes have studied ballet for basic agility…go figure..
7. Did you ever do any session work and not get credit for it, and if so, who did you do it for?
KW: I haven’t done it for years…
8. Of all the bands Winger played with, who treated you guys with the least respect?
KW: No-one we played with cause once they heard us there was not much to say.
9. Finish this sentences: “The biggest misconception about Winger is…”
KW: that we were a corprate band…and that ballet is gay.
10. Being that you’ve taken music theory and are into classical music and such, you should be a good judge of songs. Rate these following songs on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a song that really sucks and 10 being an almost perfect song.
Shout At The Devil by Motley Crue = 3
Panama by Van Halen = 5
Unskinny Bop by Poison = 2
Nookie by Limp Bizkit = ?
Lick It Up by Kiss = 3
Youth Gone Wild by Skid Row = 6
Bang Bang by Kix = 5
Smooth Up In Ya by the BulletBoys = 8
Can You Take Me Higher by Creed = 6
My Own Worst Enemy by Lit = ???
11. Back in 1988, Winger opened up for Ozzy replacing Anthrax. Do you remember why Anthrax got the boot and how did it feel getting booed by Ozzy’s fans and leaving the tour a few days later?
KW: That never happened..it was only a few show to begin with..
12. What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?
KW: boy, your really eggin me on eh..
I dont know but I can tell you what “wanna be rock star deserves a smack”..who ever wrote these questions
EDITOR’S NOTE: Again, this is just the same question we’ve asked everybody since day one.
13. What do you remember about playing in the following cities:
Denver = girls
Dallas = girls
Detroit = girls
Chicago = girls
New York = girls
San Diego = girls
Minneapolis = girls
Nashville = girls
Philadelphia = girls
Miami = girls
14. What’s the most destructive thing you’ve ever done on the road?
KW: Why is that suppose to be cool?
EDITOR’S NOTE: No, it’s suppose to be a question. Thanks for going along with it.
15. Which do you prefer:
Kix or Cinderella = Both
Paula Abdul or Janet Jackson = Neither
Tchaikovsy or Mozart = Tchaikivsky
Kane Roberts or Reb Beach = Beach
Don Johnson or George Michael = Neither
1990 or 2000 = 2000
Riki Rachtman or Carson Daly = Neither
Touring with the Scorpions or Touring with Kiss = Scorps
New York or Miami = Miami
Limp Bizkit or Staind = Staind
16. Who’s the most overrated band today?
KW: Metallica
17. Yes or no, has Kip Winger ever:
Worn two condoms at once = wouldn’t you like to know
Had anal sex with a supermodel = ditto
Encouraged male friends to take ballet = only to you..so you’ll find out your a whip.
Considered suicide = how nouveau
Failed a breathalyzer = no
Shaved your chest hair = I let girls do that
Bleached your teeth = no
Been over 21 and had sex with a 17 year old = no
Thought about re-recording your past Winger songs for a “Latest & Greatest” CD = no
Shoplifted = no
18. Do you ever wish Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis & Butthead, would die a painful death for basically ruining your career?
KW: yeh, why not..
19. Isn’t posing for Playgirl..well, gay?
KW: if your interested in being gay then you should get a subscription
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you were interested in making a favorable impression with the 300,000 some Sludgeaholics who visit every week, you would have put some effort into this and not come off like a crab apple.
20. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name and you give us your thoughts.
Beavis & Butthead = funny
Lonn Friend = great guy
Dana Strum = not so great
Gene Simmons = great marketing dude
Beau Hill = talented producer
Fiona = nice person
Jason Flom = good ears
Rachel Hunter = cool accent
Lars Ulrich = big head
Alice Cooper = legend
KW: Well, of the thousands of interviews I’ve done this was certainly the wierdest……..
Thank you.
For more info on the exciting life of Kip Winger, feel free to visit his Website
Wow… In looking back at some of our questions, it’s safe to say we were definitely pushing the boundaries (Thanks a lot Jani Bon Neil), but in all fairness, the internet was pretty much the wild-wild-west in its infancy… glad we survived it.
Stay tuned to Metal Sludge for Breaking News, Updates and Features along with both New Interviews and Classic 20 Questions.
