LAST HURRAH


Ryan Adams


LAST HURRAH : The very first time that I met you was at John Doe's show, his SXSW set. Are you a fan of his music also?

RYAN ADAMS : Caitlin Cary and I were always talking about X when we talked about whiskeytown, before it became an actual band. We like the concept of there being no real front person in X, yet this kind of switch up of vocals and really their sheer power, and their ability to sort of bastardise punk rock and midwetsren rock and even country into their own sound.

LAST HURRAH : So you were influenced by X a lot.

RA : I loved that band, and to this day still listen to them. they were kind of the first gothic country band I had heard, besides Luke the Drifter.

LAST HURRAH : People say you were a punk rocker. Do you still listen to punk rock?

RA : I was probably not as punk rock as people say, although I have listened to bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat all my life, as well as obscure punk bands like Frightwig or the Wipers, the list can go on and on...

LAST HURRAH : What was your first punk record?

RA : A SST sampler, the blasting concept. Ever since I first heard punk rock, i have persued it with reckless abandon. I also liked the concept of punk rock which as a kid from rural north carolina helped me idenifiy with myself as more of an individual than I might have otherwise.

LAST HURRAH : What happened to your new album, "Go By By Music"?

RA : The new album is called "Pneumonia".

LAST HURRAH : Is Outpost going to release it?

RA : No, it will be released on another label. Outpost no longer exists thanks to the scum sucking capitalist bastards at the Interscope Music Group who basically put hudreds of good bands out on the street bumming for quarters. Whoever runs the Interscope Music Group can kiss my ass, by the way.

LAST HURRAH : You're frustrated by the fact that your new album hasn't been released yet?

RA : Well, it was frustrating at first, but I have a solo record coming out in the meanwhile on Bloodshot records. It will be released in Sept.

LAST HURRAH : Are you going to keep on playing as a solo?

RA : Yes, yes and yes.

LAST HURRAH : Tell me more about your new album, I mean the new Whiskeytown.

RA : "Pneumonia" is really more of an album than "strangers" was. It is quite alot of music and I think it has more of an identity. we were alittle over-influenced by the booze on strangers I think. not that I dont totally love "Strangers" but we were all pretty sick and twisted people at that point and I had a broken heart. not that I didnt this time around.

LAST HURRAH : Why do you change the band members so often?

RA : Contrary to popular belief, there are no set members in whiskeytown besides myself and Caitlin Cary. so members come and go when they have time or when they get fired by Caitlin, who gets me to fire them, or they get sick of me or the road or whatever. weve actually lost more members to substance abuse programs than anything.

LAST HURRAH : Who are the current members?

RA : I'm gonna skip this one. I havent been around those guys in awhile.

LAST HURRAH : How did you hook up with Neko Case? You wrote a song with her on her latest album.

RA : I love Nico Case. I kiss the ground she walks on. she is a country rock shotgun with 40,000 beautiful bullets blasting through my soul.

LAST HURRAH : Any future plans?

RA : Tonight I'm gonna get loaded down at the bar and eat some medicine and get beautiful. Tommorow, I'm gonna wake up and make plans to go out and do the same thing. Life is a hands-on thing.

LAST HURRAH : OK, here's the last question. Who was your favorite at SXSW this year?

RA : Van Alston. Yeah, Van Alston.

LAST HURRAH : Who? Who's Van Alston? Where did he play?

RA : No, he's our tour manager. He did a great job.


(Interview : TOMOO YAMAGUCHI)

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