Page 28 - Black Velvet Issue 85

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first time and going “Fucking hell, this is ter- someone’s account of being in prison… for cause there was only me and the band there.
rifying” in a good way. That feeling of the un- some reason my audience is in on the joke… So yeah, there are a few of those stories that
known was obviously evaporated when it I’m telling this story from an ironic perspec- I thought it’s about time, I’ve been working
wasn’t the unknown anymore, when I was on tive, I’m still here, I didn’t die, and they get it. hard in this industry, harder than a lot of peo-
stage talking, and I kind of forgot one very So yeah, we’re trying to keep the show as ple that feature in the stories, and that’s ba-
important valuable part of the equation, light as we can but there are some sections sically what the whole show is about. I’m a
which was the audience. Because it’s a very of the show that are so fucking bleak, there’s professional musician and if you want to
audience-led show, a lot of these people just silence in the audience, you could hear continue to be a professional musician you
have been through the last 20 years with me, a pin drop, like it was through a Marshall can’t be pulled down by the weakest line in
they’re not only very supportive but… I stack. And I like it like that because it shows the pack, otherwise I wouldn’t be here doing
didn’t even take it into consideration, they that they’re listening. In fact, during the this, I’d just be in a room taking heroin with
respond to what I’m saying, whether it’s show, I do make a show of saying ‘Look, this somebody. So yeah, I’m just putting a few
boos or laughs or claps, or anything like is not a stand up comic routine, and it’s not ghosts to bed, that’s all.”
that, and that just made me feel really at a theatre production, you’re allowed to get The other month Ginger retweeted a
home.” up and have a piss, or go for a beer, any time quote - ‘I asked God for strength, and God
The tour was a theatre tour, which was you like through the show, which they do but gave me difficulties to make me strong’. We
all seated in old-style theatres. The shows they only do it when the music starts. No- like that quote – it’s very true. Sometimes
were all booked for weekends too, which one gets up and goes for a piss when I’m you can wish for things, and then you’ll get
Black Velvet particularly liked. “I know our talking and I think that’s lovely! They want to what you wanted, but not how you wanted it.
audience,” says Ginger. “I know that they’ve hear the story…” It may come in an awkward, warped kind of
got jobs, I know they’ve got kids, I’m a dad. I way. It’s kind of like a sort of karma – or
know that doing anything during the week is hen talking about the tour Ginger greed. If you ask for too much, you may get
just hard work. Friday and Saturday are the Wsaid he wanted to put the story something you didn’t want instead. You may
magic days. We figured we’d end their week straight because ‘many of the accounts of get strength, but it won’t come easily. Al-
with a chuckle and a sing-along and then The Wildhearts’ turbulent career have since though some things are blessings in dis-
Saturday it’s all out guns a-blazing.” turned into the stuff of traumatic myth and ti- guise. Ginger tells Black Velvet that
tanic legend’. As we interviewed Ginger be- depression has been a difficulty to him that
f you went to a show, you’ll know how fore seeing the show, Black Velvet asks what has helped give him strength. “Depression’s
Ientertaining it was. If you weren’t there, stories he wanted to put straight. been a massive gift. It’s also an illness, it’s a
you definitely missed out. You can obviously “Just the way that some people have much ignored illness and there’s very little
still order the book – or a DVD of the show - been vilified and the way some people have research or financial input into finding out
although Ginger says that the book and tour created this mythical heroic status, people more about it. But it’s something that really
are two different entities as far as emotions I’ve treated badly, people who didn’t deserve has guided my way for want of a better
go. “The story itself… If you take for exam- it. I’m not here to drag anyone’s name phrase. I’ve written a lot of songs because of
ple, a comparison of Motley Crue - The Dirt through the mud, but I am here to put a few it, I’ve learned a lot of things because of it,
which is spiked with all of these successful points straight. The Wildhearts’ stories, ‘Gin- I’ve got an approach to people and to for-
parts, and then it dips into the dark parts of ger’s sacked a bunch of people’ – I heard the giveness and to acceptance and a lack of
their life and then they’re successful again,” other day, I was talking to a fan outside, I judgment because of it. It’s proven, apart
explains Ginger, “with my story there’s not won’t name the band who said it but this guy from a pain in the arse sometimes, to be a
really any successful spikes, it’s just a long had been terrified to talk to me for years be- great builder of character and as I hit 50 and
trail of me surviving against the odds. And cause some band had said that I was a c**t I look back I think a lot of that is because I
the odds are pretty bleak at quite a lot of and I should never be approached by any- have an illness that I can look at other people
times. In the book I’m able to go into it on an one. And they were talking about something without any judgment whatsoever. And I see
emotional level that I’m not really allowed to that happened in 1994. I mean, if everyone’s a lot of judgment and a lot of laziness and a
on stage, otherwise I’d just bum everyone reputation was based on one day 20-odd lot of inconsistencies in people because
out, and I am here to en- they have this kind of superiority complex
tertain people even if it is was talking to a fan outside, I won’t name that it doesn’t allow them to be as empathic
a kind of warts and all as they would be if they had one leg or were
show. But it was funny, “Ithe band who said it but this guy had been blind in one eye or something. You only have
someone said ‘It’s a terrified to talk to me for years because some band to look at some people who are officially
shame that Ginger is still c**ts like Nigel Farage or Jeremy Clarkson…
having trouble with his had said that I was a c**t and I should never be ap- I’m not even talking about people that I don’t
voice’ and I wasn’t, I actu- proached by anyone. And they were talking about like, I’m talking about people that are unlik-
ally get moved when I able, and they have no sympathetic side to
sing some of these words something that happened in 1994. I mean, if every- them, they have no decency or moral code.
and my voice breaks, like one’s reputation was based on one day 20-odd years They just create controversy for the fun of it
you do when you get and it’s without any thought to people’s feel-
moved, and I guess that ago we’d all be c**ts, surely.” - Ginger Wildheart ings. People like that could do with a good
in itself is uncommon in a illness, I think!” he comments.
singer. We’re all singing
about something that means the world but a years ago we’d all be c**ts, surely. We’ve all e look back to when Ginger first
lot of people are phoning it in and people had a bad day. I guess when you’re in a band Wwent solo. This is a topic he brings
don’t know that, and I get really moved by it’s a little bit exaggerated… distorted, I up in the show. “It was never meant to be,”
some of the lyrics that I sing and my voice guess. But a lot of The Wildhearts’ stories he says. “Like everything else in this story,
breaks. Everyone thinks I’m struggling to that people talk about online… I just wanted nothing… well there wasn’t a real plan any-
sing but I’m not, I’m having a moment! And I to explain the ins and outs of running a way, but nothing went to plan. Even if it was
guess that doesn’t really transcribe very well band. The reasons why some people have to something that I thought was going to hap-
on stage because it’s uncommon – much like be sacked from the group for example, the pen it just kind of definitely went the other
most of my life and experiences. But the reasons why the band had to split up at cer- way. And the solo album was a product of so
most emotional parts in the show, I try and tain times – and it wasn’t just because Gin- many weird things – breaking up with my
pepper with the irony of the situation. For in- ger’s a c**t. And I’m not trying to paint myself missus, which was the result of heroin,
stance, there’s a section where I talk about as an angel, nor does the book and nor does which led me to live on a ranch in Malibu and
going to jail in Thailand and everyone the show. I’m just part of the story. I’m telling get fired from… well not fired from… break
laughs. There’s nothing inherently funny it exactly how it is and I’m not hoping to up with the Brides Of Destruction – which,
about going to jail in Thailand or anywhere come away with any cool points or anything the likelihood of me joining a band with
for that matter, but especially in Thailand, it’s like that. It’s a story that’s been distorted an Tracii Guns in the first place was a billion to
an absolutely terrifying thing, and if you’re awful lot, and it keeps getting distorted to the one. And then ending up… my only regret of
reading someone’s account you could be in point that some of those myths have become splitting up The Wildhearts before that hap-
floods of tears that some poor person’s got fact now. They’re on Wikipedia and stuff and pened was because we were going to record
to go through… not talking about me but no-one’s challenged them – basically be- our next album in Willie Nelson’s studio in

GINGER WILDHEART