Page 20 - Black Velvet Issue 88

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in August. “We wrote ‘Oblivion’ around March of covers and ended up not even releasing them, artists moved me in the 60s and the 70s, but
2014, maybe we were in the middle of a whole it was mainly stuff that me and Billy were throw- maybe it’s just because in the 60s and 70s the
tour, you know, we had been on the road for a ing out there as ideas to covering, Richie wasn’t rule books hadn’t been written yet - you know,
while and we just wanted to write something connecting with a lot of them which is why we those songs had never been written, The Beat-
new just to get it out of our system. So we wrote ended up never finishing them and releasing les came around and changed everything about
‘Oblivion’ and added it to the live show for pretty them, because Richie wasn’t feeling it, but music and you can say the same about Pink
much every show in 2014, but Richie was basi- Bowie is one artist that all three of us can say Floyd and Led Zeppelin and Bowie, because
cally just scatting and mumbling different lyrics was a huge influence on each of us individually. what they were doing then, it was the first. There
every night, I don’t think he ever committed to Why that song? Well ‘Ziggy Stardust’ is one of was a first for everything. If you listen to Bowie’s
the final lyrics until the day that he sang them in my favourite albums of all time and when we ‘Life On Mars’ and the way that that song is com-
the studio for the album, and even now I don’t were throwing ideas for covers out I think I was posed and the chord changes, and the
know if he’s committed!” Mike laughs. “I’ve got the one who suggested that one and it just melodies, it’s very hard for bands today to come
to listen to some of the live tapes from this tour clicked, and Richie finally finished it up a few up with something that original because we
to see if he’s actually committed yet or if what days after Bowie passed away and we put it out have 50 years of rock music at this point. I
was on the album was just that day’s lyrics be- there.” mean, I think every note combination has been
cause I don’t know!” Mike took to Facebook to talk about Bowie used at this point, so it’s very, very rare these
One lyric that Richie always sings is 'we shortly after his passing, and he spoke about the days that there is an album or an artist or a song
made our life on trust and commitment' on the tragedy of musicians not getting the recognition that moves me the way that music does. Al-
song 'Empire'. Mike says that trust and commit- they deserve until they pass away. “Sadly though every once in a while it will happen. I
ment are both things you need to be in a happy there’s nothing you can do to change it, except mean in the last 10/15/20 years there’s been
band. “We have a lot of trust between the three to value and cherish and appreciate people some instances that that’s happened, like the
of us in this band because all three of us have while they’re here and while they’re alive. I have first time I heard Muse’s ‘Absolution’ album, I
been around long enough that we each have our this tattooed on me, ‘Carpe Diem’, it means was blown away. It was one of those type of al-
own track records, we’ve all done bums where every song is amaz-
our own things and have our own ing. Or when Radiohead put out
individual accomplishments, that ‘OK Computer’, you know, a song
we not only trust but we also ad- like ‘Karma Police’ or a song like
mire. When it comes to an idea, ‘Paranoid Android’, those were so
like a musical idea or an opinion, original in terms of song structure
we really value each others’ opin- and chord changes, those were
ions so there’s always that trust. cases when you’re hearing songs
When you’re starting a new band the way they were back then in the
you don’t always have that trust, 70s. So yeah, every once in a while
there’s always that struggle for there will be a band or album that
who’s going to be the leader, who’s moves me to that extent but it’s
going to be the main songwriter, rarer and rarer as time goes on.”
who’s going to be the spokesman Since The Winery Dogs are
and everyone’s all jostling for a po- often labelled as a 'supergroup', we
sition in a band, but with The Win- give Mike the opportunity to create
ery Dogs, all three of us have been his own supergroup from his
around for so many years, we’re favourite musicians. “God, well with
kind of like ‘been there, done that’. everybody passing away you think
We trust each other, we all admire about the supergroup that’s up in
each other’s abilities so we don’t heaven now. If I could put together
really have any kind of infighting. a supergroup up in heaven... well,
All three of us have lots of other OK, there’s like a metal band and
projects as well but I think we’re all a hard rock band. So my metal
really committed to The Winery band would be Randy Rhoads and
Dogs being the main band. You know I go off seize the day and it was a lesson I learned back Dimebag on guitar, Cliff Burton on bass, Ronnie
and do all of these other things and Richie has in 1984,” Mike tells us. “My teacher gave a les- James Dio of course would sing, and who would
his solo band and Billy still does stuff with Mr. son in high school about appreciating life and play drums in that band? Maybe Keith Moon.
Big but at the end of the day The Winery Dogs Carpe Diem, and she said when you get home Then the classic rock band you could have, you
is kind of like the home base, and all three of us tonight, give your mom or dad a hug and a kiss know, John Lennon and George Harrison back
have made that commitment to make it that and let them know how much you love them together, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, I think
way.” while they’re still here. So that night I went home Keith Moon and John Entwistle would be the
In 'Fire' Richie sings 'put me in a confes- and gave my mum a hug and a kiss before I rhythm section, it’d be amazing! I mean, it’s just
sional'. We ask Mike if there's anything he would went out with my friends and that night she died unbelievable how many people have passed
confess to his fellow band members if he had to. in a plane crash, and that was the last time I and yeah, so there you go!” Mike laughs,
“Well, being in a band, everybody knows every- ever saw her. I mean, thank God I was given “There’s a couple of my supergroups up in
thing about each other, there are no secrets...” that lesson that day at school because I gave heaven.”
Mike laughs, “There’s no secrets amongst us, her that hug and that kiss and told her how much
we all know exactly everybody’s goods and I loved her you know, so I tattooed that here on ike's supergroups sound great, but The
bads and quirks, Richie for instance, he comes my arm so I could live each day that way and re- MWinery Dogs is a real living supergroup
off very serious with the lyrics and when he does member that last sentence. You know, some- and they love meeting the people that listen to
interviews he’s very serious but he is one of the times people wait until it’s too late to tell them and love their music. In fact, for the past two
craziest, weirdest guys I’ve ever met, he’s really that they love them so, that’s a much bigger years they've been running a program called
strange in a great way! So what would I con- deeper lesson, but it’s the same concept in Dog Camp for musicians and fans. “Dog Camp
fess? Well, my band mates, they know the worst terms of musicians and artists; if they’re here is something we’ve done the last two summers
of me so yeah, you don’t want to know!” today tell them how much you love them and ap- and basically the three of us interact with the
preciate them, you know, value what you have campers, I mean the campers are everything,
t's been a tough time for musicians and today because it can all change,” Mike clicks his everybody from five-year-old kids that are just
Imusic fans as of late with the passings of fingers, “at the drop of a dime.” starting on guitar all the way up to sixty-year-old
Lemmy, David Bowie and too many other great people that have been playing for thirty or forty
artists. The Winery Dogs recently released a he way music impacts us has definitely years who just want to learn more or interact and
cover of David Bowie's 'Moonage Daydream' Tchanged since the likes of David Bowie be a part of it. So basically it’s just a few days at
that they recorded during the making of their first were in the spotlight, and we wonder whether a camp, we all live together, we eat together, we
album. “With that particular song, Bowie is actu- music today has the same impact as music like hang out together. All three of us, myself, Richie
ally one of the artists that all three of us have David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' did. Mike tells us and Billy, have all done clinics through the years
been inspired by,” Mike says. “When we made what he thinks; “I find that there’s very few so it’s kind of taking that to another level, but
the first record we recorded about eight different bands today that move me the way that those yeah, it’s very, very intimate and there’s a lot of
THE WINERY DOGS