Richie Interview

1 What have you been listening to the last few years and what are youre favourite albums/ bands at the moment?

been listening to so much music. “years” is a long time!! i’ve been enjoying the way rock music comes and goes in it’s little revolutions. discovering great bands like CARPARK NORTH from Denmark was a great thing for me….they sound like a cross between MUSE and COLDPLAY…..amazing!!! other than that, been listening to the usual suspects like the Foos, Queens, Rival Schools, Squarepusher, Beck………the list goes on.

2 What do you think of the British music scene at the moment?

i think the british music scene is very healthy at the moment. A little same-sounding, but very healthy indeed. lots of guitar bands dominating the airwaves, and other countries too…..it’s like the great british invasion of the world!

3 What did it feel like when you walked offstage at the last Cable show at Dingwalls?

Hollowed out. it was a great gig tho. circumstances were shit but we went out on a musical high.

4 What is your fondest Cable memory?

i have a couple. one was seeing NYC for the first time. driving from New Jersey over the George Washington bridge in Kramers car. we fell so silent, and the whole skyline was bathed in orange from the sun setting behind us…..awesome!
one of the others was from playing with REEF at the Plymouth Pavillions. we got to the breakdown section in the midle of SOUVENIR, and the 3,000 strong crowd started doing that overhead stadium-style syncronised clapping thing. i felt for the first time we had properly connected with an audience. gives me goosebumps.

5 What is in your pockets right now?

not much….i’m in bed!

6 What is your favourite Cable song and which was your favourite to play?

SOUVENIR for it’s relentness rockin’! and GOD MADE ME GRAVITY just for being a great song.

7 What is your most rock n roll moment?

band-wise, being banned from THE COLUMBIA HOTEL in London was probably it. we all went on a bender, and stuff got smashed up….not in our rooms…..the end.

8 What was it like playing at Brixton Prison?

intimidating to begin with…then suprisingly fluffy.

9 What was you’re favourite / worst gig you played with Cable?

the big REEF gigs were obviously great. we had never done gigs of that size before, and the kids were bang up for it.
my first festival with the band was ace….Brighton Essential Festival….the weather was so shit, but we were in a tent….the other stages had to be postponed as we went on, so out tent was heaving….we opened with MURDERING SPREE, and the place went nuts.

10 What was more fun Cable, the Lucky Nine, Sunna or your solo project that youre working on at the moment?

every band has been so different. i’ve had good and band times with all of them (accept my own thing….so far!). CABLE was like a family. we lived in each others pockets all that time, but was creatively great. THE LUCKY NINE has been very simple….friends coming together just to make music. SUNNA was great…musically, and because we got to travel to places i’d never been too.

11 What exactly happened to Sunna?

Jon and I fell out. i guess we’d stuck on a bus for 12 months, and that’s about it. i won’t be going into any details i’m afraid.
i don’t really know what happened afterwards. i left, then a couple of the others did. i didn’t follow their progress after leaving.

12 What was it like having the Sunna track Power Struggle used in the film Hollow Man?

suprisingly anti-climatic. turned out not to be a great film, therefore not really doing SUNNA much in the way of favours.

13 Who are youre influences? Favourite drummers, songwriters etc?

GROHL is obviously a lord in every catagory. and HAWKINS is a great counterpart for him.
the guys from “A” are all good songwriters too. will miss them alot. they’ll have long and healthy careers ahead of them i’m sure.

14 When did you get into music and what bands did you listen to growing up?

i am a massive QUEEN fan! everything about that band oozes pomp and classic songwriting. a couple of dodgy disco records, but the lagacy will live on forever.

15 What advice and tips would you give to any up-and coming drummers?

have your won style. don’t be taught to be something else.

16 How many Big Traks do you own now?

three! all played until they don’t work no more!

17 What were your backing vocals on Pocket Promise? It sounds like your saying Barbara Windsor or Influenza, please put me out of my misery

i could keep you in your misery for a while couldn’t i?
“broke my window”.

18 Do you think Cable ended too early and would you personally like to reform?

i personally think now would be an ideal time for Cable, and would do it again at the drop of a hat. but there are 4 parts to the band, and everyone of those has to be up for it too. never say never.

19 Were you ever injured during any of the Cable shows?

yeah…i broke my ribs jumping up on stage at The Dublin Castle in Camden once. played on like a trooper tho.
and i almost cut my finger off with a knife before playing at The Joiners Arms in Southampton once!
i am a clumsy drummer after all!

20 If you could only watch one film and listen to one album for the rest of your life what would they be?

film – Happy Gilmore
album – Imogen Heap’s “Speak For Yourself”

21 Tea or coffee?

definatley TEA!!!

22 Have you ever been attacked by an animal?

of course! haven’t you?

23 Tell us about what youre up to now musically and your solo project?

i’m still with The ‘Nine. were all busy doing our own things right now, but were preparing etc.
my thing (MiLLS), is still in the development stage. i’ve written a bunch of stuff, finished recording and mixing 6 of the tracks, and i need to finish another 4 to make it an album. i’m love love loving it!! it’s gonna rock your socks off!!!!