Childish - rocker Billy Childish - Interview - Brief Article

I LIKE REAL SIMPLE, GOOD rock and roll. How 'bout you? The Ramones, the Stones, the Kinks, blab blah blah... I love that shit. The basic one-two-three of it, the primitive wildnes of it, the black and white of it, the fuck you of it. Billy Childish is the embodiment of this sound I'm talking about. Three chord rock and blues, and whatever else too. This guy knows his stuff. Shitloads of albums he's put out with scores of bands backing him. Thee Headcoats (and the girls, Thee Headcoatees), Thee Milkshakes, the Pop Rivets, the Black Hands, the Earls of Suave, Thee Mighty Caesars. All raw, bare bones music, and good because of it--makes girls go wild in all the right ways. And wow! This Billy chap is a painter too, paints like his music Three chord painting. Good and sloppy. Friends tell me he's written books as well poetry and novel-like things. Three chord writing, no doubt. A jack of all the trades of suave. An amateur on purpose.

Billy has a new band these days; the Buff Medways they're called. I think The Headcoats are still around, but the Buff Medways are the set he's stepping out with on a regular basis as of late. They played just a spell back in Los Angeles and I went and saw them. I got drunk. I threw fireworks at gangsters on Silverlak Boulevard, who in turn threw eggs at me. Weird, huh? I thought I was gonna get shot, and all I got was some splattered yolk on my shoes. Damn.

On the drive out to the show, I thought of things to ask Sir Childish, but by the time I got the chance to dish it out at him I'd been reduced to a slobbering pile of doo. Muy borracho was I. Mind you, it was a jolly state I was in, but at such an advanced stage that no one could understand what I was saying to them. So, I didn't get to speak with Childish, seeing as I forgot how to use the English language, or any language for that matter. God damn American beer, it's true what the blokes say-it is piss. Burnt my vocal chords out. Fried my brain.

Anyway, The Buffs did not disappoint. the show was keen. I shot some pictures and they came out. But blast me, no interview! What to do? E-mail! I sent a little batch of questions out over the electric highway and low and behold, Billy got it. He answered my questions quite cordially and zapped them back to me.Presto! The shit's in the bag!

First off, what type of music or bands were you listening to around 1970?

I was 10 in 1970 and was listening to Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles. I was a Beatles fan from about 1963-64 and started listing to Hendrix in about '68. 1 didn't follow contemporary music again 'til '77. During glam rock I still listened to Hendrix, early Beatles, and early Rolling Stones, Buddy Stones Holly, Bill Haley. The Andrews Sisters. Early Bob Dylan, and the soundtrack to Bugsy Malone.

What about later, like say 1977-78?

In '77 I listened to the Jam, the Clash, the Dammed, early Kinks, Swinging Blue Geans X-Ray Spex the Buzzcocks, 999, the Sex Pistols. Johnny Moped, ATV, etc I liked it 'cause it reminded me of rock and roll. '78-79 I stopped with the punk stuff so much and listened to Gene Vincent, Bo Diddly, and Link Wray.

There's all kinds of Hendrix sounding stuff on the Buff Medway's album, and there's the single with "Manic Depression" and "Fire" on it, both Hendrix tunes. Are you on a Hendrix kick as of late, or have you always been?

I really like the early Experience and always have. I tried to get the Pop Rivets to do some of that stuff.

I read a little about that Stuckist movement you were involved with for some time, but now I hear you're no longer linking yourself to them. What happened? Do you still consider yourself an amateur?

All the best artists are amateurs. It is only the professionals who are useless.

When are you gonna turn pro?

When I get useless enough.

Out of all the albums you've put out, is there one thing that stands as your favorite? Any particular era? Which one sold the most?

I don't think any have sold much. I like the Jack Ketch and the Crowman LP, Acropolis Now by Thee Caesars, The 107 tapes and In Germany by Thee Milkshakes, Captain Collipso's Hoodoo Party by the Black Hands, Heavens to Murgatroyd by Thee Headcoats, and Steady the Buffs by the Buff Medways, which we haven't recorded yet and which will sell the most.

When you come to America, what baffles you the most about the place?

I find all places a bit baffling 'cause I'm easily baffled. In all countries it surprises me why useless art and music is thought to be great when it so obviously isn't.

What about California, different from the rest of the States?

Yes, a bit different and quite similar.

Are you married? Been married?

I am married to a girl from Seattle.

What about Thee Headcoatees?

Early on I took them to be the girlfriends of Thee Headcoats.

Was this ever the case?

Yes

Where do you think you would be more likely recognized on the street by fans, in the States or in London?

Sometimes London. But more often in the USA.

What would be your favorite European country?

England, even though it is full of English people.

Ever been in a traumantizing car crash?

Once when I was 14. We were carrying the engine of a World War II Hinkle bomber in the boot (trunk). The driver lost control and turned the car upside down. Second time that bomber crashed.

Who would you say is the most suave person living on earth today?

My wife says me, but I believe there must be some first war soldier still alive, or perhaps a chap living in a cave who wins hands down.

Who is the most suave politician right?

I don't really know much about politicians. I suppose someone like Ralph Nader of your Green Party.

Do you have a day job now to support your various interests or do those things pay the bills themselves?

I've never been good at jobs. I left school at 16 and was an apprentice stonemason in Chatham dockyard for six months. Then I did fruit packing for a day. Then I went on the dole. Then got into art college but left 'cause I hated it. Then was a ward porter in a mental hospital (bog cleaner) for two or three weeks. Then I was on the dole again. Then I got back into art school. Then I got thrown out. And then I did the dole for another 10 years. Now I can live off doing paintings, music, and writing.

Is there something that you feel you must absolutely do before you die?

No, I don't think so.

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