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Leatherface Interview
Posted on Saturday, December 09 @ 12:11:52 MST
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"Five weeks on the road
with Sunderland's own
legends within their own time,
was and will stay a privilege,
from which we will live,
remembering in honor:
Shitty Shoed Bastards with whiskey bent howls,
straight up to the moon and back.
In through the door, for a shamrock in a pint,
poured proper, and poured straight from the tap.
To Live, Play, Drink, Sing and Dance,
or Not to Live, Play, Drink, Sing and Dance,
Governor, 'twas never a question.
As strong as the rivets in its hull,
the boat will carry its wake.
Long Live The Boat.
Long Live Leatherface"
Chuck, Hot Water Music, Summer '99
 SW: Looking back, which one of the records is your favorite?
FS: Minx.
SW: Gonna changes things up a little bit tonight?
FS: Well, these boys are just getting in a rut with their set list, so I'm gonna take over tonight.
SW: You said that Dickie (Hammond, former guitar player) could never play "Baked Potato," have you ever considered trying it with these guys?
FS: Considered it. I mean, we could learn everything that we've ever written, but. I'll put 'Baked Potato" on top of the list.
SW: What song do people ask for most?
FS: Probably "In the Ghetto," or a lot of the MUSH ones.
SW: How did MUSH get released in America?
FS: With Seed.
SW: How did that come about?
FS: The record company that we were on at the time, Seed, they were just really big and we didn't realize it, so they got it over here through some distributorship.
SW: But Minx is still your favorite?
FS: Yeah, I mean, we had really bad equipment, everything sounds a little bit shitty, but we did everything ourselves.
SW: Why would you choose to go tour in Japan instead of the US with Jesse?
FS: We didn't choose. The label did. It was Sean, Sean Rugger Bugger, who set it up I think. He started communicating with Japan. It's so easy over there you know? We did it four or five gigs and we just played. We didn't go over there looking for other things. Everything was greatly organized. We got up at 8 and were on our feet and ate and dat dat dat, everything was always done right. I mean, we haven't been avoiding the US, it's just never happened.
SW: I've been told that you don't like signing contracts.
FS: We shouldn't have to go through hundreds of pages of shit that could be said in two pages. If it can be said in two pages then what do the other pages say that a handshake couldn't?
SW: Of all the labels that have put out LF stuff, who made the most money?
FS: Oh, Fire Records, without a doubt. They were all sort of a part of Roughneck Records and the different labels would put out different sounding bands, but Fire did whatever they wanted to with Mush. I mean, if you look at Mush, it probably sold more than all of the other ones put together.
SW: You did a solo, Frankie Stubbs Unplugged single, "Unhinged," in between Leatherface line-ups, what year did was that?
FS: Well that was the same thing that I was telling you about. Sean Rugger Bugger phoned me up and told me, "We're doing a single." And that was that.
SW: Do you prefer playing acoustic?
FS: It's all I do. That and I dance. I sit and play the acoustic guitar; I've never gotten any better playing the electric guitar.
SW: So right now you're living with the girlfriend?
FS: Yep.
SW: No chance of getting married for Frankie?
FS: Nope.
SW: Stubbs is not like that, you can't tie him down?
FS: No. You know, it's difficult for people to live with people who wander around. I don't know, I wouldn't want to live with someone who just fucked off for months and took off around the world.
SW: What's been the most exciting thing so far on this tour?
FS: Exciting?
SW: Getting banned in Milwaukee?
FS: Yes, yes, getting banned in Milwaukee, yeah, that'll do it. That was exciting wasn't it? Ah. It's all exciting. Always exciting.
SW: Hey Lainey! Come over here!
< to Frankie > We should get Lainey to say some things.
FS: Yeah, You should, come back to me after I've had some whiskey.
Enter Lainey, who has been, is and always be the drummer for LEATHERFACE.
SW: Frankie said that you were the man. He honestly told me that without Lainey, there would be no band.
L: I mean, I've acted as the backbone. I've been the drummer since we started playing, and we always said at the beginning: if I left, or Frankie left, that would be the end of Leatherface.
SW: It was understood.
L: It was understood.
SW: You're a very powerful man, you know that? The ability to simply end a great band with a single action on your part. It's in your hands.
L: Oh yeah.
SW: What made the band break up?
L: Well, everyone had their own differences and it was all colliding, so we thought that we best call it a day. And when we decided to get back together, everything that had caused problems before, we got them all sorted out.
SW: Could you ever play in Leatherface with Dickie again?
L: I don't know. To be honest, I'm happy with the line-up that we have got. I would say, if anything, we're tighter now than we have ever been.
SW: What do you do for money over in the UK?
L: I was an assistant manager in a bar over there but I finished it basically.
SW: Finished it? By coming over here?
L: Yeah.
SW: So what is coming back home gonna bring?
L: I don't know yet.
SW: Punk rock, eh?
L: Yeah.
SW: Looking forward to recording with Leatherface again?
L: Oh yeah. We recorded just before we came over here and it was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
SW: What's your favorite record that you've done?
L: My favorite record? It'd have to say MUSH.
SW: Frankie thought Minx was best because it was so easy.
L: That it was.
SW: But I've always loved Mush as well.
L: I would say it was the single most powerful thing that I've ever done.
SW: Have you ever written any of the lyrics?
L: No, Frankie concentrates on the words.
SW: With Leighton changing over from the bass to the guitar, what do you think of what you've seen?
L: I think he's done a great job, I mean a GREAT job.
SW: How old are you now?
L: How old am I? I'm 31, will be 32 in December.
SW: And Leighton's 22, it's good to mix some of the old and some of the new.
L: Yeah. It's new blood basically.
SW: But I'm sure you've seen Leatherface grow tremendously over the years.
L: Oh yeah. I mean, it's really happening now. We're getting along with each other great. There's been no arguments to talk of, it's great.
SW: Frank's not going to go bitter and acoustic on you again
L: No, I don't think so.
SW: What is the funniest thing that you have seen Sean from Wat Tyler (and Rugger Bugger) do?
L: Do a stage dive off of Killburn National.
SW: Oh yeah?
L: He took about the first five rows out. The whole while, I thought that we weren't going to clear the stage to the crowd, but he made it. I saw a lot of wounds afterwards.
SW: What's been different about this tour so far, besides being banned in Milwaukee?
L: Banned in Milwaukee! I'd say Davey in general, ha! His tongue's so dry that you don't know what he's going to come out with next. He's ridiculous.
SW: What has been the best stop on the tour?
L: Oh, all of it.
SW: All of it?
L: All of it, honestly. I've had my eyes opened several times, and getting to play with Hot Water Music I've heard them on record, but getting to see them play live is just great.
SW: Do you have all the Leatherface records?
L: Just about. There's one I haven't got. I forget just which one it is right now.
SW: Which one do you think is the worst one?
L: Worst one? All of them are pretty good. Drum-wise it'd probably be "How Lonely."
SW: What kind of bands have you influenced in England?
L: (pauses)
SW: Tons.
L: Too many I think. There's too many bands playing too good.
SW: Who plays the best right now?
L: Oh, I'd say Snuff. Without a doubt.
SW: If Snuff took you to America next year would you do it?
L: Oh, I'd do it no questions asked. No problem with that at all.
SW: A lot of drummers don't like to do back-up vocals, or their bands simply won't let them
L: I've no problem with it. After Leatherface broke up, I was drumming and singing in another band anyway.
SW: What band was that?
L: Rug Rat and (says something crazy).
SW: What kind of music was that?
L: Just punk rock again.
SW: Did you ever get a chance to see Frankie in Jesse (Stubbs and current guitarist Leighton's band before the LF reunion)?
L: Yeah, good band.
SW: Have you ever played Jesse songs as Leatherface?
L: We've practiced one, just to see what we'd do to it, and that was "Indestructible."
SW: Can you play "Baked Potato"?
L: Yeah, it's just in a weird signature at times. We've never done it because Dickie couldn't play it.
SW: But now, you've got the raging young star Leighton on guitar.
L: Oh yeah, he'll do it eventually. But as I've said, Davey's (bass) only been in the band a short time. He's done a great job as well.
SW: With that cowboy hat on, he's going to be a teen idol before too long.
L: Ah yeah, definitely.
SW: Does he have the most ladies waiting back for him in England?
L: Probably. I'm happily married. I'll emphasize that: I'm happily married. Just in case me wife gets word of this.
SW: We'll have to mail her one to prove that you really are "happily" married.
L: Leighton, now he's the true mod.
SW: Drives to the shows on a scooter with some girls on the back?
L: Ha ha ha!
SW: How old is your son now?
L: He's 13-years-old.
SW: Does he like Leatherface?
L: Oh, he's real into it.
SW: So you've had your son while all of Leatherface was going on. Was that ever hard?
L: Not really, I got by via phone. We always talked every few days.
SW: Is it ever difficult being the only married person in the band?
L: No.
SW: Because no one in the band is that much of a womanizer or
L: Well we're all quite happy where we are.
SW: How has Chris, the roadie you were given, been? If someone ran after the band in a fit of rage, he could stand the test and play defensive man?
L: You wouldn't even want to run up on that guy. Leatherface is prepared.
SW: Of all the labels that you've done stuff with, who would you most want to do the next English release with?
L: Jesus Christ I'm really laid back, if it gets released, it gets released, as long as it gets good distribution and the kids are getting hold of it.
SW: With so many songs that built up for Leatherface over the years, have you ever forgotten one on stage?
L: Oh yeah, I've stopped in the middle of a song and asked what we were playing.
SW: Do you feel that the introduction of 'prohibition' on this tour has been effective? Was it a good move?
L: Definitely.
SW: Do you see yourself as continuing the pre-show prohibition in England then?
L: Yes, probably, it just works better.
SW: In the studio was there prohibition or no prohibition?
L: I don't know. We just got on with it.
SW: But it's not something that you dread, being in the studio?
L: When I'm in the studio, I'm happy with being in the studio. We rewrite the new songs on the road and that is really nice, to get to play something a little new and have some new tunes to rehearse.
SW: Were you awake when Roadie Chris got pulled over?
L: I thought I was dreaming. It was definitely an experience to get a van full of sleeping punk rockers pulled over by the American police.
SW: Do you think that America has too many rules?
L: Yes. Definitely. Jesus, you can't even touch shite without getting in trouble. Even in England, there's certain areas where you can't sit outside and drink. I mean, I would like to have a nice beer here outside, can't even do that. Got to have "designated areas."
SW: Do you ever get worried that with Frankie's money-making scheme, he'll get in trouble and get taken away?
L: No, I've been with him enough to know that he can take care of himself.
SW: Anything else to say for now?
L: Punk fucking rock.
SW: So Leatherface is a punk band?
L: I'd say we were a nice rock band. Definitely punk at heart.
Then I caught up with Frankie again in Detroit
 SW: We're recording this time - I just want you to know because I snuck up on you last time. So we will do three quick questions.
FS: Ask us about promiscuity. We are a good band, not good as in good, but good as in decent. Puritanical, in fact.
SW: What are your favorite bands right now?
FS: Snuff and Four Letter Word. I recorded their (FLW) album just before I came out here.
SW: Do you like your nickname, Papa?
FS: Papa's a good name. That's what they've called me on this tour.
SW: They call you Papa! They don't call him anything else. They just yell across the room, "Papa!"
FS: "Papa, buy me a beer!"
SW: When do you know it is time to retire a song?
FS: Retire a song? We can never retire a song. Someone's always yelling for some song.
SW: Where's the name Leatherface from?
FS: From my face. From Papa's face. Someone once said I looked like a leatherface.
SW: Is that a compliment?
FS: It's better than Ladiesface. Better than Shitface.
SW: Why don't you ever introduce yourself on stage?
FS: If people like us, they'll find out. If anyone's interested, they know who to see.
SW: But you are playing several Warped Tour dates, and when the kiddies come out, and you blow them away, they don't know who to credit.
FS: Fuck 'em.
SW: Good.
FS: In my first few bands, you know when I was a young Papa, when I saw a good band, I'd have to ask around, you know, find out who they were. And I'm very shy you know. You said three questions, and we have had two. I am a very shy guy you know.
SW: You old farts come across the ocean once every decade. I am not going to let you get off that easy.
FS: That's true.
SW: Do you ever see yourself living in the US?
FS: It might happen yet. I might get stuck here, move to Denver, live with you.
SW: Fuck, bring it on!
FS: Denver's a pretty good place to live, eh? Papa does Denver.
SW: Earlier you said that your old guitar player Dickie Hammond always cheated at Scrabble. Did he ever get caught?
FS: Yes. Only in the last game. That's why he is not in the band now. He got caught cheating at Scrabble. He can cheat at women, and he can cheat at the bar, but he can't cheat at Scrabble. Never cheat at Scrabble.
SW: Where did you learn to dance your jig?
FS: Falling over. I used to turn around a lot on stage. The cable would go around my legs, and I could only take little steps and then I would fall flat on my back. So I'd get up and say next time this happens, I just gotta take smaller steps, and I've never fallen over again. I have still got ridges across my chin from falling over. I used to fall onto the metal of the drum riser, bust open my chin, crack my teeth, and I was just crying. It hurts worse than someone smacking you in the shins.
SW: If you had to write a song about this tour with Hot Water Music, what would you call it?
FS: Shitty Shoed Bastard. Look, you've stood in shit, it's on your shoe, and I'm no bastard.
SW: Have you ever sang, or played your guitar, out on the street? Either for money or experience?
FS: Never. I have nothing but total admiration, right, for people who sit in the street with their guitar. The first time that I ever sat on stage and did it, there were some people up front and so in my mind I told myself that people had come to hear me play. The street is different. It's the hardest thing to play in the street and nine times out of ten I will give them give them some money.
SW: In "Springtime," you talk about "the cruelty and lies that we were guilty of " when we were young.
FS: It's true!
SW: So that's from personal experience?
FS: Personal experience! And you usually do bad things to either people who don't deserve it or people who love you. And I always felt bad. But we were only young.
SW: And really couldn't have known.
FS: Yep. Fuckin' Assholes. Creamy pasta disasters.
SW: Is that the official Leatherface meal?
FS: Oh yeah. Girls would try to find their way into my heart and then I would make that for them and they never came back. They never came back!
SW: Are you ever afraid that you will get to a point where you can no longer dance your jig and go out in a van for a month? I mean thirty years from now or whenever.
FS: I'm not afraid. I'm there now. Papa! (He puts a beer bottle cap over each eye and plays dead)
SW: How did the names Mush and Minx come about?
FS: Oh, you don't want to hear this!
SW: This will be a good story.
FS: Yeah. Mush. The record company that we used to be on, Roughneck, you know. Well, I used to go mushroom picking and I sent them 500 or so.
SW: 500! You sent the record label 500 mushrooms?
FS: Magical ones. When I used to be poor I would sell these mushrooms and I became known as The Mushroom Man. So I sent Roughneck these mushrooms as a joke and they're in the office eating away at the magical mushrooms. So there's Mush.
SW: Papa 'the Mushroom' Man Stubbs.
FS: Minx is just a word that we used to use all of the time. Like, "You're a Minx!" Just biting away, like the animal.
SW: What is the relationship between mods and Leatherface?
FS: Snuff.
SW: Snuff?
FS: I was once in the Snuff house and they convinced me that what Leatherface did musically was mod.. I was basically convinced that Leatherface and Mod were one in the same thing. So we became a mod punk band. Munk
SW: A great word! Minx, Mush and Munk!
FS: Well that was going to be the next LP. That's what The Last was going to be called. At that time we were going to do a full length record. At the time me and this guy who did all the shows in Sunderland were riding around on our scooters.
SW: Really?
FS: Yeah, but I sold it. I stripped it all apart and then didn't have the knowledge to put it back together. In the middle of my living room, there were these pieces to a scooter, sitting for a year! So I sold it the York Scooter Club. It was an antique. A 1945 (1955?) LI Series 1 Lambretta. A beauty with mirrors, badges, everything.
SW: Did the York Scooter Club put it back together?
FS: Yeah, they just came and picked up all the parts in a truck and put it back together.
SW: Probably sold it for thousands.
FS: But it had sat in the middle of my living room floor for a year. Bands would come stay at my house or record and look at old Stubbs' scooter pieces. I actually ended up selling it because I was seeing this girl who refused to come down to my house until I got it out of the living room. I mean, all the badges everything. I got rid of it all for a woman. It was a beautiful thing, could have sold it for 7,000 pounds.
SW: The next album, Munk, should have a photo of that on the cover.
FS: I've still got all the tax discs that date back to 1971.
SW: And is the girl still with you?
FS: (in agony) No! She's gone. She was an awful woman. She was terrible. I should have known right from the start. Any woman who tells you to get rid of the scooter in the house I should have told her right there to fuck off. But it was a good idea to give it to the scooter club. I felt that it needed to be put back together. That was good.
SW: Is the studio still going well?
FS: Yes, it's in my house. I'm just waiting for the next girl to come along and ask me to get rid of that!
SW: Did you play in bands before Leatherface?
FS: Yes, a lot of bands. No one that you've ever heard of. We never released anything.
SW: What was the motive behind the Frankie Stubbs Unhinged 7", the unplugged Papa ep?
FS: I was unhinged because I just did these songs that didn't fit with other band members over the years. A lot more acoustic songs. The sort of songs that you play by yourself, not with a band. They were just some songs that I still had after Leatherface broke up. The sort of songs like Pale Moonlight that I was just sitting in my room and wrote. Songs that people would just look at us and ask, "What are you going to do with that?" Like it didn't have a place in Leatherface. So then when I put it on the acoustic, people start asking for it and we end up playing anyway in Leatherface.
SW: Who did the last song on The Last? Who played trumpet?
FS: That was all me. Me on a keyboard. The label wanted one more song and so I came in and used this big synthesizer keyboard in the studio and played everything.
SW: For the last song on The Last.
FS: I was sitting there and was pretty drunk and that's why I did it. I don't think I could ever be a piano player otherwise. I record everything on one hand and then go back and record the second hand. I know a fella in Sunderland who is a Grade 8 piano player, a fucking genius, and Grade 8 is the highest you can go. He might do something on the next LP. If the band agreed.
SW: Could Leatherrface survive without Lainey?
FS: No. It's always been me and Lainey. Right from the start. And even with this newest line-up, which I really fucking like, I have all the confidence in the world in Lainey.
SW: Has he always been called Lainey?
FS: Well that's his name. We never really called him anything else.
SW: Does he get along well with his son?
FS: His son? Lainey got a phone call the other day from his kid that he had broken his arm. He was really scared.
SW: Have you ever recorded as a guest musician with another band?
FS: Well, I end up doing some backing vocals with every band I record. Otherwise, I'm just there. Getting the band a cup of tea or something.
SW: And lastly do you have any last reflections or memories that particularly stand out on this tour?
FS: On this tour? No.
SW: Nothing sticks out more than the rest.
FS: I really can't think of it. Every show has its own rhythm and it's the audience who decides it. It's the audience that makes a gig. I mean, we're playing nearly the same songs every night, and the rest of the tour relies on the audience. The guy who just came up before. He's a stockbroker from Canada and he drove all the way down to Detroit to see us, 5 hours. And that's the sort of thing that stands out. Just meeting people, getting on with it. Being in this band I mean. That's the thing. I've got friends all over the world. Friends that I would love to run into. It's the best thing ever. I've got places to stay in nearly every country I've been.
SW: After the Japan tours, do you speak Japanese?
FS: I try. I know how to order rice and red wine and find a toilet. I know how to say that I'm a fat bastard. All of the important things. The things that people appreciate, just trying to speak their language.
SW: Leatherface is just trying to speak their language.
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