Country music, while popular, often has a disdainful eye
cast in its direction by modern day music fans.
Strangely enough this lack of respect for the genre doesn't apply as long as
you call it Americana,
but that's a discussion for another day because right here, right now, we are
all about wrapping our ears around "Grand Ol Otley", the glorious
side project of country covers released by Tony Wright of Terrorvision and
Texan troubadour Ryan Hamilton.
Ryan, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is a gentleman
whose star is most definitely ascending with his power pop/rock band Ryan Hamilton
and the Traitors, a band that I would urge you to familiarise yourself with and
then thank me later.
It's clear from the first track, a plaintive and haunting
cover of Jolene with Tony taking vocal lead, that both men are bringing a great
deal of passion for the material to the table for this release. This is a far
cry form a vanity project.
The term pastiche doesn't reside comfortably in the mouth, but homage certainly
does.
Song after song you are left in no doubt that they are both happily immersing
themselves in the performance.
Tag teaming the material they pass the baton back and forth on the vocals and
there's no hint that either will drop it.
Anyone with a passing interest in country music, or just
good music in general, should consider this a must have addition to their
collection.
Tony Wrights take of In the Pines sees him adding his name to a very long list
of artists who have done this traditional song justice, while Ryan Hamilton
tackling of the Rolling Stones song Wild Horses is a sublime masterpiece. On an
album that features many glittering jewels it is this that shines the
brightest.
In so many ways this touches on being the perfect crossover album. Neither artist
feel the need to grandstand and both appear to intimately understand that
playing to their strengths as a team is what will provide rich dividends.
Weak links you ask? They don’t exist on this album. It starts of strong and
remains strong throughout.
It's a release that they both should be extremely proud of, and one that fans
of both artists should be equally enthused about lending an ear to.
The only thing left to say, and it's a question, is "when is the next one
coming out?"
Danny McCormack is without a
shadow of a doubt a rock and roll warrior.
When you read about the lives of
rock stars you can be assured that Danny has matched every high and low that
you could care to mention.
Member of The Wildhearts, forming
and fronting The Yo-Yos, a stint with Dogs D’Amour, currently forging forward
with his band The Main Grains, and now in tandem with them he is back full
circle to playing bass with The Wildhearts again.
He been here, there, and
everywhere, and brought back the t-shirts to prove it.
So here we are in the calm before
the storm that will be the Main Grains tour with Ryan Hamilton & TheTraitors, and his bass slinging with The Wildhearts on their Britrock Must Be Destroyed
tour, and it gives us great pleasure to be able to bring you a fan based
interview with the man himself.
It only leaves us to say thank
you to Danny for being so gracious with his time, and thank you to everyone who
participated by providing questions.
You’re all going to be stars in Japan.
And now jump in, and enjoy.
Reservoir Droogs - Hi
Danny. As mentioned you have a busy schedule with the Main Grains tour with
Ryan Hamilton & the Traitors leading into the Britrock Must Be Destroyed
dates coming up. Jump back a few years and tell me, did you imagine that things
would come full circle as they have and you would be back to gigging like this?
Danny - I didn’t know it would come full circle, but I’m sure glad
it did. I’m enjoying music again and am getting a full on buzz about it all.
I took a long time out as I was
suffering with being bipolar and I wasn’t on the right medication, but once I
was diagnosed it was great that my illness had a name. I just thought I was
nuts.
Res Droogs - As you mentioned your bipolar
diagnosis, in hindsight to you think your drug use was an unconscious attempt
to self medicate?
Danny - It was all about self medicating. When I was really low I took uppers
and when I was too high it was downers. I just wish I had been diagnosed
earlier and it would have saved a lot of total disparity. I was in a very bad
place and it’s took its toll.
Jen Lambie (PowderKeg) - Hey Danny, is there anyone in the music industry that you'd love to work with one day that you haven't had the chance to yet?
Danny - There’s a band I’ve just got into called Cyanide Pills. I’d love to do something with them one day.
Reservoir Droogs - Cyanide Pills, Main Grains, Idol Dead, PowderKeg and Drama Club Rejects gig in Glasgow. Let's do it.
Jen - OH YES PLEASE!
Danny - Have you heard of them Jen? If not check out the “Still Bored” album on YouTube. It’s killer.
Jen - I shall!
Pete Montador - Will the Main Grains be playing any new material on the
upcoming Ryan Hamilton tour?
Danny - Yeah if I can remember the words haha. We’ve got a new
belter called “Unsung Heroes” in the set.
Jim McKellan - Is there any chance of engineering a Wildhearts/3 Colours Red
supergroup? It'd be a beautiful noise. Just imagine I Wanna Go (With a Sixty
Mile Smile)
Danny - I don’t think 3 Colours Red will do anything else.
Especially after Keith dying.
Ray Townsend Jr - We know you love punk and rock n roll but who are your
favourite metal bands if any?
Danny - AC/DC I think are great. A bit of Led Zeppelin too.
Ray - What about Manowar ha ha.
Danny - Er. No buddy.
Iain Smith - Do you have a favourite song or album from The Wildhearts that
you didn't play on......and one's that you did play on?
Danny - I love headfuck. Anything from earth vrs. Also the b sides.
Mindslide especially.
Alan Greig - I love Mindslide. One of my favourite Wildhearts songs.
Colin Grainger - What's the best thing about being Danny McCormack?
Danny - The best thing about being me is my sense of humour.
Darren Quinn - Regrets...We've all had a few...What, if any, are your major regrets Danny?
Danny - No major regrets. Life’s too short. Maybe my getting very heavily into drugs! I put it down to experience though and just get in with it.
Alan Greig - Danny, everyone has a guilty pleasure album that folks snigger
at when you tell them. Mine is Abba's Super Trouper. What's your guilty
pleasure album?
Danny - ABBA. Good one. I’ve got no records in my collection that
I’m ashamed of.
Adam Brearley - I've always loved, and still listen to Uppers and Downers.
For me, it's as perfect an album as people say Appetite For Destruction is, and
indeed, Earth Vs.
Is it album you're proud of? Also I'm thinking of having Sunshine Girl played
at my wedding this year, good call?
Danny - That’s a great call mate. I’m so so proud of Uppers and Downers.
Just a shame it didn’t make me rich haha. I still play it from time to time and
I still love that record.
Colin Grainger - Uppers and Downers is the ultimate feelgood album. Which album do you go to if you need a bit of cheering up?
Danny - I go for “dig that groove baby” by the toy dolls. It’s a great way of picking yourself up.
William H Havers - Do you have a favourite tour story? I know you’ve had some long nights and long days. Also, Upper and Downers is one of my favourite records of all time.
Danny - My favourite tour story cannot be printed haha. Arrests would be made hahahaha. Normally drug fuelled madness.
I’m glad you like the Yo-Yos album mate.
Martin McCann - What’s your best, and worst gigs that you’ve played?
Danny - One of the best gigs was supporting the Sex Pistols in 96. The worst gigs are when I’m ill. Mental illness is real.
Roy Townsend Jr - Do you have hobbies and interests outside of music Danny?
If so what? Do you like to collect anything?
Danny - It’s all about music and the dog for me. I’m a boring cunt.
Ben Wright - It’s great to see you back playing music again. And cheers for
offering to answer a few questions from your fans. It’s also great that you and
Ginger are on good terms again. How did it come to you guys burying the
hatchet? Who broke the ice first? And what and where was that first face to
face meeting like?
Danny - We made up at Camden Rocks and he asked for me to do his
birthday bash and some Wildhearts support shows with the Main Grains. It was
great seeing him again to be honest.
