RETURN TO SUPERSUCKERS

THE SUPERSUCKERS
"The greatest rock-n-roll band in the world"

by Jonathan Williams
Photos by Aysha
From the July 2003 issue of Prick Magazine.

Many bands have claimed to be on a mission to save rock 'n' roll over the past few years, but few have truly followed through with such promises. Sure, a lot of them have created some underground stirrings by bringing back classic ideals like sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll and making plenty of songs about not much more than that. But in the end, most of these bands have remained relatively obscure in the shadows of nu-metal, rap core and pseudo-punk bands delivered in angry, rebellious packages that appeal to today's youth.

Eddie Spaghetti (vocals/bass)

The Supersuckers, on the other hand, are truly fighting the power with their latest release Motherfuckers Be Trippin'. Not just because of celebratory songs of decadence like "Rock Your Ass" and "A Good Night For My Drinkin,'" bar brawl-inspirers like "The Fight Song" and "Bruises To Prove It," or hell-raisers like "Damn My Soul." Although these are certainly powerful weapons in the Supersuckers' arsenal, Motherfuckers... is also the band's first new rock record since starting its own label (Mid-Fi Recordings) in 2001.

"We definitely want to do better with this record and this campaign or whatever you'd call it than we've ever done in the past," says head 'Sucker Eddie Spaghetti in a brief moment of sincerity. "Because we feel strongly about what we're doing and because we're doing everything on our own now we have a lot to say and a lot to prove by really succeeding all by ourselves. It would be really good for us to look back on this project a year from now and say, 'Fuck yeah. We kicked ass. We sold more records than ever before.' That sort of shit."

Despite Spaghetti's optimism, "Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain't Selling This Year)," the lead track on Motherfuckers..., seems to set a sarcastically pessimistic tone by pointing out the pitfalls of sticking to one's guns in spite of what might lead to more commercial acceptance. However, Spaghetti is quick to point out that the Supersuckers aren't really so concerned with the bureaucratic elements of the music industry.

Dan Bolton (guitar)

"I guess on the surface it would seem pessimistic," he admits. "But even at the end of that song is, 'At the end of the day I'm going to do it my way 'cause I've got to have something good and fun to play.'"

"To me, it's a lot more tongue-in-cheek," he continues. "Really and truly, if we were pessimistic or if we were bitter we'd have to care. We care about making good music, but the stuff that surrounds it and I guess the business of making music doesn't make us change."

In fact, change is something that doesn't come easy for the Supersuckers. While many bands change band members almost as often as guitar strings or drumsticks, the Supersuckers have had the same lineup since 1989. And even when they're exploring their twangier side, as they did on their first Mid-Fi release Must've Been Live, a live recording of one of the band's Country Western sets, the country Supersuckers are still the same Supersuckers who rock like there's nothing to do but rock.

Rontrose Heathman (guitar)

"We're totally bipolar," says Spaghetti of his band's dual life. "I'm at a loss to explain why we do that. [Most bands] would call themselves something else if they were going to do something that was that dramatic of a departure from what they're known for."

"But it was the Supersuckers that made this other kind of music," he goes on. "When we do these country shows, I like to make it known how similar these things are. They're very simple, very honest styles of music that you can pick up a guitar and a month later have learned as many Hank Williams songs as Ramones songs."

And, whether its punk rock or Country Western, there's always room for more songs about drinking beer and taking drugs and there are plenty of such songs on Motherfuckers... (despite the band's no smoking policy backstage).

"We just do what we like to do," Spaghetti confirms. "Generally speaking, it's an escapist sort of art form. There's lots of good artists out there saying important things that should be said, but we hate to learn so, you know,we don't make anyone else learn."

He must be trippin'!