Sin City Sounds Spotlight - Eddie Spaghetti from the Supersuckers

Leading the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world might leave some people feeling roadworn and weary, but Supersuckers frontman Eddie Spaghetti happily wears many a cowboy hat. He's dedicated to his family, running the band's record label and raising awareness for the West Memphis Three. We had the chance to chat with Spaghetti by telephone from his Seattle home about his upcoming Las Vegas solo acoustic show at The Boston on August 26th, 2003.

Poizen Ivy: What made you decide to start doing these solo shows as opposed to taking it easy?

Eddie Spaghetti: It's a super cool exercise to get up there with just your guitar and I'm not into this whole pretentious singer-songwritery sort of vibe that this sort of thing usually involves. Usually it's some guy who really thinks his songs need to be heard in this intimate setting to be appreciated and blah-dee-blah-blah-blah. For me it's just getting up there and cracking some beers, cracking some jokes, and let the crowd tell you what kind of night they want to have.

PI: Your previous acoustic sets showcased Pretty Fucked Up off Motherfuckers Be Trippin'. Are people surprised to discover it's about your parents' divorce?

Eddie Spaghetti ES: In that song I just took one side, it was from one parent's perspective and it just came out. It's one of those great moments when a song just sorta flops out of ya. It literally took about five minutes to make it up. I didn't think it was that great or anything but as I played it for people everyone was like "Oh my God". It works if you've ever felt wronged by a relationship; it works on a couple of levels. It's got a cuss word in it -- that's always cool.

PI: It's obviously one of the most personal songs in your repertoire.

ES: I've been real reluctant to tell the story as well. I hate these bands that moan about their childhood. If I have to hear that the singer for Papa Roach peed his bed one more time as a teenager, I just wanna puke. It seems as though it's come to be sort of a rock 'n' roll pedigree to have something fucked up happen in your life. I always say "suck it up, buttercup." (laughs)

PI: Long-time drummer Dancing Eagle recently decided to leave the band. How does that affect things?

ES: It's a tough time right now. Just the transition of it all and the timing has made for some unpleasantness. Obviously the band moves forward as a business and a rock 'n' roll machine. Hopefully we'll just miss a few beats and then pick it right back up. Definitely the strain and the stress of becoming a business as well as a band full of shit-asses was a factor.

PI: Has starting your own label (Mid-fi Records) changed the band's dynamic?

ES: Things are different for sure. It's a pleasurable business; it's a business of pleasure. It's almost like being a hooker. You sell a piece of your soul every day and you're glad about it.

PI: How's the new album doing?

ES: Really well, as well as any of them have done in the past. We're little back-patters around here, patting ourselves on the back. And it's not over yet, we're gonna go out and we're gonna flog it some more and hopefully sell more.

Eddie Spaghetti PI: What else is in the works? I've heard that you're compiling the Supersuckers history.

ES: It's an American story of a small business and all the trials and tribulations and tribulations. There's serious things in it and there's a lot of funny stuff and mainly I want it to be an enjoyable read for anybody, whether they're a fan of the Supersuckers or not. I want them to get a little slice of what it's been like to chase a dream for the last 20 years or so.

PI: You've devoted a number of years to bringing the saga of the imprisoned West Memphis Three to the public eye. Do you feel your efforts are making an impact?

ES: Let's face it, most people are oblivious. That's OK, people have got their lives to life and they should feel lucky to get to live them. It's coming on 10 years these guys have been in there, and it's really sad that 10 years have been taken away from them.

PI: Heavy Heart, the song you recorded for 2000's Free The West Memphis Three CD, strikes me as the perfect tribute.

ES: It's a cover song by a band called You Am I, they're from Australia. It's just a really great song. It was on their record and it just kind of fit the theme of that compilation. I know they [the West Memphis Three] have family members and friends and loved ones that miss them and it's kind of about that. I wish that I'd written that song, that's one of those ones that you totally wish you would have written.

To learn more about the West Memphis Three, please visit www.wm3.org


	Have A Beer With Eddie Spaghetti By Poizen Ivy Leading the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world might leave some people feeling roadworn and weary, but Supersuckers frontman Eddie Spaghetti happily wears many a cowboy hat. He's dedicated to his family, running the band's record label and raising awareness for the West Memphis Three. We had the chance to chat with Spaghetti by telephone from his Seattle home about his upcoming Las Vegas solo acoustic show at The Boston on August 26th, 2003. Poizen Ivy: What made you decide to start doing these solo shows as opposed to taking it easy? Eddie Spaghetti: It's a super cool exercise to get up there with just your guitar and I'm not into this whole pretentious singer-songwritery sort of vibe that this sort of thing usually involves. Usually it's some guy who really thinks his songs need to be heard in this intimate setting to be appreciated and blah-dee-blah-blah-blah. For me it's just getting up there and cracking some beers, cracking some jokes, and let the crowd tell you what kind of night they want to have. PI: Your previous acoustic sets showcased Pretty Fucked Up off Motherfuckers Be Trippin'. Are people surprised to discover it's about your parents' divorce? ES: In that song I just took one side, it was from one parent's perspective and it just came out. It's one of those great moments when a song just sorta flops out of ya. It literally took about five minutes to make it up. I didn't think it was that great or anything but as I played it for people everyone was like "Oh my God". It works if you've ever felt wronged by a relationship; it works on a couple of levels. It's got a cuss word in it -- that's always cool. PI: It's obviously one of the most personal songs in your repertoire. ES: I've been real reluctant to tell the story as well. I hate these bands that moan about their childhood. If I have to hear that the singer for Papa Roach peed his bed one more time as a teenager, I just wanna puke. It seems as though it's come to be sort of a rock 'n' roll pedigree to have something fucked up happen in your life. I always say "suck it up, buttercup." (laughs) PI: Long-time drummer Dancing Eagle recently decided to leave the band. How does that affect things? ES: It's a tough time right now. Just the transition of it all and the timing has made for some unpleasantness. Obviously the band moves forward as a business and a rock 'n' roll machine. Hopefully we'll just miss a few beats and then pick it right back up. Definitely the strain and the stress of becoming a business as well as a band full of shit-asses was a factor. PI: Has starting your own label (Mid-fi Records) changed the band's dynamic? ES: Things are different for sure. It's a pleasurable business; it's a business of pleasure. It's almost like being a hooker. You sell a piece of your soul every day and you're glad about it. PI: How's the new album doing? ES: Really well, as well as any of them have done in the past. We're little back-patters around here, patting ourselves on the back. And it's not over yet, we're gonna go out and we're gonna flog it some more and hopefully sell more. PI: What else is in the works? I've heard that you're compiling the Supersuckers history. ES: It's an American story of a small business and all the trials and tribulations and tribulations. There's serious things in it and there's a lot of funny stuff and mainly I want it to be an enjoyable read for anybody, whether they're a fan of the Supersuckers or not. I want them to get a little slice of what it's been like to chase a dream for the last 20 years or so. PI: You've devoted a number of years to bringing the saga of the imprisoned West Memphis Three to the public eye. Do you feel your efforts are making an impact? ES: Let's face it, most people are oblivious. That's OK, people have got their lives to life and they should feel lucky to get to live them. It's coming on 10 years these guys have been in there, and it's really sad that 10 years have been taken away from them. PI: Heavy Heart, the song you recorded for 2000's Free The West Memphis Three CD, strikes me as the perfect tribute. ES: It's a cover song by a band called You Am I, they're from Australia. It's just a really great song. It was on their record and it just kind of fit the theme of that compilation. I know they [the West Memphis Three] have family members and friends and loved ones that miss them and it's kind of about that. I wish that I'd written that song, that's one of those ones that you totally wish you would have written. To learn more about the West Memphis Three, please visit www.wm3.org An extremely edited version of this interview appeared in Las Vegas CityLife on August 21st, 2003. Photos accompanying this interview are courtesy of Stephanie Neal, live shots by Poizen Ivy.	Eddie Spaghetti Acoustic Show at The Boston
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