Life is good. I still reside in Ohio but go back to the UK once or twice each year to visit family and friends. Still have some beers on a Friday night (and any other night the wife lets me out!).
Q2] Do you still keep in touch with the other guys?
I hear from Brian now and then over the internet and we have a laugh over the 'good ole days'.
Otherwise I haven't seen or spoken to any of them since 1999 or whenever it was they got Merck to call me and say i was no longer required.
Q3] What do you think were CW's best moments? Tours/Albums?
Album wise i think we had great moments on each album but never made a 'perfect' record.
My favourate is 'Like Cats And Dogs' which is probably a strange choice as it is made up of b-sides but i think the spirit of the band was captured best when we recorded songs in a 1 or 2 take scenario which those primarily were; not over-thought or over-produced.
Playing live was always my most enjoyable aspect of the band. We played with, and met, so many great people over the ten years. Tour wise i really have fond memories of the INXS tour. That's when we really only put our 'toe' into pop star waters. Even though INXS' popularity was waining, they were still a class act and Michael was the epitome of the 'rock-star'. But if I had to pick one show I would go with the first time we came to America and played at the Whisky in LA. Firstly, being a huge Doors fan, I knew the place was a legend. Secondly, the fact that the show was sold out purely due to 'Black Metallic' being played on KROQ. Even in our home town it would have been hard to get 100 people to see us at that time, but there we were, on the other side of thw world, playing to a sold out crowd. Bizarre.
Q4] Have you heard any of the 'Catherine Wheel Cover Compilation'?
If so, what do you think of the bands covering the Wheel's tunes?
No. Haven't heard a thing. Anyone want to send me a copy?
Q5] What kind of music is interesting you at the moment?
Morrissey looks like he is back on form. Franz Ferdinand. Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I just started getting back into 'Kraftwerk' after all these years. 'Radioactivity' is playing as i type!
Q6] Lots of people over at 'Texture' praise you highly regarding fan mail.
You always wrote back. Did you take this position willingly or could no one else be bothered?
It's something which I took on board very early on. On the way to gigs I would sit at the back on the van - in what I would call, 'the bureau' - and answer the fan mail that had started to trickle in. After a while it became quite a full time job but I always thought if someone could be bothered enough to write then they should get a response. It is something I took on willingly but it was the case that if i hadn't done it, no-one else would.
Q7] If CW were to re-unite for a special one-off gig, would you be willing to take part?
I would never say never but I cannot see it happening.
Q8] Personally, CW had a massive impact on my life, have you ever been stopped by the 'crazy fan' and been told so?
Ermmm.... Only you :)
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