THE WOODROWS
Part I
The recent rise in popularity of former terminally underground rock stars, The Woodrows, is not surprising in today's musical climate. Considering last summer's reunion tours by Kiss and the Sex Pistols, there really is nothing sacred left in rock music (if there ever was) and the bloated pig of Alternative Rock has already been butchered and fed to the masses many times over. It is little wonder that The Woodrows are finally getting a little, shall we say, more mainstream press. But before you read any exclusive interviews in Spin Magazine or see the Woodrows pimping their favorite threads in a Rolling Stone fashion spread, remember that the Reglar Wiglar has already, and once again, "gone to the inside track" to get the "scoop". We hope you enjoy Part One of this exciting and provocative look at perhaps the only old school punk band that has yet to sell out (if only because their lawyers haven't finished ironing out the contracts yet).
RW: I hear that you guys have some pretty big stars in your fan club these days.
Toby: Not really.
RW: No? That's not what I've heard. Isn't there a certain controversial British band that are big Woodrows fans?
Ricky: Yeah, I guess the guys in Oasis are really big Woodrow fans, I don't know. That's just what we heard. You hear a lot of things on the road and most of them are suspect.
Toby: One of those Oasis dudes was at one of our shows.
RW: Yeah? Which one?
Toby: I don't remember, I think it was Ohio.
RW: No, which Oasis guy?
Toby: Oh, I think it was the obnoxious, ugly one.
RW: Which obnoxious, ugly one? They're all obnoxious and ugly, aren't they?
Toby: True.
Erin: Thurston Moore was at one of our shows in NYC.
Ricky: Yeah, but hat doesn't carry that much weight these days.
RW: Anybody else?
Toby: Nah, I think that's it.
RW: You sure? I've heard tell that some pretty heavy heavies have shown up at your gigs . . .
Ricky: Really? Like who?
RW: Well, I heard that Madonna was at a show in Detroit.
Toby: Yeah, she wanted to sign us to Maverick.
Ricky: She wanted Marvy to father her child until she found out about the court order.
RW: I also heard there were others like Johnny Depp, Dennis Rodman, Drew Barrymore, Courtney Love, Dave Grohl, Lou Reed . . .
Toby: Yeah, yeah, those people have been at shows, big deal.
RW: How is this new found fame treating you guys? Are you adjusting?
Erin: Yeah, it's really weird, the sudden exposure we've been getting--you know MTV approached us about doing an unplugged segment?
RW: What'd you say?
Toby: We've never even made a video for Christ's sake.
Erin: We told them to go back and pick up a copy of Songs for Angie, 1981 or Ballads, form '84 when we were laying down that acoustic shit and got our asses kicked every time we tried to play it live.
Marvy: Yeah, we were playing in Chicago one night back in, like '83, at this place that they actually burned down after we left or--Christ, Toby might have set the blaze now that I think about it--but whatever, it's not there anymore.
Ricky: Right, right, I remember that. This mob of pumped-up punk rockers were foaming at the mouth ready to see the Woodrows blistering five minute set and we come out with acoustic guitars and Erin's got a cowboy hat on and I've got a kerchief tied around my neck and ah. . . shit went down, man.
Erin: The kids really lost their friggin' heads over that and not inÊa positive way.
Ricky: We really pissed a lot ofÊpeople off 'cause we've always just wanted toÊdo our own thing. We did metal when it was uncool but then we dropped the hairspray when that shit started to really break back in the late '80s.
Marvy: We always try to stay one step behind or ahead of the trends so that the majority of the public really can't stand us.
Ricky: Which is not always easy and we don't always get the respect that we deserve for that.
RW: You guys do it well. I mean just off the top of my head, I can think of dozens of people who hate you andÊthese are religious leaders and law enforcement officials who are in no way directly involved in the music business.
Ricky: Yeah, that's what I mean. We get no props for that.
RW: You guys have turned down a lot of offers tour in support of some nationally recognized rock acts; Sponge, Stone Temple Pilots, to name just a few, and yet you've never really had any commercial success. Why do these guys suddenly want you on the bill?
Marvy: These overnight success bands think they can buy some street cred by having us on the bill. It's like a hip thing to get an old school band to open up for your watered-down rock band.
Ricky: It's kind of a novelty thing. You know we influenced these bands from day one. It used to be considered "not cool" to like us, now for some reason it's considered "cool" so every schlock rock band their brother wants us to go on tour with them, hang out with them, so they can kiss our asses. We're not into it.
Erin: It's so thinly veiled and obvious. Before people know who you are they either treat you like shit or they have no time for you. Then they find out you're inÊa band and then they're your best friend or they want in your pants.
Ricky: Yeah, girls used to just totally get the heebie-jeebies when we came around, then we got some press, some recognition for being the awesome band that we are, and then these chicks are sweatin' us 24-7.
Toby: It's pretty obvious that the only attraction they feel for you is you money and fame, and I'm one ugly customer so it's like "Whatever, baby". Not that I've ever turned it down in the past or ever will. Ever.
Ricky: Oh hell yeah, I'll play that game.
RW: So you've turned down all the major tour offers but I still heard you've become friends with some of the bands who've made the offers, like Scott Wieland (Stone Temple Pilots)?
Toby: I actually feel kind of responsible for Wieland's relapse. We were out in San Diego on our last tour and I had heard that Scott Wieland was a big Woodrow fan from back in the day so I gave him a call and he invited me over to his place.
RW: Wow.
Toby: Yeah, so he starts layin' this big trip on me about how hard success is and how money sucks and this huge fuckin' house he's livin' in just makes him feel small and alone and rehab is hard but worth it and how lucky I am for being influential but not financially successful. And I'm listenin' and noddin' my head, rollin' a pinner and I say, "Maybe you wouldn't talk so much with this joint in your mouth and when you're done with that how 'bout hittin' this," and I pass him a bottle of cheap hooch. "Let's get messed up out of our friggin' heads, Wieland . . ."
RW: Jesus!
Toby: Yeah, I told him, "it'll help you feel better about being rich and successful." I feel bad for fuckin' him up like that 'cause obviously he's got a problem, but that's just me man, that's Toby Woodrow. I got no problem with the excesses of the rock'n'roll lifestyle. None.
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