Keith Nelson – Buckcherry – Interview Exclusive
Written by Dom Daley
Tuesday, 14 June 2011 05:00
When you get offered the chance to interview one of the original members of a band as big as Buckcherry and a pretty cool axe slinger like Keith Nelson what’s not to like about doing this work? Having written and played on albums as good as the debut release by Buckcherry, with songs like ‘Lit Up’ or ‘Lawless And Lulu’, where he jammed along to Sex Pistols classics with none other than producer Steve Jones playing the drums, or the more recent chart bothering and concert lighter friendliness of ‘Sorry’ and the sheer rock out with your cock out, too rude for YouTube ‘Crazy Bitch’, how can one refuse such an opportunity? Not me, that’s for sure. It might have been mid-afternoon UK time but the all round good egg that Mr. Nelson is, he agreed to call me up early morning LA time and shoot the breeze about all things Buckcherry and Keith Nelson.
Good morning Keith, how are we?
It’s good man – what’s going on?
It’s a pleasure to speak to you.
Right on, it’s good to speak to you too thanks.
If we can start at the beginning; What made you want to pick up the six string and play rock ‘n’ roll?
I grew up in a house where there was all kinds of music around all the time. My father toyed with the drums and the saxophone and also played guitar and there was always music on or being played so it was always around from the earliest day. My brothers and I would play the drums and then I remember feeling like I wanted to write my own songs. You couldn’t really do it on the drums so that’s really how I picked up a guitar.
I’ve read previously that you reference early blues artists and UK bands like the Faces or Free were what you were into. That seems to be a heritage of awesome bands that many today seem to forget and don’t look back that far for their influences.
It’s like a history lesson and an important part of music. You have to know what came before you. As a result most of my favourite bands are not the most famous or well known bands. From that era I’d say someone like Free was one of my favourite bands and we just toured South America for a few weeks and Free was all I played the entire time I was over there.
When you started Buckcherry obviously you were ambitious but where did you think your playing and song writing would or could take you?
Our big goal I seem to remember was to just make a record. That was in the 90s and it was such a different world; people didn’t really have computers in their homes or laptops and records weren’t being made so easily. To make a record you’d have to book studio time and to get it through to seeing it packaged and hit the record shops it seemed such a huge deal – that was really our goal and to get the music onto disc and see it shrink wrapped and in the store, you’d really achieved something.
Do you think recording now is so much easier? With the accessibility of the internet and technology it seems like everyone can have a state of the art set up in some little box on their lap with everything on it to make a record from the basic band set up to using all the tricks of the trade?
Yeah, you only have to look at all the major studios that have been closing – it’s not just record stores that are vanishing, studios are going the same way purely and simply because of what you said and how people can do it in their own homes. It’s easier now. When the band got together there was no MySpace or Facebook where you can put your music out on, you had to have a label behind you – you don’t really need any of that now it’s all online. You don’t need to be in the same country to record a song.
Did you know as a band when you were in the studio writing and recording songs like ‘Lit Up’ that you were onto something? Was there an excitement where you kind of knew it would have mass appeal and it was very sellable?
I think so. There was definitely something that you knew when you were able to write a song like that. It felt unique. Whether or not you knew people would like it other than yourselves, that wasn’t the thought, it certainly wasn’t my thought, but you could feel a certain energy it had to it for sure.
Moving onto the present then with the last album ‘All Night Long’ – were the pressures greater? Did you feel you had to try harder after the success you’d had off the back of ’15’ or especially the worldwide success of songs like ‘Sorry’ and ‘Crazy Bitch’?
I don’t think there was a lot of pressure to be honest. Maybe after we’d done ‘Lit Up’ and the debut there was a pressure then to follow that up. There were a lot of people on the business side looking at us, it was just stop everything and be brilliant and we learned a valuable lesson after that which is you can’t really force the issue and you can only make the record you’re gonna make.
Did you find all the non-musical side of it frustrating and begin to question yourselves and maybe make decisions you knew weren’t right for the band at the time and do things that weren’t true to yourselves? It must have been difficult at the time knowing which way to turn?
I think back then I did, yeah. It just becomes such a part of it and you just have to learn to tune that out which is difficult when you’re in the middle of it. Yeah yeah, just fuck off, we’re going to make the record we want to make and we are what we are, but it was tough having to deal with it.
How is it so different now dealing with that side of it? You’re signed up to an independent label now….
We signed up with an independent label because honestly we didn’t have a choice. No major labels would sign us in the US and we’d just finished the ’15’ record and we were shopping it around and all the majors passed on it…
Incredible considering its success and, let’s be honest, the first time you heard the singles off that album you knew a song like ‘Sorry’ would have mass appeal, and ‘Crazy Bitch’ is such a strong song as well….
Well thanks, but it sometimes just goes to show how much these people know.
Do you think that’s nothing new though? The history of music is littered with some of the best albums that were passed by by the men in suits who patently didn’t have a clue…
Well that’s ok, you know, it is what it is and it didn’t slow us down or change our beliefs in what we were doing.
Was it satisfying then to have had such massive hits with ‘Sorry’ and ‘Crazy Bitch’ without the major backing you.
You know, it was such an odd time. We were really just grateful to still have a band and to be making music. I was really more humble and innocent and willing to accept whatever happened when we made ’15’ than we were when we made the first album.
As far as touring goes we mentioned some bands from the 70s who toured forever and a day and made fearsome reputations out of being truly great live bands; again you guys seem to follow that path of just getting out there and touring the globe without fear and really going for it.
Absolutely. We did over 300 shows in support of ’15’; 255 shows to support ‘Black Butterfly’; we are just approaching 155 shows on the back of ‘All Night Long’ and we’ve got the whole summer to go. It’s what we do, we’re a live rock ‘n’ roll band!
You must enjoy touring. Is it still as much fun now as when you started out?
I love touring or more specific I love playing shows. The travel wears you down after a while but the shows are what it’s all about. Getting over to the UK and Europe is what it’s all about and still such a big deal for us.
You’re doing Download which is I guess what was once Donington Monsters Of Rock festival and has a pretty rich history for rock music fans over here – is it the same for you guys over in the States?
It’s iconic for us. Not coming from there we understand the magnificent bands who’ve played before us and obviously it used to be known as Donington. If there are only a few gigs in your life you look forward to then it’s got to be, you know, I want to play Madison Square Garden and Donington.
You’re also doing the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London which is a world away from Donington Park race track but one of the better club gigs still left in the UK, or London to be more specific; I’ve seen many great bands play there, it’s a real old school concert hall.
It’s fun for us. You know, we’re lucky enough to be playing large rooms here in the US so to go and play small rooms is fun for us.
Do you approach it differently playing such a small club having been used to having to use up much larger stages in the US and reach out to people a lot further away?
Well there’s something about the energy of playing in a small setting like that as opposed to a field or someone else’s crowd. You know people have paid to come and see you and have packed it out – it brings a more punk rock image to things. It’s always like anything can happen at any minute and I love that. I don’t know if we’d approach it differently though because we always want to go out and just fucking kill it, you know. It’s all about having fun; enjoy yourself, playing the music is really the key to it.
You were due to go and play in Iraq and Kuwait a while back but it was put off – did you ever manage to go back?
No, we didn’t. There were a few unfortunate incidents that put it off and so we’re looking to get back onto that at the end of the year.
As far as milestones go, you toured with Motley Crue on the Cruefest and, reading reports and press over here, it was a huge success, garnered heavy rotation on MTV as well as having someone as iconic and vital to music history as Steve Jones work with you on the debut album – what would you look back on as your biggest achievement and are you ever surprised when the next big deal occurs in your life?
So many things have happened to us since starting this band and over the last 15 years since I’ve known Josh. Luckily we’re not jaded enough yet to not feel the impact of meeting Steven Tyler or touring with Motley or having a conversation with Joe Perry or any of the awesome things that have happened to us or meeting James Brown just before he died. It’s all very impactful and means a lot because those iconic people are still our heroes. It never gets old.
We mentioned Steve Jones producing your album but you’ve taken over those reigns recently – is it something you find difficult, having to juggle the roles of writer, player and producer?
I really enjoy producing, I won’t name names but I’ve watched a few who’ve worked with my band and other bands and saw how little they actually bring to the table compared to how much credit they actually get for it. That was something that made me think, fuck it I can produce records, so that’s where it really started. I realised how much I love it and I think as far as this band goes I’m well placed to know how things should sound, right? It can be a little bit of a juggling act at times but I think it’s working and I really enjoy it which is important.
What about working with other bands? Is that something you’d look to do if you could find the time.
Absolutely. I’ve been trying to find the time to fit stuff in – I’ve done a couple of bands here and there in down time but I’m definitely into hearing what’s out there and working with other artists.
Do you listen to a lot of newer music being made?
I listen to as much music as I can. Whether that’s people handing it to me or people sending me links on the computer to check out but I always end up referring to the music that’s been a part of me for such a long time. But I always have a ear to what’s new and up and coming.
When you are working with the band as producer and not guitarist is there ever any friction amongst yourselves; are you receptive to the input of others if it’s not what you’d initially have done or do they just leave you to get on with it and trust you implicitly?
I’d say everyone’s been very supportive and allowed me to do what I think is best for the band. In turn I wouldn’t want to tie anybody’s hands as well. I think a good producer helps them be at their most creative and give their best performance. To be honest ,in the band there isn’t a lot of ego going on at all which is cool.
Ok Keith, I’ll leave you be now. Thanks for taking the time to talk to Uber Rock and if you want to check the site out there are always loads of great bands being covered that aren’t getting the exposure they should – who knows, maybe there’s someone you could work with in the future.
Thanks man. We’re really looking forward to doing the shows over in the UK over the summer and thank you for taking an interest in the band, it’s much appreciated.