This interview has been taken by Isisick from © Psycho Brasil.


© Isisick

Introduction in portuguese:

Bom, como muitos ja sabem aqui meu tcc é sobre psychobilly, e uma das entrevistas que eu fiz recentemente foi com o Mark (ex Krewmen / atual Mad Dog Cole), e nela ele fala sobre como era o psychobilly no começo. E ele achou válida a idéia de postar essa entrevista aqui. Então lá vai povo loco! Espero que gostem.

Interview in english:

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: Where are you from?

I was born in Bermondsey, London on September 11th 1962. I lived there until I was 4, then our family moved to Basingstoke, 70km south west of London.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: In your view where (country) the Psychobilly started?

The 1st I heard of it, was in the UK. Paul Fenech was out there causing a storm, so in my book, the answer is the UK. So many people say The Cramps, but they were too Punky for me.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: Who were the influences?

For me, my original influences were the likes of Sonny Burgess, Johnny Burnett, The Phantom, (Love Me. Fan-Fucking-Tastic song! ) etc. A couple of the English bands around at the time were my main reason for doing it in the first place.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: How was the beginning?

In the beginning, it was all pretty mad! There were so many punk rockers & skin-heads coming to the shows, you were guaranteed of one hell of a violent wrecking pit! Lots of real blood back in them days.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: Why did make people start to make this kind of music?

I got asked this question on the radio 20 years ago…..For me, I was looking for something with a raw edge. I had been heavily into Rockabilly since the early 1970s’, but was becoming bored with the “nice sound” produced from it. Everybody was writing or recording songs about their pink Cadillac, their high school sweetheart, hot sunny days on the beach etc etc etc. It was all just too nice!! I was looking for horror, terror, life on the edge, death & destruction, violence, ….a blood and guts kind of feeling.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: What klubs the bands used to play?

We used to play anywhere we were booked. The main mecca back then was of course The Klub Foot, Hammersmith. If we weren’t playing there, I was still in the crowd at pretty much every Psychobilly event. Then, like now, I just couldn’t get enough of the feeling it gave me.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: How did the people used to look (appearance)?

Like bloody freaks! Ha ha. No, they looked the same as they do now. Massive multi-coloured flat-tops, all sorts of shapes shaved into their hair. Don’t forget there were many punks and skins turning up at events, so the clothes were all sorts of styles. The Psychobillies were mainly in bleached, slashed jeans though.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: How the world faced the Psychobilly in the beginning?

The scene in the UK around the mid 1980s’ was colossal. The Klub Foot had absolutely hundreds arrive for the events, and the place was so crowded it was mental. The queue outside used to go right along the road and around the corner. If it was raining, your hair was fucked before you even got in, and the length of time spent waiting to get in, you were already pissed before you got through the front door!

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: What did the Psychos expect from the scene?

From what I remember, all they wanted was full-on hardcore Psychobilly music. The scene was still very young when I got into it, and there was only about 4 or 5 of us into it in my town. All the others were into nicey-nicey Rockabilly, with its pink & black bowling shirts and well pressed pegs! (Trousers). We had to travel up to London to get any psychotic Psycho sounds.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: Has anything changed from the beginning to now?

Well, the biggest thing for me is the lack of the scene in the UK. The followers are just not in great numbers like the old days. I was also fortunate back then to be a full-time Psychobilly/musician. Also, everyone seemed to be around the same age. Nowadays, the age difference seems to range from late teens to the die-hard 40+ year old followers.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: What do you have in common with Psychobilly?

I am full-time MENTAL! For anybody that has known me since the beginning, they will tell you I have always listened to Psychobilly, especially when I’m driving. I love the raw sound it produces.

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: What do you do about music, and what do you expect to do?

I really want to tour the USA in 2009. I literally get hundreds of emails from Psychobillies out there, so this will be a priority for the band. IF everybody that has emailed me about playing out there arrived at the show, they would need one HELL of a venue! Jim and myself have nearly finished writing the second album, and having listened to the comments etc on the Ultra Violence album, the follow-up should just about cover everything the fans have asked for. I am getting back into the "zone" that I used to be in when writing new tracks, so the sound should be exactly how it was originally.

Despite everything said about me over the years, it was ME that wrote at least 99% of the lyrics on the first three “K-Men” albums, and nothing and nobody can take that away from me. All the re-releases of those albums have had my name removed from the labels, sleeves and covers.
HOW FUCKING DESPERATE IS THAT FOR RECOGNITION??? I hear that Tony Macmillan is now in a pub band…... The best of luck to him. I STILL have nothing directly against Tony, just the establishment he came from. If he were to ring me today, I would still have a conversation with him. Back in October 2006, we spoke about reviving the K-Men, but external problems his end stopped this from happening. I just hope for his sake he has now seen how much that problem has held him back over the years!

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: How do you explain Psychobilly today in your country?

Hanging on, but struggling. There are very few promoters supporting the scene now. Mick Geary of Speedfreaks fame(?) is one of the main guys, and he’s a top bloke in my view. More power to ya Mick!

Isisick / Psycho Brasil: Something has change in the scene?

Yes, and I’m glad it has! If it hadn’t evolved from what it was back then, it would all be just a memory by now. Just like evolution, if something does not change the essence of its existence, it dies. Psychobilly will not die, it will just keep evolving into something different, something new, something exciting, and something new yet to be discovered. So long as it doesn’t lose sight of its history, it will be here forever.

Final words from Mark Cole:

I would like to finish by thanking a list of people that have supported me since my return:

- "Lomax" (Martin) and Caroline for the original contact email.

- Jim Jeffries for being a damn good mate through all the trauma getting here. Lee Barnett and Paul "Choppy" Lambourne for wanting to be a part of all this.

- Alex and Anni from Germany who run my website and forum. (www.maddogcole.com ) Great job guys.

- Billy "Tombstone" for all the constant questions and support.

- Lonesome (Mental Hell) for being a real good friend and avid supporter, even if he DOES support Arsenal !!

- The sponsor of my stage coats and jackets, Adam, (www.supernal-clothing.co.uk). Thanks mate, awesome jobs.

- My children, Katie-Louise, Gracie-Rose and Thomas who sang backing vocals on Blue Army, the Ultra Violence album.

- All the fans who have turned up at festivals and tours to see if the MadDog still had it………. I hope you weren’t disappointed!!

- And my wife Ruth, who, lets face it, if she said I wasn’t allowed out to play with my friends, I wouldn’t be back in the scene now! Love you darling.

© Psycho Brasil