Tim Prudhomme interview
via e-mail by Dan Cohoon (circa 2002)
via e-mail by Dan Cohoon (circa 2002)
Dan Cohoon: What bands were you in before Fuck? Does Fuck still exist as a band? If not what brought an end to Fuck?
Tim Prudhomme: I was in a band called Bobbo for a few years. Based in NYC, we put out a slice of vinyl moments before we disbanded. Before that, I was in an assortment of under-achiever bands. Fuck still exists. We leave for Italy this fall where we will record a new album of dubious quality (after all, it'll be recorded in Italian, fer chrissakes.)(or at least, on Italian recording equipment [read: broken]).
Tim Prudhomme: I was in a band called Bobbo for a few years. Based in NYC, we put out a slice of vinyl moments before we disbanded. Before that, I was in an assortment of under-achiever bands. Fuck still exists. We leave for Italy this fall where we will record a new album of dubious quality (after all, it'll be recorded in Italian, fer chrissakes.)(or at least, on Italian recording equipment [read: broken]).
Tim Prudhomme (promo photo)
DC: Where did you grow up and what effect did it have on your musical upbringing? What were your folks into musically?
TP: Unfortunately, I grew up in the suburbs of Baton Rouge. One may mistakenly believe that I heard blues, zydeco, and the ilk at a tender age. But I must restate: I grew up in the suburbs…USA. So I was exposed to the likes of Billy Joel, Elton John, and whatever else crap was on the Top 40. It was no less than hard work and determination that I was able to find my first punk rock record. And once I found it, I realized that I needed to always search for something better, and to never go back to listening to whatever was being spoon-fed by the radio-corporation motherfuckers. As for my parents’ record collection, it was rather sparse; a little Willie Nelson, a couple of Broadway show collections. Though, I was also rather fortunate in that they had The Platters: Encore of Golden Hits, which continues to be one of the best records of all time.
DC: Do you write from personal experience or are the characters in your song made up?
TP: Both; I usually make them up, composite-style, from personal experience. However, on occasion, I just might invent these weirdoes out of thin air. It depends on my hold on reality
TP: Unfortunately, I grew up in the suburbs of Baton Rouge. One may mistakenly believe that I heard blues, zydeco, and the ilk at a tender age. But I must restate: I grew up in the suburbs…USA. So I was exposed to the likes of Billy Joel, Elton John, and whatever else crap was on the Top 40. It was no less than hard work and determination that I was able to find my first punk rock record. And once I found it, I realized that I needed to always search for something better, and to never go back to listening to whatever was being spoon-fed by the radio-corporation motherfuckers. As for my parents’ record collection, it was rather sparse; a little Willie Nelson, a couple of Broadway show collections. Though, I was also rather fortunate in that they had The Platters: Encore of Golden Hits, which continues to be one of the best records of all time.
DC: Do you write from personal experience or are the characters in your song made up?
TP: Both; I usually make them up, composite-style, from personal experience. However, on occasion, I just might invent these weirdoes out of thin air. It depends on my hold on reality
DC: How do you go about writing such sad songs?
TP: I'm usually a somewhat sad, depressed, down-on-his-luck kind of guy. So, it's easy.
DC: Is quiet the new loud? It seems more and more folks that were in real loud and bombastic bands are now making real quiet and pretty records.
TP: My excuse is that I'm generally too tired to play any way but slowly and gently. I generally don't even have the strength to pull the wings off of a fly. But for all others who are doing the quiet thing, yes, they are being trendy…everyone but me.
DC: How did you hook up with Doug Easley? What was it like to work with him as a producer?
TP: It was like pulling teeth. He would much rather be hired to build some kitchen cabinets. Actually, I was helping him with that kind of work when we started talking about recording this record. After I popped him in the head a few times with my hammer, he came around to see things my way and we commenced with the recording. Also, I've known Doug for about 15 years, and we always planned to work together. It just took a little while to coordinate it.
TP: I'm usually a somewhat sad, depressed, down-on-his-luck kind of guy. So, it's easy.
DC: Is quiet the new loud? It seems more and more folks that were in real loud and bombastic bands are now making real quiet and pretty records.
TP: My excuse is that I'm generally too tired to play any way but slowly and gently. I generally don't even have the strength to pull the wings off of a fly. But for all others who are doing the quiet thing, yes, they are being trendy…everyone but me.
DC: How did you hook up with Doug Easley? What was it like to work with him as a producer?
TP: It was like pulling teeth. He would much rather be hired to build some kitchen cabinets. Actually, I was helping him with that kind of work when we started talking about recording this record. After I popped him in the head a few times with my hammer, he came around to see things my way and we commenced with the recording. Also, I've known Doug for about 15 years, and we always planned to work together. It just took a little while to coordinate it.
with the hole dug (cover art)
DC: Why did you move from Rock to Country?
TP: Do you mean "why did you move from NYC to Tennessee?" I've always enjoyed moving around. And I don't just mean spatially. Change is good; tonic for the soul; and all that bullshit.
DC: What song writers do you admire?
TP: Besides the obvious (Cohen, Dylan, Beatle Boot Boys, Satie), I'm probably the biggest Joey Levine fan in the world. (He's the guy who wrote and sang “Yummy, yummy, yummy", "Chewy Chewy", "Sweeter than Sugar", and a bunch more big hits from the genre of bubblegum. Nowadays, you can thank him for fucking your brain with such ditties as "just for the taste of it...Diet Coke!" or one of my faves… "Come see the softer side of Sears."
DC: You came to song writing fairly late. What made you start? (This question was a mistake resulting from reading too many press releases at once.)
TP: Actually, I started fairly early, when I was about 15 or 16. Though I suppose that that can be considered late compared to Mozart. I got a guitar when I was about 13, but I couldn't figure out how to play anything. Then I read an interview with the Ramones, who said that anyone can play and write good songs if they just put their mind to it. So, I decided to quit trying to figure out other people's songs and just make up my own. And I'm so glad that I came across that interview.
DC: What is up with your bio saying you are dead? For the first time listening to the record I thought you were dead. It made it very poignant. Then I re-read the bio and figured it was a joke.
TP: It's not a joke. I really am dead. Is that funny to you?
TP: Do you mean "why did you move from NYC to Tennessee?" I've always enjoyed moving around. And I don't just mean spatially. Change is good; tonic for the soul; and all that bullshit.
DC: What song writers do you admire?
TP: Besides the obvious (Cohen, Dylan, Beatle Boot Boys, Satie), I'm probably the biggest Joey Levine fan in the world. (He's the guy who wrote and sang “Yummy, yummy, yummy", "Chewy Chewy", "Sweeter than Sugar", and a bunch more big hits from the genre of bubblegum. Nowadays, you can thank him for fucking your brain with such ditties as "just for the taste of it...Diet Coke!" or one of my faves… "Come see the softer side of Sears."
DC: You came to song writing fairly late. What made you start? (This question was a mistake resulting from reading too many press releases at once.)
TP: Actually, I started fairly early, when I was about 15 or 16. Though I suppose that that can be considered late compared to Mozart. I got a guitar when I was about 13, but I couldn't figure out how to play anything. Then I read an interview with the Ramones, who said that anyone can play and write good songs if they just put their mind to it. So, I decided to quit trying to figure out other people's songs and just make up my own. And I'm so glad that I came across that interview.
DC: What is up with your bio saying you are dead? For the first time listening to the record I thought you were dead. It made it very poignant. Then I re-read the bio and figured it was a joke.
TP: It's not a joke. I really am dead. Is that funny to you?
