RICKY WARWICK
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 14th May 2009.
Ricky Warwick is probably best known as the lead singer of Scottish band The Almighty. However there is plenty more to him than being front man of one of the most revered live acts of all time. He has just released his 3rd solo album, 'Belfast Confetti' and is touring the UK and beyond to promote the new LP.
Hi Ricky, cheers for taking a moment to answer these questions for the Rock Realms Interrogation section. How is life treating you, sir?
Ricky: Very well. Thank you.
How did you first get into music, and when did you realise it would be what you spent your life doing?
Ricky: When I saw Stiff Little Fingers play in Belfast at age 14. It was a defining moment in my life. Suddenly everything made sense.
Who were your early influences?
Ricky: Obviously Stiff Little Fingers, Johnny Cash, Motorhead and the Eagles 'How To Play Guitar' songbook.
Did your childhood – and moving from Ireland to Scotland at a young age – have a big impact on you?
Ricky: Yes. Probably more than i realized at the time. I had a very happy if somewhat strange childhood in northern Ireland (due to the troubles) moving to a new country at that awkward teenage phase was never gonna be easy. But if I hadn't moved I would not have met Stump and Floyd in my last year at high school and gone on to form the Almighty with them.
As lead singer of The Almighty you got to share the stage with some massive names of rock and metal in the early 90’s. Did it feel like you were living a dream or was it just another day at the office?
Ricky: It was hard to take it all in. We were very young but we were also very cocky. I don't think we were ever overawed. We had bags of belief and felt like we deserved to be up there.
Are you still a young kid at heart who gets all excited when he meets his heroes, or has that never really been your style?
Ricky: Sometimes. I am very good at hiding my emotions.
Anyone you’ve ever met who HAS totally blown you away?
Ricky: Yes. But none of them are musicians.
Must confess, The Almighty were the first band I ever saw live (at the ’93 Metallica gig - I somehow managed to avoid Diamondhead). I thought you were utterly brilliant and put everything into the performance. Did you deliberately go out every night to blow the other bands off the stage, never mind you were playing with?
Ricky: We just totally believed in what we were doing. I don't think we ever played a show where the whole band didn’t give a 100%. We worked hard, rehearsed all the time and kept trying to push ourselves in every way we could. We were never intimidated by anyone.
Do you miss those big stadium gigs or are you more of an intimate, small venue kind of a guy?
Ricky: Well it’s kinda of funny. I have done more stadium gigs in the last 5 years as a solo artist than I ever did with The Almighty. I opened in arenas/sheds with the likes of Def Leppard, Skynyrd and Cheap Trick in the USA. I love playing, doesn't matter what size of venue.
The new album, Belfast Confetti, is a real surprise. I’ll be honest, when I was told it was acoustic I was disappointed, but it has a real impassioned clout behind it and (as the Rock Realms review will show) I rather like it :) Where did your solo style come from? Was it a fairly organic change from the harder rock or is this just a separate segment of your life?
Ricky: This is my life. I don't divide my life into segments. I pick up an acoustic guitar and write. A good powerful song will always sound that way no matter what the musical arrangement is. The Almighty had a certain sound that myself and the 3 others brought to the table with the solo stuff i get the chance to be selfish. I feel 100% comfortable doing what I am doing now.
Was it difficult leaving the hard-rock behind, or are you still able to focus energy on that too?
Ricky: I haven’t left hard rock behind. I am still a rocker. Rock 'n' roll was the birth of me and it will be the death of me. Anyone who has seen one of my solo shows will tell you that it's as intense as anything I have ever done. I don't sit there on a stool doing that singer/songwriter "feel my pain" crap. I stand up and put every ounce of heart, soul and sweat into the performance. I may only be armed with an acoustic guitar but I want to entertain the people and put on a show.
The songs on Belfast Confetti sound very ‘from the heart’ rather than simply ‘from the head’. Was it an emotional ride writing and recording the album?
Ricky: I have always written from the heart, but with Belfast Confetti there are definitely songs on there that I dug very deep to write. It’s probably the most personal record I have made to date.
Are there any particular highlights for you personally?
Ricky: Just being able to write this album and record it the way I wanted to is probably the biggest highlight. If Ii had to pick one track it would be "Belfast Confetti" a song that I had always wanted to write for the last 25 years, but never had the balls too.
I could imagine a few of the songs getting serious airplay on the radio. Is the commercial side of things something that interests you, or are you here purely for the artistic/performance side of things?
Ricky: Music is my life. It is also my job. I have a family and I like to get paid. I am blessed in that for the last 22 years I have been able to make a living doing what I love. Sure I want to see as many records and concert tickets as possible but if you start trying to gauge what is going to get played and put money before the music then you cannot be true to yourself in an artistic form.
I notice a few style similarities between your new work and Bruce Springsteen’s latest endeavours. Is he an influence, or are you both simply guys who put their soul into their work?
Ricky: He is the boss and I am a huge admirer of his work. He puts his soul into his music like any great true artist would.
Were there any interesting/big name contributors to Belfast confetti, either on the writing, performance or production side? Any sign of Joe Elliott on this one?
Ricky: I wrote with a couple of good friends of mine and they also contributed on some tracks. Joe was not involved in this one although I did play him the songs as went along to see what he thought as Ii do and will always value his opinions.
Is there anyone you’d still love to work with?
Ricky: I am always up for working with fellow musicians and writers. I would have loved to have met and written with Johnny Cash.
What’s next for Ricky Warwick? Any future Almighty plans, or any other bands (along the lines of Circus Diablo) you’d like to mention?
Ricky: Belfast Confetti has just been released. I plan to tour and promote the album around the world. That is what i am focusing on.
What music are you personally into at the moment? Any bands you’d like to ‘big up’?
Ricky: The Gaslight Anthem... http://www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem
Who’s the most well-known person on your mobile phone, and do you have a good rock ringtone?
Ricky: Probably Joe Elliott or Lemmy. Yes its 'Kick Out The Jams' by The MC5
Do you have a decent-sized guitar collection? Any favourites?
Ricky: It’s pretty small. I don't believe in having guitars lying around just for show that don't get played. I have my two Avalon acoustics which were hand built for me. My Gibson custom Les Paul and SG and a few other electrics.
What’s the worst/best thing you’ve ever done when drunk?
Ricky: Thinking I can dance. That’s the best and worst thing.
What are you up to once you’ve finished being interrogated?
Ricky: More interviews.
Thank you for your time sir, you are free to go...
Ricky: Thank you very much.
Ricky's new album, Belfast Confetti, is out now. Check out the review on Rock Realms here for further details. If you are quick you might just catch him on tour too.
