Mick Sweda | Bullet Boys | King Kobra | September 2000 |

 

This months "Where the Hell U Been" is with guitar player Mick Sweda..from  

King Kobra..and then onto Bullet Boys.. Mick has some great new solo stuff he is releasing 

through his website..so make sure you check it out! I've always been a big fan of Bullet Boys..

and am glad Mick is still playing..so here he is! Mick Sweda

 

J-You were in the band King Kobra before Bullet Boys.. 

how did you hook up with them?

M-I was thinking of quitting LA and Carmine Appice walked into a record store I was working in and I got the gig.

 

J-How many cds did you release with them?

M-Two with Capitol, a soundtrack tune and I think I have some parts on a cd of demos he put out.

 

J-What was it like in that band? Did everyone get along? Was there a lot of fighting?

M-No, the band itself was a very calm experience compared to others I know of  but the hierarchy doomed it to pure, abject failure. 

 

J-Do you still talk to any of the members from that band?

M-Not on a regular basis but I could see any of them ten years from now and we'd get on like it was yesterday.  Once we got up and cleaned off.

 

J-King Kobra was very glam.. do you ever look back at the pictures and think "what the hell was I thinking?"

M-No, I pushed it as far as I could (without getting my ass kicked) and loved every second.  With the exception of some very tense truck stop moments.

 

J-How important was the look back then?

M-It was important to look good at all times. Whether or not I did was irrelevant.  

Seems natural, actually.

 

J-What was the biggest crowd you ever played for in King Kobra?and where?

M-I believe there were around 20, 000 people at a show we did in Acapulco.  And one of them was LaToya Jackson.  Don't ask.  Mexican security had some nice automatic weapons onstage though.

 

Onto the Bullet Boys info

King Kobra W/Lonnie & Marq soon to be in Bullet Boys w/Mick!

J-What happened to that band? Did you leave, or did the band break up?

M-I left to start BulletBoys.  I think Carmine kept at it though.

 

J-After King Kobra..how long before you hooked up w/Bullet Boys? And how did that come about?

M-Lonnie and Marq were in KK at the very end.  We just started playing and next thing I knew, I could afford to drink heavily.

 

J-How was it in Bullet Boys? ..did you guys get along?

M-We got along famously.  Like a T. Rex and a Brontosaurus stuck in the tar pits together.

 

J-What was the craziest thing a fan has ever done to meet you?

M-Flown to England, and Japan and Nebraska and…

 

J-What was your favorite tour..while in Bullet Boys?

M-We really had fun on the Cinderella tour.  Too much fun.

 

J-What was your favorite release while in Bullet Boys..?

M-I think Freakshow was the most fun I had in the studio.  Outside of working in my own studio, of course.

 

J-Least favorite?

M-"Talk to your daughter" was not in my plans as a BBoy song…ever!  Oh well.

 

J-Why did you leave the band?

M-I was ready for changes: musical, personal and I wanted to leave on the best note possible at the time.

 

J-What did you do after you left the band?

I recorded in my home studio with some really talented friends.  I wrote the material that you'll find currently available at www.monstersmakingmusic.com   Apart from that I just played hockey. 

 

J-Ive heard a lot of your solo stuff.. and its amazing.. some new…some old… what made you decide to release the old stuff?

M-I never intended it to be heard by anyone but myself but I was coaxed into putting the CD's together by some very trustworthy friends.  Marty Horenburg has worked with me on much of it and he always made it very comfortable and fun so it was a labor of laughs, I would say.

 

J-Where do you get your ideas for your solo songs?

M-WW II, souring relationships, murderous impulses and other uplifting events.  Mostly.

 

J-This year…Bullet Boys reunited to release a greatest hits..how did that come about?

M-I got a call out of the blue and it seemed like a good idea.  The fun factor was there 

along with the beer and I'd put enough distance between `93 and then.  When you leave 

something you worked hard to build, it's usually not because you want to so it was nice to 

put some (get ready for a goofy word) "closure" on the whole scene.

 

J-Was it weird playing w/them again..or was it like old days?

M-It was more like the good old days because of the freshness of the whole event.  I hadn't said more than hello to any of the guys in more than 6 years so one can imagine it was pleasant.  Maybe one couldn't, I don't know.  I enjoyed it.

 

J-You even played a few live shows..how did that go over?

M-I loved it in that it was a very liberating musical venue.  I could get back at some songs and do justice to others.

 

J-Why did you leave again?

M-I couldn't take that kind of time from my own music.  I've been very committed to it for many years and that will not change.  My son Wyatt was also added to my family so I was really digging that and didn't want to miss a moment...

 

J-Now what are you currently up to?

M-I'm writing and working on a demo, which will be out sometime this summer.  I'm going to be gigging around LA this summer as well.  Come on out!

 

J-How would you describe your new music to someone who hasn't ever heard it?

M-Harmonically thick and creamy with a tinge of pain here and there, but with the sickly sweet scent of dread splattered all over it.  It's vocal heavy hard rock, in other words.

 

J-Any new bands you listen to?

M-Not very many.  I like Jeff Buckley, Chris Whitley, George Jones and Barkmarket sometimes. So, none actually

 

J-Now the internet has become a great way to reach fans..do you mind fan emails?

M-I encourage them, as long as people don't get agro because it takes me a long time to reply sometimes.  I really love to hear from anyone, but especially the many folks who have written with some (or a lot of) appreciation of my work.   I wish I could convey my gratitude!

 

J-Do you have a website people can go to, to hear new music…etc?

M-  www.monstersmakingmusic.com

 

J-What would you like to say to all your fans out there reading this?

M-I know I've been in what you could call a hibernation but I truly can't express my thanks enough for all the kind words I've received since I've been on-line.  I thank you from the depths of my heart!

 

J-Thanks again Mick for doing this..

M-The pleasure is entirely mine!

Cheers!

J-Ok.. as you can see.. I don't have any new pictures up here.. I couldn't seem to find any.. so I just added tons more old ones to make up for it.. Hope everyone enjoyed it!