AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE WICKHAM, May 3rd 2001 by David Billson.

I recently had a 'cyber chat' with Steve Wickham, so I took the opportunity to put a few questions to him. Our chat is transcribed below.

<David Billson> So you're back in Ireland at the moment?
<Steve Wickham> Yep, it's great.

<DB> Did you enjoy the North American shows?
<SW> Dave they were great! It took a bit of getting used to. I had to remember not to run on and retrieve my gear after the gig. I had a great stage technician. The shows were, in the main, great, and the venues too, beautiful theatres like the Paramount in Seattle and the Fillmore in San Francisco, sheeesh!. The people, the fans, amazing. Boston, wow!.. the cities! Seattle, New York, Vancouver.

<DB> What made you return to the Waterboys?
<SW> Well! The pension plan is exciting and the remuneration package is handsome. :)

<DB> What's it like to be working with MS again?
<SW> It is great to be working with Mike. He is an inspirational fellow and dedicated artist.

<DB> He calls you the 'Greatest Rock Fiddle Player'! Is he right?
<SW> He is, yes. I'm not a great one on rock fiddlers. I've seen a lot of musicians recently with electric violins, but in my opinion, the greatest was Charlie O'Connor with the Horslips. He was so stylish. He had an amazing fiddle with stars and moons all over it. I have one of his fiddles, a plain black one. I can't forget people like Scarlet Rivera (here comes the story of the Hurricane) with Bob Dylan, and Toni Marcus with Van the Man. Also, Stuff Smith, Papa John Creech, It would be churlish not to mention Sharon in the Corrs!!. The chap with Nick Cave, a cool cat! Oh, and Tymon Dogg with The Clash. I love that man.

<DB> So you've still got some room for improvement then?
<SW> Absolutely!

<DB> With MS returning back to rock, and you returning for the foreseeable future, does that bother you? Would you rather be playing the acoustic type shows?
<SW> No, it doesn't bother me. You know rock is a blunt but powerful force. I love the acoustic gigs.

<DB> What is your favourite track on 'Rock in a Weary Land'?
<SW> At the moment it's got to be 'The Wind in the Wires.'

<DB> That is a magical song. I remember hearing it first in Galway last year!!
<SW> Yes, it has an eerie spirit.

<DB> What was your best memory of the US tour?
<SW> You know, there were so many. Can I put in a few?

<DB> Yep!
<SW> Say when Mike and I did a radio show in New York, just the two of us, and the newsreader had to come in and read the news to the people of NYC. We started playing behind him with things like swoops as he mentioned the falling Mir Space Station. He was such a cool guy. He never flinched. Another would be JoJo and her new cowboy hat. On the way to Vancouver, the bald eagles! (a friend in Seattle told me to look out for them) I saw them as we were listening to American Indian Music. Then there was the Hippie fans in LA and San Francisco sending good vibes to the stage, also the Lads from the Chicago Police department... on and on...

<DB> Was there a joker in the band on the US tour?
<SW> Mike, the Joker King himself.

<DB> Was there anything he did that stood out?
<SW> Well he was always finding himself with an empty container after he finished a drink. He'd walk up to you, or any poor unfortunate creature, and give them the empty saying, 'Could you hold this for me?' then disappear. You'd be there a good while, empty in hand, before you'd realise you were a human dustbin! A tame one, but good.

<DB> Which songs do you enjoy playing live the most?
<SW> 'Custer's Blues' and 'Saints and Angels.'

<DB> I'm looking forward to hearing 'Custers Blues' more, and the other songs on the new album! You've no doubt heard what MS has done with the tracks. What can we expect?
<SW> Expect the unexpected. I have heard some of Mike's work on the tracks. They sound great. There are so many amazing players, people like Jim Keltner, John Pattatuce, Vinnie Kilduff. Of Course Roddy Lorimer and Anto and meself are there, so too are Kev Wilkinson and Big Trevor. I think you'll like it.

<DB> So which period of The Waterboys does it represent? Is it songs from after 'This is the Sea' and before 'Fisherman's Blues', during 'FB' or after 'FB'? Or is it from all different periods?
<SW> Chronologically it was smack bang in the middle of all the recording for 'Fisherman's Blues' between 1986 and 1987. Musically, it's kind of interwoven, with Big Songs if you know what I mean. The fans will know a few of them. 'Custer's Blues' for example.

<DB> How would you describe MS?
<SW> 5'11", brown haired, blue-eyed Scottish musical poet.

<DB> Who were your musical influences?
<SW> My Mum and Dad, my violin teacher, Nell Kane at the Royal College of Music, Bob, Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Toni Marcus... Mozart.

<DB> You've played with U2, and done a session with Dylan! Who would you love to play fiddle with, dead or alive?
<SW> Neil Young!!

<DB> Any chance of you getting to play with him at the Fleadh?
<SW> Great Chance :)

<DB> How do you relax away from music?
<SW> Dave I like to surf (non-virtual), cycle (I'd die without a bike), and Salmon fishing. I love fishing.

<DB> What was the last book you read? What is your favourite book and movie?
<SW> Kenn Harper's 'Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik the New York Eskimo'- what a well written and moving story. My fave book is probably something by Flann O'Brien, "At Swim Two Birds" "The Dalkey Archive"' or "The Third Policeman"'. The movie has got to be "Harold and Maud"' starring Ruth Gordon.

<DB> What would you say was your biggest achievement?
<SW> You had to ask... getting this far ...

<DB> What is your most prized possession?
<SW> My new mandolin and I suppose <pause> my car man, my car. No, hold on, my boat. Yes, my boat! No, <pause> my computer! That's it, my blinking computer;

<DB> Do you enjoy reading the forum?
<SW> Yes I do. It's great hearing what the fans have to say and when it's good it's lovely. God help us if we ever go electric :(

<DB> We seem to have a great bunch of people making the forum a great place, must be good to put faces to names.
<SW> That's the magic alright.

<DB> The only other question I have, which has split the chats on Sunday is...... Marmite.... love or hate?
<SW> Marmite.......like...not love not hate....like.