Interview with Clem From White Cowbell Oklahoma
How/Did the original idea of the band and the basis of your live shows come from?
CLEM: White Cowbell Oklahoma wanted the world of rock music to be bigger, better and more explode-y. People needed to get their money's worth! We wanted to present the best, because we wanted the best! The very first show WCO ever played had nine guitarists and three drummers. Admittedly, a fucking racket. Before we developed our own righteous material we sometimes played obscure cowbell-laden favourites of ours. Then SNL heard of the idea and it hit the mainstream. We're still awaiting Lorne Michael's cheque. Although he is now a lower member of our extended pyramid-oriented cult.
Oh, and then we added the power tools.
How do you keep your live shows fresh for yourselves each night?
CLEM: Alcohol, especially tequila. And strong tea. Ladies don't want us too over-washed, though. Soaps can partially cover up our natural, testosterone-laden musk. It's the testosterone rays shooting from our eyes that really keep White Cowbell Oklahoma's steamrolling juggernaut on time.
Do you see yourself slowing down at anytime?
CLEM: Never. We have a new live album, "Viva Live Locos," recorded at a huge festival in Europe just out. Then we're moving onto our much awaited fourth full-length studio masterpiece. Yet untitled. Even if White Cowbell Oklahoma were to hit a downward trajectory, the laws of physics dictate we'd only accelerate as we headed into the underworld. But there doesn't seem any danger of that currently. White Cowbell Oklahoma are a world-wide corporate quasi-religious entity. We have rock n roll and many other natural resources sewn up, for our own gain primarily.
What inspires your song writing?
CLEM: Psychedelic drugs, bad movies, TV dinners, niche porn, desert landscapes, tacos, Twin Peaks, Hieronymus Bosch, General Motors, astro-time travel, vodka.
What song is your favourite off your albums?
CLEM: White Cowbell Oklahoma love all our babies equally. But I do kinda dig some quite a bit:
- "Cencerro Blanco" off our first full-length Cencerro Blanco -- because it's an oft overlooked psychedelic journey from that early period.
- "Koko Girl" and "Do Me So Wrong" from Casa Diablo have a sleazy sex-tempo thing that I kinda dig. Also, the live versions on Viva Live Locos are extra stalk-y.
- The trilogy of "Bombardero" parts 1-3 is pretty heavy, I think, from Bombardero. But I also like "This Cracker" cuz it's the first song I ever wrote for White Cowbell Oklahoma. Saved it up for the right time.
What is your favourite song to play live?
CLEM: "This Cracker" I get to go hit the bar or steal drinks mid-song, which is fun. Some of the longer ones borrowed from other people, like "Magic Fingers" (see the version on the new live album) or "Frankenstein" are fun too cuz we don't actually know what will happen musically, or otherwise. Charlie might chainsaw the stage in half or strange women we've never met may get onstage and have sex with each other, for no reason other than to freak out the audience and distract us. Such is the mystical power of White Cowbell Oklahoma.
What would you say has been contributed to your life from being in Cowbell Oklahoma?
CLEM: It's not about us. It's about what White Cowbell Oklahoma has contributed to humanity and the universe by its very existence. We just give, give, give. That way we don't feel guilty by take, take, taking on occasion. We're here to emancipate the masses, so you can walk around drunk and pant-less, guilt-free. You have permission to totally lose your shit at a White Cowbell Oklahoma show.
Are you still able to create the Cowbell Oklahoma spectacle in smaller venues?
CLEM: Smaller venues are usually even better. They're like a pressure cooker of sweat and sex hormones and booze and noise -- Kingston, you have no ideas what is coming. White Cowbell Oklahoma may steal your soul, but we'll let you keep the rest. And you'll be glad.
What should be peopling look forward to during your live shows?
CLEM: Kingston, White Cowbell Oklahoma promise nothing, if not total emancipation, salvation, excess brain cell eradication, Sexification, rock n roll-ization. And ladies we're totally cool with you adding us to your spank banks.
CLEM: White Cowbell Oklahoma wanted the world of rock music to be bigger, better and more explode-y. People needed to get their money's worth! We wanted to present the best, because we wanted the best! The very first show WCO ever played had nine guitarists and three drummers. Admittedly, a fucking racket. Before we developed our own righteous material we sometimes played obscure cowbell-laden favourites of ours. Then SNL heard of the idea and it hit the mainstream. We're still awaiting Lorne Michael's cheque. Although he is now a lower member of our extended pyramid-oriented cult.
Oh, and then we added the power tools.
How do you keep your live shows fresh for yourselves each night?
CLEM: Alcohol, especially tequila. And strong tea. Ladies don't want us too over-washed, though. Soaps can partially cover up our natural, testosterone-laden musk. It's the testosterone rays shooting from our eyes that really keep White Cowbell Oklahoma's steamrolling juggernaut on time.
Do you see yourself slowing down at anytime?
CLEM: Never. We have a new live album, "Viva Live Locos," recorded at a huge festival in Europe just out. Then we're moving onto our much awaited fourth full-length studio masterpiece. Yet untitled. Even if White Cowbell Oklahoma were to hit a downward trajectory, the laws of physics dictate we'd only accelerate as we headed into the underworld. But there doesn't seem any danger of that currently. White Cowbell Oklahoma are a world-wide corporate quasi-religious entity. We have rock n roll and many other natural resources sewn up, for our own gain primarily.
What inspires your song writing?
CLEM: Psychedelic drugs, bad movies, TV dinners, niche porn, desert landscapes, tacos, Twin Peaks, Hieronymus Bosch, General Motors, astro-time travel, vodka.
What song is your favourite off your albums?
CLEM: White Cowbell Oklahoma love all our babies equally. But I do kinda dig some quite a bit:
- "Cencerro Blanco" off our first full-length Cencerro Blanco -- because it's an oft overlooked psychedelic journey from that early period.
- "Koko Girl" and "Do Me So Wrong" from Casa Diablo have a sleazy sex-tempo thing that I kinda dig. Also, the live versions on Viva Live Locos are extra stalk-y.
- The trilogy of "Bombardero" parts 1-3 is pretty heavy, I think, from Bombardero. But I also like "This Cracker" cuz it's the first song I ever wrote for White Cowbell Oklahoma. Saved it up for the right time.
What is your favourite song to play live?
CLEM: "This Cracker" I get to go hit the bar or steal drinks mid-song, which is fun. Some of the longer ones borrowed from other people, like "Magic Fingers" (see the version on the new live album) or "Frankenstein" are fun too cuz we don't actually know what will happen musically, or otherwise. Charlie might chainsaw the stage in half or strange women we've never met may get onstage and have sex with each other, for no reason other than to freak out the audience and distract us. Such is the mystical power of White Cowbell Oklahoma.
What would you say has been contributed to your life from being in Cowbell Oklahoma?
CLEM: It's not about us. It's about what White Cowbell Oklahoma has contributed to humanity and the universe by its very existence. We just give, give, give. That way we don't feel guilty by take, take, taking on occasion. We're here to emancipate the masses, so you can walk around drunk and pant-less, guilt-free. You have permission to totally lose your shit at a White Cowbell Oklahoma show.
Are you still able to create the Cowbell Oklahoma spectacle in smaller venues?
CLEM: Smaller venues are usually even better. They're like a pressure cooker of sweat and sex hormones and booze and noise -- Kingston, you have no ideas what is coming. White Cowbell Oklahoma may steal your soul, but we'll let you keep the rest. And you'll be glad.
What should be peopling look forward to during your live shows?
CLEM: Kingston, White Cowbell Oklahoma promise nothing, if not total emancipation, salvation, excess brain cell eradication, Sexification, rock n roll-ization. And ladies we're totally cool with you adding us to your spank banks.