Asylum Street Spankers
Milestone's - Rochester, NY - 2005
Interview with Wammo
TATW: I'm here with Wammo from the Asylum Street Spankers. I know your biography is on the website but, for the sake of our readers and listeners- can you give a brief synopsis of how the Asylum Street Spankers came into being?

WAMMO: Doing this without beer, I gotta clear my throat. Well Spankers started at a car crash in Austin, seven car pile up. All seven of us hit each other. When we checked our instruments to see if they were okay, we were all standing there on the street corner with our instruments in our hand. We figured what the hell; why not start playing a couple tunes. We played on the street until the tow trucks got there. We made enough money to pay for the wreck, so we figured we might as well become a band.

TATW: That is probably the best band story I have ever heard. Now where did the name come from?

WAMMO: Well it's an ancient African name that comes from, actually when the Beatles did their African tour they played on Asylum Street in Zimbabwe and spanking in Africa is a term for swatting someone on the buttocks.

TATW: I'm trying not to crack up, man. What should a first timer expect to see a Spankers Show?

WAMMO: Probably like nudity and some drunks getting poured into cabs and the ghost of Benny Goodman.

TATW: You guys play without amplification. What made you chose to play without amplification?

WAMMO: Well, actually we are using amplification tonight. So we chose to use microphones and we will be miking tonight so it will be loud as hell.

TATW: Alright you guys do a lot songs about drugs and sex, was that your angle when you started?

WAMMO: Well no we started off as a Christian band and the we started doing all modern country songs, we started off doing nothing but Garth Brooks covers, we were a Garth Brooks should be band with a female singer. That didn't really work out so we started doing the stuff we do now.

TATW: A friend of mine says that the song "Whatever" is the sweetest song ever written about trying to get someone into bed. What are your comments on that?

WAMMO: I agree wholeheartedly about that.

TATW: Now, I had a couple other questions that were directed towards Christina. I'm not going to do those right now. Tell me about the new album "Strawberry".

WAMMO: Well, "Strawberry" is a, it's another one of our theme records. We did "Spanker Madness" which was all about reefer tunes, "Strawberry" is all about fruit.

TATW: Considering you guys have so many people in the band, as for writing the songs, is it a collaborative effort or do you have one main songwriter?

WAMMO: All of our songs are written by Leiber and Stoller… (Laughter)

TATW: I'm gonna have to put a disclaimer on this thing. You are funny as hell. You've had something like 35 members over the years, how do you guys go about finding new players and stuff like that. I mean, considering the style of music you guys do, it's not like the major mainstream kind of thing, how do you find people?

WAMMO: Well actually it has all been the same guy; we just dress him up differently.

TATW: You guys are really cool about the whole thing about recording shows, how do you feel about these bands that complain about it or how do you feel about the music-trading thing on the Internet, too?

WAMMO: Well, I think that anyone in a band that's not in our band is a jerk! And as far as trading music goes, I really could care less.

TATW: Now, you guys have played all over and you've hung out in Japan and you're well received over there. Do you get bigger crowds in the United States or overseas?

WAMMO: Well, that's a toughy, because usually when you have 3 or 4 people coming to each show. So, I would say it is pretty much the same.

TATW: What's the largest crowd you guys have ever played in front of then?

WAMMO: I think five people.

TATW: Five people, holy Christ, how many would guess at the next show?

WAMMO: Three...

TATW: Now, I love road stories. What's one of the, and I'm sure you've got some good ones, because you've been around, so tell me what's one of the strangest or funniest stories you've got from the road?

WAMMO: Well, this one time Shane, he was having stomach problems and he went into the 7-Eleven and he bought some Rolaids.

Both: (LOTS OF LAUGHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

TATW: Who were some of your biggest influences?

WAMMO: I would say my biggest influence is probably Gandhi.

TATW: Now, how come?

WAMMO: Because he's very small and bald.

TATW: Alright, what does the future hold for the Asylum Street Spankers?

WAMMO: Were breaking up after this show, so not much.

TATW: So, we're really bummed. Ah, man. I've never laughed so hard at frigging anything in my life.

WAMMO: You gotta send me a copy of this.

TATW: I will man. I'll send you a copy.

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