Sioux City Pete and the Beggars
Interview By Ashlee Elfman
Sioux City Pete and the Beggars are dirty and dark as fuck. They will put shame to most people who think they like serious rock and roll music. Don't blame the Beggars, they just know how to reach deep in the bowels of the blues and deliver some of the most swampy and swaggering rock and roll out there. Sioux City Pete's brilliantly messy slide guitar and his raw blues vocals that sting like a fatal snake bite will win over those who appreciate the real thing in all of it's sweaty, heavy and hip gyrating glory.
Hello Pete, I feel honored to be doing this interview with you.
For my first question, I'd like to ask what it's like being in Sioux City Pete and the Beggars…and where do you find your inspiration?
An honor to interview me?! Wow, I feel honored that young women will even talk to me at all! What's it like being in the beggars? Well, it's like being in 'The Exorcist' while travelling in a mobile insane asylum. 3/4 of the band is stone cold sober (court ordered or no real alternative save the morgue or the penitentiary).1/2 of us are on STRONG medication (mostly anti-psychotics and downers) so we're not exactly 'wooh! Let’s party' type people. That kind of activity would result in us setting people and buildings on fire and committing acts of extreme perversion and possibly murder. When I’m not travelling, I'm with my daughter every day and run my club at night. The only vice I have is extreme, often random sex. Usually, the more depraved the better. Inspiration? Definitely a genuine hatred of the music industry, pornography (particularly John Stigliano's Buttman series. Quite exquisite), general and genuine feelings of misanthropy, the escalating and ravaging state of warfare (Not just in Iraq but anywhere on earth. Lately, the Darfur region of the Sudan has inspired a few song ideas. Always good to see the earth burning!), Ariel Sharon (a personal hero of mine), and the continuing existence of the Rolling Stones.
What have you been listening to lately? When I met you less than a month ago you were talking about your love for black metal.
New stuff that I've been listening to: Wolf Eyes -'Human Animal', Nikki Sudden -'The Truth Doesn't Matter', Bob Dylan -'Modern Times', Motorhead -'Kiss Of Death', Gabriel Hart and His Upset Black Guitar - Live At the Scene In L.A, and one fucking huge amount of black metal. The last year or so I’ve discovered black metal (about 15 years late.) I hadn't particularly listened to ANY heavy metal for about 20 years (literally). When I was quite young, I discovered Hellhammer (who turned into Celtic Frost, who've just released an utterly astonishing new record, 'Monotheist'. You REALLY should listen to it. ), Venom (who had just released their 2nd album 'Black Metal' At The Time) and a few others, but punk rock (which introduced me to........everything) completely wiped the slate clean. In the early 1980's, once you committed yourself to The Germs, something like 'heavy metal' lost all meaning. But that was a LONG time ago. To me, black metal is the contemporary and actual 'punk rock'. You don't need me to tell you, Ashlee, that 'punk rock' is (and has been for many years now) an utter farce. For me personally, 'punk rock' began to die with the advent of Fugazi. I loathe EVERYTHING about them and always have. Real underground culture has NEVER been about being 'socially conscious' or walking some altruistic party line. FUCK that and FUCK off. The final nail in the coffin was undoubtedly Nirvana. I never had the slightest interest in them or anything they stood for. Dirtbag hippies that look like car mechanics trying to be earnest and humble......what a complete nightmare. Give me illegal, illicit, irresponsible and insane music made by decadent, highly erotic criminals forever. Hence, black metal is about the only thing happening RIGHT NOW that makes sense to me. Make no mistake about it; I'm a practitioner of the black arts, a contemporary libertine, if you will. Burn the churches to the ground.
I know that you guys reside in Iowa. What's it like there? I can't help but imagine sprawling cornfields and the howling ghosts of long disappeared Native American cultures. Tell me what it's really like.
Boy can you ask some loaded questions! Do you have a couple of hours (or days)? I was born and raised in the Northern Plains (Nebraska and Northwest Iowa; Northwest Iowa is very different from Eastern Iowa. As absurd as that sounds it's as different as Southern California and Northern California) we (especially since before the advent of the internet) are rather isolated. Before roughly ten years ago, virtually everyone was white (the packing houses have aggressively and illegally sought cheap labor, thus creating a sizable Latino community here.) The image of stupid crackers is essentially false. Iowa has ranked in the top 3 of high school act scores for many years. Isn't the L.A. unified at the very bottom? VERY few Iowans are illiterate. Most, however, seem to be either unaware or, more likely, uninterested in anything 'out of the mainstream', for lack of any other sufficing term, hence the atmosphere is generally extremely severe toward 'artists' of any kind. It may seem hard to comprehend (especially for someone raised on either coast) but it's basically true. This is God's country. Folks here work hard, get WASTED and violent on the weekends, PRAY HARD, and work some more. Everyone can indeed read and write, but many, essentially, choose not to. Folks here do as they are told, and if you choose to pursue anything other than work, Jesus Christ and 'family', you're basically viewed as, at best, mentally unstable or, at worst, a criminal. That's it. Why do I choose to live here? It's cheap and it's my home. As simple as that. American Indians are at the very bottom of the social hierarchy here (as in most of America). The reservation system is a joke. They're complete shitholes and always have been. There is nothing romantic about it to me and I don't feel any 'spirits' at all. It is, indeed, a tragedy.
Your live shows are fierce, loud and enthralling. What do you think makes for this magic? Is it a gris-gris bag? A little voodoo perhaps?
What a very lovely thing to say, madame! Much obliged! Gris-gris? Voodoo? Maybe. It's difficult to say what makes for a compelling live experience......one thing I’ve noticed lately is how much for granted most people take the whole live performance experience, as it were. Honestly, folks that are, um, looking for the right things in a live band (like yourself, and how rare you are), seem to connect with us. One of the main reasons for that, I believe, is because I come from a time and place (early eighties, cover-band) VERY different than most. To be sure, when I was very young and playing in, often times, dangerous redneck shitholes, you HAD to deliver. EVERY song. Seriously. A band had to entertain it's audience or you were seriously fucked, hence you'd better play 'Sweet Home Alabama' like it was the last song on earth. That's honestly how I learned to be a compelling showman, NOT from some sort of absurd, ironic, 'in-joke', indie rock band. So now you know.
You were in The Chicken Hawks, could you tell me a little bit about that band and your time with them?
The Chicken Hawks formed in early 1995 in Sioux City. Betsy Badly (vocals) and I separated after 14 years in 2005. It's not as bad as it might sound. Betsy is indeed my best friend and we love each other very much. Our daughter Ruby Blaze turns 3 in December. We raise Ruby together. We just can't live in the same house! The Chicken Hawks are alive and kicking and played one of our best shows here at home in quite some time last Saturday (oct. 28). We should have a new record out sometime in 2007. We should also be playing in LA in spring '07. The 11 years in the 'Hawks have been extraordinary! We were quite popular in LA in the late 90's/early '00's. We are a band in the grand (and unashamed) tradition of The Cramps and The Rolling Stones. Oh yes! Having the great Flipside magazine virtually adopt us as one of their favorite bands (we were in virtually every issue from fall '95 on) was one of THE most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced being in a band. We were also 'Pick Of The Week' in LA weekly no less than 4 times!
Photos taken by Leon Catfish.
Are there any bands out there right now that you'd like to play with? Do you feel like it's a good time for music?
Luckily I already get to play with some of my favorite bands, like Fortunes Flesh (hey Leon, when do I play with The Guilty Hearts? Don't make me come out there....), Holy Ghost Revival, Swing By Seven (local boys - mix The Birthday Party with Nation Of Ulysses), Sunn-O, Gorgoroth (yes-Norway)....er.....The Rolling Stones.....The Bad Seeds....oh - The DAGONS!
Is this a good time for music? GOOD LORD NO! (Hey Ashlee, remember in 'The Proposition' when the main bad guy/oldest brother is asked by his sidekick,"Is that what we are...misanthropes?" and the oldest brother/main bad guy shouts back "GOOD LORD NO!! We're a family!"....Ashlee?....oh well.) This has got to be the worst fucking time I've ever fucking seen for fucking music! Put the music industry out of it's misery! Example: the other day I was driving with some ladies and 'Malibu' by Hole came on the radio. My god did that song sound good! I wanted to have an immediate make-out session with all of them while I set myself on fire! And this was to 'Malibu'. Courtney Love was among my biggest enemies throughout the 90's. I could never have IMAGINED how bad everything has become. Oh fucking just KILL me. Come back, Ms. Love, all is forgiven.....uh, Ashlee......Ashlee?........
It's been said that Nikki Sudden (RIP) considered you one of the best slide guitarists there is, right up there with Rowland S. Howard. What was it like to hear a compliment like that come from a legend such as Nikki? You also worked with him for awhile, could you tell us a little about this?
Nikki Sudden was my friend. The fact that he made such a statement (about my slide playing) serves as another reason as to why I continue to play rock-n-roll. Having been a huge fan of Nikki's for about 10 years before I met him (in 1998), actually playing with him was amazing. Nikki was the REAL thing, y'know, and he was every bit the 'classic English rock dandy' that his image portrayed; fags in mouth, drinks in hand and a chick in every city. We played about 6 or 7 shows last March, as well as recorded 8 songs (which I'm currently receiving offers for) that I believe were his last ever (we'll all hear them sometime in 2007). He was the last of an (unfortunately) dying breed, that being: Nikki was a genuine, tarted-up, passionate, influential ROCKER who lived and died doing what he loved. I'll miss him. Once, Nikki and I were having dinner and I asked him when the last time he'd used a needle was. He very matter-of-factly answered,"that would be 1986 in Berlin with Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld'.
You recently had an episode in Las Vegas where some hipster douche bags pulled the plug on you. I heard that there were pictures of The Gun Club hanging up inside of this venue which is ludicrous and upsetting. Is there anything you would like to say to people that don't have the guts for your band?
When I was 10 years old (in1978) I saw The Rolling Stones on 'Saturday Night Live'. They blew my mind. They looked (and sounded) sinister. Sex, decadence, attitude....Keith looked like a vampire. At that moment I knew I would play rock-n-roll. For life. And I have. Then I discovered Kiss, Aerosmith and Queen. These people looked and behaved like depraved souls and didn't sing about normal things. Leave that to Elvis Costello (I've always hated that motherfucker), Paul Simon, The Eagles, Carol King, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan and a horde of others. Then came The Sex Pistols and it was over! They didn't look like they were from EARTH. How could I ever go back.......
The single biggest threat to 'underground' music and culture in the last 20 years has been the development and ascendancy of 'indie rock'. I believe this is best exemplified by the band Fugazi. They represent evrything I'm against as far as having to do with rock-n-roll and 'underground' culture, i.e.; having a 'social conscious', pretenses to having a concern about 'cultural and sexual' issues (say goodbye to 'No Pussy Blues' or 'For The Love Of Ivy', here) promoting the 'average Joe' look, espousing comradeship with the 'everyman', and by virtue of Fugazi's dictatorship of the $5 dollar cover charge have made it impossible for anyone but a member of Fugazi to make a living off of playing music. Charlie Patton was not a shining member in-good-standing with the music (or any) society and neither am I.
So, my message to the crowd in Las Vegas and anyone who has a 'problem' with The Beggars in any fashion is this: FUCK YOU. No matter how many tattoos you have or how many 'anti-war' rallies you go to, you'll always be a SQUARE. Rock-n-roll is SERIOUS business. Go back to the straight world and leave me and my tribe alone.
What can we expect from Sioux City Pete and the Beggars in the future?
Utter perversion and the promotion of all manner of vice, violence, and misanthropy.
Where can Swampland readers obtain your album and what can they expect?
You can either buy it at the store or order 'Necroblues' from ANY record store (inc. Barnes & Noble, etc.,) or go to Steel Cage Records or Red Eye Dist. Same for the'Hawks' Sumthin' Sleazy' cd.
Is there anything you would like to say to those people out there trying to make honest music that doesn't conform to any mainstream standard?
This is a great question, Ashlee. Despite what may have come off as me being a hateful megalomaniac during the course of this interview (the truth is, indeed, painful), my answer is: DO IT! Don't 'push the envelope; destroy it! Whatever a person does in life, do it hard and all the way. DO NOT compromise for ANYONE (especially the afore-mentioned 'hipster-indie police'). For example (and I’m speaking ONLY for myself): my 'political' beliefs offend almost everyone. I am pro-war (not just Iraq; ANYWHERE. I am not kidding and I could give a fuck what anyone on earth thinks. I'm also not explaining this particular belief in this interview. Contact The Beggars Myspace page PLEASE and I'll bury anyone intellectually on this matter), I am not a cultural relativist (ditto here), I am pro-Israeli (I'll tell anyone where the 'Palestinians' can go- Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Or the ground). I am pro-abortion (not 'pro-choice'...a meaningless term) militantly pro-homosexual (as it turns out, I personally LOVE women-I don't understand the term 'straight') very pro-smoking, very pro-legalizing ALL drugs, pro-gun....as you can see, I conform to NO ONE. That's the point. I'll leave you with an interesting little tale, here: Gaahl, the vocalist for the notorious Norwegian black metallers Gorgoroth, is currently sitting in a Norwegian prison (for 14 months) on (I think) aggravated assault charges. A man broke into Gaahl's home, Gaahl found him, bound the man to a chair, and, allegedly, drank the man's blood. At trial, Gaahl was unrepentant, basically denied nothing, refused to wear a suit in court ( he wore his usual upside-down cross, t-shirt and black leather jacket - he explained it would be dishonest to the judge and jury to dress any other way) and accepted full responsibility for his actions - he said the man needed to be taught a lesson for breaking into his house. I understand and support Gaahl's absolute commitment to self- actualization, taking full responsibility for his own actions (and blaming no-one but himself) and his utter disregard and clear contempt for the 'straight' world. I have no desire to drink someone’s blood or even harm anyone (unprovoked). In any event, to me, this person (Gaahl) is an extraordinary individual and I can only aspire to live my life in a similar intellectual and aesthetic fashion. Fucking bow to no one.
Thanks so much for the interview!
ad majorem de sathanas gloriam - S.C. Pete, Nov. 2006.
Sioux City Pete's Myspace
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