JUNE 2005 - Sure, you folks may get all giddy and gushy about Waters re-connecting with FLOYD, or that wacky QUEEN with PAUL RODGERS thing, but around these parts, it doesn't get any better than a new ACCÜSED album. This interview was conducted with ACCÜSED frontman Blaine Cook directly following the reunion of the band and subsequent release of the "Oh! Martha!" disc. As usual, Blaine was more than happy to discuss all things related to the band and Martha Splatterhead.

Marchman: So wazzup man? How are things?

Blaine Cook: Pretty good! Coastin'. Just trying to sell some of these records.

Marchman: So it's all you guys this time? No label or anything?

BC: Well, we did have a label that we were working with and they were going to put it out. But by that time, we were already finished with the recording and the CD had already been mastered. We had done all the packaging and it was ready to go. After a lot of discussion between the guys in the band, we just opted to do it ourselves. And it's hard work!

Marchman: Now, what would you have said back in 1995 if I had asked you about the chances of an ACCÜSED reunion?

BC: We kind of tried to do the reunion thing around that time, actually. I think it was '93 or '94. It was just stupid. We did a couple of good shows, but really our hearts weren't into it, and nothing really happened. So by 1995 I would have said that it would not happen.

Marchman: And since then?

BC: Well, alot of things factor into it. I think you just have to put some things behind you. Whether or not things still bother you about people in the band, you just kinda have to get over it.

Marchman : Who was the first to push for the reunion?

BC: It was probably me. It started around the time that we were starting to put together the video archives. So I had all the videotapes here, so I wanted Tommy's input as we went through all the material. So I approached him. Alex and I have been playing together in THE FARTZ for the past couple of years, so I had already talked with him about it and he was on board. He just happened to run into an old girlfriend of his that is married to a friend of Steve's. So we were able to get him back to play drums. He originally did one US tour with us, and played on the "Hymns for the Deranged" EP. We basically had one of our old drummers fall into our lap.

Marchman : Are most of the main tracks on the new albums fresh compositions, or are there "carry overs" from earlier album sessions from the 80s?

BC: They're all new songs. There was one song "Fast Zombies Rule", that was kind of from an old cassette we had from the 1993 period when we tried to do the reunion thing. The version on the CD kind of came from the framework of that old session, but everything else is new.

Marchman: You've reformed and covered yourselves (re-recording the tracks from the original "Martha Splatterhead" EP). Are you braced for the purists to scream DEF LEPPARD comparisons?

BC: Sure. I'm gonna cut my arm off! When we record stuff, we're pretty much recording live. So if anybody wants to say the stuff is overproduced or any of that bullshit, whatever. We go in there and spend our three days and crank the stuff out. We did those five songs off the EP, but they are pretty much "live in the studio".

Marchman: I was thinking more in terms of the purists that complain about artists that are "over the hill" reforming just for nostalgic reasons and money.

BC: Right. I definitely want to make some money. When you're putting out records and playing shows and clubs, that's kind of the dark side that people don't like to talk about. Whenever you talk about money, you're a sellout or whatever. But if you play at a club and draw about 300-400 people that are going to pay to see you play, then you need to be compensated for that. I don't think the new record is half-assed at all. There's nothing soft there. I think it's pretty representative of what the ACCÜSED were about.

Marchman: What are the tour plans, if any?

BC: At this point we're only doing regional shows. Touring is rough business. We're all pretty established in our lifestyles. We'd have to be offered something pretty good. Money would be the first consideration and secondly would be if we were lucky enough to be able to play with bands that are out there in the public eye.

Marchman : What was the origin of the Martha Splatterhead character?

BC: I used to do these BB gun wars, way back before paintball, so we're talking maybe 1982-83. We'd go off in the woods and shoot each other with BB guns. We all had names, and one of the guys names was "Splatterhead". So when I joined the ACCÜSED, I was really into underground comics and horror films. So I was just thinking about writing the "mad butcher" kind of song, and I wanted the mad butcher to be a female so that we could be politically correct and not alienate our Maximum Rock 'N Roll crowd. So I was riding the bus home one day, and I came up with "Martha Splatterhead". And the first imagery that was used for Martha was taken from the cover of an underground comic called "Thrilling Murder". Tom was an artist, and so was the bass player, Chewy. So from there, the guys just started drawing different Martha Splatterheads. I've got a copy of one of the originals that Tom did, and of course it looks nothing like the way the character eventually turned out.

Marchman: I remember in one of our prior conversations a few years back, you told me that the stuff from "More Fun Than an Open Casket Funeral" was your most requested at shows. In lieu of that, I was just curious why you went with the original demo tracks from the first EP instead of the 1986-87 era stuff.

BC: Really it was just like a 20 year anniversary thing for the EP. When we did the "More Fun Than an Open Casket Funeral" record, we recorded it twice. The first time that we recorded it, we were going to put it out through the people that were involved in Thrasher magazine, through High Speed Productions. So we have alternate versions of the whole records, which we're going to release under the name of "The Bake Tapes', because Jack Endino has this process where he takes old reel-to-reel tapes and slowly bakes the tapes in this little oven. It allows the magnetic material to glue back onto the tape. Over the years, the tapes deteriorate and they can't be played because all the stuff comes off on the heads. So that'll be coming soon.

BC: I think it's just age. Yeah, my voice is definitely not what it was. I don't really have anything to prove now, either. The way some of these vocalists are now, I'm like a puppy dog! People still think my voice is so crazy and 'out there', and when they tell me that, I'm like, "What are you talkin' about, man?" (laughs). I think my voice is pretty tame compared to a lot of the stuff that's going on out there.

Marchman: The intro to the very first track, with the "Martha" woman at the door. Where did you get that sample?

BC: I think it's from a movie called "The Ghastly One".

Marchman: Tell me a little about the artwork.

BC: The original idea was that the cover would be a collage where the artwork would be sent to different artists, and they could all do their part on it. But things didn't get off the ground quick enough, and we sort of ran out of time. So we just went with the collage cover with a bunch of different artists doing renditions of Martha Splatterhead.

Marchman: Seattle artists?

BC: No, not at all. They're from all over. None of them are from Seattle. But there are just so many great artists on it like Chris Angel, David Stegman, Lou Garcia, Mario Faught, Mike Fisher, etc.. So you have the cover. Then for the lyric book, I had all these artists that I knew, and I just contacted them all to see if they wanted to do a lyric page for the CD booklet. So I sent them a list of songs, with a little synopsis of what the songs were about, and they all picked the songs they wanted to do. Then I sent them the music, and they did their lyric page. That all came together in about three weeks, which is really fucking amazing.

Marchman: That is really impressive. It turned out really well.

BC: Yeah, this go-round we had so much support from people that have been fans and really want to help us out. That was just one example of all those people contributing the artwork and doing it for free.

Marchman: As opposed to the old days.

BC: Yeah, I mean, not that we're underrated or under appreciated, because we didn't really do that much touring, so our legacy is really just those few records that we did. But our influences are pretty widespread. There are some pretty heavy hitters out there that cite the ACCÜSED as an influence. We were always kind of too hardcore or out there for the metal crowd, back then when you weren't going to listen to anything unless somebody told you it was cool. And I think we were maybe a little too metal for the HC crowd.

Marchman: Do you still have any correspondence with Josh Sinder (drummer on later records like "Grinning...")?

BC: He's still around. He was in a band with Alex for awhile called HOT ROD LUNATICS. They were a good band, and he was also in TAD for awhile. He actually just played with TAD last year when they were doing a band called HOOF. Now he's in a band called THE INSURGENCE, kind of a CLASH / RANCID sound.

Marchman: So is TAD still around? Tad Doyle?

BC: Yeah, I think. I know they were doing that HOOF thing. Not sure beyond that.

Marchman: So, what were the worst band reunions in recent history? Your opinion.

BC: THE MISFITS! And DEF LEPPARD. Whatever that new DEF LEPPARD song is that I keep hearing on the radio. The remake of that 60s song or whatever. It's like, c'mon you guys!

Marchman: Two words. TANK cover.

BC: Shoot, that's always been one of my favorite TANK songs. I think it's one that comes out of the woodwork every time when we're around. (sings) "Play some crumblin' ruin to help us bring it down!" I think it's just a good one about fans of your band, and I was always a big TANK fan. I think they released a live thing (recently) that was from that era, because Algy Ward is the only guy that's still in the band now.

Marchman: It's not an ACCÜSED album without a 70s "Have a nice day" kinda cover. So you've got an OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN track on this one.

BC: Yeah, "Have You Never Been Mellow". Doin' covers is so much fun, I love it. Then people want us to play those covers live, and we don't play that stuff at shows! People always want us to play "Devil Woman".

Marchman: Well, as usual, it's great to talk with you for awhile. Anything else you wanted to say?

BC: I just want people to come on over to the Splatterrock.com site (see link below) and buy this fuckin' CD! I've got like 5000 to get rid of!

Marchman: It's a great CD. The music rips the flesh quite evenly, and the entire package is sweet!

BC: Thanks man. Talk with you soon.

THE ACCUSED are Blaine Cook (v), Tom Niemeyer (g), Steve Nelson (d), and Alex Sibbald (b). The album "Oh! Martha!" is available through their website, www.splatterrock.com

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