In March 1992, I approached the
Capitol/Parlophone press office about the possibility
of interviewing Warren Cuccurullo (WC) for T’Mershi Duween. On
IB:
How did you get interested in Zappa and, ultimately, come to play with him?
WC:
A friend of mine had a copy of ‘Hot Rats’. At the time I was into Deep Purple
and Black Sabbath, but I really liked ‘Willie The
Pimp’; it had a great guitar sound and a great riff. Then, when I was about 13,
I saw him on The Dick Cavett Show with the Turtles
playing, I think, ‘Who Are The Brain Police?’ with an
extended guitar solo. I had started playing the guitar when I was 10 - you
know, copying Grand Funk - and hearing this solo and seeing his fingers move,
it got me. Then I heard the ‘Fillmore East’ album, which again had great
guitar, plus some funny stuff like ‘Do You Like My New Car?’.
By the time of ‘Over-nite Sensation’, I was
completely into it. I thought, "This is it!” So I went to see him play at
IB:
Any connection with the one in ‘Titties & Beer’?
WC:
A lot of people ask that. I don’t know. But there are lots of connections to me
in ‘Joe’s Garage’. Anyway, I met Frank and he said come up to the sound check
and I kind of followed him around. I watched him on some other chat show, and
afterwards he told me he was putting another band together - the one with the
horn section used on the ‘In New York’ album. That’s when our friendship really
started to develop. He said he liked my guitar playing, but all his other
guitarists were singers, so I never thought I’d be in his band. The turning
point came when he took me and my friend out to dinner on my birthday. We were
in this little place in
IB: Before
you played guitar with him, you told the story of Ms X at a
WC: Yes.
I told him it in
IB:
Could you tell me about Al Malkin and The Mongoloid?
WC: Al’s a friend — he’s also known as Meatball.
We used to miss school together, listen to Frank, and smoke pot. Frank offered
to tape his life story. He was like the Wild Man Fischer of the 80s.
IB: Do
you know what happened to the planned ‘I Need Your Love’ album featuring those
tapes of you and Al?
WC:
Frank was editing those before his death. I’ve got another one here called ‘The
Pus Tape’. It’s recorded live with Vinnie and Bruce;
really weird stuff. Also there’s lots of stuff on video.
IB: There’s
a clip of you in ‘The True Story of 200 Motels’ video with Ike Willis — I think
it was recorded during the making of ‘Joe’s Garage’.
WC:
Did I look like a punk?
IB: Yeah.
WC: That would be from that time,
then.
IB:
One obvious question I’ve got to ask you is why you were called “Sophia”?
WC:
That was because I was always wearing women’s clothing.
IB: I
thought it was after Sophia Loren - Sophia War-ren.
WC:
And she’s Italian, too! We both came up with the name. I used to wear glass
earrings, tiger coats, big boots, it was my first time in the
IB:
Are there any other good studio jams like ‘While You Were Out’ and ‘Stucco
Homes’ not yet released? How did those songs come about?
WC: That
was originally one piece, but Frank edited it because it had different
tonalities. It came about before his studio was built. I was playing along to a
live solo of Frank’s and he took my track and flew it over a live Vinnie drum track. Then Frank recorded over the top of that
with his Black Widow. It was unbelievable. He did it in one take! I was there
all night watching him put it together, and afterwards he gave me the guitar
I’d used - as payment. I used that for the next two years with Missing Persons.
IB:
Frank did a stint as a DJ on WPIX-FM in November 1979 - have you any idea why
he dedicated ‘The Deathless Horsie’ to “the Cuccurullo family”?
WC: Just friendship. I remember one
time he came to Canarsie and played in my basement.
This was where we used to worship him and suddenly he was there — my friends
were just crying. We played ‘Watermelon In Easter Hay’
which, since his death, Duran have been playing; I taught the guys it. We’ll
probably do it at Wembley next week.
IB: I
understand you’re doing an album of cover versions — is there any chance that
it’ll include that?
WC:
We could do ‘Easter Hay’ as a bonus track — I’ve talked to Gail about it.
Either that, or I’d love to do ‘Willie The Pimp’.
We’ve already done a great version of Iggy Pop’s
‘Success’ with Mark and Howard, and Terry - there’s going to be some great
drummers on it: Tony Thompson. Steve Ferrone...
IB: I assume you were responsible
for getting Vinnie to play on the last album?
WC:
Yes.
IB:
Which Zeppelin song will be on the new one?
WC: ‘Thank
You’ - again with Terry.
IB:
Have you heard Tori Amos’ version of that?
WC:
I love Tori, she’s a real inspiration to me at the moment.
IB: Have
you got any good stories about John Smothers you can tell me?
WC:
There’s loads. The funniest one I remember was when we
were at the Hyde Park Hotel with Donovan and his wife and kids. He got some pot
out and the kids started helping themselves. Smothers eyes just went really
wide because Frank was about to arrive at any minute. So he went and got Gail
and ended up throwing them all out of the door saying, "we don’t like that
kinda stuff”. I remember I was playing Donovan’s
acoustic guitar with the in-laid stars and planets.
IB: The
last I heard of John was that he was ill. Do you know how he is?
WC:
We played
IB:
I’ve got a couple of questions from a friend here. Did Dale Bozzio
ever perform live with Frank?
WC: No.
IB: The band played Blondie’s
‘Heart Of Glass’ during rehearsals in early 1980 — was it ever performed in your
time?
WC:
No, but I played the Blondie album to death while on the road with Frank.
IB:
Okay. Why did you leave the band?
WC: It
was the hardest decision of my life. But there were always so many band changes
and it got so I wanted a more permanent situation. I had been hanging out with
Terry and Dale and we’d made about 10 songs together. We thought we had
something special and Frank liked it. Then he called up to say he was gearing
up for the road again, and I said I think we’re gonna
do this band thing. He wished us all the luck in the world. So, with his
blessings, we did it.
IB:
Did you keep in touch with him up until the time of his death?
WC:
Yes.
IB: The
BBC made a documentary last year, which shows Bozzio at
UMRK with The Chieftains and those throat singers — it didn't look like Frank
was participating in that session other than directing things.
WC:
No. I think he played with Shankar and those people.
IB:
Have you ever been paid for ‘Beat The Boots’?
WC:
The what?
IB: The
official bootleg box-sets; they’ve been a bone of contention with some former
band members who haven’t been paid any royalties.
WC: No. I’m not concerned by any of
that.
IB:
When I saw Terry a couple of years ago he said he’d work with you and Patrick
again anytime, any day: “Perhaps we’ll form another band in the future - who
knows?” Do you?
WC:
We definitely are going to work together again. In fact, I spoke to him for about
two hours this morning - they’ve just had that earthquake out there. I’m going
to do something alongside my Duran Duran career.
There’s so little time - Frank proved that: you’ve got to get stuff out there,
make statements. When Terry, Patrick and I get together, there’s a kind of
magic. And with all we know now, it’ll be something else.
IB: Steve
Vai thanks you on the sleeve of ‘Flex-Able’ - have
you two ever actually worked together?
WC: No.
He’s a friend, though.
IB: I read that he recently phoned
to compliment you on your work on ‘The Wedding Album’.
WC: Yes, he loved it. He’s a great
guy.
IB:
What led to your joining Duran Duran?
WC:
Well Missing Persons were on the same label, and Bozzio
and Patrick got to play on some of Andy Taylor’s stuff. It was the first time
in a while that I had nothing to do so, being a
IB: Have you persuaded the rest of the band to
perform naked yet?
WC: No, not yet — but what can you do? Actually,
I’m wearing even more on stage these days. Times change.
IB:
In 1988, at the time of the ‘Broadway The Hard Way’ tour, Frank said Thomas Nordegg was unavailable because he was working for you -
what was he doing?
WC:
He was my guitar technician. Still is. We’ve been together since about 1980. He
still videos a lot of things.
IB: In
a 1990 interview you described yourself as a mini-FZ, in the light of your
experiences with Missing Persons and Duran Duran. How
come?
WC: I’m becoming a maxi-Frank now! His
influence is so strong - I find my capacity for work is endless. I’ve just organised a 15-piece orchestra for a Duran Duran Unplugged show. My experience with Frank is my
most valuable asset.
IB:
In the same interview you said you had enough material put by for 5 solo
albums, but were committed to Duran for the time
being. Is that still the case?
WC: I probably have enough material
for about 9 albums now! I’m gonna combine careers.
I’ll be doing this thing with Terry and Patrick….and a mystery vocalist -
someone like Julian Lennon. It could be Ahmet
IB: Have
you played with Ahmet or Dweezil?
WC:
I’ve just played on Dweezil’s guitar opus, ‘What The Hell Was I Thinking?’ Ahmet
and Dweezil are amazing; together they almost equal
Frank! No one will ever be quite like him, but they have his musical genius,
his humour, and they can really play his stuff.
IB:
In 1991, you were listed as a Guest Artist in the programme
for the Zappa’s Universe concerts in
WC:
Oh, a problem with transport. It was so unorganised.
I would’ve liked to - I was gonna play ‘Crew Slut’ or
‘five-five-FIVE’.
IB: I
understand you judged the Muffin Men as best Zappa soundalikes
in a Cover Contest in
WC: I don’t remember that.
IB: They’re
a band from
WC: I haven’t seen Ike for ages.
IB: He
made a great solo album, ‘I Should’a Gone Before I Left’.
WC:
I’ve wondered what he’s been doing. Mark and Howard were talking to me about
doing an album of all Frank’s songs that should’ve been hits - try and get
Terry involved, maybe George. I would really like to make one of his songs a
big hit.
IB: Mark
and Howard remained friendly on and off with Frank over the years, didn’t they?
At one time they were gonna be on the ‘Broadway’
tour.
WC: So was I - Frank invited me to join him.
IB:
What do you think of Keneally?
WC: I understand he’s got a good solo
album out, but I haven’t heard it. Dweezil loves Keneally - he raves about him all the time.
IB:
I believe you have your own fan club in the
WC: Yeah.
It’s sort of a Duran spin-off, but it covers my work with Frank and Missing
Persons.
IB:
OK, final question: have you ever tried oral sex with a miniature-rubberized
homo-replica?
WC: Sort of. I can say that. But it
wasn’t until this year. And it wasn’t miniature.
***
A
fredited version of this interview originally
appeared in Issue 36 of T’Mershi Duween. Photo of