Interview with "Nash The Slash " June 2008 by Steve Roper
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Steve...How did you first get started in the music business ?
I come from a musical family. I studied classical violin from age 8 to 17.
I loved classical as well as rock. Pete Townshend is my Beethoven.
Rock music in the Sixties was beginning to explore new sounds and ideas.
The bands were becoming more sophisticated and showing better chops.
When I heard the first Cream album, I played along with it on my violin.
It was 1967 and there weren't any electric violins, but you could get
a pick-up to put on your acoustic instrument.
I got one and attached it to my very nice, old acoustic violin.
My mother was furious, but my violin teacher thought it was very cool
and it didn't damage the instrument in any way.
So there I was, a violinist about to rock. But where does one go from there?
Steve ...Who were your influences
You start listening to Kraut Rock, that's what. When I first heard Kraftwerk, NEU!,
Harmonia Deluxe and Michael Rother I was in heaven. It was minimalist drum patterns with
beautiful melodies and sonics. I soon created my own sound based on Echoplexes and
fuzz boxes, drum machine and other electronics.
Steve...How did the image come about and when did you first start using the bandages ?
In 1979 there was a near-meltdown at a nuclear facility in New York called
Three Mile Island. I did a 'Nuclear' show where I coated some bandages in phosfluorescent
makeup and when the stage lights went out, my head glowed in the dark.
The bandages have stuck to my face ever since.
Steve...How did you first get involved with Gary Numan in 1980 ?
In February, 1980, Gary had come to Toronto to rehearse for his North American tour.
His plan was to have different local acts open for him on his tour.
I was to be his local act for Toronto only, and because I was playing at The Edge for
the whole week he was in town , he and his dad Tony came out to the club to see
Between sets, Tony and Gary came up to the dressing room and asked if I would
like to do the whole tour. I said yes and the that's how it all started on a handshake.
Steve...Can you remember what it was like being ask to support Gary on the Teletour ?
Sometimes being an independent musician, without management, agent or record company makes
life a lot less complicated and a whole lot more interesting.
Gary and I parted company in Los Angeles in April at the end of his tour.
That summer I opened for The Who at CNE Stadium in front of 70,000 people.
Then in September I got a call from Gary.
It was a Thursday night and he asked if I could come over and be his opening act for the UK tour.
I asked when it started, and he said 'Monday in Birmingham.'
I needed to get passports for me and my stage tech, plane tickets and my equipment over to the UK in 4 days.
He wired me the money needed for last-minute tickets, a government friend of mine got us our passports
by Saturday, we were on the plane on Monday and missed the Birmingham gig.
My first gig in the UK was in Manchester, on the Tuesday night.
It was on this tour that I connected with Virgin Publishing and DinDisc Records.
Steve...What were the highs and lows of the tour and were there any funny anecdotes you could share with us ?
The high was just being on the road in the UK with such a class act as Gary Numan. Rock bands of any generation
are not the most civilised of sub-cultures, but touring with a person who doesn't drink or smoke, has his parents on the road with him and the whole vibe is a touring family, it was a breathe of fresh air.
Gary's mom Berryl was always helpful but never prudish. She would take our stage clothes for dry cleaning, mine included.
I remember vividly standing in the wings at the show in Brighton, ready to go on, when Berryl, who was standing
beside me whispered, 'Nash, you forgot to polish your shoes'.
After that show, I always made sure my shoes were polished.
Another family-related story, when we did the North American tour, my parents were on holiday
in the US and they went to LA for the concert there.
It was a very wonderful rock and roll moment when the parents of the opening act are having
a wonderful gab with the parents of the headliner.
The low was having my mandolins stolen from the Hammersmith Odeon gig. We did two nights at the Hammer
and after the first gig, we left the equipment set up on the stage. That night, someone broke in and stole
3 of Gary's keyboards, a guitar case and my mandolin case.
Keyboards and guitars are easily replaced but custom-built electric mandolins are hard to find.
Scotland Yard came to the gig to get statements from everyone and they drew a picture of my mandolins.
The picture ended up on a popular TV show called 'Crime Watch' or something to that effect.
A few days later I found a cheap electric mandolin in London and modified it enough that it sounded
Four months later the mandolins were found in a park by a little old lady walking her dogs.
The mandolins were not seriously damaged.
Steve..You worked with Gary on "Dance" any recollections from that ?
I was living in London and doing gigs around the city when Gary called and asked if I'd like to
be on his next album. I went to his studio and met Roger Taylor from Queen.
Roger was very easy going. The three of us sat around the piano while we worked out some ideas.
Although it was fun to play on the tracks, I don't think 'Dance' is one of Gary's strongest albums.
Considering its title, the LP just doesn't make me want to DANCE!
I find it too laid back, as if Gary wanted to sound like'Japan', a band that I can't stand.
Steve... Wembley 1981 !!! what was that like for you ?
Wembley was great fun but a lot of work. We rehearsed at some huge film studio where there
was no heat. They brought in these giant heaters that looked like jet engines but they barely made
any difference. We rehearsed in the cold, empty arena every day for a week ( when you have such a monstrous stage show,
one can imagine the amount of preparation needed.)
For the live show, I would come running out onto the stage for 'Joy Circuit' and join in on violin.
Steve... After Numan what did you do then ?
I found it very weird to be signed to a record company. I wanted to play live all the time but DinDisc only
wanted me to do gigs in support of new product. After my first club tour of the UK, I then went on a tour of
Europe with The Tubes. After that, I had nothing to do so I went home to Canada.
There were lots of gigs in North America, including a tour with Iggy Pop in 1982.
Steve... I see that you are still touring is it any different these days ? and will you ever play live in the UK again ?
I don't tour as much any more. Most gigs are close to home although I did play in Russia a few years ago.
I am currently planning to come back to the UK but I don't know exactly when. Hopefully this year.
Steve.... You are currently composing the music soundtrack for a new crime re-enactment TV show called "Cold Blood" can you tell us how you got involved with this and what sort of music your doing for it ?
'Cold Blood' is called 'True CSI' in the UK and can be seen on Channel 5 right now. It will be showing in
Canada and the USA in September.
The producer is a friend of mine and I asked him 'What makes your show different from all the others?'
He said it is more visceral. That's why they want my music. Edgy, nails-on-a-blackboard kinda stuff.
The music is a mix of dramatic and scary.
Steve...Have you any new upcoming albums and concerts planned ?
My latest CD is called 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Nash' and is a collection of cover songs from The Who, Killing Joke
Iron Butterfly and other oddball tracks. Where else would you find Gordon Lightfoot and The Residents
Steve.. lastly many thanks for taking the time to do this and have you any message to the fans ?
It has been 28 years since I was last in the UK and thanks to the internet, a lot of my old fans have kept
in touch. The UK fans are the best and most loyal and hopefully we can see each other again very soon.
