The Buttz Interview

The Buttz Interview

For years, one of the most elusive of the Glam albums was the debut release by The Babysitters. Then one day I was sitting at home, screwing around online, and I got an email telling me that somebody was selling it on eBay. The whole situation of it being on eBay was an interesting enough story, but it is a long one at that. But after all was done, I lost the auction. I had received a taped copy earlier from a friend, so I didn't bust my butt trying to win it.
Upon the auction ending, a few weeks later I checked into some stuff and found that the winner of the auction had left poor feedback with the seller. So I felt I should be a nice guy and drop him an email telling him that I had burned the album to CD and that he could have a copy if he wanted it. The buyer responded back to me telling me he was shocked anybody would step forward with that offer. I had told him I had been searching for the album for years. He then told me that he also had been trying to get hold of it for years, and he was the vocalist! Now, here I am staring at my computer screen in shock! One of my most elusive bands, and then here I am exchanging emails with the old vocalist! Amazing what the internet has done!
Here you will find the interview I did with Buttz after finding out it was him that I was contacting. He proved to be a great guy in the emails I exchanged with. But at the same time a guy who doesn't see why anybody really gave a shit about his old band. Truth be told, The Babysitters may not have been the greatest band in the world at the time, but the music will last and it is better Rock And Roll than any band is doing on your radio today! The Babysitters were and are a great band, a ton of fun! So grab that Rock And Roll Chicken, and let's dance!

Q. When and how did The Babysitters form?
R. The 'Sitters formed in and around 1983. I was running a clothes shop in Carnaby St. & playing in a band with Neil X- (later of Sigue Sigue Sputnik fame). It was awful, We called it the Baby Slitters. Neil thought he was Johnny Thunders, and I didn't know that Johnny Thunders was still alive. I didn't realise that Neil was auditioning for what would later become Sputnik. He sacked me because my girlfriend (at the time) was too fat. I thought that the whole avant 'Kensington' crowd were fucking horrible,.. they only drank small drinks. Us Carnaby St Nutters were real, but getting bored with the music scene. I had just come off the end of a tour with the Clash, and had decided that punk was now officially dead. I was hanging about with psycho billy band the Meteors, and went to see them at 'The Halloween monster bash' at the Lyceum Ballroom. Third on the bill were Hanoi Rocks. To me, it was a breath of fresh air,… but the crowd...everyone shouting abuse at them, (Short haired tattooed Psycho arseholes with more hair than brains). They were as dead as the punks who invented them. The very next day, Mike Monroe & Nasty came to my shop, and we began swapping clothes. Later, I actually got arrested and locked up for a night after stealing a pair of creepers for Nasty, one of the staff grassed me up to the boss. (I also supplied them with the toggs they're wearing on the Mystery City L.P.) Anyway, to cut a long story short,… it turned out that the late great Razzle used to go to school with two guys...Jimbo & Boo. I met them for the first time at a 'Blind rehearsal'. Jimbo turned up on a motorbike with two girls attached, (one in the coffin shaped sidecar), it was well tasty. Pig the drummer was kind of snatched from the first line-up of Marionette, and Boo was just kind of there, he was the only musician in the band to start with, but he soon came around. It was the best group I ever heard. I still have a tape of that first rehearsal. We booked a show at Gossips nightclub in Soho. We had 7 songs, one of which…('I'm goin' down').. had only one note, and was 7 minutes long. I have never been so drunk since. I have a tape of that first show. It is the worst music I have ever heard. It was so good.

Q. Do you ever speak to anybody from Hanoi?
R. The last time I saw Sami & Andy was at the Borderline on Charing x Rd. last December at a Hanoi Rocks tribute to Razzle. Sami hasn't changed, he remains the only living band member to buy a round. Andy looked like Long John Silver, and seems to be still 'doin' it'. It is one of Rock' n' Roll's sad, sad stories. I never play any records from those days. Nasty vanished a couple of years ago. I fell out with Nasty after recording a song called 'Gang Bang' (the Alex Harvey classic), I formed the Gang Bang band to promote 'Buttz 'n' Spikes club at Gossips. Great line-up, Me, Spike (Quireboys), Nasty, Bernie Torme, Rene Berg, Stik, (Babysitters), Dumpy, (Dumpy's Rusty Nuts), & a load of liggers from the club. The idea was to give copies away at the door, but the press got a few copies and the demand grew. So the Gang Bang Band played a gig at gossips, and when the door takings were put towards the recording of the E.P….. a few members of the band tried to kill me in the dressing room. Never make a record for fun you kids. It is one of the worst records ever made. Very good. The B-side is Spike and me, drunk as fuck singing 'Are you lonesome tonight'. Jesus, it is fucking awful.

Q. What other bands from the time did you guys get on with and do you still speak to any of them?
R. You meet all the bands on the circuit, I remember the Macc Lads coming to see us at the Marquee. They were the hardest band on earth, and they challenged us to a drinking competition. Our guitarist Jimbo beat them, and they gave us all a kazoo. (Weird northern bastards). Specimen were always lurking about, The Mission were great guys, I wonder if they'd have gone further without that shining wit Wayne. Max Splodge was a raving mad bastard, Doctor and the Medics were great fun, (I later borrowed drummer 'Vom' for the Last of the Teenage Idols). Vom is one of the greatest superheroes of Rock, and I eagerly await his autobiography. He's now in Germany playing with 'The Dead Trousers' We never mixed with the other Glam bands, I personally found them irritating, with the fake American accent, and thin legs. Hanoi Rocks were real, Razzle, me & Jimbo had some great nights out in Carnaby St, and Soho. But the others always had 'dodgy boiler syndrome' and seemed to be in bed all the time. Some of the best groups in the world were supporting us up & down the country. We always gave the gig to local bands, I knew they'd never survive because of where they lived. It was a shame to see all these CRAP bands in London getting attention they didn't deserve, just because they had a posh demo tape, and a manager from the press. And these real little groups from Shit street, practicing in garages and sheds, some of them were fantastic. I felt guilty. The best group by far were Marionette. God… they were fucking DEADLY.

Q. After 15 years of searching, I finally got my hands on that Marionette album. Great stuff, I can only
imagine what they were like live!
R. Marionette were proud that they never headlined a gig. Singer Ray Zell was a great frontman with the right attitude, and a wonderful American/North London accent. I suppose they were a cross between The Dolls, Heartbreakers and Shirley Temple. I can still hear 'My Baby sucks real bad' ringing in the lugs. They split up before anything much happened over hear. We played most of our early London club gigs with Marionette, (I'd like any live recordings of '83/'84!). I think they began gigging 6 months before us, Jimbo was a good mate of Ray's, Ray wrote great Babysitters reviews in 'Kerrang' magazine through the '80's. I suppose it was then that I discovered the power of the press, and the importance of 'it's who you know'. My policy was never talk to the press when you're drunk.

Q. What made you guys choose the name The Babysitters?
R. You wouldn't let us look after your kids would you?

Q. Who were the bands that influenced you guys?
R. I was always looking around for new ideas. I was a Punk then, and I still am. Jimbo liked Van Halen recording an album almost live… in an hour, and I liked Dexy's midnight Runners for stealing recordings from their record company. I think the lack of musical talent forced us into being a kind of basic Rock 'n' Roll band, but there was nothing else like us. I saw an interview with Axle Rose in '86 explaining that Guns & Roses had Glammed up for the' Sweet child of mine' video as they had seen some cool bands in London like Hanoi Rocks and the Babysitters. Who influenced them?……. And you… Bon Jovi ….you whining stuck up tart.

Q. Did you see yourselves as a Glam, Metal, or Punk? Your sound seems to walk a fine line the whole time.
R. Glam metal had only just begun in the U.K. in '83, we were a DIRTY rock'n'roll band …all the way. We never wore spandex trousers, (as the album cover suggests), we made our own clothes after I had been booted out of the shop. Jimbo was well smart,.. making clothes from bed clothes, and curtains. And we only had enough money for food and Snout. We could never afford the Glam rock life.

Q. What was it like playing shows back in those days and how does it seem like it has changed?
R. The Babysitters' live at the Marquee' video is a wonderful historical document. It was filmed around the same time as Hanoi's ' Wasted years' video (1985). We were friends with the audience, knew them by name. I opened a night club (Buttz & Spike's) in Soho in '85 simply because there was nowhere for like-minded people to go after the pubs had shut. I suppose the band was also for our amusement. But all the tours were the same crowd running around the country, people hitching, and sleeping anywhere. Hotel,!!! What the fuck is an Hotel? Now, it's money is king, bands don't seem to move without a manager, agent and a catering corporation. All we needed seemed to be a bit of press and a telephone.

Q. What was the biggest show you played, and does size matter?
R. We played Hammersmith Odeon 2 nights in a row. Size does matter, it was too big for us.

Q. Does the music "biz" seem to be about the same now?
R. I left the whole scene in 1991 when my last group 'Last of the teenage Idols' split up. As I mentioned earlier, I feel that the money side of things seems to be most important to musicians these days. My bands were a tight circle of friends, session musicians always appeared 'empty shallow people' to me, and we never employed any. I hope any band member I've ever worked with will remember all the fun we had keeping it REAL.

Q. What were some of the more memorable shows you played?
R. We did the U.K. tour in '84 (I think?), with Hanoi Rocks and Johnny Thunders, all the gigs were a scream, it must have been parallel with the Anarchy tour. We were very busy in those days, we played all over the country, and I personally enjoyed all of it. Maybe 150 gigs? We had real enchores every night.

Q. How was Thunders at that time? Was he as great a person as many have led on to him being?
R. Hey, Mr. Thunders, well, a legend isn't he? I suppose you have to take your hat off to anyone who's in the who's who, (except the Who), of Rock'n'Roll. As I said earlier, I didn't really know anything about America, so he was never an influence. To the end of the tour we had a few beers here and there, he was always sharply dressed, (Cosa Nostra), quiet, calm and mellow. I sang 'Gloria' on stage with him on the last night of the Hanoi 'Mystery City' tour, and I remember feeling slightly important…….So he is a legend?

Q. Some might say there has never been a larger legend, and apart from Razzle and Stiv, I would agree.
R. What can you say? I wish they were all 'Living Legends'.

Q. What were some of the best memories you have from the time?
R. I liked the ligging around in Soho. It was always free admission, free booze, everything free, sometimes 5 or six clubs a night. I would go out with £5, fuck myself up all night, and come home in a cab with £10. Jimbo had a flat in Carnaby St. & I was in Baker St. We were in the right place at the right time. I liked the attention, but my favorite thing was seeing the faces on other groups wherever we went. Lots of people were scared of us. It was a wonderful feeling. Our roadcrew were awesome. Rambo, Chief, Beal the Wheel Pete 'the pan'(always in the bog with a woman) Vince whirlwind and Billy the Willy. Fucking magic.

Q. You told me before that you never had a copy of your album, why wouldn't the record company give you any promos? Also, didn't you know anybody who could loan you the money?
R. I never listened to our records. I hated them all. I never wanted them. All our records are dull and flat.

Q. I know you have recently gotten hold of your album, have your opinions changed at all?
R. It is awful. The cover is quite funny. We actually got £175 together to do our first professional photo shoot, it took ages to earn the money. Anyway, after two hours of posing, hairspray, and serious pouting, we had one shot left. We thought, 'bollocks', down came the trousers, I had changed into my jumper that was made out of my old bed cover, it was an awful shot. Two weeks later I returned from a holiday to find my debut record had me..trouserless, in my sleeping bag tent jumper, all of looking really pissed off on the cover. Me & Jimbo pissed ourselves laughing. The picture on the back was taken During our soundcheck at Dingwalls, (Camden Town), and we couldn't afford a bottle of wine, so the glasses we are holding are full of diluted blackcurrant. Fucking Jesus Wept.

Q. Did you guys have much success?
R. At the time, I was happy with our success, I think we all realized that a bunch of drunks could only go so far. I remember feeling awful seeing people with Babysitters tattooe's, but now, I'm thinking of getting one. We would sell out the Marquee for two nights in a row every two months. We were the best live band in London in '85. The press loved us, and we slept with most of them to show our appreciation.

Q. Did you have much success outside of the UK?
R. No. We didn't go after it either. I occasionally get a royalty cheque from Japan though.

Q. Is the album still available there?
R. It is deleted, but it gets played on the radio now and again. We're waiting for the Eagles to cover 'Some girls are bigger than others'.

Q. What tracks are you particularly fond of that you guys did?
R. The only recording of ours that is any good is the 'Rock'n'Roll Chicken', it is on a compilation L.P. called Rock Pretty. The Chicken came to us in a photograph taken at a gig in Foubert's place in Carnaby St. 1984. It shows a chicken (that has been thrown at Jimbo) spreading his spiney claws up the neck of the guitar, quite clearly performing a lead break. We demo'd a song… 'Living out Rock 'n' Roll, I like the words to that one. It appears on a compilation L.P. called 'Trash on delivery'.

Q. Since I live in the US, I found you through magazines such as Kerrang. Did you the band get much coverage in other magazines other than Kerrang?
R. We were always in Sounds and Melody Maker. Carol Clerk (news editor at Melody Maker) was the greatest friend of the 'Sitters, we had some fantastic times, I await her autobiography .

Q. Where was the strangest show you played?
R. We toured with Hawkwind on their first tour for sixty years or something, it was fantastic. We had a really violent crew with us & we shit in their food, and catapulted stink bombs at their drummer. It was a total disaster. Fucking ugly hippies. 36 gigs in a row. In a Hellhole called Dudley up North, I offended the crowd, and we found ourselves barricading the dressing room door. It was fantastic. 15 to 20 skinheads after the Babysitters. "Don't worry" says Pete the Pan, "you open the door, and I'll hit them with this iron bar". Beal the Wheel opens the door, Pete the Pan pulls the iron bar from below the floorboards, "Shit, it's the Water pipe, shut the fucking door". Beal the Wheel shuts the door, the water begins to rise in the dressing room. Our only clothes and boots floating around in two feet of water. Beal the Wheel says.."Look, I'm going out to talk to them, it's the only way." The door is held open for the Wheel to slide out, and almost straight away you hear … "Open the fuckin' door, it's me, ..The Wheel, let me in." The Wheel is dragged back into the dressing room, blood all aver the place, 3 foot high waves, I didn't know whether to laugh or shit myself. The Police escorted us out 20 minutes later. There are a million stories, but I have to keep them for my autobiography.!!!

Q. After the band split, what happened to all of you? Who went where?
R. Stik Oneonim the drummer is in London laying floors. Boo the bass player is a kind of professional long haired civil servant in Sommerset. Jimbo the guitarist moved to L.A. and continued a kind of Babysitters 2, and I am just about to move down to Cornwall to run a cheap gift shop by the sea. I am 37 years old now and so it's time for me to audition for Hawkwind.

Q. You formed Last Of The Teenage Idols after the 'Sitters, how did that band fall together?
R. LOTTI was my ego trip. The Babysitters played the 1986 Reading rock festival without me, (I was in Portugal on my honeymoon). So I decided to play a few gigs without them. Bassist Shuff used to come to my club, and he invited me to his birthday party. There must have been 150 people there. He let me & the wife stay in his room, where he kept a drum kit. So I thought he was a drummer with a ready made audience. Together, we found 'Metal Mat, (with no animal fat)' the vegetarian guitarist, and 'Dave who Can't Behave'( the real drummer), who later went on to set fire to himself onstage and was carted off to hospital, mummified, and returned just in time for the encore, (without anyone noticing). We booked Valentines Day at the Marquee (1987) for our debut gig. THE VALENTINES DAY MASCARA. We had no songs, and I was worried sick. On the night we sold out the club and got a rave review from Ray Zell. (Thanx Ray!!!). I have a tape of the gig. It is one of the worst things I have ever heard. The 7 songs were drawn out to around 10 minutes long, Brilliant. We wrote 'She's got Big Boots' about a day before that first gig, and it has appeared on several compilation L.P's in 3 countries since. The whole Last of the Teenage Idols thing was the best time of my career. We were simply the funniest group of people on the road for 3 or 4 years. All the gigs were brilliant, the crews were fantastic, and the stories are incredible.

Q. Are you able to listen to that album, or is it another one that you find rather poor?
R. It is one of the worst records I have ever heard. Everything always went wrong for the Idols. Again we had no money, no management, no idea of the business. We recorded and mixed the album in 7 days. You cant make a big company sit up and take notice of a bunch of arseholes with a £25 demo L.P. They only took on the bands with a ton of equipment and a demo tape so good that it doesn't have to be re-recorded. The Little Angels were a fine example of how the companies licked the arses of the professional Rock whores that they were. We toured with them, and covered them in Cow shit on the last night. The headline in the paper was 'IDOLS HIT ANGELS WITH DIRTY FAECES'. I wish we had just recorded a live album instead.

Q. Why did the Idols split?
R. Personally, after trying so hard, traveling around the country, selling thousands of tickets at maybe 600 shows over 8 years, I had just become pissed off with the whole thing. All the other bands had been signed, and left us behind. ( Good rap that), We were never offered tours with any of the bands who had started by supporting us. I will not name them, there are too many. At best, it's great that I shall never be a has-been, simply because I have never been! (Know what I mean?) (Maybe Rap needs me?). It's kind of cool being on the old posters, and getting the odd mention here and there, and not getting hassled, I like my memories. It must be harder for the Hanoi Rockers, who really should have been Guns 'n' Roses size. I mean they were the dogs bollocks.

Q. What have you been up to as of late?
R. I've been running an antique shop in Edgware Rd. for 7 years. I haven't sung a note since '91. Actually, I don't think I ever sang a note.

Q. Do you miss the old days, or are you content with just the memories?
R. The whole thing was fantastic. I do miss it, but everything changes, I went on to have a bigger success with Last of the Teenage Idols, but it was so different than the 'Sitters. The Babysitters were a dangerous group in a dangerous time. We had skinhead problems to overcome, and of course, it was a transition time in music. There was Culture Club, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Madonna in the charts, and Hanoi Rocks, and us in the clubs. If Razzle hadn't been murdered, who knows what may have happened. I am content with the memories, I feel we did it right. We never listened to anyone else, I've lived a life that's full, I've traveled each and every highway……My Top hat comes off to the old rockers still doing it… and dreaming of IT. I'm too old.

Q. So, you're not a Motley Crue fan?
R. They're quite funny I suppose. Andy McCoy and Nasty brought them to my shop. They didn't say much, just another bunch of arsehole Yankees with a good manager I s'pose.

Q. What have you been listening to lately and what would you recommend?
R. Bowie 'Hunky Dory'.

Q. Do you ever get recognized from your days with The Babysitters?
R. No,…. because I am now a 7 foot tall woman called Val. I love you all. Try to get a copy of the video. The Babysitters live at the Marquee. It's the best thing we did.

Thank you for the time on this. It was great to find a person who's band was such an obsession of mine for all of these years!