"The only
rule was to break all the rules!!!" Jayne County on sex, drugs, Rock&Roll and raccoon piss Is or was Punk/Rock a fashion or a lifestyle for you? Not really. We dressed in rags and safety pins early on before the English stoled it all and made it in to a fashion. It became a fashion later on way after Wayne County, Richard Hell and Patti Smith did it first. I was a livestyle because we were all poor and had no money. We had to shop in thrift and charity shops. And if it had a rip or hole in it, so what!!! Patti used to wear her old clothes until they stunk. Pwww. She smelled really bad!!!! Had there been any Punk "rules" for you, e.g. in music, style or behaviour? And if so, how do you think about them now? The only rule was to break all the rules!!! Rebellion and snotty attitude was what it was all about. Anything to be different from all those squeaky clean conservative assholes!!! That is one reason I am so upset with that Right Wing Conservative , Republican idiot. Johnny Ramone!!! Even the other Ramones hated him!!! He was so embarrassing!! Considering your unusual life and personal development - could there have been another musical expression than Rock/Punk kind of music for you? I like most some of all forms of mucic. I am not narrow minded when it comes to mucic. I happen to like loud brash Rock and Roll or Punk Rock or Punk and Roll. but some of the really old music is amazing. I have a very open mind!!! For instance I love 60’s Psychedelic. How would you describe the influence Punk/Rock music from the 70s had in those times? The music of that time is still influential now. Even more now. It is too bad that the so called “corporate” Punk and Pop Punk bands of today totally miss the point. But there are a few new bands out there who come pretty close. Punk was also a “time” as well as being a form of music. It can never really be duplicated again. You can try, but it is impossible to do!!! It will never be the same. It is a part of musical and social history. Like Paris in the twenties, Berlin in the thirties and London in the sixties, NYC in the seventies. Hello, goodbye!! And how much influence/meaning does it still have? Same answer. The Ghosts of Punk still haunt us!!! What do you think why people are still interested in this kind of musical and lifestyle rebellion (even if it's not as rebellious as in the 70s because the social rules are less strict)? Because so much of the music now is so shitty!!! Over produced, safe, clean, commercial shit!!! Stupid lyrics. Music is worse now than it was before Punk happened!!! What are the differences in Punk/Rock scenes in different countries like USA, GB or Germany? The English Punk scene was a more commercial copy of the original NYC scene. It was also limited as far as the actual sound went. All the English bands either sounded like the Ramones or Johnny Thunders or The New York Dolls. The NYC music scene of that time had a more variant musical sound. But they all had the right rebellious R and R attitude. And let me tell you now, anyone who says that Punk was not Rock and Roll, does not know either their history or music. Punk Rock was a form of Rock and Roll. Especially as far as the Ramones go. They used old Rock and Roll chords and constantly listened to oldies. They were a Rock and Roll band. Their attitude way of dressing and brash simple jet plane sound made them “Punk”!!! The L.A. Punk sound was a copy of a copy. A copy of the English copying NYC!! Would you consider "typical" Punk/Rock music and stage behaviour as art or artistic expression? Or should it be the opposite? I think everything we do has some art in it even if we don’t intend it to be so!!! And anyway “what is art?” and who determines what is art??? Anything that expresses itself in musical form is some form of art. If a baby shits on a piece of newspaper and wipes the shit all over the wall. That is art!!! Because the baby was expressing itself.!!! What's your favourite stage experience as a Punk/Rock performer? Playing The Cavern in Liverpool in 1977!!! Playing Max’s Kansas City with Nico in the audience in 1979 and playing The Squeezebox 10 Year Reunion Gig at Don Hills with Shaun Lennon in the audience singing along to “Fuck Off!!!” That was just two weeks ago!!! So good and exciting things are still happening to me!!! I wish I could become a Vampire and never die!!! What's your most embarrassing experience? Playing the “Redding Festival” in 1977 and being booed and bottled off the stage. They put me on between the Dooby Brothers and Hawkwind!!! We were the only Punk band and they hated us!!! They weren’t real ”hippies” they were copies of Hippies. The real hippies would have loved us because the original Hippies were raw rebellious and adventurous. What are the most important Punk/Rock bands/artists for you? I like all the 60’s garage Punk. The Nuggets stuff. Like the Sonics, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Question Mark and The Mysterians, Paul Revere and The Raiders.. The Leaves, The Seeds, Count Five and The Trashmen. You can’t beat that!!! And my fave garage Punk song of all time is “Liar Liar” by the Castaways. I literally cream in my jeans when I hear this song!!! I go in to some kind of wierd Punk trance and shake all over. It is better that sex!!! (Which I hate!!!) What do you think about "modern" Punk bands (like Limp Bizkit) and their fans? I detest Limp Donkey Dicks I mean Bisquiets!!! They are calculated and make big money for the conservative coporate major record companies. They eat baboon shit!!! And drink raccoon piss!!! What does the Punk/Rock idea has to do with age? I have known some of the most Punk 77 year olds!!! Some old people are more Punk that most kids. Kids don’t know how to be Punk anymore. They just dress up and pretend. Old is a state of mind. Music, keeps you young forever. The music of the Chords have the Power to keep you young, If you just let it!!!! There is Power in the Chords of Rock and Roll, and you can feel it in your soul and it becomes the Fountain of Youth!!! Energy comes from the bottom of your soul and it transformes your body into pure, raw, existence!!! Can one get rich with Punk/Rock music? Not if you are playing real Punk, and that is near impossible now, so I guess some might as well sell out and make some dirty money!!! I think it would be hard to make tons of money if you are REALLY KEEPIN IT REAL!!! But some of the black Hip Hop or Rap bands are pretty raunchy and they are making money. I guess it comes down to who likes your music and how much money they are willing to pay out for it! Can one get happy with Punk/Rock music? No, Zoloft makes you happy!!! Vicadan as well!!! Punk Music can make you happy for the moment you are listening to it. But like drugs you have to come down and face the horrible reality of life in a war torn fucked up world!!! How important are drugs for a cultural output - or anyway? Drugs have been important in most mucical expressions!!! If it wasn’t for sulfate, London would have never had a Punk scene. In NYC it was Black Beauties and speed. Also a lot of down drugs like Heroine. I hate H because it makes you drag. Everything becomes down and sloppy. Speed is fast, loud and raunchy!!! But I must say when drugs get grip on you, it is over. You can control them for a time but then when the drug starts to control you that’s it!! You have to be able to STOP sometimes or you DIE!!! Unfortunately, most can’t control their drugs after a while and they shut down as a human being and thier creative juices dry up!!!! Like poor Courtney Love. She is dying right in front of our eyes. Just like Johnny Thunders and Dee Dee and Sid Vicious. I knew them all and I wish I could have done something!!! But most addicts are in denial and will not listen to anything but their addiction!!! When you look at your past, the sixties and seventies: Do you see yourself as a woman or a man? A Woman. I never considered myself a man. Was gender ever an issue concerning your choice of career? Gender is always an issue with me. Gender is the last frontier!!! And it is political!!! No matter what, I have to be what I am. It of course affected my career. Cause most people in the Recording Industry are scared little rabbits who are only comfortable making money and protecting and hiding thieir own sexual identities. I think the word is HYPOCRITES!! What does Drag mean for you today? Drag is a state of mind. I am never in drag. I am just dressing as I am. But anyone can drag up. Women, men. animals etc. Anyone!!! There are also different forms of drag. Stage drag. Work drag. Whore drag. Business suit drag. Etc. Etc. I as a woman am in drag when I perceive it as drag. But it does not mean I am particularly trying to use drag to be a ”woman”. We are all in some sort of drag. Punk drag. Hippie drag. Asshole drag!!! But I guess it is an easy termination when referring to real men who dress up in drag. Fun drag. Rock drag or Female inpersonation drag. All this talk of drag has become a drag!!! What would you tell other people in your situation? Be Careful!!! There are a lot of evil , narrow minded pigs out there who want to hurt, abuse and even KILL you!!! But if you are honest with yourself, you have to take the chance and face the uphill battles that you will have to endure. You must be STRONG and let the sticks and stones roll off your back like water off of a ducks back!!! Honesty is a lost treasure in today’s world!!! And look at the world!!! Amageddon here we come!! If you were born in Europe, do you think your life would have been much different ? Not really. They would have been nearly the same I think. I would have always founded the right scene to express myself in. That is what i am. My personality. I am a rebel to the end. A total individual!!! NO ONE DETERMINES WHAT I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or who I am!!! Don’t try to change me or rearrange me, I am what I am and that’s all I ever will be!!!!!!! My ancestry is part European anyway. Scotch/Irish with some Swedish, Welsh and German!!! I am a real wasp!!! Haha!!! I even have Cherokee Indian on both sides of the family!!! My great great grandmother on my Father’s side was Cherokee!!! (At this point of the interview Jayne County mentioned in her direct and uncomplicated manner, that she's definitely not amused with the current government of the U.S.A.. We leave the rest to your imagination.) LONG LIVE PUNK AND ROCK AND ROLL!!!! Interview by Jenni Zylka © Schmidt productions GmbH |
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