Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: October 11th, 2006

Wednesday how’s everything today?
Hey Man I’m a little jetlag from the European tour, my sleeping schedule is a little screwed up. But I’m doing well.

When you were growing up did you have any dreams that molded your image?
Well through the years, all I wanted to do is learn guitar and be in a band. I don’t think I had dreams of the way I would look or the way I ended up. It just sought of happened.

What was your room like growing up?
Yeah, it pretty much changed, I was really into toys and still am; I started taking down my He-Man and G. I. Joe posters and replacing them with Kiss, Alice Cooper and Motley Crue posters. Until eventually, I had my whole wall covered in rock posters and I started adding my Frankenstein and monster posters. It was a big combination of that kind of stuff.

How about in high school, were you a popular kid?
I spent pretty much the entire time starting my own band; I went to school just to hang out. I was a quiet kid who didn’t have many friends. I did my own thing, school was just something I had to go to, but I really didn’t do anything there except sleep and draw my band logo on my notebooks, pictures of the stage and think of ideas of what I would do on the weekend when we played a show.

Were you in any garage band before Maniac Spider Trash?
I played with most of those guys in Spider Trash, which was the first group of guys I played with. We had some guys coming in and out of the band but they were the first. I did play in the basement with some friends playing Kiss and Cooper songs, really making them sound pretty bad.

Tell me a little about the Thirteen Dead Kids cartoon and comic.
I haven’t done anything with that for about two years. I had this idea when I got off tour with the Murderdolls; I was trying to find something different to do besides music. I started drawing these characters of Thirteen Dead Kids and writing stories and I planned on putting out this book, kind of a morbid type of Dr. Seuss book. Still, I have it half way finished and I should have it done before I’m fifty.

Do you come up with everything you do, or does you wife have an impact on some of your ideas?
I drew all the characters and came up their names and she designed the logos, but as far as the stories and idea I came up with them.

So are you a graphic designer?
No I have no idea with that, she was very well at the colorization and stuff on the computer. I just drew it from scratch in a sketch book and gave it to her and she did it.

Do you ever think of selling some of the drawing?
I did sell some prints of those but I quit doing that. It’s just hanging around in limbo until I have time to getting around and finishing it.

You have an upcoming tour with Alice Cooper. Was Alice a big impact on your career?
He was my biggest inspiration musically and visually all around. I’ve been fortunate to meet the guy and have a relationship with him. This is the second time Alice invited me to come and tour with him-- the week of Halloween. It’s pretty flattering growing up with a guy all over your walls and your favorite artist and then get to gather a relationship and talk and hang out with him. It’s pretty surreal for sure.

You play golf with him?
(Laughing), No I’m not best friends with him, but when we play shows together, I hang out with him and talk. He doesn’t invite me out to do things after the tour, plus I would just embarrass myself doing that. I have no clue what to do with golf.

Tell me one of the best Halloween stories you can remember?
When I was in seventh grade my friend and I, went down in this little town we lived in and got some eggs. We climbed onto this store’s roof, when all the trick or treaters passed by we bombed them with eggs. Then the cops starting chasing us for about two hours but never caught us.

You’re a family man; does your daughter bring friends over to meet you?
No she’s still too young, she’s at the point where she thinks I’m a dork. Ever since she can remember I’ve been doing this, so to her it’s nothing cool. If I started my career when she was maybe sixteen, she would think it was pretty cool. She knows I go on tour and she sees it like a job. She’s eight now.

What is it like going to her school for parent’s night?
(Laughing) I meet the teachers when she starts school, I never go to the parent night. My parents never went to mine either and I’m ok with that. If there’s a mandatory parent’s night I go and they are pretty cool there.

They don’t stare at you or make comments?
All the kids think I’m a monster and I really can’t hide myself. I have hair down to my waste and I can’t pull it under a hat, I’m covered in tattoos. The only thing I can do is wear a ski mask and jumpsuit and then the cops will be after me (laughing).

Do you think there will ever be a TV show that will compare to The Addams Family or The Munster’s?
I don’t think anyone could ever capture that quality once again. It was not only a cool show; it was also a really really good morbid sense of humor involved in both of those shows. You never can recreate that again. I think now the cartoon shows are better shows than the real actor shows. If you watch King of the Hill and the Simpson’s, they are really good.

Have you seen Texas Chainsaw Massacre (The Beginning)?
I didn’t even know it’s was out. When I came home from Europe on Friday night driving home I saw a sign for it. I haven’t had time but I plan on it. The guy who plays leather face is a friend of mine. He came to my show at the Whiskey A Go-Go a few weeks ago, but I didn’t know it was coming out this quick.

Have you seen any scary movies in the past year?
No! nothing new or exciting in movies or music. That’s why I watch older stuff and listen to old music.

If you made a movie at this time in your career what would it be about?
It would probably be as pointless as any Ed Wood movie. A lot of people ask me that because of my show and the theatrics we do. Ever since Rob Zombie did movies they ask me when I’m going to do one. First off I’m not as well known as Rob Zombie, but if someone offered me a movie and a good budget I can come up with something. It would have a sense of humor and not be so dark where it wouldn’t be funny at all. It would be some stupid Ed Wood style Toxic Avenger movie.

The new CD “Fang Bang” is excellent and it flows really well. Can you tell us any funny stories recording it?
Thanks. It was a pretty quick process. I wrote pretty much everything in about two weeks. I went in the studio and recorded it in five days. In the past, I would sit on songs for months and months… having the guitar solo’s in my head I basically went in and did all the basic tracks and did it song by song. It was a really easy process this time and it was great, I knew it was meant to be.  

Did you record other songs for “Fang Bang” that you did not put on the CD?
Yeah there was a couple. We recorded eighteen songs and after working on the others, I really wasn’t happy with the songs we left off. I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t like to make filler songs. If I don’t like it, I’m not going to put it on there. If I record something and I like it one day and the next day I don’t I will just scratch the song. I have to live with that stuff and go out on tour and play the songs and if it’s a song I don’t like, I just am not going to put it on the record.

You have a new video for “Home Sweet Homicide”; do you enjoy making videos and who is in the clown costume?
Yeah it was a lot of fun, we filmed it in town, it was so hot that day about 100 degrees. It was pretty tough not being so sweaty. The clown was a guy from the video company, I did his make-up. He came to my house and I did the make-up in our kitchen. It turned out pretty good looking like a pissed off clown. It was good being in my town because we were all friends, I didn’t have to fly anywhere or travel a long distant. With the exceptions of the heat, it was pretty good.

Will you be filming any up coming shows for release?
You know man; I would love to put a live DVD out sometime. If we do a live DVD, it will likely be recorded in Europe maybe London. There is a bigger audience there, and for the last couple of years I have been focusing on the European audiences. I would like to do that, this way people can get to see the whole idea of what we’re all about.

Did you film anything when you recorded the CD?
I filmed some stuff; I try to video tape and record everything we can.

When you go on tour what’s some of the things you have on your rider?
It’s kind of funny; I’m not in a position to ask for a million things. First and foremost we ask for our booze. We cut some of the food out to get more booze. We always ask for Jack, Rum and Tequila. If we can’t get Jack we ask for Jim Beam.

How was it working with Bob Marlette Producer with Alice Cooper and Kiss?
I recorded the record myself and I sent him the finals. We talked several times on the phone and told him what I wanted. I didn’t work in the studio with him, he basically mixed the record and we never met face to face. I think what he has done with record is amazing. The guy has a great track record and that’s why he is still doing what he does.

What is a typical day for Wednesday 13?
When I’m not on tour, I take my kid to school, come home, exercise-- run a couple miles, do some stuff on the computer, and I’m always working writing new songs. I guess I’m pretty boring.

On tour how long does Alice give you to play?
About 45 minutes. For an opening act we are almost doing our full show.

Tell me, do you believe in life after death?
No I don’t. But if it happens, I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m sort of one of those guys.

You had guitar picks made and were sold in a small bag in a set. How come you don’t have those for sale anymore, since I am a pick collector and still have yet to get that set.
Well that was of our last line-up and I have a new band now. I really didn’t want to be on tour selling picks of our old line-up with a new band, same thing with the merchandise. We have new picks made with the new line now.

Wednesday it was great talking with you. Would you like to say anything in conclusion?
I would like to thank everyone for the support and thank you for everything.