mINtSOUTH.com

With flickering eyes, impressive tattoos and his hard set physique, Ricky Warwick welcomes mINtSOUTH reps into the wardrobe-eque dressing room at the back of the Portsmouth venue, The Wedgewood Rooms. I perch tentatively nearby on the sweaty looking bench, Dictaphone and papers out and a little apprehensive that somewhere between the lines Ricky will take offense to my questioning, how long I take or perhaps the amount of times I say ‘Err, right!’ (he’s a tough looking man, no doubt). Instead, I find that, despite clearly going through the well-worn routine of pre-gig interviews, Ricky remains gracious and grateful.

I find out more about his touring experiences and what its like to be an acoustic solo artist after so many years of thrashing it out with The Almighty.

As the new album 'Belfast Confetti' is so strongly linked to Irish culture and your home experiences, I was just wondering how you feel people outside of that cultural heritage will relate to it?

"Well there’s Irish people all over the world and people that associate themselves with Ireland, so they’ll relate to it pretty quickly. It’s just an insight into my world and I think all people can pick up on it even if they’ve never been to Ireland - pick up on the lyrics and relate to the stories. They might find something similar to their own lives and their own country."

Obviously you’ve accomplished a lot in previous acts such as The Almighty. How did you find it when you started your solo work? Did you have to convince audiences with the newer material?

"Most of it was ‘Almighty fans – especially in the UK and that was great as without the band I wouldn’t have had a solo career, simple as that. It also meant that I could start off the solo stuff a couple of rungs up the ladder. Most of them seemed to dig it, but of course there are some that didn’t as some people don’t like acoustic music and that’s that. As the years have progressed I’ve had people come along that never knew I was in The Almighty."

You’ve worked with loads of famous names. Is there anyone you’d like to work with next?

"I’m lucky to have worked with a lot of people I’ve admired over the years. I’d love to try and get the chance to write or play with Springsteen – that’d be cool – or Steve Earle or someone like that. Who knows?"

Gigging experiences:

Best:

"Erm, it’s hard as I do so many gigs. Obviously with The Almighty, Donnington was a highlight and selling out Glasgow Barrowlands for the first time was amazing. Solo-wise, playing with Def Leppard in some of the big stages in America. Playing with Skynard, playing with Cheap Trick... All those are highs; you pinch yourself and say, ‘Fuck, is this really happening?’"

Worst?

"There’s been a couple of gigs in the middle of nowhere, with the two-barmen-and-a-dog sort of audience. Thankfully, those don’t happen too often."

Strangest?

"I just got back from playing Israel and was playing alongside this guy. We did this cover of an old Irish folk tune called ‘The Star of County Down’ and he sang his part in Hebrew and I sang mine in English. We were doing it to an all Jewish crowd in Tel Aviv and it was just weird. Great, but pretty out there, y’know?"

What’s your live setup and why?

"Basically, after years of playing in The Almighty I’m quite deaf and when I went into the acoustic stuff, I really don’t like the sort of singer/songwriter stuff - ‘Feel my pain’, gingerly playing the guitar. I just fucking hate that. I like the sort of stuff like when Dylan had an attitude back in the 60s, Steve Earl, Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie had it – when they get up and beat the shit out of the guitar. Even though they’re just armed with an acoustic they think, ‘Fuck it, I’m gonna entertain you, I’m going to put on a show and even though I’m only one guy, that’s what I want to do.’ So for that I need a guitar that’ll stand having the shit kicked out of it [laughs], so I use one called an Avalon, that’re built just outside of Belfast. It’s a jumbo acoustic and it stands up pretty well. On that I use some pretty heavy steel strings and I go through a set of them every gig. I have a little Marshall acoustic amp, which I put the guitar through and D.I. out the back as well. I basically try and surround myself in this acoustic world, so it’s pretty loud and big. I need to feel it, y’know. I can’t use my ears so I need to feel the noise and the vibe."

Do you think you have a typical fan?

"I don’t think so. There’s a good cross section of people, which is great. A lot of them are open minded to music – anything from metallers, punks, Americana lovers, people that like Johnny Cash, to quite straight edged people that you wouldn’t think would be into my sort of stuff."

What are you currently listening to?

"The most recent album I bought was Seasick Steve, yesterday. I think he’s great."

What’s your proudest achievement?

"Personally, it’s being a father. Musically, being able to do this for twenty years, to still be doing it and making a living out of it. It’s still going into new territories and that makes me proud."

Anything else you’d like to say?

"The record’s out there, I’m touring like mad – please come and check out the shows and thanks very much!"