Walter Lure

By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)

SugarBuzz Magazine

THESE GOLDEN DAYS KEEP ME CRYIN'...!!! THE SUGARBUZZ INTERVIEW with WALTER LURE from THE HEARTBREAKERS and WALDOS by Geordie Pleathur....

I remember when I was at "that age", oh, 16-18, and totally obsessed with the N.Y. Dolls, T. Rex, Hanoi Rocks, Lords Of The New Church, and David Bowie, I was known to stare at all those old album covers, for hours at a time, and Johnny Thunders, esp., on the cover of "Night Of The Living Dolls", was pretty much my style-icon, who I wanted to look like, back then. My guitarist, in my teenage punk band, was nine years older than me; an older record collector from the actual seventies-punk era, he valiantly tried turning me on to lotsa the cool old-school '77 punk stuff I had little use for at the time, primarily, because I was really in thrall to glam dandyism, at the time, and all the punks looked like cops to me, wisecrackin' gumshoes from old detective novels. As a delinquent eighties kid, I only liked short haircuts if they were cartoon short haircuts, like, uh, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, or Charlie Sexton, or Stray Cats. I was really into appearances back then. My "look" was really important to me, and I recall being really disappointed to learn Johnny Thunders had cut his hair(!!!) when we finally got a hold of that old VHS live Heartbreakers video you used to see around, all the time. HAR! Then, I started attending Heartbreakers reunion shows, and Johnny Thunders And The Oddballs, and Waldos gigs in NYC, whenever I could, and really fell in love with all the legendary hearts who peopled those bands. Johnny, Jerry, Walter, Tony Coiro, Joey Pinter, Jamie Heath, Stevie Klasson, Alison Gordy, Jeff West...were all amazing personalities, genuinely nice folks, we had wonderful times, at great shows. Few people seem as attached to that Adny Shernoff produced Waldos record, "RENT PARTY" as I am, but that's just because not enough people have had a chance to hear it. All my associates are hip to it, because back in the day, I used to make mix-tapes for people, all the time, and often included more than one track off "RENT PARTY", on one cassette! It absolutely rocks, and everyone within the sound of my voice ought to help lobby Little Steven to re-release it on Wicked Cool, with lots of extras, rare photographs, liner notes, and a bonus DVD of Waldos live performances, and interviews with the survivors, fans, and friends of the band.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What was the first music that made you want to play rocknroll? Was it the Beatles? Who really put the mark on ya?

WALTER LURE: First Music. - I liked music as a kid in the late 50's, early '60's, but didn't feel the urge to play until I heard and saw the Rolling Stones. The Beatles were important also, but the Stones flipped the switch. Even then, I didn't really start playing guitar until I was in college - my first band gig was at the college, in April, or May, of my senior year, with a band called, "Bloodbath". We did mostly Stones, Bowie, Yardbirds and Who covers.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Will the HEARTBREAKERS ever be inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame?

WALTER LURE: HB's in Hall of Fame. I seriously doubt it - we weren't around that long, and really didn't have any hit records - just a big underground following. Maybe as a "hidden gem" type of thing or Forgotten Wonders. Johnny Thunders, maybe, because he did a lot of stuff on his own, and also, with the Dolls.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Whatever became of Billy Rath?

WALTER LURE: Billy Rath. Rat is still alive, and living in South Jersey, somewhere. He's got some health issues, and is living on disability. He got married again. I only just got back in touch with him last summer, after his son contacted me on MySpace. I hadn't heard from him since the early 90s. He's been wanting to record again, and actually go on tour, but I don't really have the time, and don't think there would be all that much demand.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Do you ever hear anything about the Tony Coiro Family?

WALTER LURE: Tony Coiro family. Yes, I speak with his wife Laura a few times a year and she actually brought the 2 daughters, grown up now, into college age teenagers, to one of the Waldos shows a couple of years ago. They live out on Long island.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Did you know Malcolm McClaren from the Anarchy Tour?

WALTER LURE: Yes, I knew Malcolm well from back in those days. I first met him backstage at those last few Dolls shows. on that Red Patent Leather tour, just before they broke up. He ended up calling us up to go over to the U.K. to do the Anarchy tour, because the Dolls ( what was left of them) turned him down. We knew Vivienne Westwood, his wife at the time, quite well, too, and regularly hung out at their shop on Kings Road and their flats. I hadn't seen him really since those days though, but used to see him pop up in newspaper articles, now and then. God, we all spent 4 weeks on that bus, travelling through England, on that Anarchy tour. We had nothing to do but get to know one another - long nights drinking in hotel bars.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Do you remember anything about Gunfire Dance, N.Y. Loose, Pillbox, the Saviors, or Dogtown Balladeers?

WALTER LURE: The only name that sounds familiar to me is Pillbox, but I don't really know any details.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What are the chances of you recording another studio full-length with Joey Pinter-are you still friendly with Jeff West, Do you write new songs, anymore?

WALTER LURE: Recording another album. Not likely with Joey Pinter, as he's living in L.A. these days, and we don't really rehearse together, unless I'm doing shows out there. If I was ever to do another record, I could definitely use him in spots on guitar.

Yes, I'm still friendly with Jeff West - he runs a rehearsal studio in NYC that we use to rehearse in. He'll come to shows, from time to time, as well.

I still write songs, but verrrry slowly. Haven't had all that much inspiration in the last few years, but every now and then, I do try to grind one out. Nothing lately though, even though I've been playing a little more. Stay tuned, as this might start to change.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Have you heard the BATUSIS??

WALTER LURE: No, haven't heard Batusis yet, although I ran into Cheetah at the Continental reunion, back in January.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Did you know Willie Deville, or Jim Carroll, personally?

WALTER LURE: Willy DeVille, Jim Carroll. I knew Willy from the old days in the 70s at CBGBs and other clubs around NYC. We played with him a few times. Always liked his stuff but never really hung out with him that much. Never thought of him as Punk - more R&B but a great singer.

Met Jim Carroll once at the Ritz or some other club. Because Jim said he loved the song, "Too Much Junkie Business", Johnny told him that he was the one who wrote it. I had to disabuse him of the bad information. I wrote it.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Have you seen the new Michael Monroe band/Do you go out to clubs anymore?

WALTER LURE: Michael Monroe Band. No, I haven't seen Michael's new band yet, although friends said that they liked it. I don't really go out to clubs that much anymore, unless I'm playing there, or someone I know well is. There aren't all that many left, that play good stuff in NYC, although a few do pop up now and then.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Were you familiar with Rowland S. Howard or Nikki Sudden's work?

WALTER LURE: Rowland Howard; Nikki Sudden. I hate to admit it, but I don't know these people, or their work. Maybe I do, but just forgot. Don't know.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Please discuss the shows on the West Coast with Joey, what were some highlights of those gigs?

WALTER LURE: West Coast shows. Those shows were great with L.A. being the best venue, and show. San Diego was a drag, because they let the other bands play too long, and we got on late, and then they pulled the plug on us at 1:30 AM, which apparently, was their deadline. A load of shit if you ask me. The place was a drag anyway, with no A/C on a sweltering night. L.A., to repeat, was great, and the best part was that there was a whole contingent of 15 to 19 year old kids, who knew the words to all of the songs I was singing - much better than the older geezers around there. They were talking to me before and after the show, saying how I was their Idol, since they were 12 years old - I asked them when that was - last week? Kidding aside, they were quite refreshing. The Huntington beach show was ok but the crowd was a little smaller and the club was more of an Irish Bar in the middle of a strip mall. Once we got onstage, it was ok, but the whole place had a weird feel to it.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Didn't someone write a book about Jerry Nolan, did you read it?

WALTER LURE: Jerry Nolan Book. I thought I heard that someone was writing a book about Jerry and I even think he might have contacted me to do an interview, at one point, but I never heard back. So I don't know if there's a book about Jerry and obviously haven't read it.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Why does each successive generation continue to produce a CULT OF THUNDERS? Are you surprised his music still has such an ardent following of young people?

WALTER LURE: Cult of Thunders. Well there's a bit of the "Live fast,Die young" attraction there as well - we all looked up to the Rimbauds, Chet Bakers, Keith Richards, James Dean, Brian Jones, Hendrix etc characters ( although Keith lasted longer than the others). John was a character and though he didn't really die that young, it wasn't from lack of trying. His music is good though and that's a great reason for young people to rediscover it. Nobody played like him or got the sound he did. He might have been technically limited but he did a lot with what he did have. I'm glad there are still followers out there - that means there might be some who like me!

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Which Ramone do you miss the most?

WALTER LURE: Which Ramone. Hard to say - I was friends with all of them - Dee Dee was the nuttiest, but also, the hardest to have a normal conversation with - he just kept flying off in different directions. Joey was good to talk to and he did a lot of stuff with other bands - he used to come to our shows ( Waldos) a lot because he lived across the street from the Continental Club but he also got us a few gigs and different things. He was probably the friendliest. John was also very friendly to me except in London in 1977 when they were pissed off about something I said in to papers about them. We were doing an interview and I think the writer got me drunk because I said something stupid about the Ramones and they printed it. Of course, they were in town at the time so they were staring daggers at me when I showed up at their after show party. Johnny was ready to jump over the table at me but I just lied and said I never said it or it was taken out of context. I ended up having to eat my words anyway as they proved me wrong. I used to do a lot of that back then - saying stupid things to reporters who would print it and get me in trouble. Later on, John was instrumental in getting me to play on those 3 Ramones albums I played on and also invited me to his house in LA after the band broke up and he was living out there - a few years before he died.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Has any label, like say, Full Breach, Demon Doll, Rank Outsider, or Acetate, ever approached you about compiling a WALDOS dvd, of concert footage, interspliced with interviews/stories/rare footage and photographs of all the people who died?

WALTER LURE: Waldos Compilation. Not specifically, but a few years ago, I was talking with Steven Van Zandt about him re-releasing the Waldos CD, with a special DVD to go with it. I was going to compile a bunch of old videos and pics, but we couldn't get together on a money figure, so the project died. It could still be done, but it would take a lot of time and effort.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Ever hear the Joneses from Hollywood? Dave Kusworth?

WALTER LURE: Jones, Kusworth. I could probably look these names up, and might know them, but I don't have the time, at the moment. No, I don't know these names offhand - I only know Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, who I think still lives in L.A.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Who are some of the most under-rated rocknroll bands that time forgot?

WALTER LURE: Under-rated bands. Tough question - it's all a matter of taste. I used to love Fleetwood Mac in the Peter Green days when they were a blues band - not later when they turned pop with that horror Nicks and Buckingham duo.

Just about anything that Mick Taylor did including the Stones years. The Small Faces in the early days. Jeff beck with Rod Stewart. Yardbirds (not exactly forgotten) with any one of the big 3 guitarists. The Amboy Dukes, for an album or two. Boxtops....

There are probably a million others, that I can't think of now. These all seem to be from a certain era and that's probably because that's when I grew up and got into music. I loved the Sex Pistols but they aren't forgotten. Generation X was a great band back when Billy was with them, and they probably made the best singles of the whole punk era, with the possible exception of the Pistols singles.

If I think of any more I 'll include them in later emails - I've got to look at all my old records!

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What musical projects are you currently involved with? There are rumours of a WALDOS Japanese retrospective deluxe box set with lots of pictures, a WALDOS skateboard sticker, and in depth liner notes by Nina Antonia?

WALTER LURE: Current Projects. Nothing major, other than the fact that I'm doing some shows in the U.K., in mid-October, and I'll be back in L.A., probably in July. That Japanese thing was something a friend in L.A. was trying to put together. I was going to license a bunch of Waldos stuff over there, so a record company, or store would underwrite the cost of a short week-long tour there, but the people there didn't take the deal, or thought it wouldn't work. I still haven't played Japan, and would love to go there someday, but it costs too much to do it, at the moment.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Aside from the "RENT PARTY" classic line-up, what was your favorite WALDOS roll-call, of recent years? Wasn't Todd Youth in the group at some point? Members of the Hip Nips, Teengenerate, or American Soul Spiders?

WALTER LURE: Waldos Lineups. Obviously, The Rent Party line-up was the best, but that is over. My recent line up with the Hip Nip bass and Guitarist and Joe Rizzo on drums has been the steadiest, but not as creative, which is probably my fault. I don't rehearse enough.

I had a line up in the late 80s - early 90s with Charlie Sox on drums and JF on guitar and Tony on bass which was very good as well. Todd Youth was in the Lures with me and the HipNip on bass and then, another band where Sammy Yaffa played some gigs as Waldos, after Tony died with the HipNip guitarist. Teengenerate? I think you mean D-Generation, but Jesse Malin only sang some songs with us, and was never a member. I don't know Teengenerate. Not sure who was in American Soul Spiders, either.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How has NY rocknroll changed since those three buildings fell on 9/11?

WALTER LURE: NY Rocknroll 9/11. I don't think that had much an effect on the NY Rock Scene. The NY scene has been in remission for years - there are less places to play, and not many bands doing rock. There is a bit of a scene here and there, in Brooklyn, and Manhattan, but not very focused, and hardly a movement, like the Punks in the '70s were. For better or worse, the whole place is rather dormant at the moment and 9/11 didn't, in my view, have any effect at all.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Jayne County. Never toured with her, but played plenty of gigs with her over the years, with both the Heartbreakers, and the Waldos. She always puts on a good show, and is quite funny. I used to get in trouble for calling her Wayne ( her original name) after she started growing parts of her body, after hormone treatments. She'd get mad if I didn't call her Jayne. I did it anyway, to annoy her.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How do you hope to be remembered, and what young actor should portray you in the movies?

WALTER LURE: Remembered. How? I haven't a clue - I'd just like to be remembered, period. It depends on who's doing the remembering but if musicians remember me as a good guitar player, and songwriter, that would be cool. I don't know the names of enough young actors to pick one, but I would imagine someone good looking, serious ( when needed- rarely, I hope...) and with a devilish side to his personality, and able to laugh at anything. God knows I had to, over the years.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What do you do for fun?

WALTER LURE: Fun. Usually I'll drink blood and skewer children for fun- just joking. These days I'm quite normal - I do a lot of sports to stay in shape like tennis, golf, jogging etc. I'll enjoy a good restaurant and bottle of wine, as often as I can find the time to do it. I also find playing gigs quite fun. Read lots of books as well.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Are there WALDOS t shirts available for sale, anywhere?

WALTER LURE: Waldo T shirts. I don't really know if there are any for sale in stores, apart from some one offs here and there, probably in NYC, somewhere. I had some printed up in Europe 3 years ago and some last year in L.A. I've actually got some at home.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: If you go to Handsome Dick's bar, do you get to drink for free?

WALTER LURE: I've never been to Handsome Dick's bar so I don't know. I suppose if he was around I might be able to squeeze a drink or 2 out of him.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Do you prefer the Fuzztones or the Fleshtones?

WALTER LURE: Fuzztones/Fleshtones. I used to like the Fleshtones, but I'm not all that familiar with the Fuzztones music so I can't really make a comparison. I'm sure I've heard them in the past, but can't remember their sound, at all.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: The Love Of Your Life?

WALTER LURE: Love of Life. There were quite a few of them, and I usually got disappointed, or if things did go well, I got sick of the relationship, after a few months. That stuff is all in the mind. Probably the best love would be a great show on-stage, with a crazed audience, screaming and cheering, at the top of their lungs. You can't get sick of that feeling, I think.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Best live performance you ever saw?

WALTER LURE: Best Live Performance I saw. Probably, the Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden, in 1969 ( or 1972 - now I can't remember for sure,) when Mick Taylor first joined the band. I think they made the "Ya Ya's" album from that one. I actually told myself at the time, that this was heaven, and things could never get better. That being said, all those types of things are subjective, and subject to your drifting/shifting personal values over time. If I saw it today, would I still call it the best ever? Possibly, but I'm not sure, at all. Tastes change. Still, that was the only time I actually thought that this was the best of anything.

Other memorable performances - The Yardbirds at a small, empty club in NY, with Jimmy Page, just before he started Led Zeppelin. The first Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart tour, in... I forget the year - 1969 - 1970 - 1972?

Several others I can't remember right now.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What did I forget to ask you??

WALTER LURE: What you forgot to ask. I haven't a clue - if you have any more questions, let me know. Hope all these answers aren't too boring.

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Nahh, it's been a gas. A real honor, getting to chat. We love ya, Walter. Shine On!

MORE:

http://www.myspace.com/lurewalter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ7-y50KAsg&feature=PlayList&p=F94468DBE03982FF&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=37
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuQw1xTTakw&feature=related
www.myspace.com/joeypinterrockandroll
http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=heartbreakers
sugarbuzzmagazine.com/bands/joeypinter/joey.html
www.thunders.ca

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larecord.com/interviews/2009/08/25/walter-lure-of-the-heartbreakers-interview-the-devils-inside/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAB0KRXpdJM
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