Interview: Suplecs Bass Player Danny Nick

Both Suplecs and their New Orleans based Record label took a major hit when Hurricane Katrina struck. Just two of many who were who lost a lot from hurricane Katrina their bass player, Danny Nick and his fiance are now living outside the city until their house is repaired. He was quoted as saying,

“It’s impossible to put into words how sad this devastation is and how far the span of the disaster spreads. But we’re all optimistic and will continue to do what we can to work toward the reconstruction of the city.”

I recently had the chance to talk to Danny Nick about life since hurricane Katrina and how the band is putting the pieces back together.

Diane (PR for Suplecs) told me you went down to check on things earlier this week. What did you find?

Well, for the band, obviously it’s kind of stopped us dead in our tracks. We’re all just trying to recover from it. I lost everything I own, except for my music. Which, ironically, was in a building that was pretty secure throughout the storm. It did get looted but nobody stole any of our stuff. I got flooded out pretty bad . . . and . . . It’s just a shame. It’s like an explosion went off and everybody just got thrown in different directions. It’s going take everybody a little time to regroup and figure it all out. We’re getting it together. We’re playing a gig in New Orleans next weekend.

Is the first live show since the hurricane? Is it the first in a series?

Well, yeah, it’s going to keep climbing from there. And, actually, it’s kind of a big deal because of what happened. The building were we stored our gear was on lock down and we couldn’t get our gear out for a long time. They wouldn’t let anyone in to the place. In the meantime I’ve been living in Bossier City, about five hours out of New Orleans. Durel (Yates) has been living about four hours away. So this is like the first step. We’ve got this show and we’re probably going to do another local show during the Christmas holidays. We plan to go back into the tour schedule full on after the first of the year.

Is this one of the first of any live shows in the area?

Yeah. . well, from what I know. Because I’m out of New Orleans right now I don’t know but . . . yeah, I’m sure there’s been some bands doing some gigs here and there but for our whole scene, the underground scene, yeah it’s like the big first coming back, trying to make it in New Orleans thing.

I know Powtin’ On The Outside, Pawty On The Inside is still a relatively new release, but do you have studio plans for the next one yet?

We’re going to try to. We had some ideas for new songs before Katrina. I would say definitely in this next year coming up. That would probably be the time line. I know we’re going to jump out and tour this new record. Six to eight months from the first of the year we’ll probably start trying to figure out studio time. We’re almost half way ready for another record in terms of songs and writing.

Is there anything else you’d like to get out to the fans that maybe you haven’t been able to communicate?

Just that with the hurricanes we know that a lot of people have been thinking about us. Don’t think that this is stopping us or holding us back. This is just a minor, I don’t know, road block. We’ve been through a lot before, people in the band moving. So we’re use to being spread out and having to pull it back together. Don’t worry, we’ll be back; ready to do it again.

So, you’re in pretty constant contact with the other guys then?

Oh yeah, we’ve been together for almost a decade and we know each other really well. Through this whole thing we’ve kept tabs on each other and what’s going on. And where the gear is at, ’cause that’s a whole ‘nother thing. Our gear is in three different people’s houses right now.

All your gear came through all right though?

Yeah! Yeah! Our drummer got some cymbals stolen. When they were breaking in – someone came in and stole some old cymbals off a drum set. They were cymbals we don’t even use, so we were lucky. They could have taken so much more, and that really would have put a dent in our. . .Cause you got to think, then we’d have to buy gear and guitars. At least they didn’t take any of that stuff. It didn’t set us back too far.

I know this has been difficult. How about a fun question to end this on a high note? What CD’s are in your car stereo right now?

My car stereo right now? Hard to say, I’ve been driving so much and listening to so many different things. I know what’s in there right now, Ween’s Greatest Country Hits. Have you ever heard of that one?

Actually, no I haven’t

That band Ween — they put out a country record it’s a few years old, actually, but I’ve been listening to it a lot.

The New Orleans based band Suplecs will be playing their first concert since Hurricane Katrina on November 26th. The concert will be held in the French Quarter at One Eyes Jack’s.