Interview: Russ Smith from Terminal Cheesecake

Following on from my review of 'Dandelion Sauce Of The Ancients', Russ Smith, self-confessed 'guitar torturer' of Terminal Cheesecake, very kindly agreed to answer a few questions.....many thanks dude!

First up – congratulations on ‘Dandelion Sauce of the Ancients’ – a stunning tour de force. How did it feel to be back in the studio under the Terminal Cheesecake guise?

Why thank you, for the compliment on the lp. It felt exciting, nerve wracking ( my usual technical issues, blown amplifiers , and a camera in the studio filming our progress) plus a feeling of trepidation; not knowing what exactly would result.. It was clear from there start however that there was no shortage of ideas and directions for the new material . We recorded it at Runway studios where an old friend was a partner at the time (thanks, Andy Laurie), it is based on an old M.O.D. rocket testing/airfield site near Aylesbury, completely bizarre and tranquil spot. We camped there overnight and got proper trolleyed, had barbecues, were up all night jamming etc. It was apparent from the start that the ideas and new tracks just started flowing really smoothly, we recorded hours of material, still sifting through it ! Sadly John’s vocal tracks with Neil on drums were tragically lost, a 3 am session that would have changed the modern world, hahah ! The Lp has been a lot of work however, the mixing at Runway didn’t quite have the desired effect so further overdubs and crafting were completed with Wayne at Bear Bites Horse studios. It really felt like old times during the mixing, it was like “ Hey Wayne, try this or he would say what about this ? this process was where the fun for me really starts, when you hear the finished tracks burning out of a crisp studio system.. It was nearly 2 years from start to finish so a bit of a labour of love you could say. Really, Wayne nailed the overall desired sound immediately like he does tend to, every time.

You have been gigging, off and on, for a couple of years – what was the impetus for the reformation?

I always cite the unfinished business explanation, the band never really split or called it a day; it morphed into Bud Alzir and was just put to one side as other projects and more pressing life matters took over. I’d been trying for years, to persuade Gary to re-start the band but time passed and impatience took over, sadly he was less enthusiastic than Gordon, John and myself so we decided to go ahead anyway, without him. It was a painful decision as Gary wasn’t too happy about it, but seeing as he’d sacked nearly all of us at various stages of the band’s history, we just carried on, really not knowing what the results would be. After the first rehearsals, the first jam in my living room with G, John and I, an amp swiftly fried, feedback everywhere, those rhythms and riffs still sounding sweet, it was clear we had a duty to continue with the mayhem !



A lot has been made over the years about the whole Terminal Cheesecake are the ‘UK’s Butthole Surfers’. While there are obvious musical touchpoints , was this label a vindication of what you were trying to achieve or a millstone around your necks?

Being compared to one of your favourite bands is never a millstone ! We always found it amusing and slightly embarrassing in the sense that really, we are not worthy ! I saw the Surfers first UK gig at the Clarendon with Shock Headed Peters; Gordon as there too, although we had not yet met, it was love at first sight ! Not too many in the crowd but my pal Stevie Murray and I , flying on windowpane acid, were aware that at last, a band completely unhinged and brilliant had arrived for all the misfit, psych’ed out freaks who wanted to take the trip further, away from the cozy psychedelia and cosmic colours into the sometimes scary dark side whilst rooted in deeply twisted humour. We definitely never intended to emulate their sound, and we don’t sound similar, although their influence was massive, not least the connection between head fuck psych and hardcore punk styles, that was the real revelation for me.



To the outsider the band would have appeared to have been built on drugs and a twisted sense of humour (‘Mrs Skinupski Speaks’ being an example) – fair statement?

Exactly ! A very accurate statement and also the impression we wanted to give to outsiders, who are very welcome at our gigs !

I remember at the time (after the pretty special Peel Session) there were a lot of people who didn’t realise how rooted the music was in psychedelia (I remember a friend and I almost coming to blows about it). How big an influence was ‘classic’ psychedelia on the music?

3 members of the 4 piece band were record shop employees at the same time, all vinyl hounds, all searching for more and more obscure and diverse music and all obsessed.. Yes, we loved classic, hippy, twisted, dark side, in fact any psychedelia along with all the other influences such as dub reggae, hip hop, hardcore, experimental stuff etc etc.



You left the band before the last couple of albums, and there was a distinct shift on those albums – a move to more electronic and dubby material. Was this indicative of your influence on the early albums?

I’m a guitar torturer, its what I do. I suppose so, the direction Gary and Gordon took after my temporary exit was just a slight diversion exploring the limitless opportunities the evolving technology had on all of us at the time. Heavy bass and beats was always a TC standard so really, I think Pearlesque and King of all Spaceheads are a continuation of the band’s unwillingness to stick to a single sound or style, constantly exploring new territory for headfuck !

Bringing it all up to date – the new album is a blinder. It has a more focused feel than earlier outings – during recording did it feel as if you had all matured and evolved as musicians?

We are actually all becoming increasingly immature as musicians, barely evolved from primates ! During the recording it really felt as if some other force was in control. Could have been the Mick Mills though ! ( * Gary Abletts, Jack ’n’ Jills, Heathers etc etc )

Neil [Francis] has been recruited from Gnod for vocal duties and he appears to have brought another dimension to the music as well. How did Neil’s joining come about and was he ‘active’ in the songwriting process.

Genius call from Gordon here, he was a fan of Gnod’s and Neil’s from previous encounters and he suggested the bold move to ask Neil if he would maybe be up for a bit of moonlighting with us, seeing that this is fairly standard practice amongst music types these days ( guaranteed sacking offence back in the day !) I met Gordon at a Gnod gig in London, witnessed the brilliance of the band, loved Neil’s manipulation of delay on his vox and knew straight away that he was perfect to fill those awkward shoes.. Gary’s feet are much bigger so Neil kept his own shoes on, both have unique styles and I love both of their collective works. Neil is very active in all songwriting processes, we all have our input, in fact the recording of the lp was everybody bringing their own track ideas to the rehearsal space and developing them, everybody has their say in this band, for sure !

Any reason why Gary [Boniface] (original vocalist) chose not to be involved?

Just not wanting to be a front man anymore really is the main reason, also not wanting to play any of the old material which is also quite a stumbling block.

Similarly Dave Cochrane, from God and Head of David, was brought on board....there are certainly aural flashes of Head of David on the album (the drum sound on ‘Mr. Wipey's Daytrip To Guilford Haven’ for example)?

Well, Dave had worked with John on the Ice project with Kevin Martin, I’d hung around on stage with Kev and Dave in God and Gordon had recorded with Dave in Dragline Speedway( project with Lou Ciccotelli from God and Michael Gerald from Killdozer ) so a straightforward and absolutely perfect choice ! Dave is a longtime TC fan, incredible bass man and a great old friend so really, perfect choice . Our friend Matt Rowlands from Alien Sex Fiend did jam with us early days of the re-form but was very busy at the time, Dave was Johnny on the spot !

‘Dandelion Sauce of the Ancients’ is released by Box Records (fantastic label) – how did that come about ? Terminal Cheesecake have been associated with many cutting edge labels in the past (Wiiija, Pathological etc) how important is a label to you?

Matt had put out the Luminous Bodies record with Gordon, done an incredible job, everybody was happy; he was very keen to work with us, so seemed a perfect mix. Label is super important, if they aren’t 100 per cent keen and into the record and want to change things, alter vocals, remix etc ( yup, we’ve had all that) it will not work. Very happy to be on Box records, love the output and Matt’s bands so its like marriage made in a pub full of belgian beers with a beer garden where marijuana is legalised and mickey finns get added to the bowls of peanuts on the bar.. Yeah, its good !



What’s next for Terminal Cheesecake – can we expect more albums?

Gigs in UK, another French tour, as many dates in Holland and Belgium as possible and a new record whenever we can get some spondoolics together to record another.. A God Unknown split 45, maybe some reissues one day of the old LPs, as much as we can fit in ! Happy to be back on the happy trail !

Thanks again for your time dude....appreciated.