I had met Wesley when The Plasmatics when they played a show in San Francisco. I became reacquainted when Josie Cotton and I did a radio podcast with the fabulous Genny and the crew at Metal Priestess Podcast ... Wesley snd I stayed in contact and I immediately asked to do an interview with him.. Please Enjoy!
Punk Globe: Thanks so much for the interview Wesley. Tell us about the forming The Plasmactics. What the process was it through an ad that you answered.
Wesley: A series of synchronistic events led me to the Plasmatics. In an early band I was in, before we even played a show, we answered an ad for a singer looking for a backing band. In those days, the late 70's, the Village Voice had a musicians wanted section where you could find bands and other like minded musicians to hook up with. When we showed up to the Manhatten loft for the audition the singer came out to greet us and in typical New York fashion told us his money ran out and the auditions were over. As I looked through the window into the rehearsal room I saw a very tall guitarist who immediately stood out. I didn't know it at the time but it was Richie Stotts. Fast forward almost two years later and my current band, The Accidents, was playing a loft party for a female British punk rock singer, whose name I never knew. We played our set of covers and originals and Lester Bangs was one of the attendees along with writer Billy Altman. He came up to me and told me he liked our cover of The Music Machine's Talk Talk which he later covered with his band. When we were done playing our other guitarist, Joe Katz and I decided to go downtown to a loft party for the un-pc named NY Niggers, the NY added to differentiate them from the other two bands called The Niggers. As we were walking around the loft I saw two guys sitting at a booth and recognized one as the guitarist I saw at the audition, It was Richie talking to future Plasmatics manager Rod Swenson and they were talking about putting the band together. Moving forward a few months The Accidents were rehearsing at a studio and as we were leaving for the night an aquaintence from my high school was coming out of another room and recognized me and asked if I wanted to go done to CBGBs to check out his aunt's boyfriend's band as it was their first show there and needed some people to show up. I said sure, why not, I had nothing else to do. As we get there, the band was already playing. They had a bald Japanese bass player and I immediately recognized the tall guitar player, my friend's aunt's boyfriend, as the guy I had encountered twice before. But it was the singer, in a one piece leopard print bathing suit that caught my attention. She was absolutely riveting and had a complete command of the stage. I will say that at the time I wasn't much impressed with the band's sound or material. So fast forward another couple of months and my band the Accidents had broken up and I was scouring the ads in the Village Voice when I came across one that read "Looking for the world's fastest rhythm guitar player". At that point I was very proficient at rhythm playing so I gave them a call and secured an audition. I was told the name of the band and remembered I had seen them but decided to go ahead and audition anyway as I was anxious to get back into a band. Just before the ad came out there was a story about the band in Cue magazine and it described Wendy and her "blue painted nipples" and the outrageousness of the band. I was starting to wonder what I had gotten myself into.
Punk Globe: We're you given a description of what band was about?
Wesley: Not really, but having read the article I had a pretty good picture of what they were about. I always liked to be prepared as much as possible for an audition so when I found out they had just released a three song EP I went out and got a copy and proceeded learning the songs Corruption, Fast Food Service, and Butcher Baby for the audition.
Punk Globe: Tell us about your audition?
Wesley: I arrived at the lower Manhattan address in a non descript neighborhood in the shadows of the World Trade Center and as I hit the buzzer I was getting excited to audition. The oriental bassist answered the door and let me in and at the time I thought he was the leader of the band as he had a powerful stage presence and counted off the songs in Japanese which was novel at the time. The auditions were held in the basement and I remembered the low ceiling and sweaty pipes as I sat outside the room awaiting my turn to play. The other guitarists looked like something out of a Fellini movie as the band's increasing popularity and noteriety brought out every manor of guitarist . As I sat there waiting I could hear the band playing the same song over and over and it was not one of the one's from their record. As I sat there I took out my guitar and started playing along, learning this new tune. Finally the called me in and it was the band I saw at CBGBs and sitting in a chair in front of them was manager Rod Swenson. After some introductions and a general description of the position offered, rhythm guitarist to beef up the sound and give Richie more freedom to do his thing, they began showing me the new song. Wendy wasn't present, and I wouldn't actually meet her until I was in the band. They were impressed that I pretty much knew the song from listening to it and we went through it a few times. Turned out is was the song Want You Baby. When we were done they were ready to dismiss me when I asked if they wanted to play any of the songs from the EP. They were all impressed that I had learned them so we played through the three of them. Rod and the band were impressed with my playing and they said they would be in touch. As I was leaving, drummer Stu Deutsch let me out and said I had the gig as I was the best one so far. They did call me back two more times and in the end it was down to me, a female guitarist, and a new wave guy but they liked my playing the best and offered me the position on the caveat that "I lose some weight". Rod had a specific look in mind and wanted someone who was "lean and mean". I had put on some weight due to a pretty unhealthy diet and lifestyle so I went on a crash diet and shed about 30 pounds in 3 weeks. I was determined to succeed with this band.
Punk Globe: By the time of getting the band together had Wendy O Williams made an impact on the music scene?
Yes, there was already quite a buzz around town about Wendy and the band's stage shows. Numerous articles appeared in local publications and word of mouth led to more and more people showing up for their gigs.
Punk Globe: Was Ritchie Stotts in the original line up?
Wesley: Yes he was as was Chosei Funahara on bass and Stu on the drums.
Punk Globe: Tell us about your first show?
Wesley: My first show was an inauspicious one at C.W. Post college out on Long Island. There was a good turnout and it was nice to finally get my feet wet and perform with the band.The following week we went up to Boston to play the Paradise where Elliot Easton of the Cars came backstage to say hello which was cool. The next show was a prestigious Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at CBGBs. This was the first time I had played there on a weekend and I remember when I got there the club was so packed I literally had to fight my way through the crowd to get to the dressing room shouting "I'm in the band" to get the people to let me through. It was quite an adreniline rush to be up on that famous stage and looking out and seeing a packed house. A far cry from the Tuesday nights I used to play there with my previous band and only seein a handful of curious onlookers out there.
Punk Globe: How long had the band been playing before heading out on tour?
Wesley: The band was playing about 6 months before I joined and it wasn't until September of 1980 when we ventured outside of the tri-state area for our first tour playing Detroit, Chicago, Minneanapolis, San Francisco, and a four night stand at the fabled Whisky-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles.
Punk Globe: Your tour was mainly booked at Target cities tell us more did you tour in a van or a bus?
We actually toured in a Winnebago motor home, accompanied by photographer John Michaels who chronicled the tour capturing some classic images of /wendy and the band. We made it a point to see the country and on off days got to see such sights as Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, and Yellowstone Park.
Punk Globe: I remember the band played The Stone I took Wendy and perhaps you and the other guys to The Mabuhay Gardens. We had a fun time. I remember Wendy appearing on a Talk Show with Debbie Fields that was behind MrsField's cookies and Wendy getting into an altercation with Debbie. Wendy was removed from the set. Wendy was spot on calling her out for poisoning her customers. We're you around for that?
Wesley: No, Wendy did a lot of promotional things on her own.
Punk Globe: Wendy also was in a film. Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog with my friend Jon Gries. he loved her. He sent me a photo of him and Wendy on a Harley. We're the band involved wth the film?
Wesley: No we weren't but Wendy put her proceeds from the film back into the band. We had a high production cost and our shows were very expensive to put on.
Punk Globe: Tell us more about how deep Wendy's conviction to animal rights was.
Wesley: She was a strong advocate for animal rights and after the band wound down she was a wildlife rehabilitator and would help nurse sick or injured animals back to health.
Punk Globe: Metal Princess Podcast recently reunited you and Ritchie Stotts after not being in contact for years. Tell us about that.
Wesley: I have been active on Twitter for a while now and with a renewed interest in the band and Wendy I had recently done a number of podcasts and interviews and the Metal Priestess podcast reached out to me as they were big fans and supporters of Wendy and the Plasmatics. It was their idea to do a joint podcast with Richie and me and it was great to reconnect with him after about 20 years.
Punk Globe: Tell us about what you went on to after The Plasmatics broke up?
Wesley: I relocated to Detroit to get away from the rat race of NY and did some local production and worked in music retail. I joined the electro gothic band Shock Therapy and recorded a number of albums with them and toured Germany numerous times with them. Though never popular in the states, they had a big following in Germany and even some hit songs. Sadly the genius singer and mastermind of the band, Gregory "Itchy" McCormick had a number of demons and sadly died of a drug overdose in 2008. The band continues but I am no longer involved with them. I then played with some ex-Shock Therapy members in Country Bob and the Blood farmers until 2004.
Punk Globe: Are you currently playing with anyone now?
Wesley: Currently I am just playing for my own amusement and working on my memoirs. I am hoping to record a solo cd to accompany the book when I am done with it. I have also been administering plasmatics.com where the back catalog and some t-shirts, posters, cds and vinyl is available. I would be happy to autograph any purchases from your readers, just leave a message in the comments requesting one.
Punk Globe: Describe yourself in 3 words?
Wesley: Punk Rock Survivor!
Punk Globe: Any last words for Punk Globe readers?
Wesley: Keep Wendy's legacy alive and remember to always Play It Loud!!!
