Reservoir Droog, and you, interview Danny McCormack

Danny McCormack is without a shadow of a doubt a rock and roll warrior.

When you read about the lives of rock stars you can be assured that Danny has matched every high and low that you could care to mention.

Member of The Wildhearts, forming and fronting The Yo-Yos, a stint with Dogs D’Amour, currently forging forward with his band The Main Grains, and now in tandem with them he is back full circle to playing bass with The Wildhearts again.

He been here, there, and everywhere, and brought back the t-shirts to prove it.

So here we are in the calm before the storm that will be the Main Grains tour with Ryan Hamilton & TheTraitors, and his bass slinging with The Wildhearts on their Britrock Must Be Destroyed tour, and it gives us great pleasure to be able to bring you a fan based interview with the man himself.

It only leaves us to say thank you to Danny for being so gracious with his time, and thank you to everyone who participated by providing questions.

You’re all going to be stars in Japan.

And now jump in, and enjoy.

Reservoir Droogs - Hi Danny. As mentioned you have a busy schedule with the Main Grains tour with Ryan Hamilton & the Traitors leading into the Britrock Must Be Destroyed dates coming up. Jump back a few years and tell me, did you imagine that things would come full circle as they have and you would be back to gigging like this?

Danny - I didn’t know it would come full circle, but I’m sure glad it did. I’m enjoying music again and am getting a full on buzz about it all.

I took a long time out as I was suffering with being bipolar and I wasn’t on the right medication, but once I was diagnosed it was great that my illness had a name. I just thought I was nuts.

Res Droogs - As you mentioned your bipolar diagnosis, in hindsight to you think your drug use was an unconscious attempt to self medicate?

Danny - It was all about self medicating. When I was really low I took uppers and when I was too high it was downers. I just wish I had been diagnosed earlier and it would have saved a lot of total disparity. I was in a very bad place and it’s took its toll.

Jen Lambie (PowderKeg) - Hey Danny, is there anyone in the music industry that you'd love to work with one day that you haven't had the chance to yet?

Danny - There’s a band I’ve just got into called Cyanide Pills. I’d love to do something with them one day.

Reservoir Droogs - Cyanide Pills, Main Grains, Idol Dead, PowderKeg and Drama Club Rejects gig in Glasgow. Let's do it. 

Jen - OH YES PLEASE!

Danny - Have you heard of them Jen? If not check out the “Still Bored” album on YouTube. It’s killer.

Jen - I shall!

Pete Montador -  Will the Main Grains be playing any new material on the upcoming Ryan Hamilton tour?

Danny - Yeah if I can remember the words haha. We’ve got a new belter called “Unsung Heroes” in the set.

Jim McKellan - Is there any chance of engineering a Wildhearts/3 Colours Red supergroup? It'd be a beautiful noise. Just imagine I Wanna Go (With a Sixty Mile Smile)

Danny - I don’t think 3 Colours Red will do anything else. Especially after Keith dying.

Ray Townsend Jr - We know you love punk and rock n roll but who are your favourite metal bands if any?

Danny - AC/DC I think are great. A bit of Led Zeppelin too.

Ray - What about Manowar ha ha.

Danny - Er. No buddy.

Iain Smith - Do you have a favourite song or album from The Wildhearts that you didn't play on......and one's that you did play on?

Danny -  I love headfuck. Anything from earth vrs. Also the b sides. Mindslide especially.

Alan Greig - I love Mindslide. One of my favourite Wildhearts songs.

Colin Grainger - What's the best thing about being Danny McCormack?

Danny - The best thing about being me is my sense of humour.

Darren Quinn - Regrets...We've all had a few...What, if any, are your major regrets Danny?

Danny -  No major regrets. Life’s too short. Maybe my getting very heavily into drugs! I put it down to experience though and just get in with it.

Alan Greig - Danny, everyone has a guilty pleasure album that folks snigger at when you tell them. Mine is Abba's Super Trouper. What's your guilty pleasure album?

Danny -  ABBA. Good one. I’ve got no records in my collection that I’m ashamed of.

Adam Brearley - I've always loved, and still listen to Uppers and Downers. For me, it's as perfect an album as people say Appetite For Destruction is, and indeed, Earth Vs.

Is it album you're proud of? Also I'm thinking of having Sunshine Girl played at my wedding this year, good call?

Danny - That’s a great call mate. I’m so so proud of Uppers and Downers. Just a shame it didn’t make me rich haha. I still play it from time to time and I still love that record.

Colin Grainger - Uppers and Downers is the ultimate feelgood album. Which album do you go to if you need a bit of cheering up?

Danny - I go for “dig that groove baby” by the toy dolls. It’s a great way of picking yourself up.

William H Havers - Do you have a favourite tour story? I know you’ve had some long nights and long days. Also, Upper and Downers is one of my favourite records of all time.

Danny - My favourite tour story cannot be printed haha. Arrests would be made hahahaha. Normally drug fuelled madness.

I’m glad you like the Yo-Yos album mate.

Martin McCann - What’s your best, and worst gigs that you’ve played?

Danny - One of the best gigs was supporting the Sex Pistols in 96. The worst gigs are when I’m ill. Mental illness is real.

Roy Townsend Jr - Do you have hobbies and interests outside of music Danny? If so what? Do you like to collect anything?

Danny - It’s all about music and the dog for me. I’m a boring cunt.

Ben Wright - It’s great to see you back playing music again. And cheers for offering to answer a few questions from your fans. It’s also great that you and Ginger are on good terms again. How did it come to you guys burying the hatchet? Who broke the ice first? And what and where was that first face to face meeting like?

Danny - We made up at Camden Rocks and he asked for me to do his birthday bash and some Wildhearts support shows with the Main Grains. It was great seeing him again to be honest.

Tour Dates

Extra thanks and shout out to Pete Montador for manning the ship in choppy waters. yer a star.