When did you start playing music? What were your influences then?

I started around the age of 15, which was 1977. As much as I dug groups like The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, early Pink Floyd, the Who and Cream, that was the year I also discovered punk, so I started listening to The Ramones, The Clash, The Damned and The Dictators. Dr. Feelgood's first couple of records were a huge influence. There was also a punk group in my hometown in New Jersey called The Victims. I had met the bass player, Steve Berman, one day when I was on my bike. I was 15 years old. He was a few years older than me and was in the first punk in my town. He looked cool, like he was from another planet. I am in touch with him today, they have reformed and are still great, they have a new LP that just came out! The Devil Dogs covered their song "Dance with You Baby."

Tell us about the Raunch Hands. When did they start?

We started in 1984 in New York City. Mike Chandler was singing also with The Outta Place at that time. I was asked to form an instrumental band with the other Raunch Hands as Chandler had the Outta Place and sometimes missed Raunch Hands rehearsals. Then we just combined the 2 bands and had 6 instrumentals, 7 originals and 2 covers, so we had enough songs to book a show and play a concert. You have to remember in 1984 there were not many groups into Little Richard and Elmore James. Only us, The Panther Burns, Poison 13 and a few more. The 60´s revival was big then, as it is now. It was boring. Indy rock was lame, as it is now.

The Raunch Hands have a wild reputation. Are all those stories true? Would you like to give us some crazy stories?

The stories are true. Many have been documented in Mike Edisons book, "I Have Fun Everywhere I Go". It’s worth buying. We liked to drink alot and get crazy onstage and offstage. Somehow that attracted our friends and fans to drink and get crazy, too. That’s how trouble sometimes started and things got wrecked along the way. French restaurants, club dressing rooms, vans, trees, musical instruments, chairs, tables. We played very fucking hard with a strong sense of fun and aggression. We were always looking for a good time and never had a problem finding it. Some stories can be found here

When did the Raunch Hands stop?

We never really did. Chandler, Edison and I moved to Madrid in 1993, then they moved back to NYC, and I moved to Texas. We were living in different cities, but did a few shows a year, at Cavestomp 1998 in NYC, Spanish Tour in 2000, Las Vegas Shakedown 2000, SXSW in Austin 2007 and recorded the Raunch Hands Bigg Topp record. We almost did a tour of pain last year, but we didn´t feel like it.

How did you get involved with producing?

I was learning music production at The University of New York from 1980 to 1984. I 1984 I started recording with The Raunch Hands. Then when Crypt records started to do new bands around that time, Tim Warren put me in charge of most of the Crypt releases, first The Devil Dogs, then Nine Pound Hammer. I met the Pleasure Fuckers in the early 90´s and started doing some work in Europe. I liked it here, my wife is from Madrid. We moved to Austin Texas for 14 years, then decided to come back to Spain for awhile and here I am.

Your production credit list looks really impressive! What are your favourite records that you've produced?

I loved The Beguiled LP for Crypt and the first New Bomb Turks record. They were done very fast and very cheap, they cost less than $500 each to make. They still sound great today. Larry Lange and the Lonely Knights from Austin, Texas was a fantastic session. Big Louisiana Bayou sound with a horn section. Great musicians and people. The Delegators from London, also. As much as I like punk and garage, Rhythm and Blues and Soul knocks me out.

How was it like working with crazy bands like the New Bomb Turks and the Devil Dogs?

Devil Dogs never drank but smoked alot of weed. New Bomb Turks drank but never took drugs. They got along together! We always had a good time in the studio and worked very fast.

What is your approach to producing?

Always have a good time in the studio and work very fast. Try to capture the band when they are onfire.

It seems like you produced almost every band from the golden era of Crypt Records.

Yes, it was unfortunate I did not get the opportunity to work with The Gories, they were a great band I was always a friend and fan of.

The Mummies have a song called Mariconda's A Friend Of Mine. Tell us about that.

To get the full story, you’ll have to read my autobiography, coming next year. They were a pretty good cabaret band, a lot of theatrics like the Fuzztones. As of late, I´ve gotten tired of groups wearing wrestling masks, ape suits or suits and ties, etc. I always hated the idea of a dress code onstage.

How did you get involved with Circo Perotti?

Jorge was working alone and had too much work to handle when I arrived in Spain. I needed work, he needed help. I thank him for asking me to get involved. His studio in very personal to him and I am honored that he has allowed me into his circle. He is a very talented person, great sense of humor and a big heart. We both have a crazy passion for music. We are very different, but work well together and have taught each other alot.

Almost every garage band has to record at Circo Perrotti at least once! What makes it so special?

The equipment is different than most studios, but the most important thing is me and Jorge are both producers, so we like to get the bands to think and create on a higher level.

Do you work there as a producer or as engineer?

I produce, I engineer, sometimes I play keyboards or guitar, I take the trash out, help fix things.

Why do bands still use analogue studios when they can record in a laptop for next to nothing?

Why do people still buy wooden guitars when they can play Guitar Hero on their computers? Elvis never recorded on a computer!

Do you play in a band right now?

I been doing some shows with a band from Gijon that reformed, they are called The Real McCoyson. I saw them play in 1995, thought they were great and became friends with them. They broke up in 2001 and we are doing some reunion shows, I am taking the place of the rhythm guitarist that left the group. The other guitarist Marcos Montoto is one of the best players in Spain. We get on well.

So, after 30 years in the Garage scene would you declare yourself as a guitarist or producer?Which time was the best for you?

I never really thought of myself as a guitarist, so I would have to say producer. I like to work on different projects that are not mine. It’s nice to spend a week recording a band and act like a temporary member, then go home.

What are your favourite bands right now?

I don’t follow alot of new bands because I am always working with them. Not to sound like a snob, but after I get home from 10 hours in the studio, I probably will listen to an old Jerry Lee Lewis or Bo Diddley LP. Of the bands I worked with I like Los Chicos from Madrid, Hijos Bastardos de Peter Lorre from Galicia. The Revellions from Dublin are a good band. Also The Granadians, from Granada of course. Fela Borbone is a genius!

Any last comments?

Thanks for the interview, hope to see you in Greece soon! I was only in Athens for 24 hours in 2000 with the Cosmic Psychos. It was amazing, the history, very nice people and great food. I would love to work there again one day!