Perris Record has recently reprinted "A Night At The Cockfights", by the Canadian Stampede Queen, whose first release was dated 2001. The tracklist of the new edition includes 3 new songs coming from the "Four Jacks" Ep, recorded in 2002, whose only aim was the promotion on the web, and therefore has never been mixed. Stampede Queen are a rock n' roll force, they support that kind of rock n' roll without time, the one dirty and alcoholic, the wildest and the funniest, the one with catchy refrains kickin'in your head. Read this interview and you'll get what I mean. The whole band just for you Exploders!!!

How and when did you meet and decide to form the band. Why did you chose Stampede Queen as name?
Lynyrd DeVille: We formed in late '98 and Ian joined in 2001.
Daniel Lee Damage: We wanted a name that would stand out, we are from the wild west.
Zack Daniels: We were called Swank but we thought we might get our ass sued off by the skin mag of that name.

Your "A Night at the Cockfights" is a real rock n' roll album with a party attitude! However some songs like "Wet Velvet" are more blues oriented. Your style reminds me of bands like AC/DC, Kiss, Van Halen, Cinderella etc. Do you agree with my opinion? If not, please describe your sound with your own words. In general, which bands influenced you deeply since the beginning of your career?
Daniel Lee Damage: Hey, AC/Dc and Kiss, what else do you need?
Zack Daniels: I was a huge Elvis fan, still am, the 68 Comeback Special fuckin rules!
Lynyrd DeVille: Blues is part of our sound, we wanted a slower song for our album but we wanted it real dirty and greasy and sleazy so "Wet Velvet" was born.
Ian Marshall Knox: Sex Pistols and The Clash man, can't forget them!
Lynyrd DeVille: Well now that you mention it, I think Cheap Trick is part of our sound and nobody probably hears it but Led Zeppelin hugely influenced me and I know Daniel Lee loves the Zep as well .

Generally where do you take inspiration for your songs from? What's the songwriting process you use most frequently?
Ian Marshall Knox: I sit in the basement with my 4 track and stuff.
Lynyrd DeVille: Ian is the king of song titles! I think his songs all start from there!

Is there any songs from "A Night at the Cockfights" that you prefer for any particular reason? One of my fave songs is "Animal Love", it's a damn anthem!
Zack Daniels: Our songs are our children man! We can't pick a favourite!
Daniel Lee Damage: Anything written by me is my favourite!
Lynyrd DeVille: No ego there!

The refrain of "Animal Love" reminds me of the Canadian band, Helix. In my opinion they are a great band, what do you think about these guys?
Lynyrd DeVille: I think Helix were great and kicked ass. Nice guys too.
Zack Daniels: Actually Helix are big Stampede Queen fans, Brian Vollmer likes us a lot and gives us props all the time!
Lynyrd DeVille:Yeah, he also invited us to stay at his place if we ever are around his hometown of London Ontario.

How did you reach the deal with Perris Records that allows you to release "A Night at the Cockfights" with 3 bonus tracks? Can you tell us about the various aspects in your work relations with the label.
Ian Marshall Knox: Perris saw our web-site and liked us and got in contact with us.
Lynyrd DeVille: The guys at Perris are great to deal with and what is important to me is they. really dig our music and believe in us.

These 3 bonus tracks come from "The Four Jacks" your demo EP recorded in '02. Why originally did you decide to use "Four Jacks" just for web purposes?
Daniel Lee Damage: It wasn't mastered.
Lynyrd DeVille: We were saving it for our new album but Perris wanted us to release the cut on Cockfights.

Please tell us about your debut video "Never Turn Your Back on Rock and Roll". You worked with Maverick Films and 48 Media the same ones that produced CJ Sleas's stuff right?
Zack Daniels: Yeah they did the CJ Sleaz, hell I want to do CJ Sleaz!
Ian Marshall Knox: The guys from Maverick are great, they got a hold of us from our website
Daniel Lee Damage: True kings among men, they let us stay at their house when we were in Toronto.
Zack Daniels: The video was shot in a large theatre converted to a night club, its pretty much just us playing live and looking good if I do say so myself! There are also three women dancing in birdcages that we didn't plan on… it just happened!
Lynyrd DeVille: I tore a muscle in my arm just before the shoot, let me tell you, it hurt like Fuck to play drums for 8 straight hours that day!
Zack Daniels: It was pretty wild when my buddy Air Dog showed up with three hotties all wanting to dance in the video!
Ian Marshall Knox: Yes a real United Nations of beauty, a Czech beauty that looked like Shakira with the moves to boot, a smokin hot blonde teacher and Kitty the dominatrix and porn queen with the blue wig.
Lynyrd DeVille: Kitty was HOT! I don't have any idea how Air Dog got these girls to show up with no notice, I only know man, I am thankful!

What's in the future for Stampede Queen?
Zack Daniels: World domination!
Daniel Lee Damage: We are writing a new album
Lynyrd DeVille: Hookers and blow!

Which have been the most difficult moments of your career and which ones have been the best?
Lynyrd DeVille: Well, the transmission in our van blew up coming back from a gig in another city and I can tell you it sucked and was expensive!
Daniel Lee Damage: I thought playing at the legendary Whiskey-a-GoGo was amazing.
Zack Daniels: Yeah that was cool, so was hanging out at the Hyatt riot house in Hollywood.
Ian Marshall Knox: Yeah but the fart that killed L.A. (by Daniel Lee Damage) was pretty rough!
Lynyrd DeVille: True, I thought Zack was going to puke!

Now is time to questions about life on the road, I know that you played with international acts as: Nazareth, Quireboys, Static In Stereo, etc! Can you tell us something weird or particularly memorable occurred during on of your gigs? Tell us something about the one you think has been the greatest and the worst.
Daniel Lee Damage: Well, we had this gig booked to open for Billy Idol, newspaper ads, radio, the whole thing, and we get to the gig and are told that his management company wants no opening act and we get booted off the bill.
Zack Daniels: Yeah that's right, that sucked but it was funny watching Ian's mom tearing into Billy himself! "I came all the way from Phoenix (a long way away) to see my son's band and now all I get to watch is you!"
Lynyrd DeVille: That was funny, she really gave him what for! I thought it was cool that after we played with them Nazareth came back to the hospitality suite to get drunk with us!
Ian Marshall Knox: Yeah, that was cool, it was also funny seeing Dan McCafferty grabbing your ma Zack, and giving her a big smooch!
Zack Daniels: Hey Dan, that's my mom you're kissing there!
Daniel Lee Damage: I think most of the crazier shit (naked girls etc) happens at our own gigs actually. We get lots of tits at our gigs!
Lynyrd DeVille: Yeah Zack pretty much demands titties! He does all the work, I get to see the rewards!

What do you usually do before going on stage? Do you have any particular usage or kind of spell against bad luck?
Daniel Lee Damage: I usually have a few drinks to get loosened up.
Lynyrd DeVille: I try to eat about 3 hours before the show so I have energy but am not too full.
Ian Marshall Knox: I eat sushi before the show if I can.
Zack Daniels: A lick of a nipple and a little pussy juice gets me going!

In my opinion the Canadian rock scene is pretty good, I reviewed a lot of cool bands as Crystal Pistol, Filthy Jim, Cheerleeder666, Bitchin' Camaros, CJ Sleez etc. So I ask you, are there any bands on today's Canadian rock scene that you particularly admire for some reason and would like to cooperate or share the stage with? Viceversa, is there any band you particularly dislike? Please be nasty and true guys…
Daniel Lee Damage: No, none of them!
Lynyrd DeVille: Nice one Dan, good to see you are in your usual nasty form!
Ian Marshall Knox: Sometimes I talk to the guys in Cheerleader.
Daniel Lee Damage: Edwin eats shit! Don't get me started on Finger Eleven!
Lynyrd DeVille: Yeah your hatred of Edwin is legendary and I don't particularly like Finger Eleven either, and Jeff Martin of The Tea Party is a pompous ass but you gotta admit, I Mother Earth were pretty cool to guys.
Zack Daniels: Yeah those guys were great, I would share the stage with them any time!
Ian Marshall Knox: I thought The Rumours from Vancouver were cool, all chicks, all hot!
Zack Daniels: Yeah The Rumours…That would be a great tour…

What's your habitual instrumentation in studio and on stage? Is there some brand in particular you love to use the most?
Lynyrd DeVille: Signia Maple drums, Zildjian cymbals, Crown headset mic.
Daniel Lee Damage: Gibson Les Pauls, Marshall plexi re-issue 100 watt stack.
Zack Daniels: Gibson Les Paul, Marshall plexi re-issue 100 watt stack, Ibanez Tube Screamer.
Ian Marshall Knox: '69 Fender Tele bass. whatever amp I can get my hands on but I prefer an Ampeg SVT.

What's your opinion about internet and about exchanging music on-line, sharing mp3 files and so on?
Daniel Lee Damage: Internet porn: good, stealing music: bad!
Lynyrd DeVille: Yes the porn is good but I don't think that all musicians should have to give up their music free all the time. However, it's because of the internet that we got our deal with Perris, got hooked up with Maverick Films who got us our video grant, and quite frankly are doing this interview.
Zack Daniels: The internet has helped us build our fan base. The world is open to us!

Now each one of you should add one or more adjectives or a little description to each of the following things:
Snow Blind:
Zack Daniels: What's an adjective?
Lynyrd DeVille: Cocaine and bitches!
Acid pills:
Daniel Lee Damage: The white snake is crawling through my room!
Lynyrd DeVille: My feet are sweating!
LSD:
Ian Marshall Knox: Acid pills!
Sweet Leaf:
Zack Daniels, Daniel Lee Damage and Lynyrd DeVille all'unisono: Ian!
Angel Dust:
Lynyrd DeVille: We don't get that around here.
Satan's Slut:
Ian Marshall Knox: and Lynyrd DeVille: What the hell is that?

Fave pornstar, drink, fast car, and your deepest fear?
Zack Daniels: Jenna Jameson, whiskey and Nyquil, '68 Camaro, splitting my pants on stage and having my sack hang out!
Lynyrd DeVille: Yes, Zack hanging his balls out on stage is a fear of mine, fear and loathing! I don't need to see that! Hmmm, lets see… Yui Tokui, beer or Coca Cola, Porsche 996
Ian Marshall Knox: Ginger Lynn, Rolling Rock beer, '69 Beaumont, getting my internet cut off…
Daniel Lee Damage: I love them all those porn queens! But I have a soft spot in my heart (and a hard spot in my pants!) for Taylor Rayne. I like Jack Daniels whiskey and Coke, '77 Firebird Smokey and the Bandit Special, no food…

So guys what do you like to do when you're not playing? How do you spend your free time? Rock parties, watch or realize hardcore movies, Tame or ride wild chicks?
Zack Daniels: Yes, the rock parties… all those wild bitches too… sounds good to me!
Ian Marshall Knox: I sit in the basement with my 4 track and some reefers!
Daniel Lee Damage: I like to eat food.
Lynyrd DeVille: I like to eat out as well. Internet porn is good too, I find it amusing. Kinky as hell too!
Daniel Lee Damage: Yes, maybe between buckets of chicken, I might be known to search the internet for "adult entertainment".
Lynyrd DeVille: Nothing funnier than a "gaper" or an "ass tulip"!

What's the craziest thing you have ever done in your life?
Zack Daniels: I boned a chick in a confessional booth during a church service once!
Lynyrd DeVille: No way! Is that true? If it is, you are truly the man!
Zack Daniels: It's true!
Daniel Lee Damage: Can't top that, I just can't! I did have a three way with some "Y
eti's" though…
Ian Marshall Knox: Yes the Yeti's (big chicks). That's Dans claim to fame!
Lynyrd DeVille: I think those girls were manlier than Dan! It took a long time for Dan to live that one down. He does a helluva Yeti call though…Very gutteral!
Ian Marshall Knox: Lynyrd and I are mellow, we don't do too much crazy shit.
Lynyrd DeVille: Not anything you can tell us about! As for me, I got buck fuckin' naked at a staff Christmas party when I was 16, I was so drunk I thought I was at home getting ready to go to bed. 200 people there, I ripped off all my gear, passed out puking naked in a urinal, they called the paramedics because they thought I might die from alcohol poisoning, when they got there they said " Aaah, this guy already puked his guts out, let him sleep it off!" My parents came and got me, not a real proud night for Lynyrd DeVille that's for sure! I have learned how to drink since then!

Ok, we've almost finished. Thank you for this interview. Finally, wouldn't you like to say something else to The Rock Explosion readers?
Stampede Queen: Rock out with your cock out!

Intervista realizzata da Bruno Rossi
Tradotta da Kendy K. from Snakebite
Supervisione di Margherita Realmonte