62
"WE HAD A LOT OF
DETERMINATION AND
THOUGHT SUICIDAL
TENDENCIES WAS
GONNA DO GOOD.
AND IT DID."
SUICIDAL
see it but there is like a war inside each person. Problems with making deci-
sions, fitting in, seeing things going on and not being able to relate and it's literally
a personal war. That's far more important than anything that's happening in Iran
or the war in Lebanon. It's a war that could do more damage. It's something
you may not see, but it's a lot more painful and can do a lot more devastation.
You can be beaten up or shot, and those physical wounds will eventually go
away. But mentally, the mental scars don't go away. What happens to you mentally,
that stays inside of you for ever and ever.
WHAT ABOUT SUICIDAL MANIAC"?
It's a statement about the whole "Suicidal" thing. It's gonna be the first song
of side one. The whole point of the song is saying what we are. The "Suicidal
Maniac," so to speak, is not a person, it's a "thing" It's about where we're coming
from, the reason why there are people who wear the bandanas and the hats..
In the words, it says, "A birth that came from more than sound that rages on
from town to town, the giant grows more every day, now the maniac is here to
stay." It's not a person and it's not just the music. The Suicidal Maniac is a feeling
and a belief. A personal thing.
WHAT ABOUT "POSSESSED TO SKATE"?
The skateboarding thing is obviously something that goes way back with me
and my brother. He being one of the original Z-boys, started Dogtown Skates
back in the 70s, he was a pro. I used to skate to elementary school, stick my
board in the bushes, clay wheels...I've been through the whole thing. I used
to go down to my brother's contests. When Jim would go down to ride Paul Revere
he'd say, "Hey mom, can I take the car? I'm gonna take Mike skating." My mom
thought that was great. Only problem was, we'd get there and he'd say, "STAY
IN THE CAR!" He wouldn't let me skate there, so I had to skate around at dif-
ferent places off in the corner somewhere. He was sixteen and I was eleven.
And he's six-foot somethin', and I'm a little kid.
So in "Possessed to Skate" there are two important points. One, with the board
"Possessed," there's all the graphics with evil connotations, kind of like a parody
on the heavy metal bands who ridiculously say "Hail Satan," and at the same
time say they don't really mean it. So we make fun of that. Point two is a long.
time ago when I came home, that's what we did, we started skating. That's all
we did. It's a totally different thing; what skating was then and what it is now.
"Seems like such an innocent toy, he was an All-American boy, got a skate
at eight years old, now the story can be told. Beware, he's possessed to skate."
January 1986 we produced a "Possessed to Skate" video. In it this kinda nerdy
kid is standing out in front of his house saying good bye to his parents, who
is played by Mary Weronov and Timothy Leary. Mary was in Eating Raoul and
was the principal in Rock 'n Roll High School and also played the mother in the
"Institutionalized" video. They tell the kid to stay out of the pool and to make sure and do his homework.
He tries to do it but he can't and before you know it there are skaters everywhere, tearing up the house, spray-
painting the walls, draining then skating the pool. Some of the skaters used are Caballero, Natas Kaupas,
Eric Dressen, Jesse Martiñez and a bunch more.
ARE WORLD EVENTS OF ANY CONCERN TO YOU?
People say, about our lyrics, that we're political. Well, it's personal politics. They're things that deal with
me and that's what politics are. People ask, "Are you political?" Well, yes I'm political, but I'm not Bob Geldof
and I don't believe people should believe in what I say just because I'm in this band and because of that,
believe in what I believe in. I have my political views, but I don't think that an actor, or musician or entertainer
should use their influence. Just because they're a good actor, or whatever, doesn't mean they're smarter politically.
They're an actor and that's what they do. When they're on the screen they don't project their individuality,
they project what's in the script. I'm in a band and if I wanted to be political I should run for office and become
a politician. I think Bob Geldof is the biggest fool in the world because he's prostituting himself to get money.
to further himself. After he did the big concert thing, he came out with his own record. So in that respect,
I choose to keep my personal beliefs just that. MY PERSONAL BELIEFS.
IF YOU DIED TOMORROW WOULD YOU FEEL YOU HAD LIVED A FULL LIFE?
No. But then again, if I die fifty years from now I'd probably say the same thing. A hundred years from now
I'd say the same thing.
IN THE FUTURE, DO YOU SEE MIKE MUIR AS A FAMILY MAN?
Yeah, I see that. I look at my parents, they just had their thirtieth anniversary and I see that they get along
great. A lot of my friends' parents are divorced. Through that I can see the advantages of being brought up
in a loving, married family. Marriage is important and hopefully one day I'll find someone that I'll love enough,
they'll love me, we'll have kids and bring them up right, and no arguing. My parents never argued, I never
had to hear that from them.
One day you're gonna get old, and it's good to be able to have someone to talk to as a person, someone
you can trust. Even your best friend, you can't totally confide in. Love is important and marriage is important.
Hopefully one day I'll get married, and if I get married, I'm gonna stay married.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUM UP MIKE MUIR IN A FEW WORDS?
When all is said and done, and I'm dead, I want it to be known that I tried, and I tried to do something
that was good. That I helped people out. Someone who wasn't afraid to try.
0507
SKTBRDS
4401 SOQUEL DR, SOQUEL, CA 95073 (408) 475-9434 TELEX 172476