Q&A session with Marco Pirroni, Autumn 2007

The questions for this session were submitted by the members of the Ant Rap! forum.
Questions are in italics, Marco's answers are in bold.

Although all the songs are credited to Ant/Marco, did you write or come up with the ide as for any of the songs by yourself with Adam collaborating later or did Adam dream up all of the ideas at the start?

We mostly started stuff together but often one of us would have a rough idea for something, but in the process or working through it would nearly always change into something totally different.

Do you routinely make the guys take a different cab from you & the girls & then give them incorrect directions to the club?

Well in my younger pop-star days, the trick was to say "We'll go on ahead and I'll put your names on the list!" and then slip the doorman 50 quid so there was no way they could get in. It's the omnipotent power I miss the most... Oh and the limitless money.

What current working actor would be a good choice to portray you in a film about AATA

Samuel L. Jackson because even with a stupid Afro he's still cool.

Can I have your toothbrush?

For fucks sake! Yes, ok.

Marco, now that you have reached a new level of recognition and Mastery in your Art and the Industry, how would you like to see the roles of musicians such as yourself evolve for the sake of younger musicians?

I don't understand the question, it's a cutthroat ego driven nasty business at times and I'm not here to offer charity to young bands. At the same time I don't expect respect just because I've been around a while.

Who is your favourite Star Trek chick?

Seven of Nine, I also find the Borg Queen strangely alluring, maybe it's all that "resistance is futile" stuff.

If you had to lose control of a bodily function, which would it be...bladder or bowels?

Bladder.

Would you ever consider allowing a museum or other foundation to host your guitar collection for public viewing?

Yeah, if they promised to give it back.

What do you consider to be your most famous guitar that you own?
(i.e. one that was used by someone famous, or was used on a recording of a famous track etc..)

I got SuperYob and a couple of Setzers and I used to have a Fender 12-string that Pete Townsend used on Magic Bus but like an idiot I sold it!

Are you going to visit Glasgow as the Wolfmen?

I don't know, ask my agent.

Out of all the people Marco and Adam collaborated with - musicians, producers etc, who was the most enjoyable to work with and why?

I think I liked working with Hughsy the best because he stopped me being lazy and relying on Marcoisms.

What thing in your life are you the most proud of? Which are you NOT the most proud of?

I'm most proud of achieving most of my teenage dreams, I am not proud of buying Dead or Alives greatest hits, it's awful apart from Spin me Round which is a masterpiece.

Marco, which Ant/Marco song do you enjoy playing the most?

I used to like playing Vive le Rock.

What triggered you to play live on stage again (having said that you hated it a while back)?

Well it was a choice between the Wolfmen being a pointless and rather expensive hobby or making a real go of it, I'm not looking forward to these gigs,but I always think of something Pete Townsend once said: "When I'm on that stage I do my job", I think that before every gig I've ever done.

Do you still hate your own tattoo?

I forget I even have them now.

Where do you buy your clothes?

Mr. Fat Bastard of Jermyn Street and that tranny shop in Islington, "Transformations", they used to do stilettos in men's sizes, don't know if it's still there though... Carty would know.

Precisely what happened to result in Digital Tenderness being pulled, I recall you said you would tell all after the dust had settled?

I cant be arsed to go into all that again.

If you could invite 5-10 famous people throughout time (ie. living or dead) to dinner who would they be and why?

These sorts of questions are strange because a lot of my heroes tend to be great artists but bloody awful people, I mean would you want Jerry Lee Lewis, Howard Hughes, Orson Welles, Bette Davis or Lou Reed in your home? I wouldn't...
But I guess Andy Warhol and Peter Cook would be bearable...well maybe just Andy Warhol because he would try very hard to be boring.

If you could jump in a time machine and go back to any place and time, where and when would it be, and why?

Wag club 1984/Embassy club 1984 and at a party in Jeffery Archers flat (don't ask) around 1988, I would love to tell you why but it's more than my life's worth but it's to do with a tall woman with black hair.

Boxers or briefs?

Boxers.

Which place did you never play but would be happy to?

Strangely India...which I never thought could ever happen, but recent events have made it a strong possibility

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being happiest were would you place yourself?

About 8 and a half.

Given the advances in technology, is there anything you wish you could "tweak" or change on any of your classics?

No, they are classics and should preserved and left alone now.

When did you have your biggest quarrel with Adam about a song while composing it - what exactly happened then, which song was it and who was it, who succeeded in enforcing his ideas in the end?

I don't remember any really big quarrels.

Marco, if you could sit down to a casual jam session with anyone, living or dead - who all would be included, and why?

Link Wray, Mick Ronson, Manzanera, Steve Jones so I could nick more stuff off them...actually I can play exactly like Jonesy... It's easy.

If a train leaves the depot at 4:15AM and makes a stop at Starbucks for coffee at 5:00AM, what colour underwear is the conductor wearing?

About Tuesday.

If you lost your ability to play guitar what would you do instead?

It is something I worry about sometimes, what if I lost some fingers in a tragic gardening accident?
Maybe Alex out of Blur would give me a job on The Independent as cheese correspondent or something equally middle class.

Marco, a lot of musicians have been influenced by you. Of the ones you know of, who do you think has the talent to make it as long term as you? Any why?

I think that Robbie Williams bloke could be big.

Are you planning to work with Adam again or are you totally devoted to your own projects with the Wolfmen?

Well I am for the foreseeable future

Did you enjoy this Q&A?

Yes, it was loverly thank you... May we have the bill now please?

What are you wearing right NOW?

Levis and a black Ed Roth sweatshirt and bare feet.

Do you think the last 2 questions were the wrong way round?

No.

Shall I go now?

If you wouldn't mind.

Are you sure?

Yep.