Wayne Hussey, the huge musician, the leader of The Mission, the multi-talented, multi-creator, is in Greece, for two acoustic solo shows in Athens. First one was very warm, so beautiful and the audience liked it as much as the artist himself. We met the Englishman at his hotel, just a few hours before his second gig, talked about his next album, the covers album he’s arranging along with Julianne Regan, naturally we spoke about The Mission... We also chatted about Brazil, where he lives today, his secret band there, a band where Andreas Kisser is playing with (yep, Andreas from Sepultura)!

Interview by Costas Koulis.

Rockpages.gr : It was a great show last night; I’m sure tonight’s show is gona be even better.

Wayne Hussey : Well, we’ll see... I mean, last night it was a good vibe...

Rockpages.gr : You felt good with the people so close...

Wayne Hussey : Yeah, it’s a solo show, it needs to be close and intimate. It’s very different to The Mission show...

Rockpages.gr : You will release an album with Julianne Regan from All About Eve. Could you tell us a little bit about it? You also ask the fans, through your webpage, to contribute with thoughts about what song you should chose to cover...

Wayne Hussey : Basically, it’s an album of cover versions, although there are gonna be two or three new songs in there. It’s being done over the internet at the moment, whenever we have time to do it. It’s not like we have a schedule to keep or a deadline to meet. It’s just fun. It’s a very loose arrangement. I have spoken to Julianne, we’re probably gonna get it finished over the first quarter of next year. That’s kind of a rough idea... I think I’ve done about four songs and Julianne’s done about six, so I’m gonna need two more at least.

Rockpages.gr : Can you tell us some covers that will be featured on the album? Two or three will do...

Wayne Hussey : I’ve covered... the way it works is we cover every track individually, little bits on the guitars... There’s a couple of duets... “Where the wild roses grow”. So Julianne is Kylie and I’m Nick Cave (laughs)... I’ve done a version of “Ordinary world” by Duran Duran, which is very different. Julianne, among others, has done “Enjoy the silence” by Depeche Mode... So you have an idea about what’s going on here.

Rockpages.gr : How did you come up with the idea to do these solo shows? Just you and your guitar...

Wayne Hussey : Well, way back in 2002, we were in South America, on tour, and Craig (e.n. Adams – bass) decided to get drank and became obnoxious and abusive and he wanted to go home... So I said “Well, fuck off home”! So he went home... The problem was, the next day – this happened at 11 o’ clock at night in San Paolo – we were flying to Argentina, to play a band show. Obviously, without Craig, we wouldn’t be able to do it, so we sat in a hotel room, with the rest of the band and the crew, talking about what to do. There was no way to get in touch with the promoter at that point. So we thought the best thing to do was me and a couple more people fly to Argentina and explain to him what happened and, if he wanted to continue with the show then I would play acoustically. I’d had to borrow an acoustic guitar, I didn’t have it with me! So we did that, we came through customs and everything, got to the other side and saw the Argentinean promoter. And he went “Hey, Wayne, Wayne!”, looking over my shoulder... “Hey, where is the rest of the band”? And I went “Carlos, I need to have a word with you”... Anyway, they decided to go ahead with the shows and we would announce on the radio that the band hadn’t turned up and if you want a refund, you’ll get a refund, otherwise you’ll see a solo show... And we also found a local band, to play two-three of The Mission songs and at the end of the night I’d get up and sing with them...

Rockpages.gr : Like a jam...

Wayne Hussey : Yeah... Basically... And then I had a couple of shows in Argentina, Chile, Peru... It was the same deal. People needed to know they could have a refund or watch the show. Fortunately, most people came to the show... The first time was absolutely terrifying... They expected the band, it was just me, I found an acoustic guitar, a really cheap one, it had five strings on it (laughs) so I bought a set of new strings and restringed it. And I hadn’t rehearsed anything... I kinda know the songs, so I can improvise quite well. By the end of it I really enjoyed it! And I thought “I could do more of this”. Friends of mine, back then, thought I should be doing it but I always resisted it, because the idea was some guy on stage with an acoustic guitar. That’s a bit old in my mind, a bit folk. Then, when I started doing it, I quite enjoyed it, the spontaneous thing... When you play with a band there’s the beginning of a song and the end of it. When you play on your own, you can go anywhere with it. I can play the piano, a little bit... I thought I’m gonna play songs on the piano as well, to make it a bit different... and it evolves... So, that’s how it started. As a necessity. Last night there were moments of “Okay, let’s go there”, there were moments of “Wow, that worked really nicely”! (laughs) “Fabienne”, I really enjoyed that one, it went really well, I really enjoyed singing it.

Rockpages.gr : So, when do we get to see you full electric again?

Wayne Hussey : I’m not in any hurry to do it again. I’m enjoying playing acoustic guitar and piano, not missing being in a band. I don’t enjoy the politics of a band, I don’t enjoy the egos involved. Over the years, The Mission evolved into a band where basically I was the boss... I encouraged contribution but, at the end of the day, it was my saying. I’m not ready to get back to a band situation. I had a lazy year this year. This is the first show I’ve done since January. The rest of the year I was playing whenever I felt like it... I was in the studio doing stuff with Julianne. I’ve been really lazy but I think next year is gonna be a promising year with the new record with Julianne and my new songs.

Rockpages.gr : Is it gonna be like the “Bare” album?

Wayne Hussey : No, I don’t think so. I think “Bare” was one-off. I enjoyed that. Initially it was gonna be released through the website. In my mind I haven’t done my first solo album. Cuz my first solo album is gonna be an album with new songs.

Rockpages.gr : Is it gonna be a full band album?

Wayne Hussey : The way I’m thinking, it’s gonna be a mixture of technology and organics... Electronic rhythms... There will be some electric guitars...

Rockpages.gr : Are you gonna play all instruments?

Wayne Hussey : Well, I could, but I like collaborations... I do like working with other people.

Rockpages.gr : I read that you reside in Brazil. How come?

Wayne Hussey : My wife is Brazilian. When we were first married, we had a house in California. But we didn’t spend very much time... We lived between California and Great Britain and San Paolo, staying with her family, then with my family... All my staff was spread all over the world... I kinda got tired of that and decided to live in Brazil because firstly, properties are cheap, so I sold our place in California and bought a whole property... And, also, it’s my wife’s home country. My first marriage... one of the reasons it failed was because my first wife was American, from California, and we lived in the middle of nowhere in England and so I was away a lot working and she got homesick...

Rockpages.gr : So, how’s your Portuguese?

Wayne Hussey : Ah... tudo bem... (laughs – e.n. it means “all well”)

Rockpages.gr : I also read about your “secret” band in Brazil, “The Pornographic Angels”...

Wayne Hussey : Oh, that’ not really a band yet, it’s just an idea that comes up when I visit some friends... But it’s a great idea, I really love to do it. We found a studio in Argentina, a residential studio. Very cheap... Beautiful studio! What I want to do with that it’s very different... I want to record all of us playing together. No overdubs. Play live, no headphones. Very organic. It’s difficult but I think it’s gonna be great!

Rockpages.gr : The rest in the group like the idea?

Wayne Hussey : Yeah! Most musicians would love the idea! It’s something they’ve got the opportunity to do...

Rockpages.gr : So, you have no intention to play a gig with this band?

Wayne Hussey : The thing is once we get a bunch of songs, we know them, we play them. We may do a couple of shows in Brazil. I don’t know yet. It depends on who’s gonna be in the band then. We have Andreas from Sepultura and some other great musicians... Victor Rice (e.n. cello) and John Longford.

Rockpages.gr : Still a Liverpool fan?

Wayne Hussey : Yeah, well you can’t change your team, can you? Of course a Liverpool fan. We haven’t got a good time this season. We have a Greek player for us. I can’t pronounce his name...

Rockpages.gr : Kyrgiakos...

Wayne Hussey : Well... (laughs)

Rockpages.gr : When you won the Champions League in 2005... That must have been incredible for you...

Wayne Hussey : For me it was the best football moment in my life and one of the best moments in my life!

Rockpages.gr : I would like to ask you about The Mission, although I read about your position on that. So, they are dead and berried or just dead?

Wayne Hussey : Aaah... Who knows... I mean, there is the talk about the 25th anniversary shows... The thing is we playing four nights in Shepherd’s Bush at the beginning of last year and it was a fantastic experience. It was really-really great, it was a total celebration! I think it will be very hard for anything to supersede that. I would hate to come back and do something that would tarnish the memory for me or the audience. We finished with “God is a bullet”, which I think it’s a good album. George (e.n. Allen) is trying to persuade me to do the 25th Anniversary shows but the only way I could do it is with the original line-up...

Rockpages.gr : Can you do that? Can you put all the boys together?

Wayne Hussey : I talked to Simon (e.n. Hinkler – guitar). Graig... I haven’t seen him since he got drank and left Argentina (laughs) but he talks to George a lot, he’s up for it. Mick (e.n. Brown – drums) is up for it... But he hasn’t played drums for 15 years...

Rockpages.gr : Yeah, but I think it’s like riding a bicycle...