Lucero is in my top three of favorite bands right now, as everything they seem to put out is amazing. I can't stop listening to their albums, and I'm eagerly anticipating their new album coming out in September. This interview with singer/guitarist Ben Nichols took place on April 18, and discusses the East West Records deal, their split with Against Me!, and helper monkeys, among other things.

PL: State something interesting about yourself.
BN: About me personally, or the band?
PL: Either.
BN: Oh shit. Interesting, interesting...I'm a big dork. I still play Dungeons and Dragons. How about that one? It ain't exactly interesting, but its something people don't know.

PL: Do you guys own the Liberty and Lament label?
BN: Yeah, we do. We started it as an imprint, so its tied into East West Records. Basically, they fund the records, but we own the rights to them. It was a two record deal, and basically, the way it works out-there's a prenegotiated amount of money if Warner Brothers wants to sign us, but if Warner Brothers doesn't-and I don't expect them to want us because we're not selling that many records. We're selling more records than we've ever sold before, but not that many, so I figure we'll do these two records, they'll make their money back, and then we'll go on our way. And maybe then we'll continue to put stuff out on Liberty and Lament and just do it ourselves from there on out. So, we own Liberty and Lament, but its funded by East West Records at the moment.
I'm not sure if every band that signs to East West signs the same deal or not, but basically, the point of it is for Warner Brothers to keep tabs on a band, and not have to pay them two million dollars to sign them to Warner Brothers for a few years. Basically, they can tell a smaller band like us that they will pay us a certain amount of money if they decide to sign us. Its more money than we've ever seen before, but its not crazy money, but its a lot of money to a band like us, but if they don't sign us, we still get to keep our records. Its one of the more fair deals out there right now.
PL: So far, you guys have released two CDs and a DVD on Liberty and Lament. Do you plan on signing any other bands to your label?
BN: That would be in the future, maybe. Like if Liberty and Lament becomes solely a Lucero label that is owned exclusively by us and is not owned by another label. If we can get it organized enough. We've worked with a number of labels, and its very easy to run a disorganized label, and so I wouldn't want to do it unless we were prepared and had it set up properly. So, yeah, one day in the future maybe, but we've got our hands full just putting out our own.
PL: If you guys signed a band tomorrow, would Warner Brothers (East West) still put it out?
BN: I'm not even sure if there's provisions for that in the contract. I don't know; we'd have to talk to them about it and see. Everything is pretty laid back-it was a two record deal, but we were able to get the DVD out and reissue The Attic Tapes through Liberty and Lament, so they've allowed us a lot of room. Another band, I don't know. We'd just have to talk to them and see.
PL: So you guys still owe them one more record?
BN: Yeah, we put out Nobody's Darlings and then whatever comes out in September.

PL: If you were facing the Apocalypse, what song would you want to listen to?
BN: Man...see...alright, would you want something thats kind of tough sounding to get you pumped up to fight for your life or do you want something thats more nostalgic and remembering the good old days before its all over? Thats a tough question. If I was preparing to fight, loading my shotguns and collecting canned food and water, then probably something off of Appetite for Destruction by Guns and Roses. And if I was looking for something a little more sentimental, drinking beers and just waiting for it all to end, probably The Pogues Shane McGowan or something like that.

PL: Can you tell if members of a band are sincere by the music they play?
BN: Yeah, I think it comes across in the music, usually. I'm sure there's some complete assholes that have recorded really beautiful songs, but I think in general, at least with the stuff I've listened to, even if they are assholes or materialistics sons of bitches, if they've written a song thats really honest and really straight forward and really good, I think you're seein a snapshot of something deep down inside of them. I think, at the very least, you're seeing a part of that person that you might not see otherwise. Just a glimpse of it in that one song, if thats all it is. But, usually the bands who have a number of those songs, they're usually sincere guys and they usually mean it.

PL: Is your split with Against Me! ever coming out?
BN: Maybe. We both got really busy. We still both want to do it, but its just finding the time. We were on tour together when we made the plans for that, and it seemed like a really easy thing to do, but then time slips away from you. I think it will happen one day, but who knows. That would be amazing; it'd be really fun, so we'll do it. Give us a year or two.
PL: Is being a touring band different from what you thought it would be when you first started?
BN: No, its exactly what I expected. I liked the idea of seeing the country, meeting folks, drinking at a different bar every night. It appealed to me. On the level that we're at, its pretty much what I bargained for. I've pretty much got no complaints.

PL: If you could choose one crazy exotic animal for a pet, which would you choose and why?
BN: I think it'd have to be a monkey, because in a perfect world, you could train it to get you beers and maybe pack up some of your equipment at the end of the night. Although, then you'd probably get into this whole Planet of the Apes thing, and he'd revolt.
PL: Did you see The Simpsons episode with the helper monkey?
BN: (laughing) I haven't, actually, but thats exactly what I'd want, a helper monkey.
PL: Homer gets it and trains it to eat donuts and the monkey doesn't do anything after awhile.
BN: It would probably backfire on me. The monkey would be drunk by the end of the night, and I'd have to pay the monkey's bar tab. It'd probably backfire, but off the top of my head, it seems like the most useful of animals. Dressing him up in little costumes would be fun.

PL: Do you get to play a lot of shows like this where there's no cover?
BN: No, thats a very rare thing, actually. Jake's is one of the only places that does that, and I think part of the reason why they do it is because they like the music and they're fans of the music, so they're willing to stick their necks out a little bit, and thats a very rare thing to find. Most clubs make, especially since our crowd is usually a heavy drinking crowd, so the bars make plenty of money off the bar sales.
PL: Do you mind that this show is only 21+?
BN: It'd be great if everybody could get in, and we try to balance it out. We're not super strict on our politics. We try to play as many 18 and up or all ages shows as we can, but we no that certain cities have to be 21 and up, and we'll play those too. If we can't do it one time, we'll do it the next time. The owners of Jake's have become friends of ours, so its nice to help them out, and they help us out. Its their bar, they make the rules.
PL: It seems like you'd draw an older crowd anyway.
BN: Yeah, we do get some kids to our shows, but most of our fans are old enough to have had their hearts broken and possibly have a drinking problem.

PL: What a little known fact about Memphis?
BN: There's still good music there. That might be the number one thing. There's a ton of good local musicians. Now, the trick is, some of them don't get out on tour enough, or can't keep a band together long, so it is kind of a black hole. It ain't necessarily the capital of rock and roll anymore, like it was in the 50s, but there are still really talented musicians there.

PL: Name one album, besides your own, that you think all kids should have in their collection.
BN: Anything by Tom Waits. Especially younger kids that might not be exposed to that kind of stuff, any Tom Waits record will do. Closing Time is his first record, and its pretty accessable. Its just really pretty acoustic songs, but then the later stuff is amazing as well, even Mule Variations, which is one of his more recent records. He's just a brilliant songwriter.

PL: What would you rather have on tour: a shower or a free meal?
BN: My band members would all say a free meal, but I'd probably take a shower. I eat once a day, and drink the rest of the time, so I'd probably take a shower, but thats just me.

Interview by: RF

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