Interview with Denis Ward of Pink Cream 69

Not content with playing in one of Europe's favourite melodic rock bands, Dennis Ward is also one of the most currently in demand producers on the scene. Kieran Dargan hooked up with Dennis recently, and opened by discussing the bands new album, 'Endangered'.

Endangered? Who's endangered? Are we referring to PC69 or melodic hard rock?

"Well that's a sort of subliminal way to look at it. That's not the real meaning. Every time we made a record we always tried to put the pieces together after we finished the album. This time around as we were doing the album we noticed that a lot of things were changing in the world, for good or bad. From science to technology, everything is changing so fast, so much, so that a lot of cultures are becoming endangered. Hard rock music, or what we describe as hard rock music has been on the endangered list for quite a while and that had a little to do with it...basically anything that's out on a limb is endangered."

Well, latter day PC69 albums, especially from 'Electrified' onwards have opened up a whole new market for yourselves.

"We like to think that, but whenever you are not mainstream you can't put yourself in a definite category. In Germany right now Metal is in. We are part metal. We like it, we come from that. We were never a 'true' metal band as such. A lot of out listeners don't know what category to put us in so they put us in with Poison and AC/DC, who don't want to be compared to each other either you know. We don't feel like we opened a new market, we've had a lot of success since 'Electrified' and made a definite comeback and of course we're all delighted. Dave just came in and made things better."

You are in quite a strange position that way really. The band could really be called the United Nations couldn't it?

"We considered it a few times. We even thought about changing the name. Kosta is Greek, looks it and sounds it..haha. Dave is English, I'm American, even though I've lived here for quite a long time ...yeah a lot of fans don't actually know that but we like it and we like to tell people about it... it's cool!"

Dennis Ward doesn't really sound German, so how did you end up living in Germany?

"Well, my father worked for the US military here and when he finished up his last term I finished school here and I just decided to stay and hang around. I had a job playing in a top 40 club band that toured American clubs and discos. I was amazed that I could actually make a living from it so I stuck to it, met up with the guys and the rest, as they say, is history!"

In the 80's you had people like Mike Stone, Beau Hill and Michael Wagner who were regarded as the top echelon of producers. The 90's brought somewhat of a clearout and now suddenly people such as Tommy Newton and yourself are becoming highly regarded as the new breed of hard rock producers. Is production something that you actually wanted to pursue from the off?

"Basically I hated producers when I started. I was convinced they were the anti-christ, that they wanted to tear our beautiful music apart blah blah blah. Then after making a few records I saw there was a lot more to it. I became a lot more comfortable when it came to working with other bands on their material than mine for some reason. On the technical side I have always been into electronics - I love tearing a cassette player apart and put it back together and try make it work again. Then it came to the point I was making so many demos, with PC69 especially. We spent a lot of money on 'big name' producers and eventually we thought it was best to let myself have a go at it. It turned out it worked wonderfully. We work hard as a team and everything just fell into place really. Somebody like Tommy Newton, he's from the old school I think. He has done some great stuff I have a lot of respect for him. It's nice to be put in the same category."

PC69. You always seem to get decent tours in Germany and mainland Europe, and then as usual everybody forgets the UK. Annoying really, especially as David is English.

"I really don't know why. I know until recently we didn't really get released in the UK. Then there's not much point in going on tour if you have nothing to go on tour with. Dave is dying to play the UK...we're trying to get in a position where we can do that, we'd like nothing better. We actually have problems touring really. We had a couple of very successful tours, due to a lot of faithful fans and a lot of preparation. We can do this ourselves here because we have been doing it so long and we have the contacts but getting it organised for the UK, well we have to build up the status and see if people will actually have us play. The venues all go 'PC69? What's that?' Anyway, touring is out for the moment as our guitarist is suffering from Karpal tunnel syndrome which will prevent him from playing basically for quite a while."

Do you think that this will hinder your progress as a band?

"No, not really . He was assured by doctors that he will play again. He has a passion for mountain biking, like downhill full tilt, full grip for hours and hours. Well that and playing guitar didn't give him much of a break so he has to back off for a while and take a break and give himself time to heal. Even with it, he managed to record the whole record - he managed to invent some new and interesting ways to play chords...hahaha!"

So what is the story with forthcoming tours... nothing?

"No, we're hopeful to start a tour in April. We are having a meeting shortly to talk about it so we'll see. We would like to play Sweden, UK...God, we haven't played the UK since '92...it's been way too long."

I have had 'Endangered' in the car for quite a while now and I have to say, production sounds quite a bit rawer this time around compared to 'Sonic Dynamite'.

"Definitely. We realised there weren't many songs in need of, how shall we put it...'technical support'. On the last album we had a song called 'The Spirit' - massive keys, very technical pop drums. This time around the songs were much more guitar orientated - big fat chords and more stripped. We started off as normal, but as we got through the songs we backed off production wise and the more we did that the more the less polished production seemed to fit. We did try and keep a raw feel through the record and I think we achieved it without the record suffering."

Did you think that the songs would sound good live with the more stripped back approach, rather than rely on electronics to get the message across?

"Live you have the advantage of volume. You can have a rawer sound with lots of volume and that covers that up and makes it attractive. We don't worry about that at all. We're also not afraid live to use any sort of extra we feel would make things better. If Dave has to pick up a guitar, if Kosta has to play a few keyboard notes on his drum kit, we have no problem with that...whatever it takes."

One song has been sticking with me over the past while is 'Don't Need Your Touch'. A little different stylistically. Kind of venturing into Deep Purple territory?

"Definitely, you hit the nail on the head. Dave wrote the song and he said all along he wanted to try something with a purple vibe in it. It sounded great so we had no reason to do anything else with it."

Definitely one of my favourite PC69 songs, that and 'Gone Again', the extra outtake hidden track from 'Electrified' - that's fabulous, really great fun.

"One of the funniest days in the recording days in the history of PC69. That's what happens when you give a boy from Burnley a bottle of red wine! He wanted to let it all out that day, so he did… hahaha!"

The cover of 'Pinball Wizard'...what's with that?

"That was for fun really. Dave did a demo version as he is a big Who fan. When it was done we liked it so much we said 'Hey, lets put it on the album.' Covers are no big deal to record... painless, you don't have to write lyrics either... they're cool, that's why we do them."

So can we expect to hear a cover version on all PC69 albums in future?

"We're always going to record one. Whether it makes it or not...well..."

What about a live record?

"We already did one of them, but I think it might be time for a new one. When we do a live record we like to get it recorded well. We want to give our fans value for money."

Not like the bonus tracks on 'Mixery'. I believe they were confiscated from somebody?

"That's right, somebody in the audience. That's rough on the guy, haha."

The fact that they were confiscated, does that mean he was bootlegging the gig?

"In Japan it's very intolerable to make a bootleg of the show. If you are caught with it security has the right to confiscate the recording and the medium. We were not aware of this at all. After the show the promoter came to us and presented us with the bootleg. We had a listen and realised we could use some of it. We thought seeing as it was really unfair on the guy, the least we could do was put a few of those songs on the record, that way somebody gets to listen to it."

What about the internet, what does PC69 think about that?

"Thank God for the internet. It's such a cool medium to get new music out there. Years ago you relied on MTV, but not now, they are no longer important. You can get your music out there and correspond with your fans immediately, and you know the market for melodic hard rock has grown immensely due to the internet and without the help of MTV."

So is the PC69 web site active then?

"Very active. We all go along and have a look every couple of days. We can update ourselves if we want. I'm always on line so tell everybody drop by."

So what's the plans for the future?

"Well, first off a tour, maybe as a headliner or maybe supporting somebody bigger, I don't know yet, but definitely playing live in April. Also as we said earlier, maybe a live album...in fact we have just started discussing a new studio record. I was happy to find out the guys have a couple of songs written. This time if we have more time for preparation. Great, that's never a bad thing. I also believe in starting as soon as possible."

What kind of vitamins are you guys on?

"Hahaha. I always believe in keeping busy. On the production front I have only a few small things lined up. I just finished the Angra record which sounds great...prog, but a lot more metal, with huge harmonies...really good. I possibly will be doing a new Adagio record too, I will have to see."

With all this production work, how do you find time for PC69?

"[PC69 is] the easiest of the lot. We're like a factory, everybody knows exactly what we should be doing so there is never a problem there. But in the end of the day PC comes first, so if there would ever be a conflict of interest, there wouldn't be..hahaha!!"

Anything you would like to relay to the UK fans?

"We really would like to get over and play, perhaps at a festival or such, if you know anybody who wants us to come give 'em my number ..we really would like to do it, David especially, and thanks for your support, we really do appreciate it."