You’ll have to wait until Feb. 2011 to hear SUNDOWNER, the new solo album (on Bloodshot Records) from Eddie Spaghetti of The Supersuckers, but the cow punk veteran has already been hitting the road entertaining the messy masses. SUNDOWNER contains some seriously great material from a guy already known for crafting gem after dirty little gem. It’s awesome to see artists later in their careers like NOFX or Eddie still packing so much punch. It is awesome seeing Eddie live with an acoustic guitar in his hands playing something silly like “Creepy Jackalope Eye” or the anthemic punk send off “Pretty Fucked Up” and then dropping some actually emotionally gripping country songs on you as well.

On a cold and rainy Sunday night at The Basement in Kingston, NY I did a shot of Jameson with Eddie and watched some football pre-show. We shot the breeze about Sean Yseult’s new book about her days in White Zombie (I’M IN THE BAND), sports and a few funny stories about cops that look like Ranger Smith from Yogi Bear. Eddie went on to play a great set that included new material and old favorites plus a hysterical story about a friend of his who feinted into Willie Nelson’s deli-tray after smoking weed that was too strong for him (apparently Willie had understood and said, “That’s the shit that killed Elvis”). Post show, myself and Greg from the opening Outlaws influenced band Blue Coyote asked Eddie a few questions about making punk and country work together, his years in the business, being the best and his new material.

MORGAN Y. EVANS: Thanks for coming out here? How’s the tour going?

EDDIE SPAGHETTI: Good. It’s been good.

MYE: You’ve incorporated punk and the country kind of influences over the years. I like the Rolling Stones where they were blues influenced but then wrote “Shattered.” You guys were the other way where you had the punk and then got into country in The Supersuckers. It’s been done artfully and seems pure.

ES: Some people are like, “What the hell are these guys doin’ playin’ this country crap.”

MYE: You started playing country punk before a lot of bands. It’s almost trendy now but you were definitely a band that kick started the popularity.

ES: It was such a part of who we were that it was hard to deny it. When we came out with it initially it was a shock to some of our fan base, but they eventually came around.

MYE: I really like the way you’ve merged it in your catalogue. I’m a big fan of Melvins records where they had great segue ways between songs. Your records are like that as well where even when there are stylistic shifts, it all is presented in a tangible way and fans get that.

ES: We’ve been really lucky to have fans understand what we’re up to. It’s nice.

MYE: How do you approach these kinds of shows versus the full band thing? I mean, it is still you and you’re doing your thing. It’s the songs but is more bare bones.

ES: These solo shows are more about flexing the “entertainer” muscles. Letting the crowd sort of dictate what I do. Feeding off the crowd and letting them tell me what songs they wanna hear. Hopefully I can play them (laughing). If I can’t, there’s a big problem.

MYE: I yelled for a Thin Lizzy cover and thought you’d get mad ‘cuz it has dueling guitars. We were watching the Cowboys game though, so I had to yell “Cowboy Song.”

ES: (laughing) Right on.

MYE: Shit, man…I guess, I like what you said about playing to the crowd. The Supersuckers always throw your bigger songs in the set but live you are always refreshing in that you make each show special, like an event. You don’t do through the motions anytime I’ve seen you live or on a DVD. That’s lost to a lot of bands these days and I think is one of the reasons you have an enduring legacy.

ES: Yeah, yeah. It’s always been important to us whether 700 or 7 people at the show, to give our all. Make sure everyone leaves feeling like they were entertained in a big way. That’s always been important to us.

MYE: What can you tell me about the new song mentioning Jesus that you played tonight from your next record due out? It had a great sing along element that I like from…it had your style more than what I’m gonna say, but it reminded me of the kind of thing I’d love to sing along to drunk at a bar like David Allen Coe or GG Allin. (laughing) The lyrics blew me away.

ES: It’s a good one, for sure.

MYE: The melody and lyrics, everything. You’ve written some good songs but that is gonna knock some people out.

ES: It’s called “Jesus Never Lived On Mars”. It’s about this fella named Jesus who comes down to Earth and thinks he lived on Mars. But he wasn’t from Mars. He’s just a “fucked up faggot with a dent in his head.”

MYE: (laughing) It had the spoken word quality of older storytelling country songs, like Johnny Cash’s “Cocaine Blues” which you covered tonight. But it also had a smooth melody you added to it.

ES: It just came out. Spent some time in the hospital and that’s what came out.

MYE: That’s awesome, man. I don’t know if you mind talkin’ about some NFL bullshit for a minute but we were just watching them play the Eagles and you were saying you were a Cowboys fan growing up?

ES: I was. I was a big Cowboys fan as a kid. When I grew up in Tuscon, Arizona it seemed like the time when they were America’s team. I remember them losing to the Broncos or something like that in the Superbowl and I actually wept (laughing). I was so distraught. I shed a tear.

MYE: I’m a Giants guy, but I would rather root for the Cowboys than Pit-bull abuser Michael Vick’s Eagles or the fucking horrible Patriots. As a good friend once said, “I hate seeing Tom Brady thank Jesus at the end of the game.” (laughing)

ES: Now I can’t stand the Cowboys. The whole vibe of their corporate ways bugs me. Back when I was a kid, they were definitely the team I rooted for.

MYE: (turning to the dirty boogie rock band Blue Coyote who opened the show and are sitting at the bar listening to the interview) Blue Coyote!

ES: They were awesome.

MYE: You got anything you wanna ask Eddie?

GREG PLATKIN: This is Greg from Blue Coyote. This will sound cheesy, but…Supersuckers have been around for 20 years. What wisdom can you impart to bands? Morgan’s in a band. I’m in a band. What can you give us?

MYE: Also, adding to what Greg asked, what are some classic moments where you either hated or loved your band mates?

ES: (chuckling) Well, that happens every day. You hate and love them every day. I appreciate them sticking with me for all this time pursuing this crazy dream being a rock n roller. As far as advice for other bands, my primary advice is always…quit (laughing).

EVERYONE: (laughing)

MYE: Supersuckers are already the greatest band in the world anyway.

ES: Yeah. We already cornered the market on the best! Just give up. (laughing)

MYE: “What do you want…our slops?” (laughing)

ES: Right.

MYE: What’s going on with Supersuckers?

ES: We just finished recording 5 new tunes and are gonna try and get a new deal and a record out by the end of the summer.

Photo by "Lara Hope"