Artimus Pyle Interview with Bruce Wall for DownSouthJukin.com

Artimus, first let me say that it is an honor to speak with you and I really appreciate you taking time to call and chat with me.

Well, you know I am a big fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd music too.  So, I know what you mean about Ronnie's music, it's pretty strong stuff.  Skynyrd was more than just a rock band.

Oh yeah, and you were a very big part of that.

Well, you know I wasn't part of their success. But when I came along, Ronnie asked me if I could light a fire under his band.  That was my job as a live drummer.  So, that is what I did.

Well, you did an awesome job of it too.

Well, I'm still doing it.  I am working on kinds of projects.

Again, Arti, I can't thank you enough for taking time out of your busy schedule to call and do this interview for our humble little web site.

Well, I don't touch a computer.  In the Marine Corp I worked on multi-million dollar jet airplane, fire control, Radar, navigation, communication equipment.  They sent me to school inside Volts.  You know, I had a top secret clearance, crypto-access.  And now, I don't touch a computer for many reasons.  The main reason is that I want to focus on what I do, and that is play drums. It is a very physical, a very non-technical thing.  And plus, the minute I say anything over the internet, there are twenty people that jump on it and call me all kinds of names.  They have no idea of who I am or what I am.  So what I am doing is concentrating on playing with Saturday Night Special.  I tell you, those guys, when I close my eyes in concert, it is like being with Ronnie Van Zant's band.  So, I love playing with them.  Plus, I am in the studio recording a new album that I am writing and singing, which I have never done before.

Wow,

It's ten songs, it's about my life.  It's not a debut, it's not a comeback.  It's a one shot deal album of things I have to say that I can't ask anybody else to say.  It's called Artimus Venomous.  And it's about my life.  I'm singin' it so I am having to work hard.  But, as you probably already know I sang with Ronnie Van Zant on albums and definitely live when we couldn't afford a tour bus to carry the girls.  Because, you know we had to get a whole separate bus for them.  That was when we decided to just go ahead and get an airplane for everybody.  But, when we didn't have the girls, Ronnie insisted I had a microphone and sing backup vocals in front of 300,000 people.  So if my vocals were good enough for Ronnie Van Zant then,,,,,you know,,

Now, you have a lot going on with Saturday Night Special Band with JoJo joining the band and all, what is going on with APB?

APB will continue to play.  I would like to change the name from All Points Bulletin or Artimus Pyle Band, I would like to use that logo, but change the name of my band to Saturday Night Special.  Because that song is very special to me.  That is the first song I ever played with Skynyrd, with Ronnie.  It's the day I signed the papers to my fathers wrongful death action from the plane crash he was in.  So, the name Saturday Night Special means a lot to me.  So I would like to change that and go on forward and do an album under that name.  Then, I have a group I am playing with in Nashville Tennessee.  It's called the Renegades.  And Jimmie Hall, from Wet Willie, and I  have been in kind of secret rehearsals for about the last five months. 

Now, do you want me to leave this out of the interview?  If it has been a secret project, I don't want to let the cat out of the bag.

Sure, you can say this.  I tell you what though Bruce, this will definitely be an exclusive.  If you put this on your web site it will definitely be an exclusive.  This is the Band,, it's Jimmie Hall is our lead singer/vocals from Wet Willie, George McCorkle from the Marshall Tucker Band on Rhythm Guitar, Dean Daughtry and Robert Nix from the original Atlanta Rhythm Section.  Who used to be in the Dennis Yost and the Classics Four.  Dean and Robert go all the way back to Roy Orbison.  Robert Nix is one of the greatest song writers, he just got a Grammy for writing "So into you", for that movie Lost in Translation, with Bill Murray.  So, Robert and I are on drums, we share the drum responsibilities, we play double drums.  Then on guitar, as I said, is George McCorkle on Rhythm, Ed King is gonna participate whenever his heart allows him too.  Then we have Jeff Carlisi from .38 Special .  And we have two members from Memphis Tennessee, that are the core group of the band, one is the bass player his name is Jeff and a guitar player Hal.  They are the cream of the crop guys from Memphis Tennessee.  Both of 'em are state of the art pickers, both of 'em sing like birds.  They have beautiful, strong, very professional voices.  Man, you ought to hear Jimmie Hall sing Simple Man.  And so this Band, we are gonna record an album, with a record deal distributed through Sony.  We are recording a Live DVD of all of us old boys at the Nassau Coliseum.  That's in the works for the future.  Our first show is October the ninth, in Nashville for a private function.  It is not open to the public, it's what I guess you would call a showcase.  And from there we start booking our shows.  I mean we do everything from Spooky from Dennis Yost and the Classics Four all the way to Freebird and every certified Gold and Platinum Song in between from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, .38 Special, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Wet Willie.  I mean it is just amazing. 

Boy, that sounds like a true Southern Rock All Star line up..

And Bruce, it is done right buddy.  Everyone has gotten together and done this properly. 

Well, you have original members from all these groups doing the songs.  I mean, you can't ask for more than that.

Yeah, it is not the second or third or fourth, guy in the band that joined in the 80's or 90's.  I mean it is all the original guys and except for me, most everybody in the band are songwriters.  Plus, we are backed by a tremendous songwriting team.  We are going to pull all this together and cut an album of new material.  And it is gonna be under the name The Renegades.  And, of course, the full name is The Southern Rock Renegades.  But, I told 'em please no skulls, and no confederate flags.  I said, Man I'm over it, you know it's been done.  I said let's get a really strong logo.  You know, something like an Eagle.  You know, this is the first time I have discussed this with anybody. 

Well, I am really honored and excited you would give me this exclusive opportunity to publish this information. 

Well, I think it is great for the fans.  Cause, people who love Southern Rock Music, they can come and hear one band play all their favorite songs, by just about every southern rock band.  They will see great production.  It is True Southern Rock Brotherhood.  I mean I am honored to be in a band with these guys.  I mean, Jimmie Hall, not only can that cat sing, but he is a good human being.  He's a righteous person and I am honored and proud to be in a band with Jimmie Hall.  And to me that is the key, to have the right Lead Singer.  To me Jimmie Hall is it.   And he is so into the project.  Everyone is tremendously into the project.  Ed King is tremendously into the project, although his heart prevents him from playing every show. 

How, do you find time for all of this Art?  I mean, you got APB, SNS, Artimus Venomous, The Southern Rock Renegades, where do you find all the time?

Well, Bruce, you know I have a five year old son too, and River is more important to me than anything.  River, is more important to me than any project.  But, all of these projects are going to bring closure for me in a lot of different areas.  I have had a very hard time the last ten years.  But, I have survived.  When I play with my band, they are all young kids that are from this area and love Skynyrd Music.  When I play with APB out of Asheville, they are really a band called Rufus Grove.  They are a group of young good looking guys, they call my wife Ma'am. They are really cool guys.  They have an album they just finished that is fantastic.  They are signing out of Atlanta.  I love what I do with them.  I love what I do with Saturday Night Special.  Because Saturday Night Special they nail that Skynyrd Stuff better than the guys do.  I mean I feel that energy, they want it,  not having the fame and money.  These guys really play with a lot of Fire.  Mark, the leader of Saturday Night Special, I could not ask for a more honest person. 

He has been great on our site, helping to get these interviews, and setting this phone call up.

Bruce, Dude, he is a Lawyer, and I can't stand Lawyers!  But, Mark he is just a Man among Men.  So right now I have to say I am very happy.  I am playing Skynyrd music with about four different bands.  All of which love the music as much as I do and are honorable people.  I couldn't ask for more than that.  I have three Son's here in Asheville, and I play in their band too, it's called Tribalotomy.  So, I stay busy.  Even though I am Fifty-Six years old, and have a lot of the old injuries.  But, when I am playing I don't feel the pain as much.  And, so, that's what I am doin' man. 

While we are talking about playing Skynyrd music.  If you had to pick one moment in time with Skynyrd, what would be your greatest memory?

Well, it would definitely be opening up for the Rolling Stones.  Jack Nicholson was there that day.  The Rolling Stones and us, Lynyrd Skynyrd, on a beautiful day, in front of 300,000 people.  Outside of London, there were hot air balloons, and hang gliders, World War II dog fights, all kinds of stuff going on for the crowd.  I met Paul and Linda McCartney that day.  I kept Paul McCartney from a very bad fall.  I just happened to be there and he tripped on some scaffolding, it would have been a thirty foot fall, and I grabbed a hold of him.   He had just told me he really liked our set, he loved Lynyrd Skynyrd and he loved that song Freebird.  I got Christmas cards from him for years after that.  I mean, meeting Paul and Linda McCartney, hangin' out with Jack Nicholson, opening up for the Rolling Stones in front of 300,000 people and kicking butt, I would say that was a good one.

You know, I watch the footage of that show.  Can't imagine the feeling of looking out over a sea of Englishman waving Confederate Flags.  That feeling must have been humbling.  I mean, you always hear about the "British Invasion" in Rock history.  However, no one talks about the Confederate Invasion of England.

You know Bruce, I think about that every day, how cool it was.  But you know there were so many great gigs.  Bruce, I would have to say when Ronnie was alive, and we played, in my opinion we never had a bad show.  Ronnie and me had a relationship of mutual respect, and I have to say I loved Ronnie.  I miss Ronnie, I wish a lot of things, you know.  Every time I played with Ronnie, Steve, Allen, and Leon was an honor.  I mean there are always gigs that are nightmares, but you know what? I don't remember those now.  I just remember walking on stage, and this incredible energy, this incredible love, love of the music.  And the music is still loved to this day.  I know that Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, and all of 'em can feel that energy wherever they are.  Have you checked out my web site?

Yes, actually I have have been to all of your sites several times. 

That is my wife Man.  She does great job.  I mean, if you understood how many 1000's of Emails come in.  I mean, even if I was a computer guy, I could never answer em all.  And she tries to keep me abreast of what I need to do and when I need to say something.  But she is the one that keeps that site up to date and puts out the pictures, updates and stuff.  Because what we do is definitely on a Mom & Pop level, you know.  We don't have the corporate backing or the money.  But, I am very proud of Kerri and what she has done with our little web site. 

Well, you tell her that if she needs any help on the site to give me a holler and I will be glad ta assist in anyway I can.

Well, I will Bruce.  Where do you live?

Well, I am all the way out here in the deserts of Arizona.

Dude, I just talked to a guy in Tucson yesterday.  He is a big Skynyrd Fan.  He sent me a CD and invited me out there to play on some of their stuff. And, I said sure, that's what I do, I'm a drummer.  Anyway, I will definitely be out, and we will definitely get together.

Well, before you run I have just a couple of more questions, if you don't mind.

Sure, what are they?

How is it playing with JoJo again?

Man,, I tell you she just nails her parts.  Nobody, can sing those parts like JoJo.  I mean, hearing her the other night, it just gave me chills.

Well, how about Leslie, any contact with her?

I hope we can get in touch with her.  We all have been Putting the word out.  We would love to hear from her.  Because, you know on my new album, Ed King is gonna play, JoJo said that she would, I am trying to get Bob Burns to play drums on a track so I can concentrate on vocals on one song without having to play drums.  So, Ed King said he would play, JoJo said that she would, I am trying to get Bob, and I am trying to get through to Leslie.  I would love for Leslie to sit in with us anytime. 

One of our members, Jody Willman asked me to ask this.  I am going to read it verbatim so I don't screw it up. lol

Bruce, every so often Artimus comes to Livingston Texas and visits a friend of my sons' dad, David Ealand, ask him when he's planning that trip again if you find the time, I missed him the last time, want to visit and maybe get him to autogragh my box set of Skynyrd classics or who knows may party a little lol, but get the important stuff outa the way first, tell him we love the APB at this house! And Jo Jo well man she's Jo Jo, nuff said!!!

What it is, we did 12 shows out there.  When that VH1 thing came out (Uncivil War).  We had done shows around this big lake out there.  And, we stayed at this guy David's house.  He was a very good friend of Stevie Ray Vaughn.  We had met a lot of really great people and played at about four different places in that area.  There is nothing on the books to come back.  But, maybe they can put a show together.  That guy Dave was a really nice guy, and I think they called him Super Dave.  Anyway, thanks for putting up your website, and thanks for putting this interview on your site, I got ta take off.

Thanks again Artimus for taking time to sit and shoot the breeze.

There it is folks, there was actually a lot more to the conversation than is shown.  However, it was more  personal conversation and I did not feel it should be printed.  Like I said is was purely two guys BS'n.  Anyway, since I talked to Artimus they have been able to get in contact with Leslie, so watch for an interview from her in the near future.  I will be interviewing JoJo next week so keep checking back. Artimus, thanks again, I hope you approve of the way I presented our conversation.......Bruce Wall