It's All About Dat Bass: Nick Marden of The Stimulators, Suicide King, Flash Cooney And The Deans Of Discipline And Much More
Interview By: Ginger Coyote
Nick and I have known one another for years. I am honored to interview him. His dad Brice Marden passed away recently I am happy he took the time to do the interview
Punk Globe: Was bass your first weapon of choice?
Nick: Drums were first. My favorite Beatle was Ringo
Punk Globe: Tell us how old you were when you got your first musical instrument.
Nick: First gig …Only played out once, at a party with Grandfather Baez on piano. There was a kit in the living room ..others were playing that evening. He said to do this …some simple shuffle on the snare …and cymbal..I think.I did it.. and we played for a couple of minutes. I think I was 6. Never got much farther than that on drums. I would like to though. Too many guitarists ..so bass became the instrument. There’s a picture of me at Christmas with a toy cowboy guitar at around 3 years old. But never learned to play. The Gibson EBO Melody Maker bass and a no-name amp came up in high school (16 ?) And it’s been all downhill ever since
Punk Globe: Was The Stimulators your first band I know that you were in your teens.
Nick: My First attempt was with high school friends ….we tried once. Not happening. Oddly though our friend Jim on drums with no training had one beat perfect …it was very similar to the standard Hardcore beat but 6 years too early. After that in NY, I played a bit with Jerry from the LA Mau Maus. In what was to be Defectors. But we didn’t get out of the rehearsal studio. Then Denise from Stimulators wrangled Jack, Dave John, and myself together to play, opening for them at Tier 3 in a few days ..maybe a week. Jack and Dave had been playing together in Summit NJ for a bit .John couldn’t sing but he did …We sort of learned 2 and wrote 2 songs and ended up as EVEN WORSE opening up that night. Yes, we were. I don’t think we played the same notes together at all that night . Well 3 times …a drum break happened and we did 3 perfect simultaneous punches together …and then went back into complete heinous cacophony. Dave and I drank too much and Jack held it together by not stopping the drums. All our friends were there and pretended to like what we did. We were fast …and kinda loud. But then we persevered, learned to play, and did some good stuff. John Berry of early BEASTIE BOYS and numerous other truly GREAT later projects replaced John Pouridas R I P Mr Berry and Mr. David Stein. Too good for this world . Then after a while, I quit and joined Stimulators. Promoted up from Roadie when Anne quit. It was a hard choice. Jack continued on to do lots more EW… and many more great things as well. He has a little magazine, THE BIG TAKEOVER. Which started life as a Stimulators fanzine The Cradle Robber. Rebecca Korbet also sang for EW .. also to go on to do more great things. Currently HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE.
Punk Globe: Tell us how you all met and how you became The Stimulators.
Nick: I was in NY visiting my father and went out too the Irving Plaza to see a show. Stimulators, La Peste, and Cuban Heels There was a card table at the top of the stairs with a little open cash box and no one around so I walked in and saw the bands. Liked Stimulators best and went to see them again at Max’s. I made some buttons with Craig and Marsha from NEXT’s button press … The band loved them and we became friends …later I roadied as best I could. Then when Anne quit I took the bass place. Still friends and occasionally play too to this day.
Punk Globe: I remember when Joey Ramone invited White Trash Debutantes to play ‘The Circus Of The Perverse Show’ at The Ritz you and Ariana allowed the motley crew to stay at your apartment. I bet you wish you had not opened up your place to us. I had ended a long-time relationship with Joe Jackson and he lived across the street from you.
Nick: Oh it was fun having Debutantes in the house !! Never knew Joe Jackson was across the street !!
Punk Globe: How did The Stimulators decide to call it a day?
Nick: Stimulators soldiered on … Harley moved on to later do Cro Mags. We recruited Genji from Nasty Facts for a couple of shows then Callum from the Deans. Sadly Patrick got AIDS/GRID before anyone knew what it was …he was just exhausted all the time. He sang as long as he could . But finally had to stop singing. He moved to Vegas to stay with his mom and a few months later we got word he’d passed, Very Unfortunate. R I P Patrick Mack.
We worked for a few shows with Pete Heslin at the tail end . He was great as well. He also passed a few years ago R I P Peter Heslin. We also had Denise’s sister Jeanie sing a bit. She’s still alive and well
After a bit longer we were not doing as well as we should have been and just decided to call it. Around 83 or 84 ….I can’t remember the official end date.
Punk Globe: Are you in touch with the other members of The Stimulators
Nick: We’re all friends. Anne left on bad terms and went west ..she’s still in the wind. She came to a show of Jacks somewhere in California in the late 80’s that’s the last we heard of her. If anyone knows or sees her please say hello for me. Denise, Harley, and I have done a few shows since we split. I was a roadie for Denise’s tribute bands GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS ( Crüe ) and JUDAS PRIESTESS . And we’ve done some songwriting on occasion.
We may yet play again
Punk Globe; Tell us about your next musical endeavor: was it Flash Cooney And The Deans Of Discipline?
Nick: FLASH COONEY AND THE DEANS OF DISCIPLINE !!! Callum asked if I’d like to play in Deans after Stimulators were over . He and his brother Andrew ( a k a FLASH ) had been doing the band since 1976. We did it for a couple years then Callum had to go and we acquired the wonderful Ira Sebastion Elliot . Who was playing in numerous bands and is now playing in NADA SURF. We did our Hilly Crystal produced record on Celluloid “HORRORGLITTERTRANSVESTOBILLY ” Buy it if you see it …it’s great . We are to this day the one and only horror glitter transvestobilly band in the land. We decided to pigeonhole ourselves …because we loved the Cramps, Dolls, Kiss, ZZ Top, ACDC. Alice Cooper MOTORHEAD, Liberace … etc. We were too rock for the weirdies and too weird for the rockers . But we tended to win over whoever was/is at the show. Flash would wear body paint spandex or grass skirts. I was wearing kilts and suits. Our singer was making his own ensembles . … All good fun! We also blew off some homemade confetti cannons and flash pots for good measure . There were still chicken feathers and glitter in the CBGB ceiling until its last days .We later added Jason Wilkins from the mighty SICK F*CKS on lead guitar . We played for a while with Mr. Steve Missle and the fabulous Bill Funcheon on drums …and are still occasionally gigging to this day with Paul Gifford on drums.
Punk Globe; The list of bands and performers you have played with tell us who they were.
Nick: Defectors ( Had 1/2 a set but ever played out ) Even Worse Which we’ve discussed. Stimulators … discussed as well. Deans . I played in Letch Control …I was in The Blowtorch Boys with Jonathan ( THE HOOD )Prosser and Ivan Ivan and Matt Green for a while. Drum machine bass and guitar. I joined The False Prophets For the last few years of their/ our run. We did good work. I played in I did Bulldozer with Joe Truck for a while. Solid rock. Then I think Suicide King came up. Some records ..( You might like them ) some u s van tours a quick Japan some Europe. An EP 45 with Tommy Dog Alex from The misguided and Das Damen and Jack on drums again ..Called Lás Bás . He’s a venerable native NYer, musician, producer soundsmith..all around groovy guy … who was hanging out at 12 at years old . Comiserating with Lester Bangs ,Lou Reed and everyone else. Seeing what ever shows he could get into until he was of age . And he’s still around. A couple of shows with Eric from Honky Toast. A Jesse Malin gig. A Cycle Sluts From Hell gig. A band called Jungle Book for one Pyramid gig. With Drew from Insect Surfers A gig with a late version of the great SCAB with Manon Briere Three gigs with Merrill Hurwich from PMS and Wench. Sang (?) some backups on Pollywog Stew, .Because we were all practicing at Jerry William’s 171 A RIP Jerry (Jay Dublee) Williams And an Iggy tribute the week before lockdown. That was a little scary but we survived. Unlike many poor souls in the years that followed. That’s all that comes to mind right now . I’m sure I’ll remember others tomorrow
Punk Globe: I remember you playing with 4 Way and The Suicide Kings I remember you played The Bottom Of The Hill for the BBQ and your entire family came to support you.. Did that surprise you?
Nick: It was a nice surprise when the family showed up at the Bottom of The Hill. Mimi politely said … “We were tight.
Punk Globe: Your Auntie Joan Baez and I chowed down the BBQ together and had a killer time, She pinched my cheek and told me I was cute… That was incredible
Nick: It was all fun that afternoon.
Punk Globe: Suicide King came to play in Los Angeles a few years later and had some issues with the band’s name Suicide King and another unknown band that was also Suicide King tell us about that.
Nick: I think that THE HUMPERS had called themselves Suicide King or Kings at one point . But I don’t think any Humpers are in the current L-A Suicide Kings They threatened us with cease and desist … even though we were singular. But we just added NYC to our name and that was that. They may still be around but we’re the only King …besides Elvis. A friend may have given them a drunken earful over the phone one night but nothing more than that happened.
Punk Globe: Are you currently playing with anyone or just freelance? You are interviewed in Danny Garcia’s film Night Clubbing how rad is that?
Nick: Denise and I are still noodling around a bit now and then And The Deans are still playing here and there. But no 2 year world tours in the offing. May get serious 24/7 again at some point. But not this week. Yes, Night Clubbing is great.
Punk Globe: How is your beautiful place doing after all the refurbishments you did with it? It was a night and day difference from the Ira and Jessica days. Especially with how gentrified the area has become.
Nick: The apartment is fine … but the cheerleading oblivious rude, inconsiderate college students can be annoying at times. The crackheads were quieter!
Punk Globe: Describe yourself in three words.
Nick: Decent human being
Punk Globe Punk Globe is 46-year-old in 2023 Nick. Do you remember that spectacular badass button you made years ago? Any last words for the readers?
Nick: Unfortunately I can’t recall that button. WTD, Punk Globe? Wait ..was there a Globe involved? Not sure I made a few buttons over the years. Would have liked to interview in person More personal and variable. I just hope I gave some sufficient answers. You all take care out there now !!! We’ll see y’all again sometime !!! Keep up the good work !!!!
