Nikki Sudden JAM - October 2002 Interview by Christian Diemoz

The "untroubled dandy" mask falls for a second from Nikki Sudden's face, when your interviewer gets curious about his new project, called Treasure Island. "We're almost at the end of it. It's the best album I've ever recorded" tells the guitarist. "Honestly, it gave me the chance to work with people I've ever dreamt to have on my side". You wouldn't expect such a load of enthousiasm from an artist who - since the first steps in the musical scene (taken in 1977 in the Swell Maps, a meaningful name from the antagonist british domain) - ran as an independent, without rich griffes on his shirt and carrying a bag full of disillusion on his shoulders. However, once heard the remaining of the story, it's not difficult to understand the optimism of this enigmatic guitar man, who passed from the rage of Johnny Rotten and Syd Vicious' years to the mature conscience of a genuine rock. In his German flat (Berlin adopted him at the dawn of the eighties), he recalls without loosing his aplomb that last august night, when his favourite band, the Rolling Stones ("they never disappointed me"), presented one thousand lucky Toronto fans with a surprise gig. We're talking about an opportunity he wouldn't have missed for anything on earth, but that night he let it fall off. In fact, he was in the studio with a former member of Sir Jagger's court. Yes, you've got it right: Mick Taylor, Stones' guitar hero on Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street, paints of his unique blues licks two Treasure Island tracks. But you still haven't heard it all. Not so many around are suspecting that Jacobites' founder (he gave life to that band in 1983, togheter with bassist Dave Kusworth) is about to write the word "end" on a book about Ronnie Wood's intense career. The glance is aimed especially at the days of his jumping from Rod Stewart's sail ship to the pirate vessel of captain Keith Richards. An accurate work, synthetizing a deep research, which culminated in a further extension of Treasure Island guest appareances' list. "Former Faces keyboardists Ian MacLagan", unveils proudly Nikki, "plays on six tracks of the album. On the other hand, Bj Cole is on four. Then, I've not lost all my hopes to have also Dave Swarbrick joining soon". Briefly, a parterre de roi on which more than an independent artist would love to count on. Then, running on the tracks of Sudden's memories, the conversation moves on a blaspheme Jacobites concert in Italy. "It was in 1985", tells a smiling Nikki, "and even if I wrote 'Psycho Club' in my diary, I'm sure it was a sacred building in Genova's center. During the whole afternoon, we asked for food, obtaining only some wine bottles. So, you can easily guess that, when we jumped on stage, our shape wasn't the best possible. Normally, we were swapping our instruments, depending on who was singing, but when my guitar passed onto Kusworth, the situation degenerated. I still remember a priest shaking his fist while we were leaving the place". Talking again about Treasure Island, the ninth solo adventure of his discography, Nikki's disillusion luggage soon surfaces again. "Studio work it's enoguh ahead. Now it's a matter of finding a label interested in investing to complete the album". Considering all the above, nothing troubles an happy end of this story. To get the word's announcement, anyways, stay tuned on the site www.nikki-sudden.com.