Our first meet took place before his concert at one of Thessalonica's downtown bars where we arranged for an interview the following day. Present at the discussion was also Stefan Schwerdtfeger of Big Sleep.

Nikki, you've been around in the music scene for over 30 years now. You started out with the Swell Maps with your first release in 1977. Tell me about these early days, for the artists that have influenced you and about the music you wanted to put out.

The first band I ever liked and I wanted to be close to them were T-Rex, the first T-Rex Single I bought was Telegram Sam while their first album I bought was Electric Warrior. At that period I thought that since I love music I should try playing some. So I went on and bought myself a guitar for 6 pounds - a horrible guitar - and I started playing. At the same time, my brother (Epic Soundtracks) decided he wanted to become a drummer and another friend of our bought a guitar. We started rehearsing and recording two times a week - whoever's house was free. That's how Swell Maps came to life.

Besides T-Rex, who were my biggest influence at that time, I was also influenced by bands such as the New York Dolls, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Velvet Underground - all the usual stuff that is (he laughs). But, whatever my influences were, my songs always had this personal feel, even if I tried to write a song to sound exactly like the Stones it would always end up sounding like one of mine.

How did you come to record your first solo album (Waiting On Egypt) and why that big delay in releasing it?

After the break up of the Maps, Easter of 1980, right after the completion of our second album, I released a single and for a year I only played three gigs. I lived in London back then, I had been writing songs but I felt weird with the absence of the other Swell Maps members. With these guys I had been playing for the whole of my life and it seemed to me really hard and un-usual to find and play with other musicians. So… my first solo album was delayed for two more years to come, something that nowadays is totally normal but back then was unnecessarily big. When the Swell Maps broke up I was twenty-three years old and I thought I was too old to do something like that again.

That sounds very pessimistic…

You know, when you're twenty-three you think that those who are twenty-five or twenty-six are old.

So, after three years of self-expression the Jacobites were formed. By the way, your first self-titled album is a big favourite of mine.

Thank you, the Jacobites are Dave Kusworth and me. We will go out on a tour this September while we plan to release a new album next year.

Really? I thought that the Jacobites were finished.

I think that the Jacobites will finish the day we die. Dave is one of my best friends, probably the best. You know, sometimes between a special relationship is built between some band members, a kind of relationship that sometimes it's magical.
When my brother died, me and Dave hooked together and played two gigs as the Swell Maps with two different drummers. Then, when me and Dave were in a room it was like the three of us were there even though we hadn't played for years. I love playing alone, or with my new band The Last Bandits but I always love playing with Dave in the Jacobites. It's the other side of the same coin.

With the Jacobites you had a notable music presence. Did it ever occur to you that you never had the success you really deserved?

This is something I can never stop thinking of. Maybe it has to do with luck. I was very lucky in my life - in many ways - besides that one. I think that I should play in front of 2.000 people and that I should have the commercial success of a band like The Waterboys who had a No. 1 Single.

Did it ever cross you mind to actually do something as to make your music more commercial?

Generally speaking I think that my music is commercial but not in the broad sense. This might be also the problem. There were times I would finish a song, saying it's going to be a hit single and the record company wouldn't release it even as a single. When you release a new album you want the entire world to listen to it, not just a few thousand people.

On the other hand, I strongly believe that my albums will be still played in many years to come as opposed to other well-known bands having currently a No.1 hit single, get all the exposure from the music press. All these (bands) will be forgotten really soon despite the back-up funds they get and the frontcovers they get in magazines like Q. As far as the music press is concerned - that plays its own important role in this game - it is flooded by fashion hypes and totally ignores you unless you're promoted as the artist of the month, or you're so big that you can't be ignored. As I said before, when you put out an album you want the whole world to listen to it, not just two or three thousand people.

I believe though that all these will change with the release of my new album Treasure Island. It's the album I always wanted to make and whoever has heard it tells me it's the best album I have done so far.

I really hope it is…

If this album fails then it will be my fault and only then I'll stop such attempts and I'll start putting out solo acoustic albums - they're much cheaper and you only need a day in the studio. The fact that Treasure Island will be released in my label grows bigger responsibility on my behalf in case of a commercial failure. I shall only blame my self and nobody else.

I remember, when I was signed to Creation, me and Rowland Howard had put out a 12" single entitled Wedding Hotel. When Alan McGee heard it he said it was the best thing Creation had released so far but he did nothing to promote the single and I strongly believe that if he had done so we would be speaking of a really big hit - it was a really good chance but also something that I could not do something about it.

Tell me about your relationship with Alan McGee

Alan has released many of my albums on his label. He's a friend of mine and a cool guy but he's made a lot of money with Oasis.

You mentioned before that your new album will be released by your own label. Who will be in charge of the distribution?

When I completed Treasure Island, I sent four songs to Glitterhouse who had released my latest albums and I was surprised to hear they wouldn't release the album.

Was it a matter of risk?

I don't think that it would be a risk for Glitterhouse to release the album. The last time we discussed they mentioned that 90% of their releases doesn't sell more than 500 copies while my albums never fall down below 10.000 copies, despite that fact they don't want to release Treasure Island, its really weird. One thing of certain is that with your own label you make more money. As far as the promotion is concerned ill roam the streets and I'll enter every record store with the CD's under my arms, just like Sam Philips had done. Some gigs will be organized - information will be available on my website (by the way on that website there's everything you need to know about Nikki).

You mentioned yesterday that you are currently based in Berlin and that you travel around the world often. To what extent has that being an influence on what you're doing?

By travelling around the world you get to know different cultures. A few days ago I was in Amorgos. I would write two songs everyday for 10 days, and they are really good songs. I remember a few years ago I was in Paris and I hadn't been out of my room for three days but the fact that I was in Paris - the feel I mean - influenced and marked the songs I wrote that period. My inspiration is positively affected when I visit places. I'm the kind of person who is bored to stay at the same place for more than two weeks, I like to constantly move. The last three months I have slept only 5 days in my apartment in Berlin and imagine I have to pay the rent.

How did you get to meet Stefan?

During the soundcheck of a gig in Munich in 1994 he came up to me. He had recorded an amazing cover of my song, Where The Rivers End.

I like Primal Scream, Mercury Rev, Evan Dando, Wilco and some newer ones like Chicago's Chamberstrings and the Cry Babies. On the other hand I don't like bands such as Supergrass who on their latest album they want to sound exactly like T-Rex.

What shall we expect from your new album?

It's the album Nikki Sudden always wanted to make and finally does it. It's one of my favourite albums and I will be greatly disappointed if people wont like it.

Treasure Island by Nikki Sudden and The Last Bandits will be released sometime soon.