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Mystery Island Interview with Stan Lee by Lucy Hell

2007 -- Here's a cool interview with The Dickies Stan Lee by Lucy Hell for Mystery Island Magazine. Check out the full original version, which includes pictures from Stan Lee's personal collection, at www.mysteryisland.net/thedickies. The text is reproduced here with permission.

Lucy: As of April 2007 are there any plans for The Dickies to record a new album?

Stan: We are working on one more but it will be a while ...

Lucy: Are the Dickies still touring?

Stan: We do still play around, we did europe in 2005.

Lucy: Was Neil Diamond really contacted to write The Dickies a love song? That would have been incredible. Maybe you guys should cover "Love on the Rocks."

Stan: Yes, we did ask him, but we wanted another "I'm a Believer" and didn't hear anything that was near that caliber.

Lucy: Why didn't your version of "Secret Agent Man" ever appear on any of the albums? It would have gone great on All This and Puppet Stew. Just curious. I heard an MP3 and it sounded like it could have been great. Any insight ...

Stan: "Secret Agent Man" was done in a living room and wasn't a proper recording. It was a one night thing for that project and didn't pay enough to warrant any better attention.

Lucy: What was it like for Stan Lee of The Dickies to meet Stan Lee of Marvel Comics?

Stan: It was awesome.

Lucy: As a kid did you ever carry a metal lunch box to school?

Stan: No metal lunch box to school, so I made up for it by collecting Spider-man lunch boxes.

Lucy: MCA Records released a compilation of "Saturday Morning" songs that included two songs The Dickies had already wisely recorded. The Violent Femmes did "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah" and Helmet covered "Gigantor." Why weren't The Dickies included on that album?

Stan: I dont know.

Lucy: What are your favorite TV shows?

Stan: In no particular order, American Idol, South Park, America's Next Top Model, House, Boston Legal and reruns of Leave it to Beaver!

Lucy: Tell us a funny concert story:

Stan: Aaaaaaaaaah, I just woke up and that would involve thinking and typing and I type with one finger ...

Lucy: Does Leonard still have a puppet penis?

Stan: Yes.

Lucy: What punk band (outside of The Dickies) do you like the most?

Stan: Well, if I only get one to choose it would have to be The Ramones.

Lucy: Why are most of the so-called punk bands today so goddamned boring?

Stan: Are there new punk bands?

Lucy: Did you guys ever play with Flipper, The Germs, or Joe Pop-O-Pie?

Stan: I think that we played with Flipper a couple or few times or maybe I just did narcotics with the singer, can't remember those days all that well. I was busy... The Germs played with us a number of times, those were the days! Joe pop o who?

Lucy: Sorry, Joe's out of San Francisco. You can read his interview at: www.mysteryisland.net/popopie.

Would The Dickies ever consider covering "House of the Rising Sun"? It would be a punk classic.

Stan: Some classics can't be topped and I'm thinking that that's one of them ...

Lucy: What's your favorite Dickies song?

Stan: Bestest Dickies song for me would be "Attack of the Mole Man," what a spooky middle part in the song, ooooh scarry!

(Editor's note: "Attack of the Mole Man" is available on the CD: Dawn of The Dickies).

Lucy: Please tell us a Dickies secret:

Stan: Then it wouldn't be a secret now would it! Nice try though. Being a man of few words, I think that you got a lot of letters out of me! Hope there's enough for your interview.

Lucy: Wait, that's not all! We need to know what kind of ice cream Stan Lee eats!

Stan: Chocolate almond!

Lucy: It's been a honor talking you with, Stan. Keep on bowlin' with Bedrock Barney.

Editor's note: Lucy Hell's favorite Dickies song is: "I'm Stuck In a Condo (With Marlon Brando)" from the Idjit Savant album.

"Stan Lee of The Dickies Interview" by Lucy Hell © 2007 Mystery Island Publications. Edited and formatted by Bradley Mason Hamlin. Photos of Stan Lee from the collection of Stan Lee. All rights reserved.

Also check out:

• The Dickies Website
• Voodoo Beat
• Mystery Island Magazine

Lucy interviewed the Dead Kennedys' East Bay Ray summer 2008. Read Lucy's interview with East Bay Ray here »