Puddle of Mudd
Michelle LaRose talks with Wes Scantlin for Garage Radio Magazine
Photographs by Michelle LaRose

Puddle of Mudd hit the charts hard in 2001 with their debut album Come Clean. The album bore three number one chart-topping hits, Blurry, Drift & Die and She Hates Me.

With the release of their latest album Famous another number one hit was born with Psycho.  

We were able to sit down with lead singer Wes Scantlin and talk about the new album, his recipe for chicken and how he was kicked out of Graceland.

GR: We are talking with Wes… Wesley? Wes?

Wes: Yeah whatever

GR: I'm talking with Whatever from Puddle of Mudd

Both laughing

GR: The new album Famous was originally titled, Living On Borrowed Time. Why was the title changed?

Wes: Um, well… You know what? I don't know. Laughing.

GR: How can you not know this? It's your album.

Wes: Somebody else changed it and really I'm just happy that the record is out finally and I'm going to get up on stage and rock it as hard as I can for everybody.

GR: I hear there's a story behind Living On Borrowed Time.

Wes: Yep, Christian, our guitar player's brother who is serving in the war, he's got Living On Borrowed Time on his chest but it's backwards so when he looks at it in the mirror it is straight. We wrote a song called Living On Borrowed Time. He didn't know we had written the song, we didn't know he had the tattoo so it was pretty cool. But! They changed the title.

GR: You sound relieved that the new album is out. What was the big hold up on the release?

Wes: There are a lot of different issues that had to do with that and I'm just fully psyched and stoked that the record is out now and I worked my butt off and I love everybody.

Both laughing.

GR: He's taking the middle of the road approach!

Both laughing.

GR: He's not going to piss anybody off with that question!

Both laughing.

Wes: Negative!

GR: We saw you cooking Heavenly Jalapeno Chicken on the internet. Do you cook often?

Wes: I cook all the time. I love grilling. I'm from Kansas City Missouri and if anybody out there thinks they can out-grill me man… step up! I'm from KC, I can cook!

GR: Is that really your own recipe?

Wes: Yes. I invented that but I had help from one of my dad's friends from when I was a little kid. It used to be Hella' Jalapeno Honey Chicken, now it's Heavenly Jalapeno Honey Chicken because it makes you say hallelujah.  But the corn, if you actually see the video, usually I do it on the grill and that day I had a top surface where there's no steaming aspect to the whole deal so it wasn't like the real deal stuff. I had to fake it for the show.

GR: You performed for our troops in Iraq. Weren't you apprehensive about going into such a hostile environment?

Wes: It was a little weird. We had to wear flap jackets and Kevlar helmets. We flew on a C-130 and some Black Hawks it was really fun. The troops are seriously taking care of business. It was definitely a learning experience and my hat's off to everybody that's over there sweating their brains out. I hope everybody makes it home safely. (Chewing gum)

GR: I knew you were a gum chewer. I about brought you a pack of gum! Every time I saw you on Youtube you were chomping gum.

Wes: It's Nicorette gum! It's cinnamon! I am on the road to not smoking. I'm quitting.

GR: When was the last time you had a cigarette.

Wes: No comment!

Both laughing.

Wes: All I know is I'm chewing Nicorette gum and its really good!

GR: Back to Iraq… What kind of things were you hearing from our troops?

Wes: The soldiers over there are really doing a great job. It's really hot over there. It was really fun playing for all of them. If we hadn't played for the troops and the soldiers, just hanging out with them and bringing a little piece of America to them, they miss their families a lot and their friends. Hopefully they'll make it back in one piece. We went to a lot of hospitals where stuff didn't look so great. But they're pulling it together and they're taking care of business and I hope that everyone makes it home safe.

GR: You also helped build homes for Hurricane Katrina victims. What can you tell us about that?

Wes: Habitat for Humanity was an amazing experience. I used to build houses, or I used to carry wood.

Both laughing

Wes: I used to carry two by fours for five bucks an hour. It was well worth it I guess. Habitat for Humanity was great because the people from Katrina, the disaster that happened, it wasn't all about New Orleans. New Orleans got wiped out. Biloxi got wiped out. There are several other places that got wiped out completely. If I could just put a couple nails in some wood to put shelter over some peoples lives then I was really proud to do it and all of the people that were involved in the whole situation were very kind and we had a good time that day. Actually we just saw the guy in the airport last night that was the main construction guy. So my hat's off to all those people and we are going to try and take care of sheltering people and everybody's been through a hard time so we're going to try and pull it back together for everybody.

GR: What is SearchWithPuddleOfMudd.com?

Wes: Search with Puddle of Mudd?

GR: Yes.

Wes: Wow! I really have no clue!

GR: It's a search engine that has your name all over it and the more you search, the better your chances are of winning tickets to see you or get autographed stuff.

Wes: Oh really?

GR: Am I giving you the scoop?

Wes: Yeah!

GR: I gave you a scoop now give me a scoop.

Wes: I like Scooby Doo!

Both laughing

Wes: Shaggy's pretty awesome too!

Both laughing

GR: Hey, you could be a good Shaggy!

Wes: Yeah! Shaggy's my bro!

Both laughing

GR: We hear you were kicked out of Graceland. How did you manage that?

Wes: Well, we did the tour of Graceland and Elvis's house is very nice. It was very hot out that day. I fortunately had swimming trunks on that day and me and Ryan my drummer, he kind of triple dog dared me and I went for it. I didn't hurt anybody. I didn't break anything but I had nice form on my cannon ball.

GR: You jumped into Elvis's pool! (Laughing to tears)

Wes: Yes I did! If it hurt any of the Presley family's feelings, I'm very sorry. But it was hot out. I had good form at least!

GR: And the Germans gave him a ten!

Wes: As long as you have good form. I could have gone in long and then it would have really been wrong. Thank God I grew up on a lake.

GR: What a rock star thing to do!

Wes: I just work here man!

GR: The Psycho video was actually filmed on the Psycho set at the Bates Motel. Where is that at?

Wes: That is in the Universal back lot at Universal Studios in Los Angeles California. It's amazing. It's weird, the whole hotel and the house and the stairs and you have War Of The Worlds behind it. It was really cool. We had a good time. Everybody that helped out on that video… My hat's off to them and I thank them very much.

GR: It was a great video. Now you know you can't bludgeon someone with a banana.

Wes: Is that a trick question?

GR: Can you bludgeon someone with a banana?

Wes: It depends on your interpretation of banana.

GR: You guys seem like practical jokers. Do you play pranks on the road?

Wes: Oh my Lord!

GR: Come on give me some dirt!

Wes: No!  I don't do anything bad ever!

GR: Not according to the face I'm looking at.

Wes: I don't know. I just work here.

GR: (Glaring at Wes)

Wes: What? I have nothing to say.

GR: Bullshit.

Wes: What happens on the road stays on the road.

GR: The Famous video is riddled with famous faces. Lets play the word association game. Tell me the first thing that comes to mind when I mention…

GR: Michael Jackson.

Wes: Michael Jackson rocks.

GR: Paris Hilton.

Wes: Didn't do it.

GR: Britney Spears.

Wes: Would have never done it.

GR: Do you think people are crossing the line in search of fame?

Wes: Shoot. That's a tricky question. As long as they don't hurt themselves. Go for it. Go big. Go huge. Get psyched out as long as you don't break your head I guess it's worth it.

GR: Are you hoping to be famous some day? (Roaring with laughter)

Wes: Me? No. I just sit in a room and play guitar, sing into a mic. That's all I do. Take care of my family and my friends and having the best life that I can.

GR: If you keep jumping into people's swimming pools I think you'll be famous. (Roaring with laughter)

Wes: Hello? Hi everybody! This is Wes Scantlin hanging out and guess what? I like to party too!

GR: Ok Wes, I'd like to thank you for speaking with Garage Radio today.

Wes: I love garages. Thanks a lot.