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- [00:00]
Roddy Bottom
Jack Daniels is proudly served in fine establishments, questionable joints and everywhere in between. So no matter where you go in every bar, you'll always know someone by name. Jack Jack and Coke shot at Jack.
- [00:17]
Rebecca Buchanan
Jack Daniels, please.
- [00:18]
Roddy Bottom
Right away. That's what makes Jack Jack. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org Jack Daniels and Old Number 7 are registered trademarks. Tennessee Whiskey, 40% alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee.
- [00:34]
Rebecca Buchanan
When did making plans get this complicated?
- [00:37]
Roddy Bottom
It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss.
- [00:50]
Rebecca Buchanan
A meme or milestone.
- [00:51]
Roddy Bottom
All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn more@WhatsApp.com Limu Gay Mo and Doug.
- [01:02]
Rebecca Buchanan
Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. But now we want you to feel it.
- [01:08]
Roddy Bottom
Cue the emu music.
- [01:09]
Rebecca Buchanan
Limu. Save yourself the money today. Increase your wealth. Customize and save. We save. That may have been too much feeling.
- [01:21]
Roddy Bottom
Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty, Liberty. Liberty Savings. Very unwritten. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts. Welcome to the New Books Network.
- [01:35]
Rebecca Buchanan
Hi, this is Rebecca Buchanan, host of New Books Network, New Books and Popular Culture. And today I'm here with Roddy Bottom, who is the author of his newest memoir, the Royal W.E. roddy.
- [01:45]
Roddy Bottom
Thanks for being here with me today, Rebecca. Thank you for having me. I get chills when I hear my name. It's so ego driven, but I can't help it. I always say, like when I see my name in a font, I'm like, ooh. I just had the same sort of like, ooh, chills when you said Roddy Bottom, the author. What? I don't know what you said, but it made me feel good.
- [02:05]
Rebecca Buchanan
Good. Can you start? So you wrote this memoir. Can you talk a little bit about how this came to be? Why you decided to put out your memoir and put it out now?
- [02:16]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, sure. You know, I've been in a lot of bands. My life in my life, and I lived a lot of craziness. You know, I've had a lot of peaks and valleys and weird, crazy, weird times. I think mostly it's the weird times that I think sort of like pushed me in the direction of, like, getting it down on paper. I tell a lot of stories and I talk about in my book, I think, or an earlier Draft of the book. I always consider myself a writer, you know, but I've never really written anything. Like, I'm always though, in my head I'm just telling stories and aloud I'll tell stories to anyone who will kind of listen, but I'm always sort of like forming the stories and playing with words. And I have like. I mean, I say I've never written anything, but I. I write lyrics. I've been in bands my whole life. I do like prose and lyric writing and I write really good texts and emails. But at some point, like around the Pandemic, my friend JD Sampson, I'm in this band with JD called Crickets. And she was like. She said to me one day, she was like, are you doing your morning pages? And I was like, what's that? And as I said, what's that? I knew exactly what you meant. Like, oh, morning pages. Which is this process that's sort of outlined in like the Artist's Way, that book in which, you know, obviously you just get up in the morning. The first thing you do before coffee, anything, you just like write for an hour. And she said that. And for whatever reason it kind of resonated. And it was in the time of COVID And I was like, morning pages. And so I just started getting up every morning and like writing for an hour, just like freeform. And I started off kind of like telling the story of my life in a crazy way, which is really ambitious and a weird thing to do, but I don't know, that Pandemic brought weirdness out of all of us, you know, and it was just something that I followed the course of. And after kind of a long time it kind of like had the form of a book and I was like, oh, this is what I'm doing. I'm writing a book.
- [04:25]
Rebecca Buchanan
That's awesome. Yes, I know the morning page as well. So you wrote this. Can you talk a little bit? Maybe we can talk about kind of your background. You mentioned you weren't a number of bands, but even before that, kind of where you grew up in that. Because that becomes really important in this book. And I think. And we'll get into it, but I also think you give this lovely insight into what it was like to be in a certain space and place in the late, mid, late 80s and early 90s and what that was like, especially music wise. So can you talk a little bit though about your childhood? Because that comes up a lot in the book.
- [05:04]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, yeah, thanks. The name of the book is the Royal we. And I kind of named it that because, like, I mean, I find myself and my generation of, like, contemporaries and all the people I kind of grew up with and sort of, like, came into ourselves at the same time. We are kind of like an entitled group of people. It feels like, in a way that, like, we kind of just stumbled into this kind of, like, magic time frame before the Internet happened. I grew up in Los Angeles as a young kid, and I'm gay. And it was a hard time, like, as a kid in the 70s, to grow up with not a lot of role models. The people I had to look up to were kind of hard to find. And sort of like, the ones that I did find were, like, kind of cartoon caricatures of, like, what it was to be a gay man. So I kind of grew up in a time I didn't really, like, have any direction and I didn't have any role models. And it was like, kind of like just kind of blindly kind of trying to find myself. And when I got out of high school in Los Angeles, I moved to San Francisco for not really any reason whatsoever, but I went up there and went to college and went to film school. And that particular geographic of San FRANCISCO in the 80s 90s, like, when I moved up there, it was 1981 was absolutely magical. There was the hippie movement was kind of, like, had died down. And, like, punk was totally a thing. And I kind of had already sort of established myself as a punk rocker in la, But I moved to San Francisco, and San Francisco was, like, so weird, so dark. Like, all of a sudden there was, like, goth rock, like, in a way that we didn't really know in LA so much. Everything was dark and moody and really intense. The drugs were different. Like, kids did crystal meth and stuff and heroin. And, you know, I had just done pot. Like, I bring that up. Like, I don't mean to glorify it, but it was just part of the backdrop. And then there was still, like, a residue of, like, what had been in San Francisco before. I got, like, witchery and sort of, you know, crazy hippie commune sort of vibes. And it was this weird clash of a time between, like, punk rock and hippies that was, like, just so odd. There were bicycle messengers, you know, which I did for a long time. And just like a crazy generation of kids that were just kind of learning things without the Internet, without cell phones. And it was just a really magical time frame and long story, but that's kind of why I called it the Royal Week, because it just feels like this really privileged, entitled sort of sense of royalty of like the generation that happened into that little window right there feels really privileged and like royalty in a way. And it kind of refers also to like San Francisco. My book kind of ended up being kind of as much about San Francisco and that timeframe as it is about me and coming out and dealing with stuff.
- [08:16]
Rebecca Buchanan
Yeah, that's one thing I really loved because I'll read histories or like oral histories. A lot of them, the ones that are about punk are just focusing on sort of punk in San Francisco area. Or the ones that are the 60s or the 70s are really focusing on that hippie movement and Haight Ashberry. And so I really appreciated you talking about that kind of melding because is not something. Because it happens all the time. But we don't often talk about it. Right. That idea that a generation just doesn't stop and the next one starts, but they are there together and you kind of talk about them sort of living in synchronicity together in some ways and just sort of letting each other be. And I really appreciated that take on that space in San Francisco at that time.
- [09:03]
Roddy Bottom
Thanks. Yeah, I mean, it was so specific. There are bands that are so specific to that that weren't just like straight up. Like, I think like LA had like a lot of like. They were almost cartoonish in a way. Like the punk bands that kind of like came out of LA at that time, like, you know, the Dickies or like even X to a certain extent. Like, there was a lot of deep stuff going on with these bands, but they were way more. It was a different vibe than San Francisco. San Francisco felt more like. Yeah, it was kind of embracing this weird psychedelic sort of like movement as well as like sort of adopting this forward thinking, like, punk rock thing. Like bands up there, like even Flipper was like mildly, you know, they were mildly psychedelic. My. One of my favorite bands was Fright Wig and they were kind of the same way. Like, so loud and brash and bratty, but still like sort of psychedelic, toiling midgets. Like a lot of bands that were coming out of San Francisco at that time felt that way. I like that bit. Like Butthole Surfers are a good example of like, you know, the ultimate band that were so punk rock but also like so hippie too. They were so psychedelic and so exploratory and really like relied on like past sort of like flavors, you know what I mean?
- [10:21]
Rebecca Buchanan
So you move up to San Francisco and you start to get involved in the music scene and you've Talked about it a little, but can you talk about that a little more? Like, getting involved in that scene, being a part of it? Because you talk, like, you mentioned sort of the psychedelic, and you talk a little bit about being in a band and not even caring. Caring if you had a singer or not. Right. Like, it was more about experimenting and figuring out the music. So can you talk a little bit about that and sort of your start in the music scene in San Francisco?
- [10:50]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, when I went up there, I think, like, it was kind of audacious to even, like, think about a band. I think we kind of, like, jumped into what we were doing. Faith no More started as more of an art project, which is hard to sort of wrap your head around when you see pictures of, like, what the band became and where we eventually went. It's sort of a stretch, but at the time when we started, like, I was going to film school, we were all, like, visually driven. We were sort of, like, interested more in provoking people in a way than we were even about making music. We ended up, like, making music because that's what we do. But our music was really provocative and just sort of. We would create these loops in which we just, like, bang on things or like, make a sort of, like a hypnotic thing that we thought was really special. And it was special, but it was really preposterous as kids, like, thinking, like, that would be something that we would share. But it was sort of our thing. That's what we did. We created these loops and got different singers for every show. And we were very much thinking outside of the norm of what was orthodox in terms of, like, let's start a band and have a singer and play shows and make records. We weren't going that route. We were really just living our weirdo selves and, like, fucking with people. That was our goal, to really mess with people's heads and to challenge sort of the norm. That's where we started. Like, three of us just started doing that. That was our thing. We, like. It was so. I mean, we were such ridiculous kids. Like, at the time, like, it was very dark. Like I was saying, gah. People with white face makeup and teased black hair and shrouds of, like, crazy, you know, drapey clothing. But we, like, you know, all. I mean, it's ridiculous where we went. But we. At the time, we really got. It was the crazy appropriation of, like, past cultures. But we got really, really into the Last Poets who are this black sort of, like crazy progressive, like, spoken words or Gil Scott Heron. Came from black poets. But it was really like, that's kind of what got us going. Like, it was so provocative and like, it's insane and inappropriate, I admit now, but at the time we didn't know. But we all grew dreadlocks and we would burn incense at our shows and candles and wear dashikis. I mean, it's kind of crazy where we went with it and it's not. I mean, I'm proud of like how crazy and how sort of like open minded we were, but it feels like a crazy misappropriation of that kind of culture. But I mean, it's just sort of an example of the sort of the stuff that we would do. But then we would also, like when, you know, the sort of like the parameters of what that music was in that scene was really strict. Like, people were really serious and it was dark and it was moody. And we learned how to play Van Halen's Jump and played that just because we were, you know, messing with people. But like, we were just kind of all over the map. Just really, just provocative and in a. Messing with people's heads. So it started off as kind of that and really like distant from sort of what a band would be.
- [14:06]
Rebecca Buchanan
Well, it's interesting that you mentioned too. I mean, being in San Francisco, which is really the epicenter of the Black Panthers as well, so there is a lot going on there with different kinds of social justice movements and movements that are happening that make sense that that's where you. Whether you are appropriate, you know, even if in hindsight you see maybe that wasn't the best move. But you're getting. You're seeing a lot of that too, within the space you're in.
- [14:32]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah. San Francisco is so different in that you're absolutely right. It's so political, like, especially compared to Los Angeles, which is just, you know, down the road. 400 miles is such a crazy, squeaky clean, like, you know, Hollywood entertainment industry actors and actresses working on their tans in the 80s. That's where I was kind of coming from. It didn't have the political ramifications at all that San Francisco did. And we got to San Francisco and like, oh my God, kids were going to protests and kids were playing benefits for squatters rights and really intellectually driven sort of scene, way more so than Los Angeles. And it was so unique unto itself. And from there it was a really good springboard to sort of like, oh, wow, you know, learn about the world and learn about sort of like social justice and what was happening.
- [15:27]
Rebecca Buchanan
Yeah. So for you, like, you get a part of this scene and throughout the book. And I appreciate too, because you mentioned la, that you really talk about the very differences for you being in LA or having to return to LA and then being in San Francisco and what that's like. But you're part of this scene. You sort of just get dumped into, or, I don't know, dumped into it. But you fall into the right place sort of at the right time, and people start to pay attention to your band. Right. And pay attention to the music that you're playing. So can you talk a little bit about that, too, that sort of trajectory and what that was like in thinking and writing about that?
- [16:11]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, it kind of came down to, like, honestly, I mean, people always say. I was hearing people. People's response to the question of, like, how do you make it, you know, like that sort of like, you know, in the entertainment industry. And it was just sort of the tenacity of, like, sticking around. We did what we did for a long time and a big part of it was just sort of the, like the. Yeah. Sticking around and doing what we're doing. And eventually we sort of hit a mark. It was also like, at the time, too, we wrote that song We Care A Lot, and that song sort of put us on the map in terms of, like, it was political and funny and sort of like, hit this musical mark that was like, catchy and sort of, like, I want to say inspirational. It didn't. I mean. Yeah, inspirational. I'm going to say that it felt like that particular song and that flavor of what we were doing really resonated at one point, and that opened a lot of doors for us.
- [17:08]
Rebecca Buchanan
Right. So this whole thing. Right. So you're writing about this. You're writing about this experience, but your memoir is also really about you, the people who you surround yourself with, what it's like to have to live in some of what I thought was really, I don't know, interesting is not the right word, but I think maybe important was having to live in that music space, especially when you're playing sort of heavier music that is really misogynistic and masculine. And also being a gay man and what that's kind of like. And having to deal with that. And so can you talk a little bit, too about the music space and the music space for you, personally, before you kind of came out in that space and then maybe coming out in that space, because you are a role model for a lot of folks. Right. Coming out in the early 90s in a rock Band. So, yeah, can you talk a bit about that?
- [18:03]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, sure. I mean, it was sort of like the music scene in which we had sort of, like, jumped into and were eventually kind of embraced and was, like, very, like, antiquated, like older men, very misogynistic, kind of based around the guitar. Which is kind of funny because the three of us who started the band, we always recognized the importance of the guitar, but we didn't really, like, address it so much. But it honestly comes down to that. We eventually started working with a guitar player who had, like, a flying V guitar. I'm just bringing that up to kind of like, so listeners can get the visual of that. Like, it's a really, like, heavy metal sort of, like, intense, like, macho kind of vibe, you know? And back then, it really was that sort of, like, you know, rock music was that there were not a lot of women in rock. You know, it was mostly man. And it was, like, super misogynistic. And. And we at one point, like, so the guys in Metallica were friends with this guy, our guitar player. So, I mean, which is cool. I love Metallica. And they were like. But it was a stretch. Like, we were so not that. In my eyes. From there, we started playing shows with them, and then Guns N Roses got on board all of a sudden. Like, what? In my head, we were so far from that, from that sound, from that vibe, from that sort of what they were doing. But all of a sudden we had these fans, and so we got asked to go on tour with Guns N Roses and Metallica. And it's like, absolutely, yes. Like, you would never say no to that. I was just like, yeah, heck, yeah, we would do it. And it almost felt like an artistic statement to sort of, like, do that show, because I felt like we weren't really about that. The audience who came to see us, they didn't really like us. We were different. But what I'm getting at is that world that existed, the big successful world at that point was, like, misogynistic. Like, big rock. And, like, the backstage scene at those sort of shows was just like, oh, my God, are you kidding me? Like, so big, gross. Like, women in bikinis and just, like, not where we were at, you know? And at the time, I was sort of like, I was gay, but amongst my friends. I didn't really talk about it and didn't think about it too much as being, like, an important thing. But there we were, like, particularly in that tour scenario, touring with Guns N Roses and Metallica and, like, seeing, like, Us being like, possibly regarded as that type of band was like, oh, no, you don't. I was like, guess what, I'm gay for starters. You know, like, to sort of like, just to sort of like, you know, give you some perspective. But at that point, like, this man, his name was Lance Loud, he asked to do an interview with me for advocate. And I'd never like, really come out and like, been open about my sexuality at that point, which was my own damage and where I was, whatever. But at that point, particularly in that environment, I felt like, okay, this is important. I've got to like, you know, sort of like wave this flag and let the world know that, like, at least, like, we're not this. And. And there are different avenues in this sort of genre that are not all misogynistic and not all like, you know, macho driven, like guitar crap. Which is not to say even Metallica. I love Metallica and Guns N Roses. There was, you know, they had something going on, but at the time, like, we jumped into that, like that record of theirs had come out and they used the N word and they used the F word, like in a. Like a prominent lyric in what they were singing and it was like, what the fuck we are not that. So it was really important for me to like, distance ourselves and myself particularly from that genre at that time.
- [21:56]
Rebecca Buchanan
Yes. And I will say your. You play music that was like you were playing when I was in high school and when I was in college. So. Right. Like I. I will say that I saw you at First Avenue with one of my all time favorites, Babes in Toyland. Right. Like, but I always thought it was. I always thought your band was a little more. Yeah, I never understood the monsters of rock because there was so much sort of a mix of funk and hip hop and like heavy stuff. In Faith no More. So, yeah, I thought that was an odd mix, but that's okay. You also, you talk a lot about, like, I think one of the things that you do is also talk about the people you were surrounded with. Right. And. And some of those people have passed away. Some of those people are still around. And so I wanted to talk a little bit about, like, writing about people who are so dear to you. Some, like I said, some are not here anymore for various reasons, and some are still here. And what that was like and making choices of who you decided to write about and whose name you know, who you named and who you didn't. And can you talk a little bit about that and the people you were around and and just writing about like folks who have passed on and that kind of. Yeah, what that was like. And putting this together in this memoir.
- [23:22]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, for sure. I always talk about like, you know, what's important to me in my life is the people, my friends, the people that I'm with. And my community is a really big part of what I do. So it was an easy sort of go to. To know what I was going to write about, who I was going to write about in the book. I don't really mention any last names for the most part. And it's sort of like that kind of comes from a place where like when I was finishing my book or writing it, even in the beginning, I was like, I'm not going to write like a tell all rock memoir. That's not what I was about, is not what I wanted to do. You know, the type of book, you know, memoir that you see maybe at the airport with pictures in the middle, that's like about like, I don't know, Patti LuPone comes up or something like that. Or like, I don't know who it would be, but you know what I mean, like your typical like, tell all memoir. I didn't want it to be that. So in my writing I chose to just like say first names, which, I mean, you know, we all know who I'm talking about. Like, talk about Courtney. Like, you know what Courtney? I talk about Kurt, her husband. Like we know who those people are, but it was just an exercise of me just saying first names just to sort of like distance myself from like the tell all kind of documentary memoir that I didn't want to do, but like choosing who I wrote about. It was just like the people that were important to me and like, people like that. Like Courtney was super positive, like crazy force in my life from the minute we met. We were really close and she was in the band for a while and she's, you know, like one of those people in my life. Kurt was also her husband, you know, like, and he passed away. And it's sort of like, I think at one point in my story, like a lot of people died. My father passed away, my good friend Cliff passed away, and Kurt passed away, like all in the course of like couple weeks. And that was just such a huge sort of pivot in my life. So that was really easy to write about. But there are people throughout that are just like, I think kind of like in terms of like, who's colorful, what stories really resonate, you know, what sort of like characters like readwell came up to me, like, my friend Lori the Raisin. We called her Lori the Raisin because she was kind of big and she wore wrinkled black clothing all the time. I mean, that in and of itself, like, who would not write about Lori the Raisin? And she dated this guy named Eric the Goose. So it was like the Goose and the Raisin were a couple. It's just such a funny that reads so well to me, and that's such a fun thing to tell about, like, people like that. There's a million stories of people like that in my life that just, like, kind of had colorful sort of, like, backdrops and Personas. And I think it comes down to what reads well and what writes well, but then also what I love to write about. Like, it's really fun to write about, like, crazy, colorful characters. Like, so fun to write about Courtney. I could write a whole book about that person. She's such a nut. I love writing about her. She did so many insane things when we were little and continues to. She's the exact same person now. She's always been just insane. And it's so fun to write about. So that dictated most of it, like, what was fun, what got me going.
- [26:38]
Rebecca Buchanan
Well, you can tell Courtney that I think she is absolutely amazing, entertaining all the time. I know she gets a bad rap from some people, but she does her thing and she's unapologetic for it. So I appreciate her completely for that. Like, so when you were writing, did you. Was this all just kind of. Here's what I remember. Did you sort of have to go back? Like, are you a, like, pack rat? And kept, like, kept anything that you went back to and looked at it. But can you talk a little bit about your process? Because I always find that really interesting, the different ways that people kind of create memoir and write about their experiences.
- [27:15]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, it's interesting to me, too. Like, how do people, like, process their past? How do they write about it? Like, I have a horrible memory at this point. Like, I can't remember anything from, like, yesterday. But for some reason, there's a big chunk of my life. I don't know when it started or end. But I do know, like, I couldn't recite the entire movie, the Poseidon Adventure. Like, I really like certain things. I just remember so well. And all of my, like, memories of, like, that sort of, like, chapter in my life and more. Like, when I was growing up, when I was coming into myself in my 20s and 30s, I remember really well. I'm not a pack rat. I don't save a thing. I don't have any records that I've made. I don't have any pictures. I don't have a thing. I don't save anything. I throw it all away. I don't hold on to anything. I'm really bad that way. So I didn't have a lot of stuff to sort of, like, to look at. At one point, there was, like, some kid wrote, like, a sort of a bio about Faith no More. And I didn't even have it, but I looked it up online just to sort of like, oh, wait, what was that? Like, that tour? And, like, what. Cause stuff did get, like, part of my whole journey is, like, heroin addiction. And so I was foggy through a lot of it. So at one point, I sort of leaned on that just for a minute to, like, get sort of my buttons in terms of, like, oh, yeah, okay, 1987. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then. Then, you know, stuff like that.
- [28:51]
Rebecca Buchanan
So did you feel, as you wrote, you started to, like, sometimes I'll write, and then I'll be like, it'll remind me of something else. And something else. Is that kind of. As you started to write, did you remember more, or was it just kind of. You already had that sort of picture of that time period?
- [29:07]
Roddy Bottom
Oh, for sure, yeah. Everything and open the floodgates of, like, memory. I was like, oh, yeah, Remember him? I had. Relax. Oh, remember him? Yeah, he had dreadlocks and, like, oh, yeah. Remember that show we played in front of city Hall? We were like, oh, what was that for? Oh, for squatters rights. Oh, yeah. I didn't have. Yeah. I didn't have a keyboard stand. I used an ironing board. That's the day that I met Lynn. Oh, my God. Lynn worked at that funny little cafe. What was the name of that cafe? Why was she working there? She had just moved from Reno, and she was in a band with five girls called the Rex.
- [29:44]
Rebecca Buchanan
And.
- [29:44]
Roddy Bottom
And, like, everything just like, Yeah. I had to, like, always sort of keep a pen nearby because I was like, oh, yeah. There was constant jogging of, like, oh, yeah, oh, yeah. But I never really shared it with anyone, the whole process. So I never got, like, feedback from anyone going, like, remember this? Remember that?
- [30:02]
Rebecca Buchanan
I was going to ask you that.
- [30:05]
Roddy Bottom
No, it was my own jogging in my own memory is. That's how it went down.
- [30:10]
Rebecca Buchanan
I love it. And you're really open, too, about your. You mentioned your addiction and sort of how that kind of framed what you did, who you were, how that kind of. And one of the themes, I think, that or I see in reading your book is that idea of secrecy, right? And hiding and secrecy. And so I don't know if that was, like, something that was really important for you to kind of talk about and think about, but could you talk a little bit about that? Whether it's the heroine or just the secrecy in general that you sort of experienced or lived through or lived as during that time?
- [30:47]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, for sure. Like, from an early age, like, growing up gay, it was always this kind of thing that I had to hide. I felt I had to hide in that era. Like I was saying before, I didn't have any role models. Like, and growing up, like, even to the point of moving to San Francisco, still, I didn't know any queer people in music, really. Even, like, Michael Stipe or Bob Mold were, like, you know, people in my periphery who I knew were gay, but none of them talked about it. So it was like, I'm coming from a place from a very young age in which, like, sort of, like, yeah, I would hide the fact that I was gay. And it became this thing, I think a lot of, like, my generation of, like, older gay men who grew through that sort of, like, that was a big sort of, like, theme in their life was, like, hiding things. Like, I talk about, like, the way you're supposed to hold a book. Like, you don't. As you're walking, you don't hold a book, like, clutched to your chest. You hold it, like, with your arms down, swinging, like, and at your side. That's what, like, a straight man will do. Or, like, when you look at your fingernails, you don't, like, put your fingers out in front of you and look at them. You make a fist sort of, and look at your fingers like that. Like, all sorts of things that I would do to hide the fact that I was gay, which is insane. But that's, you know, that's sort of what I grew up doing. And it did sort of morph into. Then, like, cut to later when I have a drug habit and I'm hiding that and keeping that from others and, like, going on tour and, like, the concept of, like, being in a hotel room, closing the door, hiding what I was doing, no one could know. It was a definite theme of a broken person, you know, myself. And kind of coming to terms with that, about how to deal with that and how to be open about stuff was kind of like the journey that I meant to be writing about. And it doesn't make a lot of sense, because there I was in San Francisco, the coolest Liberalist, most open minded city on the whole planet. And I as a young man was like concerned about what people would think if I was gay. That just doesn't make sense. You know, it's just sort of what happened and it was like how I grew up and it was a lot of the damage of me being a young kid and sort of like freaked out about stuff like that. But it's a weird concept and it was a, you know, an odd sort of like thing to navigate as a young person. Like, how do I. How do I be okay with this? You know, with being gay and, and not being embarrassed and feeling bad about it.
- [33:26]
Rebecca Buchanan
You know, one thing also, you talk a lot about your family and your family comes up in this and, and it. And I don't. In just in reading it, at least it didn't see. It seems like you were pretty close with your family, right? I mean there were issues as all families have issues, but it didn't seem like this was like you had to leave because you hated being with your family and around your family and all of that. So can you talk a little bit too about family and how like. Because you could have written a memoir that's just about here I am, here's the people I met who are famous or semi famous, you know, that kind of like that like you said, the kind of rock star memoir that you didn't want to write. But family is really important, it seems like in this. So can you talk a little bit about that and bringing that in?
- [34:09]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, I think it kind of comes down to do. Just dawns on me when you're saying this, Rebecca. It's like the things that I sort of like relied on honestly were the things that read well, the things that I, I could write about easily. And my family, I'm really lucky in that they're all kooks. They're all like crazy people. My sisters, I have three sisters and they're all nuts and they're kind of like, I call them a coven. And they're kind of like witchy because they all like, they're so tight and they have all these crazy sort of categories, subcategories unto themselves and who they are and the stories that we can tell as a family and what we did as we were kids growing up and what we did to survive and what we did as a crew, like brothers and sisters and sort of like getting through like the weird time that were the 70s, 80s were really colorful. They were really funny times, like. And that's what it kind of came down to mostly is, like, so many funny stories, you know, like, reading about the Sedarises is so much fun because, like, oh, my God, they're such nuts. You know, Every story is just so juicy and so filled with, like, funny, odd details. And I feel that way about my family. There's just, like, really odd things that we did that I know read well and were fun for me to write, and they're fun to hear about. So it was sort of like, yeah, one of those sort of bonuses of, like, I had a really odd family, and it was. It was. It served the book well.
- [35:48]
Rebecca Buchanan
So have your sisters read the book then? And do they?
- [35:50]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [35:52]
Rebecca Buchanan
Have they argued with you about what you wrote? Are they, like, okay, that's. That. That's fair.
- [35:56]
Roddy Bottom
It's kind of crazy because, you know, I talk a lot about. We haven't talked about when I was a kid, though. I was super sexually driven as a young person in a really insane way that doesn't. Like, it was dangerous and volatile. Like, I would, you know, go and look for sex in, like, the parks in Los Angeles and, like, even department stores and bathrooms and have sex with older men, like, throughout my life. That's where I kind of went with my, like, young self in my secrecy, but, like, kind of like just like a kid who was looking for sex. And that was something that I did, like, my whole life. When I was, like, young, like, from the age of, like, 13 years old, I would ride my bike up into, like, the Hollywood Hills and, like, find men and have sex in bushes and stuff, which is insane. For starters, like, we're in Hollywood, and that is crazy. Like, all older men, but my sisters, as close as we were, didn't know anything about that. And so writing the book and putting it out there, that was something like, okay, well, you're going to learn some things about me in reading this that has made me possibly surprising. That was always sort of in the back of my head, like, writing the book. I knew my sisters would read this. I mean, I didn't care so much about the rest of the world, but my sisters, like, who know everything about me, didn't know that about me. So it was a. It was a challenge to have that sort of on the plate in writing the book, because I knew that they would find out. And they were all, you know, of course they're super cool with it and they're fine with it. My sister did say to me the other day, like, in the thank yous, I thanked all my sisters, and then my Mom. And then Joey, my boyfriend. And then Stephanie, my sister, was like, hey, can I ask you something? I didn't even thank dad. And I was like, oh, God, I don't know why I didn't think that. Like, he passed away, like, I don't know, 25, more than 25 years ago. I didn't know. For whatever reason, I didn't thank dad, but it did strike me as, like, oh, my God, that was a real pertinent. Like, oh, I don't know why I didn't think that.
- [38:06]
Rebecca Buchanan
Yeah, you mentioned. One of the things I thought, and you talk about this a little, is like, you were talking about a time so you're having sex with multiple partners. You are also an intravenous drug user, and AIDS is a huge issue at the time. Right. Like, so you mention it, like, and talk about that fear. And so I thought, like, can you talk a little bit about that, too? Because you did have to live with this constant fear of, you know, like, is this sore mean that. I, of course, got hiv.
- [38:39]
Roddy Bottom
Right, right, right, right, right. It was an era in which, like, yeah, it was really scary just to be alive, I think. Yeah. I just never really knew, but it was. That's funny that you say sore. Like, anything that came up, like, any sniffle, any sore throat, any, like, abrasion, any have. I assume many of us would have. I can only speak for myself, but I would, like, oh, my God, I'm HIV positive. I know it. And at that age in my life, I was so scared. I was, like, pretty convinced, like, okay, I have hiv. It turns out I'm not HIV positive. But the whole course of my, like, growing up, I was sure, you know, absolutely positive because I was such a slutty kid. And I exposed myself in so many different ways. And like, you said, like, intravenous drug use, and we were clean with the needles, but, like, still, you know, can't be certain what's going on. But I kind of, like, through most of my life, I was just pretty sure I had hiv. And I never got tested just because I was so scared. And I knew, like, once I got tested, I would be positive and they would. I would have to start dealing with things. And I just, like. I mean, that was kind of in the weird sort of, like, place that I lived as a young kid. Sort of, like, just avoiding things, you know, that sort of, like, put me in a realm of, like, I just didn't want to know. So I, like, for so long, I didn't get tested because I was just Scared, you know, And I think.
- [40:16]
Rebecca Buchanan
And I appreciate that you talk about that. Right. Because it is something that I have, I teach. Right. And I have students who are really obsessed with like, you know, love the 1980s and all of that and don't always get how I'm like, yeah, but it was not like the funnest of time, right. There were many things during that time that like if you, you know, like you worry, like if someone gets hiv, they're going to die. Right. Like there's those things that it isn't just like you can take some medicine and you can keep it under control. And so. Yeah, so I appreciate you being kind of open and honest too about that and that idea that like, I don't want to get tested because I have to deal with it. Right. And those kinds of things. So.
- [41:01]
Roddy Bottom
Right. It was horrifying because like most of my experience with AIDS and the onslaught episode of that, the HIV was that like it was a death sentence straight up. There was no two ways about it. Like, if you got hiv, you were going to die. It wasn't until much, much later that like, oh, we realized, like, oh, there's meds and you can continue your life with hiv. But that didn't come for so long. I had a boyfriend at one point and we had like had sex a couple times. We just started going out and then like, like maybe a couple weeks into it, he was like a long term boyfriend that I have a couple weeks into it, he told me he was HIV positive. And I was like, I was like, oh my God, so I'm gonna die. That was my mindset and that was my understanding at the time. And he worked for the Department of Public Health, so he was very well versed in what it did mean. And he was like, I didn't say that to him, but I was just like freaked out. Like, oh my God, we had had sex. I was gonna, I'm gonna die. And he was like, but the type of sex we've had is very safe. Like, we hadn't had anal sex, which is like a lot more. You would be a lot more susceptible to the virus receiving if you had anal sex. We hadn't had anal sex and we didn't have that in our relationship. And it was kind of somewhere we didn't go. But I hadn't realized. Like, I just assumed like practically being in the same car with someone, like as far as I knew in my like naivete and who I was as a young kid, practically just being close to someone, you know, taking A sip from their drink or something, you're getting, yeah, you'll have HIV and you'll die. Like, that was my understanding of, of HIV for a long time. And it took that boyfriend to school me. Like he, like I said, he worked for the Department of Public Health. Like, oh, no, that, that, that's not how it works. Like, you don't really get it from like giving blow jobs or oral sex or kissing or saliva. You know, there's a possibility with like blood, but really the chances of like contacting the virus through that way is so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so slim. And then I kind of. Oh, oh. That was a real sort of learning moment for me. But that's how naive I was as a kid in the epicenter of it all, you know, San Francisco, you would think, you know, we would all know, but we were all kind of in that same way. Like, no one knew. We just all just assumed, you know, if we got in the mix of hiv, we were going to die.
- [43:34]
Rebecca Buchanan
Yeah. And the government and politics in general was not very, like, they were not very helpful in changing that perception. Right. I guess maybe that's the best way to say it, you know, like they were just kind of assholes. Right?
- [43:50]
Roddy Bottom
Yeah. Reagan was such a jerk, you know, Nancy Reagan too. Like, just like, you know, just horrible. Sort of no acknowledgment of the crisis at all.
- [43:59]
Rebecca Buchanan
Not. I know I am blame Reagan for everything that went wrong in the 80s. I mean, maybe Thatcher too. We can just dump them both in. Probably not. But yes. Right. But yes, we were also. And that was not something that was talked about. And like you mentioned, I grew up in Minneapolis St. Paul area. Who. Skirdoo is one of my all time favorite bands. So like that idea that you have these musicians who are performing and playing and have to hide who they are and still I think to. I mean, we're living in a time where you're. We were moving back to that. Right. Where like people have to hide who they are and so like coming out. So, so, I mean, we could probably talk forever, but one of my, like, final questions to you is like, what do you hope this memoir does? Right. We're situ. I mean, you, you brought me back to a certain time in my life that was really important to me. But I think there's some timeliness about it as well. But what do you. I mean, did you, when you wrote this, or as you're like, as it's going out into the world, do you hope it does a certain thing or Is it just that you wanted to put it out there in the world?
- [45:05]
Roddy Bottom
I really wanted to do a specific thing. Ultimately, I'm aiming for, like, a timelessness in my sort of, like, presentation of where the book is coming from and what I'm sharing with people and I. What. What I want people to absorb or receive from it. But I kind of like, in this stage of where we are with the president, who the president is, and the voices from the maga, right, that are so loud, like, what people say about women's rights and abortion and trans rights and gay rights, they're so loud and they're so offensive. And they. So those people who are saying those things about our people, our generation, the people who are really like, the creators in our world right now, those voices who are criticizing them are so loud and so unapologetic, and it makes me so angry to hear their voices and to see them sort of, like, talk about things with no apology whatsoever. They don't give a shit. They're just gonna say what they're gonna say and they spew shit. They hurt people. They're offensive. They hurt all of us. They cause damage. And my perspective in writing this book was, okay, well, take this then, because I do. I bring up again and again and again in my book really outrageous concepts, like, me as a kid having sex in the bushes with men. Me as a kid shooting drugs in bathrooms. Like, everything that I say, everything that I put out there, I want to sting those people. I've said, like, I have family in the Midwest, you know, who are Christians, you know? And honestly, it's my goal to ruin their Thanksgiving. I want them to read this book, and I want it to shock them, and I want it to shut them up and just realize that the world is a bigger place than they acknowledge that it is. And I wanted to down shut. Shut them up. I want to combat all of what they're throwing into the world with my truth and just sort of like. Kind of like. Yeah, it's a way of sort of like, stepping up to the plate. Okay, you're going to say that. All right, here we go. Game on.
- [47:30]
Rebecca Buchanan
I love that. I love that so much. So the book comes out in November, early November. So my last question is, like, self promotion. Anything with the book going on, anything else you're working on that you want people to know about? Promote?
- [47:44]
Roddy Bottom
Oh, gosh, not really. I'm like, I'm doing. I have this band, Crickets, that I really love. We're playing a show on Sunday. But this will probably air before that. But my band, Crickets, is playing a show at Parkside this Sunday that's going to be really special. It's my band with J.D. sampson and Michael O', Neill, my two, two of my best friends. I'm also working on a record, finishing a record with Imperial Teen, my band. And we're going to finish that record in a couple weeks and it'll come out on Merge in some months. And then I'm doing my other band with my boyfriend Joey. We have a band called Man On Man. We're working on our third record that'll come out probably 2026. And my ultimate goal for this year is to finish my musical about Sasquatch. That's what I kind of want to do. So that's coming, too.
- [48:35]
Rebecca Buchanan
That's awesome. Well, Roddy, thank you so much for talking with me for New Books Network again. Roddy Bottom, whose new memoir is the Royal. We thank you so much.
- [48:44]
Roddy Bottom
Thank you, Rebecca, so much. That was a nice chat.