WATCH: The Quireboys’ Spike on broken bones and knocking out Michael Schenker
Before The Quireboys' incredible Special Guest slot on Sunday at Winter's End, the always-entertaining Spike sat down with Wyatt in his fancy on-site chalet.
Asked by Wyatt why he’s got his foot in a cast, Spike admitted he was a bit baffled by his broken foot: “I don’t know what I’ve done. I think I done it on the shows before I left (for the Monsters of Rock cruise from Florida to Haiti) and then I slipped on the ship when I got on within the first hour.
“We flew from Fort Lauderdale to Miami to get on the cruise and I was feeling pretty bad and I slipped within an hour of getting on the cruise and that was it. I got in x-rayed on the cruise and funnily enough he was from Carlisle down the road from me mother. Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve done.”
He added: “I can’t believe I’m here with a broken foot in my chalet, my log cabin. What I done on the cruise was I gaffer-taped (my cast) up. I gaffer-taped the whole thing up (while wearing) sandals, right, so you couldn’t see the sandals.
“(Thunder and Planet Rock's) Danny Bowes was on the cruise and I said ‘would you just come on and throw the microphone up. I’ll throw a couple of mics to you and I’ll just sit there and sing.’”
Later in the interview, Spike opened up about other injuries he’s sustained over the years – including infamously breaking his hand from “knocking out” a certain German guitar virtuoso.
Spike said: “That was Michael Schenker (gestures to his hand) when I knocked him out at Newcastle City Hall. I had this broken leg, I was on crutches and Schenker – because Phil (Mogg) is a really good friend of mine – I was backstage and Schenker comes storming in off his head and he went to punch me and he missed and I stuck a nut on him and knocked him out.
“I went back to the hospital and the doctor goes ‘what are you doing now?! You’ve broken your leg and hand all within the space of a week’. That was just before I went to America to do that album (1993’s ‘Bitter Sweet & Twisted’).
“Every time I go to Germany (people say) ‘can I shake the hand that knocked out Michael Schenker'. But we’re friends now. I think.”
Elsewhere in the chat, Spike spoke about hanging with Rory Gallagher, The Quireboys’ longevity, why second album ‘Bitter Sweet & Twisted’ took so long to record, the reason The Quireboys split in the nineties and more.
Watch it here: