Sue Wendelken (Singer/Songwriter).

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To even the most casual observer of the New York music scene, the face, not to mention the voice, and my goodness what a voice (the thought of it even made me type ‘my goodness’) of this week’s ‘Standee’ is a familiar one. Sue Wendelken is currently the featured female vocalist for the Andy Cooney Band, as well being a regular vocalist on sessions with Irish acts such as Celtic Cross, Good Clean Fun and Billy Keenan’s Primetime Showband. A busy girl, she also finds the time to front Irish-rock project The Ride and the all-girl metal band, Dormitory Effect (when does she get to do the housework, one wonders?). Her music has appeared on The Howard Stern Show and ESPN’s ‘X Games’, and Sue herself’s been featured on the ‘Jim Breuer Unleashed’ show on Sirius Satellite Radio. A staple of the Irish rock and trad scene since the late ‘90s, when she teamed up with local legends such as Dave Barckow, Donie, Pio and Noreen Ryan and Kenny Mannion with Alternatrad, Sue’s gone on to perform at many festivals, opening for acts such as Shane MacGowan, Blink and The Revs, and singing with Paddy Noonan, The Whole Shebang, Cherish the Ladies and The Prodigals. She’ll be appearing this Saturday at the Mill Creek Tavern in Bayville, NY. Sue, welcome to ‘At The Mike Stand’

 

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?

I don’t know, but I hear those bands command top dollar, so I’d like to be IN my own tribute act.

 

When’s the last time you laughed out loud?

This weekend my 2 yr old niece Siobhan was telling my dog to sit, but it really sounds like she’s yelling “S*it!”

 

What act would you like to have seen perform live?

Triple Bill: Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy and The Beatles while all original members were still alive.

 

What team(s) do you support?

I have family from Mayo, Leitrim & Cork, so I’m happy when any of these counties win a match, and for baseball – LET’S GO METS!!!

 

What period in history would you most like to have visited?

Wish I could visit Haight-Ashbury (San Francisco) in the late 60’s.

 

What song would you most like to have written?

‘Jolene’ by Dolly Parton. That song breaks my heart over and over again.

 

Who or what, would make you leave a room?

Reality Television – AWFUL!

What decade rules (and why)?

That is hard! I’d say the 1960’s because most of my favorite music was born out of that era.

 

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?

‘As I Roved Out (Night Visit)’, because it’s just a little bit dirty.

 

What movie role would you like to have played?

I would LOVE to have played Janis Joplin in a movie about her life. Or the closest thing to a movie about her, which would be, “The Rose”.

 

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?

Gillian Anderson (Scully from ‘The X Files’).

 

What’s the first album you remember buying?

I think it was an old Aerosmith ‘Greatest Hits’.

 

Who’s your favorite Beatle?

Aw come on, that’s like asking a mother to choose her favorite child (it’s not Ringo though).

 

What’s your favorite Christmas song?

‘Father Christmas’ by The Kinks.

 

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?

It’s gotta be either Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards or Peter Maguire. They’ll outlive us all.

 

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?

Faith No More – one of the best bands of all time, very underrated, incredible vocalist (Mike Patton) and it’s hard to even put them in a genre; especially their last two albums.

 

Who would you most like to meet/have met?

You know I keep trying to meet Johnny Depp, but he won’t take my calls.

What book can you read again and again?

“Lamb” by Christopher Moore. Hysterical.

 

What’s the greatest album ever recorded?

You’re making me make some tough choices here! I really don’t think I could live without “Tom Waits – Nighthawks At The Diner”.

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams?

I already play with my favorite musicians: Dave Barckow, Donie Ryan, Matt Mancuso, Kenny Mannion, Shane O’Sullivan, Mazz Swift, Vonnie Quinn, Pio Ryan, Dan Paccione, Oscar Bautista, Walter Ensor, Alan Camlet, and Noreen Ryan when she’s on this side of the ocean!

 

What do few people know about you?

That I’m working on my first solo album right now – hopefully it will be done before too long

 

What sitcom character can you most identify with?

Edina Monsoon, we both just want to be invited to Sting & Trudie’s for Christmas.

 

What movie can you watch over and over again?

‘The Departed’.

 

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?

Carl from ‘Aqua Teen’. I don’t know if it’s his hairy arms (and shoulders), or his green flip-flops, or the way he lovingly recalls a Foreigner concert from 1982, but I just can’t get enough!

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?

I think Amsterdam, but it’s all a bit hazy.

 

What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?

The Piano. No, wait. The Snuggie? No, it’s gotta be the piano

 

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?

‘Auto-Tune’ – Single-handedly destroying modern music! If you don’t know what that is, it’s the thing that makes someone with a bad voice sing in-key and makes human voices sound computer-generated

 

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?

That would either be Richard Pryor or George Carlin.

Who’s your favorite namesake?

Susan Sarandon – I think we’re the same bra size.

 

 

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