Article: Family Feud

Rolling Stone
April 1993

Family Feud
By Dave Liebson

The stir following the Natural Wonders' latest record, Tribble, has been tremendous. Almost everyone has commented on the album: reporters, announcers, even the president. We here at Rolling Stone thought it might be interesting to hear the opinions of ex-Natural Wonder Luke Heinz. Luke now sings for Stomach Contents, a band he formed with other ex-Natural Wonder, Eddie Volvo, and newcomer to the music scene, Marcus Smyth.

RS: So what do you think the Wonders' latest album?

Luke: I think Nick still has no talent. And the songs are more formulaic than ever. There's nothing real in their music, there's nothing deep. They haven't figured out that music's supposed to be about something. They're just doing it for the success.

RS: They say you have to suffer to make art. Maybe they just haven't suffered.

L: Like me? Hell, the only part of the album that starts to have any real emotion is when they're responding to me. They can't even make a decent song on their own. But you'd think they could disguise it a little better. Songs like "Get Over It" and "Johnny's in the Corner" are so obviously about me.

RS: You're Johnny?

L: They seem to think so. They've got me pegged as some kind of whiner who's been backed up into a corner and is lashing out at everybody. I'm just speaking the truth. Nick has screwed me over and I just want some compensation and I want what's mine.

RS: You've mentioned at your live performances that you can't sing your own songs because the Natural Wonders have the rights to the early albums that you contributed to.

L: I didn't just contribute to them. I was the genius behind it all. And I'm not seeing a single cent from the phenomenal sales of those albums.

RS: Don't you think that some of the credit for those phenomenal sales is due to how well the Natural Wonders are doing now? Do you think it's fair for you to benefit from what the Wonders have done since you left?

L: I built that band. They'd be nowhere without me. Well, Amber's got talent--I can't believe she's still with them.

RS: Why did you leave?

L: How much time have you got? Mostly I just wanted to go in a different direction than the band was going. You know, "musical differences." But I also couldn't stand Nick. He wasn't doing anything for our live performances--he just stood there! He made me look like a fool dancing around the stage. And sometimes he'd find some pathetic groupie hanging around after a show and he'd take him backstage and no one would see them for a while. The guy was sick.

RS: Your band, the Contents, doesn't seem to be doing quite so well.

L: We don't pander to the masses. And besides, the Natural Wonders are holding us back. We didn't get any of the equipment or money or anything in the split up. They even got the name. And, like, you've heard about Eddie's drug problems? Nick got him into that stuff. It makes me so angry, everytime he comes in drunk or high. And it's even worse when he's too out of it to even show up. It makes it really hard to practice or record an album. And I can't stand to see a friend like that.

RS: Well, thanks for your time. I'm looking forward to your next album.

L: You're probably just saying that, but we do have something in the works. And thanks for interviewing me. Now I can cross "Be interviewed by Rolling Stone" off my list of lifetime goals.

RS:	So what do you think the Wonders' latest album?
Luke:	I think Nick still has no talent. And the songs are more formulaic than ever. There's nothing real in their music, there's nothing deep. They haven't figured out that music's supposed to be about something. They're just doing it for the success.
RS:	They say you have to suffer to make art. Maybe they just haven't suffered.
L:	Like me? Hell, the only part of the album that starts to have any real emotion is when they're responding to me. They can't even make a decent song on their own. But you'd think they could disguise it a little better. Songs like "Get Over It" and "Johnny's in the Corner" are so obviously about me.
RS:	You're Johnny?
L:	They seem to think so. They've got me pegged as some kind of whiner who's been backed up into a corner and is lashing out at everybody. I'm just speaking the truth. Nick has screwed me over and I just want some compensation and I want what's mine.
RS:	You've mentioned at your live performances that you can't sing your own songs because the Natural Wonders have the rights to the early albums that you contributed to.
L:	I didn't just contribute to them. I was the genius behind it all. And I'm not seeing a single cent from the phenomenal sales of those albums.
RS:	Don't you think that some of the credit for those phenomenal sales is due to how well the Natural Wonders are doing now? Do you think it's fair for you to benefit from what the Wonders have done since you left?
L:	I built that band. They'd be nowhere without me. Well, Amber's got talent--I can't believe she's still with them.
RS:	Why did you leave?
L:	How much time have you got? Mostly I just wanted to go in a different direction than the band was going. You know, "musical differences." But I also couldn't stand Nick. He wasn't doing anything for our live performances--he just stood there! He made me look like a fool dancing around the stage. And sometimes he'd find some pathetic groupie hanging around after a show and he'd take him backstage and no one would see them for a while. The guy was sick.
RS:	Your band, the Contents, doesn't seem to be doing quite so well.
L:	We don't pander to the masses. And besides, the Natural Wonders are holding us back. We didn't get any of the equipment or money or anything in the split up. They even got the name. And, like, you've heard about Eddie's drug problems? Nick got him into that stuff. It makes me so angry, everytime he comes in drunk or high. And it's even worse when he's too out of it to even show up. It makes it really hard to practice or record an album. And I can't stand to see a friend like that.
RS:	Well, thanks for your time. I'm looking forward to your next album.
L:	You're probably just saying that, but we do have something in the works. And thanks for interviewing me. Now I can cross "Be interviewed by Rolling Stone" off my list of lifetime goals.