I met the wizened Welsh drug lord to pose a few questions for Leeds Guide magazine. You can find that here: http://bit.ly/urkems, but if you want to know more, below is the unabridged version of the interview, dosed with even more drugs, crime and misadventure.
How did you get into doing live performances?
Almost out of obligation, for a writer to promote his work, which usually takes place in a bookshop, but I just hated doing readings in bookshops. So, I started doing them in pubs and that provided the germ for evolution of the show.
But they’re much more than just a book reading?
Yeah, about as far away from a book reading as I can possibly get and still call it a book reading.
So you’re glad to be playing Leeds?
Yeah, it’s my adopted home. I’ve had a flat here for over 6 years. I’m not here that much but I’m here more than anywhere else.
What is it about Leeds that you like?
I started living here because my girlfriend comes from here so I came here to live near her. I don’t live with her because I know that doesn’t work, but we live close to each other.
So that’s a lesson learned through experience?
Yeah. [Laughs]
What kind of audience comes to your shows?
About 80% is 18-25 year old dope smokers.
Are there things that people will learn in shows that they can’t from your books?
Oh yes because there are lots of things I couldn’t admit when writing. But in the passage of time nervousness about admitting things decreases and then the Freedom of Information Act helps. There is more to be learned [at the shows].
Do you prefer writing or performing?
I prefer writing, but since I’ve been performing so long the two are interlinked. I am aware that whatever I write I might have to turn into a stage show.
And do you prefer the above-board career you have now to the less than above-board career you had before?
That’s a no. [Laughs]
Do you miss it?
Yeah of course I miss it. It’d be inappropriate to crank it back up again – unless things get really tough – but I wouldn’t have a second’s pang of conscience. It would be hard enough to find anyone to do it with me though, my profile’s far too high to get away with it now. And it’s a different game now.
Has it shocked you how famous your smuggling career made you?
Oh yeah. The hallmarks of a good dope dealer are being someone nobody knows and not getting caught. I must be the worst dope dealer on record. Every fucker knows who I am and I’ve been caught dozens of times.
How did you cope with prison?
It’s not as tragic as people make out. You just lose at the game you decided to play so you’ve just gotta pay the price. It’s a bit like feeling sorry for the gambler who lost on the roulette wheel, so it’s not a case of sympathy or tragedy. I was lucky because most of the time I was a foreigner so I didn’t have to have an allegiance to a particular gang or anything. I’m not a very macho threat to anyone, plus I was about 40 with a pot belly so no one fancied me so didn’t get gang raped! [Laughs]
So you didn’t have to worry about picking up the soap in the shower?
No, no, no I didn’t. [Laughs]
Why did you open this bar [Azucar] in Leeds?
Steve Hawkins [Howard’s business partner] asked me if I’d be interested and I said yeah. I’ve owned bars before but never run them and I quite like this way of keeping in touch with people.
Is the Mediterranean theme something you had a hand in deciding?
Well the Hispanic theme including South American influences.
A friend today said you were the most Mediterranean Welshman he’d ever heard of.
[Laughs] That’s probably true, yes.
Did you ever have any ethical issues with smuggling pot?
No not at all. Absolutely none. I support the legalisation of all drugs but I happen to have only traded in pot.
Might you have had issues dealing anything else?
Well I suppose the security in my belief that there is no harm from cannabis helped a lot. You know I wouldn’t want to deal with something that was harmful. Whether it was legal or illegal – irrelevant.
What did you think of the movie [Mr Nice]? I read you always had Rhys [Ifans] in mind?
Well Rhys and I have been friends for years; I met him when I came out of prison. We know each other very well, we respect each other a lot, we’re good friends. As far as I was concerned there was never any other choice. I got a bit worried that he was getting so big so he might say no though!
Are you happy with the finished product?
Oh yeah, completely.
Didn’t you meet at a Super Furry Animals gig?
Yes it was. It was through them that I met him. He used to be their vocalist before they became good! When I met him he was sleeping on the drummer’s floor, trying to become an actor.
And you appear on the front cover of the Fuzzy Logic album by Super Furry Animals
That’s right, I was and one track is called Hanging With Howard Marks, which I think helped me insofar as getting my book across to the minds of young people. I blame them for my corrupting of youth.
This might not get printed but what’s the best dope you’ve ever smoked and where did you get it?
Nepalese hash from a place in Nepal called Mustang and you’re totally welcome to mention it.
Howard was friendly, entertaining, genuine and erudite in our interview and these qualities remained throughout his show at City Varieties. The historic venue reverberated with his gravelly whisper as he told tales of decadent episodes; one involving Nepalese hash that made everything either very funny or yellow. He also mentioned characters met on his travels – Shane McGowan: the only man he saw being carried into a pub; Bez: the only man who could outdo Howard on any drug of his choice.
He talked about his seven year prison stretch “getting all my Sundays out of the way in one go” and about how any plant that can kill you can make you high: “it’s just a question of working out the dose”.
The audience was also treated to a bizarre PowerPoint presentation of demonic images to a backing track of Sympathy For The Devil, remixed by Back to Basics legend and friend of Howard’s, Dave Beer. This is to promote Howard’s new book and first fictional tale, which shares its name with the Stones’ song and on the track vocals come from Mr Nice himself, in his dulcet Welsh tones.
Of course this show won’t be for everyone and those offended by the idea of a former drug dealer making a living, kind of off the back of that career, might be better finding other entertainment. However, Howard Marks’ shows are simply a reflection of his life and his best-selling books illustrate just how interesting people find that. After all, it has been a remarkable trip.
