After releasing 17 albums in the last 20 years, being hailed by the likes of R.E.M., Sonic Youth and the Replacements and getting covered by artists such as Mercury Rev and the Lemonheads, Nikki Sudden still remains one of rocks unknown legends. Combine the rock 'n' roll swagger of Keith Richards, the groove of Marc Bolan, the vocal style of Bob Dylan, along with the spirit of Johnny Thunders, and you're about half way there.

In the early '70's, a young Nicholas Godfrey (a.k.a. Nikki Sudden) and his brother Paul (a.k.a. Epic Soundtracks) formed London's experimental/punk band the Swell Maps. After countless singles and two highly influential albums, the band parted ways in 1980. Two years later, Nikki Sudden released his first solo album, Waiting On Egypt.

In 1984 Nikki formed the Stones-inspired Jacobites with vocalist/guitarist Dave Kusworth and brother Epic on drums. While their albums were mostly acoustic-based, the songs rocked like classic Jagger/Richards.

By the early '90s, Sudden had already released more than 10 albums, including collaborations with members of the Waterboys, Birthday Party, and R.E.M.

Never one to stand still, he reconvened the Jacobites with Kusworth in 1993, and currently balances band duties along with his solo career. Epic Soundtracks died in November of 1997.

Now, 20 years after the release of his first solo album, the Indiana-based Secretly Canadian has started an extensive reissue of Sudden's entire '80s catalog. The first four in the series Waiting on Egypt, The Bible Belt, Texas, and Dead Men Tell No Tales have been released as two-on-one discs. In all, 10 full-length albums will be released. Each album has been completely remastered, with liner notes written by Sudden himself, along with several b-sides and unreleased recordings from that period. This thoroughly comprehensive collection is a must for any Nikki Sudden fan.

Sudden, who currently resides in Germany, recently talked to Pop Culture Press about the reissues, his career and musical influences.

POP CULTURE PRESS: What prompted this extensive reissue campaign of your back catalogue? And how involved in the process have you been?
NIKKI SUDDEN: It's something I'd been thinking about for a long time, and something I always wanted done properly. Secretly Canadian approached me in mid-2000 and asked if it would be possible for them to organize the reissues. I spent all of November 2000 in John Rivers' WSRS studio remastering (and occasionally remixing) and generally getting the stuff to sound the best it could. Then I wrote the sleeve notes, went to Frankfurt -- a good seven-hour drive, a few times and put together the artwork with Tom Arnold. So you could say I've been pretty much involved. Blame any mistakes on Secretly Canadian. It's always good to have a scapegoat.

PCP: With the first two (2-on-1) discs already in the shops, what comes next in the reissue series?
NS: Next up (in March) are Jacobites and Robespierre's Velvet Basement. Those will be followed by (two-on-one discs of) Groove / Crown of Thorns and Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc / Live in Augsburg (a previously unreleased show recording). Then, I don't know. Hopefully my next solo album, the first since Red Brocade! Red Brocade came out in 1999 -- recorded in 1998 -- so it's gonna be four years between albums. Which is totally ridiculous. Then Kusworth and I have been talking about recording another Jacobites album ˜ one day!

PCP: Looking back on your 25 years of recording, how do you feel about those early records today?
NS: I've always wanted to make records that are timeless -- in the same way that (the Rolling Stones') Beggars Banquet is timeless. Whether I've succeeded is another matter. I think that sometimes, many times, I have. I'm pretty proud of most things I've done. Just wish that I'd done more.

PCP: What would you say was the most important influence on Nikki Sudden the solo artist? The Swell Maps? Jacobites?

NS: Epic and I always saw Swell Maps as a cross between Can and T. Rex -- I still do.
Both my solo stuff and what Kusworth and I do with the Jacobites are influenced by the music we love: the Stones, Faces, Dylan, T. Rex, etc., etc.

PCP: How has Epic Soundtracks' death changed your outlook on music, and your life?
NS: His dying made me angry for a while. In the end you have to think, ŒSome people make it, others don't.' I still see his death as a total waste. He had so much music left to write, to record. I miss him a lot! As far as changing my outlook on music, I don't think anything could ever do that.

PCP: Outside of the Swell Maps and Jacobites, you've worked with several artists over the years, including some high-profile players. What have been some of your most memorable experiences?
NS: Mike Scott, Steve Wickham and Anto from the Waterboys (are) good friends. Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth. Nice chap, still don't like his band's music though. Jeff Tweedy -- nice guy, good harmonica player -- a bit moody. R.E.M. -- Pete Buck and I still get on fine on the rare occasions we meet. Darrell Bath -- one of my favorite guitar players ever -- I've asked him to join the band! Lora Logic is a terrible sax player -- my idea -- so blame me! Is there anyone I've missed? Robert Young from Primal Scream -- one of my best friends even if we seldom meet these days, but friendship is deeper than that. The high profile players are just better known than the others, they're not necessarily better musicians. I still think that David Barrington was the most talented person I've ever worked with. And Kusworth is the best guitarist -- the most compatible anyhow. Mind you, Richard from the Maps and I also fitted together pretty well.

PCP: Besides your music, what else are you passionate about?
NS: I listen to a lot of music, I read a lot, and I suppose I live quite a lot. Dave Kusworth and I once said that all of our songs are about drugs and girls -- which is not a bad combination. Favorite living author is Bernard Cornwell whom I only discovered last summer. I'm trying to work my way through all his books.

PCP: You had mentioned once that you were writing a book on the Rolling Stones. What is that all about?
NS: Oh! God! It's about Ronnie Wood's first two solo albums, his leaving the Faces and joining the Stones. That takes up a good few hours every day. 66,000 words so far and I still haven't interviewed Ronnie! This'll happen soon. He knows I'm writing the book. I've mentioned it to him a few times. I'm also trying to finish, trying to restart Albion Sunrise, my first novel. Some years ago I wrote a good 100,000 words towards it (but) haven't even looked at it for the past three years. Yesterday I wrote another 1,000 words, so one day it might get finished.

PCP: With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the Rolling Stones, what do the Stones mean to you, then and now?
NS: They're the best band there has ever been. The best band there ever will be. I spend far too much of my time listening to the Stones! But there are far worse things I could be doing. Far, far worse bands I could be listening to.

PCP: List your top 5 favorite Stones songs, and why?
NS: "We Love You" -- It's just so brilliant! They should start the set with it on the forthcoming tour.
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" -- The best riff ever! A perfect rock''n' roll song!
"Miss Amanda Jones" -- It's not an obscure song except to those who don't know the Stones. It's a perfect encapsulation of England / London in the 1960's.
"It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" -- Ronnie Wood's first contribution to the Stones. The song is actually a Jagger / Wood composition, not a Jagger / Richards one. This is the number that started me writing the book.
"Memory Motel" -- The Stones' best ballad?

PCP: What else can we expect from you in the coming year?
NS: New album, gigs, a few more lines ˜. The usual ˜. More success˜. What I deserve!

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