Tag: Legacy Interviews

Kingdom Come: The 1988 Self-Titled Album w/ Vocalist Lenny Wolf – full in bloom Legacy Interview Excerpt

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Released: February 29, 1988
Recorded: August 1987
Recorded @ Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Produced by Bob Rock, Lenny Wolf
The album peaked @ #12 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone.

full in bloom: In 1987 you signed with Polygram Records. Does anything stand out from the day you signed your record deal?

Lenny Wolf: Drunk on happiness! What else?!? Breaking a bed in New York while I was jumping up and down.

fib: What were the terms of that deal?

Lenny: It was a deal I would not sign again today, but in those days, it was common to sing your songs for love. Money was fair, and later on, after we went gold, of course fantastic. Unfortunately, we don’t own the rights for the first 3 Kingdom Come records, which we would like to offer to people. Universal, who owns the songs now, is not doing anything with them. A pity.

fib: What was the search process like for you during those days when you were forming Kingdom Come?

Lenny: One of Derek Schulman’s (head of A&R Polygram and former singer of Gentle Giant) big points before signing was, I must put together a band. Which is exactly what I wanted to do anyhow. I knew a friend by the name Lucy Forbes in Los Angeles, who made a living by connecting musicians. I gave her an audition tape for the players to learn and met with them later on in a rehearsal room. As simple as that, with James Kottak, I knew instantly that he was my man, Danny (Stag) had the “tone,” Rick (Steier) was James’s best friend and happened to play a reliable rhythm guitar, and Johnny (B. Frank) was just too cool to not have him in the band. He was as crazy about cars and women as me; that just made sense enough back then.

fib: Kingdom Come was the first time you fronted a band without playing guitar. Was that an adjustment?

Lenny: It felt strange in the beginning since I’m not that David Lee Roth type on stage, but it was okay later on. I now enjoy playing the axe myself again very much. Even though I am very busy at times with all my floorboards due to so many different sounds we have to deliver. For example, like “Twilight Cruiser.”

fib: What stands out when thinking about the recording sessions for the Kingdom Come self-titled debut?

Lenny: I was very busy pulling Bob Rock out of the studio to that great strip joint and eating place in Vancouver, where we fell in love on a daily basis. Vancouver is kind of a bridge between Germany and the US. Very big but with lots of European influences as well. I really liked it. The singer from Loverboy came by, showing us his new Ferrari. Just funny seeing the guy whose song I heard a million times in Hamburg while growing up. Welcome to the real banana! Many more stories I would not want to yell about today. Things you just don’t talk about. Respect and shame, you figure it out. We occupied a whole floor at the hotel, which fast became the exchange place for the young and free, or shall I say stupid and careless. Happy to see how Bob became a big guy after establishing Metallica.

fib: How much was the recording budget, and how long did it take to record?

Lenny: I see; you just keep trying. The time frame, as I remember, was about 4 weeks in Heaven. The money was about the same as with Stone Fury. A lower 6-digit number. Thinking about it today makes me wonder.

fib: What was it like working with Bob Rock?

Lenny: Great, great, and greater! I miss him. The last I heard is that he is burned out by the Metallica boys. Very cooperative, very talented, and very serious. He knows how to get the best out of a band’s strengths.

Kingdom Come – “Get it On”

fib: Where were you the first time you heard “Get It On” playing on the radio?

Lenny: I think in Los Angeles, where I lived at that time. I freaked big time. There he is, a little German remote-controlled idiot, hearing the song I wrote all over America. Hallelujah.

fib: Tell us how the song ended up on radio stations across the country before the album was even released.

Lenny: Oh, my God. This would really blow my time frame now: PLEASE visit: lennywolf.com. There it is written in detail.

fib: **Excerpt:

Having finished the record, Bob and Lenny flew to New York to mix it at the Electric Lady Studio, formerly owned by Jimi Hendrix. During the mixing session of “Get It On,” John Kalodner, a John Lennon look-alike and back then one of American most listened to men, stopped by to say “hi.” He liked the song and asked if he could take a cassette with him. As far as is known, the tape ended up at a radio station in Detroit, which played the song without anyone in the band or Polygram Records knowing about it. Hard as it is to believe, other stations actually recorded the song off the air since the record had not even been released yet. The American music industry magazine “Album Network” reported about a mysterious band, which kept the telephone lines of Detroit’s rock stations busy for days. Suddenly, a few weeks later, all of America’s rock stations were playing “Get It On. Kingdom Come shipped gold (500,000 copies).”

fib: How did you guys end up doing the North American Monsters of Rock tour in 1988?

Lenny: I had to decide whether to go out with AC/DC, Def Leppard, or the first US stadium tour. My manager Marty felt it would be best to join the Monsters of Rock tour. I had a blast, but I don’t know if it was the right decision. Who knows? I thank God for having lived through that time. Something nobody can take away from me. But never again will I sing at 2 pm right after breakfast.

fib: Later in ’88 you toured with the Scorpions. Any cool memories from the road?

Lenny: Cool, I don’t know. But it was nice to hit the big stages with them further on in the US. The Scorpions are a very professional band that always had a good sound. I had to do some growing up ever since, which I did. My first “drunk on stage” experience, due to a cold which I was trying to overcome with tequila. Bad idea. Happened in Chicago. Jim Morrison saying hello.

fib: Why was Kingdom Come pulled off the tour?

Lenny: I don’t remember being pulled off?! I do remember having a lighting issue with them because I kept walking on Klaus’s stage extensions, which I wasn’t allowed to do, which in the heat of the moment, I kept forgetting. Shame on me. But I think we finished the tour as planned.

fib: The debut album ended up going platinum in several markets. Did you see a nice chunk of money from it?

Lenny: Life was a peach.

Read the entire full in bloom interview w/ Lenny Wolf @ this location.

Tags full in bloom Legacy, Inside the Album, Interviews, Legacy Interviews, Lenny Wolf, The full in bloom Chronicles

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Black ‘n Blue Vocalist Jaime St. James – The full in bloom Legacy Interview

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Black n Blue Vocalist
Jaime St. James

full in bloom: Can you give us a little history on how Black ‘n Blue formed and how & when you guys made your move to LA?

Jaime: We formed in the fall of 1981. Tommy (Thayer) and I put the band together. We were in a band called Movie Star for a few years before BNB and I was the drummer. It was a pop band and the two of us wanted to follow our hearts and do a heavier project. We moved to L.A. in 1982 and were signed to Geffen in 1983.

Movie Star (L – R) JULIAN RAYMOND, JAIME ST JAMES, JON PETERS, TOMMY THAYER & VIRGIL RIPPER

full in bloom: Wasn’t “Chains Around Heaven” on a Metal Massacre album? How did that come about?

Jaime: Yes. We sent our demo to Brian Slagel (Metal Blade) and he liked it.

full in bloom: You also recorded a demo with Don Dokken and Michael Wagener. What was it like working with those guys?

Jaime: Working with Michael Wagener was great. He made the demo sound killer. Don was great with me and working with vocal melodies. He also took the demo to Kalodner at Geffen so he gets a lot of credit for that.

full in bloom: What songs appeared on that recording?

Jaime: Hold On To 18, Violent Kid, Sign In Blood and Wicked Bitch.

full in bloom: How long after arriving to LA, does it take for you guys to get signed?

Jaime: About a year.

full in bloom: Didn’t the band live in an apartment together? What was that experience like?

Jaime: We had a house just off Sunset Blvd. Not far from the Rainbow, Roxy and the Whisky. The Band and our crew all lived there. We had no food but our manager owned a pizza place so we ate pizza for a year. We went out every night and drank for free because we were packing in the crowds at the clubs.

full in bloom: Describe a typical DAY IN THE LIFE OF Jaime St. James during this time. From the time you woke up, to the time you went to bed.

Jaime: Wake up, go down and get some pizza, come home work on songs with Tommy, go to rehearsal, go to get some more pizza, go out drink and party and probably get laid.

full in bloom: Any cool memories stand out from the day you signed your record contract?

Jaime: Yeah, we got signed after a show at the Troubadour by John Kalodner and he has a huge beard. I hugged him when he said welcome to Geffen and my earring came off in his beard and it hung there like a Christmas ornament. Also the next night I threw a beer through the Troubadour window out to Santa Monica Blvd. I don’t know why?? Just excited I guess.

full in bloom: Did you almost sign with any other labels? Why did you choose Geffen?

Jaime: Other labels wanted us. I think Atlantic or Epic was one, but Geffen was supposed to be the best label back then.

full in bloom: How does the band decide on using Dieter Dierks to produce your first album?

Jaime: We liked the way the Scorpions sounded. The Blackout album was the one that sold us on him.

full in bloom: What was it like working with him?

Jaime: Very cool. It was an early digital recording. They do it different now but he did a great job. Some of the tunes seem a little stiff compared how they were live but it was our first time doing a record.

full in bloom: Are there any moments that stand out from those recording sessions?

Jaime: Most people don’t know that the bass intro to Hold On To 18 has me plucking a grand piano string with a guitar pick. That’s why it sounds like that.

full in bloom: Where was it recorded? Do you remember the budget? How long did it take?

Jaime: It was recorded in Germany at Dierks studio. We spent $300,000 dollars and it took 3 months. It would be different today with all the new technology.

full in bloom: I actually loved the production on this album, even though I think most would say Without Love is the best produced. What did you guys do differently with Dieter, if anything, than you did with other producers? What made it sound different?

Jaime: I think it was just the way Dieter recorded, and the digital 3M 2 inch tape machines he used.

full in bloom: What do you remember about writing “Hold on to 18?”

Jaime: We wrote that song while we were still living in Portland Oregon. Tommy had the music all figured out and I came in and wrote the melodies and lyrics.

full in bloom: You guys toured with Aerosmith to support that album. It was right before they got sober, right?

Jaime: Well yes, they were not at all sober. Tyler had all the lyrics taped to the stage and he would walk off behind the PA and not come out. They had to put a crew guy on each side to push him back out. Some nights they would carry him off stage. One night he mumbled to me that I wear too much make up while the crew were dragging him to the dressing room. He was fucking great.

full in bloom: How long does the Aerosmith tour last? What was that experience like for you?

Jaime: I think about 3 months or so. It was our first big tour so we loved it. It was Aerosmith for God’s sake.

full in bloom: I’m amazed that the self-titled record did not go gold or platinum. You guys were being played on MTV constantly. Why did you only do one video?

Jaime: Our wonderful label didn’t want to do another. They didn’t see it through. They were great at first but they would always fizzle out.

full in bloom: Any idea how many copies have sold of the first album?

Jaime: I have no idea at this point. I don’t think they ever told us how many it really sold.

full in bloom: Did you tour with any other bands for that album? Anything stand out?

Jaime: We did some shows with Dio and Whitesnake. Also Night Ranger.

full in bloom: How did the decision come about to use Bruce Fairbairn as a producer on Without Love?

Jaime: We decided on our own to use him. We thought a heavier version of what he was doing with Loverboy at the time would make for a good sound. Geffen agreed and so we sent him some demos and he went for it.

full in bloom: What was it like working with him? What sets him apart from other producers?

Jaime: He was a great coordinator. He would bring in guys like Jim Vallance or the dude from Toto to help out. He had a good ear for a strong song or what a song needed to make it work.

full in bloom: Wasn’t Bob Rock his assistant at the time? Didn’t he engineer the record?

Jaime: Bob Rock was our engineer. Mike Fraser was the assistant.

full in bloom: What was it like working with Bob Rock?

Jaime: Bob was huge in making the record sound as well as it does. It was kind of a dream team when you look back on it.

full in bloom: Are there any brilliant moments that stand out from those recording sessions?

Jaime: The whole damn thing was brilliant in my opinion. Totally underrated record.

full in bloom: Where was it recorded? What was the budget?

Jaime: It was recorded at Little Mountain studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Again we spent around $300,000.

full in bloom: Who did you guys tour with to support that record?

Jaime: KISS, the Asylum tour.

full in bloom: Why do you think that album didn’t sell huge numbers?

Jaime: I really don’t know. I believe the songs were there. Geffen once again were great in the beginning but they chose to bail on it rather than push it.

full in bloom: Didn’t Bon Jovi decide to use Bruce Fairbairn on Slippery When Wet after hearing Without Love?

Jaime: Yes, that’s what Jon and Richie told me one night at the Rainbow.

full in bloom: How does the band decide on using Gene Simmons as a producer for your next release, Nasty Nasty. Other than the fact you grew up loving KISS, was there any other reason?

Jaime: We wanted a producer that would be on our side and not the labels. This would allow us to rock the way WE wanted to. In the end we did “I’ll Be There For You” for a movie sound track and Geffen put it on the record. It was a good song but it was out of place. Geffen told us if we did not put it on the record, they would do nothing to promote it. They got their way in the end.

full in bloom: Are there any cool Gene Simmons memories that stand out?

Jaime: I asked Peter Criss to come down and sing on a song and he hadn’t seen Gene in years. They talked for hours about the old days and it was fun to see them together again (thank you very much).

full in bloom: Did you ever imagine that Tommy Thayer would one day be dressing up as Ace Frehley and playing in KISS? How did you first hear about it?

Jaime: When we were younger I would have never guessed it but he was working for them for years and I saw it coming. I can’t remember when he told me. We lived together for a while so maybe he told me then.

full in bloom: Your final album on Geffen was In Heat. What was that status of the band at that time? Did you know it would be your last album on Geffen if it didn’t hit?

Jaime: Yes we knew that. Gene offered Geffen a boatload of money to buy us off the label and put us on Simmons Records because he knew they were not going to get behind it. They wouldn’t do it. They did no promotion and just let us die out there.

full in bloom: Are there any cool memories that stand out from those recording sessions?

Jaime: There were some great songs that came about for that record. “The Snake”, “Live It Up.”

full in bloom: Any idea what the budget for that record was? Where did you record it?

Jaime: We did it in LA at Rumbo studio. I don’t remember how much we spent.

full in bloom: Why did Tommy decide to leave the band?

Jaime: Frustration, I presume.

full in bloom: During the ’90s you had a KISS tribute band called Cold Gin. How did that come about and who else was in the band?

Jaime: Well I was Peter. Tommy was Gene (just kidding) I mean Ace. We had 2 Genes, first was Chris McLearnon and Spiro Papadatos replaced him when Chris joined Saigon Kick. Anthony White was Paul.

full in bloom: Did you guys play a lot of gigs?

Jaime: We toured America and Japan. It was fun but we knew it would not be a permanent thing.

full in bloom: Jaime St. James is transported back to the year 1983 and were instructed that you had to do two things differently this time around. What would they be?

Jaime: I would have taken the Ozzy tour that we turned down so we could use Dieter Dierks, and I would sign to one of the other labels that wanted us.

-THE FAST 5-

full in bloom: What is your most disgusting habit?

Jaime: Nothing I do is disgusting.

full in bloom: What is the most feminine thing you do?

Jaime: The hair products.

full in bloom: If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

Jaime: Do you guys need a singer?

full in bloom: Greatest Rock band of all time?

Jaime: It’s a tie, The Beatles and AC/DC

full in bloom: What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

Jaime: Since this took three separate days to finish that’s tough to answer. Writing a song or making popcorn would be the truth depending on the day. Rock on brothers and sisters!

Tags Black n Blue, Gene Simmons, Interviews, Jaime St. James, KISS, Legacy Interviews, Pete Holmes, Tommy Thayer

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Chris Reifert Death, Autopsy, Abscess Drummer – The full in bloom Legacy Interview

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Autopsy, Death, Abscess
Drummer, Vocalist
Chris Reifert

full in bloom: When did you take up music? First instrument?

Chris Reifert: I’ve always been a musical person, starting with my folks setting me in front of pots and pans with wooden spoons to bang on. Fortunately things got better from there. When I was a kid I was in marching band playing the bass drum. That was around 1978. Pretty boring, but hey…it was a start. Not to mention the sweet uniform of course. Heh heh! After that I graduated to an actual drum kit after a stint on a drum pad and it was off to the races!

full in bloom: What was your first band?

Chris: It was called Guillotine after a few other forgettable names. It was me and a friend who played guitar and we were trying to figure out how the hell to run a band and write songs. It didn’t go too far but it was a decent start anyways.

full in bloom: About your time with the bands Burnt Offering and Guillotine, are there any recordings floating around out there?

Chris: Guillotine made a rehearsal tape or two of a couple of partially finished songs and Burnt Offering actually recorded two demos in 1985. I don’t have the first one anymore, but I do have a copy of the second one. It never went anywhere, but we did play a few shows and I was really getting the hang of being in a band and writing actual complete songs.

full in bloom: Before starting Autopsy, you spent a short time in another legendary extreme metal band, Death. How much were you involved in the Scream Bloody Gore sessions?

Chris: I played all the drums. I didn’t write any guitar riffs of course, but I’d like to think that I successfully put my individual stamp on the songs from my end of things.

full in bloom: Are there any memories that stand out when you reflect on those sessions?

Chris: I remember the whole thing quite well, which is remarkable since it was so long ago. It was 1986 and I was 17 years old. The entire experience was one big stand out memory, to be honest. We were set loose in L.A. with no one to watch out for us. Haha! It was a blast and the recording, partying and everything else that went along with it was insane. Looking back it was a real privilege to have been there in that place at that time. Fucking bonkers.

full in bloom: What was it like working with Death founder Chuck Schuldiner? How would you describe him?

Chris: We were best friends at that time and both teenagers wanting to have a blast and make the heaviest fucking music imaginable. He was really laid back, yet very focused. He knew exactly what he wanted from Death. The cool thing was at that time, pressure was at a minimal state. I know shit got intense with record company crap and all that stuff, but when we recorded Scream, it was feeling like a party, but with a purpose. Hopefully that makes sense. Anyways, we got along great…never fought and it was a total blast to be a part of that phase of the band.

full in bloom: What led to your decision to leave Death and start Autopsy?

Chris: After bouncing around between Florida and California, Chuck finally decided to stay in Florida for good. I received the invitation to move there and remain in the band, but California is truly my home and it’s where I feel comfortable so that’s where it ended for me. I was bummed at first, but at the end of the day it was my choice. The logical thing to do was to start a new band, which was to be Autopsy.

full in bloom: Did you and Chuck remain friends as Autopsy and Death gave shape to a new genre in heavy metal music?

Chris: We did. I visited him in Florida again and we got to hang out when Death toured over here. We also played together at Milwaukee Metalfest 3 in 1989, so all was cool ultimately.

full in bloom: Any cool memories of Schuldiner you’d like to share?

Chris: Tons, man. Like I said, we were best buds at the time. We hung out all the time and had plenty of fun just goofing around and being teenagers. It was a pretty innocent time in some ways. It’s hard to single out specific episodes to fit in one tidy answer and I am a crappy storyteller to boot. Haha! I did get to speak with him on the phone not too long before he died, which was nice. It was hard to hear him feeling so shitty, but I managed to get a joke out of him and we parted on good terms.

full in bloom: I realize it’s an impossible question to answer, but how would you describe the Bay Area music scene back then?

Chris: It was really fucking good. Tons of amazing shows, demos and all that cool stuff was going down, but it was also weird in the way that there were groups of people who, though part of the same scene, just didn’t get along. For example, there were plenty of mixed bills (that featured both) metal and punk, and the crowds pretty much hated each other and there was clear friction. In hindsight, it was a good thing to get all those folks in the same mix, and over time the animosity lessened more and more to the point where it just didn’t matter anymore, which is where we are now. It was definitely weird at times though in the early underground days. I remember seeing DRI play with Possessed and the punks threw eggs at Possessed. That’s just one example. I dug both bands, so it was a drag to see that shit going on, but what could you do besides not join in with that sort of behavior. Death Metal was another story. When I joined Death, I had friends who just didn’t understand and thought it was a stupid thing to do. In the bay area, Death Metal was sort of a joke since it didn’t fit in with the thrash bracket. We didn’t sing about politics or headbanging in the pit and the lyrics were hard to make out. I knew what we were doing was killer and I really didn’t care if we were branded outcasts or whatever. That kind of shit just fuels the fire.

full in bloom: John Marshall produced Autopsy’s debut, Severed Survival. How was it working with Kirk Hammett’s guitar tech?

Chris: John was super cool, friendly and happy to help us turn our wacky ideas into reality. He had no problem with the whole death metal thing and it was a fun experience with no stress or anything. He let us do what we wanted and did the best he could to make it sound heavy as fuck.

full in bloom: What kind of budget did you have for for Autopsy’s debut record? How long did it take to record?

Chris: Here’s a funny story. Our budget was $5,000. Wait, that’s not the funny part! We literally spent half the recording budget on weed. That’s right folks, half of our meager budget was spent on weed and we smoked it all. Good thing we had our priorities straight, huh? Haha! So that left us with $2,500 and that gave us four days in the studio, which boiled down to two days recording and two days mixing if I remember correctly. Luckily, we were well rehearsed, had our shit together and John Marshall didn’t seem concerned with our tiny window of time to crank that sucker out. We plugged in, let it rip and the rest is semi-history.

full in bloom: Any memories stand out from those recording sessions?

Chris: I don’t remember a hell of a lot from that session, honestly. For one thing, it was 25 years ago and we were only there for four days. For another, we bought $2,500 worth of weed and fucking smoked it all. I have a vague recollection of what the studio looked like on the inside and seeing the records that had been recorded there on the walls. I remember drinking a warm Spaten beer while doing vocals and not much else. A true blur of madness!

full in bloom: Any memorable stories from the Mental Funeral recording sessions?

Chris: That one raised the levels of partying depravity. That was the one where we started drinking more heavily while recording. The one thing that stands out the most for me was putting on the headphones waiting for the “rolling” cue and thinking to myself: “Wow, I’m pretty fucking drunk… I hope I can play this stuff good enough.” And I’m proud to say as soon as we started jamming it took off and there were no worries. It was a bit crazy in there though, I have to say. There were probably around 18 of us, including Hammy from Peaceville drinking and smoking our asses off the entire time like it was some kind of crazy party. And I can’t really describe it, but there was a weird vibe in the building, like some kind of murky dark magic or something. It really comes through when you listen.

full in bloom: How long did it take to record? Where did you record it?

Chris: Around seven days from start to finish I think. I’d have to look at my album to get more specific, but it’s upstairs and I’m downstairs drinking and doing this interview. Haha! It was recorded at Different Fur studios in San Francisco. My reasoning was “Hey, The Residents recorded there, so let’s go there and grab some of those weird vibes.”

full in bloom: What was a typical recording budget for a band in your genre?

Chris: I have no idea. I’ve heard things about bands making records for tens of thousands of dollars, but that definitely wasn’t us. Our budgets were always minimal, but we showed up well rehearsed and ready to kill, so we could do a lot in a short amount of time. Plus, when you think about it, the band ultimately has to pay the budget back in the end, so we got out of the red pretty quickly. It’s funny because you always hear about bands being in the studio for weeks or months and I always think: what the fuck were you doing all that time? How could making a metal album possibly take that long?

full in bloom: Share some of your memories from touring for the first two albums. Specifically, how was the reception from the crowds in Europe back in those days?

Chris: We actually did two European tours for Severed Survival but none for Mental Funeral. The reception was really damn good for the most part, particularly in Holland and Germany. There were some absolutely nutty shows there.

full in bloom: Who did you tour with? Any great stories from the road?

Chris: We toured with Bolt Thrower, Pestilence and Morgoth on the first tour and Paradise Lost on the second one. We also did some gigs with Benediction for the UK gigs on the second tour. I have a ton of crazy stories in my head from those times, but like I said, I suck at relaying stories and I could never pick out just one or two. I’d definitely need more space to make it worthwhile. There’s already several books written in my head that folks may or may not get to read someday. Haha!

full in bloom: Autopsy went through a bit of a shift after Mental Funeral to a more grindcore-influenced sound. What prompted the change?

Chris: I don’t think we ever thought about our style changing, it was just more Autopsy music in our minds. I have heard that comparison plenty of times, but only in later years. Maybe it’s the production or the abundance of short and fast songs? Anyways, I think it stands right up there with all of our other albums and I’m just as proud of it as anything else. It is a filthy ride, that’s for sure and there’s nothing wrong with that. Haha!

full in bloom: I’ve read from multiple sources that the supporting tour for Acts of the Unspeakable led to Autopsy’s mid-90s breakup, though I’ve yet to read an explanation of just how that went down. Would you care to share some of the turmoil that went on in 1993?

Chris: Yeah, it was the US tour in ’93 that did us in. It was way too long, way too poorly organized, and things got stressful pretty damn fast. There were good times and some laughs of course, but ultimately the enjoyment of being Autopsy was drained away and the end was clear. When we got home from the tour, we had a short talk and all agreed it was time to call it quits. However, we refused to go out with a whimper and decided to record a final album, play a farewell gig on our home turf and go out with heads held high. Looking back, I’m glad we handled things the way we did. We managed to stay friends and keep the integrity of the band intact we well.

full in bloom: After Autopsy, you and Danny Corrales set your sights on the hardcore punk genre with Abscess. Why the shift from a style that had cemented your place in metal history?

Chris: Well, Abscess was still rooted in Death Metal, but there was a generous helping of sleazy punk rock lunacy scooped in for a chaotic and combustible mixture. We still loved the heavy stuff of course, but we also wanted to let it rip, go nuts and not take ourselves overly seriously, while still taking the music seriously. It was cathartic and necessary. We had to go insane to keep sane, if that makes sense. Not everyone could get their head around what we were doing, but that didn’t bother us a bit. And funny enough, now, after the fact, I’m hearing more praises for Abscess than ever. Strange how that shit works, eh?

full in bloom: What drove the decision to bring in another vocalist in Clint Bower? How did that decision affect your drumming?

Chris: Clint was an automatic choice for us since he was a good friend and we also loved what he had done with Hexx. It felt like a no brainer. He was into the idea and it all came together like it was meant to happen. We loved his crazy screaming vocal style and figured it would blend well with my more guttural sound, which it did. As for my drumming, nothing changed there, really. The main change was the chemistry and overall attitude. Things got really insane and reckless and it was an amazing time, like being reborn in vomit. Haha!

full in bloom: Abscess released seven studio albums over its 16 year run. Do you have a favorite? Least Favorite? How did your sound evolve over that time?

Chris: We did release a bunch of crazy ass stuff. There’s the full length albums as well as plenty of ep’s, 7″s, splits and so on. I can’t really pick out a favorite though. They are all a bit different from one another, but they all still sound like Abscess. It was a nutty and chaotic band, to say the least. As time went on, I guess we veered toward more of a death metal approach, but that was also there in the early days…we just increased it a bit more perhaps. There are also a few albums with blatant psychedelic overtones, or even saturations at some points. All the while keeping things heavy, sleazy and sick of course. Haha! Each release is a bizarre chapter in the Abscess story and I dig it all.

full in bloom: In 2010, you and Danny disbanded Abscess and reformed Autopsy? What inspired that move?

Chris: It was Clint’s choice to leave the band, otherwise we would have kept going. He had been making a two hour drive to practice each night, which was a pretty grueling commute. I suppose he was getting burned out and when we told him Autopsy was going to do a couple of shows, he let us know he was finished with Abscess. I tried to talk him into sticking with it, but his mind was made up and that was it. It’s a bummer since we put so much into that band and had such a great time with it, but we also had to respect his decision. And unfortunately, without Clint a crucial part of the Abscess chemistry was gone. There was no use even trying to continue, as it just wouldn’t be the same, so it was the end of the line for Abscess. Originally Autopsy was only going to do the aforementioned gigs, but with Abscess defunct, it left the door open for us to go at it full force, which we did.

full in bloom: The Tomb Within EP was Autopsy’s first new material in more than 15 years. When were those songs written?

Chris: Right around the time that Abscess fell apart and we knew Autopsy was going to be officially back in action. We didn’t even make a conscious decision to write new stuff, the inspiration just started blasting away out of nowhere, like a faucet with the handle broken off. Riffs were flying in every direction and it was all we could do to harness them and turn them into new Autopsy beasts.

full in bloom: Autopsy dropped Macabre Eternal in 2011, followed by an extensive round of touring. How had the crowds changed in the 15 years you were focusing on Abscess?

Chris: It was more one-offs here and there throughout the world as opposed to proper touring, but the end result was still invading various countries and assaulting them with horrifying death metal. As for crowd reactions, it was out of control, our best gigs ever. In the old days, if we played for a few hundred people, it was a good night and here we were all of a sudden headlining for 10,000. It was bonkers for sure. As for actual changes, we saw kids 16,17 years old right in the front row screaming out all of the lyrics and losing their minds right alongside the old farts. It was fucking amazing to see to say the very least.

full in bloom: You have worked with Peaceville Records for a number of releases. How has that relationship grown over the years?

Chris: It’s stayed consistent. When we signed with them, they were new and so were we and we’ve sort of grown up together in a way. They do the best they can for us and we do the same for them. Hard to believe it’s been 26 years so far!

full in bloom: Do you have any regrets? I understand when everyone says that they have “no regrets” but if you could do one or two things differently, what would they be?

Chris: I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. Everything has been part of the learning experience, you know? There have been times where people would have liked to see me do things differently maybe, but I’ve always stuck to my guns and did my best to get past hurdles and headaches while playing the music that I like to play and staying true to myself.

full in bloom: For our equipment junkies out there, tell us about the drum kit you use nowadays. Drums, heads, sticks and cymbals: what allows Chris Reifert to produce that bone-crushing sound?

Chris: Here comes the disappointment. Haha! I am one of the worst people to talk about gear with. I like to play, but the actual equipment doesn’t interest me very much. What a horrible thing for a musician to say, eh? Haha! I don’t care to get into details about hardware and all that stuff, as I usually buy the cheap stuff which is always breaking, which makes way for buying more cheap stuff so I can never remember what I have. Or I just keep playing broken stuff instead of replacing it. Now, maybe if someone would endorse me and help out with gear, I’d see things differently. Maybe. Haha! Anyways, right now I play on a black Premier Carbria kit, which is low end for Premier, but they really don’t make bad drums, so it’s still a good, though badly beaten up set. Cymbals…I’m not sure what I have since the logos have been pummeled off of them. I do like Promark 2B wood tips, as far as sticks go. They’re pretty cheap but durable to some extent.

full in bloom: How has your set or set up changed from the earlier days?

Chris: I used to have a white Ludwig set, which I played on the first Autopsy demo, then I got a red Tama Rockstar kit, which is on everything I played on from about ’88 to 2000 or so, then I got the Premier kit. I still have the Tama one, but it’s beat to hell and rotting away in boxes in our rehearsal room. It is a huge, monstrous beast though, and maybe someday I’ll resurrect it.

full in bloom: Autopsy is often cited as a major influence by some of the biggest extreme metal acts in the world such as Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and Entombed. Are those guys doing an admirable job of carrying the torch forward, in your opinion? Who are some of the modern bands that you enjoy listening to?

Chris: Hey, we’re all in this together as far as I’m concerned. Plenty of us all came up around the same time, or at least within a couple of years of each other. Of course I’d be lying if I didn’t think it was amazing anytime someone says we influenced them in any way. That rules, but also remember we had plenty of our own influences when we started out, just as our influences had their own as well. We’re all “passing it on” as Keith Richards says. That makes a lot of sense to me. That’s the cool thing about music in general, it weaves in and out of time and it’s constantly changing, yet staying the same depending on your perception. Hmmm…modern bands as far as Death Metal goes…I really like Sordid Flesh and Gluttony. They’re really doing it right. There’s more too, and if I could just bring myself to go upstairs, I could list a few more titles. Maybe that can be in part 2, eh?

full in bloom: I love the band Pestilence…you guys toured with them in 1990. Could you share a story involving the two bands from that tour?

Chris: They were super friendly and fun to tour with. We had plenty of laughs as we all had a twisted sense of humor. There’s no one story that stands out for me. It’s all more of one big noisy drunken blur. They were really great though and heavy as hell to boot. I still see Martin (van Drunnen)here and there in various parts of the world when we cross paths with Asphyx (van Drunnen’s next band after Pestilence), which is a cool thing.

full in bloom: Band association time. I’m gonna name off a handful of metal bands from various eras. If you would, please share any thoughts, stories or opinions you have about them.

full in bloom: Death?

Chris: A band I was a fan of, then got to join. It doesn’t get much better than that for a fan, eh?

full in bloom: Mercyful Fate?

Chris: They blew my mind, big time. I got to see them live in 1984 and they absolutely killed! Their entire catalog is amazing and there’s not a bad album in the bunch. Same goes for King Diamond’s solo stuff.

full in bloom: Venom?

Chris: Kings! One of the very first over the top filthy and evil bands of all time. I got to briefly meet Cronos when Autopsy played with them in 2011 and he seemed to be a really cool guy, which goes miles for me. It sucks when you meet someone you look up to and they’re a dick to you. Fortunately that wasn’t the case.

full in bloom: Pantera?

Chris: Never was a fan, to be honest. I know they influenced a fuck ton of bands and people, which is fine. I just wasn’t one of them.

full in bloom: Cannibal Corpse?

Chris: Great, consistent band and nice guys too. You always know what you’re going to get with them, and I mean that in the best possible way.

full in bloom: Possessed?

Chris: If Seven Churches doesn’t knock your socks off, you need to get your fucking ears checked!

full in bloom: Metallica?

Chris: I love Kill ’em All, like Ride the Lightning and feel so-so about Master of Puppets. After that, forget it. I do remember the first time I heard Kill ’em All though, and it absolutely blew my head off! Still sounds great today.

full in bloom: Sodom?

Chris: Love, love, love that band! The Final Sign of Evil (2007 album) was another total crusher that melted my teenage mind. I dig all their stuff and they’re STILL going strong! Hell yes!!!

full in bloom: Exodus?

Chris: I really enjoy Bonded By Blood, but that’s where it stops for me. I remember going to the record store to get it the day it came out. I waited for the UPS truck to show up with the records and there was a crowd of us at the store counter foaming at the mouth to get that thing. It’s still fun to listen to.

THE FAST 5

full in bloom: What is your most disgusting habit?

Chris: I can only pick one? Forget it then. Haha!

full in bloom: What is the most feminine thing you do?

Chris: You officially have me stumped on this one. Congrats!

full in bloom: If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

Chris: Arrive where? If it’s in a bar, I’d ask which bourbon is most recommendable.

full in bloom: Greatest Metal band of all time?

Chris: The one in the middle of course!

full in bloom: What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

Chris: Either pooping, listening to music or playing Mario Kart 8. Perhaps all three at the same time.

full in bloom: Thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview with us Chris. It was a real honor and very much appreciated.

Chris: Thanks for your time and groovy questions. I am now spent and feel I deserve a fresh beer to go with my Finnish beverage. Cheers to you and to anyone who’s read this far. Over, under and out!!!

Tags Abcess, Autopsy, Chris Reifert, Chuck Schuldiner, Death, Death Metal, Legacy Interviews, Scream Bloody Gore

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David Michael-Philips – King Kobra Guitarist – The full in bloom Legacy Interview

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Interview w/
King Kobra, Keel, Schoolboys / Icon, Lizzy Borden Guitarist
David Michael-Philips

full in bloom: You were in the band Schoolboys, before they changed their name to Icon. How long were you in the band and why did you leave?

David Michael-Philips: John Covington and I were both in the Schoolboys. In fact, the song “Mean Street Machine” had its origins back in those days and Icon even recorded it for their first album. I left the Schoolboys to do more of my own style of music, which is more melodic hard rock. The rest of the band wanted to go in a more metal direction.

full in bloom: Didn’t you guys release a 4 song demo? How many copies were you able to sell? Do you own a copy? Will it ever be re-released?

David: We made a 4 song EP called “Singin’, Shoutin’.” I think we only pressed 1000 copies and I still have a few. No plans to release it, though.

full in bloom: Whatever happened to Stephen Clifford? Do you talk to any of those guys?

David: I heard he became a Christian artist. I see Dan Wexler every once in a while. He’s a great guy and talented guitar player.

full in bloom: How did you end up joining Keel? Who else was in the band at that time?

David: I got a call from Ron asking if I wanted to move to L.A. and join Keel. Kenny Chaisson and I drove out there the following week. The other guitarist was Marc Ferrari.

full in bloom: Did you play any shows with them?

David: I played one show with Keel at Perkin’s Palace in Pasadena and then joined King Kobra after Ron told all of us he might be dissolving the band because he was auditioning to be the new singer of Black Sabbath. I was with them about a month.

full in bloom: What was it like working with Ron Keel?

David: I liked Ron. He was very dedicated and professional and I knew he was going to make something of himself. I didn’t want to be left band-less, though, if he quit his own band, so I had to make other arrangements.

full in bloom: Describe a typical Day in the Life of David Michael-Philips during your days in Keel?

David: Let’s see: I worked at Tower Records in Westwood and we all lived in a dilapidated storefront in a pretty bad part of L.A. I heard Poison moved in there after we all moved out.

full in bloom: In retrospect do you wish you would have stayed in Keel, or do you think you made the right decision to leave?

David: I got to be more of a creative force in King Kobra. In Keel, Ron made it clear he was writing all the songs and charting the direction.

(L-R) Mick Sweda, Mark Free, Carmine Appice, Johnny Rod, David Michael-Philips

full in bloom: What was the process leading up to you joining King Kobra?

David: I answered an ad in L.A. Weekly that said Carmine was looking for a blonde guitar player. By the time he had gotten my tape, he had already found a guitarist, but he decided to add another.

full in bloom: Where did you guys record the debut album, Ready to Strike? What was the budget?

David: We did the record at Pasha Recording Studio in Hollywood, just following the success of Quiet Riot who had done their first record there as well with the same producer. It was a medium sized budget record for the time. It was great because I had only been in L.A. for less than 6 months and I was already signed and recording my first album.

full in bloom: Did you receive an equal share in King Kobra?

David: Hell, no. Carmine decided he was the most important and was going to take the largest share. This caused a lot of discontent within the band and was the reason for its quick demise.

full in bloom: Although I thought “Hunger” was a great song, why did Kick Axe, of all bands, write songs for the Ready to Strike record?

David: The story behind the Kick Axe songs was that Spencer Proffer, the producer of Quiet Riot and King Kobra (and the publisher of all the Kick Axe songs), was trying to get them covered by Black Sabbath, who he was courting at the time for Pasha. Incidentally, this was the Keel-connection as well, because Ron sang “Hunger” as a demo with Sabbath. The Sabbath thing didn’t work out, so Spencer suggested we do the song.

full in bloom: How many copies of Ready to Strike were sold?

David: Not sure, but I’ve heard somewhere in the 300,000 range.

full in bloom: Was it a conscious decision to make your next record, Thrill of Lifetime, such a pop oriented record. What did you think of that release?

David: I hated it. Capitol told us we had to make a record that sounded like Jefferson Starship’s “We Built This City” or we wouldn’t be doing a second record. Our manager suggested we take our only option.

full in bloom: Any memories come to mind from those recording sessions?

David: Very uninspired and a total sell-out.

full in bloom: Your thoughts on Mark Free’s sex change operation? Have you spoken to her recently?

David: I have not spoken to Mark/Marcie in years.

full in bloom: What was Mark like back in the day?

David: When I knew him as Mark, he seemed to be a pretty nice guy and definitely a great singer. He was never quite into the hard rock stuff, though, and I know he would have preferred the pop direction King Kobra was forced to go into on the second record.

full in bloom: How did you survive during your King Kobra days?

David: Before anybody thinks life in a touring band signed on a major label is the pinnacle of success, let me tell you that when we were opening for Kiss in 15,000 capacity arenas and had a record out and a video on MTV, I was making $125 a week. And it never got any better than that.

full in bloom: How was it being in a band with drum legend Carmine Appice? What was it like working with him?

David: Carmine is a great drummer and we have stayed in contact over the years.

full in bloom: Were you ever considered as a second guitarist with Mick Sweda in Bulletboys?

David: Mick and I both started what was to become the Bulletboys, but I didn’t get along with Marq Torien, so I bowed out early on.

King Kobra: (L-R) Lonnie Vencent, Marq Torien, Carmine Appice, David Michael-Philips, Mick Sweda

full in bloom: Who were some of the bands that King Kobra toured with? Who were the coolest? Who were the biggest jerks?

David: We toured with Kiss, Queensryche, Ted Nugent, Autograph and Iron Maiden. Every band was totally cool and there were no attitudes or bad vibes.

full in bloom: 3 most fond memories from your days in King Kobra.

David: First arena show in Saginaw, Michigan. Interview on MTV with J.J. Jackson. Friendship Festival in Acapulco, Mexico.

full in bloom: Any good touring stories that you would like to share?

David: One memorable moment was sharing the stage with Kiss and singing “Lick It Up” with Gene. Biggest disappointment was not being able to play at Cobo Hall in Detroit with Ted Nugent on my 24th birthday because our equipment truck broke down.

full in bloom: What is Johnny Rod doing now?

David: I heard he was a paramedic, but don’t know for sure.

full in bloom: Now that Ready to Strike and Thrill of a Lifetime have been re-released, how have they been selling?

David: I have no idea, I don’t make a penny. Better ask Carmine that question.

full in bloom: How did you get involved with Lizzy Borden and the Master of Disguise album. Any cool memories from those recording sessions?

David: I was good friends with the producers Alex Woltman and Elliot Soloman and got to know Lizzy through them. I would consider that album some of my best playing. Lizzy is a great guy and a real pro.

full in bloom: Did you tour with the band for that release.

David: I never wanted to join the band, but I did play a Metal Blade Records show at the Palace in Hollywood.

full in bloom: After the heyday of the ’80s you actually went out and got educated on us. What is it that you studied?

David: I went back and finished college to get my degree in Engineering (Computer Science). I wanted to prove I could do it and graduated with honors in 1999.

full in bloom: Didn’t you reconnect with some of the guys in Icon during the ’90s? What was that project and did you record anything?

David: We were called Tomcats and did a few development demos, but nothing ever came of it.

THE FAST 5

full in bloom: What is your most disgusting habit?

David: You’d have to ask my wife that one.

full in bloom: What is the most feminine thing you do?

David: I still wear women’s pants because they fit better than men’s pants.

full in bloom: If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

David: Where the heck have you been all this time?

full in bloom: Greatest Rock band of all time?

David: AC/DC and Van Halen

full in bloom: What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

David: Digging holes to plant Oleanders in my front yard (it’s Sunday).

Tags David Michael-Philips, Interviews, King Kobra, Legacy Interviews

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Twisted Sister Guitarist Eddie Ojeda – The full in bloom Legacy Interview

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Twisted Sister Guitarist
Eddie Ojeda

full in bloom: Twisted Sister has some history with KISS. Tell us a little about that.

Eddie Ojeda: Well, we were both from kind of the same area. I mean, they made it quite a few years before we made it. And I knew Ace (Frehley) from the Bronx, from a long time ago, from the old neighborhood. So we have some of the history like that. And actually Jay Jay French had auditioned for KISS.

full in bloom: Yeah, there was always that rumor that Jay Jay played with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley while they were in the pre-KISS band, Wicked Lester.

Eddie: Yeah, they were called Wicked Lester when Jay Jay auditioned for them, and he almost got in the band. I remember he was jamming with them for about a good two months and then all of a sudden I guess they weren’t sure, you know, they were trying out different guys and then they tried out Ace and I guess decided to go with him. So there’s a little bit of Rock n’ Roll trivia. Because, you know, if he would joined KISS, there would have been no Twisted Sister.

full in bloom: That’s right, because he was an original member from the ’70s Twisted Sister, right? When the band first started.

Eddie: Yeah, he was one of the original members. I think right after the Wicked Lester thing, he joined a band. It wasn’t this version of the band, it was like the first version of Twisted Sister. Then they broke up and we got this version together. At first, it was just four of us and we decided to get a singer and that’s when we got Dee (Snider). And then, you know, that’s when things started to go from there. When Dee joined the band, after awhile we started doing originals and just kept building up with the band and the name. We became like a tri-state phenomena. We would play anywhere within a hundred mile radius on any day of the week and get like 2 to 3 thousand kids in a club. It was the late ’70s, early ’80s.

full in bloom: Who was the original singer?

Eddie: A guy named Michael O’Neil. He was in a band called Pretty Poison first, which was a pretty good band, they just never got the break.

full in bloom: Why did he leave Twisted Sister?

Eddie: Basically, the band just disbanded, the original band was just…. ummm….they were just partying too much, I think, when they first got together. What happened was they just couldn’t get along any longer and they disbanded. Jay Jay called me up about 6 months after they broke up. He said, ‘listen, I’m going to reform Twisted Sister and I want you to be in the band,’ so I joined. I remember going to see Twisted Sister when they first got together and they were cool. We basically picked up where they left off. At first we weren’t wearing the makeup, we were just kinda doing the same music – Mott the Hoople, you know, Bowie and stuff like that, a lot of cover stuff. Then Dee got back into the band and he said let’s do the makeup thing again, and that’s how the makeup thing started back up. And it sort of evolved into a different makeup, not just like a glam makeup, but kind of evolved into a warpaint kind of look, which is what it is. Dee calls it HID ROCK, instead of glam rock, you know, for hideous. Hideous makeup (laughs).

full in bloom: Was there a big difference or momentum change once Dee joined the band?

Eddie: Yes, I would definitely say that he brought a certain energy that we needed. At first, we were going to try to do it without a singer, because all of us had worked with LEAD SINGERS (laughs).

full in bloom: …and were sick of it?

Eddie: Yeah. It was like, (laughs) no, no, not another singer.

full in bloom: Was everyone in the band going to sing?

Eddie: Yeah, it was basically myself, Jay Jay would sing – I would do the more melodic stuff – and Kenny, the bass player, had a good voice. But the thing is, we just got tired of doing it. You know, the original band did have a frontman, lead singer guy. So we were doing ok, but we weren’t doing the numbers, or we just weren’t getting the crowds we wanted to get. We wanted to add an addition to the band, to spark things up a bit. So we said, if we had a singer it would take the weight off of us having to sing and play, and we’d be able to jam out, and have a guy in the front going nuts, you know, talking to the crowd and doing what frontmen do.

full in bloom: And threaten the crowd

Eddie: Threaten the crowd?

full in bloom: Yeah.

Eddie: (laughs)

full in bloom: I saw you guys on the Stay Hungry tour, with RATT, in Dallas, TX at the Bronco Bowl. Some guy in the audience was sitting down while you guys were performing. Dee suddenly stopped the show and singled this guy out. He called the guy a pussy and asked him questions like, ‘why would you come to a concert and sit down?’ The guy starts shrugging it off and Dee finally says, “why don’t you come backstage and I’ll kick your ass.” It was classic.

Eddie: (laughs) It happened quite a bit.

full in bloom: I was just going to say, I bet you went through that plenty of times.

Eddie: There were times, even in the arenas, when we were touring with Iron Maiden in front of like seventeen thousand people, and Dee picks one guy, nosebleed seats (laughs)…all the way in the back (laughs)…it was funny….he’d say, “no, no, you, with the purple shirt on…yeah, you” (laughs) Like, you know, seventeen thousand people and he finds that one guy.

full in bloom: Did anybody ever take him up on the offer to come backstage? Did he ever really piss somebody off?

Eddie: No, not really. Most people were really intimidated by him, they didn’t have the balls to do that. They would like give him the finger and stuff like that. Sometimes, people thought that we used to plant people in the audience to take the abuse. Then sometimes people that liked the band would do it. They would just do it to bust balls that night. It was kind of like they would do it to fire Dee up, you know? I guess it was like a plant, but it wasn’t. We never actually had someone out there, to do that. Sometimes you would talk to the guy later and he would say, ‘no, I love you guys’ – ‘Then why were you doing that?’ – ‘Oh, I was just trying to be an asshole.’ (laughs) ‘I wanted to get Dee all pissed off.’ This one guy jumped on stage and kind of got in Dee’s face. They both got in each other’s face and they did the face thing, you know, and bumped each other’s chests. Then he jumped off the stage. Everybody was going to kill him.

full in bloom: Why did he get up on stage?

Eddie: Oh, we were saying ‘disco sucks’ and this guy goes, ‘disco’s great, man.’ In the middle of like two thousand metalheads, saying disco is great. He had balls, I’ll tell you that. This was back in the clubs. He jumped on stage and he had a real disco kind of look, a real Saturday Night Fever look going.

full in bloom: So Dee was doing that from the very beginning, huh?

Eddie: Yeah…yeah, he always did that; I guess it became part of a thing. Dee couldn’t stand it when people just sat there with their arms folded and not getting into it. Then, I guess, it became part of a thing that people expected him to do. I think he just enjoyed doing it – I don’t think he did it consciously. He just would see that and get pissed off, and just go off on somebody.

full in bloom: How great is it when you have a guy in makeup, threatening to kick your ass?

Eddie: I know, we got makeup on and meanwhile we’re hard as nails.

full in bloom: How did you guys find Dee?

Eddie: Actually, we had this agent named Kevin Brenner. He worked with an agency called CTA. I think it stood for Creative Talent Association and they were a big, big agency, everyone wanted to be with them. But they were hard to get in with. In fact, Cyndi Lauper had a band called Blue Angel, before she made it, and she was always trying to get gigs for her band and Kevin wouldn’t give her the time of day. And when she made it, she used to tell me, “I never liked Kevin.” But to us, he was always great, I guess because we always did well for him. I never had a problem with the guy, so, you know, some people can get along with one person and hate another – different strokes. For whatever reason, certain bands didn’t work out with him and some bands did.

So he was booking a band called Peacock, which is a weird name. Dee was the lead singer and he wasn’t happy with the band. And Twisted Sister already had a name for itself and he had always loved the band, and wanted to be a part of it. So Dee asked Kevin and Kevin asked us if we were interested in trying out Dee Snider. And it was great from day one. When he first joined the band, we were doing all Zeppelin stuff and he looked like Robert Plant from the back of the club, you know, from a distance. When you got up close, he didn’t look like Robert Plant, but one day I said, ‘you know, he looks like Robert Plant if you’re in the middle of the bar.’

full in bloom: Are there any recordings floating around with the original singer?

Eddie: No, I doubt if there’s anything at all, because at the time they were just a club band. The only time Twisted Sister recorded, back then, was when Dee joined the band, and that was after awhile when we started writing originals, because there was no real reason to record songs that were already recorded. But when we started writing originals, that’s when we started recording, which was in the late ’70s. Most of that stuff we released, because we had a lot of stuff in the can. Club Daze I & II. Some of those things we did in 1 to 2 days, because we were playing clubs so much that we could go into the studio and play live, and record, and be very tight.

full in bloom: How often did you guys play out back then?

Eddie: About 4 or 5 days a week.

full in bloom: Were you able to pay your bills by just playing music?

Eddie: Oh yeah, we were doing really well. At one point we were one of the highest paid club bands in the tri-state area. We were making some very good money, for the times, but even nowadays. Some bands now would love to be making what we were making back then. Some of these bands are lucky to get $500.00 or $1000.00 a night.

full in bloom: What were you guys taking in on an average night, back then?

Eddie: I don’t really want to get into specifics, but it was great. A lot of these tribute bands now do really well. There’s a Queen tribute band and a Motley Crue tribute band. Some of them are really good, there’s one who does Alice in Chains…some of them do really well.

full in bloom: I know. I have a buddy in Dallas that works at some shithole club and they just had a KISS tribute band play there and the band took in something like $2500.00.

Eddie: Right. They make 2 to 3 thousand dollars a night – the tribute bands do well. It’s some of these bands that try to make it…unless they get a recording deal and do it that way, get a video out, get a name for themselves, and then they go out and tour. Which you know, there are a lot of different ways to make it. I mean we made it kind of the hard way, we did the club scene first and then when we were big on the club circuit. We evolved to the next level, and then got a record deal.

full in bloom: Once you got the record deal, you release Under the Blade. Was that record deal only in the UK?

Eddie: It was a record label called Secret Records, which was a good name for it, because it was pretty much a secret. They were based out of the UK, their first independent label. A guy came and heard about us. We had a big, big buzz in the UK, people were selling bootleg tapes of us and that is how he heard about us, and he came to the States to see us.

full in bloom: That’s incredible, he heard of you guys through bootleg tapes?

Eddie: Yeah. Huge buzz on the band. I mean, the first time we went to the UK, we were playing like the Marquee and all these clubs and, I mean, they would be PACKED. It was like the same feel that we had over here. So we signed with Secret Records. There was a band called the Exploited and they were signed to them as well. First we did an EP with them called Ruff Cuts, which was some tapes we already used. And then we made the Under the Blade album with them and recorded that out in the UK. We recorded it in a barn, basically with a mobile unit, did a lot of overdubs inside the studio. I forgot the name of the studio; Paul McCartney had worked at the studio. Somewhere near Battle, a part of England called Battle.

full in bloom: How long did it take you guys to record Under the Blade?

Eddie: About two months. I don’t know, it was probably more like a month. We used to pop things out pretty quickly, because we didn’t have to learn anything. We had been playing these songs for awhile in the clubs, there was nothing to learn or write. When we went into the studio, we were ready. It was probably more like a month for the first album and I think our second album we also did in England, You Can’t Stop Rock n Roll, took about two months.

full in bloom: But you guys were signed to Atlantic Records by that point, right?

Eddie: Yeah, at that point we were signed to Atlantic. We lost our deal with Secret Records, or they went belly up, I think that’s what happened. We had to get a new deal. And then we ended up doing this show called The Tube, which 8 million people watched. It was one of the biggest shows in England, at the time. So we did the show and Lemmy (Kilmister) from Motörhead came up and jammed with us on “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)”….there’s videos out there, some bootleg dvds of it. And Phil Carson and Mick Jones (Foreigner) happened to be at the studio that day, they were doing an interview about Foreigner. Phil Carson was the VP of Atlantic in the UK and he basically was responsible for signing Zeppelin, YES, AC/DC, ABBA, Foreigner, a few successful bands.

full in bloom: Yeah really. (laughs)

Eddie: So he was with Mick Jones and Mick, who had an apartment in New York, says, ‘you know, I keep hearing about this band, I want to stay and watch this band….they are always on the radio, they’re playing this place, they’re playing that place.’ Because they used to advertise the hell out of us on the radio, because we were always playing these big clubs. So they stayed and watched it and the next day Phil Carson offered us a record deal.

We were actually offered three record deals and we decided to go with Atlantic. Phil didn’t even want to meet us, he just wanted to sign us. But he gave in, he likes us now – I think it was more of a running joke. But he said, ‘I don’t want to meet them, I just want to sign them.’ So we signed with Atlantic and, of course, he came down to meet us. He was just joking. And that’s how it happened. So the second album we did at Jimmy Page’s studio.

____________________________________________________

Check back next week and we will post part II of our full in bloom interview with Eddie Ojeda.

This interview was originally conducted in 2005.

Tags Dee Snider, Eddie Ojeda, KISS, Legacy Interviews, Twisted Sister, Wicked Lester

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London’s Nadir D’Priest – The full in bloom Legacy Interview

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London / D’Priest Vocalist
Nadir D’Priest

The full in bloom Legacy Interview – PART I
(Originally conducted in 2006)

full in bloom: What’s new, what have you been up to lately and what’s in the future?

Nadir D’Priest: Well at this time I am looking for a label and or distributor so I can release my second LONDON album, Don’t Cry Wolf. This album never did have the right push or the right label behind it, so I hope that I can have it re-mastered, new art etc. and finally give it what it deserves.

full in bloom: You played in a band called Vertigo in the early eighties. Who were some of the influences for that band?

Nadir: WOW! Thats wa’aaay back, man. Vertigo had some very talented players and I think Brian Ikari was one of the fastest guitarist at the time, I am talking FAST. That’s when it was cool to be really fucking fast. I am telling you this little guy could shred. Dean Avram was a clone of Van Halen’s bassist Michael Anthony’s playing and look wise. Drummers, we had many so this group was the beginning of my musical career. Influences, I think Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Judas Priest among many many others.

full in bloom: Did you ever release anything with Vertigo?

Nadir: No, we never did. We cut some demos, but never an official release at all.

full in bloom: Any fond memories come to mind when thinking about your days in Vertigo?

Nadir: Oh Yeah! At that time, I was very young and we had an array of chicks at our shows. BIG following, what can I say, they couldn’t help themselves. My outfits, make-up, voice and nasty attitude were very appealing to the females and some males..Yuck!. We used to throw partyies at the Holiday Inn back when it was cool to stay there. We use get the Walter Lantz (Woody Woodpecker Creator) suite, you know, and JUST! PARTY HARD. Good Times.

full in bloom: What year did you join London? Describe the process of how you ended up being the singer.

Nadir: I believe it was end of 1984? Not sure, but I think that’s right. The process got started when Jack Russell (Great White) talked to my bass player Dean Avram from Veritgo and told him to get me into Vertigo but soon after that, Lizzie Grey approached me and I ended up leaving Vertigo to join LONDON. It was so fast that my image went to a completely different level of appearance and lifestyle. I became bigger than life at a young age. It was very cool looking back now.

full in bloom: Any memories stand out from the Non-Stop Rock recording sessions?

Nadir: This was the beginning for me since we were about to have our first born album. Myself, Brian West, Bobby Marks (KEEL) and Lizzie Grey were feeling real good about the recording and designing of the cover and all that fun stuff. No money really. I think Mr. Varney gave us a whopping $8,000.00 to get it all done but it was accomplished. Mission Complete. Those where the days, us against the world.

full in bloom: Several big-time players were in London – at one time or another – including Nikki Sixx, Blackie Lawless, Izzy Stradlin, Slash and Fred Coury. Who were some of the other musicians you worked with that went on to become very successful?

Nadir: This question has been following me forever, since we all know who was more successful, right!. I think that the people that I got to work with, (which the list goes on and on) they where all great to work with and I tell you why. That period was very special, players where hungry and not yet poisoned by the success. The innocence was the beauty of it all. It was incredible for me, cause we all wanted the same thing which is the DEAL the BIG DEAL and everything that came with it. We were growing and making history together.

full in bloom: What are your three most fond memories from your days in London.

Nadir: 1. Non Stop Rock
2. Dont Cry Wolf
3. making our first music video which was titled, “Radio Stars”
I can go on forever, we did so much.

full in bloom: Are there any memories that stand out from those Don’t Cry Wolf recording sessions.

Nadir: Yeah! Working with Kim Fowley (The Runaways) was one. I had the best time working with him, he was a very special character, a very talented dude. Unfortunately, I saw him at the Cleopatra records box set Cd party a month or so ago and he did not stop to say hi!. I guess that some things never change. Don’t Cry Wolf was engineered by Gene Meros who also worked as an assistant engineer for Van Halen’s Fair Warning album. He gave us the best BIG ROCK sound, a real gentleman. We also had some real crazy outfits done by some girl who was also working with Alice Cooper, so you can imagine what that was like – money was no object. The album cover was done at my good friend’s studio Althea Flynt and Larry Flynt (Hustler Magazine) who basically hooked us up with the photographer. I can’t remember his name but he usually shot Amber Lynn, among thousands of porno stars and skits. We brought in Siberian wolves, not stuffed, but real actors. It was quite a scene.

full in bloom: Describe a typical London show. Was the place always packed? What were a few of your most memorable shows and why?

Nadir: Man, it was packed, not only by girls, but by other musicians who would just stand there and stare at you – it was funny. Memorable shows were the ones that we would do without full stage set up and one especially with Stryper. We were playing at the Troubadour, LONDON was headlining, we used to have a drum riser about 7 feet high and they wanted us to take it down so they could set up their drums, so, we refused, we had a major blowout with them, basically our bodyguards were ready. Fun shit. The other was with Poison in San Diego at the Adams Avenue Theatre, same thing, the drum riser, but this time they tried to get their own bouncers to kick my ass and this black dude tried to put handcuffs on me. That’s when the promoter, our manager, pulled out a 9mm and the shit hit the fan, again, fun shit. This kind of dirt got around all over the place, so we basically did not take shit from anyone.

full in bloom: Who were some of the bands you played shows with that went on to become stars?

Nadir: Warrant, XYZ, Alcatrazz, Great White, Poison, Stryper, Guns N’ Roses, there are more but I can’t remember right now, sorry.

full in bloom: Did you tour with London? If so, where did you tour? Ever go overseas?

Nadir: Yes! New Orleans we played on a river for the mayor and three thousand of his friends. This after our drummer, Dane Rage, left us in New Mexico. We had to head back to Phoenix to audition a guy for a period of two hours to learn the entire set. Then we broke down outside New Orleans, did the show, got laid, and went on to finish the rest of the tour. We never made it overseas, but we did sell lots of records there.

full in bloom: Former London bandmate Lizzie Grey had co-writing credits on Public Enemy #1, which was featured on Motley Crue’s debut album, Too Fast for Love. Has he ever received any payments for his contribution? If so, do you remember a typical payment?

Nadir: Yes he did and probably does, and NO, I don’t know the $$ part of the question.

full in bloom: Tell us about the first time you ever saw or met Nikki Sixx. What did you think of him at that time?

Nadir: First time I met him was at his house in the Hills and what I thought of him was that he was very cool to me and had great dope. Stayed up all night looking at his rifles and guns, basically talking and gacking.

full in bloom: When you were a club act with London, were you able to survive on record sales and gigs alone, or did you have another job?

Nadir: Good question, NO, WHAT JOB!?! We lived off our fame believe it or not. I look back and still don’t know how we did it but we did have lots of investors and people who loved the band. Never got a royalty check. The gigs paid for the party materials, clothes and stage props, etc. We loved to put on a great visual show and sound great.

full in bloom: Describe a typical DAY-IN-THE-LIFE of Nadir D’priest back in the London daze (’85 to ’88). From the time you woke up, to the time you fell asleep.

Nadir: I never did know were I was going to sleep. I knew I would sleep with a girl somewhere in Hollywood, but I did not have a clue. I would stay up all night drinking and doing blow, listening to music, talking to people, then I would end up with one or two, sometimes three girls having a bit of outrageous sexual fantasies, girl with girl and girls with me. Morning comes, I am still in bed with these girls, more dope and more drinks, toys etc. Go til 4 pm, sleep til 10 pm and start all over again. Wow, I am still alive, it’s incredible.

full in bloom: How many copies of Don’t Cry Wolf and Non-Stop Rock were sold?

Nadir: I would like to know myself. We never got any accounting from Mike Varney at Shrapnel. Don’t Cry Wolf not much, no distribution.

full in bloom: Were you paid for your appearance in the Decline of Western Civilization PART II? Did your life change any after that movie came out?

Nadir: Yes we did get paid. I think about $2,000.00 for the whole thing. It changed a lot. Everyone wanted to talk to us, we were rock stars, man (laughs). I think it put us on the map for the rest of our lives and beyond; we are here for a loooooong time.

full in bloom: I read somewhere that some of the bands were angry with you after that movie. Who was upset with you?

Nadir: I know that many of the smaller bands did not want LONDON on the movie, but the director, Penelope Spheeris, did cause of our antics and bad rap among other local bands. The ones that did not like us never did have the balls to confront me about it and still don’t,. Fuck them, they know who they are.

full in bloom: What’s going on with Don’t Cry Wolf never being released on cd? I once saw a bootleg copy of it sell for over a hundred dollars on Ebay. Why has it never been released?

Nadir: Well, that album was never licensed to the right company, so it never did get the chance to be exposed correctly. I am the owner of it, so if anyone is interested, they can contact me. I would like it to be a CD/DVD deal, not just the music.

full in bloom: What about Non-Stop Rock? It was in print and has now disappeared? How long was it in print and why isn’t it any longer?

Nadir: Again, Shrapnel has the masters and is hanging on to it, but if this continues, than I would either buy the masters or get my attorney to handle it. I recently spoke to Varney and it sounded like he may be into it. But to be honest with you, I think Varney regrets his involvement with LONDON. Why would you hang on to the music and not release it. Noise Records has done the same for D’Priest Why isn’t the record available, beats me. They basically are not interested in re-releasing, but it won’t end there, I guarantee you this.

full in bloom: Why did London never sign with a major label during 1985 to 1988? Were there any close calls?

Nadir: Plenty of offers, but they never signed us. You got to remember, LONDON, prior to me being the singer, did not have any music published as far as vinyl or tapes, never. When I joined things started to happen immediately. I don’t want to mention labels, because they never did anything for us or me so I won’t promote them at all, they don’t need it. LONDON had the curse almost like being blackballed from the industry, but people still wanted to know all our moves. No one could erase us from the map, nobody! And they never will.

full in bloom: Later, London signed with a major label, but soon changed the name of the band to D’priest. By that point, what had happened to Lizzie? Why was he not a part of that band?

Nadir: I still don’t know what happened with Lizzie, but he went on to do his deal, so I congratulate him for that. The change to D’Priest was done because of the long history of LONDON and names and bullshit that came with all these rock star musicians. So the president of Noise in NY, Bruce Kirkland, suggested the change. We did it and it worked.

full in bloom: Who were some of the bands that you toured with while you were in D’Priest.

Nadir: We played with so many, but mostly we would be on the road on our own and hook up with nationals via the agency, Mark Hyman in Tune Management at the time.

full in bloom: Any memories stand out from the Playa Del Rock recording sessions.

Nadir: Oh yeah, we had the pleasure of working with one of the most amazing producers, Richie Podolor and his partner Bill Cooper. This man had 52 platinum albums, Black Oak Arkansas, Heart, Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, Alcatrazz – the list is scary. We also had the opportunity to work with Elton Johns keyboardist Guy Babylon who played on most of the album and also Three Dog Night original Hammond player and keyboard master, Jimmy Greenspoon. What can I say, man, this kind of talent from the best era, the ’60s to the ’70s is hard to come by. I will probably never have the chance to do it again with the old school players. I was blessed.

full in bloom: In the ’90s, you were instrumental in putting a CD-ROM together for the Rolling Stones. What tour was it for and how did it come about?

Nadir: The Rolling Stones VooDoo Lounge CD-ROM was the most amazing task I have ever encountered in my life. I had been hired by a company called Second Vision New Media from NY which was owned by Bruce Kirkland, who was president of Noise records 1989. Later years he became vice president of Capitol Records USA and introduced me to some people who where looking to work on the Stones CD-ROM. Things happened so fast that I became project director for the CD-ROM working for the Stones exclusively not for Virgin but the band. So you can imagine the scene, the biggest and most baddest band in the world, I was doing things that most people dream of, the royalty of Rock n Roll. Amazing time.

full in bloom: Later, you went solo under the name Antonio Nadir. What kind of music were you playing?

Nadir: This was my solo attempt to Rock en Espanol. I had the pleasure of working alongside with Matt Sorum (the Cult, Velvet Revolver, Guns, N’ Roses) who played on 99% of the album and co-produced it with me. This album was a real challenge for me going to my roots, we had a lot of fun doing it and playing in Mexico City. If you guys get a chance, listen to Antonio Nadir the album is titled “Tatuaje” (tattoo in English) and check it out, it has interactive media, same as the Stones, with full-length videos and lots of 3D graphics. It was ahead of its time for Latin America.

full in bloom: You seem to be quite popular in Mexico. What was the largest crowd you played to in Mexico?

Nadir: Depends. I signed autographs for 5 hours straight at a place called El Chopo. It’s like an ’80s flea market, nothing in the world like it, still going on. Thousands of thousands.

full in bloom: You were interviewed for Behind the Music with Guns N’ Roses. I have not seen it yet, so I don’t know if your parts were included, but what were your experiences with Axl Rose? Any good stories and did they include your parts?

Nadir: They did not include my parts and maybe one day you can ask Axl himself, tired of the same question everywhere I go.

full in bloom: Nadir D’Priest is transported back in time, to the year 1984. Is there anything you would do differently?

Nadir: Yes and no. I should of fucked this one girl and I do regret it since she loved to eat pussy all the time, missed out. No, because those are the cards that I was dealt so you cant go back and change anything. I had a great time. Life is too short; look ahead and look at the future. Move on.

-The Fast 5-

full in bloom: What is your most disgusting habit?

Nadir: Pick my nose

full in bloom: What is the most feminine thing you do?

Nadir: Lipstick, of course.

full in bloom: If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

Nadir: Where did my money go?

full in bloom: Greatest rock band of all time?

Nadir: The Rolling Stones

full in bloom: What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

Nadir: Working on a music video for a rap artist.

Tags Interviews, Legacy Interviews, Lizzie Grey, London, Nadir D'Priest

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Grim Reaper Vocalist Steve Grimmett – The full in bloom Legacy Interview – See You in Hell

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Interview with Grim Reaper Vocalist
Steve Grimmett

full in bloom: What have you been up to?

Steve Grimmett: I’ve done several live recordings…..I hope……I haven’t listened to them yet…..We want to release a new live album from Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper, later 2011, sometime before summer. I’m not really doing anything with SG’s Grim Reaper, until later in the year, cause I’ve got to have a back operation, so I won’t be able to do much.

full in bloom: How long will it take to recover?

Steve: At least six weeks and then we’ll see how that goes. We’ve had to cancel a number of shows already, but I think we start either at the end of August or early September. We’ll play Greece…..we’re coming to America to do a show as well, I think we’ve got Brazil again, Bulgaria, a lot of places this year that I haven’t played before.

full in bloom: Can you give us a little background on how you became a musician?

Steve: I don’t really know; I just kind of fell into it. A girlfriend caught me singing in the bedroom. A couple of weeks later, she had gotten me a gig with a local band. It didn’t really last that long, to be fair. From there, several bands, Medusa being one of them. I suppose I got hooked in that respect, but I don’t know. I don’t think I ever thought of it as a career. Then obviously, we started to do some things in the States with Grim Reaper. It never really dawned on me that I would be doing it full time.

full in bloom: Was there something else you wanted to do for a career?

Steve: No….No….nothing at all, really. (laughs) I was going to go into the family business, so I never had to think about anything else. The actual business was my biggest hobby and still is.

full in bloom: What is it?

Steve: Radio controlled model aircraft. It’s been a lifelong passion for me. I suppose my father was one of the founding members of radio control equipment, back in the early 50’s.

full in bloom: Did your folks have their own shop?

Steve: Yeah, they did and that was basically what I was going to look after. I didn’t (laughs)……I got into this music stuff.

full in bloom: You became a rock star by accident.

Steve: It was, too. I’m not sure if you know how it all started.

full in bloom: Wasn’t there a battle of the bands?

Steve: Well, that wasn’t really it either. The battle of the bands was just something we entered into and then won. The prize was 24 hours in a 24-track studio. I had already worked for the band Chateaux; I had done a single for them. Then they asked if I would do the album with them because they didn’t have a singer. I was just a hired gun. In between the single and doing the album, Grim Reaper had won this competition and then recorded our demo….and I took it with me when I went to do the vocals on the Chateaux album and gave it to Ebony Records. Six or seven weeks later they signed us. Then a record store in New York, called Zig Zag, got a hold of the import and took it to Walter O’Brien (Concrete Management), who eventually became our manager. I think he owned Combat Records at the time. He got in touch with Ebony Records because he wanted to release it in the States. Ebony Records said they would only go with a major, so then Walter took it to RCA and that is how we got our deal in the States.

full in bloom: Anything stand out from those Chateaux recording sessions?

Steve: It was the first time I had recorded an album in a 24-track studio. It was the biggest studio I had ever been in….before that I had only been in demo studios. I did it all for the experience. I didn’t want to upset the apple cart with Grim Reaper. I had talked to Nick (Bowcott) about it and asked him what I should do about it and he said that I should do it for the experience and that’s exactly what I did.

full in bloom: Do you remember what the budget was for the Grim Reaper album, “See You in Hell?”
Steve: I don’t, because from the day we signed our deal, we were being ripped off. I have no idea what the album cost. The whole thing was recorded in four days. We were well rehearsed. It was pretty much recorded live with a few overdubs, then the vocals were redone and that was it. It was a pretty easy thing to do, but there was no real budget. Really, we didn’t have a real budget until we did the third and final album with RCA, “Rock You to Hell”. We had originally recorded that one with Ebony Records but the recording was so bad that RCA refused to release it. Then we got into the legal battle with Ebony Records and eventually signed over to RCA. That was when we recorded with Max Norman and that album cost well over $50,000, which wasn’t really a huge amount in the 80’s, but it was more than we had ever spent.

full in bloom: The money was well spent. The production was so much better on “Rock You to Hell” than the previous releases.

Steve: Yeah. Well the guy actually worked on our songs. He didn’t just sit on his ass and record us. He produced the songs, changed the songs for the better. He got the best out of us and made us work really hard….and I mean really hard. He made that album sound as good as it does because we played well on it. Plus, he was a mixing engineer as well, so he was there from day one to the last day. It was a vast difference because of the work that went into it. We spent three months recording that one and then another four days to mix it.

full in bloom: What’s the story with your first producer Darryl Johnston?

Steve: He ripped us off for money. He was getting huge advances from RCA, which obviously some of that was supposed to come our way and it never did. He kept us in the dark and we were stupid enough to have not taken it to a lawyer in the first place. We really only have ourselves to blame, at the end of the day. As much as we want to blame Darryl, we only have ourselves to blame. We did finally get away from him, but by the time we did, it was too late….the damage had been done.

full in bloom: Do you have any idea how many copies of “See You in Hell” sold?

Steve: I have no idea. I will find out shortly. I have lawyers working on it now because I have never received any money for it.

full in bloom: You never received a royalty payment for your work on that album?

Steve: Nope. It’s almost sorted out now. But I still don’t know how much I am owed, or how many records we sold.

full in bloom: What are some moments that stand out when you think about the “See You in Hell” recording sessions?

Steve: We had a real good laugh (laughs). We were up there for about five nights and we went out and got drunk for five nights. It was a lot of fun. We didn’t have a thought that the album was going to go anywhere.

full in bloom: You didn’t think that the title track was going to be a hit?

Steve: No, not at all. At the end of the day, it was just about us getting together twice a week and then we had written enough songs to put an album out. It was just a social event really. Then it got released and it did quite well in Europe, which I didn’t even know about until I went to Europe three years ago with SG’s Grim Reaper. Then a month or so later we signed with Ebony and did the deal with RCA. Next thing we are getting phone calls from RCA saying that they wanted us to come out and talk…we want you to do a video. Then we did the video and MTV says that they were only going to show it one time. So they put a questionnaire up after they played the video for the first time on air. They asked the audience if they wanted to see more of this sort of stuff and they were inundated with ‘yes they did’. So we ended up with maximum rotation, which was seven times a day, seven times a week, for about two months.

full in bloom: I remember. I figured you guys would have sold a ton of copies because I remember seeing that video all the time.

Steve: Absolutely. But at that time, we didn’t even think about that sort of of thing. We were out on tour and I know this is a really cliche thing to say, but it was really just sex, drugs and rock n roll. It really was. We had no money, but we didn’t care.

full in bloom: How old were you at that time?

Steve: I think I was twenty-two. We didn’t think we were going to make it and to be fair, we didn’t really. It wasn’t until two or three years ago, where I did this one show…..I was about ready to pack it in because I had just had enough of the music industry. I had done the stuff with Onslaught and Lionsheart, so I had never really been out of it. But I did this festival out in Germany called “Keep it True” and I just couldn’t believe how many people had turned out to see us. So much that it inspired me to write another album with the Steve Grimmett band.

full in bloom: Do you still tour at all?

Steve: No. I can’t tour England and I can’t tour Europe because there really isn’t enough money to support the tour, or make a living out of it. Nowadays, we go out and do a couple of festivals in Europe. They fly us out on Friday and fly us back home on Sunday afternoon. We have a thoroughly good time, we get looked after a bit and we get a little bit of money.

full in bloom: A lot of bands are doing that nowadays. Do they supply the band gear, or do you bring your own?

Steve: It’s all supplied for us, it’s part of the deal. They pay for the flights, they pay for the hospitality. They supply all the backline equipment and we just bring guitars and drum sticks. It’s good fun and you get to see far more people at a festival than a week of touring.

full in bloom: If you didn’t make any money in the early Grim Reaper days, how did you survive back then?

Steve: We all had jobs. I was lucky enough to be working with another part of the family. So I could take time off when I wanted and then I had a job to come back to when I finished touring. I was never really out of a job.

full in bloom: After touring the world, you would come home and work a regular job?

Steve: Absolutely.

full in bloom: That must have been quite a shock to the system.

Steve: Sometimes it was difficult. One thing I can say, having a job to go back to kept my feet on the ground.

full in bloom: You were probably better prepared than some of the bands that came from the 80’s.

Steve: Exactly. You know, I’m not disappointed or upset. I would have liked to have the money, but maybe I’m resolving that situation now. I’m going to get it and maybe now I can appreciate it more than when I was in my early 20’s. I know what would have happened with it, it would have gone straight up my nose. So it’s better I get it now.

full in bloom: What was your inspiration for “See You in Hell?” Didn’t you write the lyrics?

Steve: Yes I did. Nick used to be a university student, so we sometimes wouldn’t rehearse for a number of weeks. One time he came back and said he thought “See You in Hell” would be a great title for a song. I thought it was good. Nick got the riff sorted out, then I was at home one afternoon thinking about it and I actually wrote “See You in Hell” while I was taking a dump. It was about the temptation of Christ, when the devil was trying to tempt him. Then Nick and I got together after a week or so and sorted out the rest of it.

full in bloom: Were there any negative reactions to it?

Steve: Not really; not here. I think in the States we did. They just misjudged us without listening to it. We were just about hammer and horror, none of us worshiped the devil. We weren’t like that at all. The thought of not being able to play some places because they thought we worshiped the devil, really upset us.

full in bloom: Do you remember hearing yourself on the radio for the first time,…..or seeing the video?

Steve: I remember seeing the video for the first time. We had received a rush copy from the record company. I got one on Betamax tape. I remember seeing it at home and thinking holy shit, I just couldn’t believe it. All of a sudden, it all happened so quickly.

full in bloom: Who were your influences?

Steve: Thin Lizzy is what got me into it because I wasn’t really into rock entirely, at all. Then I started listening to Judas Priest with Rob Halford, obviously with Rob Halford….that was something else….I thought his vocals were absolutely stunning. Then I tried it myself and found myself being able to do some of it. But those two bands were probably my biggest influences.

full in bloom: I am originally from Texas and used to go to the Texxas Jams back in the day. Grim Reaper played the 1985 Texxas Jam. What was that experience like?

Steve: Oh….out of this world (laughs). I liken it to the local garage band and then you’re placed in that situation…you just don’t believe it’s real. It was a task getting to the show that day because our chauffeur got us lost. I am really glad, in a way, because when we got there, we had twenty minutes to get changed and on stage. If we would have gotten there two hours before, I would have seen all those people and probably shit myself.

full in bloom: Did you get to meet all the other bands? Wasn’t it the one with Deep Purple and the Scorpions?

Steve: Yeah, we got to meet some of those guys….got to meet Bon Jovi. We couldn’t get to………..I can’t remember…..I think it was Deep Purple that we couldn’t get to, but we met everybody else. What can I say? It was a fantastic day.

full in bloom: What stands out when you think about the “See You in Hell” tour?

Steve: Every show was, in its own way, great. We always met with the fans after the show. We always made sure to get out and shake hands with the fans, sign stuff…and I still do it to this day. For us, the whole thing was a stand out because it was the first time we had been to the States. It was our first time to go to New York, see the Twin Towers, the Empire State Building…everywhere we went we would go see the local monument, so for us, we were always walking around with our mouths open because it was just awesome.

full in bloom: What was your initial impression of the United States?

Steve: Just how big it was because we were all country boys. I never really dwelled in big cities. We were just in awe all the time because people were coming to us wanting us to endorse their gear. By the second tour, we were endorsed by Peavey, Tama Drums, you name it…I think the only thing that we had to pay for were drumsticks, everything else was free. The whole thing was special, they welcomed us and took us in. It was great.

full in bloom: How long did the “See You in Hell” tour last?

Steve: About 3 1/2 months.

full in bloom: And then you start recording the next record, “Fear No Evil”?

Steve: Pretty much. I think we had about a month off. Then we started writing, we had most of it written anyway. Then we spent about six weeks getting everything ironed out. After that, we went into the studio and recorded for about three weeks.

full in bloom: Darryl Johnston busted out the big studio time, huh?

Steve: Oh Yeah (laughs). It was still being done by the same guy who really didn’t care to be quite honest. He was just waiting for the big paycheck, which we knew nothing about at the time.

full in bloom: It’s around this time that the legal stuff enters, right?

Steve: Pretty much…it had already started by then. But once the “Fear No Evil” tour was finished, we were back to writing and recording another album. It took a little longer this time because RCA asked us to write some different stuff. We ended up doing that, but not using it and ended up going back to Grim Reaper….to make a long story short. We recorded the third one again with Ebony Records….Darryl had gotten a new studio by then….with our money. He hadn’t sorted out the acoustics; he had just built this room. It sounded ok when you were in the room, but once you got it out anywhere else, it sounded like shit. We soon found out that he was receiving royalty checks, which he wasn’t passing on. So basically, we gave him thirty days to sort out the money, or we would sue him, which we did. RCA took us on and we re-recorded “Rock You to Hell” with Max Norman, which we did in Massachusetts.

full in bloom: Did he end up settling the lawsuit?

Steve: No. The whole thing went into courts. He sued us, we countered and it really never went further than that because he didn’t have any money. He had used all the money, including what was ours. He lost everything in the end. I think it was Channel 4 that did an expose on him because he had been telling other bands that if they gave him 250 pounds then he would put them on a compiliation album and do for them what he did for Grim Reaper, which was to get them signed to RCA. Of course he had nothing to do with that. The whole thing just fell into our laps and Darryl Johnston did absolutely nothing for our careers. So they did an expose on him and exposed him for the fraud he was.

full in bloom: When did that happen?

Steve: Probably about 1987/1988. Of course after that, he wasn’t going to get anyone to record with him. The whole thing fell around his ears and he ended up going bust. I have a lawyer friend of mine and he ended up getting the rift, between us and Ebony Records, thrown out. That all got sorted out about 10 to 12 years ago.

full in bloom: Did RCA pay you royalties?

Steve: To be fair, RCA has done that……..I have found out that they have paid them but they are still with RCA. That’s all part of the stuff that I am sorting out now. I’ve got no bones to pick with RCA because they have done everything they should have. They didn’t send us the money because they didn’t know how to send us the money. I just have to do a couple of things on my end and I should be able to go back to them and get the money.

full in bloom: You had mentioned that you guys spent about 3 months recording “Rock You to Hell”.

Steve: Absolutely. Again it was a big learning curve for us because working with Max Norman, we did everything properly. We just sat there in amazement and watched each other lay down tracks and just thought, ‘holy shit, we are totally different players now’. We came back to England because we used to play some local places and we were just totally different. I remember Ian Nash, the guitarist I have now, came up to me, at the time, and said he couldn’t believe it….’you had gone to the States and recorded that album and then you came back and it was a completely different band’…it was local band makes it big….’the playing and musicianship was absolutely stunning’. He was right….we had become great musicians because of Max Norman.

full in bloom: Why did Grim Reaper break up?

Steve: I had another offer from Onslaught. I had gotten in touch with RCA and management and said these guys aren’t giving me much of a time frame. What are we doing? No one gave me an answer. RCA had lost interest because of all the legal stuff. They were finding it more difficult to get our music on air. Nick was in the States and I really didn’t hear from anybody. It was a real shame because up to that point we had been a really happy family. The whole thing just grounded to a halt and it was a forgone conclusion that we weren’t going to be doing anymore, so I left to join Onslaught.

full in bloom: How long did the “Rock You to Hell” tour last?

Steve: About three months in the States again. We did a thing called the “Hell on Wheels” tour. It was with Armored Saint and Helloween. We played to a lot more people that time, probably around 5 to 7 thousand people a night. A lot of great memories from that tour. I guess you could say we went out on an up.

full in bloom: When will Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper be coming to the States?

Steve: We will be playing in Baltimore at the beginning of October 2011….I believe the 6th of October, there’s a festival out there and we are headlining it.

full in bloom: What is Nick doing now?

Steve: He still lives in the States. He was working for Marshall for some time and now I heard that he’s working for Fender guitars. I haven’t spoken to Nick in probably a good 18 months. I don’t really know what he is up to at the moment. Ian Nash was one of Nick’s students and he plays in my band. He sounds just like him. It’s great to have him in the band. Nick was fine with me going out as Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper provided that I don’t go out as Grim Reaper.

full in bloom: Is there any chance of you two working together again?

Steve: You never know. I work on songs with people in the States, but haven’t sat in a studio with them. I worked with Stu Marshall in Australia, I just lay down my parts, send them back and he mixes them in. He’s got a project he did called Pain Division where he worked with several singers. The internet is a beautiful thing.

full in bloom: What kind of job does Nick do for Fender?

Steve: I don’t know because I haven’t talked to him so long. He was Product Manager for Marshall, but I’m not sure what he is doing for Fender.

full in bloom: How would you describe Nick Bowcott? How was it to work with him?

Steve: He was great…..he really was……we were really good mates and still are, but we just don’t stay in touch. If he knocked on my door tomorrow it would be as if no time had passed. The things we used to get into. Do you remember the “See You in Hell” video with the big Grim Reaper in the background, over the drums?

full in bloom: Sure.

Steve: Well, we decided that we were going to make that, so we went into town to get some wire, but we ended up in the pub, getting drunk and not doing it. We did that kind of stuff all the time. He’s a great guy.

The Fast 5

full in bloom: What’s you most disgusting habit?

Steve: Farting

full in bloom: What’s the most feminine thing you do?

Steve: Cry, I suppose.

full in bloom: If there is a God what’s the first question you ask?

Steve: Why me?

full in bloom: Greatest rock band of all time?

Steve: Judas Priest

full in bloom: What were you doing 40 minutes before this interview?

Steve: Farting…..no (laughs). Actually I just got back from the pub. We’ve got a pub we go to that’s about one minute away from the house. We went over there for a meal and a drink.

Tags Grim Reaper, Interviews, Legacy Interviews, Steve Grimmett

Released: February 29, 1988 Recorded: August 1987 Recorded @ Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Produced by Bob Rock, Lenny Wolf The album peaked @ #12 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone.

Kingdom Come – “Get it On”

Black n Blue Vocalist Jaime St. James

-THE FAST 5-

Autopsy, Death, Abscess Drummer, Vocalist Chris Reifert

THE FAST 5

Interview w/ King Kobra, Keel, Schoolboys / Icon, Lizzy Borden Guitarist David Michael-Philips

THE FAST 5

Twisted Sister Guitarist Eddie Ojeda

London / D’Priest Vocalist Nadir D’Priest

Interview with Grim Reaper Vocalist Steve Grimmett

The Fast 5

Released: February 29, 1988
Recorded: August 1987
Recorded @ Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Produced by Bob Rock, Lenny Wolf
The album peaked @ #12 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone.

Black n Blue Vocalist
Jaime St. James

Autopsy, Death, Abscess
Drummer, Vocalist
Chris Reifert

Interview w/
King Kobra, Keel, Schoolboys / Icon, Lizzy Borden Guitarist
David Michael-Philips

Twisted Sister Guitarist
Eddie Ojeda

London / D’Priest Vocalist
Nadir D’Priest

Interview with Grim Reaper Vocalist
Steve Grimmett