Calling from an Iowa stop on Van Halen’s “Balance” tour, Eddie comes across as refreshingly unaffected by his superstar status. He apologizes for taking five seconds to find an ashtray, then exudes an enthusiasm rarely found in an 18-year rock veteran. He also laughs – a lot.
“We were all on the crazy train, as Ozzy says, and it was a fabulous time to be in rock and roll,” Halford says of the debauched 1980s.
For a rock-n-roll journalist, few interviews carry more weight than Metallica. Were they among my favorite interviews? Not really. Will I brag about them to anyone who will listen? Most definitely.
I never intended to piss off Joey Ramone, but you know what they say about the road to hell. Unfortunately, my 1994 interview really ripped his leather, but thankfully, Joey had a surprise up his sleeve.
“I always tell my band there are three things I can guarantee you: You’ll see the world, you’re gonna get paid and you’re gonna get stitches,” Alice said.
Michael Monroe knows the pitfalls of being an outsider. For all his influence, street cred and legendary swagger, the glam-rock firecracker with a punk-rock fuse remains a perennial underdog — a cult hero, a distant comet, the world’s forgotten, left-for-dead boy.
Much to my giddy delight, the following interview with my childhood hero, Gene Simmons, was published in three of the four biggest Texas newspapers (San Antonio, Houston and Austin) in December of 2009 as KISS was touring to promote the “Sonic Boom” album.
The glory days of the Sunset Strip produced bigger names than L.A. Guns, but none can match the number of rock-solid albums triggered by the combustible duo of singer Philip Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns.
Some times it’s the shock rockers who get the biggest fright of all. So says axe-wielding heavy metal maniac, Lizzy Borden, who’s calling from his home in Las Vegas and kindly obliging requests for Spinal Tap moments.
Junkyard’s first album in more than two decades will almost certainly finish the year in my Top 3. Hell, it might even score Numero Uno.
On April 15, 2017, we were invited aboard the Anthrax tour bus outside Grizzly Hall in Austin Texas where the band was headlining an all-day, outdoor metal festival. Our interview covered the band’s latest releases, choice of cover tunes, the Big 4 and first concerts (there’s even a playful jab at the Bulletboys!).
In 2013, I reviewed an advance copy of Saxon’s “Sacrifice” album on 2Fast2Die. Much to my surprise, the wife of drummer Nigel Glockler saw it and got in touch to kindly extend thanks on behalf of herself and her husband.