I requested an interview with Gene Simmons, but was told he wasn’t scheduling press. Instead, I was told, he would carry my phone number with him and call if and when the mood struck. Naturally, I jumped every time the damn phone rang.
Juliette Lewis is on the phone sounding every bit like one of her flirty, fun and yet scary Hollywood movie characters. The topic is not acting or past films. The business at hand is punk rock.
Iron Maiden soared to astronomical worldwide acclaim with vocalist Bruce Dickinson, but ask Anthrax, Pantera or any death metal merchants to name a favorite Maiden platter and the scales will likely tip in favor of original vocalist, Paul Di’Anno.
By Metal Dave Before the budget started wheezing like Keith Richards, I was making good money as a regular contributor to online hard rock/heavy metal website KNAC.com. The year was 2000-2001 and under the free reign of Managing Editor Frank Meyer (Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs), I interviewed a lot of my favorite rockers and spent untold hours transcribing…
“We put a backward message on ‘Piece of Mind’ and people went over the top,” Harris said. “I don’t miss it at all. Someone else can take the heat.”
Rob Halford has been sober since 1986, but that won’t stop him from scoring a fix when he lands in Austin this week. Worry not, however, as he won’t be breaking the law.
On tour promoting her latest album, “Sinner,” Joan Jett is rushing through (what else?) an airport when she phones for a quick interview on the eve of her recent fortysomething birthday. “Sorry,” the Philadelphia native says after a brief interruption. “I’m checking my bags and I’m getting hassled.”
“I’ll tell anyone with ears that if it wasn’t for ‘The Exorcist’ or the ‘Living Dead’ movies, there wouldn’t be a genre of music called death metal,” Anselmo said
“Well, man, you just opened up this Pandora’s Box of jumping, insane monkeys. My brain is going bananas right now.”
Phil’s reason for not getting back to me is the mother of all rock-n-roll “excuses.” Was he in jail? Was he passed out in a Dumpster after a three-night bender of snot-slinging debauchery? Oh, hell no! It’s much more shocking than that.
He’s known the world over as the “Motor City Madman,” “Terrible Ted” and even “Sweaty Teddy,” but to his publicist, the gonzo guitarist who penned “love” songs such as “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Wango Tango” is referred to as Mr. Nugent.
By Metal Dave It’s always cool when one of your own slugs his way into the rock-roll Big Leagues. It’s even cooler when the gig is awarded after years of proven loyalty and tested behind-the-scenes service. Ladies and gents, please give a hearty hoot-n-howdy to Down guitarist Bobby “Rock” Landgraf, a veteran of the Austin…