Belly to Belly

Since there are two sides to every story, we'll give the current Warrant line-up a little due.

News site www.blabbermouth.net reports that the band will perform "Cherry Pie" during Danny Bonaduce's bachelor party. Remember glam fans, Bonaduce starred on The Partridge Family.

Apparently, this so-called party will be broadcast live for the world to see. The party itself will take place at the Key Club (home of Metal Skool!) on May 31.

The current Warrant line-up features vocalist Jamie St. James, guitarists Erik Turner and Joey Allen, bassist Jerry Dixon and drummer Steven Sweet. This incarnation of Warrant just released Born Again on DVD, a component to the Born Again album. The DVD features studio sessions, backstage outtakes and interviews.

Let me say that I think Warrant (both the Jani Lane and Jamie St. James versions) is an exceptionally talented band. Jani Lane is a phenomenal songwriter and Jamie St. James has great stage charisma, no doubt honed by his time fronting the great band Black n' Blue. There were some negative comments about Warrant left yesterday which spawned my desire to post another entry about the band. No doubt Warrant were lucky and enjoyed massive commercial success with Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and Cherry Pie. Still, both albums include some great songs and the band's newer albums are, quite frankly, even better.

Let's cut to brass tacks here, glam fans. I'm going to be interviewing Warrant in the very near future for Metal Express Radio and I'd like to know what you want to know.

While you think of your questions, watch the video for "Bourbon County Line" included on the album Born Again.

Mr. Rainmaker

Tonight, Jani Lane (formerly of Warrant as he is always billed it seems) will perform at Coconutz in Middletown, Ohio. Not surprisingly, Middletown is halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati.

Since I'm out of town, I doubt I'll make it back in time, but I hear Jani Lane puts on a good show and we all know that he can write some great songs.

If you're in Southern Ohio, check out www.myspace.com/coconutzlivemusic for more information.

For the rest of you, here's a classic clip of Warrant performing "Down Boys" at legendary Sunset Strip club Gazzaris. The video is dated 1987, and Jani is screeching a little, but I think that's because the club is so packed.

Watch the video and enjoy your Saturday, glam fans.

An Open Letter to Tommy Lee

Dear Tommy Lee,

I've loved you for years and I honestly believe you are one of the best rock n' roll drummers to ever jump behind the kit. You have raw talent and boundless energy. You know how to create rhythm in unique ways and that insight helped make Motley Crue one of America's greatest rock bands.

To this end, dear Tommy, why are you wasting your time making electronica and touring the world to "perform" for fans who have no idea of your true musical legacy? No one says you have to be Motley Crue 100% of the time and I honestly believe you should enjoy other pursuits, but sometimes outside interests can become career suicide.

Drummer God Tommy, I saw your show last night at Hammerjax in Dayton, Ohio.

Oh, what a nightmare that was.

A $30 entry fee and so much security no chance to even get a good look at you, let alone ask you any questions.

Tommy, did your contract rider specify no cameras in the club, or was this a Hammerjax rule? I know you claim to love your fans Tommy. True fans want to take your picture and get a chance to shake your hand. While we're on the subject of true fans, let me tell you how many honest fans you had in that club: about six. Those six included me, bring back glam conspirator Heather, my husband Eric, and three random women wearing Motley Crue shirts.

While you pandered to the college crowd Tommy, I wonder if you realized that no one - save for myself and those five other people I mentioned - could name one Motley Crue song. Does this bother you, Tommy or do you not care about Motley Crue or the true fans that gave you a multi-million dollar estate, the ability to marry Pam Anderson and enough cash to travel around the world until the end of time?

In the nearly five hours I was inside the club, Tommy, I waited for something good to happen. As my business associate Heather put it so eloquently, the whole evening was a "beautiful disaster."

How is it, Tommy, that you played air drums when you can play the real drums? Why is it that hitting a few buttons on your computer is performing music? Jumping up and down and whistling does not a frontman make.

As I watched you perform on your DJ platform Tommy, I couldn't help but wonder how we've gotten here. After all, you are one quarter of the band that gave the world Shout at the Devil and Dr. Feelgood. How is it that this skinny man who once cruised the Sunset Strip with sky-high hair and a lust for life ended up spinning electronica music in Dayton, Ohio?

To be fair, you had a partner in crime.

DJ Aero was standing beside you all night, running the mixer and jumping up and down in your unison. To this end, I have no fault with DJ Aero. After all, he's never been a world-renowned drummer.

Time for some stone-cold career advice Tommy: step away from the laptop, call Nikki Sixx, write a new Motley Crue album.

That is all.

With Love,
The Glam Mistress

A Moment Like This

Oh, and another one!

I about wet myself last night when Joe Perry - my Joe Perry - performed with Sanjaya Malakar and Kelly Clarkson on the American Idol finale.

With Sanjaya, he performed The Kinks "You Really Got Me." A little later he performed as part of a Beatles medley, as Clarkson belted-out "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band."

I've decided for Joe this isn't selling out, but a genius form of marketing.

Here's the video of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" as performed by Joe Perry and Kelly Clarkson.

Hey, Mr. DJ

So, by an odd coincidence of events I'll be seeing Tommy Lee tonight.

No, he isn't with the Crue and he won't be playing drums (well, maybe he'll play the kit a little). Tommy is on tour with DJ Aero. Both DJs will perform tonight at Hammerjax, a nightclub in Dayton, Ohio.

Tommy plans on spinning something known as "groove electronica."

I am not familiar with groove electronica, plus the show is $25 at the door. That's a lot of cash for some music I doubt I'll like, but I'll pay the piper for a chance to meet Tommy Lee. I want my picture taken with the tattooed nut job and I'd like to ask him about the new Motley Crue album and plans for another tour.

You can hear samples of Tommy Lee's DJ work at www.myspace.com/tommyleetv.

Here's a video of Tommy Lee and DJ Aero performing  together in Dubai.  

Redemption for the Innocent

More good glam news from Sweden.

Innocent Rosie, a band I've been tracking online for awhile, just inked a deal with Swedmetal Records.

I should be working for this label.

Innocent Rosie formed after the dawn of the new millennium, and released a demo in 2006. Since that time the band has played several shows in their native Sweden, and even a few dates in Hollywood at the Whisky a Go-Go (naturally). They head back to the states in July for CrueFest  Hollywood.

Four very talented musicians comprise Innocent Rosie including singer O’Shannahan, guitarist Skid La'Russo, bassist Dave Pearl and drummer Ben Banks.

Visit them at www.myspace.com/innocentrosie.

As for Swedmetal Records, some great bands are on their roster including Loud n' Nasty, Crazy Lixx, Nasty Idols, Glorious Bankrobers, United Enemies and Bai Bang. Check out these artists at www.myspace.com/swedmetalrecords.

Here's a video of Innocent Rosie performing "Whiskey on the Rocks."

Life is Beautiful

Today, Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba and James Michael will premiere the video for the first single from the Heroin Diaries soundtrack. They are known collectively as SIXX: A.M.

"Life is Beautiful" is posted on the Myspace pages of Nikki Sixx and the Heroin Diaries. So far, the song has been played nearly 400,000 times.

The Heroin Diaries soundtrack will be released on August 21 and the book to follow on September 25 (both are available for pre-order on www.amazon.com).

The video is set to premiere sometime today on www.ugo.com. As soon as this happens, I'll repost the video here and write a review.

Update on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 07:48PM by Allyson B. Crawford

The video for "Life is Beautiful" finally posted around 4 E.S.T., and smack-dab in the middle of the my show deadlines.

I watched the clip one time really quickly at work, and gave a better look just a moment ago.

Sadly, I don't like the video.

I would repost "Life is Beautiful" here, but www.ugo.com is a very non-user friendly site, so here's the link:

http://video.ugo.com/vplayer.aspx?articleID=21156

The entire video looks like The Heroin Diaries cover (pictured left). This drives me nuts because I hate videos/movies/television programs where you can't see the person performing.

Moreover, the song sounds annoying while watching the video.

The more times I watch the video, the less I like "Life is Beautiful." At first I thought I liked the track, but now, not so much.

To me, "Life is Beautiful"  is 100% nu-metal and my beloved Nikki following a trend. Dare I say this first single from the Heroin Diaries teeters on the edge of...emo?!?

While I don't expect SIXX: A.M. to sound completely like Motley Crue, it wouldn't hurt to at least sound 10% like the Crue. After all, Nikki Sixx is Motley Crue.

I waited all day for this video premiere. Like Hard Rock Hideout, I hope the clip gets a little airplay on MTV or VH1, but I'm not holding my breath.

Oh, Nikki where did you go so wrong?