Heavy Metal Moms

Way back before Fox News Channel, Geraldo Rivera had his own daytime talk show known as Geraldo. If you're over the age of 25, you probably get the Al Capone vault joke. If you don't get the reference, just look it up on the Internet. You'll have a laugh, I'm sure.

Anyway, Geraldo loves crazy, over the top stories. He also loves to take sensational positions during those interviews, making him a great fit for Fox News.

During the 11 year run of Geraldo, the star "journalist" had guests from all walks of life on his Emmy winning show. One day he hosted a program called "Heavy Metal Moms."

That broadcast featured Steve West of Danger Danger and Kristy "Krash" Majors of (then) Pretty Boy Floyd. Of course, their moms were also in tow. Who else was on the show?  A slew of others including members of Jethro Tull and Joey Ramone and his mom Charlotte Lesher.

I bought a broadcast of the show, but my copy only includes about eight minutes of the hour long program. I'll continue to hunt for the entire episode, still, those eight minutes are priceless.

During those precious few minutes, Steve West talks about being on the road and his mother swoons over the joy of having a son in a glam band. She says she supports her son - and the rest of Danger Danger. This is in stark contrast for Kristy Majors. His mother is embarrassed and says she wishes her son were a doctor, lawyer or even accountant.

At any rate, the clips are a downright hoot -- the dichotomy of watching the audience of women wearing suits with giant shoulder pads juxtaposed against panel guests wearing leather (and yes, lace) is an interesting take on societal mores. Even though Metal became the predominant choice of music in the 1980s, artists still did their best to look different from everyday people. After all, it is Metal's way to flip a middle finger at convention.

Here's Kristy "Krash" Majors talking about groupies. Watch as his mother panics.

Candy Harlots

Just this week, my good friend Christian turned me on to a great Australian glam band.

Candy Harlots were formed in 1987 in Sydney. Apparently, they had quite a reputation...then again, it seems every 80s glam band lived a crazy lifestyle.

It took a few years...but they landed a major deal with Virgin, and released Five Wicked Ways in 1992. Of course, this deal came after a slew of line-up changes, including the replacement of founding vocalist Mark Easton.

That song spawned a few singles, and the band even shot several videos. At any rate, Candy Harlots have a great sound. Remember, this band was far removed from the Sunset Strip and Los Angeles debauchery -- still, the sound in authentic, the influences easy to distinguish.

Here's "Sister's Crazy" from Candy Harlots, off their debut Five Wicked Ways:

Battle Royale: L.A. Guns

Things are getting ugly once again in the dueling L.A. Guns camps. As you probably know by now, there are two versions of the band: one featuring guitarist Tracii Guns, the other featuring vocalist Phil Lewis.

I'm continually torn by this on-going brouhaha. I love Phil Lewis because of Girl, but I think any L.A. Guns featuring Tracii is the real version.

At any rate, Tracii's version is set to hit the road for a winter jaunt, and they'll be coming to Dayton, Ohio. Not surprisingly, I'll be in the crowd.

The other day, Phil Lewis sent a not-so-nice Myspace bulletin berating Tracii Guns and his version of L.A. Guns. I didn't feel like getting in the middle of things by posting here, but since Tracii finally responded, I think it's O.K. to give my opinion on things. By the way, Tracii said he's disappointed in Phil and he thinks both versions should have the opportunity to make a living.

So, what do I think? I think it's very unprofessional for Phil Lewis to run down Tracii Guns. Both men are talented glam artists, so why sling mud? It's pretty clear a reconciliation isn't happening any time soon, so fans get two versions of the band. In some ways this is great: two versions mean twice as many chances to see a band I love.

People know I'm a fan of Paul Black, an original L.A. Guns vocalist who is now back with Tracii. Critics say Paul can't sing, but the problem is this: those critics don't get it. Paul Black is an entire package. When Tracii's L.A. Guns take the stage everyone has a good time. That's the point of going to a rock show in the first place.

Here's Paul Black and Tracii Guns version of L.A. Guns, performing "Wheels of Fire" live in the U.K.

Now, here's the Phil Lewis fronted version performing "Rip and Tear" at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles.

I'm equal opportunity, so I like them both. Which version do you prefer?

Unholy Confessions

Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Avenged Sevenfold. The band just released a new self-titled disc and is now touring the country in support of the work. Over the years, Avenged Sevenfold have changed their sound, becoming slightly more slick as fame rolls their way.

If you listen to the band's music enough, it's easy to pick up influences other than straight Metal. The band is a mix of metalcore, thrash, screamo...and yes, glam.

While most modern Metal bands eschew the notion of a lengthy guitar solo, A7X embrace the practice -- with two top-notch axemen! Much like RATT 20 years ago, Avenged Sevenfold's calling card is amazing guitar work. It's this virtuosity that has drawn both me and my husband to their fold.

Now, I'm sure you're skeptical but seriously, if you like glam and guitars you should give A7X a chance. They have a strong Guns n' Roses grit about their guitar sound -- and I love the military precision of the drum work.

If you don't believe me about the glam influences, then take a listen. I prefer Avenged Sevenfold's faster songs, but "Seize the Day" has an excellent guitar solo.

Let's compare to Guns n' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine."

I expect many comments, so feel free to speak your mind. That's the great part of an open discussion.

Voyeur: Spank or Be Spanked

If you can get past horrible cover art, then you might just like Voyeur Spank or Be Spanked. Another release from nostalgia label SunCity; Voyeur sound like a cross between Tesla, Bon Jovi and Babylon A.D.

Legends in the early 90s San Francisco Metal scene, Voyeur are now nothing more than a memory. Still, Spank or Be Spanked stands up remarkably well, thanks in no small part to the vocal powers of Darren Richards.

Spank or Be Spanked opens with “Cast The First Stone.” SunCity is using this song as a “single” to promote the obscure glam band. The album picks up considerable speed with “Sometimes I’m Invisible,” “Memory Lane,” and “None For Me Know.” Unfortunately the acoustic power ballad “Long Way From Home” kills the momentum. In all actuality, “Long Way From Home” is probably one of the strongest tracks on Spank or Be Spanked, but better planning would place the song toward the end of the effort instead of the crucial mid-point.

Immediately after “Long Way From Home” is the upbeat, hard-edged “Wayward Bound.” Complete with double-tracked harmonies and pick scrapes, this song oozes glam appeal. Here, the guitar work is impressive, featuring just the right amount of tremolo and other effects to keep the song interesting without actually taking away from the lyrics. The layered production is also good, considering the song was recorded more than a decade ago.

While the production on Spank or Be Spanked isn’t great, it’s also not horrible. SunCity typically remasters obscure releases from either promotional vinyl or cassette pressings. This means the sound isn’t as pure as a modern release, and you can’t get the volume quite as loud through your car stereo either. Still, when the bass is pumping, Spank or Be Spanked is at its best. “Mindgame” has some good bass parts as does “It Ain’t Love.”

Spank or Be Spanked closes with “Strutter.” The song is decent, but the production is a little hollow and this track sounds like it was recorded in a basement instead of a studio. Still, the dueling guitar solos by Steve Roney and John Reed are excellent examples of what humans can do with an axe in hand. Overall, Spank or Be Spanked is a fun album that creates an immediate party atmosphere.

Voyeur are:
Darren Richards - vocals
Steve Roney - guitar
John Reed - guitar
Don Rankin - bass
Steve Fletcher - drums
Dave Hechin - drums

For more information, please visit:  VoyeurRocks.com

I Call Bullshit - Part II

In the ongoing saga that is Motley Crue, Vince Neil apparently told MTV that Tommy Lee is still in the band. Moreover, Vince also says the Motley Crue is going to hit the studio "soon" and will be touring this summer.

According to MTV and Blabbermouth, Motley Crue's "next album" will be called The Dirt and feature "songs that tell a story about the lives of Motley Crue members."

Yeah. Right.

So, the whole Tommy Lee debacle is turning out to be one big media power play. Well, I always knew Nikki Sixx was a marketing genius. Remember, dear readers, Nikki commented to the press just two days ago that Tommy was out of the band for good. He didn't mention animosity toward Lee, but his statement was very clear that Motley Crue no longer included Tommy Lee.

Well, I guess only time will tell.

I'll go ahead and start stockpiling some cash for the summer 2008 tour - but I won't be holding my breath.

Three Questions with Anthony Bozza

Most dedicated readers to this website know this project is a way for me to combine two passions: glam metal and writing. If you like writing - or the study of the craft - consider visiting www.slushpile.net. 

Recently, I made friends with Scott McKenzie who runs Slushpile. Scott is also a rabid music fan, especially Motley Crue and Guns n' Roses. Scott very kindly offered to share a very big interview with Bring Back Glam!. The following are my questions to Anthony Bozza, writer of the new Slash autobiography. I started the book last night, and so far, I can say it is amazing. The following is a transcription of my questions to Mr. Bozza.

Bring Back Glam!: How did your partnership with Tommy Lee and Slash begin?

Anthony Bozza: It started with The Cult. When I was still at Rolling Stone, I wrote the bio for their last record on Atlantic. It was the first time that their manager had ever had a bio approved straightaway by Ian Astbury who is notoriously fussy and likes to be quoted the right way. It was the first time anyone had just gotten in his head properly and written something that he really liked off the bat. A couple of years later when Tommy Lee's manager started looking for a writer for him, my name was one of the ones thrown on the table, and he remembered it because he also manages The Cult. He remembered that I had done a good job on that bio and he got me on the phone with Tommy and that's pretty much how that happened. With Slash, he and Tommy are friends so I think he was a little aware of me from that project. I came out to L.A. to meet him and we just had a good vibe. We just sat-the first night that I met him-we sat in my hotel room overlooking the Sunset Strip and he started telling me stories. And we were there for six hours, talking all night, which was definitely a foreshadow of our interviews to come. That was kind of it. In Slash's case, the manager again got in touch with me because he was familiar with the other stuff that I had done.

BBG!: What is it like reconstructing a very messy history, and create some semblance of fact? Both Slash and Tommy Lee are recovering addicts, so how are you sure their truths are matching those of others you interviewed?

AB: The thing about doing an autobiography or an as-told-to book is that from the start, all you are saying it definitively is, is that person's experience and point of view. Slash is really careful about making sure that he says he is only speaking for himself and to his experience and will never put words or memories into anyone's-especially Axl's (Rose)-mouth. That was his perspective from the beginning so it's clear where we're coming from. The trade off to getting one person's point of view is that some people might be like "well, then it's not objective." No, it's not objective, it's a memoir. The good side is that when you do an as-told-to is that you get so much more stuff that you would never be able to get if you were doing a biography. That's the plus side of doing an authorized autobiography. You're getting more information than you can ever get talking to people and associates. With Slash, the fact that he's 100% clean and sober now, that helps tremendously. He's also a really detail-oriented, kind of obsessive guy. That's why he's such a great guitar player. For example, when I first met him, he had just gotten an edition of Guitar Hero II. And we used to play at the end of every interview, and he wasn't really that good when we started. Then he went on vacation for two weeks with his family snowboarding, and came back and he was amazing. I couldn't beat him anymore. That's the kind of guy he is. He was so annoyed that he wasn't good at it that he practiced and practiced and kicked butt.The book became a similar exercise where once we started, then he got really obsessive about finding out if he was right in his memories. The good thing about this book is that we had Duff (McKagan, bass - Velvet Revolver) and Matt Sorum (drums - Velvet Revolver) right there, pretty much on tap, to double check things with. And Slash was very, very, very intent upon getting in touch with all his old friends and double-checking facts and stories. Although we didn't bring anyone else's voices into it ultimately because it was important to both of us to keep this intimate tone of him just telling you his story, behind the scenes there was a lot of meticulous fact checking with the people who were there at the time. He has a surprisingly good memory compared to some of the people I've worked with. He keeps thinking under that top hat.

BBG!: Is it hard lending your writing craft to larger than life celebrities? In a sense, they gain more fame from the books you lovingly prepared.

AB: I'm credited right there. Most people who are involved in writing, or most fans, realize that the celebrity probably didn't do any of the writing. Some fans think that they did. And that's cool. I feel privileged to be the one they vibe with and tell all this really intimate stuff to. My payback for that is giving them a book that they're proud of that should be a reflection of them. My challenge is to get inside their head and express what they're like, to get them into a sort of two-dimensional format. And at the end of the day, I did slave over all this stuff, but this is like 43 years of hard earned living that this guy has done. Slash lived it, I'm just writing it.

Remember, you can read the entire Anthony Bozza interview at www.slushpile.net.