Many things can change in the course of a year and life can take you down many unexpected roads. No one is more familiar with unexpected twists and turns that life hands out than Lovehammers frontman, Marty Casey. When we caught up with him a year ago, he was about to set out on a world tour with one of rock’s most notorious bands, LA Guns. At that time, the future of Lovehammers was anything but clear. Flash forward one year and Casey has completed his tenure with LA Guns and the Lovehammers have returned with their amazing new album, ‘Heavy Crown’. Regrouped, recharged and more determined than ever, the boys in the band are ready to take the world by storm. Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently sat down with Marty Casey to catch up on all of the happenings of his whirlwind year. In the interview they discuss his time with LA Guns, the spark that re-lit the flames of Lovehammers, the band’s new album and everything that falls in between.

The last time I spoke with you (in July of 2008), you’d just started with LA Guns and you were getting ready to take off on a world tour, what was that experience like for you?

I mean it was really an amazing year long adventure, it came out of no where. I got to write a record, I got to record a record with LA Guns and producer Pete Thompson, and then immediately upon finishing the record I got to go on tour and go to different continents that I’ve never been to in my life. We pretty much played 13 out of 14 days, we basically got one day off every two weeks that’s how much we played. We did it non-stop through the summer and through the fall all through South America and then came back and took a little time off for the holidays and then were back at it. So it was just full-on insanity and it was great to experience that!

What was your most memorable moment while touring with the band?

I’d say Lima, Peru. The first place we played in South America. Just because we landed and you know there were people waiting at the airport and there was a big party thrown for us the first night before our show for that whole South American tour, and then the next night showing up and playing at the club and the club was amazing. It was packed and we had a great show. It was just such an amazing thing to come from the U.S., land there in a completely different world and the shows were great, the people were great and it was just a great introduction to the continent in general and we had the time of our lives down there.

You mentioned when we originally spoke that the album that you did with LA Guns had been completed, any idea when that record may see the light of day?

That’s pretty much up to Tracii Guns and the label, you know that was their deal. I was kind of brought in from the outside, just having been the songwriter on the record, and then as a result of their former singer leaving and they brought me in to sing. So it really isn’t my deal, it’s kind of like I got to do what I did and I’m happy to be a part of it, but it’s really up to them to decide how and when it gets released and whatever they would like to do. I’m just kind of the add on to the project you know, it’s not my band.

In the time that you were with LA Guns you were taking a break from Lovehammers, you guys seemed to rekindle the spark and keep the band going. Was there a certain thing that kickstarted that process?

Yeah, I think our bass player Dino (Kourelis), who  basically kind of does a lot of business for the band, just said “Well I’m going to release a record of Loverhammers b-sides and different versions of songs that people haven’t heard before just to keep momenum of the band in motion.” And then we got such good reaction from the presale which was way back at the end of last year, we got such an amazing reaction and so many presales that when they mentioned it to me I said “I think we need to do an entirely new record, we’re not the Chili Peppers with a bunch of great b-sides. We need to do a new record!” [laughs] And that is just what kickstarted it, people were like “Wow, a lot of people want to hear what we’re doin next!” We put everything towards making that record and we did it fast. We wrote it and recorded it and put it on the shelves in a matter of months, so that’s pretty amazing.

What was the songwriting process like for this record?

I got back from New Zealand on February first of this year, and this record was supposed to come out in June. It got delayed and was basically July so we had February, March and April to write, record, mix, master, do the art work and get it to Universal. So I just startin sittin down and writing songs every single day, and then bringing them to the band and you know just basically choppin em up and adding to them or taking away or just completely throwing them away. It was fun and that’s how I do that, I didn’t work a job I would literally just wake up every morning and write, go to the studio- write, go to the park- write, and that’s what I did everyday. We just put it all together and there was a lot to say, and the songs are cool and the guys would bring me riffs and I’d work with those and write riffs of my own and it was just full-on I loved it. I liked having that crunch time line, so it’s not just like “Ahhh I’ll do it tomorrow.” There was no time for that, it kicks your ass and puts you in gear.

Where do you think ‘Heavy Crown’ stacks up to your previous albums?

I think it’s the most diverse record we’ve ever done and we took more risks in doing songs that…with the Lovehammers being together for so long it’s like you’re kind of anticipated every move you’re gonna make because there is such a time line, but I think this one was fun that it took in some directions a leap into new shit and then it kind of remained true to what we’ve always done. So I think I like this one the best; it’s the most recent it, sounds the best, has the best production on it, I think everybody offered more to this record than previous ones, everybody actually threw a song into the ring on this one to be worked through. It’s just a lot more of a fuckin’ bonafied group mentality “Let’s make a killer record!” kind of idea than previous ones just kind of floating along and writing tunes and seeing what happens.

What are some of your favorite songs from the new material to play live?

I would say “Heavy Crown”, for some reason it’s really potent to people, it’s very simple and just always gets such a great reaction. I love playing it and by the end of the song just kind of looking around, people are always so in tune and not wandering off, their very much in tune with that one. And I love playing the song “Guns”, usually we open up with that because it’s just so on fire, has so much energy and is kind of what the Lovehammers have always done. Very straight ahead, kind of bad ass powertrip so we just start out with that tune and take it from there, those have always won at the shows. And then I like a song called “Oh My Baby”, because it’s so different than anything else the Lovehammers have really done especially live and being so chill, so mellow with a mid-tempo tune that I kind of like doin it because I like people kind of wondering what’s happening throughout the evening.

You mentioned “Guns” which is the first single off the album, do you have plans for making a video for the song?

Yeah, we’re going to make a video for it, we’re kind of playing catch up. We’ve been trying to get the record done because there was a radio release date, and now the single is being launched to radio and we’re doing a radio campaign which is just about to begin. As we get that going and we’re working with the team that does that now we’re like “Okay we’ve got to get the video together.”, and so it’s always like we’re playing catch up but I like it because there’s always so much to do. It’s not like “Ok now we just sit around and wait for something to happen.” It’s just continually working to make new things happen and give people new things to check in on and be interested in and always forward momentum.

Any idea on a time frame on when we might see that?

I’d say you’d probably see a video in about six weeks.

What about touring plans? I know you have some shows lined up, but are the Lovehammers going to be heading out on a national tour anytime soon?

We offered some opportunities to get out there, but what we were really trying to do is tagteam with somebody that is at a similar level that can go around to the small markets and grab a couple hundred people a night, or go along on the big markets and grab a thousand or more people a night and get a tour together. That’s kind of a similar level band, not an exact sounding band. And you know we had some offers to go on tour with some different groups but it just really wasn’t the right fit, it’s not right for what we wanted to do. Basically running a label, a joint venture with Universal and being the label at this moment is about running the label, selling the cd, promoting the cd, promoting the single and basically working with the teams that we’ve hired to do that. We’re in the business aspect of what we do in the band, which is basically getting this product released. And then once that’s in motion then we get to do the next portion of it, which is live touring. It’s what we’ve always done and always done best. So that’s just the next step. I’m hoping in the fall we get out and are on a good tagteam bill with another band and we just start hittin’ it live- what we’ve always done best.

What role do you think your fanbase has played in the success and longevity of the band?

From the very start, which was 18 to 20 years ago, the great thing is that the Lovehammers has always had such a strong fanbase and a big fanbase. Originally, it was just our friends but we had a lot of them, you know everybody from high school wherever we played they would go. And then eventually you see them move along with their lives or go to college and go do whatever and you see new people that came across the band and start following. When you’ve been together this long you see people that come in and then there’s those that have children and take a different avenue and they come and they go. There’s also people that have never left, and it’s just kind of a continuance of that. When we perform at shows in Chicago I see people that have been watching the band for 20 years, that when I play “Into the Deep End” I know they were there the first night we ever played it in 1988. So it’s really cool, and you know I did the reality television show and a great crew of fans from that now exists, and then I did the LA Guns thing and there’s a crew of fans that exist kind of from the metal scene that now comes out to the shows. So the cool thing about the fanbase is that it keeps evolving, it’s never been the same, it’s always filled with the most random grouping of people in the world of every age, of every different demographic of every color. That’s the cool thing about the band, that we’re lucky enough to work towards but also fall into. The reason that this record got made is because thousands of people bought it and said “We want to hear it.” That’s why it got made and that’s why we continue.

The energy you have on stage and the command you have is mind blowing, with that said have you ever had a “Spinal Tap Moment” where something totally bizarre is going on something completely unexpected happened to you?

One evening when we had a big record showcase when the band had just started, I remember walking out and we had all these smoke machines going and everything is going on and I remember when the music kicked in I had forgotten every lyric, every melody, I had nothing! The music is goin, it’s thumpin along and I look to the left and the right to the guys and I’m just like “I’ve had a brainfreeze, I can’t think of anything, I can’t think of any words, any melodies!” So what did I do? I just made it up! I made up the song on the fly! And I remember my sister running to the front of the stage and just looking at me like “What’s going on, what’s wrong with you!” [laughs] I remember the lights and the smoke and I just blanked out, and then eventually after that I finally kicked back in and everything was fine, but I remember for that brief moment feeling just like Spinal Tap where I’m like “Where’s my mind?!”.

How do you think you and your bandmates have grown musically since you first started out?

We started out not knowing how to play, everybody bought an instrument, so we started out at ground zero with no training no nothing. We didn’t know any songs, we didn’t even know any chords. We just bought the instruments and said “Let’s do this!” That’s been the exciting thing throughout the years, seeing everyone independently get so much better at their instrument. But I think more than anything it’s just collectively as a group and how we play together has gotten so much better. I think that’s why it’s a unique thing and why we’re a unique sounding band. I don’t think you can pinpoint us and say “This band sounds like…”, it’s because we’ve never known anything other than playing with each other and being in this band. That’s the sound that was developed together since 1988, just us playing together. It’s not like we were classically trained and then we joined a band together. We didn’t know shit. We didn’t know notes, we didn’t know progressions, we didn’t know theory, literally we just learned as a group of people being creative at our own institution of music. We didn’t know anything else. We just started jammin and over the years it’s developed into what the Lovehammers sound like.

What is the best piece of advice you have for someone just starting out on their own musical journey?

You’ll make it further than you ever expected if you just stick together with your group of friends. If you have launched everything and can keep it together then you can raise your flag high enough so that enough people will find your band and like your sound and music. It just takes time. There are so many millions of music fans that want to hear great music, whatever your music style it has no difference, it’s just you have to stick together long enough and raise your flag high enough and just say “This is what we do, this is what we’re like, if you dig it come and check us out.” That’s what we’ve done long enough to get a mass of people to find the band interesting and keep checking out our shows. If you’re always changing, and always starting out a new band and always in a different project it’s really hard to lock people into really forming a fanbase. Because it’s always changing and there is nothing to follow, it’s always different. It’s really all about sticking together.

I also wanted to talk about your Silver Elements Collection, how did that originally come about?

A fan came and saw that I was always wearing unique stuff on stage and she mentioned it like “Oh you should have a t-shirt line or something.”, and I was like “I’m not really interested in doing a t-shirt line or clothing line” She pursued it for a while, mentioning different things and eventually I said “You know what would be cool? It’d be cool if we had a dogtag.” I like silver, I like dogtags, there are no sizes and it doesn’t matter if a girl or a guy or a kid that wants to wear it, it’s just one size fits all and something cool. I said I’d like to do that and raise some money for planting trees, let’s do something for charity because that sounds like a cool idea. So we just came up with that idea and we did it, we made our trees dogtags, we sold it and gave money to American Forests and it went so well that we eventually said “Well what do you want to do next? And let’s tie it into music, let’s tie it into a song or a theme of a song.” That’s exactly what we’ve been doing, turning a fun idea of something to do and it’s done well enough where it keeps on continuing. It’s been great to step out of thinking about music every second of the day and get to jump over to another creative side and make some cool stuff and just have fun with it. It’s kind of just taken off and we really haven’t planned anything with it, it just kind of took off. It’s done really well and we’re excited to give a large portion of it to charity, plantin a shitload of trees and it’s just been workin’ out.

Do you have any new upcoming items to the collection? Also, I spoke with Cheryl Spelts, who has done some spectacular photography of you in the past, and she was inquiring about a specific metal and leather cuff bracelet.

We just did a bunch of new stuff that we just launched about two weeks ago, a bunch of different things themed around some songs that I’ve written. So that’s what was just released, the new collection kind of for summer. There are some sunglasses, there’s a really killer necklace called “The Waves Necklace” that is my favorite thing. We’re always coming up with new ideas, we’re coming up on fall and we’re coming up with new stuff.

You know that is the awesome thing about doing this whole thing is that so many people come up with ideas. My niece comes to me with ideas, and Cheryl, who’s an unbelieveable photographer, has come to me with great ideas. That is what it’s all about. This is an open floor, it’s just something great to do and for a great cause for charity. So people come up with great ideas; a leather cuff, I love it, I wear one you know? Maybe we’ll do it, do you have an idea you want to throw in, maybe we’ll do that too? [laughs]

Well now I know how to get in touch with you and I’ll let you know about that! Is there anything we should be aware of coming up on the horizon?

I’m really excited about our live dvd that has concert footage on it from a number of different shows including some full-on over the top, big show rock n’roll and an acoutic show as well. I think it’s probably the best thing we’ve ever done. Not only does the music sound great but you get the visual with it which I think just turned out great and gives the definition of the band the Lovehammers. So that’s gonna be coming out hopefully later in the year and is something to look forward to.

I really appreciate your time, I’ve had your album for about a week and would agree that it’s your best work to date. It sounds amazing with so many great songs and I think this is going to be the big one for you guys that launches you.

I appreciate you keeping in contact from when I was doing the LA Guns metal and now back here with the “Hammers”, and you were mentioning Silver Elements which I think is cool that you actually interview enough to know what’s going on with the person that you’re kind of diving into. So I appreciate and respect that man, thank you!

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RELATED LINKS:
Marty Casey’s Official Site - www.martcasey.com
Lovehammer’s Official Site – www.lovehammers.com
Marty Casey’s Silver Elements Collection – www.silverelementscollection.com

SPECIAL THANKS:
A special thanks goes out to Cheryl Spelts for the use of her amazing photography! Along with being a Lovehammers fan, Cheryl is a Southern California photographer specializing in actors, models and musicians, fresh and modern portraits, and fine art.  Check out her amazing work at www.cherylspelts.com!

Snake Eyes:
Confessions of a Replacement Rockstar

By Stacey Blades

L.A. Guns guitarist Stacey Blades has led a very colorful and interesting life to say the least. His devoted struggle to “make it” as a well-known musician has led him through hoops and bounds from childhood to the present. Throughout this book you see the constant struggle of a man dealing with an underlying force … a force that mostly lands him rolling Snake Eyes.

Throughout childhood angst and a struggle to identify himself through adoption, Blades describes the never-ending conquest to make his mark as a person and a musician. Through identity crisis, sordid relationships, drugs, alcohol, endless bands, constant dead ends, death and a fervent burn makes Snake Eyes read like a Hollywood script.

Order the book at this location >

M3 Rock Festival

M3 Rock Festival
May 30, 2009
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD

By Steve Johnson 

The M3 Rock Festival invaded Columbia, Maryland on May 30, 2009 and brought with it some of the greatest bands from the mid to late 80’s. Merriweather proved to be a good choice of venue for the show, as it provided ample amounts of shade on a sunny and warm day. While the performances themselves are of utmost importance, there is something to be said about the atmosphere in the parking lot prior to the gates opening. The parking lot at Merriweather was full of people tailgating and listening to their favorite tunes from bands performing at the show. I have not seen that many IROC-Z28 Camaros, Mustangs or vintage concert t-shirts in one place since the late 80’s. Luckily the parking lot police seemed to be turning a blind eye toward their policy of no drinking in the lots, as everyone seemed to be downing a cold one or two.

Jani Lane

Gates for the show opened at 11:00 am and many of the revelers in the parking lot quickly made their way inside. The layout of the festival was rather impressive considering Merriweather isn’t the largest outdoor venue I have been to. The main stage/pavilion area was separated from the second stage by a long line of tents filled with various giveaways and other businesses advertising their products. There were also ample concessions, at rather reasonable prices. One fantastic addition to the festival was a VIP bar area appropriately labeled Hammerjack’s. If you are not familiar with the area, Hammerjack’s was an extremely popular concert venue in downtown Baltimore in the 80’s and 90’s that attracted many of the biggest names in rock. This was a nice touch that added to the nostalgia of the entire event.

The festival’s opener was none other than former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke. While his set was short, Clarke showed off the skills that landed him with a job in one of the greatest bands in rock history. Much of Clarke’s set included solo material, but he did throw in some Guns ‘N Roses for good measure. Highlights of Clarke’s set included “Tijuana Jail,” “Cure Me or Kill Me,” and “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” Next to take the main stage was Y&T. Y&T managed to play many of the hits from their 35 year career in their allotted thirty five minute set. The band sounded good and fired off fantastic versions of “Dirty Girl,” “Mean Streak,” and “Summertime Girls.”

Slaughter took the main stage after Y&T and delivered a blistering performance. The band sounded great and Mark Slaughter proved he still has the ability hit his signature high notes. Slaughter’s set consisted of a lot of their older material, with some of their newer stuff mixed in. They ended with two of their greatest hits, “Fly to the Angels” and “Up All Night.” After Slaughter left the main stage, fans were greeted with a spectacular set by Jani Lane of Warrant. He opened up with “Down Boys” and, as expected, performed all of Warrant’s hits and sounded good while doing it. Jani looked better than he has in years and didn’t miss a step as he took command of the main stage for a blistering performance. The Jani Lane of old was back that day. Here’s hoping he has continued success in the future.

Steel Panther's Satchel Slips Us Some Tongue

The onslaught of classic 80’s metal bands continued with a stellar performance by Dokken. While I was only able to catch a few songs by the band, I enjoyed what I heard and the crowd responded well. Normally I would have checked out all of Dokken’s set, but I had to make my way over to the second stage to check out the band everyone had been talking about, Steel Panther. I had heard a lot about the band and had seen them featured on television and in many YouTube videos of them performing with celebrities in L.A. I went into their set not expecting much, but came out a huge fan. Steel Panther may be a parody of glam metal, but those guys can play and delivered what may have been the most entertaining set of the day. The band performed a few songs, including “Fat Girl,” and “Death To All But Metal.” The rest of their set was filled with comedy gold by way of interaction with each other on stage and with the crowd. The band even slowed it down with their latest single “Community Property” and a massive guitar solo which served as a tribute to the rockers that came before them. Steel Panther are a visual spectacle for sure but do not think for a second that these rockers don’t have the musical chops to stack up to the talent on the rest of the bill. They provided not just a show but an experience, The result of the all too short set was evident as fans went wild and wondering why these guys weren’t on the main stage. Ladies, lock up your daughters! Steel Panther is on the prowl!

As Kix rocked the main stage, I kept my post at the second stage to check out the legendary L.A. Guns. There are currently two versions of L.A. Guns touring the country. This L.A. Guns features Phil Lewis on vocals and Stacey Blades on guitar. While some people in the crowd may have been disappointed that this version of Guns doesn’t feature Tracii Guns, Stacey held his own and the band blasted through many of their greatest hits, including “Sleazy Come” and “Rip and Tear.” Up next on the main stage was Extreme and by this time fans continued to file into the venue to and search out a good spot to see their heavy metal favorites. Gary Cherone and the boys of Extreme sounded good and remain some of the best musicians from their era. The crowd’s enthusiasm continued to grow with each passing moment and each jam they belted out. Extreme’s last song of the night “Hole Hearted,” was fantastic and was the proper choice to end with. If you haven’t had the chance to check out Extreme live, you shouldn’t delay, as they definitely pack a punch and leave you hungry for more.

Dee Snider on stage in 2009

At this point in the day, many people had gathered to the main stage/pavilion area to witness the two headlining bands of the show, Ratt and Twisted Sister. Ratt took the stage around 8:00 pm and performed an hour long set that featured all of their hits. Highlights included “Lay It Down,” “You’re In Love,” “Back For More,” “Round and Round,” and “Nobody Rides For Free.” Vocally, Stephen Pearcy sounded great and Warren DeMartini absolutely shredded on the guitar. Ratt had one of the better performances of the day and pumped the crowd up for the last band of the evening. Twisted Sister blasted onto the stage around 9:30 and initially had some sound problems. Everything was quickly corrected and the band delivered a blistering set of their classics. Dee Snider is a great front man and proved it on stage at M3. He ran around fists pumping and banging his head. The rest of the band delivered a great performance and sounded just as tight as they did twenty five years ago when they gave us Stay Hungry. Highlights of their performance included “Under the Blade,” “We’re Not Gonna To Take It,” “Burn in Hell,” “The Price,” and “I Wanna Rock.”

The M3 Festival was a great time and provided fans of classic 80’s metal a cheaper and much closer alternative to Rocklahoma and Rock Gone Wild. The bands were all fantastic and all of the concertgoers seemed to be having a great time. The M3 Festival has breathed new life into a scene that has long been forgotten in an area where it was once king. Here’s hoping it is back for more next year!

Legendary L.A. Guns founder and guitarist, Tracii Guns, has issued the following update in regard to his “League of Gentlemen”:

“I have been looking for the right guy to front this band and am very proud to announce that Scott Foster Harris will be fronting the Tracii Guns League Of Gentlemen. Please have a listen to him sing at his MySpace page. Tour info soon!”

More info on this as it develops!

Rocklahoma, the premier eighties music festival being held July 9-12 in Pryor, Oklahoma has announced thirty-two of over ninety of the bands that will be playing at the Third Annual Rocklahoma. �
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Signed on to appear at the 3rd Annual Rocklahoma is Twisted Sister, Great White, Vixen, Saxon, Hurricane Alice, Helix, Danger, Danger, Warrant, Night Ranger, Gypsy Pistoleros, Nelson, KEEL, KIX, Bang Tango, Beautiful Creatures, LA Guns, Britny Fox, Faster Pussycat, Lillian Axe, Dirty Penny, Legendary Scorpions Drummer Herman Rarebell and Bonfire. �Icon, Big Cock, Baton Rouge, Lord Tracy, featuring ex-Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze, Silent Rage, Warrior, Pair-a-Dice, Julliet, Wild Street, Vougan
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More bands are to be announced in the upcoming weeks including the other three main stage headliners.
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Over ninety bands will be performing over four days on four different stages. On three of the four stages, Rocklahoma has partnered with Retrospect records to showcase bands of the eighties. �
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Rocklahoma is one of the largest Rock Festivals of its type featuring music from the eighties. Attendance has come from all fifty states and six out of seven continents.�
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Both Playboy and Rolling Stone in 2008 called Rocklahoma one of the top festivals that should not be missed. �
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Catch The Fever Festival Grounds is located four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma and has 6,200 assigned and numbered seats, as well as general admission on the lawn for over 50,000 people. The grounds also feature over 4,000 campsites, on-site parking, bathroom facilities, a convenience store, ���Rocklahoma also has a Picture Alley that allows anyone in attendance to approach the stage during any performance and take photographs of a favorite artist at close range.
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Rocklahoma offers a one-day and four-day general admission passes, along with V.I.P. Passes that includes all the food and drink, including Free Miller Lite for all four days. �Rocklahoma offers a layaway program on all ticket plans that enables fans to reserve their ticket at the current price.
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The public can also order tickets online at www.feverfest.com, charge by phone at 1-866-310-2288, or any of the 3,200 O�Reilly Auto Part Stores across the United States.

Tracii Guns

Blabbermouth.net reports that Gilby Clarke (formerly of Guns N’ Roses) and Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns) are teaming up for what is being dubbed “Lone Guns” North American tour. Gilby Clarke will be performing songs from Guns N’ Roses as well as Rockstar Supernova and Tracii Guns has promised deep catalog L.A. Guns tracks as well as the hits, plus surprises.

Each encore will feature Gilby and Tracii jamming together and every show will be different so this is guaranteed to be an event not to be missed!

The “Lone Guns” tour will take place in May-June.

The Staff of�Icon Versus Icon�took in many shows this years working alongside their counterparts at Live-Metal.Net. The staff�put their heads together to bring you their takes on the Best Live Performances of 2008. Read on to find out who they think made the grade in 2008.

The Best Live Performances of 2008

Steve Johnson’s Pick: This pick for best live show of the year may seem odd to some of you readers out there, but I can say without a doubt, the best time I had at a show this year was on July 19th at the Bang Tango/L.A. Guns/Faster Pussycat show at Jaxx in Springfield, VA. Every band on the bill rocked and we interviewed Faster Pussycat lead singer Taime Downe. Bang Tango took the stage first and played a great set, which included their hit �Love Injection.� L.A. Guns followed with new lead singer Marty Casey and did not disappoint. As usual, Tracii Guns supplied blistering guitar and the band delivered all of their hits, including: �Over the Edge,� �Sex Action,� �Rip and Tear,� and �The Ballad of Jayne.� Faster Pussycat rounded out the night and delivered a sleaze filled set that included the hits �Cathouse,� �Slip of the Tongue,� �House of Pain,� and �Bathroom Wall.� While the old songs that I grew up on were great to hear live, it was the new material that left me impressed. Faster Pussycat’s new material is far and beyond sleazier than anything they have done in the past and easily allows the band to carry on with the crown of World’s Greatest Sleaze Band. I mean come on, how can you resist songs with titles such as, �The Power & the Glory Hole� and �Shut Up & Fuck.�

Jason Price’s Pick: Without question, the best live performance that I saw in 2008 was L.A. Guns. The band had recently brought on new frontman Marty Casey and embarked on “The Summer Blackout Tour.” Casey, alongside veteran axeman Tracii Guns absolutely blew me away with unmatched energy and an ultra-tight performance. Marty Casey’s intense vocals and showmanship won over fans old and new alike as they played L.A. Guns staples, Casey’s solo work and several covers that they practically made their own. This version of L.A. Guns will surely be back on the road in 2009 in support of a new studio album and there are not to be missed when they head to a venue in your neck of the woods.

For some great photos of L.A. Guns in concert, check out this site:
www.cherylspelts.com

Jen X’s Pick: Without a doubt, even though it’s not metal and it’s not indie, the best live performance this year in my book was Journey. Filipino singer Arnel Pineda is the luckiest sob of the decade, as he “won” is spot as frontman of Journey via Neal Schon seeing him on YouTube singing Journey songs with his band at the time, The Zoo. Pineda should be hailed as the second-coming of Steve Perry, shoes that I never thought would or could be filled. His vocal talent is extraordinary and his energy during shows is incredible, if you find yourself sitting at any point during the set then there must be something wrong with you. Not only did this tour bring back “Lights” and “Open Arms”, but new mixes such as “After All These Years.” Journey toured with opening acts Cheap Trick and Heart, two groups of talented rockers that do not disappoint in the line up. I look forward in hearing more from this “new” Journey and for their tour to make it my area once again as I wouldn’t hesitate to spend the evening listening to the hits that I grew up with and the new hits to come.

The Staff of Icon Versus Icon put their heads together to bring you their takes on the Best Interviews of 2008. Read on to find out what they thought went above and beyond!

Best Interviews of 2008

Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal of Guns N' Roses

Steve Johnson’s Pick: Of all of the interviews in 2008, one stands out as the best from a personal standpoint. Our interview with Ron �Bumblefoot� Thal, guitar virtuoso and current member of Guns N’ Roses is my best of 2008. Conducted at the May Chiller Theatre Convention in Parsippany, NJ, we got the inside scoop on Bumblefoot’s new album Abnormal and a few pieces of information on the then unreleased Chinese Democracy. Bumblefoot spoke of his beginnings as a guitar player and his dedication to helping find a cure for diabetes through his involvement in Rock Against Diabetes. While some serious topics were covered, the interview remained light hearted and even included a reference to Back to the Future 2. Bumblefoot proved to be a humble and extremely generous man, who gave us free autographed albums to give away on the site. If only we had noticed he was wearing that Dr. Pepper shirt during the interview.

Jason Price’s Pick: We have done many great interviews over the years but Live-Metal.Net’s staff definitely raised the bar once again this year. Two interviews that stand out in my mind are Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal of Guns N’ Roses and Marty Casey of L.A. Guns. We met up with both as there were just about to mark career milestones. Ron Thal shed some light on who he was and what a great experience he had in becoming part of the phenomenon that is Gun N’ Roses. Marty Casey talked to us right as he parted ways with his original band Lovehammers and took over as frontman of L.A. Guns. Both of these guys were great, told us a lot and definitely have bright careers ahead of them.

Jen X’s Pick: Out of all of the interviews we have done this year there is one that stands out in my mind: the write up about Metal Mike Chlasciak. Simply put- I had no clue who Metal Mike even was, but after reading such a intelligent, funny and honest interview I wanted to know more about the man and his music. That is what a stellar interview should do for the reader and that is why it gets my vote as Best Interview of the Year.

Faster Pussycat first came on the scene in the late eighties and wasted no time carving their own niche into Los Angeles’ highly competitive music scene. Founded and fronted by the multi-faceted Taime Downe, Faster Pussycat quickly rose to power and were crowned the undisputed “Kings of Sleaze Rock.” Even to this day, Faster Pussycat’s name and musical legacy remain ingrained in the fabric of the Sunset Strip’s most notorious era. Just like any band that has been rattling speakers across the nation for over two decades, Faster Pussycat has had its fair share of ups and downs, internal struggles and even the occasional legal battle. However, as time marches on, Taime Downe and creation show absolutely no sign of fading quietly into the night. Jason Price and Steve Johnson of Live-Metal.Net recently spoke to the man behind this rock n’ roll juggernaut about his beginnings, his current undertakings, and what exactly might lie in store for the musical powerhouse that is Faster Pussycat.

Live-Metal.Net: How did music first come into your life?

Taime Downe: Through my Dad. My Dad was a rock n’ roll guitar player. So, I was born with it. I was going to his rehearsal from when I was about two years old until I was about fifteen, ya know. So that is how it came in.

What drove you to make music your career?

I don’t know. It was always something that I wanted to do since I was a little kid, because I wanted to do what my Dad did, ya know what I mean? But I don’t know. I wanted to move to California and I did. Everything just kinda stream rolled into being my business and my life. I started doing clubs too at the same time, promoting music clubs. So I just kinda kept doing what I know. Music is the only thing that I really know.

What keeps you inspired and keeps you going?

Just hearing good shit! Every time that you hear a good song that makes you want to go buy records it inspires me to make them. It inspires me to make more music. As long as I’m not bored with it and there are bands making me inspired to make music, I’ll keep doing that.

Looking back on the early days of Faster Pussycat, did you think that you would be still going strong all these years later?

Fuck No! [laughs] I had no idea. Who knows where you will be tomorrow but it is still great to be out doing this, having it be fun and challenging in certain ways. We’re doing new songs and we are doing songs that are twenty years old, and it is still fun. As long as it stays fun, I will definitely still do it.

How do you think you have evolved as an artist since starting out?

Just in terms of experiences and dealing with shit. There are ups and downs in the music business, just like in any business. Things evolve and you grow up, I mean, I am not twenty two years old anymore. If you haven’t evolved at all in twenty years, I don’t know, you’re dead. [laughs]

There was obviously some hard times over the past few years, with former band members battling with you over the name. Is that chapter of Faster Pussycat history now closed?

Oh yeah, that is over and done with. That was squashed and over and done. It just took about five months of dealing with that shit and it was over. So, that will never be a problem again.

To what do you attribute the longevity of the band?

Just still being able to go out there and still be entertaining and not be generic. It is important to keep a fresh spin on this shit and not make it so predictable. We go out and play the new songs with the old songs. We have both in the set and we like giving somebody something new. We have new fans that were barely even fuckin’ born when we started! To be able to do that is great and lets us be able to do what we are doing.

What would you say is the biggest misconception about yourself?

Fuck, dude! That’s a tough question. I have been trying to rig a Pro Tools rig for twenty minutes and all I am getting is a bunch of clicking. That one’s a little too deep. It’s like a giant canyon, it’s kinda hard to fill that one in right now! [laughs]

You produced the last record, “The Power and The Glory Hole”, are you looking to do more producing in the future?

Yeah! I don’t plan on dancing around like a fuckin’ monkey man forever, like I said, I’m getting old. [laughs] But I still love music too. I still love playing, so that isn’t the case right now but I definitely want to get into doing some work with other bands. I like being in the studio and recording. I like making stuff sound phat as shit in the studio because it’s fun when you get something slammin’. It is definitely something that I will be getting more involved with, producing other bands. Whether it’s a track or a whole record.

What was the writing process like for the record?

Just getting it done. We started recording it and then we would get a tour and be out for three or four months. We’d come back home, figure out where we left off and start working on new stuff and then another tour would come up. We would be on the road, get inspired for a couple new tracks and start working on them. It took us almost three years to record that record. We are working on some new stuff now too.

When can we look forward to hearing some of that?

Who knows?! We keep getting fuckin’ tours! [laughs] I don’t know, we’ll see. That is what we are trying to get rolling here. We are working on a live record. We’ll have that recorded by the time that we are done and when we get home we will mix it. We’ll go through all the tracks and figure out which are the best ones, then mix it and master it. That will probably come out for sure by January 2009. Hopefully, by that time, we will also be finishing out some of the new material too.

You were planning on releasing the Live At The Cathouse CD.

Yeah, see that was one of the ones that we did and some of the tracks got fucked up. When I got the files back there was a lot of stuff that had been corrupted. We tried editing it and fixing what we could, we said “Fuck it”, it was too much work to salvage it and make it realistic. So that is why we got a rig to record. We are going to start next week and record every single night until the end of the tour. So yeah, the live Cathouse thing, there were just too many technical problems that happened in the recording. We lost two of the drum tracks throughout the whole show and building those with a live room, fuck, would take me a year to edit the track. So it is easier just to do another show and record it. [laughs]

In your opinion, what does the future hold for Faster Pussycat?

Who knows. We are just going to keep on playing some shows and keep doing some music and we will see what happens. We’ll put out at least another record and see what happens with that.

Are we going to be hearing from The Newlydeads again soon?

Well, this (the current lineup of Faster Pussycat) has been kind of a merger of the two. So who knows. We’ve got some stuff that is a little more “wacky.” The Newlydeads has basically turned into a side project that we do with other people and shit. The last version of The Newlydeads is basically Faster Pussycat. It’s Xristian (Simon), Danny (Nordahl) and Chad (Stewart).

You obviously are pretty good friends with a lot of the guys on this tour. What’s the backstage vibe like?

The backstage vibe is the bus! It’s us and L.A. Guns on the bus. Two bands on one bus! [laughs] We did that in Europe and that was just for a couple weeks and that was just like a bunch of little drives. Now the bus is like our home but it’s killer. It’s fun. We all get along really good so, it’s like camp for adults. [laughs]

We’re a long way from the 80’s when you started out, but do you guys ever take it to that “next level” of backstage antics anymore?

Oh yeah we do! [laughs] It’s a little more difficult when you have so many people but it can be more interesting too.

You played Rocklahoma again this year, what was that like for you?

Oh, it was killer! It felt good for sure. It was like eight o’ clock too, so the sun was coming down and it wasn’t quite as hot and we just went out and did a great set.

Run into anyone you haven’t seen in a while?

Yeah. It was kind of a blur to us. We had just started the tour and it was like our second or third show. We had a long haul but we saw some friends of ours from L.A. that were playing some club. We were just going to the club to hang out. It’s this chick band from L.A. named Cockpit. I gave them their name, and they were on the marquee. We were like “No way!!” We had only been gone less then a week and were already seeing friends from home. So yeah, we had a great time.

You’re a Hollywood guy, a celebrity with a unique flair and there is this whole “80’s Glam Rock Revival” for lack of a better term, going on right now. Have you ever been approached to participate in a reality series?

I have been approached a couple times before regarding Faster, but I was like “nnnaaaahhhhhhh.” I would prefer just to watch them. When I need to be made into an idiot, I’ll do it myself. I don’t really need anyone to help.

So it is safe to say that we won’t be seeing “Rock of Love: Taime Downe” anytime in the near future?

[laughs] That wouldn’t go on regular cable, it would have to go on HBO or the Spice Channel.

So, what is the current vibe on The Strip these days? Is this “Revival” fueling anything noteworthy?

Well, it’s not the same. I mean, it’s all been cleaned up. There’s still the Rainbow and party spots on the weekend, or really every night of the week. The Whiskey and The Roxy are still great places to play but it’s not the fuckin’ crazy scene that it was when we first started. It was changing when we were there. The city of West Hollywood changed all the ordinances and the police really cracked down. Before it was Tower Records, which I think is gone now, all the way up to Doheny was just a wall of people walking up and down the street, it was crazy. That was when I first moved there. It hasn’t been that way since like ‘90.

Is there anything happening down there, band-wise, that is worth checking out?

I don’t know. There might be. I wanted to start doing a new club but the thing is when you start a new club, you need at least three or four cool bands and right now I don’t know of any. I won’t do that until I know that there are a few that are killer, because that’s when you start a scene: get a few of those bands together, get a club and get shit rolling. We did that with Cathouse and The Pretty Ugly Club. I think L.A. needs a kick in the ass in the rock scene to get it going again. It needs a new night spot.

I think it is safe to say that you have done a lot of living in your years on the road and on the strip… will we ever get an autobiography out of you to share these tales?

Yeah, I’ve been working on that a little bit off and on. So, yeah we are putting shit together.

Any idea of what you might call it?

We have come up with a few but it probably won’t ever be nailed down till it’s done and then we will slap something on there.

Being in the music industry as long as you have, are there still surprises?

Always. It’s ever-changing. Especially today with all the technology, like MP3s and iPods and that shit. I have been a computer head since fuckin’ ‘89, doing graphics and shit. I have been a “Mac Head” since then, so I have seen it all coming. It’s crazy how it is all coming together. Like I said, we have been recording on Pro Tools and we have rigs and are trying to achieve 16 channels of live input into it. Just being able to do that on your own is crazy. We can actually bounce this thing down and put out a live record while we are on tour, but we are just trying to get the shit recorded first and make sure I can edit it later. [laughs] I thought everyone was schooled on this version of Pro Tools. I have a big rig at home that I run it’s all killer, but this shit we have here is different but it’s cool.

Do you think music today, and rock n’ roll in particular, has lost it’s flair from the past?

Nah because there is always someone who comes up with some cool shit and cool riffs. As long as people keep plugging in guitars and banging on drums, you’re gonna get some cool shit. Music always changes but there is always somebody that comes up with something great.

Is there anybody who sticks out in your mind currently putting out great stuff?

There is always tons of stuff that comes to mind until someone asks me that question! [laughs] I like Turbonegro. I like a lot of old shit too. There is a bunch of different shit I like.

Looking back on your career, is there anything you would do again differently if you had the chance?

Probably millions of things! [laughs] That is all part of experience but nothing that is detrimental. I never was rich so I didn’t go blow my money because I never really had my money. [laughs] I helped my Mom get a house, so that was cool. But no, there are those little things like anyone else doing any other job.

After this tour, what is next for you?

Were doing this and then we are probably going to South America and Europe. And like I said, we will be editing the live record and working on the new shit. We already have about eight songs that we have been working on and have recording done. Some are a little closer than others. We have a version of “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll” that is killer. That is done, it just needs to be be mixed. I might even mix that when we are in Detroit in a couple of weeks if we have time. If not, I will mix it when we get back.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Just come out and have some fun when we come to your town. It’s gonna be a good show.

I have a habit of throwing this one in here. When do you think that Chinese Democracy will come out?

Um, probably in about, twenty years.

Actually that is the answer I tend to get most of the time.

Well, I hope it comes out. I mean, I have been waiting for it for almost twenty years. I am anxious to hear it after that wait.

Thank you for your time, Taime.

Cool! Thanks!

Related Links:
www.fasterpussycat.com – Official Site of Taime Downe and Faster Pussycat
www.myspace.com/fasterpussycat – Official Myspace Page of Faster Pussycat
www.myspace.com/taime – Official Myspace Page of Taime Downe
www.newlydeads.com – Official Site of the Newlydeads
www.lagunslive.com – Official Site of L.A. Guns

Taime Downe

Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns & Bang Tango

July 22 , 2008
Pierre’s Entertainment Center
Fort Wayne, IN

By JEN X

Halfway through their U.S. tour on July 22, 2008, the legendary Faster Pussycat landed at Piere’s Entertainment Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana along with two supporting acts, L.A. Guns and Bang Tango. The fans in the small club were ready to rock with three of the more entertaining bands from the hair metal era.

Bang Tango took the stage at 8 p.m. sharp. Their set list included: “Love Injection”, “Dancin’ On Coals”, “Someone Like You” and a blazing cover of the T. Rex hit “Twentieth Century Boy”. Singer Joe Leste’, the only original member of the band, proved that he still has a great voice which has held up through the decades. The band is rounded out by Ryan Seelbach and Michael Thomas on guitar (Thomas also joins Taime Downe and bandmates to play guitar in their lineup), Lance Eric on bass, and Timmy Russell on drums. As a whole the music was pretty solid and a great warm up to the rest of the show.

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Tracii Guns

Up next: L.A. Guns. I had been looking forward to the guitar wizardry of Tracii Guns, but I was unsure what to expect from new lead singer Marty Casey. I should have known the Guns would not let me down. Casey was great and really made the show his own. He electrified the crowd with his performance and when combined with the guitar skills of Guns it made for the highlight of the night. I was extremely impressed with the musicianship of the band, especially that of relative newcomer Alec “Big Al” Bauer on second guitar and Jeremy Guns on bass. Chad Stewart rounded out the group on drums and incredibly enough somehow has it in him to complete two shows per evening, as he also plays drums for Faster Pussycat. The set compiled an extraordinary list of songs including Guns’ hits, an awesome cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” with Tracii Guns and Casey playing an acoustic duo, and a rocked out version of the Lovehammer’s (Casey’s previous band)”Trees”. Do yourself a favor and get to this show, you will be amazed at Casey’s vocals and stage presence.

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After a very short change-over came headliners Faster Pussycat in full voice. The crowd was treated to quite an amusing retrospective (come on, it’s Taime Downe!) of the band’s entire career with songs ranging from “Babylon” to “Power of the Glory Hole”. Downe still throttles out vocals with his distinctive trademark sound, he was quite the consummate showman; playing to the receptive crowd at all times. Downe is the only original member remaining in Faster Pussycat and is joined by his Newlydead bandmates Xristian Simon on guitar and Danny Nordahl on bass. Doing double duty,as mentioned previously, are Michael Thomas (Bang Tango) on guitar and Chad Stewart (L.A. Guns) on drums. All in all they rocked and put on a great show, Downe brings a presence to the stage that I find difficult to compare to anyone else. And that is a good thing!

Attending this tour is a great way to hear some of the songs you remember from the past and still sing to this day, as well as hearing how the bands have grown since that time. All three have upcoming albums coming out soon and you get to hear some of the new material. There is no formal meet and greet on this tour, but as a bonus all the band members frequent the clubs after their set and are very cool guys. So if you want a picture or would just like to buy the guys a round, they will be easily found within minutes of leaving the stage.

SET LISTS:

BANG TANGO:
Twentieth Century Boy
Dancin’ On Coals
Love Injection
Dressed Up Vamp
Attack of Life
Wrap My Wings
Someone Like You

L.A. GUNS:
Over the Edge
No Mercy
One More Reason
Fire It Up
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
I Don’t Care (Brides of Destruction)
Electric Gypsy
Sex Action
Trees (Lovehammers)
Never Enough
Rip N Tear

FASTER PUSSYCAT:
Power of the Glory Hole
Cathouse
Slip of the Tongue
Number One With A Bullet
Porn Star
House of Pain
Where There’s A Whip, There’s A Way
Bathroom Wall
Shut Up and Fuck
Babylon

Related Links:

Pierre’s Entertainment Center
Bang Tango’s Official Website�
Bang Tango’s Official Myspace
The Official Website of L.A. Guns�
L.A. Guns’ Official Myspace�
L.A. Guns’ Forum�
The Official Website of Marty Casey
The Official Website of Fatser Pussycat�
Faster Pussycat’s Official Myspace