Episode 37 - 1969 Year in Review Part 1

After a week exploring the titans of thrash metal, we're ready to take another trip back in time to a time of hippies, war, and some amazing rock music. First though, some new business.

It's been almost a full year since the Decibel Geek podcast received a large amount of attention on the web when we put out parts 1 & 2 of the Vinnie Vincent Special which featured commentary and discussion with some notable people that had worked with/for the former KISS guitarist. The episodes had downloads well into the thousands no doubt due to the massive amount of media exposure given to Vincent when he was arrested for alleged domestic violence against his wife.

Since parts 1 & 2, we've had numerous requests for a new Vinnie Vincent special. For a long time, we had no intention of doing another special on the troubled guitarist but over the past few months have had the opportunity to speak with a few people that have also worked with Vincent and the conversations were rather enjoyable and we think the fans deserve to hear what these people have to say.

Coming in July

With no communication coming from Vinnie, we are hoping to satiate the curiosity of his fans as best we can. While there are always lots of stories (good and bad) with Vinnie, you can't deny that his mastery of guitar playing and songwriting. Our next Vinnie special, which will be available in July, will include stories (good and bad) from someone that worked very closely with Vincent and wanted to share his experiences with us. More on that in the future so stay tuned.

We head back in time this week to 1969 in the fourth installment of our Year in Review series. When researching this episode, Aaron and Chris realized that an absolute TON of music/news/events took place in 1969 and it became apparent while recording that this episode would have to be broken into two parts. Part 1 this week features discussion about many landmark events, albums, and concerts that took place in 1969.

In March, Jim Morrison of The Doors was arrested after allegedly exposing himself at Miami's Dinner Key Auditorium and also charged with attempting to start a riot after lashing out at the audience. This leads us into a track from The Doors' 1969 album The Soft Parade that could possibly be considered autobiographical of Morrison.

What does Judas Priest have to do with an episode discussing 1969? Listen and find out.

Chris shares a story about his mother, who had actually married Chris' father in 1969, seeing an unknown group in Florida playing a bar. The group was then called The Allmon Joys. They'd later go on to be a little more well-known and we spin a track off of their debut album that will leave you feeling pretty whipped.

Aaron spins a Neil Young & Crazy Horse tune that was actually written about Paul McCartney's touring guitar player. What flavor is she?

1969 was the year that we landed on the moon and David Bowie communicated with Ground Control. We discuss the cultural impact of a billion people watching us go one step beyond before segueing into some noisy, gritty hard rock from a Detroit band that was probably too anti-establishment for their own good.

One band from San Francisco, CA ruled the year of 1969 with 3 albums hitting the Top 10 with their unique brand of swamp rock that later influenced The Dude in all of us.

Before becoming the living cliche that would ultimately cause his demise, Elvis Presley had a momentous 1969 with the launch of his longstanding residency in Las Vegas and charting highly with Suspicious Minds and In the Ghetto. We discuss the year of the King of Rock.

One curve ball thrown in 1969 was from the Beach Boys who released the 20/20 album to a confused public. With Brian Wilson slipping more out of the picture due to mental distress, the brothers Carl & Dennis Wilson took on a more hands on approach and the results definitely reflect that. Aaron spins a track that you would definitely never guess was produced by the Beach Boys. This one needs to be heard to be believed.

There's tons more in store for next week with Part 2 including some massive festivals, war, murder, and plenty of great tunes for your listening pleasure.

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Rock of Ages Movie Pre-Review review.

Ok this is a little different, I am going to PRE-Review the movie Rock of Ages which isn't even in theatres yet and which I haven't seen yet. What I have seen is about a million online comments about how "horrible" it will be. How it's blasphemy to make rock songs into show tunes and how it will make a mockery of the entire metal scene in general.

Now, I did (thanks to an amazing Christmas gift from my wife!) get to see the musical in Toronto last year so I know the story line and all the songs included in the movie. I also was a teenager in the 80's when the majority of the songs were released and being played every 20 minutes on the radio or MTV.

So here is my 5 word pre-review review for the new film "Rock of Ages". I ALREADY LOVE THIS MOVIE!

How do I know? I know because even it it is 25% as good as the musical it will be great fun! People need to lighten up and enjoy this movie for what it is. A cheesy romance movie with a ton of cheesy 80's anthem pop metal tunes. Last I checked, lots of people like cheese.When I went to the musical I was actually sad when it ended, as it took me back and brought back some awesome memories of my youth and the great soundtrack of my teen years.

If you are looking for an accurate look into the Sunset Strip in the 80's than I assure you this isn't it. If that it what you're after, then I recommend "Hollywood Rocks", a very edgy look into the hair metal happenings in the City of Angels. Rock of Ages is a romantic "musical" comedy that has treaded into the world of Heavy Metal. That fact alone should make it the best romantic comedy movie ever made, and probably the only one that I will ever buy. If hearing Twisted Sister as a show tune is that horrible, than don't go see it but it obviously didn't bother Dee Snider who jumped into the Broadway cast of the musical. It may not be the raw, in your face metal but not everyone is looking for that and it is just another way to have these great songs heard by a new generation.

I find it hilarious that people are taking this so seriously, but then again some people took Spinal Tap seriously too. People need to lighten up and relax. If you have ever cracked open a beer while blasting some Poison, Def Leppard and Whitesnake, if you remember the 80's than go see the movie and have yourself a blast. This movie won't be up for an Oscar next year, but then again who gives a shit? It will still be nothing but a good time!

I give this movie and Tom Cruise for doing this movie 4 \m/'s

why Decibel Geek is my OTHER favorite podcast

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Episode 36 - M&M with Bill Hale

While we don't typically delve deep into thrash territory on the Decibel Geek podcast, 2 bands that came out of California in the early to mid 1980's (one formed out of necessity to battle it out with the other), are truly a part of rock royalty and are the subject of our interview/discussion this week.

Metallica's 1981 lineup that included James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Cliff Burton, and lead guitarist Dave Mustaine was a true force to be reckoned with but politics and substance abuse caused it to be short-lived with the band unceremoniously canning Mustaine while on the road. Determined to exact revenge, Mustaine formed Megadeth in Los Angeles in 1983 with bassist Dave Ellefson.

With both bands releasing platinum albums and performing for sold out audiences across the globe, the rivalry remained pretty evenly matched between the groups until Metallica saw mainstream success with 1991's Metallica (aka The Black Album) shooting the band into a new strata for metal music. One could argue, though, that Megadeth have put out material that rivals, and in some cases exceeds, Metallica's output throughout the 1990's and 2000's.

This week we take a hard look and listen to the early days of both bands as we chat with rock photographer Bill Hale. Hale was a photographer for Metal Rendezvous magazine in the early 1980's and shot photos of rock legends including KISS, Riot, UFO, and Black Sabbath. He was witness to the ascent of Metallica, as is recounted in his excellent photo book Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 and thus, was in good company to witness the formation and launch of Megadeth which is chronicled in his new book Megadeth: Another Time, A Different Place. 

In our conversation you will hear Bill share his stories of what it was like knowing Lars Ulrich when he was just a struggling drummer trying to make contacts in the Los Angeles area. Hear about James Hetfield's early stage fright which caused Dave Mustaine to be the voice between songs for many of Metallica's early shows.

Hale also shares his opinion of what took place when Mustaine was fired from Metallica and the politics that seemed to surround the situation. Interesting stuff here!

With a thirst for blood, Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth and Bill shares his memories of the earliest days of the band and the rivalry that exists to this day. We also get his thoughts on the sad losses of both Cliff Burton and Gar Samuelson (of whom the new Megadeth book is dedicated).

Aaron, Chris, and Bill also spin some of their favorite tracks from Metallica & Megadeth's first three albums throughout the conversation.

It's a fun long-form discussion with a person that caught music history through the lens of his camera and forged friendships with highly diverse personalities that still captivate rock and metal fans to this day. It's time for some Metal up your......ears.

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why This Is Spinal Tap is the SECOND funniest movie I've ever seen in my entire life

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Andrew Jacobs here,

First of all, I'd just like to say that I love This Is Spinal Tap as much as the next rock/metal fan. In fact, from 1990 to 2003, it was the funniest movie I'd ever seen in my entire life.

However, as great and as classic as Tap is, Windy City Heat is greater and, uh, classicer. And, of course, WAY funnier.

Let the hate commence.

The Big Red Pit!

It's interesting how tastes change and grow over the years. As a young teenager discovering the world of hard rock and heavy metal my tastes leaned towards the "hair" metal variety. I preferred melody with my metal and yes that would even include the sugary pop sounds of old Bon Jovi (back when he had long hair they were considered metal!) Say what you want about Bon Jovi but their first three records were solid as hell  and they put on a hell of a live show.

My first introduction into a darker "thrash?" metal happened by accident and at the time was not welcomed. It was a usual Saturday afternoon when I was 14 years old. I finished collecting my paper route money and headed to the record store for a new piece of metal for my collection. My library of Kiss, Motley Crue, Def Leppard needed broadening and I spent over an hour flipping through the records trying to decide who would be next.

I narrowed the selections down to two, Iron Maiden's Killers or Venom's At War with Satan. Now remember I had never heard either album so the album cover and song titles were all I had to make this decision. My buddy made it easier as he was planning to get the Maiden album in a couple of weeks so I decided to try the Venom out. I quickly raced home to hear my newest metal discovery.

Wow, was I disappointed. What a horrible mess of distorted noise with zero sign of melody or song structure. All I could think about was the Iron Maiden album I didn't choose and that I was stuck with this piece of crap.

As the 80's progressed I was aware of the rumblings of the thrash movement growing out of the Bay area. Venom, however had sealed their fate and I judged the entire genre on side one of "At War with Satan". Unfair? Yeah probably but with limited cash I was sticking to the more radio friendly sounds of the hair and classic rock bands.

I had one buddy of mine who's tastes ran a little heavier than mine. Andrew tried many times to lure me to the dark side of Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Exodus and Slayer. He had quite battle because I was having none of it.

Then it happened, the CNE Stadium was hosting a summer concert that featured Aerosmith, Metallica, Warrant and the BlackCrowes. As a huge Aerosmith fan I wasn't about to miss this show. My persuasive friend was. going away and was unable to join me for the concert and instead dropped off all his Metallica CD's in case I wanted.  to become familiar. with them. Yeah like that was ever going to happen.

His Cd's sat on my dresser and off I  went to see Mr. Tyler and the boys.  I remember this show like it was yesterday, a sunny summer day, the Black Crowes had just released Shake Your Moneymaker and put on a decent little set to a half empty stadium. Warrant hit the stage and were really good. Jani Lane jumped into the crowd ran halfway up the stairs getting the crowd going. Uncle Tom's Cabin never sounded heavier.

And then it happened, the moment I became a thrash fan. Well not exactly but the moment I became a Metallica fan, absolutely! From what I have read, Metallica at this point were recording the Black album and were going a little stir crazy in the studio so they booked a few shows to break the monotony. I was lucky that Toronto was one of these boredom busting shows.

They hit the stage to a rabid, electric audience and they tore it up! I have never been won over so quickly and completely as I chanted "Die Die Die" with everyone during Creeping Death. It was like a light had been turned on, I got it, I understood what Metallica was all about and I was along for the ride. A new Metallica T-shirt was worn home, not a new Aerosmith T (Sorry Mr. Tyler).

At home I grabbed the previously ignored Metallica Cd's and recorded them all. Soon my my mind was opening up to Megadeth, then Anthrax, then Testament, then well you get the idea. Thrash was no longer trash in my books. That said, my thrash still needs some melody and some song structure and preferably a singer that can carry a tune. Slayer for the most part, remained a touch too heavy for my taste.

The Clash of the Titans tour rolled into Toronto featuring Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer and opening act Alice in Chains (who at this point were being marketed as a metal band) Although still not into Slayer, I was all in for the others.

Alice in Chains didn't go over so well, in fact I remember the singer lashing out at the audience for not getting into it. Honestly I can't really remember what I thought of their set.Anthrax and Megadeth played killer sets. Anthrax was a lot of fun, very loose and animated onstage. Megadeth were killer serious ripping through their set meticulously precise.

Now, as previously mentioned Slayer was (and with the exception of a few tunes still is) a little too heavy for my taste. That said, we stayed to watch and as the house lights went out IT happened. The red stage lights and the special effect smoke created the mood and as Slayer hit the stage I could see it starting. A small hole in the floor was opening up.

Over the next few minutes this circle grew bigger and bigger as the chairs from the floor were tossed aside. From the safety and security of the stands it truly looked like a whirlpool swirling and growing. The red lights and the smoke from the stage gave this cyclone a real evil look to it and I stood there with my jaw on the floor. It actually reminded me of the Doppler radar they show during a hurricane. THE BIG RED PIT of thrashing mtealheads was an intense, violent sea of aggression that was almost as interesting to watch as the band onstage.

My jump into the "thrash" pool was a slow one but I truly enjoy much of the genre. The "cookie monster" vocals still don't work for me but there is a lot of good stuff out there. Five Finger Death Punch being one of the newer bands I am really getting into. Like developing a taste for wine or scotch, sometimes metal tastes evolve and grow. One thrash metal moment I will always remember is Slayer and the scary, hypnotizing BIG RED PIT!

Mike Campion (Rock And Roll Over, Gene's Addiction, That 80z Band) interview

How old were you when you first started listening to music and what were the first bands/artists that you listened to?

My mom used to always listen to The Beatles, Wings and lots of '70s era stuff when I was very little. My dad listened to OUTLAW country (Willie, Waylon, etc.) and my sister was listening to all sorts of stuff. So I was always surrounded by music but I got into KISS, Electric Light Orchestra and STYX in the late '70s when I was still under 10 years old and from there, I fell in love with hard rock!


How old were you when you first started playing a musical instrument and what was the first instrument that you played?

I was about 14 years old when me and two friends decided to start a band. Out of the 3 guys, I was the one left with buying the bass and learning it. Darren Freeze picked the drums and Andres Tucker chose lead guitar, so my dad bought me a cheap Peavey Bass and a GORILLA Bass Combo amp that I broke 10 minutes after getting it. Eventually, my dad bought me a Peavey Combo amp and we used that as a bass amp and vocal PA for several parties and rehearsals. We jammed in Andres' garage and after about a year, we could actually play a song or two.


Why did you choose that particular instrument?

Out of process of elimination. For whatever reason, I wound up picking last and that's what was left to choose from.


As a musician, who are some of your influences and why?

Bassists. I always loved Gene Simmons' style of playing, his walks, the way he played with a pick and held the bass almost like a weapon. I've always liked bassists who sing, so Gene, Jack Blades (Night Ranger), Doug Pinnick (King's X), Chip (Enuff Z'nuff), etc. I tried to model myself after those kinds of guys - strapped bass on low and played with a pick. Never could play with fingers. I can but I don't like it.


Discuss your KISS tribute bands Rock And Roll Over and Gene's Addiction.

I have done the KISS tribute thing since 1995. I can remember wanting to do a KISS tribute band back in the '80s in high school and the local clubs said that it would never work and that no one wants to see that. Long before the internet and any social media or anything. I was not aware of any KISS tributes out there, I just knew that I would wanna see it done. I joined a band called The Band Not Formerly Known As KISS in '95 and we played a few years with no makeup and finally put makeup on and wore business suits for a few years. In 2000, we played at Six Flags and we had to make costumes, so we used the advance from Six Flags to make our own costumes. We played the entire month of October at Six Flags in Houston, Texas (Astroworld) for Fright Night and that was an eye opening experience. Six Flags really invested in that show and we had professional pyro each night and concussions. Big giant fireworks going off behind us, confetti blowing at the end of each show. It was very cool!

I did a version of Gene's Addiction back in 2001 and it wasn't what I wanted, so I stopped doing it until around 2009. Gready Hunter joined me and he recruited two of the best musicians in the world (no kidding!), Michael Emerson and Kevin Coffey, and we went to work rehearsing and putting a show together. Gene's Addiction is not about just playing the songs and dressing up, it's an idea. What if Gene was to do a solo show or a Vegas style show? What would it look like if he wore the costume/makeup and had a kick ass band supporting him? Over time, the show became what it is - very in your face but totally nails the persona of The Demon! We do some obscure Gene tunes and various KISS tunes but also work in other covers by Stone Temple Pilots, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, etc. and it all fits. We have headlined House of Blues, Kemah Boardwalk, played live for Fox News, Clear Channel Radio, Cox Radio and lots more. It is a product that we pull out now for special occasions. We are actually doing a show in Clear Lake, TX on 7/7/12 with a Mötley Crüe tribute band at Scout Bar - first time that we will do the full show in quite some time. Very excited about that! www.GenesAddiction.net

 
Rock And Roll Over was a product of former members of Texas based Destroyer and Love Gun out of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I was asked to join the band in the middle of 2011 and I did several shows with them. This is a full on classic style KISS tribute. I was unable to do some shows in late 2011 and Jason McMaster of Dangerous Toys/Broken Teeth (and tons more bands) played The Demon for several shows. Rock And Roll Over got chosen in the top 20 of the KISS Off finals in January of 2012 and made the top 4 to compete in Vegas for the best KISS tribute band in the world. Tommy Thayer was one of the 3 judges and we played last and really blew the roof off the place but the winner wound up being Mr. Speed from Ohio. The other two bands were from Australia and Hungary respectively. It was an amazing experience and a pleasure to take part in the first event like that of any kind in KISStory! Rock And Roll Over really took off after this event and has played House Of Blues venues in Ohio, Illinois, Texas (Dallas and Houston) and has been asked to play in New Orleans and Cincinnati. We have done shows in Dallas, Abilene, Grapevine, El Paso, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Laredo and many more Texas cities as well as shows in Oklahoma and Louisiana. Rock And Roll Over continues to be asked to do more shows that we are able to do since I am in other bands and the guys in that band also play in a Def Leppard tribute. Both bands are lots of fun and they keep all of us very busy with shows. www.RockAndRollOver.net


What are some of your favorite KISS songs to play and why?

I love all the KISS tunes. Of course, the ones we don't HAVE to play, I enjoy working into the set. But when it's all said and done, I enjoy the ones that get the best crowd reaction. "Rock And Roll All Nite" always goes over well. I have played that song more times by far than any other song but it never fails!


What are some of your favorite KISS albums/songs and why?

I love Destroyer. Revenge is one of my all time faves. I really like what Bob Ezrin is able to get out of Gene and Paul. I would've loved it if Ezrin worked with the reunited lineup again in '98/'99 but it wasn't to be. Revenge was very meat and potatoes KISS!


Have any of the members of KISS given you any feedback on Rock And Roll Over and/or Gene's Addiction? If so, what did they say?

Tommy Thayer had quite a bit to say to us. All positive stuff in Vegas. I won't go into too much here but I will say that he was extremely complimentary and it was eye opening as to how things really work. I have met most of the guys in KISS and former KISS: Gene several times, Paul a few times, Ace once, Eric Singer several times, Tommy Thayer several times, Bruce Kulick, Eric Carr. I've never met Peter or Mark. I did not get much feedback from Gene or Paul on the band. Gene did ask for a Gene's Addiction shirt and he was given one backstage in Houston by a friend of ours. Gene likes that kind of stuff. Paul basically told me to "do a good job" when we do the KISS tribute.


Discuss your '80s tribute band, That 80z Band.

That 80z Band is a party band. I sing lead and I am not a lead singer by any stretch of the imagination. The guys in the band (Jarod Frank-STIKK on drumz, Jason Gardner-Sleazy on lead guitar and Keaton Branch-Slikk on bass) are great musicians. Keaton is probably one of the best bass players I know. They all break the songs down and learn it the right way. We all dress up and put on an '80s party when we play. This band has really taken off in the last 6 months and has tons of shows booked over the next two months. We have played House of Blues, Kemah Boardwalk and various clubs in town. Lots of fun and just a non-stop party. https://www.facebook.com/That80zBand

We'll be playing Rock The Dock at Kemah Boardwalk on June 21st!

Do you play or have you played in any other bands (tribute or original)? If so, please discuss.

In the past, I have done a Motley Crue tribute but I have always just done the KISS one consistently. Not sure how much longer I will do it or be able to do it but each year, it keeps getting better and makes it harder to shelve.

I have played in various other bands. I play guitar in a local cover band called C.O.D. and it's just a fun bar band. We goof off and just put on a fun event. Just 4 guys that like to mess around and pretend to play. I played in Monster Rodd back in the early 2000s with Scott Dalhover of Dangerous Toys fame and we recorded some tunes and played in Austin, Houston, Beaumont and Dallas but it was short lived.


What's your advice to young people who are considering pursuing careers in some capacity in the entertainment industry?

Like many people have said, the music business is not just about the music or your capabilities/talent. It's a business first & foremost and you better have a business sense if you plan on getting ahead. Not that I am ahead but in my small dealings, the business side is tough and you better be smart or you will get taken advantage of, pissed on, used and taken for granted. Be your own champion, put a REAL value on your talent/skills/trade and learn to negotiate and sell yourself.


Feel free to discuss any of your other endeavors here.

Thanks so much for the interest in me and my projects! I am touched!

I MISS 80's KISS!

I recently went back into the vault and dug up a couple of old episodes of the Decibel Geek show to keep me entertained on a recent 2 hour bus ride. One of those episodes had Chris and AAron discussing their Top 5 favorite "Non Makeup era Kiss songs" and this got me to thinking. ( Episode 9 if you want to go check it out and YOU DO!)

It was my cousin who introduced me to Kiss back in 75 or 76. I was captivated by the image and I remember collecting some of the trading cards, but Kiss really became important to me in the 80's as a teenager. Kiss fans all have their own "story" and an emotional tie to when and how they came aboard the good ship Kiss.

I remember purchasing the Lick it Up cassette. Although I was aware of the music of the 70's and had purchased the vinyl "I Was Made for Loving You" single when I was 9 (only to learn I liked the b-side "Hard Times" even better), it wasn't until I was 13 the year they cleaned off the greasepaint that I truly jumped both feet into Kiss "obsession" land.

I remember it didn't matter to me at all that they removed the make-up. It didn't concern me whatsoever after I watched the "Lick it Up" video on TV. They were still cool, still rocking and still Kiss. It was awesome because there was this new metal Kiss record and I still had all of the back catalogue to explore and discover.

As the 80's progressed I was able to start seeing the band live. Each tour was a new and exciting spectacle. I couldn't compare it to the makeup shows as I had never witnessed them so it was always just a Kiss show and without makeup it was still a fantastic concert every time I went.

Each album released in the 80's brought a new look, a new stage and some new songs to the live set.  They always seemed to provide a great mix of the old and the new (unlike the recent tours). I remember the Anamalize tour setlist included 6 or more songs from both Anamalize and Lick it Up albums (from my 42 year old hazy recollection they played Fits Like a Glove, Lick it Up, Young and Wasted, Heavens on Fire, Thrills in the Night, I've Had Enough Into the Fire and I think they did You've Gotta Get All You Can Take). A third of the concert was new and fresh.

The image seemed to evolve throughout the decade. Maybe they were guilty of following the trends or even copying what was going on around them, but it was still Kiss. With or without the makeup, whether they were in leathers, fur, sequins, neon spandex or body glove t shirts, nobody was putting on a better show than Kiss.

The 90's still produced three more non-makeup albums that grew progressively heavier and progressively darker. Hot in the Shade, Revenge and the "lost" album Carnival of Souls.

Of course "Carnival of Souls" will always be the odd man out. Lyrically it was a little different from the classic Kiss formula but it was also released with no tour as the original lineup reconvened and took us back to the 70's.

Now don't get me wrong, I was squealing like a school girl when the reunion happened. Having never seen Kiss with makeup and having never seen Ace or Peter live, it really felt like they rewound the clock and I felt like I was 7 years old when I discovered my cousin's Kiss records and his Kiss trading cards. It was a dream come true for sure.

On the other hand I also felt like I had lost my favorite band. I spent the 80's proudly defending Kiss to all the haters and defending Kiss to all the "old Kiss only" fans who refused to accept Kiss without the the greasepaint.

I loved the non-makeup years, loved the albums and loved the tours. Kiss were Icons in the 70's, larger than life, super hero rock stars. That said Kiss were a great band without the makeup and it seems that with the exception of a small handful of "overplayed" songs, the years 83-92 have all been but erased from the Kiss repertoire. That to me is sad, I still miss 80's Kiss!

Van Halen - The David Lee Roth Years unauthorized documentary DVD available for preorder

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Speaking of Van Halen videos, be sure to check out their official Vimeo and YouTube channels for LOTS of great recent videos.

West Memphis Suicide making some lemonade!

When I heard about this I had to give a shout out to the guys in West Memphis Suicide.

This Saturday (June 2nd) West Memphis Suicide was scheduled to play at "Hockeyfest" a 2 day festival concert in Brantford, Canada. This was to be a huge concert, possibly the biggest audience WMS has performed for so far. Well as it turns out with less than a week to go, with thousands of tickets already sold, the entire festival has been shot down due to political red tape.

When I interviewed the guys a few weeks ago, they were amped up and promoting the shit out of this concert. Talk about being handed the proverbial "lemons"

So what happens when DIRTBAGS get kicked in the kahones? They stand up, flip the bird to the powers that be and organize their own damn concert in just a few days! Knowing how many disappointed fans had already purchased tickets they stepped up and are giving them a show anyway! Lesser bands would have been moping around for weeks, in fact I bet a few bands on the Hockeyfest bill are doing just that. In the meantime WMS will be plugging in and giving their fans a great show.

If you haven't yet heard West Memphis Suicide be sure to download and listen to episode 35 of the Decibel Geek Podcast "Radio Sucks" show and give a listen to Nothing Messiah.

Way to step up boys!

The time I almost met (and hung out with) Gene Simmons

Andrew Jacobs here,

This year marks my 35th anniversary as a resident of the state of California.  I was born in New York (Long Island specifically) on August 12, 1970 and my family and I moved to Southern California when I was 6 years old.  Needless to say, while I did retain a good chunk of the mean spiritedness of the East coast (a trait which has increased DRASTICALLY as I've gotten older), I am and always will be a Southern California boy.

Enough about me for now though.

One of the perks of living in Southern California is the odds of running into celebrities in public are pretty good for the most part.  And, of course, if you live in or even near the Los Angeles/Hollywood areas, you can safely bet large amounts of money that you'll run into somebody famous for something at least a few times a year.  And, of course, if you frequent bars or night clubs on any kind of a regular basis in the Los Angeles/Hollywood areas... I think you see where I'm going with this.

Sometime around Halloween in 1994, I had the choice of going to see two shows happening on the same night at the same time - my good friend's band or a KISS tribute band (I don't remember which one).  Although I was heavily into my KISS addiction at this point and I was still very much riding the first year euphoria that accompanies being a diehard fan of anything, that old "friends love friends' bands" saying carries a helluva lot of weight with me and I ultimately chose going to see my good friend's band over the KISS tribute band.

When I came home that night, there was a message on my answering machine from a guy I knew who went to see the KISS tribute band.  I'll paraphrase it to the best of my recollection:

"Hey Andrew, I just got back from the [KISS tribute band name] show.  Gene Simmons was there and I got to hang out and talk with him for a good part of the night!  It was so awesome!  You shoulda come, man!"

Yes, "friends love friends' bands".  But THIS friend loves Gene Simmons more.

Episode 35 - Radio Sucks Radio Show vol.6

We're back this week with more ear candy for your head holes. Plus, it's Aaron Camaro's birthday this week so be sure to wish him a happy 37th birthday. 37?!? Chris will be 36 in November so we're right on schedule for our midlife crises.

We've got a jam-packed show today filled with tons of tunes from different eras of rock and metal including some new stuff in our Fresh Blood segment.

Things kick off with a strong, very non-disco cover tune from KISS' 1979 Dynasty album which leads us to discuss our anticipation for the forthcoming Monster release and the ever-changing rumored release dates. We also give a deserving plug to Mitch Lafon's great 5 part feature on the 20th Anniversary of the Revenge album on Bravewords.com which includes interviews with Tommy Thayer, friend of Decibel Geek Dick Wagner, Bruce Kulick, Kevin Valentine, and this week's interview with Eric Singer. If you are a KISS fan, you will be highly entertained by these features. Good job Mitch!

We transition into some talk about the recent news that Van Halen cancelled and handful of shows and announced they are taking a break to avoid burnout. Is that the real reason or are the boys dishing out a Different Kind of Truth? We give our thoughts on that before diving into a deep cut from the 1978 self-titled debut.

Aaron gave Chris a hard time during the last Radio Sucks show for playing a "soft" Enuff Z'Nuff tune and counters this week by playing a track that proves that the band had some musical muscle when they wanted to get away from day-glo costumes and dancing video rainbows.

We come back from the break with a "shot and a half" of Fresh Blood featuring a killer band from Spain known as Angelus Apatrida. Chris was turned on to this group by Victor Ruiz on the great Mars Attacks podcast and couldn't help but share a little taste of this great rising band that just straight-up kicks your teeth in (in a good way). We segue from Angelus Apatrida straight into a hard-nosed rocking track by West Memphis Suicide. These guys are based out of Canada (thanks Wally for turning us on) but they've got all the aggression of a group of Cowboys from Hell that we are sorely lacking today. We really think you'll dig this band.

Speaking of Pantera, we pontificate (that's a big word like "gymnasium") about the recent rumors of a possible reunion tour with Zakk Wylde filling Dimebag Darrell's shoes. Can you Vinnie Paul and Phil Anselmo make amends and is it right for the band to charge forward without its dearly departed heart and soul? We discuss it before Aaron breaks our streak of not playing any Black Label Society with a track that is pretty brutal but satisfying.

The rock/metal world on the internet lost a true friend and funny voice on May 21st, 2012 with the death A.j. Confessore; better known as C.C. Banana. We pay tribute to the memory of C.C. with a track off of an album that he helped produce; Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute to Vinnie Vincent which features Banana 7 performing a parody of KISS' Unholy about the unlikeliest of subjects and the Kisstoric story behind it. R.I.P CC.

June 5th marks the return of Ugly Kid Joe with their new E.P. Stairway to Hell. The first single has been released and we dug it so much we thought you'd like to hear it as well. Crank this one up!

We finish things out with a short discussion of the recently (almost) reunited RATT performing together with bassist Jaun Croucier for the first time in years at the recent M3 Festival. Is Juan a permanent member of RATT again? Will the band follow up the well-received Infestation album with one of their principal songwriters from back in the day? We give our thoughts on all of that as we delve into a classic track from the Out of the Cellar album.

Putting a bow on this Aaron Camaro birthday episode is his pick of the greatest song that a guy ever wrote about his own genitalia. You certainly won't hear this one on the radio. Be sure to check us out on facebook and twitter and please keep those reviews coming in iTunes. It makes a world of difference in getting more ears to enjoy this show. We thank you all so much for your support and have many more cool things in the pipeline. See ya next week!

Direct Download

Adrian Conner (Hell's Belles, Adrian and the Sickness) interview

How old were you when you first got into music and why did you get into music?

I was into music right away. My parents had a tiny little toy piano for me to play. And I remember listening to kid records on the old Fisher Price turntable. My mom drove a huge Buick Estate wagon and would put on ABBA. I would sit WAY in the back and put my ear right to the speaker and sing.


What were some of the first bands/artists that you listened to on a regular basis?

ABBA, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Madonna and whatever my sister listened to (Duran Duran and before that, Quiet Riot). I liked all the bands in the '80s as a kid and put every single picture on my wall.


How old were you when you started playing a musical instrument and what was the first instrument that you started playing?

I went through a ton of musical instruments that I did not like. Piano, piccolo, saxophone, harmonica, etc. Recorder was part of 4th grade curriculum. I picked guitar at 14 and I thought it was too hard. But I stuck with it.


Why did you choose that particular instrument?

Because of the movie Satisfaction with Justine Bateman.


As a singer and as a musician, who/what are some of your influences and why?

AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. I love new music. I love songs that touch me, whether they are fun or serious. It doesn’t even have to have guitar in it for me to fall in love with a great song.


Discuss your experiences (good and/or bad) both as a female musician and as a woman working in the entertainment industry.

Bad first, so that we can end with good.

Bad:

Well, I’ve heard several comments that fellow musicians have said about me and my bands: "she's good" or "she’s a better guitar player than me". And then those guys never come to another show. They never ask us to share a bill with them.

I think mostly what sucks is feeling like no other bands want to do shows with us. Or ask us on to killer bills. It’s too bad that we can't come together as peers to pull off great club shows. We feel alone sometimes in a sea of "local/unproven bands". How do we stand out? Especially when our peers ignore us. Maybe they just really don’t like what we do.

Good:

Playing in Hell's Belles with some of my favorite people on earth: Amber, Laura D., Lisa B., Mandy Reed and Sharon Needles. Hell's Belles was one of the first tribute bands ever. Tribute bands were not common back in 2000. We've always taken AC/DC to heart and play with precision and fury. In fact, we play so well that Angus Young himself has said that Hell’s Belles was his favorite AC/DC tribute band. Hell's Belles has made it possible for me to hone my songwriting skills and put out albums independently and 100% DIY for the last 12 years.


What are some of your favorite AC/DC songs to perform and why?

"Shoot To Thrill". So many cool guitar ideas in that song.


What are some of your favorite AC/DC albums/songs and why?

I dig the hits like "Back In Black" and "Highway To Hell". But I also love the first album and POWERAGE! 


Discuss Adrian and the Sickness, your original band.

Adrian and the Sickness is my creative outlet. I love spending my free time creating music. Practicing. Listening and writing. Writing comes from the other bands and songwriters that inspire me. And probably many other places - sadness, anger, happiness, euphoria, silence, etc.

On the flip side of that, there’s a need to share that music. And a lot of heartache comes from that attempt. Therefore, more songs. That’s some sick cycle.


Feel free to discuss any of your other endeavors (musical or otherwise) here.

Other endeavors include being a better person. Not succumbing to our poisonous American pop culture. Finding self worth. Giving to charities. And being loving and patient with myself so that I can be that way towards others.

They Really Like Us!

We're not ones to toot our own horn.......oh, who are we kidding. We're tooting our horn constantly but it means much more to us to get feedback from others. We are getting great feedback here on the site as well as the Decibel Geek facebook page from our listeners but today marks a first.

Some Really Smart Dudes

Today is the day that Decibel Geek podcast got reviewed on Podcast Squared. What is Podcast Squared? They are a podcast that gives critical reviews of podcasts. We are the featured podcast review for this, their 100th episode.

While I'd like to go ahead and tell you everything that they say, I'd much rather you check out the review yourself to hear what they had to say about the Decibel Geek podcast. Obviously, if they thought we sounded like a couple of cavemen grunting into tin cans I wouldn't be touting this review so you know that it's positive.

So, for those of you that want to hear what a respected podcast reviewer thinks of us, check out the link below. The Decibel Geek talk starts around 15:35.

http://podcastsquared.com/2012/05/29/podcast-squared-100-syndication/

Thanks again to the guys from Podcast Squared!

The time I met an under the weather Ace Frehley (only slightly more exciting than the Kerry King encounter)

Andrew Jacobs here,

Pictured above is my ticket stub from the Ace Frehley/Peter Criss concert that I went to on their Bad Boys of Rock tour together in 1995.  Because I was a member of Ace's Rock Soldiers fan club at the time, I was able to meet Ace after the show as well.

After standing in line for a while with the other Rock Soldiers waiting to meet Ace, I finally got up to him and the rest of the band. Ace was clearly under the weather that night and he greeted me with a very unspirited "what's up?" (basically the polar opposite of how he was during KISS's infamous Tom Snyder interview back in '79).

After having Ace autograph my Trouble Walkin' CD and one or two other things, I decided to attempt to brighten his spirits somewhat with a joke (which, because of the sheer datedness of it, won't be funny at all now).  The joke was "what's the difference between O.J. Simpson and Christopher Reeve?".  However, before I could deliver the punch line, one of Ace's bandmates beat me to it and said "O.J.'s gonna walk".

That's it. Told ya it was only slightly more exciting than the Kerry King encounter.

In Photos - KISS on Playboy Building Rooftop 1975

On January 16, 1975 a struggling New York band that wore garish face paint and black leather costumes ascended atop the Playboy Building in West Hollywood, CA. Just a couple months after releasing their sophomore album Hotter Than Hell, KISS was still trying to break big in record sales but were quickly gaining a reputation as one of rock's best concert acts.

The Hotter than Hell album did not receive the promotional push that it deserved due to KISS' distribution deal with Warner Brothers expiring. Also of note is the murky production value of the tracks with the guitars especially sounding overdriven to the point of distraction. Over the years I've come to appreciate the charm of its sound but it obviously could have sounded much better at the time.

After playing a show 2 nights prior in Eugene, OR, the band arrives in Los Angeles for a two week run of shows that will begin the following night at Long Beach Arena.

On a rare day off, the band poses for these photos with the Hollywood Hills as a backdrop. The Playboy Building, an offshoot of its main office in Chicago, opened in the 1960's and now occupied by different tenants. It's worth noting that these photos feature Ace Frehley wearing platform boots that would later be modified and handed down to Vinnie Vincent in 1982 as he was being ushered into the band as the new character of Egyptian Warrior.

Vinnie Vincent Sporting Ace Frehley's Footwear

Also of note to me is the obvious camaraderie between the band members. This was still, mostly, a time of innocence for KISS. I say "mostly" due to recalling the story of Peter Criss threatening to quit the band over not having a drum solo in the middle of the song Strange Ways. Aside from that, they still seemed to be in an all-for-one situation and these photos provide a great snapshot of a band that was getting its first taste of fame while on the precipice of fortune.

Special thanks to KISS Legends Alive and Michael Ochs Agency for supplying these photos. Credit also due to Richard Creamer and Edward Przydzial. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have putting this presentation together.

 - Chris Czynszak

Bruce Kulick discusses KISS's Revenge track by track all next week on Kulick.net

http://www.kulick.net/

From Bruce's official Facebook page:

To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the release of REVENGE, all next week I'll be doing a look back at the album, including my thoughts about each track. Stay tuned!

An Interview with Darrell DWaRf Millar

On a sunny afternoon in Toronto, I had the pleasure of sitting down with none other than Darrell DWaRf Millar of Automan.ca/Killer Dwarfs/Laidlaw fame. We shared some laughs, some beers and some great stories. His new band, Automan.ca is getting ready to tear up the road on tour so be sure to check out their new album "Backseat Surprise" available now on Itunes or at www.automan.ca. So enough of my yakin, lets boogie!

Wally: I am sure most of the Decibel Geek fans out there know who Darrell Millar is but I am sure they don’t know about Automan.

Darrell: (interrupting) NO wait you have to say Darrell "Dwarf" Millar because No they won’t know who Darrell Millar is (laughing)

Wally:  Sorry Ok,  Darrell “DWaRf” Millar. (laughing) but how did Automan come to be?

Darrell: Oh it’s a cool story actually, it all stemmed from this other band I was drumming for called Laidlaw that I was a part of after the Dwarfs broke up. Through the 90’s I moved out to California and started playing with a friend of mine “Craig DeFalco” and the band struggled like all bands in the beginning but we got signed by Nikki Sixx of all people. So then Nikki Sixx ended up being my boss which was very weird for like 5 years and he signed Laidlaw to a deal to his label that’s not around now “Americoma records”  and the next thing you know we are touring with Motley Crue. We did 2 tours with them, the “Greatest Hits” tour, we played Massey Hall here on that tour in 1998..

Wally: I was there for that show, in fact it was the first concert I saw with my wife that night.

Darrell: Oh cool did you even know it was me?

Wally: Well not when I got there but I told my wife “I think that’s Darrell Dwarf playing drums”

Darrell: Well he announced it, cause they are all from California and he announced that this guy is from your home town. That was cool seeing Motley in a theatre eh? They packed in this huge light show. That was the biggest light show I have ever seen in there; like the trusses came right down. The confetti cannons, that show was off the charts! Anyway we did that tour, did the Maximum Rock tour with Motley, the Scorpions and Laidlaw  and then ZZ Top.

I was out with ZZ Top and there was this roadie band that used to have this sound check they would do every night for Billy Gibbons and they invited me up to sing a song. They didn’t know if I could sing, they just wanted a guy to get up and fill the void while they were checking the instruments. So they did “Learning to Fly” by the Foo Fighters , the bass player sang that and they did “Shot Down in Flames” by AC/DC which is my thing. So I got up and sang that right, so for like 35 cities I am getting up at the soundcheck and singing that song. So one day Billy Gibbons comes into my dressing room looking for me and he goes “Hey son, you really sing the hell outta that AC/DC” (laughing) and he walked out and I am like Billy Gibbons just said I could sing! That’s pretty cool you know? So I am like, a light bulb went on and I decided it was time to revisit my roots when I was in Sphinx, where I used to be a singer in my very first band, dummer/singer you know and I decided to put together a band. When I got back to Toronto and Laidlaw was done and the Dwarfs did their reunion and during that reunion tour I put this thing together.

I met Carleton Lockhart, my guitarist and writing partner, phenominal guitar player and we started putting together a band; just the 2 of us. So we wrote some tunes and went in the studio and demo’d 5 songs just the two of us, which became Test Drive X5 with me on vocals and drums and Carlton on guitar and bass which became our very first record. So then we built the band around that, we got Adrian Cavan and John Fenton that are in the band now. Same lineup that we have had from the start, so it was really the ZZ Top tour that gave me the idea and the confidence to do this.

Wally: You mentioned Carleton, and he has a very unique sound on the guitar, how did you hook up with him?

Darrell: Well Carleton..well I forgot to mention that before Automan started, I put together an AC/DC tribute band and Carleton was in the band with a couple of other guys because I wasn’t sure I could really do this (as a frontman) at a certain level you know? So I went underground and put together this tribute band called Auto-Bon which turned into Automan, but Auto Bon did 17 shows and I did 2 hours of AC DC and if that doesn’t chainsaw your voice into shape to get it ready singing two hours of ACDC every night, I mean oh my god! So that was my “hockey practice” to get myself ready for Automan  and it worked fabulously for me to get my chops up. Anyway Carleton, I found Carlton strangely enough we own a hair salon (me and my wife) in Toronto and Carleton was a client at the salon. So I told my wife, “I am looking for a short guitarist that kinda looks like Angus Young and must have an SG guitar” (laughing) I am not lying to you. So she goes to me “I know a guy like that.” Turns out he is a client of the salon and has a day job downtown, so she gets in touch with him and he was into it.

So I meet with Carleton and it turns out he is this little short dude, kinda looks like Angus a bit but he’s left handed and he has an SG. Now he hates the SG but he played it anyway just to be in an AC DC band. Now the other freaky thing about this “six degrees of separation” it turns out he is from Moncton, New Brunswick and he had a band that opened for the Killer Dwarfs back in Dartmouth back in the early 80’s and had met me and hung out for about an hour. Then, years later he ends up in my cover band and now my partner in Automan. It’s really amazing. He’s a freak though (laughing) he’s not really into metal more into Jeff Beck and Keith Richards and he plays a guitar left handed and its strung upside down without a pick. Really what he did was learn how to play using a right handed guitar and just flipped it around and strummed in reverse. People look at him and go “how is he doing that?” but he had to and it’s not that crazy but without the pick it gives it a real warm tone that you can hear on Down on the Bone.

Wally: You had mentioned to me the “Tom Petty” connection with Greg Looper. So how did that all come into play?

Darrell: Yeah that’s all pretty cool. I happen to know many, many road crew. I am more friends with road crew than rock stars. I even built a site called roadcrew live.com that I run that I did interviews with the guys in tribute to them. I don’t make money off it but these guys are the guys that make you roll and without them we are nobody and they don’t get near enough credit. So I gave them this site and they appreciated it, there’s about twelve guys on there. One guy recently passed away “Davy Kirkwood” famous soundman worked for Rainbow and Dio for years he died last year of complications from a botched operation, very sad.  

Anyways, Greg Looper is on that site and Cosmo Wilson who is one of my best friends who is AC/DC’s lightman, he was on tour with Whitesnake and Greg was working with them so he introduced me to Greg. Greg was full time with Tom Petty but when he is not on the road Greg works different bands so he was introduced to Automan and was into it so he mixed the “Pocket Change” album and was interested in actually recording with us. So I told him “your not going to get Tom Petty money” (laughing) but he was into it and came up to Toronto to do the album.

Wally: So, I am headed out to the Rockpile in June to see you guys perform. What can fans expect that come see an Automan show?

Darrell: Well, you can expect some really good opening acts. (laughing) You can expect to hear the music like a Rush show; very true to what`s on the record. Very rich background vocals on the songs. That`s what I love about the band is but we seem to sound a touch heavier live due to the PA and what not. People are saying that `` I think you sound better live than on the record," which is good because a lot of bands cant recreate their own sound live. I`d rather have that than the other way and I hope when you see us you`ll agree.

Wally: Any touring plans south of the border coming up?

Darrell: Most definitely, but here`s the thing. Touring the States has become a tough nut to crack for a couple reasons.  Number one is the border issues have changed and the fees for bands to come down and play are through the roof. They are up to $2000 dollars for a band to be processed to come down and play and the waiting times to process are brutal. Sometimes the tours come up fast, all of the sudden you just get a call and `Tom Petty` has some shows (or whoever is out) but it`s all last minute. Like Killer Dwarfs; when we got the Iron Maiden tour it was because Ace Frehley was sick and we got slotted in last minute you know. So now we have issue waiting because we need dates to even be considered for process but we can`t begin the process without dates. You can`t even say to them, ``Okay, here`s the $2000 we want to tour the US six months from now;" they say no. So it’s a real issue right now but look we are trying to get something booked for the fall. We will tour America this album for sure and I have a PR team in Australia so we are planning to play there in 2013.

Wally: So back to Laidlaw for a moment, what was working with Nikki Sixx like?

Darrell: I don`t know, I mean I didn’t know what to expect. I mean you read all the `diaries` and stuff and you hear how fucked up they were but I mean I got to work with Nikki at a good time you know. Nikki Sixx was completely sober and fit, he worked out every day, was a happy guy and he was very professional you know. Brian Dobbs  engineered it, worked with Metallica on the Black album with Bob Rock. In walks Steve Perry from Journey one day and sings back up. I mean kinda surreal, Steve Perry signing, Nikki Sixx is my producer it was like a weird dream you know. Oh and it gets better, we are recording at Rover Studios in Burbank, California which is `Tiffany`s studio where they recorded all the bubblegum pop songs.

Wally: The Dwarfs toured with a lot of great bands, do any favourites come to mind?

Darrell: Well I really value the Dio show and it was only one show at CNE with Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen and the Dwarfs. There was a big lightning storm that night; it was a great special effect. Ronnie was such a sweetheart. It`s a sad, sad thing this cancer has taken so many in the past little while. I mean you have like 5 musicians in the last couple months. You have Gibb (Barry), Donna Summer, Montrose (Ronnie), the guy from the Band (Levon Helm),  so for Ronnie to die of stomach cancer was so sad. He was such a powerful vocalist. I wrote that song `Hurts to be Alive` on the record about all those guys I have lost recently, Dee (Cernile) from Sven Gali was another. It`s in the liner notes all the guys that the song is dedicated to, I mean I usually write `good time, party tunes` but life isn’t always like that.  Sometimes it`s fucked up.  I wasn`t sure it was right for the band and was thinking of selling it off but Carlton talked me into keeping it and having it an Automan tune and I thank him for that. Boy, did we get off track, what was the question?

Wally: It was who was your favourite act to tour with?

Darrell: Dio for sure, but then I would have to say Iron Maiden because they have remained friends to this day. Steve even had Automan open up in Winnipeg and c`mon Automan should not be opening for Iron Maiden at all. It was supposed to be Dream Theatre but they pulled out of the Winnipeg show, played every other show on the tour but bailed on Winnipeg. Anyways, we had a rough gig but we got through it and Steve and his son were there, they loved it and said we did great. Steve said most new bands don’t make it past a couple songs opening for Maiden but you got in your whole set. Good old Steve though, getting us the show.

Wally: You guys played some shows with Pantera, how was that?

Darrell: Oh Fuck, that was just weird, and I will tell you why, because I wasn’t ready for what Pantera had become. I hadn`t tapped into the Pantera fame yet because I mean heavy metal was dying, gunge had just hit and some of these newer bands were coming up but Pantera had this whole new sound. We were switching off with Skid Row, sometimes we would play first, sometimes Pantera would go on first depending on the market so that was cool and we were both Ok with that. Pantera were the shit, they were really heavy but not too heavy, they had this really aggressive sound but you could understand it unlike most of the grindcore scream shit and Dimebag was off the charts. Their energy was so intense, I thought the Dwarfs had energy, I mean Russ had ENERGY but Pantera was so powerful and they could just stand there in this stance and just like `cmon fuckers!`  I was a huge fan of them and Skid Row, great band, Baz is an amazing singer and I am proud that. That was our last arena tour and I got to play 30 shows with them.

Wally: Just as grunge was about to change it all.

Darrell: Well it had to you know, it was necessary I guess. I can look at it now and see it objectively seeing as I didn't end up homeless because of it (laughing). But seriously, it was scary when the Dwarfs broke up. It was getting so bad near the end. Grunge came along and it was necessary to have something new to get us through to the next thing and it didn’t last long. Grunge was really only about a five year deal and then it was grunge that became watered down as well, so we could evolve into what we have now, like Nickelback you know what I mean?

Wally: ohhhh ouch Nickelback, kind of a sore spot at the Decibel Geek show (laughing)

Darrell: Oh man I am sick of the bashing man I am tired of it I mean Chad is a phenomenal songwriter and I think the best thing that came out of that `Metal Evolution` show was the scene with Jerry Cantrell came out and talks about Nickelback who said ``I know they get bashed a lot but I have played with Nickelback, and until you have seen them live you don`t get it cause they are one of the heaviest bands on the road``. Dude their songs on the radio are nothing like they are live, live they are pounding metal man. I respect anyone that can sell 12 million records (laughing).

Wally: So the last time I saw the Dwarfs was back on the reunion tour in 2001, you guys played a great set in Mississauga, had just released the live CD and DVD and I figured that was the start of something but it never seemed to get off the tarmac.

Darrell: The big Reunion of Scribes, I will ask you a question. Do you think that was a little ahead of its time. I mean not that we knew, we just reformed because we decided to, not like we were looking at a clock and could say `Yep heavy metal is popular again` but do you think if we had of done that right now, do you think it would have been different?

Wally: Yeah I do.

Darrell: Me too, I think, unfortunately we were ahead of the curve. It seems all the bands are back together and touring. From big bands like Judas Priest to even like Bang Tango are back at it. Firehouse is back together.

Wally: But the thing about it now is people remember that it was such a good time and people really want that again.

Darrell: Oh I know they do, well that’s what I am trying to do with Automan, we are a new band playing classic rock and I am in it though. I AM Darell DWARF, I can`t change that. Look at me as the Canadian Dave Grohl (laughing).  I am off the drums and out front doing it in a way that no one has seen before, I wear the silly suits and hats and get out and rock out and give them that fun which was the 80`s. That’s who I am, my show is fun. It’s the real deal.

Wally: Ok my last question for you, tell me the song you wish you wrote?

Darrell: Nice, can it be any band or the Dwarfs. That’s a tough one, I have done thousands of interviews and have never been asked that exact question. I`ll have to think about it.

Ok what song I wished I wrote? Strutter by Kiss. (laughing) Okay no, that would have been my answer if you asked me when I was 15. I would have to say Man on the Silver Mountain (Rainbow) or Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple).

The time Slayer’s Kerry King came into my work (or the most unexciting celebrity encounter you've ever heard in your life)

Andrew Jacobs here,

Back in 2002, I was working as a substitute teacher. To supplement my teaching income (because I only got paid once a month and I only made $95 a day IF I was fortunate enough to get a subbing job that day), I took a part time job at a local FYE store. 2012 American job market notwithstanding, working a borderline minimum wage retail job when you’re in your early 30s isn’t the greatest thing in the world (and to make matters much worse, it was in a mall). However, it was also a music and movie store, so needless to say, I absolutely LOVED working there.

One day, I noticed that one of the customers in the store looked very familiar. Turns out that it was none other than Kerry King, guitarist and co-founder of Slayer.

Kerry wound up going to my cash register to purchase a South Park DVD. I remember him saying, “I’ve been looking everywhere for that!”. I rang him up and thanked him for shopping at FYE. Because I’ve never been that much of a Slayer fan (sacrilege when you write for Decibel Geek, I know), I decided not to let him know that I knew who he was.

Before walking out of the store, Kerry stopped for a minute or two (or 3) to stare at the huge poster of a topless Christina Aguilera, which was prominently on display to promote her then upcoming new album Stripped.

That's it. Told ya it was unexciting.