Jetboy Rolls On - The Bring Back Glam! Interview

Sometimes we all need a little chaos and uncertainty to shake things up, so that you can take stock of what you have and simply get back to basics. Mickey Finn’s unexpected departure from Jetboy in late 2010 left band co-founders Billy Rowe and Fernie Rod (along with current bassist Jes Reckless and drummer Jesse Mendez) without a frontman as they were about to embark on their first overseas tour.  Enter D.K. Revelle, a gritty yet charismatic frontman that has been knocking around the industry for years, looking for a home. I recently had an opportunity to speak with both Billy Rowe and D.K. Revelle about the how this version of Jetboy came to be, and more importantly, where they intend to go. 

According to Billy, the band was not willing to give up the European tour that they had worked so hard to book. “We were determined to do the tour, we were committed to do the tour.”  Billy continued, “It probably would have hurt us more than anything to cancel the tour, and our mindset was ‘We gotta do this,' but now its like 'Oh, f--k, how are we going to do this…we need a singer.’” Enter D.K., the second guy to audition for the lead spot, and by all accounts, he nailed it.  Recommended to Billy and Fernie by Jes and Jesse, after playing only four songs together, Billy thought, “It was great, it was like, f--k, this will totally work, let’s do this.”

So now the real work begins, as the new Jetboy had to come together as a unit and deliver to the fans what they were expecting….because as Billy says, “It’s all about the songs.”  Initial thoughts were correct, because D.K. instantly became part of the machine.  Musically, Billy states, “Fern and I wrote all the music to the Jetboy songs.  Sam had his part and Ron as well, but for the bulk of the riffs it was Fern and I, so musically it’s going be the same.”  D.K.’s approach to add a little flavor of his own while still staying true to the original recordings, and this approach worked with the rest of the guys, and the machine just kept rolling.  As D.K. said, “Once I got that call that I was in the band, I was like cool, now I have like 8,000,000 things to do to prepare for the tour. Literally, I started sleeping with those headphones on, listening to those songs day and night; and I started writing out the lyrics, because there is something in my weird little head that helps me to remember them if I write them out.”  Unfortunately, time wasn’t on D.K.’s side, as he only had four full rehearsals before leaving to do twenty-two shows in seven countries, but he pulled it off. As Billy said, “From Bon Scott to Brian Johnson; from Paul Di’anno to Bruce Dickinson…those guys were drastic changes of the singers, but the band still stayed the same.”

Rehearsals were done, and then it was time to cross the pond…but how will the crowds react? I asked D.K. about any nerves that he had at the time the tour was taking place… after all, he was replacing arguably the most recognizable face in Jetboy. According to D.K., “I was just welcomed overwhelmingly, which was really cool.  We were ready for some of the ‘Mickey’s not on the band’ reactions from promoters or venues, but thankfully everybody gave it a shot, everybody gave it a listen.”  But D.K. was more excited than nervous, and his goal was to prove himself in front of the fans and to put on a rock n' roll show. “Everybody in that band just knows their role and we just bring it.”  And how was crowd reaction…according to Billy, “The reaction was good. There were people that knew Mick and the old stuff, but they came up after the show and they loved it. D.K. puts a good, current twist into it, in like a Buckcherry kind of way. It was a great vibe on the road and the shows went over great.  As far as tours go, this was one of the most pleasant ones that I’ve done. The energy was there, a lot of laughing and good times.” According to D.K., “We were doing four encores a night almost every night. We did 'Nice Boys,' a few AC/DC songs, even a KISS song.” Bottom line is the European tour was a success for the band.

Now, for the immediate future, Jetboy is looking write some new songs and get at least one song up for free on the website.  Then there are labels overseas that are interested in putting out new material.  Additionally, Jetboy has a show on March 6 opening for Skid Row at the Avalon in Santa Clara, CA.  Per Billy, “The key for any band is to work the Internet right now,” but he is also looking to book some additional shows that would be right for the band. Announced after my conversations with the guys is their participation at the third consecutive M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD.  As for D.K., he could not be happier with his current situation, “Here I am with the guitar players I’ve always wanted that play really well together, and to boot, everybody is so down to earth and so cool.  And the new music is freaking awesome. We’re back to basic rock n' roll. I’ve put everything else I was doing right on the back burner because that’s how I roll, once I get invested into something, I want to be true to just this one sound…I put it all into one big basket, and that is Jetboy.” 

Blast from the past: Billy Rowe Talks the Glam Years.





Who Was Funkier: Bang Tango or The Electric Boys?

Both Bang Tango and the Electric Boys are known for infusing funk with Glam....but which one did it better? Bang Tango's Psycho Cafe was driven by bassist Kyle Kyle's skills, which set him apart from most others in the Glam genre. However, the Electric Boys arrived on the scene from Sweden, and put out an amazingly funky major label debut, Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride. Both bands deserve credit for thinking outside of the box in a genre that heavily rewarded those who "stuck to the formula" (rocking song, followed by a power balled, followed by another rocker), but if you had to choose which blended the two types of music better, who would you choose?

In my opinion, the answer is clear...the Electric Boys. While I think Psycho Cafe is a decent album, for the most part, it sounded to me like average songs that were kicked up a notch by adding some funky bass lines with the bass kept high in the mix. For the other members of the band, the funk sounded forced and just did not flow (listen to "Love Injection" to hear a perfect example of what I am describing). Then compare that against Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, and the difference is clear.  While Bang Tango really had one component of the band adding funk to the mix, the Electric Boys were four individuals working together as a unit to make songs that flowed and were truly funky. The bass and drums laid a perfect backbeat throughout the album, which was then brought to life by the duel guitars and Conny Bloom's strong vocals. "Into the Woods," "Cheek to Cheek" and "If I Had A Car" are three songs that really stand out to me on this album and are examples of just how much the Electric Boys were genius in their ability to blend funk and metal.

I know Bang Tango has a very loyal fanbase, and they will probably skewer me for this post, but I have to call it like I see it. Not to take anything away from Bang Tango, as I am a fan, but for me, the Electric Boys did it better.



What is the Best "Worst" Album in Your Collection?

We've all got them: CDs that we love, but we know they are the perfect example of what eventually went wrong with the 80s Glam scene. Too many bands flooded the market, and many without anything distinctive to make them special. Bands that put out mediocre albums...but for whatever reason, we all like a few of them.

The other day I came across the "worst" album in my collection that I still love, and that album is the self-titled album by Heavy Bones. The album is so contrived, and the band seems like it was simply put together by Warner Brothers to make "the perfect 80s album." It is full of clichés, cheesy lyrics and vain, failed attempts to appear introspective. All that aside, I dig this album. I sing along to the songs and thoroughly enjoy it. I can not explain it, but there is just something about this CD...regardless of the fact that every single person I have ever played it for has absolutely hated it.

So what are the other favorite "bad" albums out there that people actually like? What do you rock-out to secretly, for fear that your friends would not talk to you if they found out?

Am I Too Old For This?

GWAR is coming to town. That is right, the almighty GWAR, whom I have already seen live about 10 times, but really, the show never gets old. So when I heard that one of the greatest club acts in the history of rock was roaring through my state, I realized I had to go. I do not care that it is on a Tuesday night, and I have to be at work on Wednesday morning...after all it is GWAR. So I start trying to wrangle up a friend or two to go with me to the show...and to my surprise, I find NO ONE to go with me. My trusted concert companion declined, as did the rest of my concert crew. I have one potential prospect, but it is a long shot.

So it got me thinking...have I gotten too old for a GWAR show but I am the only one who doesn't realize it? Ten years ago, it was never a problem to get a crew together for a show. Have my friends matured and left me behind...a sad man-child unable to find a friend? What a downer!

Really, I love a GWAR show. The stage show is unmatched, and their musicianship (while often uncredited) is fantastic. Understandably, 10 years ago, I would have been up front getting soaked with blood (and other fluids), but now I just hang out in the back, try to stay dry, and just watch the craziness that is the show. But, at 35, am I the old guy at the club or the guy who stayed WAY too long at the party? Please, someone talk me off the edge of this cliff...

A Night of Comedy with Don Jamieson from 'That Metal Show'

A few nights ago, Don Jamieson, from VH1 Classic's That Metal Show, was in Hartford, CT performing his stand-up routine. I have met Don on several occasions in the past and we have become friendly (I'm am always amazed that he remembers my friends and me when he see us, considering how many people he encounters doing stand-up gigs and his television show). As such, I wanted to attend to show my support, so I grabbed my wife and some good friends and we went to the Friday night gig.

The performance was at the Brew Ha Ha comedy club, which is a small room, but it makes for a good comedy atmosphere. Don was the second comedian of three comedians to perform. I do not remember the names of either the first performer or the third performer of the night, but both performed respectable sets.

Don's set was hysterical. He is a gifted comedian with a tremendous stage presence, combined with a quick wit that allowed him to work the room with ease. Even though the majority of the room was unfamiliar with That Metal Show (when asked who watched it, ours was the only table that cheered, but we did so loudly), he was able to entertain the entire crowd throughout his 40 minute set. We were seated right next to the stage, so several people at our table took some good-natured bullets (especially my good friend Kurt, who Don told him that he "Looks creepier each time he sees him, like Paul Giamatti with Down Syndrome"). Surprisingly, and this makes sense considering Don's performance is geared toward attracting a larger, general audience, only a few minutes of his set was about Metal music. Most was just well thought-out and expertly delivered observational comedy. As I stated earlier, I showed up on Friday as a show of support not knowing what to expect, but I would definitely go again based on his ability to perform.

Even more fun was after the show, when my wife, friends and I went upstairs to the bar to have a few drinks and Don joined us, and we basically just talked Metal for the next hour and a half. He was just as funny off the stage as he was on, as some of his stories had us in stitches. Unfortunately, I would not feel right repeating those stories here, as I was not interviewing Don and his comments may not have been meant for distribution. All I can say, is if you go see his show, find him after and just get him talking...you will not be disappointed.

One last thing that I want to mention is something Don did that really evidences his character and his good nature. Recently, my sister has begun providing home health care to quadriplegic man. Turns out, this guy is a huge fan of That Metal Show, and will watch the show on DVR over and over again. This just came up in conversation, so I said to my sister, "I'm going to see Don shortly, I'll try to get an autograph for him." I mentioned the guy's situation to Don and was just going to have him sign a scrap of paper for the guy...but Don insisted that he had one headshot with him that he was going to sign for the club, but instead wanted to give it to this guy, and gave me the signed picture to pass along. While this is probably not a big deal to Don, it will mean the world to one of his fans in an unfortunate situation, and he deserves credit for being that cool. Thanks Don.

The Brilliance That Is Axl Rose

My previous post was a review of Steven Adler's book, My Appetite for Destruction, which was not my favorite book. However, one idea that Steven floats in his book is about Axl, and the thought resonated with me.

As we all know, Axl is notorious for starting the show late...really late. It has become his calling card or his identity; that he is completely unpredictable. Steven attempted to shed some light on this issue, and quite honestly, the explanation made sense to me. Essentially, what Steven writes is that Axl performs best in an emotionally charged environment. So basically, Axl will wait - and he will make his fans wait - causing impatience, anxiousness, frustration, and an adverse reaction to the unknown. The crowd begins to get worked up and the tension and emotion in the building rises, and then, just when it is about to peak, you hear the opening bars to "Welcome to the Jungle." Wherever you are, odds are the crowd is going to erupt. His making the crowd wait and wait only served to get people worked up, and ultimately it all adds up to a better, emotionally charged performance.

So, is this brilliance or is this simply being an egotistical, irresponsible performer? Personally, I think it is brilliant and it works for him. Not every band could pull the same stunts and get away with it. If I go see KISS, I know the show will start and end on time, and it will all go according to plan. There are no surprises, but you get what you expect. But, with Axl, you don't know what to expect and it results in an environment that is better suited for a Guns 'n' Roses show.

So your thoughts: is Axl a genius, or am I just buying into the hype?

Steven Adler Needed to Dig Deep with 'Appetite for My Destruction'...But He Just Didn't Deliver

I am a Guns 'n' Roses fan, and I mean a huge fan. Appetite for Destruction is my favorite album ever, Chinese Democracy is brilliant, and hell, I even enjoy The Spaghetti Incident. So when original drummer Steven Adler released his autobiography, My Appetite for Destruction a short while ago, I had to read it. I wanted to love this book, I wanted Steven to do well, and I just wanted to know more about the band, but the bottom line is Steven's book was just a lackluster read...and it kills me to say that.

It is clear Steven was trying to deliver a quality product and I do not blame the end product on him. He has never written a book before, and based on what you learn about him in the book, I do not think he has read that many of them either, so I would not have great expectations from Steven without the proper guidance. I blame the dull book on the editors. They are the ones charged with working with the author to deliver a superior story, and I have no doubt Steven has an amazing story. The problem with the book is that Steven needed to dig deep, but he just never did. Everything in the book is very superficial and simply just face value. You never truly get the actual emotion that he was experiencing: the highs and the lows... and that is why this book is such a tragedy.

For example, Steven gives a very vague description of a tragic event that occurred during his teenage years, where it appears he was taken advantage of by several older men. In recounting this time in his life, he simply states that he won't go into details but it was a terrible incident. Well, unfortunately, the reader is looking for tragedy. Granted, I do not necessarily want to know the graphic details, but he should have gone into detail about how this affected him...his emotions, reactions and how he coped with what happened. That is the story people are looking for, and if you are going to write an autobiography, you need to be honest with the reader and go into detail about all aspects of your life.

Another example that drove me nuts was when he was writing about the trial when he sued Guns n' Roses for his publishing rights. The entire trial gets, maybe, two pages in the book, where he (again very vaguely) states that it was difficult for him to see his band mates saying horrible things about him on the stand, but NO DETAILS! That is what I want to know. What did Axl say? What did Slash say? But after reading the book, I know little more than I did when I started reading.

And what about "Wasted Time?" Skid Row recorded the song about Steven and his heroin addiction and the song was featured on the first-ever metal album that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, but there is no mention of the song in the book. And then Adler's Appetite hardly gets a mention either...what about when he bailed on the tour with Stephen Pearcy and Bang Tango? (I think that was the line-up...I saw it a few days before Adler dropped off).

If there is one theme that runs through the entire book, it is that Steven is always the victim, and quite frankly, that gets old. There are some great stories in the book like the time he overdosed and woke up in the hospital to Axl keeping vigil by his bed. There was the time he slept with Tommy Lee's sister and other rays of light contained within the book. But, the bottom line is I learned Steven is a naive, immature guy who got lucky landing a gig with a great band, but who just could not keep his act together. He still has an inability to accept responsibility for what he did while in the greatest band ever, and while he clearly has resentment over how he was fired, he spends far too much time praising anyone and everyone he mentions in the book. He claims responsibility at the end, but his words do not jive with his attitude throughout the book. At the end of the day, Steven has more than a 304 page story in him, and I just cannot believe that My Appetite for Destruction is it.