An Interview with Derek Day of Classless Act
Despite the persistent myth that rock music is on the verge of extinction, a legion of promising new acts are poised to lead a rock revolution for the next generation.
Despite the persistent myth that rock music is on the verge of extinction, a legion of promising new acts are poised to lead a rock revolution for the next generation.
If KISS was going to pull off the improbable, they needed a formidable force at the helm, and while a few were considered for the job, after a fateful conversation with super-manager, Doc McGhee, for lynchpin members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the choice was clear, KISS was going to shock the world in ways fans could never imagine.
Guitar-driven music as we know it over the last forty-plus years simply doesn’t exist without Shrapnel Records founder, Mike Varney.
Recently, I caught up with hard-hitting drummer, Johnny Kelly of Quiet Riot, Danzig, and more. Among other things, we touch on Johnny’s origins, early influences, his work with Danzig, joining Quiet Riot, and a whole lot more.
Flying V strapped across his chest, blonde-haired, and leather-clad, Michael Schenker has influenced generations of guitar players worldwide over the course of a now fifty-years-strong career.
A winding musical path has allowed Duncan to share the stage with some of the most prolific musicians in rock and heavy metal, including Rudy Sarzo, Jimmy Bain, Joey Vera, John Bush, Frank Hannon, C.C. DeVille, and most, recently, L.A. Guns, with Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Ace Von Johnson, and Johnny Martin.
With Hot in the Shade (1989) already in the can, Mazer’s impact was immediate, and through shrewd business decisions, and a willingness to take chances, Mazer ruddered KISS toward its first top-ten single, and ushered them onto the road to undertake what amounted to perhaps their most legendary stage production yet.
Freidman’s take-no-prisoners approach, coupled with his refusal to conform to the standards of the zeitgeist, allowed the Les Paul-wielding polymath to untether his aerodynamic style unto the masses, hot wiring the brains of a generation to come through his work in both the instrumental guitar and thrash metal arenas.
From assuming East Coast origins, Monroe cut his teeth on the Jersey club scene before making his way to the West Coast to take his shot at grandeur through rock ‘n’ roll. After an unexpected call from bassist Pat Fontaine and a successful audition, Monroe found himself the new drummer for up-and-coming act, XYZ.