MORC X

Three things overheard and overused at the Monsters Of Rock Cruise X 2020 - "Make some noise," "everybody scream," "say yeah." If this was your band and you're still using this tired ass cliche banter on stage, it's time to retire or time for you to watch and take notes from Extreme, and KIX!
Gary Cherone and Steve Whiteman respectively know how to perform, entertain, and command the audience's attention. Both bands were the highlight of the cruise. Hands down.
Great sets also by Winger, The Quireboys, Tesla, and Lizzy Borden who gave us a show that would make Alice Cooper proud.
Mr. Personality Chip Z'Nuff was in full glory, bringing all the E'Z'N hits and favourites like "Baby Loves You," "Wheels," and joined by Alex Kane on guitar to complete the line up.
Faster Pussycat returned, the only band who has played the cruise each and every year. Great to see Taime out n about in Cozumel.
Great sets also by Winger, The Quireboys, Tesla, and Lizzy Borden who gave us a show that would make Alice Cooper proud.
Final night highlight watching George Lynch do a drunken James Brown karaoke.


























GLAMBONE!

Faster Pussycat 6/28/19 Hollywood

Taime and the gang kicked off their summer tour in Hollywood at The Whisky on 6/28/19. The band was in top form and on point from start to finish. Taime totally enjoying being on stage. New guitar player filling in should be a regular addition to the band, solid player and humble with no posing around. Highlight was an unexpected cover of INXS' "Don't Change."

GBThrills2018 - Interview with Jimmy Thrill

Some bands leave a mark, some continue to. Jimmy thrill is a brother, someone I relate to. He keeps going, keeps finding ways to do new things, and acheive goals. No one is gonna tell him different. You know it when you see it, and the first time I saw Jimmy was when I was a young teen visiting L.A. and just starting to do Rockstar Magazine. A trip to British Imports Rock and a number of records stores on Hollywood Blvd., I picked up my first copy of LA Rocks. Of course all of these shops were littered with flyers and street rags of bands playing the Strip. As a kid and a music lover, I was blown away at how many bands existed in one city. In those pages, one guy in particularly really stood out. That guy for me was Jimmy Thrill, and its because it wasn’t put on, his hair wasn’t sprayed up ten miles high, he wasn’t over doing any of it, instead, it came across authentically. Cool as can be.

I was fortunate to be there at that time and saw his band Rattlesnake Shake at The Roxy, on a bill with Electric Angels and Faster Pussycat. I bootlegged that show, tape recorder in pocket, because I knew I was going to capture something great.  The moment happened as soon as the band launched into “Shooting Daggers.” That song still fucking rocks today. And boy was Jimmy a performer.

Throughout the years we’ve gotten to be good friends. We’ve talked many times about doing projects together - start a record label, produce bands, make movies.

A number of years ago, I told Jimmy I had written a screenplay, without missing a beat he said “I’ve written one too, send me yours I’ll send mine.” Next thing I know, Jimmy was on a plane, and we met in Vegas.  We hung out poolside, trading stories. Fast forward a couple years , a couple screenplays later, and I had optioned a script and in the pursuit of trying to attach A List talent to the project. The status remained at a stand still.

Meanwhile, Jimmy was plotting away. He said to me one day “fuck it, I’m just gonna get a camera and do it my way.” And he did. He’s a hustler.

When his film was complete, I was one of the first people Jimmy sent the movie to, to screen before anyone else.

The result is a highly enjoyable rock n roll ride. Think of those after hours, midnight flics.

What’s it about - essentially it’s kinda about Jimmy’s life, but if he had made it in the  80’s. A rockstar trying to make a comeback, but totally out of sync with the times. It tackles the absurdities of fame, addictions. But for all its rock n roll swagger, it is not misogynistic. There’s comedy relief, and kick ass music. In the end, you’re rooting for his character Jonny Coyle to make that comeback. In real life, I’m rooting for my friend Jimmy to get this film sold.

“Shooting Daggers,” his epic Rattlesnake Shake song finds its way into the story as the defining song of Jonny Coyle’s career. Thrill sees the humor, he can poke fun at himself. Off The Record is also about guys our age that are still fucking creative and have the drive for adventure.

Listen to the adventure here in this all new podcast interview with Jimmy.

GLAMBONE!

L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat, Joey C. Jones - New Years Eve at The Whisky

To the ol’ stomping grounds we go. I hadn’t been back to The Whisky since 1991. New Years Eve, being back in L.A., good friends, and rock ‘n roll gave me all the more reasons to put to bed a not so great year, and welcome in 2018 with fun & celebration.

Joey C. Jones remembers his Sweet Savage days on the Strip, as do I. They were stars, he still is. The nights set was his solo band ripping through a fast pace of uptempos. Closing it out with “Wait All Night” from his Gloryhounds record, and an appropriate cover of the Slade classic “When The Lights Are Out.” Joey is always at his best when the pop melodies shimmer. We also caught up and a new podcast interview with the man will be up later this month. Never a shortage of stories to tell.

Faster Pussycat took the stage at 10pm. Solid and sounding great. There’s something about hearing those songs live, tunes that are so familiar like “Babylon,” “Bathroom Wall,” “Slip Of The Tongue,” being delivered with that raucousness, that you can’t help but get pulled into, and enjoy every minute of it. Does Taime slither around stage like he used to? No, but even with his godfather mafioso type stature, he’s compelling.

The headliners were next, everyone excited for a new year, and for L.A. Guns to take the stairs and walk on that stage. All smiles from Phil & Tracii throughout, you could tell they were really enjoying themselves. Phil joked about when the band played The Whisky in the 1800’s. All kidding aside, he’s aged well, and still performs with the purpose of making sure you’ve had a good time. As the countdown was nearing, they played on until a minute to go. Complementary champagne flutes at the bar for those who wanted a toast. Their lady friends joining them onstage for a smooch. Of course there would be no traditional “May Old Acquaintance Be Forgot” song that you’d hear once the ball drops, so their other guitar man - Michael Grant took center to do a nice rendition of “Purple Rain” in replace of.

Much like Faster, it’s those songs like “Electric Gypsy,” “Sex Action,” that remind you of when you got into the band, and how that voice or that guitar player is its signature.
The evening for me was a nod to the past, but more about the appreciation for now.
I somehow think the bands that played this show would think the same of themselves.
Bring on the new year, rock ‘n roll my glitter gurus!

Xmas edition/Eric Stacy interview Dec 2015

They were the band Elektra didn’t expect to do well.  A #1 video on MTV (back when it meant something still), Top 40 single, countless tours with the big boys, Faster Pussycat left their mark.  But as colorful a ride as it was, Eric Stacy tells us in this interview tales of some rough patches, including how some band members had to take odd jobs after Whipped wasn’t able to supersede it’s previous release.  More importantly though, this was a band that came up during the last great days of the Sunset Strip.  Their singer opened up a night club, and the Cathouse would become as infamous as the band itself.  If you ever wondered what a night out with Taime and Co. was like at their hotspot, listen on and find out.  We also come closer to solving the ever present golden question... Taime as a blond vs. black.  Eric shares his thoughts on this and more.  Get it here

GLAMBONE!

Podcast episode/Free episode