Grant's Tomb: Horror Movies and Heavy Metal

Horror movies and heavy metal go hand in hand, like peanut butter and chocolate. The smooth sweet flavor of the almighty guitar crunch mixes with the dark nature of the films so perfectly which is why you rarely ever see any other genre of music on a soundtrack for a horror movie (there is a track by Method Man on the Resident Evil soundtrack). But why is this? Could it be metal's penchant for dark imagery and death or the general, and I said general, lack of acceptance from the mainstream? With those thoughts aside, like horror films themselves, there have been some really terrible soundtracks that either make no sense as to an artist’s inclusion or act as a simple cash grab/sampler for a record label. A good soundtrack, for any genre of film will include unreleased or songs specifically composed for said film, but more often than not, this isn’t the case. In this blog, I’ll be discussing what has worked and what has not for horror movie soundtracks and the inclusion of certain artists.

Des Moines Spotlight: Skyline Audio/Metro Concerts Live

For most of their lives, brothers Aron and Garrett Wilson dreamt about owning their own recording studio. When they opened up Skyline Audio Productions in 2003, they knew that it would be a tough cross to bear. After all, when one thinks of cities that have had success in the record recording industry, Des Moines isn't usually near the top of the list. Nonetheless, the brothers invested time and money into their dream, and now 8 years later there is no looking back.

Engineer Garrett Wilson works with Calous as they record their
new CD at Skyline Audio Productions.

Skyline Audio Productions is a recording studio and so much more. Incorporated in 2003, they offer a wide range of services specializing in live sound reinforcement and live multitrack recording. The remote recording services they offer in addition to their selection of sound systems can be utilized for a wide array of events. They offer radio commercial production services, including script writing, recording, editing and mastering. They utilize a small pool of voice-over talent to provide the radio voice that you're looking for. They also provide DJ Services including a sound and lighting rig that far exceeds anything most other local DJ services have access to.

From their Facebook page: Skyline was created by musicians, for musicians. With the advent of home project studios and quality recording gear becoming more affordable for the average musician, larger commercial studios are becoming more scarce. Coming from a "do it yourself" mentality, we understand the benefits and satisfaction that come from buying your own gear and producing your own recordings. We also know from experience that handling the technical aspects of recording while trying to be a musician at the same time, can often stifle the creative flow and freedom that should exist while recording. Having said that, the monetary savings and freedom of recording your own projects often outweigh the convenience of employing the services of a recording studio. Skyline Audio Productions, LLC was created to be a viable alternative between the headache and stress of recording your own projects and the high hourly rates of large commercial recording studios. In addition to engineering and mixing, we will also work with singers/songwriters to provide music for recording projects. We can provide guitar and bass playing, drum programming and/or live drums, as well as MIDI programming and sequencing. We'll work to find other musicians as well if other instruments are needed. If you have song ideas and need musicians to make it a reality, let Skyline assist you in recording your next project.

Calous is one of the bands currently recording a new CD at Skyline. Drummer Brian Ickowitz recorded at Skyline before when he was in a previous band (Defied~Symbiotic 2004) and likes the comfortable atmosphere that the Wilson brothers provide. "I have known Garrett and Aron my whole life and they are committed to get the best quality sound out of the band and instruments they are recording." He said. " It is also a very homey studio. I don't feel any pressure and the atmosphere is awesome.  Great bang for your bucks!"

In addition to being a complete recording studio, Aron and Garrett have teamed up with Chad Willey to form one of the premier concert promotion companies in the state. With several years of experience, Chad brings a wide spectrum of concert promotion knowledge to Skyline Audio Productions, and has proven to be instrumental in getting some of the 'harder to get' acts into Des Moines. Realizing that the concert promotion business is an entity all it's own, Aron and Garrett decided to call their promotional side of their business Metro Concerts Live.

"Metro Concerts Live is under the Skyline umbrella right now", said Aron. "Technically it's the same business, but we're doing two different things."

MCL is a staple in the Des Moines area, and has been successful in landing several national gigs in Des Moines, booking them into smaller, more intimate locations. This provides a neat experience for the fans who get to get up close and personal with their heroes.  A few of the bigger acts that MCL has brought to Des Moines are, Intronaut, Cannibal Corpse, Marcy Playground, Agnostic Front, UFO, Kings X, Mushroomhead, Days of the New, (hed) p.e., and the Reverend Horton Heat. When bands of this caliber play the smaller stages, it provides an unreal experience and seems to untag that cartoonish faraway persona that you get when you watch a band from an arena standpoint.

MCL also has experience in booking bands in the bigger venues of Des Moines. On November 12, American rapper The Game will be performing at the Val Air Ballroom, and on November 21, hip hop legends Tech N9ne will also be playing a show at the Val Air. MCL isn't devoted to just one genre, they try to plan events that will appeal to everyone. Another MCL production that is coming up very soon is Kill Devil Hill November 2nd at the House of Bricks. Kill Devil Hill features two legends in it's lineup: Rex Brown of Pantera and Vinnie Appice of Dio and Black Sabbath fame. There are still tickets available for all of these shows.

Come to the House of Bricks on  Nov. 2nd
and rub elbows with legends.

Concert promoting does come with adverse side effects. It's impossible to gauge what people will come out for on any given night. Sometimes a band gets scheduled, and it's assumed that the show will be a quick sell-out. Then the night of the show comes around and the venue is empty. This happened last year when MCL brought British legends UFO to People's. Despite the band's world-wide fame, only a handful of renegade fans made the trek downtown to witness the event.

Why does this happen? Willey offers a couple explanations. "The days of the week matter, and the fact that all ages shows have to be over by 9pm if it is in a bar. It all comes into play."

That being said, the UFO show was promoted heavily through the media, the band has name recognition, and yet is remains as one of the most unsuccessful shows that Metro Concerts has promoted.

"That show was one of the bigger disappointments we've had because they're legends," Aron said. "You could say that we didn't promote it properly, but we spent more on radio... We had ads on (local rock radio stations) KGGO and Laser. We did everything we could to get the word out on that, so that was disappointing. I don't know what that says."

"That's the thing about Des Moines," Garrett replied. "It's a weird town to just get people to go see shows It's just a struggle."

Within the local music scene, it's a much talked about mystery - Why don't more people come to shows? It could be population, or demographics... The fact that Des Moines is buried right in the heart of the bigger cities, Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City and Omaha. Maybe it's because with all the independent labels out there, it's a lot easier for bands to get signed, so more bands are touring, thus limiting the shows people pick and choose from... Like the other great mysteries in life, nobody really knows.

"I talked to an agent and we talked about this in depth." Said Aron. "He said honestly, I have been doing this for years in all the markets. There are about four markets in the United States that are just... strange, and he said that Des Moines is one of them. He mentioned El Paso, Salt Lake City, Des Moines, and I don't remember the other one. The point is it's one of those markets where it's so hit and miss and I don't know the answer. That's part of the business. There are no guarantees. There are shows that we have marketed harder than others. You can't just put something on Facebook and expect people to show up! (laughter) You have to get out there, you have to flyer, you have to let people know, and definitely target market the right people."

Back in May, MCL hosted Motograter at the 504 Club in Des Moines.
(Photo by Mike Farrell)

That being said, there is a nucleus of very loyal fans who do come out an support the shows. It's like a  family at times. And while you don't always get the big crowd you were expecting, the spectrum goes both ways. When MCL booked Memphis Mayfire at the Vaudeville Mews earlier this year, they weren't expecting much, as far as crowds go. However, the place was packed despite the show being scheduled on a Monday night. Many times it's the local bands who draw in the bigger crowds. "The local support that we get from local bands is HUGE. Without them we wouldn't be able to bring these shows." Garrett says adamantly. "It's because of the local bands that we are able to do this."

The local bands support each other by attending each other's shows. Plus they help to market themselves by selling tickets to the shows they are playing. While it's sometimes cumbersome for the local bands to sell these tickets, it usually ends up being a win-win for everybody. Obviously the more tickets sold, the more people will be attending the show. It also gives them a chance to share the stage and interact with the national bands. That kind of publicity is priceless.

"We're always looking for young and upcoming bands that are hungry that want to get on shows," said Aron. "That's the promotional arm that we need. When these teenage kids who are in bands are like, 'Man! We get to open for these bands that we listen to!" When they have that hunger, they are going to go out and make sure people get to the shows and that's huge. It's guerrilla marketing at it's best, having those kids hit the streets. When you are playing the shows you have that incentive. 'Hey! We want to get people in the door... We want to get people to see us play... We got tickets for sale.' We are always looking for that."

Maybe the most cool thing of all about MCL is, they want your input when it comes to booking live music.

"We don't put on shows for ourselves." said Chad. "If you want to see a band come to town message us. We will try our damnest to get it to happen."

Got some bands you'd like to see play in Des Moines? Click on MCL's Facebook page to let them know.

Or, just stop by and say hi... They'd love to hear from you!

GURU GURU - UFO (OHR RECORDS)

Guru Guru's 1970 masterpiece

Well this ain't a new record by any stretch but it is a krautrock masterpiece. I know that this record gets labeled as progressive but this thing is nowhere in the neighborhood of stuffy and boring like early Genesis or Emerson Lake and Downer, er...Palmer. This is unadulterated free rock, proto industrial, heavy psych blitz. Song structures? Who needs 'em? They would only get in the way most likely. When these guys jam they aren't "noodeling" they're going for the throat at full throttle.

There is certainly an early Stooges quality running through this. It sounds like guitarist Ax Genrich swiped a page or two from Ron Asheton's playbook, but I don't know if he had even heard of the Stooges at this point. Somebody at some time compared this to Cream. Why? Because they're a three piece band. Cream never got this far out on anything I ever heard from them.

Accept no substitutes. This kind of space grooving, tripping, tribal stompage is just what all you adventurous souls and free thinkers out there could use. Heck, the title track actually does sound like a giant flying saucer crash landing in your back yard. Pure zen. And as a nice side benefit it will solve any annoying pest situations you may have. Play this thing at high volume and all those mice, rat, raccoon, squirrel, and Nickelback fan problems will go away.

Family Groove Company at People's Saturday

The last time the Family Groove Company was in Des Moines, it was to play a memorial show for their good friend and devoted fan Dax Bell who passed away in a tragic accident. It was in early August and the band headlined the Let H.O.P.E. Fly memorial show at People's. Money raised at the memorial went to Dax's family to help cover expenses he left behind.

"It was a really special event, and we were so glad to be a part of it." Said Janis Wallin, who plays bass in the band.

Now the Family Groove is returning to People's this Saturday night, and this time it should be a happier event. "We’ve added a few new covers to the rotation since our last time around, so perhaps we’ll put some of those out for the occasion," said Janis. Not that it really matters. FGC has built a very loyal following here in Des Moines, and as always the house should be packed.

Photo taken by Norman Sands, used with permission
(Click to enlarge)

Besides Janis, FGC is Jordan Wilkow on keys and vox, Adam Lewis on guitar, and Mattias Blanck on drums. The band is based out of Chicago, but actually got their start in Los Angeles, where they all went to the Musicians Institute together.

"I’m from Pennsylvania, our drummer is from Sweden, and the guitarist and keyboardist are from the North suburbs of Chicago where they went to high school together," Janis told me. "We started playing together while in music school, and after we graduated, we relocated to Chicago to have a more centralized location for touring. We've been a band with the same 4 members for over 10 years!'

The band has a wide variety of influences. At a live performance you are likely to hear a cornucopia of
Steely Dan, Medeski Martin & Wood, The Beatles, Phish, and Herbie Hancock.  They have a crossover sound that combines the harmonic and improvisational elements of jazz, the groove rhythms of funk, and the songwriting elements of pop. In other words, be prepared to hear about anything.

Photograph by AB Photographie
(Click to enlarge)

Like most bands that have been together for a decade, FGC has gone through it's changes. The personel has remained the same but the touring schedule has slowed down quite a bit. For the first five years they were all over the country, from Utah to Vermont to South Carolina and everywhere in between. The past couple years, they’ve honed their radius a bit and pretty much perform weekend shows throughout the Midwest. "It’s nice because we have more time for “real life” stuff in between the shows, as well as more time for rehearsing and writing." Janis said   "It keeps the shows a lot fresher too, since we’re not tired from being on the road for weeks at a time."

That being said, FGC just finished up a fun summer of gigs and festival performances, their favorite being the Summer Camp Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois back in May. It was the 8th consecutive year that they performed there. They also played at Shoe Fest,  a first time festival that was held about an hour west of Chicago. Shoe Fest was a great success, and should be a viable desination for concert goers for years to come.

They've played with many big acts in the jam band circuit including Dark Star Orchestra, Galactic, Umphrey's McGee, and Karl Denson. At festivals, they've played on the same stages as bands like The Black Crowes, moe., Flaming Lips, and Widespread Panic.

Their favorite opening experience however is when they played with Victor Wooten, the world-renowned bassist who made his mark with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Wooten, who also has his own band, is a big fan of FGC and often requests them to be his opener whenever his solo tour runs through the midwest. "Back in 2008, we opened up for his band at the House of Blues in Chicago, Said Janis. "He came out on stage to a packed house right before our set and introduced FGC to the audience, citing us as one of his favorite bands... It was awesome!"

FGC with Victor Wooten. Photo by Zach Swinderman
(click to enlarge)

This Saturday they will be bringing their concert experience to a smaller stage right in the heart of Des Moines. People's is downtown on the corner of 3rd and Court in the Court Avenue District.

"People is a great room for music, with a nice stage and sound, and I think it’s an ideal setup for both the bands and audience." Said Janis. "But what we like most about People’s and Des Moines in general are the people that come out to see us play there. Over the years, we’ve seen the crowds grow and have become such great friends with so many of the fans. It’s become kind of like an extended family."

Doors open at 9:00PM and tickets are just $10.00. Get down to People's on Saturday night and be a part of the family!

The Improbable Story of the Sons of Bob

The Sons of Bob Clockwise from bottom left:
Ted Canning, Jim Polisky, Jim Beatty, Rob Gaudagno

Chances are you have never heard of the Sons of Bob. After all they were nothing more than a local rock band that played the New Haven, Connecticut scene throughout the '80s. There were glimpses of U2, The Fixx, and Roxy Music in their sound, but otherwise the music they created was uniquely their own. They used the same pedals and guitar effects that the other bands of that era used, and also in tune with the times, relied on a heavy dose of keyboards. They were better than average but not great - It's not like the record companies were beating down their doors. Nonetheless, they built a tight and loyal following as one of the favorite college bands on and around the campus of Yale University.

Sons of Bob consisted of Ted Canning (bass, vox), Jim 'Mertz' Polisky (drums, percussion), Rob Guadagno (guitar, keyboards and vox) and James 'Crash' Beatty (guitar, keyboards, vox). As the band name suggests, all four members of the Sons of Bob have a father named Bob, or Robert. While that in itself is a fun coincidence, there really wasn't anything that separated these guys from anybody else... Until August 12th, 1989.

On that date, the Sons of Bob pulled off a feat that most bands don't even dream about, because the likelihood of it happening are so remotely impossible, especially for a band that on a good night might pull 75 people in to see it's show.

On August 12th, 1989, the Sons of Bob played in a bar, as the supporting act for the legendary Rolling Stones.

It almost didn't happen, for many different reasons. But whatever stars were aligning that night over New Haven, Connecticut, their presence was was enough to conduct a magical spell of sorts, and like a wizard sprinkling pixie dust on a golden toad stool, a rare and strange series of events started to happen. The Stones were set to kick off  their world wide Steel Wheels Tour on August 31st in Philadelphia, and they were looking for a warm up gig to get a test run. Toad's Place in New Haven seemed like the perfect spot... It was just big enough to pull off an unannounced concert, and it had the sound system and the hidden entrances that would be required to pull off such a bodacious act. Still though, the Stones camp warned those at Toad's that if word got out that they were playing, or if there was any sign of a pending riot, they would forfeit the gig and forget about the entire thing. So when the owner of the place, Mike Spoerndle contacted the Sons of Bob about playing there, he wasn't able to tell them that they would be opening up for the greatest rock and roll band in the history of the world.

The story of what happened next is as legendary as the opportunity itself, and it's fun to note that the Sons of Bob almost said no to the gig because they were scheduled to play at another venue later that night.

Instead of laying it all out to you in the third person, I thought it would be better if I let the guys in the band tell you the story themselves. After all, they were there on that incredible night, and for me to try to put their account into words would seem frivolous. So I contacted each member of the band and asked them to tell me their version of what happened, and they jumped at the chance. For the first time ever, all four members of the Sons of Bob are sharing the story together...

So tell me about Sons of Bob... How and when did you form, and before that fateful night when you opened for the Stones, what was the biggest event the band was a part of?

Ted Canning: Well, three out of four of us lived in the same neighborhood in North Branford, CT and initially a conversation on the school bus in high school got Rob and I together in a southern rock cover thing, it was 1979 after all. Rob got smart and skipped out on the cover thing and started doing original jam session with Jim Beatty. Not long after that I decided to try that out since the cover band thing was getting boring. So, we were about 14/15 years old when it got going. We just knocked out power chords and laid down some heavy rock stuff initially calling ourselves the Warheads. We started playing the usual house parties and dances. Then when we were around 17 we fell in with Jim Polisky on drums. We started playing a punk club called Brothers III at age 17. Brother’s III later became New Haven’s The Grotto. Mark Mulcahy, of Miracle Legion and solo fame, was booking the Grotto and took a liking to us in the mid 80’s. Mark had us opening for Miracle Legion at least a few times on Saturday nights which helped get us some exposure and we opened for other regional bands like The Neighborhoods from Boston. The Grotto was a great place, truly underground, and would get people like John Cale from time to time. The biggest night we had prior to the Stones gig was when Mark and Miracle Legion, who were friends with REM, invited REM to come over to the Grotto when they played New Haven. We got to hang out with REM and Miracle Legion since we opened for Miracle Legion that night. Peter Buck and Mike Mills played through our gear when they joined Miracle Legion when they jammed to The Doors “Roadhouse Blues”. That night we found out being a little known opening band can have its perks!

James 'Crash' Beatty: For me it was several years and different bands before I was lucky enough to finally hook up with the rest of the band, and finally become what was to be the most fun and creative relationships of my life. Unless it was just because we all had dads named Bob and fate took it's course.

Toad's Place: 300 York Street New Haven, Ct.
"Where Legends Play"

Tell me about the 12th of August, 1989. Was your gig already scheduled, and then you found out that the Stones were going to be playing, or exactly how did that entire scenario go down?

Rob Guadagno: First off I have to say that opening for the Stones that night was the single most incredible thing that ever happened to me in my life! It still seems like it was a dream to me. But really it was a dream come true... I am a big Stones fan but especially love Keith.

James 'Crash' Beatty:  We originally had another gig planned that night but cancelled that one for the opportunity to play Toads and the party.

Jim Polisky: Maybe a week before, I spoke on the telephone with (then Toads Place owner) Mike Spoerndle and he told me we "really should take this Toads Place gig instead, it is a birthday party for Jim Koplik" (a huge concert promoter) adding, "It should be a good gig for you guys". Mike always seemed to like our band, my father was friends with him.

I hung up, and talked it over with Sons Of Bob - it was so casual, like, 'hmmm, which show should we do' kind of a thing. I called Mike back and basically told him ok, we would do the Toad's Place show instead. We never had a clue at this point, and I swear if we had taken the other gig and missed this one I would have stopped playing, burned my drums, and kicked myself until my eyes fell out.

Ted Canning: We thought this was odd as we only played original tunes and actually told Toad’s we had another gig that night and asked if we “COULD GET BACK TO THEM”. Of course the Stones gig was under total secrecy so they couldn’t tell us to “just say yes you idiots!” They demanded we give them an answer in an hour. Jim Polisky and I were there for that call. We hung up the phone and within a minute said “what the fuck are we doing not saying YES to a gig at Toad’s on a Saturday night for Jimmy Koplik”. We called right back and said, “Yeah, we’d like to play that night we will work it out with the other club”. We actually planned to play Toad’s, which we were told was ‘early” and then we were going to drive over to 127 West Club and play that gig, needless to say we never made it over to 127 West! Our friends from Boston – The Thorns - drove down to open for us at 127 West and I am sure they are still a bit pissed that they got stuck there while up the road we were opening for the Stones, no cell phones back then and all phones inside were disconnected so we couldn’t call anybody once we were in at 4pm on the day of the gig.

James Polisky: On the night before, my father told me he wanted to grab some pizza with me. We went out, and over dinner he told me something really cool was going to possibly go down at Toad's that next night, and he knew of this because of his friendship with (owner) Mike. I pressed him on it, and he eventually cracked. He told me we might be opening for the Rolling Stones, it was in the works, but if any word got out, or if anything went wrong with the planning or whatever, it was not going to happen. And there was apparently an excellent chance it might NOT happen.

The Stones were about to kick off a major world tour, and if there was a crowded riot atmosphere outside, or inside the club, the show was off for them, as they had way too much at stake.

I went back to the band house we all lived in later that night, our guitarist Rob was the only one home. I needed to tell someone in the band, so I told him what my father had told me. I do not recall his reactions, but I do know I eventually went to bed, probably after a few beers. I told Ted the next morning, and I think the 3 of us decided to not mention it to 'Crash.' I think we thought it might make him too nervous? At least I never told 'Crash', maybe someone else in the band did.

We rehearsed, but there was really no need to. We were always dead on when we played live, one of our many strong points. And anyway, how do you rehearse with a clear head knowing you might be opening for one of the greatest rock bands of all time in a handful of hours? I do recall going through the set list a few times in the basement, I guess it helped pass the time.

On the night of August 12, we drove up and double parked our SUV in front of the club and a number of Toads Place staff came outside and helped us load in our gear from the street. This was kind of strange. As a local band and having played Toads numerous times before, we were always treated very well by the Toads staff. Always had a good sound check, received a little cash, and always received a few drink tickets, the usual stuff a band got at the time for playing the local bar scene.

But staff helping carry gear into the club? Who helps a local band load in?

The club interior had alterations done to it for that night. The stage was extended both in length and width, made obvious by the raw unpainted wood newly constructed and attached to the worn black painted existing stage. There was also a large black curtained off area to the left side of the stage where Stones roadies were attending to gear, and all the pay phones had been duct taped to the wall.
When we got inside (club owner) Mike comes over grinning ear to ear, and basically tells us we were opening for the Stones, but we could not call anyone, and we could not leave the club.

None of us wanted to leave, by the way. I am guessing it was around 4 or 5 in the evening at this point.

Ted Canning: We had been playing Toad’s several times that year as we luckily got a cassette tape into Mike (the owner of Toad’s Place) Spoerndle’s hands through Jim Polisky’s father who’s name is Bob like all four of our fathers. Well, Mike Spoerndle actually liked our cassette tape and got us in to Toad’s on a Monday night initially. He came to our first gig at Toad’s in late 1988. He came up on stage as we were breaking down our gear after our set and said “I really like what you guys are doing; you remind me a lot of U2 when they played here. I am going to get you guys to open for a bigger name, see if we can get you some exposure, press and stuff”. We were thrilled to have the support of Mike (sadly he died a few months ago). Of course he had no idea at the time that nine months later the Stones would ask to play his club.

Until they arrived at Toad's Place, Sons of Bob
Had no idea what was in store for them that night.  

Rob Guadagno: The gig was a scheduled Toad's gig for us but not as the opening act for the Stones. There was never any mention of the Stones when we were originally asked to play.  It meant playing at Toad's again which was always a great thing for us and to be playing a local music promoter's private birthday party made it even better. So it was going to be a big night for us already (but not as big as it would become as we now know). I still feel bad for the few friends and family that decided to go to that other bar instead of our Toads gig.

Once all our cars were unloaded and our equipment was up on the stage ready to setup for a sound check, Mike the owner pulled us all aside for a quick group meeting. We couldn't have guessed what he was about to lay on us. "Guys, do you know who you're going to be opening for tonight?" We all shook our heads no. "You're opening … for The Rolling Stones!" I think at that time our mouths collectively dropped to the floor.We went into shock. I'm still surprised none of us fainted. We were truly blown away!! I'll personally remember those words for the rest of my life. It was so unbelievable but so real at the same time.

Then Mike proceeded to tell us how it would all go down. He told us we could make no calls out to our friends because this was a secret Stones gig. Remember this was 1989 so no one had cell phones.And I remember looking at the pay phones that were in the club and they were all taped up so you couldn't use them. He also told us that we only had 30 minutes for our full set list and not a second more. He stressed that this was very important. It was a specific request by the Stones. We had planed on 45 minutes so we immediately adjusted our set list to not run over 30 minutes. He also said that we could not leave the building.We would be there for the duration. So any friends and family coming to the gig would be in line like anyone else and would be allowed in on a first come first serve basis. Lucky for us (and them) most of our closest friends and family that regularly come out to see us were able to get in.

According to reports, there were 700 people there that night. Did you guys draw that big a crowd, or was there other factors that accounted for that many people to show up?

James 'Crash' Beatty: We definitely drew over 700 people....in our career as Sons of Bob.

Jim Polisky: We never drew a crowd of 700, more like 70, or some nights 7.

Rob Guadagno: The Stones playing at Toad's that night was absolutely a secret to the general public including us. I assume that the Stones organization and Toad's Place ownership all knew but I'm not aware of anyone else knowing.The only thing that I remember finding out was that Keith had bought a house in Washington, CT and that the Stones may have been rehearsing there for an upcoming album and tour. But I never heard anything about a club gig to start off the tour. Definitely nothing about the Stones playing Toad's Place.

Ted Canning:  A big night for us prior to that was maybe 100 with 3 bands pulling people through the door! The show was under TOTAL secrecy because the Stones camp made it clear to Toad’s that if “it was a mob scene” when they showed up they would just keep driving and not play the show. Toad’s was in a tough place to keep it secret and they did such a great job that by 7:30pm there were only about 100 or so people there. At that moment, from what I am told, the club called WPLR radio station and leaked the story.

Jim Polisky: I seem to recall Toads held approx 750 at the time, and I heard they crammed in well over 1,000 that night. I also heard the guest list was long and established, packed with recording execs, established national musicians, your basic who's who of music industry folks.

Ted Canning: Within a half an hour the road was closed and the club was filled and the streets were filled, so 700+ in the club and probably a couple thousand outside by show time. Notable people who were there, insiders who were told, were Joey Ramone, Darryl Hall, Tommy Mottola, Ivan Lendl, and family and friends of the Stones. Mottola should have signed us but he was too busy chasing dolphin-like singing chicks.

Jim Polisky: Basically our friends paid the cover to see us, and then a crowd of people started to come in as well. Did word somehow get out? Did possibly loads of limos start dropping A-list people off in public view, and this added to rumor frenzy? I heard local television stations were outside, and there was security everywhere, including the roof of Toad's. Did the general mass public see all this as well and think something was up? I can only guess yes.

Rob Guadagno: I wish I could say that we were able to draw that many people to come out to see us. But in reality only a small percentage of the people that were at the show that night actually came there just to see us. I had heard at the time that there were 500 people there in the club and maybe a another hundred or more people out in the street once the Stones started to play. When the Stones started their set the club opened their doors and people started to gather outside in the street to catch a glimpse of the Stones or at least hear them play.

Not sure about exact numbers but what we were told was that the Stones had a guest list that had about 200 people on it.Maybe 300 hundred. So the remainder that got into the club were coming to see us or were just coming early to catch a show then stay for the Saturday night dance party that Toads regularly had.

Jim Polisky: Toad's is located downtown New Haven, in the heart of Yale University. So I think rumors spread quickly that night, Toads got packed, and then more guest A-list people started coming in, so Toads was then overly packed. We had been placed in our own dressing room, a large boiler room below the stage, because the normal dressing room was off limits to us, with a cold case of Heineken. (Jackpot - imports!) We barely stayed in the boiler room, mostly hanging upstairs in a now ridiculously over crowded club. The night and crowd at this point is fucking electric to say the least.

So maybe it is now 8 or 9 pm, we were told to be ready to go on. To be honest, I do not recall saying anything to anyone in our band, but we were introduced and went on stage. The crowd, possibly expecting the rumored Stones, gave up a rowdy cheer instead for the local band Sons Of Bob. I remember my drum set being set up in front of the drum riser that Charlie Watts drum set is sitting on, and putting my hand on top of his kick drum, thinking "wow shit, is this really happening?". I think we played our standard original 10 song set list, having our usual great time onstage. After every song, a very loud thunderous applause from the (lucky to be watching us) crowd. Our set, no doubt, rocked.

After our set we go down this flight of stairs, and roadies take down our gear for us. (Again, a rarity) All bands normally go down this set of stairs after playing Toads to get to the dressing room. So there we are, post-set, I have my back to the stairs, and I swear to God I hear Mick Jagger's voice coming down the stairs, as he is having a normal conversation with someone. I quickly spin around and HOLY SHIT MOTHER FUCKER, Mick Jagger is walking right next to me, and the rest of the Stones come bounding down the stairs as well.

I yelled "Yo Mick" (its the only thing that came to mind) and he turns and walks back three steps to me. We shake hands and introduce ourselves. Then Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Billy Wyman, all are standing there. I greet them as if I have known them all my life. "Hey Keith, Hey Ron," I say as we shake hands. I never saw Charlie Watts come down the stairs. I have no clue as to how or why I missed meeting the drummer of the Rolling Stones.

Official poster commemorating the night

How did the night go... Did you play a few songs and then The Stones walked onstage behind you, or did you finish an entire set and the crowd thought that you would be out for a second one, but instead it was Mick and the boys?

James 'Crash' Beatty:  We were told ahead of time to go out and play our set, there was no guarantee that the Stones were showing up but if or when they did, our time was up. So we played our set and went back stage, and suddenly there they were. I'm putting my stuff away and I here "Hey Mick", turn around just in time to catch the rest of the band and meet them.

Ted Canning: We were told we could have a half hour set, so we were able to play six songs in that time. The crowd definitely knew what was going on that night by the time we hit the stage, but we were under clear orders not to mention the Stones when we got on the stage, we didn’t. Obviously we were nerved up and I am thankful the crowd put up with us knowing the Stones were coming after us, I have read that Prince, Iggy Pop and Meredith Brooks were ALL booed off the stage when they opened for the Stones. No booing thank God! So, we played our half hour set and then the Stones came on and played 11 songs, you can find it out there on a bootleg called “One Down 55 to go”.

Here is their set list:

1.Start Me Up
2.Bitch
3.Tumbling Dice
4.Sad Sad Sad
5.Miss You
6.Little Red Rooster
7.Honky Tonk Woman
8.Mixed Emotions
9.It’s Only Rock And Roll
10.Brown Sugar
11.Jumping Jack Flash

They sounded great that night and for a bunch of 40 something’s at the time, well, Ronnie was in his  30's and they put on one hell of a show. I mean really, the Stones in a small club in 1989, you can’t beat that.

Rob Guadagno: Once it was time for us to start playing the Stones had still not arrived at the club yet. We walked up from the basement where the dressing rooms were. Ours was the broom closet and the regular dressing room was reserved for the Stones. Once we got onto the stage we realized the club was packed wall to wall. We were all very nervous knowing how important this gig was, especially to us. The biggest we had ever played until then. The promoter Jim Koplik introduced us to the crowd. We wished him happy birthday and gave him one of our band t-shirts as a gift. Then we threw out a bunch of our band t-shirts to the crowd. We had brought a bunch of t-shirts to the gig with us like we usually did at the time. The crowd was electric and enthusiastically greeted us. Most of the crowd knew what was coming up after us and the word started to spread by then so the crowd was super excited for the show to begin.

Before we launched into our first song we goofed with the crowd by saying that we were opening up for Elvis. Then we started to play.I can't say it was a flawless gig but it was the most exciting gig I ever had the privilege to play.

Jim Polisky: The black curtain area I mentioned where the roadies had Stones gear was also a deceptive way for the Stones to come in from the street, through an outside door, behind this hanging black curtain, and down the stairs, (the location we just met them) They were somewhere outside in an SUV or something, not a tour bus, to keep it on the down low, and they crept in quietly and I swear no one really saw them come in. So it was never apparent that they were ever inside the club.

I think that was part of the coolness of the evening. No one really knew if it was really going to happen.

Rob Guadagno: The crowd was very cool to us and seemed into it. So we were pumped and played our asses off. The crowd seemed to appreciate it too. We played through our 30 minute set and when we said good night the crowd erupted with applause. It was exhilarating! We then walked off stage and back down stairs to our broom closet dressing room. We were psyched that we pulled it off.

While we were down stairs the Stones had entered the building through a back door lead by body guards.The crowd was unaware of their entrance.They weren't there during our performance but what came next was even better then them seeing us play. While we were standing in the hallway we heard a voice with a British accent. Our drummer 'Mertz' recognized it and said "Hey Mick!" Sure enough there's Mick Jagger and he's coming right toward us. He politely said hello and proceeded on to the dressing room with a couple other of his people surrounding him. Then came Keith Richards. Being the big Keith fan that I am I had to say something to him. So I said the first thing that came to my mind, "Keith! We just opened for you guys. You missed us! "He replied, "Oh shit!" in a funny tongue-in-cheek way. So very Keith. Then I put out my hand and we shook hands before he proceeded on. An absolutely amazing moment for me that I will never forget. Then came Ronnie Wood who also was very nice and said hi. I did not see Charlie Watts or Bill Wyman come by. They might have entered through a different entrance. Still not sure about that.

Once they passed by us we only caught one more glimpse of Mick as he passed us with the tour photographer to do a quick photo shoot before they played.

Rob Guadagno: We then went back up stairs to see the show. Once up stairs I saw where my fiance (now wife) was standing, got her attention, and had her come up to the side of the stage with me. We stood right against the stage in front of the Toad's Place bouncers. And that was were we stood while the Stones got up on stage and played their 45 minute set. It was unbelievably exciting! They were phenomenal and we were absolutely blown away!

The Rollings Stones performing at Toad's Place

What was the scene inside the bar like when it was apparent that the Rolling Stones were in the building?

James 'Crash' Beatty: Crazy!

Jim Polisky: Maybe a half hour after our set, owner Mike Spoerndle and promoter Jim Koplik took the stage, and each announced a line... 'Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones" The crowd goes fucking wild as they walk onto the revised yet still small club stage.

Keith launches into the 'Start Me Up' guitar riff, and I think the ceiling was blown off the club. Besides the Stones, there was a keyboard player, maybe a horn section, and a few back up singers crammed on the stage, The Sons of Bob were allowed to stand in this section right at the front of the stage, a little to the side, and from a distance of about 2 feet away watch the Rolling Stones rip into a set list in a small Connecticut club. The night was indeed good.

Ted Canning: Oh, the place was mobbed, packed beyond capacity and they flung the doors wide open so people in the street could hear the music. It was the biggest, wildest party scene I’ve ever been a part of, lots of New Haven police volunteered that night for the extra crowd control duty.

Rob Guadagno: The crowd seemed electric for the whole night. But once the Stones hit the stage the place erupted into a frenzy of cheers.That was the first time that the crowd realized the Stones were in the building and they were sure of it. Everyone applauded, screamed, and sang along throughout the whole 45 minute set.

Did the Stones watch your set, and if so did they make any comments to you about it? Assuming that you actually had interaction with the Stones, what was that like?

Ted Canning: This is one of the coolest parts of the night. Nobody else other than the Stones crew was back stage other than us, the little Sons of Bob local group! Even the owners of Toad’s didn’t get to come backstage to hang out with the Stones. Security was unbelievably tight and we had to get ultraviolet stamps to be backstage. The Stones at that time hadn’t played live since 1981-82 and they were off the tour scene for a good 7 years. They weren’t in the audience to catch our set, but when we came off stage we had a few minutes to catch our breath and drink a few beers and do a few other things. All of a sudden the band members one by one start coming down the stairs. We spent a good 15 minutes or so hanging out with Bill Wyman and Ronnie Wood. What I remember most is that Ronnie Wood was really nervous about playing the gig that night, maybe it was the 7 years off they had. He asked me “Do you think they’re going to be into it? Do you think the crowd will like us?” To which I said, “Are you kidding? They’re gonna tear the fucking house down!” To which he gave that quintessential Ronnie Wood chuckle and nod of approval and said “Good, Good!” Then Keith Richards came sauntering down the stairs while we were all at the base of the stairs with Bill Wyman and Ronnie Wood. Bill Wyman says, “Keith, these are the guys that opened for us tonight” and he shakes all of our hands with fingerless gloves in the hot August weather, odd memory. Then he asks, “Did you guys go on yet?” To which our guitar player, Rob, says scoldingly, “Yeah, you missed us man!” To which Keith replies, “Awwwwwww, SHIT!” To which everyone laughs like hell. You can’t beat that!

Rob Guadagno: Unfortunately they did not see us play. They arrived once we were finished playing and they were escorted into the building through a secret entrance. The only comment I got was from Keith when I met him and I told him that we had just opened up the show for them and he missed us.  His humorous response was "Oh Shit!"

James 'Crash' Beatty: Previous to arrival, Rebel Yell, for Keith, and M&M's, no green ones. It was all memorable. Talking to Keith backstage, seeing them play live, if I was any closer I could pluck the strings of Keith's guitar.

Were the Stones accessible to the crowd at the bar, or were they elusive as if it was a regular concert? Better yet, were they a part of the crowd?

James 'Crash' Beatty: They came, they rocked, they left.

Ted Canning: The Stones were not accessible to anybody and we were pretty much the only ones to see them off the stage. They basically came to the club a half hour before they hit the stage and left pretty much after they played. At the end of the night Joey Ramone walked right past us all 6’5” of him with this tiny little guy and we say “Hey Joey” and he said with his Queens accent “Nice Job”…does it get more surreal than that?

Rob Guadagno: They were not accessible to the crowd.They were much more elusive like a regular concert.They were ushered in and out through secret entrances by body guards. Besides our band there weren't many other people who interacted with the Stones.The closest people got was when they were on stage.

Opening for the Stones helped you to land a gig at the legendary CBGBs... How was that?

Rob Guadagno: We were just psyched to be playing there because of how historic a club it was.  Some of the bands that came through there were big influences on us like the Talking Heads and the Ramones.  So just to have the opportunity to play there was a big thrill.  Can't remember exactly how we landed the gig except that I think having the Stones gig on our resume was a big help.  NYC was always a very tough place to play. You had to have a following big enough that it would guarantee the club would make money.  Or you would have to sell your own tickets and the club wouldn't pay you anything.  It was like a factory.  You had a time slot to play and when your time was up you were kicked off stage for the next band to start.  CBGB's was pretty much the same thing.  They did not know us so they put us on an off night in an early time slot.  We knew it wasn't the best situation but we were still psyched to play hoping we could impress the booking agent and we would land a better slot in the future.

We were coming down from New Haven, CT so we rented a U-Haul in which we packed our equipment, our girlfriends, and a few other friends that were up for an adventure.  It's about a 2 hr drive normally so we made sure we gave ourselves enough time to get there and find a place to park.  I drove as far as I remember.  At least one way.  I was usually designated driver or 'Crash' would drive if I didn't.  This was the first time for me driving a U-Haul box truck (not a van) through NYC.  What an experience that was!  No GPS or smart phones at the time.  But after making a few wrong turns we finally made it.  There was that famous sign we've only seen in Rock Scene magazine with our favorite punk rock stars standing in front of it.  We were pumped!

We unloaded our equipment into the empty club and then I had the opportunity to try and find parking for the Truck.  It took a while but finally did it.  There were only a hand full of people in the club, us, our friends and friends of the band that was before us now just getting up onto the stage.  Once they were done with their set they were hustled off the stage and we were hustled on.  No sound check, just start playing.  We played our 30 minute set (that's all the allotted for each band) and felt pretty good about how we played. We totally got into it!  Then we were hustled off the stage and the next band was hustled on.  Yup, a factory.  We were still psyched to have played at the legendary CBGB's but it was pretty anticlimactic in the end.  We stayed to see the next band then packed up our stuff and headed back home.

The trip up and back was probably just as much fun.  The U-Haul had no windows in it.  I'm still shocked no one barfed during the trip getting "sea sick" in the back of that thing.  We even loaded a couch into it from our house to make our friends a little more comfortable during the ride.  Pretty funny thinking about it now.

CBGB's itself was kind of a dump really. With a lot of graffiti on the walls, especially in the bathrooms if I remember correctly.  It was definitely our kind of place.  We loved it!  It was so New York.  And the sound guy and others that worked at the club were not very warm and fuzzy either.  Exactly what we expected so no surprises there either.

Mick firing up the Toad's crowd

Anything else you wanna add about that fateful night?

Ted Canning:  Here are a few odd and ends related to the show. We ended up taking the drum riser built for Charlie Watt's drum set and after using it in the house we rehearsed at. It later got broken apart and we used it to fix stairs in that house! We have been mentioned in a few books about the Stones and there is a commemorative poster that somebody is still printing that our friends see from time to time all over the world. We get calls from folks saying, “I saw your poster of the Stones gig in Caribbean, Key West, San Francisco, Middletown, CT….etc etc”. Also, we got some guitar/bass picks off the stage that night that the Stones used which are pretty interesting…the one I have says “The Roly Stokers” on one side and then says “Billy Wymold” on the other.

Rob Guadagno: Every time I think about that night I can't believe it happened. It gives me goosebumps!

James "Crash" Beatty: It was an evening of a lifetime. You know when you show up for a gig, and the first thing you see is a bunch of people coming to help you carry equipment in, something really weird is up or they're stealing the equipment. Go inside and Toads is buzzing with people, unlike any other time you've played there. Someone says you can't leave, no phone calls, they even disconnected the payphone. Would be alot harder today with cell phones, etc. I remember saying to myself constantly,"Who the hell is ever gonna believe this?" I wasn't sure myself. Once the (Steel) wheels were set in motion, everything just seemed flow, playing our set, meeting the Stones, standing on the side of the stage to watch them play. Next thing you know it was over, scrambling around to the stagehands getting picks and the set list. All very surreal. Luckily some of our fans who were planning to see us that night at our other gig instead got to be part of that fateful evening. I couldn't have had 3 better people to share this most precious moment in my musical career than Ted, Rob and Jim. I started playing and learning music when I was 7 years old but the most influential and creative years were as a member of Sons Of Bob.

Jim Polisky: In the coming weeks Sons Of Bob received mention in Billboard and Rolling Stone Magazine, as well as a slew of national newspapers, and also were mentioned in the Official Steel Wheels World Tour Book the Rolling Stones sold at their stadium shows. I also received two free guest tickets to see them play at Shea Stadium in NY on the same tour, and although it was fun, it was just not the same.

Maybe they should have let us open for them on the entire world tour... Just my opinion.

R.I.P. Kevin Mahoney of Seige

It was announced today that original vocalist of the Hardcore band SIEGE, has passed away. It's still not clear how he left us. Siege was a Hardcore Punk band that are also considered the first Grindcore/Powerviolence. His vocals paved way for all those grind bands. They influenced many bands like Napalm Death, Dropdead (took their name from their release), and MANY other bands,and to this day still do. Kevin and Siege did everything first. For more info see my old post. Siege's 2nd singer,Seth Putnam (of AxCx) also passed away this year. We wont have another band like Siege. Rest In Peace Kevin.

THE MAD MONKS -S/T

I was just given two different CD's recently. The first one was given to me by a guy who said I might really like this punk band and should give them a listen. Well I did and I gave the CD back to the guy telling him thanks, but it wasn't really my cup of tea. I was being kind. I found nothing punk about the band at all, in fact they were bland pop. The Jonas Brothers are more punk than those wannabes, so I have really needed something to wash out the bad taste left behind from those posers.

In my moment of desperation Troy, the head honcho here at Bigfoot Diaries HQ sent me this Mad Monks disk for review. So we will thankfully get to deal with a much finer piece of music than the previously mentioned turd. The first thing that hit me about these guys is how they really conjure up that early '70's heavy psych feel. I'm not saying it sounds dated (and I would have had zero problems with that anyway), although had Troy told me this was some band from 1972 that he had run across I probably would have believed him, but it really does have that over all essence of '70s psychedelic heavy rock. If you like stuff like Sir Lord Baltimore or the Pink Faries you will most likely get into these guys. Heck, these cats are a lot better than Atomic Rooster.

There almost seems to be some kind of alchemical process at work here. James Edel's guitar snakes, twists and spirals around into a slow burn intensity and then seers. Truly some great psychedelic playing here. Matt Larson weaves in some real funky groove rhythms with his bass lines and Eric Dirks drums almost seem like he's playing jazz. Add Matt Larson's vocals into the mix and it all comes together into a cohesive solid sound that hits in all the right places. It's heavy yeah, but not necessarily in an immediate sense, there is a certain almost subtle intensity to it at times. I could almost expect to hear this on some cool film noir soundtrack. Like I said psychedelic, but also containing the right amounts of underlying funk and jazz elements that make this its own kind of animal. I have heard a number of bands try to do what these guys do. Many, probably most, fall flat. These guys have a real solid sound and pretty good musical chops. Most assuredly worth your time. Buy the CD here, and do drop in on these guys if they happen to play in your neck of the woods. Good times, man. Good times.

Follow the Mad Monks on Facebook

Cro-Mags,TheRoxy,Hollywood CA, 10-9-11

I've been wanting to see NYC HC legends CRO-MAGS forever! Finally I get to see 'em, and luckily for free! As a matter of fact after my friends and I left last month's Scion we discuss how crazy it would be if Cro-Mags would play since Murphy's Law did. Our prayers were answered. We got there, made it in, and we were PUMPED.

First band was new Hardcore band called New Lows. People were hardcore dancing (Lame!) like crazy. It made my head bobble very little. The band was OK. Nothing special, nothing bad. They didn't go fast 'til the last 2 songs. Plus I think the singer was wasted while he was babbling stuff. I got to check an album out. OK for new hxc.

Up next was Early Graves. A year ago they lost their amazing singer to car crash while on tour. The two albums they did with him were amazingly good for a new HxC band. They recently reunited with the lead singer of The Funeral Pyre, a Blackened Death Metal band. They did an impressive set that I enjoyed a lot. There was moshing for this, and I was upfront headbanging all through it. It was great. The guitar player told me to mosh, and head bang. The bass player said he dedicated the set (and every set they ever do to their late singer Makh Daniels. Check out their CD, Goner and We:The Guillotine. New album with the new guy is coming soon.

                                                              RIP Makh Daniels

After 2 years I finally saw one of the best Hardcore bands of all freaking time, Cro-Mags. (FACT not opinion). The crowd filled in and I went up front. They played the theme to A Clockwork Orange, then one by one the band came out. Right away it got super tight and we all sang with John Joseph(yep its his version,suck it Haley). "We Gotta Know" was sung by everyone in the place. People were stage diving (Tho they made it clear not to due to last show's fiasco). First couple were caught and kicked out. After a while there was so many they gave up. I kept yelling the lyrics to "World Peace," "Malfunction," "Street Justice" and others. Then they gave an Ode to another great hardcore band, Bad Brains. They played "Right Brigade" and "Attitude." The curtain went down. We backed up. They did  "Hard Times," EVERYONE went on stage. I was thrown back. But holy shit. If you don't have Age Of Quarrel in your punk collection. You don't know hardcore, mofo. See them. Even if you have to pay over $20. Its worth it.

Five Questions With: Michael Schenker

When I was in junior high in the early '80s, all the kids were listening to pretty much the same rock albums.

Ozzy Osbourne, Molly Hatchet, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, The Scorpions, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, Quiet Riot, Rush, Def Leppard and Triumph could be found in virtually anybody's tape case or record collection.

There were a few of us however, who dug even deeper into the vein, and had albums by  the likes of T.Rex, Dio, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen, Rainbow and UFO.

I was a huge UFO fan while in junior high and high school. When I was 15, I picked up a used vinyl copy of UFO's Flying for a couple of bucks at the old Archives Records store in Des Moines. To this day, it remains one of my favorite rock and roll albums.

Like many teens of that era when I fell in love with a band, I was prone to taking my weekly paycheck and buying as many albums from that artist that I could find. I would always buy from the used record bin, as the selection was always decent, the quality was good, and the albums were about half the price of the unused copies. The problem with finding UFO albums, at least at Archives, was that there weren't many available in the used record section.

Then one day I got lucky. There in the used record bin was a copy of  UFO's third album, Phenomenon. I bought it and eagerly took it home and placed it on my turntable. It sounded nothing like the spacey and psychedelic Flying. It had a much sharper edge to it and the songs were structured, not loose and trippy. The comparison was night to day. While Flying was a sonic acid trip, Phenomenon was more of a rock and roll album, and one of my first introductions to British heavy metal. As I read the liner notes on the back of the record, I realized that there was a new guitarist/song writer in the group... His name was Michael Schenker.

UFO Phenomenon (released 1974 Chrysalis Records)

I was amazed that one person could have so much talent and influence that they could change the entire sound of a band. Of course I became an instant fan. I sought after anything I could get my hands on from Michael Schenker including records from the Scorpions and UFO. I also became a huge fan of the Michael Schenker Group, a band formed in 1979 after he left UFO. Very guitar oriented, MSG was perfect in the eyes of a young impressionable rock and roll fan such as myself who was overflowing with teenage angst. His guitar riffs were unlike anything I had ever heard before.

Michael is considered by many to be a living legend, and the list of people and bands he has influenced over the years is long. A few people on this list are Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield (Metallica), Slash (Guns and Roses), Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden), Michael Wilton (Queensryche), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Andy LaRocque (King Diamond), and Eric Peterson (Testament). There are many more.

In 2008 he earned a spot on Guitar World magazine's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists. It's a high honor to have him be a part of the Bigfoot Diaries.



Five Questions with Michael Schenker

1.Reportedly, you were 11 when you played your first live gig with The Scorpions. What memories do you have of that night?

Yes, I was about 11 and had already developed quite a bit. I think the Scorpions were only one year old at the time. My parents wanted to go to see them play and took me with them. I was asked if I wanted to play one song with them. I think it was a Shadow song (instrumental). I think it went ok.

2. Who were your major guitar influences when you were a kid?

From nine 'til 13 it was anything on the radio from Shadows to the Beatles to the Stones etc. When I was 14 and I heard the first real distorted guitar solos that’s when I got realy into it. My favourite guitarists were people like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Leslie West and many bands with distorted sounds.I liked Rory Gallagher, Wishbone Ash, Johny Winter, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and on and on.

3. Your tenure with UFO has been described as "turbulent," despite you being the main song writer of the band during that time. What would you say caused this turbulence, and what was the final straw that made you leave the band after "Strangers in the Night" came out?

There was not much turbulence as far as I remember. I was never hanging out with anyone. I was there to do music and that's all I focused on. I only remember Phil (Mogg) fighting other people a lot and one day I told him if he would ever hit me I would leave. He hit me (I guess he wanted to find out) and I left.

Pete Way and Michael Schenker of UFO in 1976

4. You are the younger brother of Scorpions guitarist, Rudolf Schenker. What was it like growing up in a household that produced two of the greatest guitar players in the world?

My parents were very supportive. My brother kept them on track. All in all we were all very much music lovers but Rudolf being six and a half years older, I did not really get to see much of him until we played together in the Scorpions for two years. Then I moved to England. So all in all we are kind of strangers to each other.

5.What can you tell me about when you auditioned for Aerosmith in 1979 after Joe Perry split, and then for Ozzy Osbourne's group after the death of Randy Rhoads? What were the reasons for you not taking those jobs?

In '79 I believe it was Peter Mensch who asked me if I would want to jam with Arrowsmith [sic] to see if I liked joining them. I went to New York but everything was pretty much out of order. So we never got to play but later when Steven (Tyler) got sick I rehearsed with Joe Kramer and Tom Hamilton for my solo album.

In around '81 Ozzy Osbourne called me up in the middle of the night telling me that Randy had just died and asked if I could help out. I was in the middle of pre-production with Cozy Powell and Graham Bonnet. It was bad timing but on the other hand, Arrowsmith, Ozzy Osbourne or any other band with history was not good for me. It would always mean that I would have to learn other guitarist's riffs. And that was not what I wanted. I was born to create and invent.

Rudolf and Michael Schenker

(Bonus Question): You will be playing the Hoyt Sherman Theater in Des Moines, Iowa on October 28th with Leslie West and Uli Roth. What can we expect at that show?

This is one of it's kind. Leslie, my guitar hero and Uli who replaced me when I left the Scorpions and did five albums with them, all together on one stage touring together after all these years is something very special. I will be promoting my new album Temple of Rock and I will be playing all my highlights from the Scorpions, UFO, and MSG. We all play out individual set and at the end, Uli, Leslie, and I will play together. Should be a great event.

Editor's note: Just a few hours after this interview was finished, the show at Hoyt Sherman got postponed, though there isn't any word on when it will be rescheduled. It's been reported that there are some issues with the health of Leslie West, though this couldn't be confirmed.

When emailed about the tour, Michael responded almost immediately. "The tour as been postponed. What will I be doing now that the tour has been postponed? I am trying to figure it out right now."


UPDATE from the Michael Schenker News and Tour Information Blog: Los Angeles --- Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth and Leslie West have been forced to postpone the 3 Guitar Heroes tour that was set to commence on October 6 in Norfolk, CT, due to insurmountable travel issues. When faced with securing a viable path for West1s travel while still confined to a wheelchair, the search for a vehicle went on for months, and it has been called off. Last week, West was fitted with a prosthetic leg, but it will take months before he is able to live a normal life with the appendage, and there is no way to tour at this time without the security of the wheelchair he has been confined to post-amputation.

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Bevis Frond: The Leaving of London

Yup. After a 7 year hiatus The Bevis Frond has come back and I honestly think the world is just a little bit better of a place to be because of it. Having had no new Bevis Frond releases since about 2004 I had been thinking that Nick Saloman had laid the band to rest. So the new soon to be released album 'The Leaving Of London' comes as one fantastic early Christmas present.

This album brings you a full band line up with Nick playing guitar, keyboards, and doing vocals, Paul Simmons from the Alchemysts and Scorched Earth on guitar, Long time Bevis veteran and ex- Hawkwind member Adrian Shaw on bass, and Dave Pearce from Psycho's Mum playing drums. How's that for pedigree.

What can I say about the new record. I could say "Hey this thing is awesome" but since all the brain dead grocery store shelf stockers own that word when describing their Avenge Sevenfold and Shine Down cds I ain't goin' there. And I don't think that I need to tell you that this thing is in a totally different class that stuff like that anyway do I? I mean comparing mediocrity like that with a record like this is....well, impossible. There's no comparison and I really shouldn't have even brought it up.

The music seeps into the cerebral cortex and permeates your consciousness like an alien presence that feels like a long lost friend. There are many layers of depth and introspection here. One of the things that I keep thinking about, the more I listen to this record is, just how criminally underrated Nick Saloman is as a songwriter. 'The Leaving Of London' is one great album. There's a degree of stark purity here that you are not likely to find anywhere else for quite some time. It's resensifying. So while the rest of the world worships at the alter of the mundane, you can follow a better path. Listen to my words here, Don't let this one get by you, you'll be sorry.