My Appetite for Destruction – Sex & Drugs & Guns N’ Roses – Steven Adler

Steven Adler writes about his interesting childhood in L.A.  He had the opportunity to see Kiss in June of 1978 when they were filming ‘Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park’, and he saw Motley Crue play live at the US Festival in San Bernadino for heavy metal day in 1983.  Similar to Slash’s book; he talks about their childhood friendship and the experiences they had growing up together.

He reveals how the members of Guns N’ Roses met and formed in 1985.  They started with ‘EP Live?!*@ Like a Suicide’, then in 1987 ‘Appetite for Destruction’ was released and it changed all of their lives.  The songs ‘Mr. Brownstone’ (heroin) and ‘It’s So Easy’ (groupies) summed up that era.  He also talks about the controversial ‘G N’R Lies’ that was released in 1988. 

He goes on to explain how he was so sick from heroin withdrawal when he was called in for the ‘Civil War’ recording session for ‘Use Your Illusion II’.  He struggled through it; and it was the last song he was to play with G N’R.  He was called in the next day to ‘sign his life away’.  He signed the legal papers to sign away his royalties, rights, and partnership with the band for $2000.00.  He thought he was signing papers to avoid partying, and would be ‘charged’ $2000.00 if he did.  He didn’t think he was getting kicked out of G N’R for drug use as almost everyone else in the band used.      

This lead to his years of self-destruction of time in jail, 3 attempted suicides, 28 overdoses, 2 heart attacks, 1 stroke that left permanent damage.  He ended up on the reality show Dr. Drew’s ‘Celebrity Rehab’.  After this, he played at Rocklahoma in 2008.  This is when we had the opportunity to meet him.  He was so sweet and childlike and was happy to take a picture with us.  Right after Rocklahoma, he went on Dr. Drew’s ‘Sober House’, but he was arrested in taken to another rehab facility.  The book is written in 2009 and at that time Steven was sober and getting support from Izzy, Duff, and Slash.  He looking forward to playing more music with Adler’s Appetite and is very hopeful of an all original member Guns N’ Roses reunion.    

Collective Soul - River Cree Casino Edmonton Alberta Oct 8, 2010

We always love seeing Collective Soul play live shows. We've seen them a number of times in the past, but it had been awhile since the last time (Capital Ex a couple years back), so we decided to catch their show at River Cree Casino!

Collective Soul always put on a very entertaining show and playing songs from their extensive catalogue of hit singles!  Audience members danced and sang along as the band played familar favorites such as "Shine" "Gel" "The World I Know" "Precious Declaration" and (our favorites) "Why pt. 2" and "Hollywood"!

Lead Vocalist Ed Roland was playing acoustic guitar. He said his young son came up and told him he learned his first song from the internet. The song was "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. Ed said his son then asked him what his first song was. Ed said he'd try to play it on the acoustic guitar for us, and that it went something like this: He then broke into the first few lines of "Cat Scratch Fever!". He exclaimed "Wow that sounds awful!! I bet Ted Nugent would shoot me with a bow & arrow if he heard me play his song like that" ha ha ha  Ed then said that him and lead guitarist Joel Kosche (who recently became a new daddy) had the same conversation recently (about the first song they'd learned to play on guitar). He went on to say that Joel said that if his son should grow up and want to learn guitar, he'll teach his song his first song which would sound something like this: (and they went on to play) "Enter Sandman" as the crowd sang the lyrics right up to and including the first chorus!  It was so awesome!

After a few more songs, Ed wished us all us Canadians a Happy Thanksgiving and said that the next day (Oct 10th) was his brother (Rhythm Guitarist) Dean's  Birthday. Then Ed said "Tomorrow is the 10th month, 10th day of 10th year 10-10-10 that's like the number of the beast or something isn't it??? Then sure enough, Ed took that acoustic guitar and rocked the best acoustic version of Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" that we've ever heard!

Collective Soul ended their set by playing "Run" (off "Dosage" released in 1999). One by one the band members stopped playing their instrument and came up to the front of the stage, shook hands with fans in the crowd, tossed out picks, sticks etc.. then left the stage as Ed kept playing and singing "Have I got a long way to run".  Soon, Ed was the last member left on stage playing and singing and he too shook hands and walked off the stage all the while singing and playing the song. The show ended as the last few bars of "Run" was heard acoustically being played behind the stage!  What a great ending to an awesome show!

Check out Collective Soul's Official Site:

http://www.collectivesoul.com/

Vince Neil - Tattoos & Tequila - To Hell and Back with One of Rock’s Most Notorious Frontmen

Vince’s autobiography is written more like “Tommyland” than “The Dirt” or “Heroin Diaries”. Vince writes about his childhood, Rockandi, and how Motley Crue started out on the Sunset Strip. There are some interesting stories of rock n’ roll debauchery when they ruled Los Angeles and became the hugely influential band that they are today.

He explains his side of what happened when he was charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Nicholas ‘Razzle’ Dingley from Hanoi Rocks in 1984. And the hell he went through when his 4 year old daughter Skylar died of cancer in 1995.

Vince describes his arrests, alcoholism/drug abuse, multiple rehab visits, wives, groupies, surgeries and his love/hate relationship with the other members of Motley Crue. He tells his side of the story when he quit/was fired, John Corabi joining Motley Crue, his solo career, and the reunion. He distrusts all of the members of the band. Nikki Sixx was the only one from the band to be interviewed for the book.

Vince Neil has postponed his solo show in Edmonton November 4. It may have something to do with an upcoming court date (in January 2011).

http://www.vinceneil.net/

Suck - A Rock n Roll Vampire Movie

When we visited Toronto in June for NXNE, we were hoping to see a showing of the new Rock n' Roll Vampire movie "Suck". We'd read that it starred Alice Cooper, (his daughter Calico has a role as a waitress as well), Iggy Pop, Alex Lifeson, Henry Rollins, Carole Pope, Moby, Dave Foley etc...

It would have been quite fitting to see "Suck" in Toronto since we were fortunate enough to see Iggy & The Stooges play an insanely packed free show in downtown Toronto. Unfortunately, we had to pass on the movie as we had a full schedule that day seeing New York Dolls in Burlington followed by seeing Iggy that night.

The movie was released on DVD September 28, 2010. It was worth the wait, it definitely did not disappoint! If you loved "Trick or Treat" "Prince of Darkness" etc... you'll LOVE the movie Suck!

Highlights:
-The majority of the movie took place in various cities in Canada.
-Alice Cooper had a large part as a bartender(with a twist)
-Alex Lifeson as a Border Guard
-Henry Rollins and an awesome, radio dj who kept dropping great cheesy one-liners
-Iggy Pop as an ultra-cool recording studio owner
-Moby as "Beef Bellows" as an unlikely metal singer of a band called "Secretaries of Steak"

Check it out!
http://suckthemovie.com/

SLASH – Calgary & Edmonton AB September 2010

Couldn’t wait to see our good friends Brent Fitz and Todd Kerns up on stage rockin’ with guitar GOD Slash!   They have toured many parts of the world and finally got to play at home in Canada.

The set-list varied slightly between cities. However, both included songs from Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit and Slash’s new solo record. It was awesome to hear songs such as “My Michelle” “Fall To Pieces” “Starlight” and hearing Todd (as Slash put it) “sing the shit out of” “We're All Gonna Die” (Originally sung by Iggy Pop on Slash’s new cd).

It was mind blowing to see Slash appear so laid back and cool, yet effortlessly play some of our favorite rock n roll songs of all time!

After the show in Edmonton, we got to spend time with Brent and Todd and let them know how proud and happy we were for them! Being that they both live in Las Vegas, we don’t get to see them that often! We missed them the last time we were in Vegas as they were busy in LA with TV appearances (with Slash),on Leno, Lopez, Ellen etc…

And it seems like this is just the beginning for our Canadian Rockstars………….

AEROSMITH – Edmonton, AB Rexall Place - Sept 14, 2010

Aerosmith was awesome as usual! Before Aerosmith took the stage, we were advised of the:

RULES OF THE CATWALK

-No drinks or purses on the catwalk because Steven WILL trip

-Catwalk lighting - each section of mini-lights (about a yard long) costs $5000. Try not to bump them because if one goes out, they all go out like Christmas lights

-Feel free to reach upwards not outwards at Steven

-If Steven leans down to sing to you, you can touch his scarves but don’t pull on them because he’ll fall into the audience and it will stop the show

We were ecstatic that they played a wide range of songs from "Train Kept A Rollin’" to lesser known favorites like “Chip Away at the Stone” as well as a string of ballads including “Dream On” “What it Takes” and the Epic “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” with on screen footage from the movie Armageddon. 

A few highlights of the night:

-Joe Perry dazzled the audience with a Guitar Hero showdown in which he battled solos with a video game version of himself on the big screen.

-Steven drumming along side Joey Kramer (twice) with huge smiles on both their faces.

-The camaraderie between Joe & Steven even though rumors were rampant that everyone in the band was upset that they heard through the media (and not from Steven) that he was joining the cast of American Idol.

-Steven interacting with the fans along the catwalk (including us) J! Steven sang to us, shook our hands and even handed Lor the water bottle he drank from!