Interview with Comedian Jim Florentine By Jesse Striewski

Long before I ever met my wife/Rewind It Magazine Photographer Brooke (or even founding Rewind It itself, for that matter) there was a period of much uncertainty and loneliness for me. For several years I was a single father hustling to keep my head above water, working full time (often overnights) while freelancing as a music journalist on the side and raising my son (thank God for the likes of my parents and certain other friends and family for being there during that time period, too).

But one thing was always a definite; I could always count on the likes of Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine to be there for me each and every Saturday night via That Metal Show on VH1 Classic. It was a small bright spot that I always looked forward to to help ease the void that was still very much present back in those days.

Needless to say, when the chance to speak to one of the aforementioned hosts of this show that once provided me with so much comic relief way back when, I couldn’t say no. I was able to speak with Jim from his New Jersey home (yet another thing we share in common aside from our love of heavy metal – I too originally hail from the Garden State) this past Monday, February 17, where the subject matter encompassed much of his past and present endeavors.

Knowing Jim would be performing at The Social in Orlando, FL this upcoming Saturday, February 22, one of the first things I asked was how familiar he was with central FL. He told me; “I’ve been to Orlando a bunch of times and recorded two of my comedy albums there. It’s a great market for comedy – Florida just in general is really – there’s always great crowds there. I’ll be in Atlanta the night before on Friday as well, and I’m looking forward to just getting down there and out of the cold!” (Laughs).

Of course I had to inquire about his time on That Metal Show and what originally lead to it. He filled me in; “Eddie Trunk had a radio show in New York, and I became friends with him as well as Don Jamieson. One day he just said ‘I know someone over at VH1 that we’re going to pitch this heavy metal talk show idea to and see if they go for it or not.’ And they pitched it and got it, and it wound up being on for eight years or so. It was great little run we had.”

In the span of those eight years, the three co-hosts were able to interview some of rock’s greatest icons, and I wanted to know if there were any that really stuck out more than others for him. Florentine said; “Almost every episode we did there was someone there I couldn’t believe we were talking to! Whether it was Angus Young of AC/DC, Marilyn Manson, Ted Nugent, the guys from Rush, or even the late, great, Ronnie James Dio. And I didn’t even have to do any research because I’ve been wanting to ask these guys questions for years, which was great!”

As far as the trio’s relationships goes today? Jim stated; “Don and I still tour together sometimes doing stand-up. We’re all still friends, all still in New Jersey, so we still talk and hang out from time to time.” He continued; “If you grow up together liking heavy metal and still like it later in life, you still have those friends. You just bond over that music.”

Many of you may also recall Florentine voiced the characters of Bobby and Special Ed on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers. I asked what that experience was like doing as well, to which he replied; “Well it was Jimmy Kimmel’s and Adam Carolla’s show, so when I would go in to record in the studio to make the calls, they would always be there as the producers of the show. Either way I couldn’t believe I was there getting paid to make prank phone calls (Laughs). I was just happy I had two characters though.”

As far as what else occupies much of his time now, Jim informed me; “I’ve been doing my podcast, Everybody’s Awful since 2011. I also do a music show on Ozzy’s Boneyard on Sirus XM. So I keep myself busy for sure.” Be sure to check all of these out, as well as Florentine’s Orlando show on Saturday night!

Film Review: Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony Pictures Classics)

By: Jesse Striewski

After more than forty-five years since disbanding after the loss of legendary drummer John Bonham rock royalty Led Zeppelin finally get the long-overdue documentary treatment that so many other contemporaries have since received before them.

The result is nothing short of extraordinary, with surviving members Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), and John Paul Johns (bass and keyboards) recounting the band’s early formation in great detail (Bonham also provides some post input via some never-before heard unearthed interviews).

Learning the paths that each member took in order to get from point A to point B is nothing short of fascinating, though those unfamiliar with the band might find their attention spans easily wandering. There’s also some early live performances thrown in to add to the excitement, though not one but two takes of the track “Communication Breakdown” is a bit of a head scratcher indeed.

The two-plus hour runtime might also cause some fatigue for non-fans, but overall it’s a well put together (and deserved) piece of immaculately shot cinema.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Album Review: Crazy Lixx – Thrill of the Bite (Frontiers Music s.r.l.)

By: Jesse Striewski

Sweden’s Crazy Lixx have been steadily climbing the ranks of rock for over two decades now, yet somehow feel as though they’re still one of rock’s best kept secrets. It’s been four years since the band’s last studio album, and Thrill of the Bite could not have come at a better time.

Kicking off their ninth full-length effort appropriately enough with “Highway Hurricane,” the band truly find their footing by the time they reach “Who Said Rock and Roll is Dead” and the six-minute “Little Miss Dangerous.”

Other tracks like “Hunt For Danger” and “Midnight Rebels” are fun enough. But the album’s finest moments find themselves sandwiched between the rest; “Call of the Wild,” “Recipe For Revolution,” and “Run Run Wild” are enough to make the likes of Whitesnake or Dokken proud just about any day of the week.

It might be easy for some to just write-off a band like Crazy Lixx and label them as “silly,” but make no mistake that this is the type of music with the power to motivate and make one take notice/feel alive again, and there’s not a damn thing silly about that.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Album Review: All That Remains – Antifragile (Independent)

By: Jesse Striewski

It’s taken seven years for All That Remains to release their tenth studio album, and the band has no doubt gone through much loss and hardships in that time span (most notably the untimely passing of guitarist Oli Herbert). But as the old saying goes, all good things come to those that wait.

Since last May we’ve been getting snipets of new music from Antifragile, with songs like “Divine” and “Let You Go” being released as singles. By the time they got to “Forever Cold” last November, I was completely sold.

“Kerosene,’ “No Tomorrow,” “Blood & Stone,” and the title track are just a few more tracks that give off those 2010’s metalcore vibes. Frontman Phil Labonte has kept the ATR ship sailing admirably while aging with grace (unlike some contemporaries), and I look forward to seeing what is next for the band.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Album Review: Ringo Starr – Look Up (Universal Music Enterprises)

By: Jesse Striewski

I can honestly say I did not have “critiquing the new country album by former Beatle Ringo-Starr” in my deck of cards for my first album review of 2025, but here we are.

Yet somehow…it actually works. The introduction track to Look Up for me was the title track and first single, which is just catchy enough in its simplicity. Other tracks like “Never Let Me Go,” “I Live For Your Love,” and the masterful “Time on my Hands” (no doubt the album’s highlight) sound worthy enough to stack alongside the likes of Cash, Williams, or Jennings nearly any day of the week.

There’s also guest appearances along the way from Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Alison Krauss (among others). All in all, Look Up is far from a perfect effort, though a welcomed surprise from a music legend nonetheless.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Film Review: Nosferatu (Focus Features/Universal Pictures)

By: Shawn McKee

A demonic, shadowy figure spreads doom, despair, and death upon a 19th-century German town. The story of Nosferatu originates from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, which set the stage for all vampire lore and mythology to follow. Along with Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, two of the horror genre’s greatest monsters were created.

The 1922 silent film Nosferatu was my gateway into German Expressionist films of the 1920s, which included The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), The Golem (1920), and Faust (1926), among others. The golden age of German cinema culminated with Fritz Lang’s epic sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis (1927) and his equally brilliant mystery thriller M (1931), starring Peter Lorre.

This period of innovation and landmark filmmaking ended upon the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi Party, which subsequently turned the film industry into a propaganda machine for their twisted goals.

As an unofficial film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s famous novel, Nosferatu was accused of copyright infringement by the Stoker estate. German courts ruled all copies to be destroyed, but several prints survived. It remains one of the most influential horror films of all time.

2024’s Nosferatu embarks as a tribute to the original silent film and Expressionist filmmaking. The familiar story of Dracula is told through a landscape of dreamlike visuals, fantastic settings, foreboding doom, and grotesque imagery. Unfortunately, it fails to realize its potential as a memorable Gothic horror film.

Director Robert Eggers delivers grandness to this obvious passion project. There’s no doubt he’s a talented filmmaker. His eye for authenticity in set design, costumes, and dialogue is admirable and immersive. I liked The Witch (2015) but never saw The Northman (2022). And I’m not a fan of The Lighthouse (2019).

Ultimately, I was taken with Nosferatu’s style, atmosphere, and darkness, but something didn’t quite add up. Its deliberate pacing and attention to detail should have left little room for confusion, whereas Eggers does exactly that.

His attempts to bring something new gloss over pivotal details and turn Nosferatu into a tale of possession, obsession, and psychic connections. Aside from muddled character motivations, the plot unfolds conventionally in the fictional 19th-century town of Wisborg, Germany.

Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), newlywed husband to Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), is summoned to a remote castle in Transylvania by his employer Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) to finalize a real estate transaction with the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). Herr Knock (aka Reinfeld) is actually a devoted servant to the Count, aiding him in his menacing quest.

After an arduous journey, Hutter finds himself captive in Orlok’s castle unable to warn his wife of impending doom. The Count purchases property in Wisborg after seeing a small portrait of Ellen on her husband’s locket. He then travels by ship with coffins of cursed earth and unleashes a plague of disease-ridden rats upon the unsuspecting town.

Hutter escapes, returns home, and finds his wife in the throes of demonic possession. A sympathetic doctor, Dr. Wihelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson), can’t determine what’s wrong with her. They then enlist the aid of disgraced Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) to save Ellen and stop Count Orlok before it’s too late.

Hutter and Von Franz are, of course, based on Jonathan Harker and Dr. Abraham Van Helsing from Stoker’s novel, and the film reuses most of the names from its 1922 predecessor which changed them to avoid similarities to Stoker’s novel. Dafoe also naturally stands out, bringing some much-needed warmth and humor.

Perhaps the greatest treat is the depiction of Count Orlok famously played by Max Shreck in the original. Skarsgård’s portrayal may be polarizing, but it completely worked for me. His deep, menacing voice, thick accent, labored breathing, and guttural growls were jarring and fascinating to behold.

Largely shot within shadows, Orlok looks the part of a repulsive and immortal recluse from the Carpathian Mountains, replete with decayed skin, long, claw-like hands, and a thick mustache. Keeping his appearance a secret from the trailers and movie posters was also a genius stroke in advertising, as his brooding, mysterious presence carries the film.

This is no romanticized vampire tale either. As an ominous prophet of doom, Orlok embodies pure evil and leaves behind a wasteland of apocalyptical horror in his wake. Scenes of a desolate, disease-ridden Wisborg are chilling and harken back to the profound bleakness brilliantly captured in Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake, Nosferatu the Vampyre. There are also lots of rats, so consider yourself warned.

Nosferatu’s tragic tale of sacrifice lives on in an effectively dark and sinister reimagining. Though it’s not a movie without flaws. Those expecting a conventional big-budget horror experience might be disappointed. Random jump scares employed throughout worked on the audience but mostly annoyed me.

The results make one long for the visual splendor, excitement, and coherence of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), which remains a modern-day classic, in my opinion.

Conversely, the movie’s trappings could also be its strong points. If Eggers had simply remade Nosferatu, emulated Coppola’s vision, or modernized the story to make it more accessible, it would be something else. It wouldn’t be art in all its confounding glory.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Book Review: You Never Know: A Memoir By Tom Selleck with Ellis Henican (HarperCollins)

By: Jesse Striewski

It’s interesting going from a rock bio like Alex Van Halen’s, the last book I had reviewed prior to Tom Selleck’s recent memoir You Never Know, to essentially the polar opposite with the much more reserved actor Selleck’s life story.

I knew much of the Magnum P.I. actor’s work before diving into his book, but never put much thought into just how his (or many other actors for that matter) career had begun. From juggling time in the army reserves, a love of playing baseball, and more or less stumbling upon attending an entry-level acting program via a major film studio, there’s no shortage of intrigue or grace for the extremely fascinating and respectable journey he has taken and put into print here.

As a child of the ’80s, I’ll confess I always wanted to be one of the “good guys” I saw on TV and in film, and in full disclosure, in my adult life I may or may not have at one point actually worked as a licensed Private Investigator (well, an intern at least) thanks in part to Selleck’s previously mentioned-role as one. Surely that kind of influence on people has got to stand for something.

But I digress; there’s a good amount of actor’s around from my childhood today that I don’t necessarily maintain much respect for after all of these years. Selleck definitely does not fit in this category; read You Never Know and you’re sure to find out why for yourself.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Retrospective: 35 Years Since The Griswold’s ‘Christmas Vacation’ By Jesse Striewski

Few writers have ever truly nailed the essence of the American family quite like the late John Hughes did, and I’d wager an even smaller percentage have managed to capture the sheer chaos of spending the holidays with said family then when Hughes penned National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the third chapter in the Chevy Chase Vacation series that first began in 1983.

World’s above its 1985 predecessor European Vacation, this entry again finds the Griswold family (again lead by Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as his wife, Helen) just wanting to spend a “quiet” Christmas at home with family. But with the addition of each new relative appearing in the household (including Randy Quaid, reprising his role as the dimwitted Cousin Eddie from the first film), more and more madness ensues.

From chopping down the perfect Christmas tree, to dodging yuppie neighbors (including Julia-Louis Dreyfus in one of her earliest roles) and chasing after every animal known to man from dogs (“Snot!”), cats, and yes, even squirrels, there’s no shortage of characters to add to the charades.

It’s been three and a half decades now since the film’s initial release on December 1, 1989, and in that span of time the movie has become a beloved annual classic for families across the globe, often quoted at nearly any and every Christmas function imaginable. And each year department stores seem to push more and more Christmas Vacation-related merchandise for shoppers far and wide with everything from games, apparel, mugs, and much more.

By now the film has no doubt been overplayed to death with annual showings on cable TV and elsewhere. But despite this, it’s still an enjoyable enough seasonal must-watch every year (please excuse me while I go watch it for the 809th time). Happy holidays!

Book Review: Brothers By Alex Van Halen (HarperCollins)

By: Jesse Striewski

The moment I heard that legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen would be releasing his memoir Brothers, chronicling both his life and that of his late brother/bandmate and legendary guitarist Edward Van Halen, I knew I’d be one of the first in line to read it.

From their early years as Dutch immigrants learning music through their father and musician Jan Van Halen, to ultimately achieving the American dream and rising to total rock stardom and carving out a lasting legacy their own, it gets harder and harder to put the book down with each new page.

The insight offered on the band’s formative years and first several tours with the classic lineup is nothing short of fascinating, and paint a vivid picture of what it was like to be there at that time. It is however disappointing that the story seems to end coinciding with the departure of original vocalist David Lee Roth from the band in the mid-’80s, leaving so much left to still be desired, particularly the Sammy Hagar and even Gary Cherone eras of the band.

On a personal note, I must admit there is some envy on my part in terms of the life Alex Van Halen was able to lead with his late brother, and not simply because of the obvious fame and fortunes they acquired in their lifetimes. Despite the one and only time I saw the band live back in 2008 being with one of my own siblings, I’ve never been able to truly say I know what it’s like to have that close relationship any of them (a notion I’ve always longed for, though don’t believe will ever come to fruition at this point). For that alone, the Van Halen’s were fortunate in every way.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

FEAR at The 2nd Annual Space Coast Rumble in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Jacob Striewski

Before I fully get into the sheer insanity of this past Sunday night’s FEAR show at the second annual Space Coast Rumble in Titusville, FL, I first have to give a little back story of the years that actually lead up to it, and just how much it really meant to me on a personal level.

Like many before me, FEAR are one of those gateway punk bands I grew up listening to and loving, and have always wanted to cross them off my list of bands to see live. But alas, there have been many, MANY false starts prior.

The first time I had the chance to see the band back in the late ’90s/early ’00s, I was still in my teens with limited independence, and for whatever reason, I missed them (I believe my ride at the time may have bailed on me). That was strike one.

Then a few years later in either 2003 or ’04, a friend offered me to go with them to see FEAR in Orlando, but I declined due to having just gotten a new puppy at the time that I did not want to leave home alone just yet (strike two). I’m not complaining though – that puppy ended up being my best friend for many years until she passed on in 2018 (I still miss you dearly, Kaya).

Then in 2009, I was still within my first year or so of music Journalism when it finally happened – FEAR was coming to Orlando again (if memory serves correct to a venue no longer there called the Black Box Collective), and I was actually approved to COVER THEIR SHOW! (Complete with a plus-one on the guest list and all!) But midway through openers Total Chaos’ set, the police had finally had enough of the unruly crowd and shut things down before things ended in a riot. I was devastated.

Fast forward all these years later to late 2024, and longtime acquaintance of mine Tony from the band Swift Knuckle Solution informs me at a recent Exploited show that his band will be opening for FEAR at an annual event called Space Coast Rumble in Titusville. I knew I had to be there for it finally, and after some communications between the show’s promoter and the band’s management, Rewind It Magazine were approved to cover said show, and just in the nick of time.

I could hardly contain my excitement walking up to the event with my son and photographer Jacob the day of – especially when to our surprise, there was FEAR founder and frontman Lee Ving himself, grabbing a coffee with current bassist Amos Cook at a joint called Saints and Sippers (great coffee too by the way – and apparently even ran by Dee Snider’s nephew, Brett!). We exchanged pleasantries and even took photos with Ving, and just like that, all those years of waiting instantly became worth it before even hearing the band play a single note on stage.

Rewind It’s Jacob (left) and Jesse Striewski with FEAR frontman Lee Ving in front of Saints and Sippers Coffee on Sunday, 12/8/24 (Photo by FEAR bassist Amos Cook).

This quickly lead to some brief small talk “backstage” with the guys, including short exchanges with drummer Spit Stix, and an even shorter interaction with (and I had no idea of it at the time) Municipal Waste frontman Tony Foresta, who I’m definitely regretting not speaking to further. (I knew he looked familiar, too!)

By this time though we had already missed many of the opening bands of the day, including even Swift Knuckle Solution (Vicious Dreams were on stage by the time we had arrived, and with everything else going on around then I can’t really give them an honest assessment of their set). Thankfully we were still able to at least catch up with the guys in the band for a few regardless of this though.

Rewind It’s Jesse Striewski (right) with the guys from Swift Knuckle Solution shortly after their set in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski).

Psychobilly act The Strikers from San Diego, CA were up right before FEAR’s set, and gave it their all as they amped up the crowd for the main event, with a cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” being the biggest standout of the night for them (never expected to hear that one on an upright bass!).

And then it finally happened – Lee Ving and FEAR took stage with a fury, opening with “The Mouth Don’t Stop (The Trouble with Women Is),” “Do Me Some Damage,” and “Foreign Policy.” But no sooner than it had started, my heart sank – the sound went out due to technical difficulties. Could this really be happening again? Was there some sort of curse preventing me from actually seeing FEAR perform an entire set?

FEAR guitarist Eric Razo and drummer Spit Stix perform in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski.)

Some banter between band and fans kept things going before the issues were resolved and they thankfully got back to business with “Bomb the Russians,” “Let’s Have a War,” and “No More Nothing” before it happened AGAIN – the power went out once more. By this point I was really growing concerned that this truly could be it.

But once more, things returned to normal (and this time permanently), the group coming back stronger than ever with a cover of Bob Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” followed in rapid fire succession by “Responsibilities,” “Fuck You Let’s Rodeo,” “Ugly as You,” “Gimme Some Action,” “Hey,” “We Destroy the Family,” and “We Just Love the Little Girls.”

After a little “Fresh Flesh” and Ving critiquing his own lyrics, the band went into a brief impromptu version of the Christmas classic “Let it Snow” before breaking out the big guns in the form of “I Love Livin’ in the City,” “Beef Bologna,” “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones,” “Have a Beer with Fear,” “More Beer,” and “I Don’t Care About You.”

FEAR performing at the Space Coast Rumble in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski).

And while this seemed to signal the end of the band’s set, they still had a couple more up their sleeves with “Fuck Christmas” (more than appropriate for the season we’re currently in) and “Disconnected” before taking their final bows.

Some quick “thank you’s” with bassist Cook (who by the end of the night was probably tired of seeing our faces – can’t thank him enough for his and the rest of the bands’ hospitality throughout the evening though) and guitarist Eric Razo put the icing on the cake for the already exceptional evening, and my son and I walked away with another shared memory we’ll take with us for the rest of our lives.