Photos By Jacob Striewski

There’s a certain amount of pros versus cons that have to be weighed when factoring in an extensive, four-day music festival such as Welcome to Rockville. On the one hand, you’re getting in a LOT of your favorite bands in a very short span of time. But on the other hand, you’re also getting much shorter set lists, and dealing with WAY more obnoxious, drunken fools than you would on any other given normal day of the week (such a blast I’ll tell ya).

It’s a definite take-the-good-with-the-bad type of situation to say the least. But for better or worse, I bit the bullet, taking my son Jacob once again to catch up on many of the bands I’ve already seen over the years, but he had yet to have the chance to catch live himself (my wife Brooke wisely decided to sit most of it out, only attending the first night at the Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, May 9). Said first day was one for the books indeed, and I will try to recall as much of the massive festival as I possibly can here, from start to finish.

DAY 1:

The very first band we caught while walking up on the very first day was Saliva, and we could hear the sounds of their generic 2000 hit “Click Click Boom” (thankfully) ending just as we entered the gates. Luckily ’90s rockers Stabbing Westward were up directly afterwards, although something seemed slightly “off” since the last time I saw them back in 2019 (namely some lineup changes that now included the lack of a bass player). After catching a few tracks in the form of “Falls Apart,” “The Thing I Hate,” and “I Don’t Believe,” it was already on to the next band, which at that point was Flyleaf w/ Lacy Sturm.

I can’t say I’ve ever really sat down and listened to Flyleaf a single day of my life, but there was no denying frontwoman Sturm had a certain presence (not to mention cuteness) to her. After a few minutes of the chaos that is Shadows Fall (a little closer up my ally with songs like “King of Nothing” and “Still I Rise”), Christian rockers Skillet blasted through several of their admirable well-known anthems like “Feel Invincible,” “Rise,” “Surviving the Game,” “Awake and Alive,” and “Hero,” it was time to catch one of the biggest draws of the entire festival for me…Max Cavalera and Soulfly.

I had seen his former band Sepultura a couple of times previously (most recently at last year’s Welcome to Rockville), but never with frontman Cavalera at the helm. So it was a blast finally hearing such epic tracks as “Bleed,” “Refuse/Resist,” “Jumpdafuckup,” and “Eye for an Eye” with Cavalera’s distinct voice over them (along with his son Zyon behind him on the drumkit to boot).

Max Cavalera and Soulfly on stage on Thursday, May 9 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

Next up was an even bigger favorite for me; Anthrax. I’ve seen them a handful of times prior as well (seems like each time with a different lineup), but this time bassist/former Rewind It interviewee Frank Bello was unable to attend, so the band enlisted none other than original bassist Dan Liker (also of S.O.D. and Nuclear Assault, among many others) to fill in for him on this tour for the first time in four decades.

I instantly felt like I was watching metal history as the opening notes of “Among the Living” kicked in and the guys absolutely slayed the stage! “Caught in a Mosh,” “Madhouse,” “Metal Thrashing Mad” (finally something off the first album live!), “Antisocial,” “A.I.R.,” “Got the Time,” and “Indians” all felt new again (no disrespect to Bello of course).

Metal legends Anthrax performing with original bassist Dan Liker for the first time in four decades on 5/9/24 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

A few more acts more in line with my son’s tastes than my own in the form of August Burns Red, Mudvayne, and Biohazard all followed before the mighty Judas Priest, who it had been nearly twenty years since the last time I saw them all the way back at Ozzfest in 2004 (not counting catching spinoff act KK’s Priest earlier this year). There just felt like there was something missing this time though unfortunately without both KK Downing and Glen Tipton handling guitar duties.

New tracks and classics alike in the form of “Panic Attack,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Rapid Fire,” “Breaking the Law,” “Lighting Strike,” “Love Bites,” “Sinner,” and even “Turbo Lover” (a nice welcomed addition that I don’t recall them playing back in ’04) were all heard before we were heading to the next act…Insane Clown Posse (which proved to be a mammoth mistake).

The sound during ICP’s set was beyond comprehension, and it was hard to even distinguish whether it was intentionally done, or just a major foul up (either way it was terrible). Needless to say it didn’t take us long to move on to the next one again.

And that next one this time was Disturbed. Those who know me know that I’ve never claimed to be a big nu metal fan by any means, but there are some bands in the genre I can tolerate more than others, with Disturbed no doubt being one of them. Opening with “Hey You,” the band must’ve been suffering from similar technical difficulties as ICP (though not quite as bad) as chants of “Fix the Sound!” could be clearly heard throughout the Speedway. But that didn’t stop the band from going through numbers like “Stupify,” Ten Thousand Fists,” “Prayer,” “Bad Man,” a cover of Genesis’ “Land of Confusion,” and “The Game.” But their cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” seemed like the perfect time to head on to the next act.

Enter Kerry King of Slayer, a man I’ve seen and even photographed on stage on more than one occasion over the years. After the two sub-par sets we had just witnessed, it was a total breath of fresh air of metal for sure. Hearing the 1986 classic “Raining Blood” live again, and new tracks like “From Hell I Rise” (all being sung by Death Angel vocalist Mark Osegueda and with former Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel in tow as well, which were added bonuses for sure) was completely worthwhile.

Legendary Slayer guitarist Kerry King and his current “supergroup” that also includes Death Angel’s Mark Osegueda and ex-Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel on Thursday, 5/9/24 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

It was while transferring from one stage to the next again that I could see Disturbed were not only still on, but had invited a female guest singer on stage with them. I would later come to find out that guest was none other than Ann Wilson of Heart Fame (the two parties share vocal duties on the track “Don’t Tell Me”); it was a moment I wish we had been fully aware was happening, though I’m still glad we witnessed what little of it that we actually did.

And finally, Motley Crue. There was a time when I genuinely loved Motley Crue, but unfortunately they have not aged all that gracefully. With this latest appearance, I’ve now seen them a total of four times since 2005, and it feels as though they are merely climbing further and further downhill (taking original guitarist Mick Mars out of the equation in favor of John 5 was not necessarily the right move for them, either).

After kicking things off with a rather embarrassing “Breaking News” segment, the band opened their set decently enough with a somewhat strong version of their 1991 single “Primal Scream.” But from then on, it was merely more of the same old situation (if you’ve seen Motley Crue once, you’ve seen them more than enough times) that included “Too Fast For Love,” “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Live Wire,” and “On with the Show.” By the time the guys got to “new” track “Dogs of War,” it felt like more than a signal to finally call it a night.

Motley Crue closing out the first night of Welcome to Rockville on Thursday, 5/9/24 (Photo By Jesse Striewski).

Day 2:

The second day day of the festival was admittedly the least interesting one to me. The first act Jacob and I would catch on this day was ’90s female rockers Kittie, who I can’t say I was ever really a fan of, though there was a small amount of curiosity to hear how tracks like “Brackish” would sound firsthand.

After that, there was a bit of downtime before the next band of interest, Russian deathcore act Slaughter to Prevail, was on. I had only really given their music a spin once or twice in the past (unlike my kid, a noted fan), but there was no denying the amount of energy they threw down. After them, it was on to the sounds of ’90s punks The Offspring (my third time seeing them live since 2009).

I’ve always held a small spot in my heart for The Offspring, although their views boarder on idiocy to me, and the unceremonious dismissals of both founding bassist Greg K and former drummer Pete Parada (the latter of which apparently getting the boot over not wanting to get vaccinated – again, sheer idiocy) were downright lame in my book. Still, there’s no denying the catchy-ness of songs like “Come Out and Play,” “All I Want,” “Want You Bad,” “Staring at the Sun,” “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” “Blitzkrieg Bop” (one of at least three bands to cover the overplayed Ramones anthem at Rockville this year), “Bad Habbit,” “Gotta Get Away,” “Why Don’t You Get a Job?,” “(Can’t Get My) Head Around You,” “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy),” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright.”

The Offspring performing at Welcome to Rockville on Friday, 5/10/24 (Photo By Jesse Striewski).

Next up were Falling in Reverse, and although former Escape the Fate frontman Ronnie Radke still maintains the same energy he did back when I first saw the band at Earthday Birthday in 2011, something just feels “missing” now. Whether it’s the numerous lineup changes since then, or the quality of the music itself that has since been released, it’s not as thrilling of an act as it might have once been. Still, there was no denying the crowd was eating up tracks like “Zombified,” “I’m Not a Vampire,” “Losing My Mind,” “Fuck You and All Your Friends,” “The Drug in Me Is You,” “Just Like You,” “Popular Monster,” “Voices in My Head,” “Ronald,” and “Watch the World Burn.”

It had been quite awhile since I last saw Faith No More frontman Mike Patton live on stage with the short-lived Tomahawk back in 2002, and I was really looking forward to hearing the legendary singer on stage again with an act as eclectic as Mr. Bungle. Although the band is not for everyone’s tastes, is was still a trip watching Patton belt out the likes of “Hell Awaits,” “True,” and “You Lose” (among many others) alongside former FNM bandmate Trey Spruance, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, and original Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo.

Next up was singer/rapper Jelly Roll, who back when we first attended Rockville the first time in 2021 was one of the lower tier acts there (though I don’t recall actually seeing him at that time), but has since blown up to full headliner status. A cover of Toby Keith’s “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” was the first song I could hear emanating through the speakers while walking up. If for nothing more than sheer curiosity, we stuck it out long enough to hear tracks/hits like “Smoking Section,” “Same Asshole,” “The Hate Goes On,” “Bottle of Mary Jane,” “Dead Man Walking,” “Son of a Sinner,” and “Need a Favor” before going over to the last stage of the night for (I can’t believe I’m even saying it) Limp Bizkit.

Let me first start by saying I was never, not once a Limp Bizkit fan, ever (in fact, you might say I was even a “hater” back when they first emerged on the scene). But for whatever reason my kid is a fan, so I endured their set, all the way from the opening of “Break Stuff” to a cover of Riff Raff’s “Tip Toe Wing In My Jawwdinz” (can’t say I know that one!) with rapper Riff Raff himself. Even Jelly Roll made another appearance to help the band out on their cover of The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes.” I still can’t say I’m a fan, but after seeing them live, I can see how some might find Fred Durst and company entertaining now.

Day 3:

Saturday the 11th was definitely another day for the books. We arrived just in time to catch the very last song of Mammoth WVH’s (former Van Halen bassist and the son of the late Eddie Van Halen’s project) final song. But it was okay considering he would make another appearance later on in the day (stay tuned).

Stone Temple Pilots are one of those ’90s bands that have alluded me for many years now (though I was lucky enough to catch late singer Scott Weiland live on stage with Velvet Revolver in both 2005 and 2007). Even without Weiland there, his presence could still be felt as songs like “Wicked Garden,” “Big Bang Baby,” “Vaseline,” “Crackerman,” “Big Empty,” “Plush,” “Interstate Love Song,” “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart,” and “Sex Type Thing” all echoed through the air that afternoon.

Primus were up next, and significantly more entertaining than the first time I saw them open for Tool back in 2016 (I knew it was a good sign as I walked up to the sounds of “Sgt. Baker” – my personal favorite by them – being played). More gems like “Here Come the Bastards,” “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,” and “American Life” could be heard before it was time to move on to the next stage already.

Les Claypool and Primus rock Rockville on Saturday, 5/11/24 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

Helmet are another one of those bands I can’t say I ever really got that into either, and the one and only time I saw them prior (back at the 2006 Warped Tour), they didn’t really leave much of an impression. The only noticeable difference I can recall between the two shows was that they actually played the track “Milquetoast” (from 1994’s The Crow soundtrack) this time around.

Same goes for the next act, A Day to Remember. While I’ve seen them a couple of times previously as well, nothing has really left that big of an impression on me. One could of course hear such “hits” of theirs that day, including “The Downfall of us All” and “All I Want,” for better or worse. Still, it was no worse than catching a glimpse of L7’s set, which had to be the most unappealing act of the entire festival, and I don’t recall seeing a single smiling face between the group or the crowd.

The next band Greta Van Fleet seemed like a talented enough bunch with their throwback sound to ’70s rock, though can’t say I’ve ever given their music much mind, either. But as if L7 weren’t unappealing enough, Queens of the Stone Age had to be the most boring act of them all (and I actually don’t mind some of the material frontman Josh Homme has been a part of as a member of Kyuss). Tracks like “Little Sister” and “Go with the Flow” had me wanting to go somewhere else indeed.

Finally, the mighty Foo Fighters took the stage, and I had finally felt like I had come full circle seeing a member of Nirvana live in the form of frontman Dave Grohl (not to mention touring guitarist Pat Smear, also known for his time with ’70s punks the Germs, among others). Aiding them behind the drumkit now in place of the late Taylor Hawkins was also Josh Freese of The Vandals, Nine Inch Nails, and Guns N’ Roses (just to name a few).

I had not actually planned to stay the entirety of their two-hour set that night, but circumstances out of my control kept me there until the very last note of the very last song, which in hindsight I’m actually glad I did despite my exhaustion. The band started off with a strong start in the form of “All My Life,” “No Son of Mine,” “Rescued,” “The Pretender,” “Times Like These,” “La Dee Day,” “Breakout,” “Medicine at Midnight,” and “Walk.”

The most interesting moments of the evening however came when some guitar and keyboard solos lead to the band goofing around and just having a good time. First via the Beastie Boys’ “Sabatage,” then some individual moments; Pat Smear returning to his punk rock roots via “Blitzkreig Bop” (again with that song!) and Josh Freese pounding out some Nine Inch Nails beats via “March of the Pigs.” But the best moment of them all came when Grohl tricked his audience into believing he was playing Van Halen’s “Eruption,” only for it to be revealed it was actually Wolfgang Van Halen behind the scenes throwing down his father’s old riffs (a little bit of “Hot For Teacher” was then played for good measure, too).

Wolfgang Van Halen makes a surprise appearance mid-way through the Foo Fighters’ set on 5/11/24 to play some classic Van Halen riffs (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

After finishing the shenanigans, the band got back to business with “My Hero,” “The Sky is a Neighborhood,” “Learn to Fly,” “Arlandria,” “These Days,” “Shame Shame,” “All My Life,” “Nothing at All,” “The Glass,” “Monkey Wrench,” “Aurora,” “Best of You,” “The Teacher,” and “Everlong” (and it was at that moment, watching my son skip off hand and hand with his girlfriend to be up close, that I knew every minute of this festival was worth it).

Day 4:

By the fourth and final day (coincidentally, Mother’s Day), I was ready for a long reprieve to say the least. But we soldiered on as true warriors of rock (because what else can we do?), and made it in time for former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach’s set. The first time I had ever seen Bach all the way back in 2006, my son was only about six months old at the time. So to finally have him share in on these songs like “18 & Life” some eighteen years later, was an especially cool moment for me as a father (ironically Bach’s son is now behind the drums in his father’s band much like Soulfly, too).

Opening “Bachville” (as he so dubbed it himself) with his latest track “What Have I Got to Lose?,” he quickly belted out the classics with “Slave to the Grind” (which found Bach and company briefly segwaying into Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” too), “Here I Am,” “18 & Life,” “Monkey Business,” “I Remember You,” and “Youth Gone Wild.”

A couple more on my son’s list of bands to see, Wage War and Enter Shikari, were up next before we made it over to see one of the very first bands I ever saw at a music festival (at the 1997 Ozzfest), Fear Factory. A lot has unfortunately changed within their personal too since then though, but it was still a blast from the past to hear the likes of “Demanufacture” again. The next act (Atreyu) was another one I’ve seen several times in the past (most recently in 2010), but due to numerous inner changes their music just doesn’t hit the same anymore as it once did (songs like “Right Side of the Bed” and “Ex’s and Oh’s” just don’t have the same effect without ex-singer Alex Varkatzas screaming on them).

Sum 41 rock Daytona for possibly their last time ever on 5/12/24 as part of their final tour (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

About one or two songs each (about all that was needed) for Breaking Benjamin and Black Veil Brides followed before catching Sum 41 for their “final” tour. Another band I caught once upon a time at my first Vans Warped Tour back in 2001 (then once more in 2009, ironically with The Offspring), it may have been somewhat tolerable hearing tracks like “Motivation” and “The Hell Song” live one more time had it not been for the hordes of people clamoring to catch one last glimpse of them.

And then there’s Evanescence, a band I once saw at the height of their prime back in 2004, and another band that has gone through their own share of changes since then. But one thing is for certain, the voice of lead singer Amy Lee has not changed one bit, and is as strong as ever on tracks like “Going Under,” “Better Without You,” “Call Me When You’re Sober,” “Imaginary,” “Use My Voice,” and “Bring Me to Life” (their closer, which sounded odd this time without the “rapping” segment actually done right this time).

Amy Lee and Evanescence perform on the final night of Rockville on Sunday, 5/12/24 (Photo By Jacob Striewski).

By the time Slipknot hit the stage (this time wearing “throwback” masks from the late ’90s), I was ready to call it a night/weekend/all of the above. “(515),” “People = Shit,” “Eyeless,” “Disasterpiece,” “Custer,” and “Psychosocial” were more than enough to hear before doing just that, finally. I can’t say for certain whether or not this might be my last major music festival like this (this old man is definitely starting to feel his age for sure), but should it be, I’d say it was a high enough note to go out on.

Album Review: Skid Row – The Gang’s All Here (earMUSIC)

By: Jesse Striewski

It’s ironic how the same “fans” that continue to kick and scream for Skid Row to reunite with former frontman Sebastian Bach are also the same folks who can’t name a song of theirs past the three “hits” that still receive considerable mainstream radio airplay.

Sure, Bach’s era with the band was no doubt their peak, but they’ve long since moved on without him, going through a host of different singers in the meantime and avoiding opening up the door to that former toxic relationship again (regardless of which party was in the “wrong” is really besides the point; I know I’m personally not about to go back to one of my crazy ex’s if something were to ever happen to my wife and I). Besides, plenty of other band’s have had successful careers without the face originally at the forefront…Iron Maiden comes to mind.

But I digress; newcomer Erik Gronwall’s more than an admirable fit for the band on his debut album with them, The Gang’s All Here (their first release since both 2014’s United World Rebellion: Chapter Two EP, and the passing of former singer Johnny Solinger). The second “Hell Or High Water” hits the needle, I knew this was on a much different level from any of the work they’ve put out in more recent years with Solinger.

Ironically, the album’s first two singles, “Time Bomb” and “Tear it Down,” were my least favorite of the bunch. Numbers like “Resurrected,” “When the Lights Go Down,” and the epic seven minute power ballad “October’s Sky,” were reminiscent of 1991’s classic Slave to the Grind album, and far more interesting.

I’m actually surprised by how much I truly liked The Gang’s All Here; if the guys keep this up, they might be able to continue putting out more solid releases like this with Gronwall at the helm, despite what the critics may say or want.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Book Review: Nothin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ’80s Hard Rock Explosion By Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock (St. Martins Press)

By: Jesse Striewski

With renewed interest in the decade of decadence continually growing each year, there’s no shortage of various media information on ’80s hard rock (a.k.a. ‘hair’ or ‘glam’ rock) and heavy metal out there these days. But this new book by rock journalists Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock (with a brief forward by Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor) is truly the new bible on ’80s hard rock and heavy metal.

Largely tracing it’s roots back to the influence Van Halen had on the movement in the mid to late ’70s, here the two authors put together a collection of interviews that includes numerous musicians, producers, promoters, magazine editors, and the like, to help tell the tale of arguably one of rock’s greatest eras. Various key members of such staple acts as Motley Crue, Ratt, Guns N’ Roses, Quiet Riot, Dokken, L.A. Guns, W.A.S.P., Poison, Cinderella, and Warrant, – as well as numerous Rewind It Magazine interviewees from over the years – including Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister, Jack Russell of Great White, Brian Forsthye of Kix, and Rachel Bolan of Skid Row (among many others), are just some who help recall the foundation of the genre that changed it all in great detail.

The perspective is unique and fresh, despite some of the stories already found in other published works (many of those involved have previously published their own individual biographies). There’s even a brief but brilliant collection of many never-before-seen photos included as well. In short, Nothin’ But a Good Time is a rollercoaster ride of literature from start to finish, and one of the best of it’s kind currently available on the subject. It simply ‘don’t get better than this.’

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Interview with Quiet Riot/H&B Guitarist Alex Grossi By Jesse Striewski

When I spoke to Quiet Riot/Hookers & Blow guitarist Alex Grossi via phone from his Las Vegas home last week, one of the first things I mentioned was how our paths had already crossed previously back in 2006, when I saw him perform with Quiet Riot on a bill that also included Skid Row in Ormand Beach. To my surprise, he actually remembered the exact show; “Oh yeah, during one of those Bike Week events! I vividly remember going to a Waffle House afterwards with a bunch of bikers and meeting with some fans (laughs). That was a good show!”

While technically it was actually Biketoberfest and not Bike Week (though I won’t fault him for it too much, it does get confusing!), I was still impressed none-the-less for remembering, and knew it was primed to be a good conversation from then on out. So of course I tested his memory further and asked him to recall how exactly Hookers & Blow, his cover band he formed along with Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed (one of two GN’R members Grossi has worked with extensively, the other being former drummer Steven Adler in Adler’s Appetite) around the same time he joined Quiet Riot (in 2004), originally came together. He tells me; “We met at a place on Sunset Blvd. that’s no longer there called the Cat Club. It was sort of like the local musicians watering hole, where they would have an open jam there every night. I approached him to see if he wanted to maybe do some cover gigs. We exchanged numbers, and a couple of days later he said, ‘yeah, let’s book some shows, but call the band Hookers & Blow.’ And I said, ‘sounds good to me,’ and we gave it a shot, and it sort of snowballed from there. Now seventeen years later we’re finally putting out a record (laughs).”

The band has seen it’s share of members come and go, and Grossi did his best to clarify; “We’ve had a bazillion guys in and out of the band over the years, but the ‘core’ as of right now is myself on guitar and Dizzy on vocals and keys, but we also have Mike Duda from W.A.S.P. on bass, and Johnny Kelly from Type O Negative/Danzig on drums. And as far as who also appears on the album, (late Quiet Riot drummer) Frankie Banali did a couple of songs, and so did Scott Griffin from L.A. Guns. And when it comes to the touring aspect, we’ve had everyone from Chip Z’Nuff from Enuff Z’ Nuff and Todd Kerns from Slash’s band play with us live. It’s been a rotating lineup, but like I said, the core is really myself, Dizzy, Duda, and Kelly, and also Dizzy’s wife, Nadja, on background vocals.”

Drummer Kelly has also been pulling double duty in Quiet Riot along with Grossi, taking over for the previously-mentioned late drummer Banali. I asked if this arrangement would be permanent or not, and he said; “When Frankie got sick, Johnny kind of fell into the spot. At first he was just keeping the seat warm, but now we need him to keep it warm for us every night. He’s been with Hookers & Blow for eight years now though, so it made sense for him to fill that (now unfortunately empty) seat for Quiet Riot. But he’s doing a great job, and he’s family, so I’m really glad it’s worked out the way it has.”

I also asked Grossi for some insight on how H&B chooses the songs for it’s sets, as well as for their upcoming full length album. He explained; “Well, when we initially got together we were only playing live shows, so we basically were sending master lists of the songs we all knew back and forth through emails to each other. And over the years we’ve since added and subtracted songs from the set. But as far as the record goes, I’d say it’s about fifty percent of our live set, and then the other half are songs we’ve always wanted to cover. For example, we cover Body Count’s “The Winner Loses,” and we’ve never played that live before. Then on the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got a track like David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust,” which is literally the first song we’ve ever played together and have played at every single show since.” But Grossi maintains that H&B doesn’t indulge too much when it comes to playing their respective bands’ music in their sets; “We’ll throw in the occasional Guns N’ Roses deep cut, but for the most part we like to keep it completely separate from our day jobs (laughs).”

I was also curious if a cover of Led Zepplin’s “Trampled Under Foot,” which featured the late Banali on drums, was a personal favorite of Frankie’s. He tells me; “That was a really special track. He was given 3-6 months to live in April of 2019, and he recorded that track in November of that same year after about a dozen rounds of chemo, and he still did it all in one take. He was definitely amazing though, just a monster. But we learned that, and “No Quarter” specifically for him, cause Zepplin was obviously Frankie’s favorite band. “Trampled…” we actually played live for years before we recorded it. In 2013 we got hired to do a residency at the Whiskey A Go-Go for a month, and Frankie wanted to come down and play, and asked if we could put some Zepplin in the set. We did, and it just turned out great.”

Before our conversation ended, Grossi clarified that Quiet Riot will still go on, and confirmed some upcoming show dates with both them and H&B; “We’re still going full steam ahead, that’s what Frankie wanted. His wife has taken over as manager and is doing a great job, and it’s nice to be able to still carry on his legacy, and it’s like having him here still in a way. But both bands actually have shows booked for the year already; Quiet Riot has a show March 6 at the Landis Theater in Vineland, NJ. And Hookers & Blow actually have four shows in Texas the following week, in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Eagles Pass. They’re reduced capacity shows of course, but thing’s are slowly opening up, and wherever it makes sense for us, we’re going to do some shows here and there.”

One final thing I wanted to ask Grossi, was his thoughts on the late, great guitar legend Eddie Van Halen’s recent passing. Grossi tells me; “I was such a HUGE fan of Eddie’s, but I never aspired to play like him, because I knew I never could! There was Eddie, and then there was everybody else. It’s almost surreal that he’s not here with us anymore.”

The Beautiful Bastards at The Alley in Sanford, FL on 11/28/20 Words By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

The third and final show Rewind It Magazine made an appearance for this past Saturday, November 28, was none other than local cover act, The Beautiful Bastards. It was the only fitting ending to an already epic evening in Sanford that began with a Tiffany show at Buster’s Bistro in downtown, was bridged by an outdoor concert from The Original Wailers at Executive Cigar, before finally finishing things up at The Alley.

As some of you may recall, we have covered shows from The Beautiful Bastards in the past, as well as even interviewed drummer Timothy DiDuro (formerly of Skid Row/Slaughter/the Vince Neil band) earlier this year. On this particular night, the band – which is of course rounded out by the talents of vocalist/bassist Rick Navarro (formerly of the Pat Travers Band) and guitarist Dean Aicher (formerly of ex-Bad Company singer Brian Howe’s solo band), were once again firing on all cylinders.

Upon arrival, the boys were just closing out their first set with a cover of the Queens of Stone Ages’ “No One Knows” before taking a breather. We were able to briefly catch up with a couple of the guys (Tim and Rick) from the band during the intermission, and they both seemed as pumped up as ever to be out playing live again during these strange times. But the absolute icing on the cake came just minutes after when, my wife/photographer, Brooke, pointed out that none other than Tiffany herself was in the bar as well – and seated right behind us! It was an absolute thrill to finally meet her, and for the night to come full circle in such a way.

After the excitement, the band returned to the stage with a mammoth version of Led Zepplin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” before launching into a fury of classic rock numbers that also included Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar,” The Who’s Behind Blue Eyes,” Alice in Chains’ “Nutshell,” The Beatles’ “Helter Skeltor,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer,” The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” and Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun,” before finally ending things with a raucous version of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.”

After eight months since last covering a live event (which was Overkill at the House of Blues in Orlando last March), Saturday’s trio of shows was a much-needed jolt back into the music scene that was without a doubt one for the books. And if you haven’t already caught the ‘Bastards live for yourselves, be sure to check the band’s FB/social media sites for show dates near you!

Interview with Skid Row Bassist Rachel Bolan By Jesse Striewski (Photo By Gary Wolstenholme)

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It’s not unheard of for musicians to occasionally branch out into other, often similar or related fields. Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan is already known to broaden his horizons with extracurricular activities; since co-founding the band in New Jersey in 1986, Bolan has kept himself busy with hobbies both in and out of music, being involved in everything from side projects, to competing in high performance car races. Bolan’s most recent venture in the soap business (appropriately titled Dirty Rocker Soap) might not be the most obvious of choices to some, but makes sense when considering the amount of miles musicians like Bolan average a year in travel time. I was recently able to catch up with Bolan regarding said foray into the world of hygienics, as well as take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the many highlights of his tenure with Skid Row.

Before we got in to any serious talk regarding music or soap, and knowing Bolan originally hails from the same state as yours truly (New Jersey), I was curious what ties he still had to the Garden State, if any. He informs me; “I moved out of New Jersey in 2000, then lived to Atlanta for maybe 14 years before coming to Nashville a little over 5 years ago. All my friends were moving out here, and there’s really no music scene in Atlanta so to speak, so I came here.” I was also wondering if his parent’s house in Tom’s River, NJ, where the band spent their earliest days rehearsing, was still standing. He tells me; “That house is still there! The road’s a lot wider, so the front yard’s a lot more narrow and closer to the street than it was when I was a kid, but it’s still there.” He also notes that he does still have plenty of friends and family residing in the NJ/PA areas to this day as well.

Regarding just how he got things going with Dirty Rocker, he says; “It was about a year and a half ago now that I basically came up with the concept. Every band seems to be putting out their own hot sauce or coffee these days, so it was an idea that kind of culminated with another necessity. With traveling so much, you come across a lot of hotels that just have mass-produced soap that just doesn’t feel good, and already being prone to skin irritations, I thought, ‘let me try making my own soap.’ No one in rock music has ever put out a soap before to my knowledge, so I just took it from there. I have a friend who actually makes soap, and she gave me the lessons on what to do and what not to do. With her help, I was able to start selling soap, and it’s the craziest thing because it just kind of took off! (laughs). The response has been overwhelming though, and it still is.”

As far as how his new venture has been effected so far by the pandemic, Bolan informs me; “The timing has been completely coincidental – no one could have seen everything coming that has so far this year. But now I have time to dedicate to it, along with writing and all that stuff. But it just happened very organically, and now here we are talking about it.” Bolan also shares his personal preferences with me; “I’m a big fan of the Lemongrass Green, Mother Earth, and Lavendorwood. I like all the other ones too, but those are my top three, and they seem to be the ones I go through quickest online.” I also wanted to know if the other guys in Skid Row had tried Dirty Rocker yet, to which he tells me; “It’s funny that you mention that, because just yesterday I was thinking, ‘man, I got to send some out to these guys!’ (laughs) I haven’t seen them in awhile, but yeah, I’ll send them some soon for sure.”

The current Skid Row lineup with former DragonForce vocalist ZP Theart has been intact for just over four years now. I asked Bolan what it’s been like since having Theart enter the fold, and he states; “ZP’s band I Am I came out on the road with Skid Row at one point, and our friendship just grew stronger from that. Then when it was time for us to find a new singer, we called him. He came in, and it was just effortless for him. He had been listening to us since he was a kid; when we put out the first record, he was just 12 or 13! But he came in and just knocked it out of the park, and here we are nearly five years later. He’s a great frontman, great singer, and overall just a really great dude.”

Having been continually (and meticulously) working on a biography of Skid Row for the past two-plus years, I was already well versed on the band’s history prior to our interview (and judging by his reactions, Bolan was even impressed by my knowledge a time or two throughout). Still, there were some fuzzy details about the band’s formation, including the original lineup (which often incorrectly lists a former school mate of Bolan’s as the original drummer) that I wanted to clarify. I started by revisiting how Bolan and co-founder/guitarist Dave “The Snake” Sabo had met while the latter was working at the Garden State Music Center in the mid-80s. He explains; “Scotti (Hill, Skid Row guitarist) and I had a band before Skid Row that we were thinking of disbanding. At the same time I had just met Snake – and there was a point where all three of us worked at that store (Garden State Music Center) at the same time, which was just freaking chaos all the time! (laughs). I realized I had actually met Snake years before when he mentioned he lived in Sayerville and was previously in a band called Steel Fortune. We got to talking, and he told me he needed a bass player for this new band he had. He already had Matt (Fallon, also ex-Steel Fortune, as well as Anthrax) on vocals, Jim (Yuhas) on guitar, and Charlie (Mills) on drums – those were all Snake’s ‘crew.’ And then once Scotti came in and we shifted some people around (eventually adding drummer Rob Affuso and vocalist Sebastian Bach to complete the band’s ‘classic’ lineup), it started taking on a new life and ended up working out really well, obviously” (laughs). As soon as Snake and I started writing songs together, it just turned in to dropping everything, and focusing on Skid Row.”

I also inquired if he remembered just what that first song the band ever composed together was. He points out; “It was a song called ‘Telephone.” I remember the riff and chorus, and I know there’s a demo of it on cassette around in a box somewhere that I’ve got to find!” Skid Row have obviously produced many great songs since those early days, and hits like “I Remember You” and “Youth Gone Wild” will always remain staples in their set lists. But I wanted to know if there were any possible obscure tracks Bolan would ever consider resurrecting, such as the forgotten “Walk Like A Stranger” off of their original 1986 demo. His reaction; “I haven’t even heard or thought about that song in years! (laughs) Our buddy’s in Trixter actually did a really good cover of it a few years back. We have brought back “Forever” from that first demo a couple of times recently though, and it seems to have gone over well.”

And as far as how the band is holding up with all of the uncertainties of today’s world, Bolan proclaims; “Everyone’s keeping it together. We’re still making music, or at least sending each other ideas. It’s a new way of doing things that we’re totally not used to, but I think everyone’s kind of going through that no matter what line of work they’re in. But whenever everything ‘rights’ itself and we all go back to ‘normal life,’ I think everyone’s going to be a lot stronger for it.” While on the subject, I saw this as a good chance to ask if there might be some new music materializing soon. He replied; “I’m hoping so. If we don’t get the songs out all at once, maybe we’ll release just a song or two or something. But yeah, we’re hoping to have something out (if not the whole thing) in the not-too-distant future…and I can confidently say it shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Interview with Drummer Timothy DiDuro By Jesse Striewski/Photo By Brooke Striewski

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For nearly three decades, Timothy DiDuro has been bashing the skins for bands all over the central, FL area and beyond. After a brief gig drumming for Skid Row in early 2004, he went on to play with Slaughter for seven years as their touring drummer, before also blasting out Motley Crue hits as a member of Vince Neil’s solo band (much like another ex-Skid Row drummer Rewind It Magazine has interviewed in the past had done, DiDuro’s predecessor in Skid Row, Phil Varone).

DiDuro keeps things a little more locally these days, lending his talents to the metal act Rising Up Angry, as well as cover supergroup The Beautiful Bastards, an act that Rewind It Magazine was also on hand to see perform live in DeLand last year (which is also what this article’s photo is from). Timothy has almost single-handely taken on another new project in the form of JettRacer, a creative outlet that finds him also singing and playing guitar in addition to playing the drums, with Seether bassist Corey Lowery being the only other musician involved in the mix.

I was recently able to speak to Timothy, and one of the first things I wanted to know was about his brand new project with Lowery, which he tells me, “A few years back, I started writing and stockpiling my own material after years of being a ‘hired gun’ drummer. I was working with a guy named Zach Vick at the time, who had a studio and basically able to go there and do some pre-production, as well as write a bunch of material myself. I sat on a lot of the stuff for awhile, but then the whole thing with Corey came about when I decided to reach out to him one day and tell him I had this material that I’d like to work with him on as possibly a producer. He was instantly up for it, so I sent him a couple of tracks, and he happened to pick the track “It’s Not the End” (which you can also check out right now on YouTube) to re-work with me, and it turned out great. I thought the timing to release this single would be perfect, not only because of the state of the world and how we’re living right now, but I thought it might actually be something somewhat inspiring. Brandon Goldthwaite also did such an amazing job producing the video.”

He goes on to elaborate regarding stepping out from behind the drum set to the microphone/songwriter’s seat and says, “It’s not what people normally expect from me musically, but I just kinda wanted to do something on my own, so I just kept pushing myself to do it. There are guys out there who have went from drummers to writers, and I always found that inspiring.” I also asked what was in store for the future of JettRacer, and Timothy tells me, “I haven’t even really thought about a live, physical band yet, but like I said, I have a stockpile of material, and I’m going to absolutely continue writing.”

DiDuro also informs me that once things blow over in these current quarantined conditions that he will definitely be picking back up with his other projects, such as The Beautiful Bastards, saying, “I just enjoy playing with those guys so much, we always have a great time together.” He also says there should be more stuff to look out for in the near future from Rising Up Angry, another local outfit he had previously gotten involved with shortly before the days of social distancing.

And I’m not sure what kind of Skid Row fan I would be if I didn’t ask at least one question regarding how DiDuro did time in one of the biggest bands to ever emerge out of my home state of New Jersey; “I basically got a phone call from a drummer friend of mine, Will Hunt from Evanescence, and he’s the one who pretty much put me in that driver’s seat and basically told the band about me…so kudos to Will (Laughs)! It was super brief to be honest with you, though. I didn’t really have a lot of time to do my homework, and they had a full world tour booked, so I think a lot of that really came down on me. I ended up doing just a couple shows and videos with them, and ironically enough when I ended up being with Slaughter, we ended up doing a lot of co-headlining shows together! So for years and years I was actually able to still hang out and see them play, and they’re still friends of mine to this day.”

You can check out the video for DiDuro’s new track here;

Album Review: Quiet Riot – Hollywood Cowboys (Frontiers Music srl)

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By: Jesse Striewski

If ever there was a band worthy of comparison to Spinal Tap, it has got to be today’s incarnation of Quiet Riot. As if the album cover didn’t already give it away, Hollywood Cowboys is a bit on the amateurish side.

On their second (and now final) studio album recorded with former American Idol singer James Durbin on vocals (ex-vocalist Jizzy Pearl has now stepped back in to fill the spot once again), unfortunately what the band has compiled here doesn’t sound much better than essentially a demo recording. I was honestly surprised the band didn’t rush back in to re-record Durbin’s vocals with Pearl, much like they had done when Durbin replaced previous singer Sean Nicols on 2017’s Road Rage album.

All things considered, some of the songs found here actually aren’t that bad. Tracks like “Insanity” actually contains some fairly impressive guitar work, and “Hellbender” probably stands above everything else here. But the mix is still so off throughout the entire album, with the drums simply overpowering everything else. Perfect example; look up lead off single “Don’t Call it Love” on YouTube and see how many people agree with that exact same sentiment in the comment section.

I’m not the kind of person who enjoys being overly critical for the sake of being harsh, but I’m also not going to sugar coat things. I actually really dug Quiet Riot back in the day (one of the best concerts I’ve actually ever been to was a bill they were on with Skid Row back in 2006, a year before original lead singer Kevin Dubrow’s untimely passing), and I honestly sympathize with drummer Frankie Banali’s recent cancer diagnosis (and wish him the best with it). But there’s a reason why some bands from their era don’t maintain the same status as an act like Motley Crue. There’s also usually a fairly good (and dysfunctional) reason for so many rotating lineups in a band, and Durbin most likely wisely stepped down from his now former group.

Rating: 1.5/5 Stars

Sebastian Bach and Vixen at the Hard Rock Live Orlando on 10/30/19 By Jesse Striewski/Photos by Brooke Striewski

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Last year Rewind It Magazine was there to bring you coverage of former Skid Row front man Sebastian Bach’s show at The Plaza Live. This past Wednesday night, October 30, at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Bach seemed to be full of a sense of rejuvenation as he plowed through a set that consisted entirely of his former band’s music, and the crowd ate up every minute. It was no small feat for him to pull off such an epic show, either, considering he was dealing with personal issues, having just learned of his family’s home in California being under evacuation due to wildfires shortly before going on stage.

Newcomers Kobra and the Lotus kicked off the night with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm expected from a lesser-experienced act. Front woman Kobra Paige was easily the center of attention as she slinked around on stage in a blue jump suit, belting out numbers like “Burn!” and “Let me Love You.” It also didn’t hurt she had immense talent backing her, including the dual guitar work of Jasio Kulakowski and Ronny Gutierrez.

Vixen were up next, and have been on my radar of bands to see for awhile now. Although something did feel like it was missing without former vocalist Janet Gardner and of course founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund (R.I.P.), former Femme Fatale singer Lorraine Lewis and Jaded guitarist Britt Lightning did more than admirable jobs in their shoes (especially Lightning, whose looks first caught my eye when I saw her play with Jaded back in 2005). The band opened their set with a number from Lewis’ previously mentioned former band, “Waiting on the Big One.” More songs from throughout the band’s career followed, including “Cryin’,” “Runnin’ with the Devil/I Want You to Rock Me” and “You Ought to Know,” before of course ending it with their most recognizable hit, “Edge of a Broken Heart.”

Finally Bach hit the stage, opening his set curiously with a more obscure Skid Row number, “Forever,” before going into the first Skid Row album in it’s entirety as promised. And as soon as the familiar riffs of “Big Guns” kicked into gear, it was clear it was on! The rest of the album’s first side – “Sweet Little Sister,” “Can’t Stand the Heartache,” “Piece of Me,” “18 & Life,” and “Rattlesnake Shake” – relentlessly followed.

Before going to “Side 2,” a turntable was actually wheeled out on stage, and the band even briefly segued into the theme song of “WKRP in Cincinnati” before Bach literally dropped the record’s needle to signify the start of “Youth Gone Wild.” Pandemonium quickly ensued, as that lead to two more of the album’s heavier tracks in the form of “Here I Am” and “Makin’ a Mess.” Things of course slowed down a bit for “I Remember You” before closing the album portion of the set out with “Midnight.”

Of course the band wasn’t quite finished yet, and came back for an encore of tracks from the Slave to the Grind album, including “Slave to the Grind,” “The Threat,” “In a Darkened Room,” “Monkey Business,” and even ending with the once-controversial “Get the Fuck Out.”

It was definitely a treat to hear so many songs that normally would not have been included in his set list, and about the only other thing Bach could’ve possibly done to make the night even more complete would have been invite his former Madam X bandmate and Vixen drummer Roxy Petrucci on the stage to jam “We Reserve the Right to Rock.” Still, I’ve seen Bach live multiple times on his own, and I’ve seen his former band Skid Row play without him as well. I can honestly say that watching Bach perform a full set of Skid Row music, with photos and videos of his former band being displayed the whole time on screens on all sides of the stage, was by far the best night of Skid Row music from start to finish I’ve ever witnessed so far.

The Beautiful Bastards at OB’s Restaurant & Lounge on 9/7/19 By Jesse Striewski/Photo By Brooke Striewski

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It’s not often we feature a cover artist or band here at Rewind It Magazine. But when the group happens to consist of rock royalty such as former Brian Howe (Bad Company) guitarist Dean Aicher, former Skid Row/Slaughter drummer Timothy DiDuro, and former Pat Travers Band bassist Rick Navarro (who has also shared the stage with the likes of Steven Tyler and the late Eddie Money), we’ll make an exception for the likes of The Beautiful Bastards.

Immediately upon arriving at O.B’s in DeLand this past Saturday, September 7, one could here the unmistakable chords from a familiar Beatles song. After taking a seat at the bar, my assistant/photographer/wife and I were instantly greeted with a warm welcome from the friendly bar keep, and after just one quick look around, it was apparent we were in the right kind of establishment.

Some members of the crowd even danced as the band ripped through tracks like Free’s “All Right Now,” Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar,” Led Zepplin’s “Dancing Days,” The Who’s “Squeeze Box” and “Behind Blue Eyes,” The Beatles’ “Come Together,” and Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” before taking a break. Unfortunately, parenting duties caused us to call it a night earlier than expected for us, and we were unable to hang around for the band’s next set afterwards. But still, it was the perfect excuse for a night out filled with classic rock music (even if it was only for a short time).

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