Drummer Nick Menza says he was asked to rejoin Megadeth – but refused when he was offered a “very unfair deal.”
Menza confirmed that he met with Dave Mustaine to discuss a reunion of the band’s Rust In Peace era lineup, which would have seen him and Marty Friedman back in the band.
He says he even recorded drums for a number of new Megadeth tracks, but adds he was “blown away by the way the band conducts business.”
Menza said, “I was totally ready and excited to get back in Megadeth. I went to Dave’s house/studio in San Diego this past December and we jammed for the weekend and it was totally cool. We instantly fell right back into our musical groove together.
A few weeks after this, we all got together with our old manager Ron Laffitte for a dinner meeting at the Anaheim White House restaurant during NAMM. It was great seeing Ron and Marty. We all talked about the plans for a new record and touring and I made it known I was into rejoining and making this my priority. I was pumped, and even went as far as recording drums on five new Megadeth songs Dave had sent me.”
He continues, “As soon as I got home and it was time to sit down and negotiate my terms in writing, I was offered a very unfair deal that was so wrong. They didn’t feel I was worth anything to the band. Dave blocked my emails, changed his number and then, apparently, Laffitte was fired as the band’s manager. Here is one of my favorite bands and a huge part of my life achievements and I was shut out for wanting a fair deal.
I am really blown away how this band conducts business. A band is about a group of people who have respect for one another, sense of loyalty, camaraderie, and, most of all, honour and trust.
I’m not a puppet. I have integrity, loyalty, and honour. That’s who I am.”
After Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover left the band last year, Menza and Friedman both made it clear they wouldn’t rule out a return. But this month the band confirmed Chris Adler as their new drummer, with Kiki Loureiro taking on guitar duties.
As previously reported, singer Johnny Solinger announced his departure from Skid Row. Skid Row members Dave “The Snake” Sabo and Rachel Bolan were guests on tonight’s edition (April 6th) of Eddie’s Sirius/XM show, Eddie Trunk Live, to discuss the events. Excerpts from the interview, exclusively transcribed by me for the site, appear below.
Discussing the departure of singer Johnny Solinger:
Snake: Firstly, there was no animosity, we just thought it was time to make a change. We [had] been feeling this way for a little while..We are thankful for the 15 years [Johnny gave to the band], but we needed to make a change.
Eddie: He announced on his Facebook page that he left, did he leave or was that a band decision?
Snake: We instituted the change…contrary to what he said, it was our decision.
Rachel:…It just became evident awhile back, not a long while back, maybe a year ago, or so, everyone was going in a different direction..We just wanted to be the best band we could be and I think [we all] had different ideas for quality. So, it was one of those things. Man, we talked about it, we wrestled over it and we were like, ‘This is Skid Row. This means a lot to us.’ We started this 25 years ago and it’s something that sucks doing, but we’re okay with doing it…cause..this is our lives.
Eddie: Did you ever feel it was clicking with [Solinger] or did you feel it was never 100 percent right?
Rachel: We were clicking big time. I thought we made a lot of great music together…I think it was when we were in the studio [recording the EP’s] that it really became evident that we all didn’t have the same heart and soul..It’s just one of those things. It’s tough to make a decision like this, but we did.
Snake: This has nothing to do with Johnny not being a good person. He’s a really good person and we all got along well. There is no animosity at all from our end. These decisions are terrible decisions to make, they’re awful. The guy has been with us for 15 years and we saw a lot of miles of road together and I feel extremely fortunate to have spent that time in a band with him..He’s a great singer and he is going to be fine…We basically [told Johnny] that we are making a change and getting a new singer.
Eddie: How did he handle it? Did it come as a surprise to him?
Snake: Yes, it did..[He found out] this morning…[There was] no screaming and shouting. We were both very respectful to one another. This is not something that was easy in any way, but something that was necessary.
Eddie: Rachel, this is the second time you have had to do this in Skid Row. I imagine the first time with Sebastian it was a different tone because there was tension across [at] that time, so that was probably a very different sort of feeling then [this time around]. Would that be the case?
Rachel: Yeah, you know that was a completely different situation. There was a lot of bad blood there, and yeah, it was completely [different]. This was something like Snake said, there wasn’t any animosity. We [just] all didn’t have our eyes on the same prize, [and] at this point, it interfered with moving forward and that is why we made a change.
Eddie:…So, who will be the new singer in Skid Row?
Snake: Tony Harnell of TNT.
Eddie:..How did Tony come on your radar?
Snake: We’ve both known Tony for a really, really long time. [I have] always admired him as a singer..He’s just a really, really good guy. I think we all found ourselves kind of at a crossroads, so to speak, at a serendipitous moment in our lives. So, the thought was in the back of our heads, maybe we should reach out to him?
Rachel:…When it came into our mind[s] that we were going to make a switch, we spoke about Tony because he seemed like a natural fit and we got in touch with him..He was way into it and we were way into it. We got together, we played some songs [and it] sounded great. We just did some recording together, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is awesome.’ It just sounds like [such] a natural fit. We’re very happy and happy to have him on board.
Discussing a reunion with Sebastian Bach:
Eddie: You know I have to ask, and I saw online that a sea of people starting asking, ‘What about a reunion [with Sebastian]?’ This would have been the window for [it]…
Sanke: I understand that, but it wasn’t something we [even] entertained, to be quite honest. It’s just something that we didn’t even think about. Making a change, for us, was about getting somebody new.
Eddie: Rachel, you have been steadfast for 20 years now, saying a reunion with Sebastian was never going to happen. I don’t think after this, anyone could possibly question you again about how truthful you have been about [sticking to that statement].
Rachel: Honestly, all of us were like, ‘You know what? It’s not something we want to do.’..Everybody’s got their own thing going on, cool, and that’s not something we ever considered. We never once said, ‘Well, let’s have a reunion.’ We’re like, ‘Let’s think about Tony.’..It was just that simple..I’ve been made to be the bad guy and I’ve taken a lot of flack. That’s fine, but [no], it never even entered our minds.
Snake: Rachel’s right. This is a group [and we] wanted to get someone new. Rachel has been labeled the bad guy and that is completely off the mark. It shouldn’t be that way because it’s OUR decision. For better or worse, we’ve made decisions in this band…sometimes they’re not popular, but you have to be happy in doing what you do.
Eddie: There are a ton of bands out there that would do a reunion tour simply for the massive paycheck..[but] no one could ever accuse Skid Row of [taking the] easy route.
Rachel: We make good money, as much as people think we have part time jobs at Taco Cabana [laughs]..We get stuff on Facebook like, ‘Do a reunion, you will make so much money.’ Well, I have money and I’m really happy and it’s not something we want to do. People just don’t understand it..and that’s fine. This about music and making music for a living…Sorry to disappoint, but I’ve done that a few times in my life.
Talking about the band’s current strategy:
Eddie: So, what are the plans now?
Rachel: [Tony’s] coming down for rehearsals in the middle of May. We have some shows that we will be announcing/posting tonight on our site and on all our social media [accounts]. We are just jumping into the fire [and] going for it. [As I said], we’re going to rehearse for three days, then we head out to Canada and, I think, California into that show in Vegas…There’s a lot on the burner right now and it will all be posted soon…We have recorded one thing with Tony that we will put out soon. It’s being mastered right now.
Eddie: It is a new song or a rerecording?
Rachel: [You will] just have to wait [laughing]. It’s going to be cool..We’re very excited about our future. It’s going to be a fun year.
According to a posting on his Facebook page Skid Row singer Johnny Solinger has just announced that he has quit the band to pursue his solo career.
He writes, “I have decided to leave Skid Row to pursue my solo career. The past 15 years has been a great experience and I have appreciated the opportunity to be the lead singer in one of the most prominent bands of the 1990’s and share stages with the likes of Aerosmith, Bon Jovi and KISS performing in front of millions throughout the world. I wish Skid Row the best of luck in their future pursuits.”
Sid Row’s releases with Solinger include: 2003’s Thickskin, 2006’s Revolutions Per Minute) and the band’s two most recent EPs: United World Rebellion: Chapter One (2013) and Rise Of The Damnation Army – United World Rebellion: Chapter Two (2014).
Rachel Bolan and Dave “The Snake” Sabo will be guests on Eddie Trunk’s SiriusXM satellite radio show Eddie Trunk Live tonight (4/6).
The answer is “yes,” says Joe Lynn Turner. The singer insists he’ll cut a deal with his former Rainbow bandmate for a reunion in 2015.
“He’s itching to do some rocking, and we’re going to get together in the fall,” Turner told Classic Rock on April 5th, following a solo performance in London.
“Ritchie is really, really ready to rock. He still has the chops too.”
Turner talked about a Rainbow reunion in December 2014, noting that Blackmore “deserves to go out in a big blaze of glory.” Talks were reportedly held that month.
“Now is the time—2015,” Turner said in December. “Everybody’s sitting there waiting for this to happen.”
Rainbow were active from 1974 through 1984, when they disbanded. At the time, Blackmore and bassist Roger Glover returned to Deep Purple, where they had originally performed together from the late Sixties to the early Seventies. Rainbow regrouped in 1993 with Doogie White replacing Turner on vocals.
Blackmore split from Rainbow in 1997 to focus on Blackmore’s Night, his Renaissance-influenced group with his wife, Candice Night. The band has been the sole outlet for his work since then. To date, Blackmore’s Night have released nine studio albums.
According to Turner, previous negotiations for a Rainbow reunion included a 60-day tour and an HD 3-D movie. Those plans reportedly fell apart when Blackmore pulled out to work on a Blackmore’s Night project.
Turner added that bassists Jimmy Bain and Bob Daisley have both been recruited, though it’s unclear why the band would need two bassists. Bain performed with Rainbow from 1975 to 1977, when Daisley took over and stayed until 1979.
“I’m not sure if it’s going to be a Rainbow reunion or a bunch of remakes—which I detest, because you can’t improve on perfection,” Turner said. “But that’s what’s happening.”
Stay tuned, and we will see if it actually happens this time.
[Ed’s note: Thank you to T for the link to this article.]
Sammy Hagar and Metallica’s James Hetfield will headline their second annual Acoustic-4-A-Cure event/ at San Francisco’s the Masonic on May 15th. Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, Train’s Pat Monahan, Linda Perry and Hagar’s fellow Chickenfoot members guitarist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith will join the Bay Area-based music legends. All proceeds from the event will be used to fund children’s brain tumor research at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Tickets for Acoustic-4-A-Cure, which promises “once-in-a-lifetime musical moments, duets, jams and surprise guests planned,” will go on sale April 10th at 10 a.m. PST at Live Nation. The event was co-created by Hagar and Hetfield, both Bay Area residents, to raise needed funds and awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Check out the concert’s official site for more details.
This year’s Acoustic-4-A-Cure concert comes just four days before Hagar releases his new live album At Your Service, featuring Van Halen classics, Hagar’s solo hits, Chickenfoot tracks and covers from artists like Led Zeppelin and Montrose.
After more than three decades of making music, Guns N’ Roses founding drummer Steven Adler will be making a career first on April 18th, with his first art gallery showing of fine artwork. Held at Forgotten Saints in West Hollywood, Steven Adler will be showcasing his entire art debut collection “50” and discussing the work with visitors in two separate symposiums (2pm and 5pm). Those interested in attending the event can RSVP at www.stevenadlerart.com.
Steven Adler’s art collection is a unique one, as it is crafted through rhythm. Like a painter using brushes with oils, Adler utilized drumsticks that light in a wide spectrum of ways to construct rhythms that are visually abstract and vivid when captured. The process from conception to release was extensive, as Adler collaborated with Los Angeles art team SceneFour for a year on the project. SceneFour is known for their rhythm-on-canvas art releases working with a highly select group of drumming legends including Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead), Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Rick Allen (Def Leppard) and Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake and Palmer). Steven Adler’s debut collection 50 features 14 different canvases, each highly limited in edition size, all numbered and individually signed by Adler. The collection is currently available for collectors worldwide through www.stevenadlerart.com.
Located at 7569 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, Forgotten Saints is both a working art gallery as well as a clothing boutique for acclaimed rock n’ roll clothing designer Cody Varona, who is responsible for the custom clothing of a discerning spectrum of music icons including Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue. Adler and Varona have been friends for years and the opportunity to showcase Adler’s work in the gallery was a natural. “It is an honor to host Stevens big night and to experience his journey into the art world,” Varona states.
For more details on Steven Adler’s upcoming event or to RSVP to attend, please visit www.stevenadlerart.com. To learn more about Forgotten Saints, please visit www.forgottensaintsla.com.
