EDDIE TRUNK DISCUSSES “THAT METAL SHOW,” THE FIRST METAL ALBUM HE BOUGHT, WHICH BANDS HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE REUNITE, AND, OF COURSE, KISS
Keith Valcourt of the Washington Times conducted an interview with our very own Eddie Trunk. Highlights from the discussion appear below.
Q: What do you think is the secret to the success [of That Metal Show]?
A: I think people know that we are truly fans first and foremost. We fill a void for that 30- to 50-year-old guy who still loves this music, still loves these bands. But they have a family and stuff and don’t get to go out to shows and keep up with stuff as much as they once did.
For them, the show is kind of an escape and [a way to] reconnect into the past. Being on a network that is properly suited for what we do, a music channel, works. There is nothing like it on TV. There really hasn’t been since Headbangers Ball was on MTV over 20 years ago.
Q: Do you have a wish list of dream guests who have yet to do the show?
A: Certainly Eddie Van Halen is 1A on that list. We know Eddie watches the show. Last season, he sent us a guitar rig that we have on our set. But Van Halen is a notoriously press-shy band and rarely does anything with anybody. We have asked countless times, but had no luck.
I was very close to getting Jimmy Page on. And I still may. But Jimmy is kind of turned off from the fact that the word “metal” is in the name of the show — even though after a hundred episodes we have evolved into a rock show. We’ve had everyone from Foreigner to Leslie West [from Mountain] and Mark Farner [from Grand Funk Railroad] on. We’ve got a pretty wide net. But Jimmy doesn’t know that. He doesn’t watch the show. He lives in England.
Q: There are three obvious guests that are missing: Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from Kiss.
A: The fans would love to see them. Ozzy won’t do it because of some bias against us. That means Sharon. And Gene and Paul.
Q: You’ve been pretty vocal, and rightfully so, about Kiss putting other guys in Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss’] makeup and pretending it doesn’t matter.
A: The sad thing about that is so many people tell me privately they feel the same way. But so few say it publicly. For the few of us that do, it gets magnified, blown up and distorted, taken out of context, and that’s unfortunate. If those guys only knew how many people I talked to privately, even the bands they have toured with, who have told me they feel the same way.
Q: The hard-core fans may know the difference, but don’t you think they are tricking the casual fans?
A: The casual fans don’t know. The hard-core fans know Ace hasn’t been in the band for a long time.
One of the last times I saw Kiss, Peter was in; Ace was not. The next day I was at the hotel pool in the hot tub and some guys came in and they had Kiss T-shirts. They were talking about how cool it was to see the show the night before to see Ace back in the band. I said, “That’s not Ace.” We got into an argument. That was 10 years ago, and by now most people probably know it’s not him. Maybe in the beginning it was a thing to push that agenda. If people are cool with it, that’s fine, just not for me. It doesn’t sit right with me as a fan.
What I find unfortunate is that instead of coming on and having a healthy discussion and debate about that, they just kind of run from that. Shut you out and ignore that fact that 98 percent of the things I’ve said and done about Kiss have been positive. The worst part is their fans are the ones watching our show. We’ve had more Kiss T-shirt-wearing fans in our studio audience than any other band. We talk more about Kiss in our top fives than any other band. They always talk about pleasing their fans. Their fans want to see them on a show like ours. What is there to be so afraid of? We are huge Kiss fans. I would love to have a healthy debate and discussion with Gene and Paul but can’t get water from a stone. I’m thankful for the guests who get us and do come on
Q: What was the first metal album you bought?
A: The first album I bought myself was Kiss’ Destroyer. That album was a life-changer. It was 1976, and I was about 12. I remember dropping the needle on the LP for the first time and staring at the cover. Kiss became my obsession. After a while I had to acknowledge there was more than just Kiss. I discovered Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Van Halen, AC/DC and more.
Q: As a metal fan, which band would you most like to see reunite?
A: I’m asked constantly about the original Guns [‘N Roses] reuniting. I think that would be pretty epic if it were to happen. Me personally? I’m a huge fan of UFO, as many people know. I love what they do now with Vinnie Moore, but I would love to see the lineup of UFO that did Strangers in the Night get back together. They did it back in the mid-‘90s. It would only require two members coming back in — Michael Schenker and Pete Way. With all due respect to what they do now, it would be just awesome to get one more taste of that lineup and band.
In a fantasy situation I would love to see [Led] Zeppelin. I’d love to see Thin Lizzy. But we all know those original reunions can’t happen.
Click here to read Eddie’s entire with Washington Times.
source: washingtontimes.com
A UFO reunion would be epic!!
Eddie,
You’ve been pretty consistent and vocal with your opinions on both Kiss’s situation, and the general notion of “having opinions, and debating them”. Which are all fair, and while I usually defend Gene and Paul here from some of the mindless bashing (not from you), I actually agree with you in large part (I don’t agree that they are “hoodwinking anyone” or that at this point they should be using alternative characters; I HATED the Fox and the Ankh).
But I have a question: do you think your relationship with Ace and Peter is part of the roadblock? I don’t know how well you know Paul and Gene (I know you’ve talked about a “sit-down” with Gene not long ago), but they have to know you have history with Ace (hell, that’s how I first heard of YOU, searching for info on Ace and being led to an interview he did here). Couldn’t that be some of the reluctance? Perhaps thinking they are walking into an ambush? if they consider Ace and Peter “toxic” (rightfully or wrongfully) why WOULD they agree to talk with someone who – perhaps in their eyes – is potentially fueling the fire? I’M not accusing you of this, but wondering if perhaps that is the underlying issue.
I mean these questions sincerely, and am not trying take sides on this. I honestly agree with you, that it shouldn’t be that big an issue to come on and discuss what is certainly something they are (at least superficially) willing to discuss elsewhere with people that have no clue on the dynamics of the situation. Personally? I think Gene would be one of your best guests ever: the Top 5, he would be entertaining in part where you guys do the rapid questions, he is knowledgeable about music so would be a good foil in “Stump The Trunk” and would bring bold opinions to the Throwdown.
Imagine Gene and Paul doing the best to worst lineup with all the Kiss records? Paul would put Monster first, then Sonic Boom, then Animalize because he produced it, then Alive! because he has to lol
I think Gene would love to do the show. Seems he probably doesn’t knowing it would offend Paul.
Headbanger’s Ball was cool but it was just videos and some brief interviews here and there that weren’t all that in-depth. TMS is a celebration of the entire metal and hard rock genres and the camaraderie we all feel from how this music brings us all together. TMS is the greatest metal and hard rock themed show of all time, period.
Michael Schenker stated on TMS that he and the UFO guys are “buddies” again, so that’s very promising! Once I got into playing guitar, my older cousin loaned me his copy of Lights Out and I was hooked! I’d love the chance to see that band!
A really cool Page album is the Death Wish II soundtrack. That first cut, is a phenomenal lost Zeppelin track (with a different style singer, but it totally works)