MISSISSIPPI- In the next edition of our series of interviews spotlighting artists in the hard rock/glam metal genre, we are featuring Rob Richardson, member of The Bad Somethings and his new solo project Rich Kid Express. Rich Kid Express already has one EP out now, entitled Bubblegum Radio. Also available is the single Yummy, Yummy, Yummy. These are outstanding releases, and serve as a precursor to the full length debut album, Psychodelic, out on October 30th. I spoke with Rob today, and we at Glam Metal Universe highly encourage you all to pick up not only the upcoming album, but the previously mentioned releases that are already available. A full review after the interview.

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Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Who would you say inspired you the most as a musician?

I’d have to say growing up a huge KISS fan, they were my biggest influence. I discovered them in the late seventies and my world musically changed. I used to listen to whatever was on the radio, Bay City Rollers, bubblegum rock, Bee Gees, even Elvis. As a kid, I didn’t know a lot about any real rock scenes. I wasn’t even ten years old. As the eighties rolled in, I latched on to any and everything! That was a fun time to be a teenager and as the Sunset Strip scene took off and MTV came about, it was a great time to discover the big world of hard rock music. W.A.S.P., AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Cinderalla, Ratt; it was awesome! Some of my lesser known favorites are Fastway, Y&T, Britny Fox, and Joan Jett. I sort of just take all my influences and roll them into one.

What was the first rock song that made you want to play music?

You know, although KISS brought my attention to rock and roll, I’d have to say hearing “I Wanna Be Somebody” by W.A.S.P. made me want to play music and be in a band. To stumble onto that song at fourteen or fifteen years old, it made me take playing the drums much more seriously. That is a very positive messaged song about believing in yourself and I took it to heart. It’s still my favorite hard rock song to this day.

How long have you been a musician?

I got my first drum set from my grandfather when I was thirteen years old. An old Slingerland four piece kit. Up to that point, I always pretended I was Ace Frehley from KISS. I wanted an electric guitar, but I got a drum kit, so i had to be Peter Criss instead. I took lessons for about six months, then just taught myself after that. I played in a few local bands in the late eighties. Too young to be “in the scene” but too late to “experience the scene” as it was getting ready to change to alternative. I hung out at the clubs waiting to get a glimpse of some of my favorite bands coming to town to play. I got to meet Nuno and Gary from Extreme on their first tour, sat in on the soundcheck and got to go on their tour bus. That was cool. I saw the video for “Little Girls” before MTV even had it! But getting back to the question, I played in a band called Heavens Sake from 1995 until 2001. We toured around in the southeastern US. Got to do some shows with Bonham and Warrant. We released two CDs and almost had a record deal, but things didn’t work out. You can still find the CDs and music out there. We were rock, when nobody wanted rock. The guitarist in Heavens Sake is David Barker and he’s my partner in The Bad Somethings band project. Anyway, I’ve been playing for about twenty five, thirty years. A long time! (laughs).

How did Rich Kid Express come together?

RKE was just something I wanted to do on my own. I formed the label Squib Kick Records in late 2016 and knew it was going to be the vehicle to promote my music. I recorded a few singles under various “disguised” band names. David and I did “The Bad Somethings” album in 2018 and then I decided to do my own solo thing with no outside help. I wanted to try and play all the instruments, just to really see if I could pull it off. When the Bubblegum Radio EP sort of took off for me, I thought maybe I had a good thing going. It was fun to be creative in my own way and try to accomplish something by myself. Now with Psychodelic, RKE has a decent little catalog of music started and it’s fun to see where it might go.

Can you tell me a little about the writing and recording process for the new album?

Being the “one man band” is tough and very time consuming. Tracking guitars takes me forever. Since I’m not naturally a guitar player, I fight with myself on executing everything the way it needs to be. I usually always start with a guitar riff or chord change I like and then develop it from there. I write all the music first and then try to think of the melody line or lyrics to the song afterwards. So I never know for sure how I’m going to make it catchy or fit the hooks in there. I have my own studio for recording, but after mixing I send it out to be mastered professionally by someone who has much more experience and better ears than I do. Usually, by the time I’m done mixing the record I’m tired of hearing it. So my buddy Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering in Charlotte, North Carolina does the mastering for all my work. The only song I had completed when I started the LP was the title track, Psychodelic. That wasn’t the title at the time, I only had the music finished. No title, no lyrics, no melody for the vocal line. I wanted to put it on the EP back in February of 2020 but in the scope of what Bubblegum Radio was, I didn’t think it fit. So I decided to hold on to it for a better time.

Do you have a favorite song off the new album?

Nope, no favorite. I like each song in a different way and for a different reason. A silly way to explain it for those folds who have a couple kids: I love each kid equally; they mean the world to me. But some days I can relate better with one or get along better with one than the other. Maybe one kid made me mad, maybe one kid is being cranky or a pain in the butt. Maybe one kid is extra nice and wants to give hugs and kisses. Having ten songs on the record is like having ten kids! (Laughs) I like them all, and some more than others at different times.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Up until this year, I played flag football in a men’s recreational league. I’ve got some great hands and could catch passes from anywhere on the field! But after playing for nineteen years, my body and my brain couldn’t agree anymore. I decided to hang up my cleats earlier this year and now I just fill in for an occasional tournament here or there. I can’t chase those young twenty-something kids around anymore. The old man gets tired. Sometimes I brew my own beer. I have a nice little beer brewing setup and I make a couple batches a year for my friends and neighborhood folks. Other than that, I like to just relax at home and spend time with the family. My kids are at a point where their athletics are getting more serious, so I practice with them and watch their ball games.

If Rich Kid Express could open for any legendary band from any era, who would you want to open for?

Wow! Tough one. Is it a tour or a “one off” show? If it’s a one time gig and it was a huge festival or monster crowd, I’d say The Rolling Stones or Queen maybe? If it was a full tour and I got to hang out with the band for a while, I’d probably go back to the early/mid eighties and tour with Ratt, Motley Crue, or Van Halen. Just because of all the girls I could meet and the crazy stories I’d be able to tell afterwards! (Laughs).

I’ll ask the eternal question. In regards to Van Halen…Dave or Sam?

David Lee Roth. I like what he brought to the band initially. That is the classic line up, just like seventies KISS was my favorite line up of theirs. But, I will say, I very much like Sammy Hagar. I just like him better solo or with his own band. Van Halen had a different sound with him. It was good stuff, but I like the spontaneous early Van Halen vibe better.

Lastly, anything you’d like to say to your fans and the readers?

Thanks for taking the time to check out the interview. If you have the opportunity to listen, stream, or purchase Psychodelic, give it a shot! I think you’ll find a lot you like about the record and you’ll see that RKE is a style you’ll be familiar with. I’m not reinventing the wheel. I’m just trying to write and record the stuff I miss hearing and giving the rock fans something new to check out that reminds them of the old days. If you like it, give RKE a like or a follow!

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As far as a review goes, I cannot recommend both of these albums enough. Bubblegum Radio and Psychodelic both are amazing testaments to the power of real rock and roll. Listening to them takes me back years, to when I was a kid, riding down the road listening to KISS and Aerosmith with my dad. Get Bubblegum Radio now. Get Psychodelic on October 30th. They go together as well as anything I’ve heard in quite a while. Glam Metal Universe says check them out.

Rich Kid Express’ Spotify page:

Rob and Rich Kid Express can be found at:

http://www.squibkickrecords.com

https://richkidexpress.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/richkidexpress

MISSISSIPPI- In the third interview for the facebook group Glam Metal Universe, I chronicle a conversation with Phil Monti, drummer for one of the most exciting bands of the new wave of Sleaze, 17 Crash. I spoke briefly with Phil, who took the time to speak with me just before the release of their newest album, Through Hell And Back.

Hi Phil, thanks for taking the time to chat. First off, how did you guys come together as a band?

It’s a pleasure for me to do this with you! I started this band 8 years ago after being tired of finding no serious or motivated guys to play with. So, I started my shit. I wanted to run a band by myself, make noise, have fun, and play some 80’s sleaze glam rock ‘n roll! After a few months of seeking members, Ros Crash saw my ad and contacted me. We rehearsed and hung out and he joined the band after a week. That was it. The journey began!

What are your short term and long term goals for the band?

Well dude, no short or long term goals to be honest, we just want to have fun, get bigger and bigger, increase fans, play and travel a lot, and keep on making the best music we can.

What moment did you have that made you decide to pursue music as a profession?

Day 1, man. Music has to be done seriously and to do that you need a lot of tie. You can’t give 30, 40, or even 80 percent or that. It always has to be 100 percent in every situation.

What musicians would you say influenced you more than anyone else?

Well, as a born and bred sleaze/glam metal band, we surely got all our influences from the 80’s Los Angeles music scene. I’m pretty sure you noticed that our name is also the title of an LA Guns song, so there’s your answer.

What are your favorite bands and albums?

With one answer I’ll respond to both. For me personally, the ones that totally changed my life are Guns ‘n Roses Appetite For Destruction, Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil, Skid Row’s Slave to the Grind, and the self titled LA Guns.

If 17 Crash could open for any band ever who would you want it to be? Who would you want to open for you?

It would be amazing to open up for Motley Crue man! Could you imagine the fun? Or maybe they could be the opener for us? Hahahaha! During the soundcheck, I’d be like, “Hey Tommy, remove your throne and put up mine fast, gotta play dude!” Haha!

You recently opened for Lita Ford. What was that experience like and what’s she like in person?

Bro, that was insane. It was like back in time 30 years ago. Loud, old school metal heads everywhere. Rad night! Packed club, great vibes, just an incredible experience. She’s very sweet. Still hot, and a beast on stage. She delivered a great show and kicked ass big time. What a legend! After the show, we also met Bobby Rock, her drummer, and he congratulated us for our show. That was so cool, man. Unforgettable night; forever in our hearts.

What can you tell us about the new album?

Hot, loud, groovy, heavy, sticky, kinky! You’ll love it! Be prepared!

What do you like to do in your downtime?

We spend time with our dears, pets, listening to music, going to concerts, reading, going to the beach, watching movies, and shopping.

Lastly, and most importantly, in regards to Van Halen, are you a Dave or a Sammy guy?

Dave forever man!

Thanks again Phil. Was a pleasure chatting with you!

Thanks man! Thanks to you guys (Glam Metal Universe)! Rock on, and keep on following 17 Crash on every social media platform!

You can find the band at the following social media profiles:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/17crash

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/17_crash_official/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Rock17Crash

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/17Crashband

On a personal note, the new album by 17 Crash, Through Hell and Back is absolutely outstanding. A perfect love letter to fans of our beloved genre of glam metal, this album will take you straight back to 1988! I urge you to pick it up now, along with their other albums, Reading Your Dirty Mind and Hit The Prey.

You can pick up their albums on all digital platforms, and also here: 17crashonlinestore.bigcartel.com/

MISSISSIPPI- In the second edition of a series of interviews, we will hear from Jason Crosson, lead singer and guitarist for the very talented up and coming Aussie band Crosson. I spoke with Jason a few days ago, and we covered a wide variety of topics including influences, favorite albums, and a very levelheaded answer to a decades long debate amongst rock fans. Enjoy.

To begin, I have to ask. What was the first song that made you want to be a singer and rock guitar player?

Not sure about song, but after watching Iron Maiden live for the first time with all the fire, smoke, and a 15 foot mummified Eddie, I went, “I wanna do that!“

Who were your main vocal and/or guitar influences?

If it wasn’t for KISS, then there would be no CROSSON.  I remember Paul Stanley saying they put the band together they wanted to see, so I did exactly that!! Catchy melodic rock music, great costumes, lots of energy and of course….. sexy girls!!

Speaking of Crosson, how did Crosson come to be as a band?

I have been working on it for many years in various forms. It took a lot of trial and error to get the sound and image the way it is now.  Its just a matter of taking steps forward, getting advice when needed, getting talented people around you and not stopping , no matter what!

To me, Crosson has a sound that reminds me of Queensrÿche and Dokken. Are they influential on the band as far as songwriting and playing?

Ha! Thank you. That’s very nice of you to say. I’d be happy with Geoff or Dons vocal chords any day! I definitely listened to a lot of Dokken (‘Under Lock & Key’ would have to be one of favorite all time albums) and early Queensryche. CROSSON definitely has a lot of 80’s influence in its music.  We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we just provide catchy harmonic songs with a great visual image and high energy theatrical stage show.

What are your short term and long term goals for the band?

2020 is going to be a busy year with the release of our new album ‘Rock N Roll Love Affair” on March 27. The album was mixed by Duane Baron (Motley Crue, Poison Ozzy Osbourne) and mastered by Dave Donnelly (KISS, Aerosmith, Whitesnake). We will also be releasing another 2 videos throughout the year.

We also have the Melodic Rock side show Australian tours in February / March which sees us on the road with Enuff Z Nuff, Ron Keel , Janet Gardner (Vixen) Crazy Lixx, Reckless Love, and XYZ.

Lot of cool shows coming up. What’s your favorite show you’ve played? Where are some places you haven’t played, but would like to?

Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz said, “There’s no place like home”. Frankie’s in Sydney always has an electric vibe to it and everyone seems to go nuts when we play there. Would love to head to Europe and USA and deliver our bombastic stage show to the crowds!

If Crosson could open for any touring band, who would you choose? Also who would you choose if the roles were reversed?

A dream would be to open for KISS. That being said, we are happy to open for anyone as long as there is a crowd!

What is your favorite hard rock/heavy metal band? What’s your favorite album?

KISS would be my favorite. Then, in no particular order, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden,  Stryper, Dokken, Scorpions, early Bon Jovi, AC/DC, and Queen. Then there’s the new wave bands like Crazy Lixx, W.E.T, Eclipse, Grand Design … the list goes on!!  

Favorite albums list:
Shout At The Devil (Motley Crue)
To Hell with The Devil (Stryper)
Under Lock And Key (Dokken)
Unmasked (KISS)
Rise Up (WET)
Metal Heart & Balls to The Wall (Accept)
Blackout & Love at First Sting (Scorpions)

What are some things you enjoy in your downtime?

Downtime.. what’s that? With operating CROSSON, my other business ventures, my exercise regime and raising 2 boys, there not much time for anything else… Although I do love watching my favorite bands when they come to town and fit in a movie.  Fortunately I live at Bondi Beach so I manage to get in the water most days!!

Finally, I’d like to get your opinion on the eternal debate. Who’s the better Van Halen singer, Dave Roth or Sammy Hagar?

For me they were 2 completely different bands, Van Halen and Van Hagar!!! (Talk about sitting on the fence 🙂

Thanks for being so patient and for taking the time to chat.

Cheers Brodee. Thanks for having me!

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Crosson’s official website is: http://crosson.com.au/

Their SoundCloud site is: https://soundcloud.com/crossonrock

Crosson’s music can also be found on all digital streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.

MISSISSIPPI-For the first in a series of interviews published for the Facebook groups Glam Metal Universe and New Breed Revolution, I reached out to Vicky White, the immensely talented lead singer of up and coming band Bloody Heels. I spoke with Vicky this evening, and we chatted about his love of a wide variety of Hard Rock, influences, and what goals his band has for the future.

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Well first I’d like to thank you again for taking some time to chat. I’d like to take this opportunity to let you know that I am a big big fan of the band. Through Mystery is definitely the best album I’ve heard in quite a while. My main goal in this is to get more people to check you guys out, because I absolutely love what you guys are doing. And the world needs more Rock music.

Thanks dude, appreciate it much! And awesome to hear that you dig Through Mystery, but to be honest I think the next album is gonna be next level, well at least I think so, hopefully the majority of people will do as well. And YES, the world definitely needs more rock music!

I honestly can’t wait to hear it man. So first question, how does it feel to be a working musician, making a living by creating and performing music?

Well sadly we’re not there yet, we do some other things here and there as well, but of course that is the main goal – to create, record, tour and be able to live of it fully.

I understand. Getting signed to Frontiers will open quite a few doors to make that happen soon. Between their global reach and the talent level of the band I’m sure that you’ll be in that position sooner rather than later. When did you guys actually come together as a band?

We really hope that too. Getting signed by Frontiers is definitely big for us as a band and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Well the actual year was 2012, that’s when Harry came to the band and things started to slowly happen. But to be honest we were all really young, I was barely 17 years old. We didn’t know how to play our instruments, write songs or anything about the music business in general. Slowly we matured, started to understand how things actually needs to be done and I’d say that the band got serious in about 2015- 2016. Maybe a year or two before we actually released Through Mystery.

Oh wow! That’s not long at all. Was there a specific moment that happened in your life that made you decide to actively pursue music?

I think for the band it was by releasing Cheap Little Liar and the debut album. For me… I’ve always known that music is gonna be the thing for me.

I read online where you are from Latvia. Growing up in that part of the world, was it difficult for you to discover “western” rock and roll, such as American rock bands, or was it all easily available to you?

Yeah we are, we’re part of Baltic States which consists of three small countries – Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

But for me it wasn’t, cause the country was already independent years before I was born and the USSR were long gone (thank God for that) ! So for me it wasn’t a problem at all in that aspect. My dad though was growing up sadly in the USSR so he had quite a rough time trying to find bands from USA etc. But luckily he did and if I’m not wrong it all started with Europe, cause they’re from Sweden, and Sweden is really close to us, just an hour and half flight and after them it escalated quickly haha. He actually was in Moscow Music Peace Fest as well… Imagine that…

Ohh and yeah, I have to thank dad for the love of rock & roll and especially hard rock! I basically grew up with it.

Oh man, he was blessed for sure. That was one of the greatest rock shows in the history of the world. I was just about to ask how you were introduced to hard Rock and heavy metal. Who are some of your favorite bands?

Well that’s the hardest question of them all. In all seriousness I can’t tell my favorite band at all. Of course of the big fishes I love Motley, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Kiss- even if I don’t listen to them that often anymore. Those bands are why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. But I love Winger, Ratt, Warrant and Danger Danger with all of my heart. To name a few smaller acts- I love Silent Rage, Saraya, Strangeways, Tattoo Rodeo. But all of these bands are only few that came up right on the spot. I really do love ’em all. haha

I know the feeling. I love this genre of music so much it makes it literally impossible to list a favorite band or even a favorite album. I’ve found that sometimes I have to take a break from listening to the bigger bands like Kiss or Van Halen, just so when I do pick them up a few months or even a year down the road, it makes me appreciate them that much more.

Exactly! I was listening the other day to Hysteria again after like a year without hearing it. And man, what a fricken masterpiece it is.

Which singers would you say are your favorites, and which biggest influences? For example, as a guitar player, my favorite guitarist hands down is Edward Van Halen. He’s the reason I picked one up. But when I play I find that my playing style is much more influenced by people like Keith Richards or Jimmy Page.

Well I think that the greatest singer ever is Steve Perry, everytime I hear the man singing it just gives me chills and goosebumps. He does that thing what all the greats do in any niche – he makes it look easy. But again in Hard Rock there have been and still are so many great lead singers that I just can’t name even a few. But I’ll still try haha – Kip Winger, Glenn Hughes, C.J. Snare, David Coverdale. Hope one day I’ll achieve vocally at least a half of what these gents can do.

It’s funny you mention Coverdale. Your singing style reminds me of him, and visually you remind me of Mike Tramp from White Lion.

Well I’m feeling flattered now! That’s quite a combo haha!

Tramp, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated singers in rock history. It’s a shame no one gives him proper credit.

I totally agree! The thing that I love about Mike Tramp is that he has his own style, there’s really no other singer you can compare him to. He perhaps never had those crazy high notes, but he never needed them in my opinion. He and Vito were a powerhouse.

What sort of things do you enjoy outside of music? Are you much of a movie buff, or reading? Are you a video game fan? Do you draw any inspiration for songwriting from those type of things?

I do like all of the things you mentioned, I love going out with friends, I do watch Netflix and read as well. And I actually play few video games here and there. I love to sport as well but I love to have a glass of wine and spin some vinyl more hahaha. As for the inspiration – I’ve always thought that as an artist and creative person you have to draw inspiration from anywhere you can.

I understand that. I’m a vinyl fan myself. What are some short term and long term goals you guys have as a band?

Well the short term goal is to release the album with Frontiers the best possible way we can. For the long one – hope we have at least ten albums in us. We’d love to tour in other continents of the world, especially USA of course. But the biggest of them all is to get more people to listen to us.

Absolutely. If you guys could open for any touring band, who would you choose?

Well I hear that Motley is back.. haha but jokes aside from the old bands I’d love to support like Whitesnake, Danger Danger for example. From the newer bands I’d love to tour with Heat or Reckless Love. I’d say Crashdiet, but we already played with them last month.

Shiraz Lane are buddies and I’d love to tour with them, but I’m sure at some point we’re gonna do something together. And man, Hannes… What a vocal…

Oh yeah he’s fantastic. Such a great time for Hard Rock right now there’s so many fantastic new bands out there. The article I read on the band said the album is gonna drop sometime in 2020. Is that the case or can you talk about that yet?

I think it only will get better! Yeah definitely, the label thought that 2020 is the best option. I guess it will be early in the year though. But I just can’t wait; the album was already finished in the summer, so imagine my frustration haha. But the first single is gonna be out much sooner I assume. Maybe this year? Haha.

Oh I imagine it’s crazy having to wait haha. As a fan I can’t wait to listen to it. And that would be a fantastic Christmas gift to your fans haha.

Haha not only for the fans. That would be a great Christmas gift to me as well haha!

Oh no doubt haha. Is there anything you’d like to let the readers know or a message for your fans out there?

I’d just like to say big thanks to everyone who dig our music and supports us in any way. It really means a lot to a small band like us. And keep an eye on Bloody Heels cause all the cool stuff is coming! And of course thanks to you Brodee!

Man, it was my pleasure. I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you. You seem like a great dude and I wish you all the success in the world. Look forward to what comes next from you guys.

Bloody Heels is:

Lead Vocals: Vicky White

Lead/Rhythm Guitars: Harry Rivers

Bass Guitars: Gunner Everett

Drums/Percussion: Gus Hawk

You can find them on:

Twitter: @BloodyHeelsBand

Instagram: @BloodyHeelsBand

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bloodyheelsband

Their official merchandise website is:

https://bloodyheels.bigcartel.com/

Their independently released debut album, Through Mystery is available now through ITunes and all other digital formats.