Pariah Burke's Hard, Heavy & Hair: THE INTERVIEWS

Pariah Burke talks once again to Ray West, lead singer and lyricist for new modern Rock project SupaFly and O.G. New York street metal band Spread Eagle, SupaFly, a new sound, and a much more dynamic way of singing for the guy who sang "Switchblade Serenade" and "Broken City." We discussed the evolution of Ray's voice from that "vicious", raspy falsetto of the 22-year-old Spread Eagle singer to a more mature chest singer who still hits what he calls "the bullet points" of Spread Eagle songs. In between the usual interview topics--appearances, new albums from SupaFly and Spread Eagle, what's next--we chatted about Aerosmith's heaviest music, great Rock singers, U2, the current state of the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, and when Ray West attended a party in New York with Prince jamming all night. Topics Discussed: - the origin of SupaFly - When the debut album drops - Exclusive! The next single from SupaFly revealed! - SupaFly's music was so personal, it almost wasn't released - That "vicious", raspy falsetto Spread Eagle singer grows as a singer and as a man - the importance of following your passion - being addicted to music - Singing from the chest and things to watch out for - Behind-the-scenes of Spread Eagle recording - Hitting the "bullet points" of classic Spread Eagle songs like "Broken City" and "Devil's Road" - The bottle-and-straw singing practice technique - The problem of (maliciously) recording concerts live on cell phones - The industry secret behind live albums - Preparing for the scary Monsters of Rock Cruise - Spread Eagle's first appearance on MORC - Pariah's safety tip about Danger Danger's Ted Poley at sea - Why would anyone pay $1,000 to go see a band?! - Prince jamming for 3 hours at a New York after hours party - Ace Frehley's makeup should have been retired like a jersey number - Band splits and politics - U2 - Aerosmith's heaviest music - Black Sabbath's Black Sabbath - The joy of Greatest Hits albums - The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame... isn't - Great Rock singers - Spread Eagle's increased appearances - The new Spread Eagle album - SupaFly opening for Spread Eagle? - Spread Eagle's unusual live set list --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Pariah Burke talks with very positive Wig Wam frontman Glam (aka Åge Sten Nilsen) about the band’s new album, Out of the Dark, as well as the music of their past, present, and future. The pandemic hit the music industry hard. Few were hit as bad as Norwegian Glam Metal band Wig Wam. At the end of 2021 the band couldn't get a booking, and, despite a new record from Frontiers Music SRL, they were about to call it quits for the second time in their 20-year career. Then came Peacemaker. An offbeat superhero TV show from the mind of James Gunn saved Wig Wam by setting the show's stunning opening sequence dance number to their 2010 song "Do Ya Wanna Taste It?" Overnight Wig Wam was not only saved, but had become one of the hottest bands on earth. A year later, they have another new album and a year long tour lined up, including a slot on the Monsters of Rock Cruise. The attitude of frontman Åge Sten Nilsen couldn't be more positive, as you'll see when I sit down with Åge on the day their new album, Out of the Dark, dropped. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Now on their 7th album and in their 20th year together, France's BlackRain is among the vanguard of modern Melodic Hard Rock, Glam, and Sleaze Metal proving every day that Rock isn't dead. Pariah Burke sat down with BlackRain frontman Swan Hellion in the latter's first North American interview to talk about the band's history, crazy touring stories, and how the new album, Untamed, is finally the sound Swan and BlackRain sought for all along. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Creator and manager of the new Mark Boals-fronted Metal band Red Ravyn, Holly Roxx is an interesting music business insider. She sat down with Pariah Burke to talk about how she built the international Red Ravyn lineup, new music and new music videos from the band, the early days of Hard Rock, and, revealed EXCLUSIVELY to in this interview, the identity of Red Ravyn’s new guitarist! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pariahrocks/message

Priya Panda, the talented, sexy forever untamed singer and frontwoman of melodic Hard Rock and Metal band Diemonds, and recently solo Pop singer, sits down with the Hard, Heavy & Hair Show’s Pariah Burke to talk about her solo music, that time the band literally crashed the Rocklahoma Festival, how Napalm Records failed Diemonds, and her surprising answer about whether Diemonds is gone forever. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Sam Bam Koltun, arguably the most exciting Rock guitarist under 30, sits down with the Hard, Heavy & Hair Show's Pariah Burke to talk about his work with Faster Pussycat, Dorothy, Budderside, and how a broken finger doesn't stop him being a guitar badass. Topics include: - Touring and playing with a broken finger - How is Dorothy Martin to work with? - How is Sam Bam Koltun to work with? - What songs Sam is on on Gifts From the Holy Ghost - New music from Faster Pussycat - Sam Bam Koltun and Limewire - the new Ozzy record - Sam's favorite guitar player - Who would Sam most like to play with? - Guitar and sleep - Opening for a childhood hero - Opening for Shinedown--without their instruments and gear! - Playing that insane Shinedown stage - Sam's family likes which bands? - Budderside's new music - Upcoming shows with Dorothy and Faster Pussycat - Favorite Stoner Rock/Sludge bands - Where is Sam Bam Koltun 5 years from now? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Ray West (Spread Eagle, George Lynch’s Electric Freedom) talks with Pariah Burke about joining George Lynch’s band, the music he’ll sing, recording new music for George Lynch and Spread Eagle, the stories behind Spread Eagle’s hits, and the changing atmosphere for our generation to talk about mental health and troubles, among other topics. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

I had an enjoyable conversation with L.A. Guns frontman Phil Lewis from his home in Las Vegas. After showing me around his house, Phil and I talked about the new L.A. Guns album Checkered Past, Tracii Guns' offer to Phil of 49% ownership in the band name, his surprising views on the future of L.A. Guns recording, the rising star painter Mason Storm, and Phil's work helping to posthumously finish Pete Way's final album. More info at https://rockn.me/phillewis | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

There once was a talented Melodic Thrash and Power Metal band from Southern Oregon that was cutting their own path to success. Unfortunately, they stepped off the path, and they've been lost in the woods for 25 years. This year, they found their way back to the trail, and now they're poised to pick up where they left off. Taking a quarter-century-old demo tape of songs so good it became a fascination for collectors as far away from Oregon as Germany, and applying modern musicianship and mastering techniques, the cult favorite band Emissary has reunited for success. And they've asked me and The Hard, Heavy & Hair Show to host the exclusive, worldwide premiere of their next song, a track that won't be available until they drop their first official album in 25 years, just before 2022. I spoke with the driving force members of Emissary--then and now--about the song, the new album, and just what the hell happened to get them so off track for so long. More info at https://rockn.me/emissary | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

More info at https://rockn.me/stevenstjames" target="_blank">https://rockn.me/stevenstjames Steven St. James has a soulful singing voice that has taken him from Motown's Hard Rock band Kagny and the Dirty Rats with a pre-BulletBoys Marq Torien, to the band Sarge where he cowrote some of what would become Rough Cutt's hits with guitarist Chris Hager, to, finally, just in the last couple of years, reuniting with Hager and fronting Rough Cutt itself with a revitalized lineup. His voice brings back to Hard Rock a soulfulness, a vulnerability, but also a street corner toughness, that's lacking from many bands these days. Steven's singing ability is big and beautiful and outdone only by his humility and kindness. I first met Steven at the first performance of the current Rough Cutt lineup in 2019. We've been friends ever since. It turns out, Steven is the only member of Rough Cutt I haven't previously interviewed, so we decided to rectify that in what became part-interview, part-hangout. We talked about his time with Motown, the new Rough Cutt song "Black Rose," which he co-wrote, his singing and songwriting career, how he gets along with original Rough Cutt vocalist Paul Shortino, and more. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Cassidy Paris is a teenager with a voice--and mind--more mature than her years. From Melbourne, Australia, Cassidy has reached across the globe with a Rock N' Roll signing voice evocative of Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, and Lzzy Hale. She's also a spokesperson for Metalheads Against Bullying and a woman with a heart almost as big as her amazing voice. Cassidy has been mentored by her father, Wicked Smile guitarist Stevie Janevski, and Danger Danger and the Defiants vocalist Paul Laine, but, as excellent as those musicians are--and I'm a fan of all three of those bands--Cassidy's talent at the next level. I can see her music leading the next generation of Hard Rock and bridging the gap between that genre and Pop music in a way not seen since Lee Aaron. That much talent, packed into a level-headed 18 year-old who has been recording since she was 13, gives me hope that the next generation of Rock N' Roll is in good hands. Recently I had the pleasure and honor of talking with this talented, smart, passionate woman from her home in Australia, from a bedroom that mirrors any Rock fan's in the 80s--with wall-to-wall concert and band posters, guitars, and Peavy amps. More info at https://rockn.me/cassidyparis | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

More info at https://rockn.me/raywest | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews Spread Eagle is the sound of New York Street Metal. Their 1990 debut album is one of the best Glam Metal debuts of all time, right up with Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue, and Skid Row. Their 2019 comeback record is equally celebrated. Pariah had a great conversation with original and still Spread Eagle frontman Ray West about the band, their music, and so much more. Topics: - Ray West's career before Spread Eagle - The founding of Spread Eagle - A&R reps coming to them - The debut album - Quitting Spread Eagle - Drugs and getting sober - Becoming Ray Fucking West - On track to Subway to the Stars - Subway to the Stars and COVID - The 80s transitioning into the 90s - New York Street Metal - A rat in the Spread Eagle soundboard - Stepping in poo... and it squeals - Boston and New York - Sports - Rock N' Roll has changed - What really happens backstage now - Ray's sobriety - His solo album - Teaching at School of Rock - Ray's advice to the next generation of rockers - The business of being in a band - Split sheets - The one thing every band needs for it to work - "The business doesn't want assholes any more." - The business/fun relationship - Ray's unexpected reaction to the day they signed their first record deal - The Music Cemetery of America - Guns N' Roses blazing a trail - The silliness of the 80s - Getting real - Spread Eagle was caught between the grey area and the grey area - The band girls could bring home to their mothers - "I got to go to the party for a little while." - Backing tracks - The Book of Rock 101 - Auto-tune - Keeping their edge - Spread Eagle's first road gig - New York, NY to Portland, OR One night in 1990, at the pinnacle of 80s Hard Rock and Glam, the safety of the suburbs was shattered with the switchblade screech of Paul DiBartolo's guitar and Ray West's back alley wailing that sounded like gunshots and screams on a Brooklyn summer night. Spread Eagle had broken out of New York and brought the raw, grimy feel of America's largest, most dangerous city with them. Their record company didn't know what to do with them, but their debut album consistently ranks up with Appetite for Destruction, Skid Row, and Too Fast For Love as among the greatest Glam and 80s Metal debut records with tracks like "Switchblade Serenade," "Scratch Like a Cat," "Hot Sex," "Through These Eyes" and "Suzy Suicide." Their sophomore album, Open to the Public, was released at the nadir of 80s Metal and the apex of Grunge, prompting the band to call it quits. 26 years later, in 2019, they released their third album, Subway to the Stars, proving that you can take the Metal boys out of New York, but not the New York Metal out of the boys. The minute my conversation with Spread Eagle lead vocalist Ray West started, we both felt like we'd been friends for years already. We talked about the history of Spread Eagle, Subway to the Stars, the new album the guys are working on, how their record label didn't know what to do with them, Ray's sobriety, and some truly sage advice for the current generation of Rock musicians. More info at https://rockn.me/raywest | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Vinny Appice is one of the biggest Metal drummers and songwriters in the world, and is in the Hall of Heavy Metal History for his contributions to Heavy Metal drumming. As a teenager he played on a John Lennon album, and drummed for Lennon during the former Beatle's final live performance. Vinny replaced Bill Ward as Black Sabbath's drummer during the Dio years, and then joined Ronnie James Dio in founding and defining the sound of the band Dio. Vinny co-wrote all your favorite Dio songs, which he still performs, along with new songs, with a mostly reunited Dio under the name Last in Line. Vinny is part of Joel Hoekstra's 13 and the supergroup Resurrection Kings, whose latest album I was ready to ask him all about, but Vinny's surprising response to my first question about the record made me change tact. Listen for yourself in the Hard, Heavy & Hair interview with Vinny Appice. We talk about: - The new Resurrection Kings LP Skygazer and what Vinny doesn't like about it - Find out who Vinny is talking about when he says, "either they're deaf or they don't know how to mix." - Drumming on the latest Joel Hoekstra's 13 album, Running Games. - Playing a perfect set with people he met only 2 hours before. - The upcoming third Last in Line album. - The Last in Line writing process. - Vinny's advice to younger musicians. - That time Jimmy Bain got into the wrong tour van. - When the smoke machine exploded behind him during a Black Sabbath concert. - Where you can catch Vinny this summer for an autograph and drum clinics. More info at https://rockn.me/vinnyappice | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Rough Cutt is one of the original Sunset Strip heyday bands, playing with, and often trading members between, Ratt, Dio, and other bands of the era, though Rough Cutt never quite achieved the same level of success as some of their peers. In 2019, they were still around, though in the process of merging into a group called Rough Riot with members of Quiet Riot. When Rough Riot finalized its lineup change in the summer of 2019, now called Carlos Cavazo's Rough Riot, it was with Paul Shortino, singer of Rough Cutt, Amir Derakh, one of two Rough Cutt guitarists, White Lion's Greg D'Angelo on drums, Sean McNabb from Quiet Riot on bass, and guitarist Carlos Cavazo, also from Quiet Riot. Rough Cutt's Rockin' Dave Alford and Chris Hager, not a part of Rough Riot, decided to continue on with a new lineup of Rough Cutt. Alford, along with Shortino, was a founding member of the band, and Hager and Derakh, though not strictly founders, joined very early on, before the band recorded its first album. Alford and Hager auditioned and eventually hired musicians to fill in the missing three band positions. They publicly debuted their new lineup in November of 2019 during a live show in Portland, Oregon, which is the first time Pariah Burke interviewed the band. Leading up to, and in the year and a half since, that new lineup debut, Rough Cutt has aggressively marketed themselves, letting the world know about the new Rough Cutt, now including Steven St. James (Sarge, Cagny and the Dirty Rats) on vocals, second guitarist Darren Housholder (Shrapnel Records recording artist, Love/Hate), and bassist Jeff Buehner (The Loyal Order). Slowed by the pandemic, they spent most of 2020 using social media to connect with Rough Cutt fans, while not able to finish and release their first single together until March 2021, when they simultaneously dropped the single and music video for it with plenty of pre-release press and fanfare. According to the Alford and Hager, they never heard from their former Rough Cutt and Rough Riot bandmates; in fact, Alford's and Hager's attempts to contact them went unanswered. Which is why they were so surprised when, yesterday (June 8th, 2021), their former bandmates released their own album as Rough Cutt, including their own version of the single Alford's and Hager's lineup put out in March. The new album, titled Rough Cutt 3, because, other than a best of anthology, it's only the third studio LP released under the Rough Cutt band name since 1985. The release of the album, which had no pre-release announcement or marketing, was accompanied by a press release asserting that the trio calling itself Rough Cutt--Paul Shortino, Matt Thorne (aka Matt Thorr), and Amir Derakh--are "the three main men of Rough Cutt" and are "arguably the three most important members of Rough Cutt." Further, without naming them, Alford and Hager were accused of making "false accusations" and lies about [the others]]. Within minutes of the release of the album by DDR Music Group, formerly Demon Doll Records, I reached out for comment from both versions of the band. My message directly to Paul Shortino went unreturned, though the owner of DDR and producer of Rough Cutt 3, Lance V, said he would pass along my request for an interview to Shortino. Hager immediately agreed to an interview, and brought along Alford. This is my conversation with Rough Cutt founding members and apparent torchbearers Rockin' Dave Alford and Chris Hager the day after Shortino, Thorn, Derakh, and DDR Music Group issued Rough Cutt 3 and its accompanying incendiary press release. More info at https://rockn.me/roughcutt | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Reality Suite is a four-piece New Jersey Hard Rock band making waves far beyond the Garden State. Although they have yet to tour outside the Northeastern United States, they have fans all over the world. Their last two albums--a concert LP Live at Alpha Wave Studios and the deluxe edition re-issue of 2018's Awaken EP--have spun their way across the globe, inspiring, and being inspired by, music fans everywhere. Reality Suite's songs--and especially their music videos--are powerful messages wrapped in driving beats, blistering guitar solos, and catchy lyrics. Play any of their songs and you'll find yourself rocking out and singing along long before you realize the lyrics are about YOU and people you care about. It's introspective, soul-minded lyrics woven into Hard Rock delivered by Kimmii Heart's smooth as top-shelf bourbon voice; the crunchy goodness, undulating riffs, and hypnotic solos of Joe Padula's guitar; Antonio Valenti's gorilla chest-pounding basslines; and, driving the others' passion up notch after notch while taking control of listener's feet and raised fists, is Brian King's drums. I've been playing their music on the Hard, Heavy & Hair Show for years, and I thought it was about time I sat down and talked with this dynamic quartet. In between a lot of laughing, we chatted about Reality Suite’s latest album, the heart wrenching story behind one of their best songs, where their inspirations come from, duking it out over who got to write “Kiss the Ring,” what’s next for the band, and more. More info at https://rockn.me/realitysuite | https://PariahRocks.com/Interviews --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Gregg Fox is an accomplished Rock keyboardist and composer who has played with some of the biggest in Hard Rock, Metal, Country, and Pop. He's also the creator of Renaissance Rock Orchestra, a Trans-Siberian Orchestra-sized project featuring members of Yes, Black Sabbath, Skid Row, Dokken, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Guns N' Roses, Survivor, Heart, and more, including two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inductees. RRO combines combines elements of Classic Rock, Progressive Metal and Symphonic influences into a highly energetic and beautiful blend of powerful, spellbinding rock majesty. And RRO is poised to become the next massive Rock N Roll spectacle touring not just at Christmas like TSO, but year round. Pariah Burke spoke with keyboardist and composer Gregg Fox about the spectacle that is the Rennaisance Rock Orchestra, his 7 years spent sailing around the Bahamas, and how the COVID pandemic might just have made Las Vegas the center of Rock music in America. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group, Black Swan, Survivor, Raiding the Rock Vault) is one of the best Hard Rock and Metal vocalists ever to have stepped behind a microphone. If you were listening to Hard Rock in the 80s, you probably know Robin best as the voice of the McAuley Schenker Group, MSG, with his frequent partner, guitarist Michael Schenker. Younger fans of the genre may only know Robin McAuley from his more recent work fronting the supergroup Black Swan with Reb Beach, Jeff Pilson, and Matt Star, or as one of many vocalists in the star-studded, long-running Las Vegas jukebox mega concert, Raiding the Rock Vault. Pariah Burke recently spoke with Robin about Raiding the Rock Vault, the status of the second Black Swan album Reb Beach had recently told Pariah was being written, Robin's advice to new singers, Robin's brand new solo album, Standing on the Edge--his first in more than 20 years--and more! Standing on the EdgeMSGGrand PrixBlack SwanShake the Worldthe second Black Swan albumReb Beach, Jeff Pilson, and Matt StarrRaid the Rock Vault --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Tracii Guns, who gave his name to his band L.A. Guns, and, earlier, Guns & Roses before Slash joined as lead guitarist, rose to the top of the Sunset Strip music scene in its early-80s heyday and has never slowed down since. If you've ever seen Tracii play a guitar solo, it's difficult to recognize where the instrument ends and the man begins. The intensity with which Tracii Guns plays guitar, the way he melts out of our dimension and into a world of sound, is awe inspiring. He writes and records with nearly the same intensity and speed that he plays guitar. After 10 studio albums with L.A. Guns, two with Brides of Destruction, a supergroup he cofounded with Nikki Sixx, and 8 other records, Tracii is a tireless guitar player and songwriter. And now, he's got a brand new collaboration with Michael Sweet of Stryper, a completely new sound, in the very Heavy Metal, often Doom Metal-influenced, debut record of the project called Sunbomb. Pariah Burke recently spoke with Tracii Guns about: --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Britain's Chez Kane is an 80s Rock songstress who studied at the feet of Vixen and Pat Benatar, but who, through a terrible twist of fate, was frozen in her early 20s in a cryogenic sleep chamber for the last 35 years. In 2020 her long lost cryo tube was discovered, and Chez was defrosted and awoken by the lead singer of Crazy Lixx just in time to bring the world an album full of much needed hopeful, energetic, totally fun 80s Hard Rock. Signed to Frontiers Music, Chez Kane is optimistic and effervescent about her debut solo album in this new era. I spoke with Chez, and the day after this interview, Chez Kane's self-titled debut album charted in the UK. Two days after that, it landed on the Billboard Hard Music Albums and Top New Artist Albums charts in the U.S., proving that Rip Van Winkle 80s songstress Chez Kane and songwriter Danny Rexon have tapped into a universal desire for fun, light 80s Hard Rock. Chez and I talk about: --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message

Reb Beach is a phenomenal guitarist, and he's played with some of the best in the Rock world. All those killer Winger solos and riffs? That's him. He's also the lead guitarist and co-writer for Whitesnake. And for Black Swan, the 2020 super group making pure 80s Rock music. Reb has played with everyone from Alice Cooper to the Bee Gees, Chaka Kahn to Danger Danger, Howard Jones to Twisted Sister, and with Roger Daltry on the Lost Boys Soundtrack. I recently talked with Reb by phone from his home in Pittsburgh about: --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pariahrocks/message