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VHS Archives #137: Extreme on MuchMusic – September 1990 – Much Spotlight

Extreme were about to get really big for a little while with Extreme II: Pornograffiti.  Guitar wunderkind Nuno Bettencourt, singer Gary Cherone, bassist Pat Badger, and drummer Paul Geary sat down with MuchMusic in 1990 to discuss their name (only a jokey answer here), influences, and music videos vs the live show. Very prophetic and timely here….

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VHS Archives #136: Killer Dwarfs’ Darrell Dwarf Millar backstage at Operation Rock and Roll (1991)

August 19, 1991.  Judas Priest’s final show with Rob Halford for over a decade.  Michael Williams caught Darrell Dwarf Millar of the Killer Dwarfs checking out Alice Cooper, Priest, Motorhead and more at Operation Rock and Roll!  Darrell discusses working with the very busy Andy Johns for the next Dwarfs record, Method to the Madness, which was set to begin in L.A. in September of that year.

VHS Archives #135: Extreme sign autographs in Scarborough, Ontario (1991)

Not much to be said here, just four guys at a mall signing autographs for throngs of fans! From the Pepsi Power Hour.

VHS Archives #132: Fight’s Rob Halford & Jay Jay talk books (1993)

Rob Halford once said he devoured books.  What books were Rob and Fight bassist Jay Jay reading in 1993?  MuchMusic had this segment called “Between the Covers” with Erica Ehm, encouraging kids to read by talking to rock stars about books.  It’s only 1:15 long but interesting regardless as there are so few interviews with Jay Jay.

VHS Archives #131: Ugly Kid Joe…cancelled again?

If anything, this Ugly Kid Joe bumper for Start Me Up is just a reminder of a time when certain words were OK on national television!

VHS Archives #129: Alice Cooper & Kane Roberts ’87

Another in a long line of superb Erica Ehm interviews!  Alice Cooper seems like a pretty easy guy to interview, but in the late 80s Alice was on the cutting edge (pun intended) of horror-themed live shows.  He was a more controversial figure then, but as usual, Erica had a great rapport with her guests.  As a bonus, Alice brought with him Kane Roberts to premiere his new solo album and music video “Rock Doll”.

The two guys banter back and forth like a comedy duo, while Erica peppers them with both fun and topical questions.  This interview is a must-see front to back.  Topics covered:

  • The stage show circa 1987, when Alice was going full-on with the blood and gore
  • Is Kane the Rambo of rock and roll?
  • Alice on Lemmy
  • Jokes about snakes
  • Acting, horror, and John Carpenter using some of Alice’s stage tricks in Prince of Darkness
  • The script that Alice and Kane wrote called Scarebox
  • Drinking and drugs
  • Hilarious “Pepsi ad”
  • Kane on Alice (Several great moments here.)
  • Upcoming bands like E-Z-O, Guns N’ Roses, and Faster Pussycat
  • Tipper Gore!
  • Can rock and roll go to far?

When I was a kid, I watched this interview over and over again.  I even used it in a highschool project on censorship.  This is a full Power Hour episode (sans music) and you want to watch the whole show from start to finish.

VHS Archives #128: Armored Saint on the Power 30 (1991)

John Bush and Gonzo Sandoval stopped by the brand new Power 30 in September 1991 to talk about their new album, Symbol of Salvation.  Founding guitarist Dave Pritchard passed after a short but impactful battle with leukaemia.  The band had to carry on, and they did with a smashing album.  There’s a bit of footage from their gig at Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven.  Great if short interview with a couple guys who are now heavy metal legends.

VHS Archives #125: Def Lep dish on Danzig (1993)

Cast your minds back to the summer of 1993.  Def Leppard were still sailing high on a string of hits from Adrenalize and the singles it spawned.  Meanwhile in another region of rock, Glenn Danzig was out supporting Danzig’s third album and a new live EP.  When the two bands crossed paths at a festival gig in Europe, the word went down that Glenn and Phil Collen came to blows.  Or was it just tomato soup?  Let’s get Phil’s side of the story in this classic VHS Archive from MuchMusic’s Pepsi Power Hour.

Hosted by Teresa Roncon.  Love Joe’s hat!!

VHS Archives #124: Slaughter’s Toronto listening party for The Wild Life (1992)

30 years ago, Slaughter held a listening party for their forthcoming new album The Wild Life released April 21 1992.  These listening parties look like a lot of fun though it could be tiresome for  the band to repeat the same ol’ schtick.  Mark Slaughter, Dana Strum, Tim Kelly (rest in peace) and Blas Elias all get some camera time.  The focus is on growth and change, and indeed The Wild Life was a progression from the debut that never quite got the credit it was due.  A few Canada jokes, and the suits can be seen bopping their heads to the new album.

From MuchMusic’s Pepsi Power Hour.

 

VHS Archives #123: Poison’s Bret Michaels and Rikki Rockett talk to Steve Anthony on MuchMusic – 1988

I love this vintage interview clip. If anyone in rock holds the title of “Captain A.D.D.”, it would have to be Poison’s Bret Michaels! This scattershot blurb on good press vs. bad press goes about a million miles per hour, but it’s all fun.