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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.

VHS Archives #121: Hurricane’s Kelly & Jay show off new mascot

A quick clip with Kelly Hansen and Jay Schellen of Hurricane, talking about following trends and showing off their new mascot.

VHS Archives #119: Rik Emmett of Triumph’s Solo MuchMusic Debut

The final of my three epic Rik Emmett interviews in the VHS Archives.

August 1990:  It was the Magic Summer Tour and the Perfect Gentlemen were opening for New Kids On the Block at the CNE in Toronto.  That was the big news.  With all that teenage hype looming outside the big glass MuchMusic windows in the form of young girls, in walked Rik Emmett with his first solo material since leaving Triumph in 1988.  Nobody knew what to expect!

Interviewer Steve Anthony is his usual goofy self and loosens Rik up with a few joke questions about New Kids, Perfect Gentlemen and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, before diving into the big ones.

Topics discussed:

  • What artistic expression was he not able to fulfil in Triumph but now can as a solo artist?
  • The new album Absolutely and the response from Triumph fans and the music industry.
  • The writing process.
  • Hair production.
  • The Judas Priest trial.
  • His (awesome) new six piece band.
  • Being a guitar player vs singer/songwriter.
  • The new song and video “Big Lie”.

That’s it for my Rik Emmett treasure from the Archives, I hope you enjoyed them.

 

VHS ARCHIVES #25: RIK EMMETT OF TRIUMPH – THE HOLY GRAIL OF VIDEOS – POWER HOUR 1987 LIVE PERFORMANCE
VHS ARCHIVES #109: RIK EMMETT – THE AXEMEN COMETH (1988)

VHS Archives #118: Ray Gillen & Jake E Lee of Badlands (1991)

Badlands made a great second record together, but the timing was all wrong.  If coming out in the summer of ’91 against Van Halen, Metallica, Skid Row, and Guns N’ Roses didn’t mean certain doom, then Kurt, Eddie, Layne and Chris would finish them off. On the road to promote the Voodoo Highway album, Jake E. Lee and Ray Gillen dropped by MuchMusic to chat.  The former Ozzy guitarist and former Sabbath vocalist might have had a sense that the album wasn’t getting the push that the debut received, but they don’t let on in this interview.  A goofy Jake plays with Ray’s head while Ray tries to answer a question.

Topics:

  • Jake not being very good at returning phone calls (the formation of the band)
  • Diversity in music
  • “The Last Time” music video

VHS Archives #117: Fred and Tom from Cinderella 1990

Fall 1990!  Cinderella were in Hamilton Ontario to sign autographs and meet up with Dan Gallagher from the Pepsi Power Hour.  Fred Coury and Tom Keifer chatted with the Dan Man about their new album Heartbreak Station.  Other topics:

  • MC Hammer
  • A side project with Coury, Stephen Pearcy, Tracii Guns, Kyle Kyle and Taime Downe
  • Touring
  • Talking to the fans

Not a long interview but certainly a glimpse of times!