Down To Rock #12 (November 2014)

polaroid_teddy_dtrMy name is Teddy Heavens and I’m bringing you the latest Sleaze/Glam/Punk/Metal and Trash rock and roll news from the Golden State and the streets (and gutters) of Hollywood, California! From the Valleys to the alleys, I’ll find the coolest bands to report on and let you know what’s up from the Rock and Roll capital of the world!
Check out my Glam Punk website at www.ftwrecords.com

Bands I’ve been digging the last few months:

The Montecristos-this is the new band featuring my guitar hero Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik!!! Cool rockabilly tinged rock with Neal singing and Slinging the Gibson guitar!! Catch them on Facebook.

Butcher Babies-New 5 song release of cover tunes from these contemporary metal Plasmaticsesque big titty rocker chicks. Any band that names their band after a Plasmatics song is OK with me. The Deadly 7 out of Las Vegas (and rivals of the Playboy chicks from BB) had a better choice of songs they covered, more punk rock than metal, but tits are tits, so check them out.

Salems Lott-New shock rock band outta Los Angeles looking like X JAPAN and sounding like a reved up Skid Row. They are brining back big hair to the Sunset Strip, featuring Toe Knee from Willow Wisp with some new young guns. Check out their single on Itunes “No Choice To Love”.

SalemsLott

Charm City Devils-Baltimore based hard rock band with a current release “Battles” out now, and sounding like a cross of Guns N Roses and Soundgarden. This is sleazy street rock n roll making noise on the East Coast.

Night By Night-Young English band bringing back the melodic 80’s sound. Clean but sleazy enough to be interesting , a cross of modern AOR metal like Halestorm, with a Def Leppard touch. Interesting enough for you to check out.

The Beautifully Demolished-New band from ex Jetboy replacement singer, tearing up the Central California scene. This is AC/DC 70’s party rock with a 6 song self titled release on Itunes and via Demon Doll Records.

Vinyl Tattoo-Superstar cover band in Las Vegas featuring Frank Dimino from Angel on vocals and Oz Fox from Stryper on guitar. This band rocks and are a must see if in Vegas where I like to go to relax. They do classic rock and roll along with Angel songs and as Frank is one of my favorite singers of all time, I had to mention his Vegas band. He also just inked a deal with Frontier records for a solo release, so cheers to hearing some new music from Frank Dimino!! Find em on Facebook.

Undercover Slut– Paris France glam goth metal legends sent me a teaser song of their up coming EP release “Vice”. The song is “Chloroform Nation” and it’s a departure from the past goth industrial material that the band is known for. This song mixes the industrial flavor with modern electronics in a very “danceable” form. The band plan on releasing a series of singles and EP’s leading up to a full release. Hit them up at:

UNDERCOVER SLUT
c/o Hateful Society Production
34 Avenue des Champs-Elysees
Suite #999
F-75008 PARIS
France

CD Review:

Girl-Live In London

This band was a huge influence on me when I was a kid. I always loved that punk/glam/hard rock sound and along with Hanoi Rocks, these guys were my fave. Featuring Phil Lewis and Phil Collen and sounding very snotty, they didn’t fit into the NWOBHM scene, but they were great. This Live In London CD release marks the eve of their debut release in 1980 and features songs like “My Number”, “Heartbreak America” and “Hollywood Tease”, along with covers like “Do You Love Me” and “You Really Got Me”, showing the diverse influences this group had. Deadline/Cleopatra Records gets props for releasing this live gem, and now they just need to release the two studio records “Sheer Greed” and “Wasted Youth”.

What’s been up in Los Angeles:

Inside Metal Movie-A new movie highlighting the hard rock and metal bands form the mid 70’s that ruled Los Angeles and Hollywood, bands like Angel, Legs Diamond, Detective, Van Halen, Snow, Quiet Riot and bands from the early 80’s like WASP, Motley Crue and Ratt. All of these bands are featured along with Rodney’s English Disco scene, The Starwood and the Rainbow Bar and Grill. This film breaks down the rock and roll heyday in Los Angeles and is a nice document of bands that made it and a lot that didn’t. It’s been screened around town and is getting good reviews and building steam, and it’s starting to screen around the country now. By all accounts it’s a good lesson on what went on with the LA music scene in the 70’s/80’s, as told by those that played the clubs and participated in the debauchery. Find the Facebook page to see when it will be playing in your town.

Hollywood Rocks Night @ Loaded with Spiders N Snakes/Rebel Rebel-Glitter and Glam reunion at the new hip rock and roll club in Hollywood, Loaded. Spiders and Snakes featuring Rik Fox from WASP and Steeler on bass and Betsy from Bitch on vocals, along with regulars Tim, Lizzy and Chris from Sweet Savage tore it up with songs like “Piece of Your Action” and the Angel version of “Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”, and their new single “Kawaski City” from the upcoming Year Of The Snake 25th anniversary release. Rebel Rebel opened up the show and played all the usual songs from the last 25 years and it was cool playing for a packed rock and roll audience (I play guitar for R2), with many faces from long ago at the Coconut Teazer Glitter and Glam shows. Spiders N Snakes are having a record release party at the Whiskey in Hollywood in mid December for their 25th anniversary, so do yourself a favor and be there if you live in the LA area.

If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:

Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384

http://www.ftwrecords.com
ftwrecords@aol.com

Down To Rock #10 (October 2013)

polaroid_teddy_dtrMy name is Teddy Heavens and I’m bringing you the latest Sleaze/Glam/Punk/Metal and Trash rock and roll news from the Golden State and the streets (and gutters) of Hollywood, California! From the Valleys to the alleys, I’ll find the coolest bands to report on and let you know what’s up from the Rock and Roll capital of the world!
Check out my Glam Punk website at www.ftwrecords.com
Bands I’ve been digging the last few months:

Black Oak Arkansas– My music producer, Brian Kehew, just produced their new record in Memphis with 5 new songs to add to some never released songs from the vault. The record is being released by Atlantic and it has my favorite songs of the year “Sweet Delta Water” and “Plugged in and Wired”. Was able to see their show in Los Angeles recently, the first in 40 years at the Whiskey A Go Go, and it was the most “punk rock” performance I have witnessed in a long time! All heart and real rock and roll.
www.blackoakarkansas.net

Rusty Tramp– Trashy biker band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, my old stomping grounds. Guns & Roses meets AC/DC and featuring Gutter on bass from the infamous band Durtie Blonde. Give them a spin at: www.facebook.com/RustyTramp

Venrez– Newish band featuring Alex Kane from Life, Sex & Death that’s been doing some touring with Slash and Alice Cooper, and Buckcherry. Good contemporary hard rock at:
www.venreztheband.com

Bangkok 5– Los Angeles new school glam and trashy rock band, who the tastemakers in L.A. are touring right now, check em out for yourself at:
www.tb5music.com

Vintage Trouble-Not glam or punk but good garage blues! Followed them from the smallest clubs in L.A. to arenas with Kiss, Bon Jovi and the Who. Managed by Doc McGee, so you know their juiced up!! Hit them up at: www.vintagetrouble.com

The Misfits– New record “The Devils Rain” is well produced with some catchy songs, recommended by my LA Death Dolls bass player, Erik Lancaster, and he knows his punk rock shit!!! Boom at:
www.misfits.com

Michael Monroe band– New CD “Horns and Halos” is the bomb!!! No need to even hype it up, when you hear it, the songs will speak for themselves, as usual.
www.michaelmonroe.com

What’s been up in Los Angeles:

Downtown summer concerts were huge with bands like X and Psychedelic Furs pulling in huge crowds of punks, Goths and heshers.
I was able to hit the Whitesnake/Geoff Tate concert at the Antelope Valley Fair, which brought out every hesher from Los Angeles to hang out. Good sound and good bands and the highlight was when Whitesnake closed the show with the Deep Purple song “Burn”.
The new all female Femme Fatale played at the Roxy with Venrez, but I would prefer if Lorraine Lewis would use the original guys from the band, especially since those guys are from my hometown and it would be more appropriate.
The Peppermint Creeps played their annual show at the Whiskey, keeping the glam/pop thing alive in the city.
Michael Des Barres has a cool radio show on the internet. He’s a hip old glam queen from back in the day, catch him at www.thejointstudios.com

I had the pleasure of doing an interview with the LA Nista radio show recently, talking about Los Angeles music scene, which you can check out at : www.skidrowstudios.com

Finally, just attended a book signing/performance by producer Kim Fowley. All you have to do is Google this guy for his credits, which are amazing. He discovered Slade, wrote for Kiss and Alice Cooper, and produced everyone from Gene Vincent to the Runaways!!! He is currently battling cancer, but is still writing and producing music. Long live the music king of Los Angeles.
Check out his history at: www.kimfowley.net and on Facebook.

If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:
Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384
www.ftwrecords.com
ftwrecords@aol.com

Down To Rock #9 (June 2013)

polaroid_teddy_dtrMy name is Teddy Heavens and I’m bringing you the latest Sleaze/Glam/Punk and Trash rock and roll news from the Golden State and the streets (and gutters) of Hollywood, California! From the Valleys to the alleys, I’ll find the coolest bands to report on and let you know what’s up from the Rock and Roll capital of the world!
A lot of rock and roll has been going on in Los Angeles since last I wrote!! Live gigs galore: Prima Donna, Crash Diet, Tsar, Glamour Punks, Iggy and the Stooges, The Damned, Flag/Black Flag, the International Swingers (Punk Rock Super group www.internationalswingers.com), Michael Des Bares, The Horrors, Kyle Vincent (house concert-ex Candy Singer playing solo material), Johnny Thunders tribute show with Walter Lure, Rebel Rebel, L.A. Death Dolls, Punk Rock Museum party, Alice Cooper and M. Manson, Etc.
Check out my new Glam Punk website at www.ftwrecords.com and check out the band Wyldlife, good garage glam punk in the vein of Iggy, Sweet, Slade and Prima Donna!!!! http://wyldlife.bandcamp.com/ Also check out Rocky Shades from Wrathchild new band, Wildside Riot at http://www.wildsideriot.com/
TSAR Live- The Bootleg Theater Downtown Los Angeles
This show was the first by Tsar in Los Angeles in a long time, and the place was jammed with people singing along. This band is polished on record but very raw and powerful live and I gotta see them when they play, which is very rare, usually every 5 years. They played all the good shit from their first 2 records: Calling All Destroyers, Silver Shifter, Kathy Fong, Band-Girls-Money, and stuff off the latest CD The Dark Stuff like the catchy Police Station. Great pop band with catchy songs, you can get all their stuff off ITunes!!!
Black Star Riders CD Review-All Hell Breaks Loose
This is the new release from the band that was playing out as Thin Lizzy and have now released some original songs. This is some good 70’s style hard rock, with catchy vocals, harmony guitar lines and a surprisingly good singer in Ricky Warwick. The vocals are very Phil L., thick and full, and the production is great. This band is made up of hard rock legends and their experience shows. Fans of Lizzy will love this as well as all other hard rock fans.
War & Peace CD Review- Flesh & Blood Sessions
Blast from the past, this was a hard rock super group from back in the late 80’s featuring Jeff Pilson, Vinnie Appice, Randy Hansen and Michael Diamond. I’ve always loved Hansen’s guitar playing from back in the day with Champagne & Cocaine/Take You Higher, and Appice’s drumming is always great. Another calling card for this release is Michael Diamond from Legs Diamond, seeing he did not really do anything after this project. This material was recorded at the famous Sound City Recording Studio in the late 80’s and Thanks to Deadline Records and Tim Yasui for putting out Gems like this from hard rock and punk legends. The CD has some good hard rock songs and playing, check out “Kill for the Love of God” and “I Don’t Want To Be Lonely”, worth checking out.
Michael Des Barres CD Review- Carnaby St.
Michael self released this new batch of songs and the production is clean, clear and smooth, and the playing is great. The drums/guitar/bass and singing is spot on and this band is a must see if in Los Angeles or Austin, where they usually play. A play by play of each song goes like this:
You’re my Pain Killer-bluesy and laid back
Carnaby St.-cool glam trash track reliving the wild ass days in late 60’s London. Killer bass playing and singing/screaming, Michael going off at the end like a punky Rod Stewart.
Forgive Me– 70’s hard pop rock
Sugar-mellow Bo Diddly “I want Candy” riff with A+ bass playing and cool wah wah guitar.
Route 69– another bluesy/boozy number (70’s movie reference from Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry).
Please Stay-Michael brings us back to church! Minimal instruments, flawless performance on vocals.
Little Latin Lover– hard rocking song advocating for immigrant rights.
Hot and Sticky– The best song the Stones haven’t written in 30 years.
From Cloud 9 to Heartache-another cool pop song with a Culture Club vibe.
My Baby Saved My Ass– “from my wicked past” Michael is the rock and roll man!!! I once saw him at the Melrose swap meet in full face makeup and nail polish.
The Key of Love– cool ballad
Overall Michael has provided us with some good trashy rock and roll over the years and he still rocks better than most who are in their 20’s. I loved the Chequered Past record, and still think an artist or band could have a hit with “NO KNIFE” from that record (along with Frankie’s THE POWER OF LOVE), so support the man and get his music and go see the shows!!!!
If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:
Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384
ftwrecords@aol.com