Steel Notes Magazine-Winter 2018 by Steel Notes Magazine

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INSIDE FEATURED p4 The Saint Elda Story p22 Model Spotlight: Jessica Johnson p28 Fuel Sunburn 20th Anniversary Tour p46 Cheap Trick Pictorial p51 Poison Pictorial p82 "Grease" 40th Anniversary

STEEL NOTES MAGAZINE STAFF LISTING ADMINISTRATIVE

STAFF WRITERS

Alexxis Steele Publisher/EditorIn-Chief Josie Janci VP Of business development Keith Boisvert Graphics/Layout/ Cover

..MORE p32 Local Spotlight Artist Julie Williams p39 Fall Foilage Pictorial p67 When Eddie Murphy Was King p70 Fanny Walked The Earth p71 Don's Attic-(In Memory Of Sam Andrew) p75 All Around Artist Making Her Way Into The Entertainment World p77 Bad Luck Lover Boys E.P. p78 Jay T. Vonada: United p80 The Creation p91 Interview With Marq Torien

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bob Klein Sheri Bayne Ron Shirey Jr Muffley Jacqueline McGuire John Millington Gary Preis Mike Dorn Brian Limage Larry Dell Rhonda Jean VanBuskirk Dave Hummell John Warner Nick Christophers

Marlowe B West Jerry Saravia Dana Saravia Scott Saxon Josie Janci Alex Shaffner Luca Cerardi Monique Grimme Stewart Brodian Scott Aber Nikki Palomino Rick Dessi Ines Honig Jennycat Rex Maurice Oppenheimer Todd Sobczak JR Peterson Christopher Annino Domenic Marinelli Dawn Belotti Don Aters Jim Allford Sam Leighty

VIDEOGRAPHERS Lisa Koza Larry Dell

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Marlowe B West Takez Manhattan presentz THE SAINT ELDA STORY co-written by Diane Gentile, Branch and Meg Emerson and a host of friends & fans Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of All Agez ... My name is Marlowe B West and I am your Ring Leader ... As most of you, my readers, loyal friends and fans may already know ... Marlowe B West Takez Manhattan iz not only the name of my Rock Band ... but also the platform on which I stand here in the now trending Steel Notes Magazine ... where I have had the pleasure to reign as Star Reporter for over four very interesting years ... I had taken an apocalyptic ride along with Alexxis Steele CEO & crew right from the very beginning and taken all the lumps and bumps along the way to the proud and upstanding fine magazine we have developed to date. Marlowe B West Takez Manhattan sometimes raises speculation with a questionable response ... Many assume I am some green horn, new on the scene ... but as with all truth it eventually comes into focus and they get the full picture ... I have been scoping out these awesome Manhattan stomping grounds all the way through the 20th Century into the 21st Centuries rarely barely missing anything worthy of serious attention ... Utilizing my position as Star Reporter I have been on a quest of spotlighting all the beauty and wonder of Manhattan ... uptown, downtown, over and underground ... sharing them in my features for all to see and enjoy. Back then you didn't simply run to the drug store and buy freaky hair dye ... I bleached out my crew cut three times to make it snow white then took purple magic markers and became a purple haired Creature of the Street with no eyebrows, riding limousines with high brows like Jobriath and Truman Capote ... recording backup vocals at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland Studios with Eddie Kramer at the boards on 8th ... I was crashing at this cat named Adrian's pad on E. 4th directly across the street from Club 82 ... Adrian (btw} was a buddy of Barry De Prendergast and Chuck Wein ... producer and director of Rainbow Bridge (which captures Jimi's last concert in Maui) ... Chuck previously gave me a Hollywood screen test and directed Andy Warhol films ... Adrian's pad was a madhouse with stoned freaks like Jackie Curtis who thought she was James Dean for a day..."

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and is immortalized in Lou Reed's hit WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. Club 82 had been famous for it's scandalous drag shows oozing with a cheap, gaudy and fabulously gala homosexual atmosphere ... But come the early 70's the punks emerged from out of the guts of the city and found sanctuary in this que bizarro trashy underground hole in the wall ... The verry young David Johansen & some of the other New York Dolls were hanging outside trying 2 get in ... I wuz w/ Miss Lucy who used her clout at the door and got them in ... That's where I caught a glimpse of the Stilletto's on stage featuring Elda Stilletto, Rosie Ross & Debbie Harry ... Of course this was before the punk scene exploded worldwide with Blondie and The Ramones etc. etc. etc. ... Club 82 was crawling with celebrities ... I had already met David Bowie at a fancy Halston fashion party thrown by my dear friend, the designer Stephen Sprouse who was always throwing us fabulous Halston rejects ... Marquise and Roger Richman were there with photographer Trullee Fike ... Steven and Joey of Madison Avenue, Spats and Babyface, Cyrinda Foxe, Janet Planet and Sylvain Sylvain ... gobz of beautiez ... Bowie said "I never smoke shit" when host David Lee offered him a toke on a joint ... Ziggy Stardust's gums were blood red when he smirked ... I hated him for thinking he could just come to our town, NYC, and take over ... He was jealous or something equally egotistic and greedy ... He did all he could, and succeeded, in blackballing Jobriath, the band I was recording and touring with ... When suddenly Debbie Harry went on her glorious walk to fame as Blondie, the first thing that struck me was Elda. I felt something familiar go off inside ... I'd been there many times ... I still find myself there ... struck down ... it's really something people never talk about ... they just step over it or kick it to the curb ... But I am sure it is something zillionz can relate to ... Right then and there Elda became a landmark ... A beacon of strength ... In my perception of the whole Manhattan music scene ... where very few get very lucky ... and most just live "The Life" ... But regardless ... either way ... "The Life" is a treasure in itself ... Anybody who lives any other way is just crazy !!! ... To me Elda represents the artist who lives "The Life" but never really makes it big ... which encompasses 99% of all of us artists ... We are all beautiful and possess this inner desire to change the whirled ... make it a happier and more beautiful life ... to move others ... wipe out ugliness and to inspire the sorry masses who helplessly fell into the ordinary boring everyday ho hum majority … Elda may not have been super successful ... She may not have lived by the ancient brainwashing written laws … but I praise her rebellion and completely understand where she was coming from ... I personally consider Elda the patron saint of those who laid their heart and soul on the line while looking rejection right in the face with a good laugh ... Saint Elda lives on! It was huge ... It was underground ... It was the New York City Rock Music Scene ... What a freaky yet glamourous set ... Famous Rock Stars, Andy Warhol Superstars and super famous drag queens, drug dealers and legions of Space Cadets all glassy eyed and crazy ... Merging together with some rapturous common denominator ... that of being themselves, trying to be somebody, no holds barred, insanity overflowing, overboard bailouts, O.D.s, suicides, murders and the smell of the mob underneath it all ... Yeah ... I played and worked at Max's Kansas City and loved it ... who didn't ... Another even bigger and more famous hellhole packed with stinkin' stoned out punks ... Once I seen a pair of feet sticking out of a rolled up carpet out in the pitch black alley out back ... Bouncers were members of serious motorcycle gangs ... Like my muscle-bound buddy Clyde ... shiny bald head & skull rings on every finger ... won't get into it but you didn't cross them.

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In the earliest days ... before Tommy and Laura took over ... Mickey ran the joint ... and Andy Warhol's scene ran supreme ... Recently finding that Elda has a son, Branch Emerson, and that Eric Emerson was his father puts another bright spotlight on the amazingly exciting and fun life she was living ... For the encounter I had with Eric was without doubt the epitome of the wildness that ran rampant in that famous "back room"... I was sitting in a large corner booth with Roger Richman, Frank Zappa and Alice Cooper ... Alice had his girlfriend sitting on my lap ... it was crazy ... she was trying to persuade me to sell Alice the original Beatle sweatshirt I had cut the sleeves off and was wearing ... but to no prevail ... it was just not for sale !!! ... I was also wearing a pair of gold lamee jeans that I got from Darryl DeLoach (singer in Iron Butterfly) for a tab of LSD ... So happens Eric had on the same gold lamee jeans ... This sparked his already sky high behavior ... He climbed up on our table and stood right in front of me saying "You got my pants on ... let's see you match this !!!", as he unzipped his fly and pulled out his dick ... I was mortified and sunk down in my seat as the whole place roared with that certain Mad Magazine mental institution laughter ... Frank and Alice quickly disappeared and Roger Richman was left to pay the enormous tab ... Things I've seen and read about Eric Emerson since then were super impressive and I come to find we share an obsession with glitter. Years later I met Natasha Adonzio ... The original punk rock fashion designer from St. Marks ... Natasha was exotically beautiful, fabulous and dressed the best ... like Blondie, The Ramones and everyone who was anyone ... I met her at Parkside Lounge where they were having her St. Valentines Day Massacre Fashion Show ... I went with another knockout, Donna Destri, who was to be featured on Natasha's Cat Walk as "Guest Model" ... I had met Donna when she was cashier at Max's and sister of Jimmy Destri, Blondie's drummer ... I hadn't seen Donna in centuries ... Natasha was Elda's best friend and roommate ... She always spoke so highly of her ... My ears would perk up ... It was always "Elda, Elda, Elda!!!" ... When I read the obituary I saw Elda's funeral services were taking place in Patchogue at Robertaccio's Funeral Parlor ... only a ten minute walk from where I was at my Aunt's place ... something instantly came over me ... I felt compelled to go, and I did ... After seeing Elda lying there like that I felt I had a Universal obligation to take whatever steps it might take to honour this special lady whom I identified with emphatically ... I needed to see this wonderful girl ... so tremendously giving of herself ... in spirit and in life ... go off with all the respect and recognition she so deserves in this world so void of consideration and appreciation ... I needed to see Saint Elda's star placed up on top of the tree where she belongs. from Elda's sister Diane Gentile: Elda Stiletto Gentile was my older sister by a decade. When I was 9 years old, she was living in Manhattan and the family lived in Flushing Queens. Elda had a extraordinary imagination. She was intensely passionate and one of the most inclusive people I know. When she was living with us, she would come home from SVA with records. She turned me on to the Animals, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Mott the Hoople, Janis Joplin, The Mommas and the Poppas, Richie Havens, Bob Dylan, Donovan . I remember sitting in the living room of our house looking at the oil portraits she painted of the Young Rascals that my parents so proudly hung on the walls,

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listening to all of these artists with Elda singing along. Before she moved out of the house, she was studying art at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. There was a very big NYC public school teacher strike that seemed to go on forever, and the Principals took volunteer parents to be teachers for a day or 2. Elda was my 3rd grade teacher. She taught us how to draw portraits with pastels. Elda loved music. She loved artists. She loved anyone who had a different view of the world and engaged in expressing their views creatively. She was a non-conformist. I have so many stories of nights out with her, wild nights, like going to The Ritz on New Years where we sat at a table with the beautiful Anita Pallenberg. Elda was beautiful herself and she was superbly sexual. As most people who knew her would agree, she was way ahead of her time. Someone recently remarked to me that she was Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's) before Karen O. She was a trend setter and was turned on by others with that gift. She wanted to be famous but she wanted to be a free artist more. I was down on my luck for a spell and Elda got me up to Palenville and into the studio with Owen Swenson. She started me on the road to finding my confidence again. She focused me on my talents and in all honesty, I could do no wrong in her eyes. She was the only person I ever knew who completely backed me on anything and everything. She was my encouragement and my confidante. Elda and I would speak for hours and hours and hours on the phone. We laughed and laughed. She was very funny and very optimistic. She was also very political and opinionated about her politics. When she lived downtown, she was friends with the Yippies, the Hells Angels, the Drag Queens. She loved to run into people. She was happiest when she met someone new a fascinating, people of all walks of life. She made friends fast as she was so full of love. She loved to invite people into her world (whichever world she was living at the time). She was a chameleon and changed with the times with more ease than most people. She loved to be on the stage. She was a born performer. She adored the attention and she liked to see how she could affect those she performed for. She also loved the idea of immersing herself in the content of her performance and twisting it and bending it conceptually. I believe she considered herself a conceptual performance artist, not just a singer in a band. She had no prejudices and was non-judgmental about anyone but politicians. She was a very honest person in a dishonest world. She despised the idea of being "politically correct" I loved that about her. She was a rebel, and she was fiercely committed to her beliefs. She was the most brave, independent and loving person I have known in my life. Accomplishments - yeah - her output was diversified from making records to quilting to executive producing to writing, etc. etc., and she was very, very bright. But beyond those things, in that petite body of hers, there was just simply the mesmerizing Elda. --Diane Gentile more from Diane Gentile with Meg Emerson: Elda Gentile, AKA Elda Stiletto passed away on August 6th, 2018. She is survived by her son Branch Emerson, her daughter in-law Megan Emerson and her 3 young grandchildren Caleigh, Aidan and Finn. Elda was born on November 7, 1949 to John and Julia Gentile. She was raised in Astoria, Queens with her 7 siblings: John, Julie, Peter, Diane, Eddie, Denise and Bobby. Elda's foray into the art world began when she attended the School of Visual Arts. She met and

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befriended Robert Starr, a person whom remained close to until her passing. Elda also created and repaired tapestries for The Cloisters. Two of these works are now displayed in NYYC museums attributed to an unknown artist. Unfortunately, she was unable to finished the handiwork verification process before her passing. While at the School of Visual Arts, Eldaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teacher took her class to Warhol's factory for a film viewing of Lonesome Cowboys. She fell in love with Warhol film star Eric Emerson. Soon after, Eric fathered their son Branch. Elda was a regular at Max's Kansas City, often hanging out with the infamous Warhol crowd. She met Holly Woodlawn (one of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wildside" characters and one of Warhol's stars) and they became fast friends, a friendship that lasted all through Holly's life. She started a band called Holly Woodlawn's Pure Garbage, (Tony Ingrassia of Pork, acting as musical director) which then led her to creating the famed punk rock band The Stilettos. Her brother Fast Eddie Gentile played guitar in Pure Garbage. She had a small part in a small play of the Theater of the Ridiculous with Jayne County and Patti Smith. The Stiletto's were the band that Elda would make her biggest musical mark with. She formed the band in 1972 with the idea of melding the idea of a Supreme's like girl group with a pop art sexual rock edge. They were considered a punk band before the word became the official moniker. The original line-up was: Chris Stein (guitars), Fred Smith (bass), Billy O'Connor (drums), Deborah Harry, Rosie Ross, and Elda Stiletto, all on lead vocals. The band rehearsed at the same studio as the Ramones. Elda was then dating Richard Hell (The Voidoids/Television) who invited the band to play at CBGB'S. The Stilettos played in other hot notable NYC venues Max's Kansas City, The Peppermint Lounge and Club 82. The group broke up in 1974. Elda continued with a solo career before reforming the band with an all-new line-up in late 1976. Members of this particular incarnation of the group included Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys), Walter Lure (Johnny Thunder's Heartbreakers), Billy Rath (Johnny Thunder's Heartbreakers) and Scheebo Pampillonia. The Stilettos appear in the private eye mystery thriller "Punk Rock" and on the live compilation Max's Kansas City 1976 and Beyond. The played in Central Park for Rock Against Racism. They eventually broke up a second and final time in the late '70's. After the breakup of the Stilettos, Elda formed the first all kids punk rock band The Brattles with her son Branch on drums. Chris Stein (now of Blondie fame) produced and released a 7" single from the band. They opened for the Clash twice at the famed Bonds shows. Elda mentored the kids and brought in other musicians like the Ramones, NY Dolls and the Dead Boys to teach them. Elda dressed them for the stage and eventually the band was offered a deal with CBS Records. With all this going on unfortunately at such a young age, the band could not sustain due to parental disagreement. To know Elda, you have to look at the numerous accomplishments. There were many other facets of her life. Besides being a young single mother, she released 2 albums; one with The Stilettos and one solo album recorded and written with Owen Swenson and her son Branch Emerson titled Diamonds in the Rough, a record that received significant amount of airplay at College Radio Additionally, she designed the flags that hang over the Cloisters during the Medieval festivals and taught art classes for kids. She was an avid pop art quilter and designed and sewed large quilts. She sewed and created all of her own on-stage outfits in all of her bands. She sewed for the NY Dolls who were her friends. She was a painter. In her home hang many of her paintings. She produced concerts: The Montauk Nature Conservancy Concerts with Paul Simon, Billie Joel, Willie Nelson and an array of other stars. She was the booking agent for the legendary Bay Streets Nightclub in Sag Harbor, booking artists like James Brown and Tina Turner. She wrote, produced and directed fashion theater shows at Bay Streets Nightclub and took them to Hurrah in NYC, with the hottest designer

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clothing. She sold advertising for the popular Dan's Papers throughout the East End of Long Island and was instrumental in expanding the 6 page editorial rag to a full 20 plus page glossy. She was an internet pioneer and implemented Radio Woodstock TV, one of the first digital Television stations. She produced shows for Radio Woodstock and for Radio Woodstock TV. She produced a morning show on the radio station and often, her friend Joey Ramone, would visit with her on air. She worked as a producer for many Radio Woodstock events and struck up friendships with local artists Rick Danko and Richie Havens. At one point, she had a local baking business for a while called Branch's Breads and used to bake at 4am to deliver homemade breads to the local bakeries on the Lower East Side. Elda's last endeavor was her position as interviewer and idea person to the Creative MX company. In this role, she was amassing a series of interviews with accomplished artists for the Creative MX website. She just signed a book publishing deal for her life story and was preparing an archival of her performance clips and photos for her book tour. She also wrote 2 screen plays, one based on the story of the Bratles and one based on her life in the Warhol scene. Elda Gentile set the standard for what later became internationally known as punk attitude, soiree, and no holds barred unique thought. This she learned from growing up on the streets of New York City, her time at SVA and being around the Warhol scene. Her influence is undeniable. She shines as a bright star. Elda liked to laugh. Her sense of optimism and playful spirit she shared with her three grandchildren, whom she loved. She cherished them, talked about them and spoiled them. She was very proud of her son Branch and always spoke of his intelligence and creative spirit. He was her everything. Elda loved her family and friends. She was an artistic free spirit, innovator, and a superstar in her own right. She had a heart of gold and a lust for life. Elda was a vibrant enthusiastic person who could fill a room upon entry. She will be dearly missed. from Meg Emerson: Here is my final thought a personal message/reflection of Elda- Elda may no longer be here in physical corporal form, but her spirit, impact, love and influence is a powerful and fierce force that continues to endure. When Elda arrived, there was no denying it. Her energy and personality filled the entire room. She was intense, fierce and as she would say “fabulous, absolutely fabulous.” She lived and loved with passion. Anyone could tell you that her love for them and her zeal for life was undeniable. She lived her life her way guided by an intense creative nature. Elda often joked that it was because she was a Scorpio. Characteristics of a Scorpio could describe Elda. To her core and Elda was proud of that – intense, passionate, independent, fierce, creative, determined, mysterious, deeply opinionated. She had a fascination with weather and politics. She was passionate

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about freedom and equality even in the 50’s and 60’s when such notions were not well received. She participated in concerts like Rock Against Racism in the 70’s to heighten awareness. Elda loved her son Branch beyond words or measure. She loved her grandchildren, family and friends. Elda’s quilts are as intricate in design and as unique as she. Their depth, beauty and weight feel like a great hug. Elda’s talents were numerous. A singer, a writer, a music director, a fashion designer, and agent of change, a painter, a quilter. Essentially Elda was a loving surging force of creative energy. Throughout her life Elda sought out that same creative spirit in others. Se would find a tiny spark then foster and coax it to grow and so all could shine. Elda was undeniably unique. Only she could wear a purple Alpaca coat and glow as if wearing the Crown Jewels of England. Only she would go apple picking with her grandkids in platform heels and run to shoo away the chickens. Elda’s ability to connect with people was a gift. She could strike up a conversation with anyone and find a way to relate and connect. Elda was a champion for the down and misfortunate. Her ears always ready to listen, her mouth ready with advice and her door open for anyone who needed a place to stay. Many people can attest to her kindness and generosity. I would say Elda was an understated muse whose impact may never be fully recognized. In all her interactions and ventures, Elda shared her passionate spirit with others. She gave inspiration and hope. It was her gift to all of us. Her spirit, her light touched our spirits and ignited love, passion and creativity in us. As Finn, her youngest grandson once said, “Our energy is a part of the energy all around us.” Now Elda’s intense, creative, loving and passionate energy, once embodied in the flesh, has been unleashed. It is a part of that creative, loving force around us every day. May her spiritual energy continue to ignite passionate creative hearts to take the unpaved path and follow their dreams. . . Branch and Meg Emerson: We were just remembering when Elda started Radio Woodstock and everyone said online streaming would never work. Look at how wrong they all were. She insisted its the new way to get music, tv, everything. That was back in 1995. from Natasha Adonzio: Elda was my first friend in NY. She let me live with her when I came from LA with the Magic Tramps. Eric Emerson who was the father of her son Branch & the lead singer in the Tramps, Youngblood was my then boyfriend. I helped her take care of Branch while she baked bread to sell for cash. She took me to Maxs Kansas City to the infamous back room where she knew everyone, everyone knew & loved Elda she was very vivacious, friendly and had a way with words. She was dramatic to say the least. I always had a great time with her. The time came when I moved out to live with Youngblood but we remained good friends. I opened a small shop on St. Marks near 1st Ave she would come over & model some of my scarf dresses & help me iron all the antique scarfs, she would call the scarfs snot rags. One day she saw Johnny Thunders out in the front of my store, he thought the FBI was looking for him so she dragged him in the shop to hide & he helped to iron scarfs. When she had the idea to start a 3 girl group, she pursued this idea & made it happen One night she was having auditions wanted me to be there to help her, so we heard several girls & then this blond shows up, I remember her clear as day, she got in front of the mic & sang, I almost fell off my chair, such a beautiful voice & stunning to look at. It was Debbie Harry & she was in. Once she found her girls she wanted me to do some clothes for them & we made some outrageous outfits. She called the group the Stilettoes & history was made. They played at The Bobern Tavern to packed houses, until Debbie left with half the band. But Elda endured with other projects. For the rest of her life she did too many to count always so creative, no one could keep her down. Until the day she left this earth. She deserves all the recognition for a life well lived. I love & miss you Elda, REST IN PEACE .. from Sesu Coleman: "Upon arrival in early 1971 to the Concrete Jungle with sirens & fire trucks - Eric Emerson brought our unique band from Hollywood California to his lady's apt on the lower East Side with the promise of music

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opportunities - 5 floor walk up (top floor) & a screaming baby named 'Branch'....she took us in & the band lived with her until I found an apt for the group while Eric stayed with her & Branch,,,,it was not unusual to have Holly Woodlawn - Jackie Curtis over for makeup sessions while preparing for off-Broadway theater...that became the norm - especially while I'm taking a bath in the kitchen near their table..very casual..welcome to NYC - Eric's lady was Elda Gentile - kind -sweet & welcoming. We stayed friends throughout the years & I shared the stage with Elda at times & we were in the same bill in 2017 at a Max's Kansas City" reunion (The Stilletos & Magic Tramps) @ the Bowery Electric & had private conversations about her book & my Memoirs ( being written currently) about the 70's time period...I visited Elda in Woodstock while putting together the Magic Tramps CD - "Kickin' Up Moonlight Dust' for her to listen to Eric's vocals - she luv'ed it & thanked me for keeping our music alive....so much history - I thought the world of Elda & hope to put more stories from my pen to paper....May she rock in peace....Sesu Coleman - Magic Tramps . . Sesu Coleman Sesu 2005 release date for 'Kickin' Up Moonlight Dust' David Johansen wrote: I first knew Elda as a single mother with an indomitable spirit who was naturally curious about all things and knowledgeable about many. Her apartment was a salon where Holly, Jackie, and the most wonderful repertoire in the universe would drop by. Most of all, I will always remember her generosity— she shared everything she had, down to the last piece of bread. Through all her endeavors, which were many, Branch stands as a living testament to what a beautiful person she was. —David Johansen 11/02/2018 from Jerry Anglin: Elda was a real treasure! She was one of the originals. A golden thread woven into the fabric of the 1970's New York City cultural and music underground that would eventually give birth to "Punk Rock". Elda had the heart,soul,and spirit of a artist! from those historic gig's with her band the Stiletto's at CBGB's, Max's Kansas City and Club 82 to her friendships with the Warhol crowd and later even those amazing quilt's she made. Elda lives on through her music, her art and in the spirit of art itself!! - Jerry Anglin (Guitarist, Oroville/Paradise Ca). from Peter Crowley: Elda was the soul of NYC 'underground' rock'n'roll. from Guy Furrow: Hi Marlowe, I didn’t know Elda but I think she was amazing! And a trailblazer. I do know her sister Diane and I adore her! Beauty obviously runs in the family. Hope you’re well. xxGuy aka Miss Guy from Joe Sztabnik: Hi Marlowe.....was a fan , just like you..... from Joseph Scheebo Pampillonia: I was introduced to Elda by Youngblood from the Magic Tramps at Elda’s son’s fifth birthday party. I first saw Elda working in a clothing store on St. Marks Place. She had her own look and a strange beauty to her I couldn’t forget. We both had something to do with St. Marks place at that time. I rehearsed with Youngblood in the back of a clothing store up the block, Natasha’s. Everybody who was in a band hung out on St. Marks place in those days. Elda took a liking to me and from then on we were a team. She became my friend, my lover, my confident, my partner and my mentor. We both were looking for the same thing like so many others in the village and that

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was just to be in a great band. I had no idea who she was or even who the Magic Tramps or Stilettos were. She was pretty and already well known in the business. I had been playing in a totally different music circuit beforehand. I would find out many years later that she was well known by many in this small sea of downtown city runaway musicians. She was, way, way, ahead of her time. She possessed opinions that women of today still have to discover about themselves, and she lived it. She was a good looking girl who was one of the guys. She loved big, and was there for her friends. The second day we hooked up she went to save a crying girlfriend from her bar owner boss who was being abusive. She went into the bar, took a drink from a table and just poured it on the floor while cursing the bar owner out. She then grabbed her girlfriend and walked out while I watch in the background. I knew then this one had balls. We lived the Stiletto life while living together for a dozen years. The stories and episodes were endless, one crazy adventure after another. She wrote great lyrics to all her songs. She was a great improvisor and performer, with a personality all her own. from Lucy Swenson: When Megan asked me to write a story about Elda, I just didn't know which one I would like to share. From the Lower East Side to the Hamptons to Woodstock, Elda and I have lived many lives together. But last night, Owen (he played guitar in one of the incarnations of the Stillettos) found a cd of a recording that he and Elda did in The Turning Mill Studio in Palenville, home to Elda for many years. Writing and recording music was something that Elda and Owen spent endless hours together enjoying. Often times with the likes of Genya Raven on drums, Rick Danko on bass, Sredni Vollmer on his variety of harmonicas, and Branch (Elda's son) would stop by and add guitar to the songs. Cheetah, Schebo, Buddy Bowser, Dorian and even Holly, Hilly and Cyrinda came out to play and oh so many other characters both local and from NYC followed Eldas vibrations into the back room where the magic happened. Last night, Owen found an amazing version of "I Left My Wedsnedsay Panties in Passaic " bringing us back to the original topic of what story I wanted to share... One day, Many years ago, Wayne Angel came by with his big old magic bus and the entire band and entourage piled in and headed out to the Cloisters for a photo shoot- Owen, Elda, Fast Eddie(her brother) Schebo and Alter Ego (whose ashes live in the studio along with Eldas vibrations. Anyways, as the shoot progresses Elda's home made clothing- holes and all, begin to get bigger gaps- Yes folks, Elda didnt' put holes in her clothing, they were old hand me downs from salvation army and the likes, that she enhanced on that tiny sewing machine of hers. She used safety pins to hold them together and who knew that mismatched socks and creativity of the poor creative artist would soon be the fashion statement. Elda would sit for hours and sew outfits for the Dolls and oh so many others, but that again is another story- back to the Cloisters, So one of the holes in her dress was getting bigger and Elda had not worn her weds panties or any other for that matter, and, here is my part… Lucy to the rescue- off came my panties and on they went on Elda- she asked and we were family, so there you have it- my Elda story- we gave each other clothing off our backs in the name of rock and roll, and that my friends is one moment in one day at a photoshoot with Elsa and the Stilettos. I attach a photo from that day along with the Cd that used the photo. Michael Murphy wrote: One of the more influential people of my youth. Elda was such an influence on me in my high school years. I wish I would have taken music a bit more seriously while I knew her. She had an infectious love of music and performance. Playing in that band with with Branch and Scott were some of my favorite memories of my youth.

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God we made some awful music. It must have drove Elda crazy. And then those fashion shows at Bay Street and at the Lime Light in NYC. I didn't even know what art was, and Elda was serving it to me on a silver platter. from Dan Tandarich: The first day I met Elda Stilletto was July 25, 2006 in New York City. The occasion was a record release party for the reconstituted New York Dolls album "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This" at the Tower Records. I had talked to Elda before but this was the first time actually meeting her. I remember she mentioned putting on eyeshadow like Johnny Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. We were there to see the band play some of the songs off of the album. The space wasn't so big and there was a lot of jostling and pushing to get a good spot to stand. I was ebbing and flowing with the crowd when Elda turned to a more aggressive jostler and said, "Hey, you're pushing my friend, Dan! Knock it off!" And with that, Elda cemented the friendship. We had just met and yet there she was making sure I wasn't being pushed too hard. Elda watched out for her friends, even the ones she had just met. We went on to have many more good times and all the while I couldn't believe that I was actually friends with the legendary Elda Stilletto! She somehow seemed to embody the toughness, creativity, loudness, and unpredictability of New York City. The kind of person that makes things happen, even a music revolution. Pure daring and inspiration with a touch of "Knock it off!" from Leon Matthews (Neon Leon): One night after going around the corner from Max's to smoke a joint before going in, I ran into Tim Beckley and Carter Stevens (film makers etc.) They had some very hot women with them and they all said hi to me. Sharon Mitchell, Long Jeannie Silver, Susie London and Elda. We went inside Max's and after a while to Sharon's flat in the village. Sharon introduced me to Elda and said she had a band looking for a new guitarist. I had just come back from London after living with Mick Taylor from the Stones and his wife Rose who was my manager at the time. Elda invited me the next day to her loft she shared with Sheebo on Grand Street... We partied, made music etc... The next thing I knew I was in the "Stilettos". Elda, Sheebo, Walter "Alter" Ego and Buddy Bowser. What a decadent, artistic time it was! Film, photo sessions, recording... Warhol stars... A time I will never forget and infuences me to this day. Great gigs and great memories... I don't feel Elda got the recognition, money she deserved. The world missed out... Their loss... Not mine, because she allowed me to share my talents in her life journey. I'm forever thankful for that. I could say more but some things are best unsaid. R. I. P. Elda, you are missed.... Neon from John Mamarella: August 9 · Throwback Thursday: My posting for today is a sad one, as I have lost another friend who was important to the history of New York Rock. I was informed yesterday that Elda Gentile, (who was better known as Elda Stilletto of 'The Stillettos), passed away on August 6, 2018 and joined that Big Band in the Sky. I first met Elda when my wife Alicia and I moved Upstate in 1986. Alicia is a Journeyman Lithograher and she got a job at the local 'Mountain Eagle' newspaper, where she was eventually put in charge of the Commercial Printing jobs. It was there that she met Owen Swenson, who was working part time as a Graphic Artist. When Owen found out that I was a musician he invited us to come down to check out his recording studio, 'The Turning Mill', in Palenville. It was there that we met Elda. In meeting Owen and Elda we got a crash course in the history of the New York City Punk Rock scene, which their band 'The Stillettos' helped to create. Through her memories Elda brought to life bands like 'Blondie', Patti Smith', Talking Heads', 'New York Dolls', 'Tom Verlaine & Television', 'Heartbreakers', "Richard Hell & The Voidoids", 'The Magic Tramps', and 'The Ramones'. It also turned out that they were good friends with Genya Raven , of 'Ten Wheel Drive', a great horn band that I was a big fan of. After they left that scene they moved Upstate and Owen started his studio, where they remained active in creating their own music. Owen and Elda were a big help to me when I became the Music Director of the Hunter Harley Festival, where I was in charge of booking the talent and providing the staging, sound, & lighting, and they made

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sure that news of our events went out through their network of friends. When Alicia and I moved back to Long Island we found out that my brothers next door neighbor, Bobby Adams, (who was a member of the band 'The Corpsegrinders'), was also good friends with Elda and Owen. The power of music is far reaching, and makes the world a small place indeed. Our condolences go out to all those who knew and loved her. Elda, you were one of the most interesting people that we ever met, and we are glad to have known you. May you Rest In Peace.

Elda's Go Fund Me link

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from Guido Collacio: Dear Marlowe, Elda is/was so close to my heart that it's difficult for me to share most of my stories, BUT I will say this. Elda was never given the credit she deserved for creating the NYC music scene that went on to become punk and the emergence of a whole army of bands especially Blondie. Without Elda there would have been no Blondie. And Debbie Harry and Chris Stein were never even qualified to be roadies for Elda. Without Elda there would have been no CBGB and all the clubs that followed. She was so ahead of her time that it was difficult for so many to appreciate the artistry of what she was doing. She was a natural. Born to create art and performance. And let's not forget, she is NY rock royalty. She and Eric Emerson were quite the amazing couple. In closing I will say that it was my privilege that she allowed me to know and share our lives. I loved her in every sense of the

Hi Folks, yesterday was my birthday. I am fortunate that I share with my good friend Liam O Maonlai of Hothouse Flowers, Jean Shrimpton the 60s model, a talented landscape artist Maurice Desmond and Alberto who is the truest Mod in all of Italy. Yesterday I sent all these people my heartfelt wishes. Then some time in the afternoon I remembered that it was also Elda Gentile's birthday. I looked up her Facebook page and my heart split in two when I discovered that she had passed away in August. I couldn't believe it. I thought I had no more to do than contact her. I can remember the exact blade of grass I stood on when I first met the beautiful Elda. With a New York punk drummer friend Jeff West I went to A Day In The Garden at Woodstock in August 1998. My old friend Pete Townshend was going to play with his studio band. I was backstage and decided to walk around for a while soaking up the atmosphere. I noticed Joni Mitchell talking to some very attentive hip friends. I decided to do what I did because I knew I would never be here again..I strode across to the group and not very politely said "Hi Joni, my name's Jack. I have something I've been meaning to tell you since I last saw you on stage in 1970.." She was a bit surprised at my unorthodox statement but countered well.."I'm pregnant?" Everyone laughed. "No," I said, "I too was born on the 7th of November !" Joni gave her glass to someone and laughed and hugged me. One of her friends said rather fittingly.."Oh Wow ! Well, it's a day in the garden..." I dragged myself away and wandered over to where there were canopies. Underneath one was the letters W.D.S.T. 100.1 Radio Woodstock. A girl with long hair was looking at me from the tent and asked, "Do you listen to Radio Woodstock?" How could I? I was a million miles away living in Cork and working as a mailman. We talked. She was beautiful, warm, great sense of humour. I loved her Noo Yawk drag, she was straight out of CBGB's. Within twenty minutes she had my life story. I told her why I was there and my connections with Pete Townshend. She was smiling at my Mod suit and the very English red braces holding up my pants. I started telling her about my encounter with Joni Mitchell just twenty minutes earlier. Then : 'starry starry night, paint your canvas blue and grey hit me in the neck..' she said excitedly.."Hey J-a-a-c-k, I'm the 7th November as well !!" I couldn't believe it. We hugged tight. Later that day I met some truly wonderful friendly people..Richie Havens, Melanie, Frank Barselona and Joey Ramone who I swapped telephone numbers and addresses with. He was hosting a radio show. Very soon I was in dreamland standing at the side of the stage, a stage which had been erected less than a meter from the original Woodstock stage in '69. When I returned to New York later that night with a clutch of real, pure, genuine Woodstock grass in an envelope (I still have it) I wondered if I had imagined the whole day. The next day I did a live radio interview with Elda and Doug Grunther from my friend's kitchen Vinney and Anne de Nunzio. They didn't mind, they had Irish Jack in the house. Right now as I type this loving tribute to Elda I am listening to the little C60 tape she sent me of my interview. Just listening to Elda's voice is splitting my heart in two. Why do we lose the best of us? A couple of years ago I re-connected with Elda on Facebook but we didn't correspond much. Thank you Elda Gentile for being my friend x

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: T H G I L T O P S L E D O M N O S N H O J JESSICA

Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Jessica Johnson, and I am a mature, vibrant, outgoing glamour and lingerie model. My ethnic heritage is a mixture of Trinidadian and Japanese, but I was born in the United States in San Diego, California. Currently, I reside in Portland, Oregon raising 3 beautiful amazing boys. My goal as a model is to be the first tattoo model to walk the Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secret fashion show and to be published in Maxim or Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.

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Fuel Sunburn 20th Anniversary Tour One Centre Square, Easton, Pa October 27th, 2018 By Alexxis Steele

For Fuel’s return to the Lehigh Valley, this certainly was no “Bad Day” for the band, as evident by the crowd of fans singing every word to their songs from their heyday in the 90’s. I was no exception of course! I remember hanging out at the bar back in the day with then drummer Kevin Miller, and lead vocalist Brett Scallions at Casey’s Nightclub in Allentown PA, before the band hit national success. 20 Years has passed since the band came out with their commercially successful cd- “Sunburn”, and they were eager to get out on tour again, for the anniversary of their release. Of course they had to go back to their roots in the Lehigh Valley, and perform for their fans, this time at the hotspot for all rock shows- One Centre Square in Easton, Pa. Brett started out by saying it was good to be home, where it all started, and how they have played all over the world in places like Japan, and South America, but we heard these songs before the rest of the world did. He also said about how Marijuana is being legalized all over the nation, and how the world will be a better place because of it. After playing several of their hits off their 20 year old debut cd, he asked if the fans minded them playing music from their other cd’s “Something Like Human”, and “Natural Selection”, and of course Throughout the course of the evening, Brett engaged with the fans, shaking hands and giving high fives, and truly appreciated their support of the band for the last 20 years. At one point during the show, when Brett said about doing a song from their “punk’ days a mosh broke out, and security had to remove someone from the crowd. He addressed the audience and said to be nice to your neighbor next to you, because we are all here to enjoy the music together. A surprise toward the end of the show was a dedication to Tom Petty, with the band doing their rendition of “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”, a Marijuana reference. All in all, it was a great show, and good to hear the Fuel songs that brought back memories like, “Shimmer”,” Bittersweet”, “Bad Day”, and “Falls On Me”. The Encore song was my all- time favorite Fuel song that had the whole crowd singing along- “Hemorrhage In My Hands”, which was the #1 charted US Alt song in 2000. Thanks Brett & The band for a great show!

Setlist 1. Jesus or a Gun 2. New Thing 3. Song for You 4. Sunburn 5. Shimmer 6. Bittersweet 7. Mary Pretends 8. It's Come to This 9. Ozone 10. Hideaway 11. Encore: 12. Bad Day 13. Falls On Me 14. Mary Jane's Last Dance(Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover) 15. Hemorrhage (In My Hands)

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Local Spotlight Artist Julie Williams Photos by Brian Limage JULIE WILLIAMS Julie Williams is a 14-year-old, singer-songwriter who performs in and around the Lehigh Valley Area. She has been singing all her life, but began professional lessons at age 6. She started at the Lesson Center in Bethlehem and later moved onto School of Rock in Easton at age 9. Julie’s sound is that of a singer-songwriter as a solo artist and a more aggressive, rock sound in a full band setting. On her rock and roll side, she is heavily involved in School of Rock’s house band, Bank Street Band, as well has her own band, DKY. In addition to those commitments, she is a freshman vocal major at Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. Julie has been the nominee and recipient of several Lehigh Valley Music Awards over the past two years. One of Julie’s largest passions is songwriting and she wrote her first original song, Sits in Her Room, in the summer of 2016. A few of her other works include, Hear Me Now, What If It Rains, and Let Me Down. Julie is currently working on her first solo EP and plans to release it by the end of the year.

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Fall Foilage Pictorial

PHOTOS BY ALEXXIS STEELE AND JOHN PATTERSON JR

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CHEAP TRICK PPL CENTER ALLENTOWN PHOTOS BY SHERI BAYNE

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POISON PICTORIAL PPL CENTER ALLENTOWN PHOTOS BY SHERI BAYNE

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Check out DRAMA on page 72

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Jerry Saravia (November 2018) Film Analysis When Eddie Murphy was King…

Still of Eddie Murphy from “Coming to America” (1988)

Something happened to Eddie Murphy, something akin to Richard Pryor in the 1990’s – a boxoffice slump. Of course, I will not compare both talented, diverse comedians – they can be funnier on a bad day than any hack comedian on a good one. Pryor softened his street edginess in the various movie roles he played, a far cry from the poetic, harsh tones of the standup act of

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concert films like “Here and Now” or “Live on the Sunset Strip.” Eddie Murphy was the opposite of poetic – he was the fast-talking, mile-a-minute standup comedian who poked fun at everyone one, in less than acceptable or politically correct ways to today’s audience, yet still funny. When it came to film roles, he brought the same swagger, the same caffeinated personality carried through by unmistakably uncanny impressions of celebrities like Bill Cosby or Michael Jackson. What was gone were the “bathroom humor” shenanigans (as described by Roger Ebert who hated Eddie’s last concert film, “Eddie Murphy Raw”), the juveniles jokes of growing up in suburbia with a drunken uncle and his concerns over flatulence and everything below the belt. In 1987’s “Raw,” Eddie focused on the most corrosive of all institutions (according to him, at that time) marriage and how women could not be trusted because if they married someone, they expect half of the money when it came time to the inevitable divorce. “Raw” was a personal statement by Eddie and, due to its perceived misogyny and sexist attitude, it was seen as a step back for Eddie and it was also his last concert film, period. After 1988’s “Coming to America,” a box-office success, occasional peaks occurred but mostly valleys. The Eddie Murphy of the 1980’s was no longer the box-office darling when he entered the 1990’s, a decade that gave birth (for better or worse) to political correctness and political revisionism. So what happened in the 1990’s for motormouth Eddie Murphy? Just as Richard Pryor’s career derailed in Hollywood, Eddie softened as well though he could still be funny. Sure, 1996’s “The Nutty Professor” was a big moneymaker, re-establishing Eddie Murphy as the vital, immense talent who could play four to five roles on screen that could make us awe with wonder and, more importantly, make us laugh. Unfortunately, there were mostly duds with precious few Eddie Murphy moments that could kill us with laughter such as “Another 48 HRS.,” “Metro,” “Beverly Hills Cop III,” “Vampire in Brooklyn,” etc. 1992’s “The Distinguished Gentleman” was fitfully funny, as was “Boomerang,” yet even these films came up short when compared to bona fide irreverent efforts from the 1980’s like “48 HRS.,” “Trading Places,” the first two “Beverly Hills Cop” pictures, or the charms of “Coming to America.” It was almost as if Eddie’s heart was not into it or he felt he had to cut back, especially with his gargantuan laugh that was the trademark of any Eddie Murphy film. When Eddie did the tired rehash of “Beverly Hills Cop III,” he reportedly told director John Landis that it was time to tone things done – less comedy, more drama. All this is according to Landis, believe it or not, yet it appears to be true because Eddie dialed back his shining personality – it was Eddie Murphy as laid back as a human sofa. Who the hell wants that? The 2000 decade showcased a family friendly Eddie Murphy, not unlike Richard Pryor who tried and failed with somewhat noble efforts like “The Toy.” Eddie went full Disney with movies like “Doctor Dolittle” and its sequel, “The Haunted Mansion,” “Shrek” and its three sequels, etc. Sure, Eddie strutted his stuff in “Shrek” as an animated donkey and it is funny to hear that voice in the body of a cartoon animal. Aside from 1999’s “Life” and “Bowfinger” and his brief role as a rapid-fire talking con-man in 2007’s “Tower Heist,” the 2000s showed Eddie at a creative disservice to his talent. Eddie was just riding on the coattails of family movies that anyone else

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could have made. He seemed adrift and not always in his element â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the fire, the passion, the explosive personality of a man who shook up the screen with his quick tempo and rat-a-tat-tat delivery of dialogue was missing. As of this writing, it is unclear if Eddie Murphy will return to standup. It is a different era now where political correctness has become infectious and has reduced humor tinged with irony to offensive banter as perceived by millennials. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hope he can climb back on board and show everyone that it is okay to laugh and offend in equal measure. Delirious, raw, unkempt Eddie Murphy has been gone for far too long.

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FANNY WALKED THE EARTH By Jim Allford

This band is made up of true legends in the music business. They have quite a history, being one of the first all female bands being signed to a major label in 1969. The band is a reincarnation of the band, FANNY! The band is now a 3 piece band and the members are: JEAN MILLINGTON on BASS; JUNE MILLINGTON on Guitar, she is also Jean's sister and BRIE HOWARD DARLING on Drums.[I must admit, I was lucky enough to see 2 different versions of the band, FANNY, live and both times I was super impressed with them.] This is their first recording after 50 years of playing together. This 11 song CD is produced and mixed by DAVE DARLING on BLUE ELAN RECORDS. LURED AWAY starts out the CD and the hooks start from the very beginning, with a great harmonies and solid rhythm. You'll be singing along with this song in no time. WALK THE EARTH is great as their great harmonies once again come fore front as the band is solid on every note and beat. ONE has a great intro which shows off the great guitar work of June, as Jean keeps a cool funky pace as Brie holds it all together, not missing a beat. Their vocals again are as tight as it can be. NOT MY MONKEY is a real treat as the girls are amazing, as they slap you in the face with Zappa like humor, and they keep every note and beat as tight as a wire. COOL GIRL is definitely a commercial hit in my books, as it's mellow feel hits home. Everything is in place where it needs to be on this song. WHAT ARE WAITING FOR is another sing with great hooks as the vocals are strong again. There is no doubt you'll be singing along with this song in no time. LOVE FARMERS is slow, mellow song which is sang from the heart, which will carry you away, with every note and beat in place. I could this becoming a big hit for them, too. THIS IS MUST HAVE CD TO HAVE IN ANY COLLECTION. You can find the band at: Facebook, blueelan.com. You Tube, Amazon, ultimateclassicrock.com, fannywalkedtheearth.com, rollingstone.com and the list goes on and on. I want to give a BIG SHOUT to BRIE for letting me have a chance to review the amazing band and CD. Also, THANK YOU to Erin for the connection. Also, to JEAN and JUNE MILLINGTON for being in touch over the years. I never forgotten you and all the great music you put out. The band is EPIC and don't change. Please, go check their websites and give them a listen. One of the best all female bands in history. Peace, Love and ROCK ON, JIM ALLFORD

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Don’s Attic - (In Memory of Sam Andrew) by Don Aters

John Lennon met McCartney when he was 17, Macca was 14. John ask Macca to join The Quarryman Macca wrote “When I’m Sixty-Four when he was sixteen years old.. Macca met George Harrison while riding on the school bus. Macca changed to bass after the loss of Stu Sutcliff The Cavern Club would have a fire code of 200 maximum but when The Beatles played there, 500 fans crammed in the building. Their first U.S. concert was in Shea Stadium, 1965, it was the first stadium concert Macca wrote more hit songs than Lennon inclusive of Yesterday, Hey, Jude, Let it Be, & Hello, Goodbye.. George Harrison was 27 when The Beatles called it a day.. Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 evolved into tandem performances at Madison Square Garden. He then released the album & concert film with that money with the money (12 million by 1985) and still growing to The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF. George wrote Crackerbox Palace about his quirky Mansion in London.........(120 rooms in Friar Park) George loved hanging out with Dylan and The Traveling Willbury’s Tom Petty thought George was the ideal person to hang out with.. George was the first ex-Beatle to top both the “single” and “album” charts George wrote his first song while thinking how to tell people to “Get Lost” - The Song?, “Don’t Bother Me”.

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All Around Artist Making Her Way Into The Entertainment World By Nick Christophers

Akiko Tokuoka has managed not only to showcase her dance steps on stages across Manhattan but also appeared on MTV. From a tender age Akiko has been in love with dancing and it has been her passion ever since. Before venturing to New York, she began as a back-up dancer and performed at many nightclubs in her native Japan. There is where she learned the different dance styles from jazz to Hip-Hop. When she came to New York she was determined to present her talents to the American public. Akiko took courses in ballet, dancing and contemporary dance. But she did not limit herself to dance only she also took classes in acting. The doors began to open for her as she found herself performing at many venues like the Blue Note and Lincoln Center. “I am very happy with my progress so far. But I must thank many good people who gave me the opportunity to shine. Such as Lovari an R&B singer who I not only performed in his music video “Paparazzi” but also was the choreographer. I also performed at his concert which was recorded and was nominated in the Newark International Film Festival and ended up on MTV.” Akiko adopted a style of dance called vogue culture which is a part of a group called “House of Ninja”. That specific group is more than just focused on dance but they also in fashion on the runways. The House of Ninja have gone as far as working with Madonna during her performance at the 2012 Super Bowl. Akiko had the honor of heading her own crew within the group known as “KiIT Ninja” on a tour in Japan in 2010. “When it comes to House of Ninja I am proud to be a part of it. As a group we are carrying on the Willi Ninja’s (founder) legacy who passed away a few years ago of AIDS. There are many branches of the group in Asia and Europe. The headquarters are here in New York.” Her talents have not gone unnoticed as she was featured in ads for companies like Nike, New Era and NYC Play Sure. She graduated to performing on Off-Broadway productions like “Heather Smiley for President” and” WARLOVERS”. She admitted that the musical “Warlovers” is one of her most impressive projects so far. Akiko also took part in a documentary for DAZED Magazine coordinated by Melanie Johl. At the present time she is steering her talent wheel to acting which she is also passionate about. She had already acted in a traditional Japanese play called,

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“Jyou En”, at the Theater for New City in Manhattan. Only recently Akiko performed her own solo show called “Cyborg Geisha” that was inspired from the film “Ghost in The Shell” she also received ideas from her kimono teacher, Emi Kikuchi (Kimono Experience) tricks that uses obi in the piece. Her show is a combination of robotic movements and the use of a multi-colored fan. She tells the story through props, make-up and colorful costumes. It was performed on a public access TV channel called the Diamante Show. On the horizon Akiko is working on developing her acting skills and auditioning for film projects that come her way. She is an artist who is determined to develop her works whether it be acting, dancing or choreography a woman on a serious mission.

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BAD LUCK LOVER BOYS E.P. JIM ALLFORD·FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018

This 4 piece modern pop punk band hails from Reynoldsdale, Pa and this is their very first E.P. The 5 song E.P was produced, recorded and mixed at PITT STREET STUDIOS by CODY HOOVER in Bedford, Pa. The packaging and photography was done by SHANE LYNN. The band members are: CHRIS DIEHL : Singer/guitaristBRANDON MILLER : Singer/bassist- MATT GODISSART: Backing vocals/guitarist and BRAD HENGST. The band was formed in 2017 after disbanding their old high school band which shows they are rather new to the music biz. The E.P. starts out with a song titled, “ALL MY THOUGHTS ARE DEAD” and the laugh in the intro will make you smile. Then, BAM, the guitars slap you in the face fast and furious. Amazing how their four chords get you and their vocals go crazy on you! I must admit, I really the ‘raw’ sound they have. “AT THE BASEBALL GAME” still has that same raw sound, and they are pretty tight as the vocals go into their own zone. The lead guitar work comes in a bit, but sneaks out and they still keep it rockin’! The song titled. “NICOLE”, ends the E.P., which is in the same mold as the other songs, that are in your face and pounding on your chest hard. The songs for the most part are short in length on the CD and sound quite raw. [The Replacements mode!]. You can find them on their Facebook page and on Soundcloud! I really think for their first try at recording, they all did a pretty good job. My hats off to the band for letting me do this review and keep rockin'. ROCK ON, JIM

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JAY T. VONADA: UNITED

JIM ALLFORD·THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018 Meet JAY T. VONADA. Jay isn’t new to the jazz world since this is 6th CD release with his jazz quartet. His quartet includes: KIRK REESE on piano; BOB HART on bass and KEVIN LOWE on drums. Jay himself is the master of the trombone! The band recorded this nine song CD in July 17, 2017, at RED ROCK RECORDING in Saylorsburg, Pa, with Kent Heckman as the recording engineer. Please check out: www.jayvonada.net for more info about Jay and his quartet. In the past, JAY has released 5 independent CD’s. This CD by JAY T. VONADA is up for a GRAMMY this year, which they all are excited about. The first song on the CD is titled, “INSPIRED”, which has a ‘great swing’ to it, as the band interludes between each other without missing a beat. This is one great intro song to begin with. “SUMMERTIME”, is the old classic song which has almost been done by everyone. Jay carries the song great as the piano weaves in and out of the tune as the bass and drums fill all the spots that are needed. This is one version of the song. “THAT’S WHAT I SAID”, is an incredible song ,that Jay carries the tune on , and once again, the band is as tight as ever, and quite a treat to the ears. “SUMMER DAZE” starts out with a sweet bass intro with the “Alley Cat” feel crawling as Jay sneaks in to add his spice to the song. The piano once again comes in, taking it to a whole new level as the drums beat hard on every note. I must admit, this song is superb and stands out to me. “UNITED” is the final song on the CD, and starts out with a great trombone riff in your face, as the band follows Jay to a ‘T’. The piano and the trombone play a tug of war between each other with ease, not overcrowding one other at all, which is so easy to do. The bass takes off in its own little world, as the drums go wild not missing one beat. I must admit, this is one of the best jazz albums I’ve heard in a long time. I highly recommend this amazing jazz CD to everyone. My hats off to JAY for still thinking of me after all these years, and letting me do a review on the new CD. My hats off to the band, who also did an incredible job,and I’m more than impressed to say the least. I hope, one day, to meet up with you and the band. ROCK ON, JIM ALLFORD

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The Creation-England's untold and underestimated story of a Heavy Rock- British R&B Band in 19661967 by Samantha Byrne Leyte

A man invented a powerful elixir and he tried it on human subjects first. He called it his "Creation". The Creation were an incredible group and they were contemporaries of Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Mindbenders, The Small Faces, The Who, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Move, The Yardbirds, The Troggs, The Animals, The Pretty Things, Procol Harem, Deep Purple, Status Quo The story of The Creation is fairly typical of its time. Guitarist Eddie Phillips is probably the group's most well-known member. However, all of the guys were talented and the four of them played a sound that was wicked and totally blistering to anyone at the gig. Eddie took up guitar in the UK's "Skiffle Craze". This was in 1955-1956. Skiffle were young guys in their teens playing acoustic guitar, banjo, washboards, washtub string basses, fiddle, harmonica, etc., playing American songs like "Rock Island Line" "The Death of Jesse James", and "John Henry". After a while, Eddie Phillips got interested in Elvis Presley and Bill Haley. Eddie's style began to gel playing Mick Green riffs, you could say, after The Beatles released "Love Me Do," in 1962. Eddie was playing "Beatles and Shadows" styled music at that time. It seems he made enough money to buy a Gibson ES-335 and a Vox amplfier in about 1963 or 1964. The Creation came from Enfield,Essex,England. They slowly but surely developed a huge following , mainly in London. Their audience consisted of young mods and bohemian types. The group was originally a 5 piece band that were called The Mark Four. They consisted of Kenny Picket on lead vocals, Mick Thompson on Rhythm Guitar, John Dalton on Bass Guitar, Jack Jones on Drums and Eddie Phillips on Lead Guitar. So it was 5 guys, but they went by the designation of The "Mark Four". Eddie bought Marshall Stacks after a couple of years went by and the group noticed upon returning from a brief tour of Germany and Europe that it was Rolling Stones styled music that everybody in England was listening to by then. The members of the Creation began working on songs by the likes of Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley and others. Eddie Phillips' performances got more and more dynamic and he'd slide metallic and glass objects up and down the fretboard on his ES335. One evening in the waning weeks of 1965, a man was in the audience who had shoulder length hair and came from Birmingham northwest of London that had worked as a sports reporter for a big city daily. It was Tony Stratton-Smith who thought The Group(still called The Mark Four at that time)was pretty hot and Tony liked Eddie's use of sliding objects, feedback, and loud intense volume. Eddie had in addition developed a supplemental technique to his playing: He often played his guitar with a violin bow! Research into the 1965-1966 London scene indicates that Eddie Phillips was a couple of months ahead of Jimmy Page with the Violin Bow effect. Kenny Pickett sang in a raspy, blistering style that resembled Jim Sohns! Stratton Smith managed a whole slew of artists of which a few of them included The Koobas, Beryl Marsden, The Nice, Lindesfarne, Shapes, Genesis, etc. Tony was something of a cross between an LSD guru and a Valley of The Dolls Westchesterish-Oxfordish Englishman. They say he liked his LSD and he kept all of his artists supplied. The Creation soon enjoyed a John Sinclair/MC5 styled relationship with Tony. So on into 1966 from 1965 it was now "The Creation" and no longer "The Mark Four.' There had been a small reshuffling of the group lineup. By this time it was Kenny Pickett(Lead Singer)Eddie Phillips(Lead guitar)Bob Garner(Bass)Jack Jones(Drums). The Creation have been criticized for copying The Who, but if you listen to a large batch of their recorded output, the group does have a similarity to The Yardbirds, The Small Faces, The Kinks and the Who. But in reality they had their own style which stood on its own. I think that out of The Creation's entire body of recorded work only "Biff

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Bang Pow" and "Try and Stop Me" seem to mimic the Who but only a little bit. The group played in Europe from time to time and Germany became like a second home to them. In 1966 and 1967,The Creation appeared on Beat Club(1966)Beat Beat Beat(1966)Beat Beat Beat(1967)Whole Scene Going On(UK,1966)and the performances are dynamite! The group continued on and one day in about October or November of 1966 they met the guys in the Who backstage at a gig. The guys in the Creation and The Who hit it off quite nicely. There is a rumour that Pete Townshend tried to hire Eddie Phillips as a second guitarist in The Who. Nobody remembers if that's so or not and Eddie chalks the whole story up to "a bit of sharp press. I could be wrong but I've read over the years that "Strat" was gay. Starting with Brian Epstein about 75% of the managers, PR guys, music publishers, producers, hairdressers, clothing designers, and photographers working in "beat music" or the "British Invasion" were gay. These men were behind the comportment of the bands such as long hair, matching suits, uniforms, flower power clothes, turtlenecks, skinny ties, Zorba The Greek Hats, pointy boots and shoes, etc. A few of the music businessmen in the UK were straight such as Giorgio Gomelski, and Andrew Loog Oldham. Most of the groups were straight, and they followed wherever these business men might lead. It is because of these LGBTQ/TG/TS/CD business men and their influence in the music business that the groups came out of the dressing room looking exactly the way they did, starting in 1962 and 1963.The groups knew they were headed for a major label recording contract if they played along with all of this. The Creation had two near hits in 1966 and they were "Making Time"(June 1966) and "Painter Man"(October 1966). These are very, very cool songs. And there are also a number of really wicked hit compilations and Live reunions. You can buy these things on Amazon.com, and can also listen on itunes, Soundcloud or Spotify. They eventually became a Top 10 group in Germany. One day in the spring of 1967,Kenny Pickett arrived at a rehearsal only to find out that Bob Garner had set aside his bass and appointed himself lead singer. Unfortunately, Kenny stood there looking puzzled , trying to find the words to say. After a few minutes he left in frustration. The Creation now consisted of Kim Gardner(Bass) Bob Garner(Lead Singer)Jack Jones(Drums)Eddie Phillips(Lead Guitar). The Creation were still very powerful onstage, even with Bob Garner singing lead and handing the bass playing over to Kim Gardner who was a superb bass player. The Creation continued to have many hits in Germany including "Cool Jerk", "Tom Tom", and "If I Stay Too Long", and were really very good in Concert. They had no set and specific stage act, but they did move around on stage a whole lot. There were things they did like when Eddie and the others went into the instrument break on "Painter Man", Kenny Pickett would spray a large canvas with spray paint colors then he'd set it on fire! So it goes without saying they were Killers in Concert! In December 1967 Eddie Phillips left The Creation saying he'd had it with the business aspects of the scene he was running into. He joined P.P.Arnold's backing group and he played bass mostly and lead guitar on a couple of songs. Ron Wood was on hiatus from The Jeff Beck Group so Jones, Garner and Gardner persuaded Woody to take Eddie Philips' place in The Creation. Woody did a great job. The group announced its breakup in June 1967,therefore Ron Wood split. He went back to playing bass for The Jeff Beck Group. Tony Oller was Ron Wood's replacement. I have almost no info on Tony, but by all accounts he was a great guitar player. So Bob Garner, Jack Jones, Tony Oller, and Kim Gardner played three last gigs as The Creation in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Cologne just before announcing the breakup of the band.

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“Grease” Is Still the Positively Energized Way We Are Feeling! By Scott Aber

As I started to research material to include for this article, I certainly had a plethora to pick from. Grease is an institution that's been celebrated for the past 40 years. And the aforementioned plethora of sources certainly includes my own experiences with, and feelings about, this originallydismissed-by-everyone-including-its-creators masterpiece. For me, my love of Grease started at 6 years old, when I received the original 2-disc vinyl release as a birthday present. Of course, I had heard of Grease from both radio airplay of the charttopping songs, and my aunt Kelly, who was our family's resident John Travolta disciple. But I had never actually seen the movie itself, until it came to HBO (one of only two then-competing premium cable channels) sometime later. Since album cover art didn't contain Parental Advisories back then, my mom – who also had not ever seen the movie yet – wasn't too happy when she heard the lyrics to Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee or Greased Lightning. The one thing that I remember most about seeing Grease for the very first time, is Sandy being presented during the film's finale. The reason this particular moment sticks out in my mind more vividly than any other, is because although I had seen Olivia Newton-John made up this way on the cover of the soundtrack album, I had absolutely no idea who she was when she came on screen. It just didn't register. Grease has been re-released to home video and TV outlets various times, each time containing subtle changes in the audio track. The first time Grease was shown on ABC TV in 1981, the sound had a more ceramic quality, with Olivia Newton-John's second moan as John Travolta kisses her at the beach, being turned up. Bowser also does more MC'ing as Danny & Sandy take over the floor during the Hand Jive. The opening credits in this version were missing Vince Vontaine's patter over the instrumental intro of Frankie Valli's title track, during which he “hits the post.” And Stockard Channing's delivery of the line, “You pig!” in response to Jeff Conaway's remarks about hickies, was also slightly different. That different delivery of Rizzo's line is actually heard in the film's original theatrical trailer. This is the version that TV channels used for decades, until networks that were then-owned by mogul Ted Turner started showing more current TV versions, that weren't as censored. These later TV versions contained a still-edited, but longer version of Greased Lightning, allowing Danny to still utter the line, “The chicks'll cream.” But the biggest changes to Grease's spectacular sound came in 1997, when a very well-meaning George Lucas contacted his former college roommate and director of Grease, Randal Kleiser. George had just given all three Star Wars movies a THX digital makeover, and re-released them to theaters in celebration of the original film's 20th anniversary. The project was so well-received, that George suggested to Randal that he do the same thing with Grease, for its own 20th anniversary. In effort to do it “right”, Randal went into the Paramount vault to get all of the original celluloid sound reel elements, to be remixed and mastered from scratch. Unfortunately, some of those sound reels had become gooey from decades of storage. A slow low-temperature baking process to dry them out worked to a great degree, but some elements were ultimately unsalvageable.

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In attempt to both replace the sound elements that could not be saved, and provide 5-channel surround sound, new sound effects were added. Some sounds were added just for the heck of it, like the bushes audibly rustling when Sonny pushes Putzie into them, and the chains on the drive-in swings rattling when Danny bumps against them during the song Sandy. One of the missing-for-exact-reasons-unknown original sound effects from the drive-in scene, was the car horns that tell Danny he's casting a shadow on the drive-in screen. Also among the nowmissing sounds, was the cymbal that enhances the wave crashing into Sandy & Danny at the beach. The most disheartening change for me about the new 1997 audio mix, was how the oncebackground music now often drowned out dialogue. Some cast members had been quite vocal about their disappointment over the fact that some of their dialogue could no longer be heard. The worst example of drowned-out dialogue for me personally, was during Olivia's iconic delivery of “Tell me about it, stud.” The new mix also left a lot of the original music sounding weaker, while the newer sound effects stood out in front. This is partly due to the fact that digital sound is “cleaner” than analog, because it breaks up and then reassembles what it processes. While analog sound is one continuous stream, and therefore has much more “punch” to it. From 1998 on, TV stations licensed and played the digitally remixed 1998 version of Grease, and it looked like the original 1978 version was lost in oblivion forever. Even 2010's sing along release was an enhanced version of the 1998 remaster. Then in late 2017, it was announced that Grease was again being re-released theatrically and on home video, in celebration of its 40th anniversary. Thankfully, a 70mm master mix of the original 1978 audio had been discovered, and this master mix was used to completely restore Grease's sound to its original luster. In fact, it's actually improved. Background elements are once again properly in the background, but some of them – like back up vocals during You're the One That I Want – have been turned up slightly, to show that they are once again in proper sync. Some dialog that was more buried in the original 1978 release has actually been turned up, particularly during the high school dance scene. And while they are now more properly in the background, some sound effects that weren't present until 1998 still hang around, particularly during Greased Lightning. They include the sound of the engine as Danny descends on it, and Kenickie's cigarette lighter audibly lighting. Lastly, while VHS, Betamax, and Laserdisc releases from the 1980s featured a Phil Spectoresque simulated stereo sound, Grease's 40th anniversary audio is actually in true stereo. The picture quality in the new 40th anniversary release has also been tremendously improved. The original negative has been scanned and given meticulous color restoration. You'll now clearly and correctly see that the guys' T-Birds insignias actually contain white, blue, yellow, and red elements. The only visual edits between this spectacular restoration, and the original 1978 release, are the erasing of the microphone that once glared in the jukebox as Danny apologizes to Sandy, and the onceblurred Coke poster in the Frosty Palace, now replaced by a should-have-been-there-all-along Pepsi

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poster. The poster issue was reportedly due to a Pepsi deal the producers had struck, although dancer Sean Moran has a slightly different take (or possibly a mere enhancement) on that in his book, The Diary of a Movie Greaser. John Travolta has said that he feels he was the only one who really had any real faith in the film. But he is also shocked that after 40 years, people are still talking about Grease. John can't believe the attachment that fans still have to it. They want to dress like the characters, they still sing the songs, etc. John is very humbled by the affection still shown for this fabulous musical after four decades. John also says that he was the only real choice to play Danny Zuko. No auditions were held to cast his part. For the past 40 years, rumors circulated that Henry Winkler – who played biker Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days – had been considered to play Danny, but Henry didn't want to be typecast as a greaser. That rumor is partially true, and John Travolta recently set the record straight. He explained that he loved the idea of Henry Winkler in the role of Kenickie, so he had suggested him to producers Robert Stigwood and Allan Carr. John was very happy with Jeff Conaway playing Kenickie though, since the two of them were already friends since the time they had both lived in New York. John had some influence while making Grease, on matters that many actors never get a say in. These included casting decisions, and there was nobody that John felt would be more perfect to play Sandy, than Olivia Newton-John. So John went to her house to convince the apprehensive Aussie to do the film, after producer Allan Carr had already approached her about it during a dinner at friend and fellow Australian Helen Reddy's house. While producers are normally the ones who request a screen test to see if actors will have the right chemistry, Olivia was the one who wanted to do a screen test of herself with John Travolta, to make sure that she really could act. Her hesitation was due to her appearance in a failed Australian scifi musical movie called Tomorrow. Director Randal Kleiser has recalled that while Olivia absolutely relished in playing “bad” Sandy at the end of the movie, she absolutely hated having to smoke. Randal also remembers that her cigarette had to be prepped with a bobby pin, so that it would drop at the right spot and not be caught up in the breeze. Barry Pearl, who played T-Bird Doody in Grease, has fielded questions from many fans asking if anybody knew how successful the film would become. “Nobody knew,” Barry says. “Anybody who says they knew... I'd like to see their crystal ball.” He also adds, “What we did know, is that we were having a lot of fun.” On the subject of the T-Birds originally being called the Burger Palace Boys in the stage production, Barry once joked, “They could have been called The Frosty Palace Boys, but that sound a little froo-froo for tough guys of the '50s.” Eddie Deezen, who played Eugene, loves to tell the religious story of how he landed his iconic role in Grease. He was very excited to be cast. But after a rewrite of the script, the Eugene character had been completely omitted, and Eddie was devastated. Eddie is Jewish, but after he explained his disappointment to a Catholic friend of his, his friend went to church and lit a candle to pray for him. Shortly thereafter, Eddie received a call that Eugene had been written back in, and the part was still his. Eddie fondly remembers his entire experience while filming Grease. One fellow actor in

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particular who was especially nice to him, was Dennis C Stewart, who played the leader of the T-Birds' rival gang The Scorpions, Leo Balmudo. A role he also reprised in Grease 2. Eddie remembers that upon learning that he took the bus to work every day, Dennis said, “No more,” and became Eddie's daily ride to the set of Grease from then on. Lorenzo Lamas played jock Tom Chisum in the movie Grease. He fondly recalls how star struck he was in the presence of Olivia Newton-John. Didi Conn, who played second-in-command Pink Lady Frenchy, recalls that there were many on-set hook ups in those trailers. Fellow cast member Susan Buckner who played cheerleader Patty Simcox has confirmed this, by adding that she acted upon the crush she had on fellow cast mate Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie. Jeff's part kept getting reduced, due to John Travolta's status in Hollywood at that time. Since Greased Lightning is Kenickie's car, it's Kenickie who originally sings the song. But John Travolta loved it, and asked to sing it. John once recalled, “I really wanted to do the number, and I knew that I could get it, because I was the boy of the moment.” Jeff Conaway passed away in 2010, but has previously recalled, “God bless John, he did a great job on Greased Lightning.” Upon remembering how character Danny also drives Kenickie's car in the drag race, Jeff commented that in the film version of Grease, “If Danny could have gone to the bathroom for Kenickie, he would have.” I had the distinct pleasure of meeting some of the amazing cast members of Grease during their appearance at Chiller Theatre in Parsippany, NJ back in April, 2018. Upon those appearing, was Dinah Manoff, who played Pink Lady Marty. She had not yet seen the recent 40th anniversary restoration, and was physically taken aback when I revealed to her that those diamond-framed glasses actually shimmered when you watch the movie projected on a theater screen. The other cast members that I met and had the most pleasurable experiences with were Didi Conn (Frenchy); Barry Pearl (Doody); Eddie Deezen (Euguene); Edd Byrnes (Vince Vintaine); Jamie Donelley (Jan); and Susan Buckner (Patty Simcox). I was also in the presence of one of the actual T-Birds jackets worn in the movie. It belonged to Barry Pearl, who brings it to all such appearances that he does. I know not to overstep bounds, but man, how I wanted to ask if I could actually slip that on for just two seconds! Director Randal Kleiser was also present at Chiller Theatre. He was quite the gentleman. Very humble, and conversational, and was very considerate of my criticism regarding the 1998 remix. Said criticism followed my sincere heartfelt gratitude for the recent full restoration, which also includes Grease's original Paramount logo, complete with the original Grease-exclusive fanfare music. When my friend Brenda, who accompanied me to Chiller, told Susan Buckner that I can do John Travolta's Greased Lightning routine incredibly well, she didn't believe it. So, Susan pulled it up on her Spotify list in her laptop, and dragged me out into the middle of the room to perform the dance in front of director Randal Kleiser, who recorded it on his cell phone. I'm still waiting to hear if he ever showed that video to John Travolta, as I had suggested [wink]. For what started as an incredibly gritty stage play penned by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey – based partially on people in Jim Jacobs' high school that he was actually scared of – that went on to be

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toned down for a Broadway audience, and then even further toned tone to acquire a PG rating on the movie version, Grease still receives a lot of criticism regarding some controversial dialogue, lyrics, and situations. But no matter how you analyze it, Grease will always be just a flat-out feel good piece for many people of generations to come. Frankie Valli still performs the song Grease during live concert appearances, and it still gets a big reaction. And as a DJ who still fills the dance floor every time I play songs from Grease, I definitely speak with some authority here myself.

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Luca Cerardi Interviews

Marq Torien When I was preparing the interview for this issue of SNM, I thought I would not make it like the other ones. I wanted to change something. Talking with Marq Torien was something really cool, it felt more like a catch up among friends than a classic interview. That day was something else. I flew from Italy to California mainly to attend the Namm show, but I also got the chance to be at the Heavy Metal Hall Of Fame Awards cerimony in early January 2018. In Italy we were freezing at the time, and I was literally dreaming Southern California. I had never been there before. Once I landed in LA the temperature was completely different, not only compared to Italy, but compared to Northern California as well, where I flew from. I was in San Francisco to meet my sister first. In LA the sun was hitting the road. We drove down to Anaheim and got ready for the show. The hotel was awesome and we hang out with Munsey from Skateboard Marketing before the evening show started. I was happy to be there with him the moment he was handed the award that represented the hard work of 30 successful years of business. A sunny day in Southern California and a pure heavy metal night. What else could I have asked for? Meeting Marq Torien!

The impression I had right away is that he was incredibly friendly. I was introduced to him by Munsey and we had a great conversation before the gala. Marq is so easy to talk to, it’s like you’ve known him for decades. He seems very LA – at Steel Notes Magazine least from a European guy’s perspective www.steelnotesmagazine.com

musician, bright personality, super cool. I loved it. After spending the week between the NAMM show, Venice Beach and Los Angeles, I finished my trip up in San Francisco where I thought it would have been great to actually interview Marq. I had just listened to his new single “D-evil” and I was pumped. The BulletBoys of decades ago had an awesome strong sound, full of energy and adrenaline. So I got on the phone with Munsey, who get me in touch with Marq. I called him as soon as I got back to Italy.

I had to ask him how the weather in LA was. When he said that it was a sunny, clear February day in Southern California, I closed my eyes and tried to savour every moment of the interview I was having with one of the greatest voices in rock. Isn’t he? I imagined myself there, underneath those palm trees, 63-degree weather. And I started with the questions. I understood right away that he does not want to talk a lot and brag about past victories. I mean, BulletBoys had platinum album sells and they were huge back in the late 80s. Born and raised in Los Angeles Marq didn’t hide anything about his life and let the conversation be very honest. “I wanted to play something new, fresh. I wanted to move on and do the best we can”. “From out of the sky” is a great album, with the single being a strong piece of punk rock. He has been on the scene for 30 years, so one question I really wanted to ask him was the secret of his success. Everyone knows it’s hard to be in the music business for that long. “I just never give up. I have always had a lot of faith. I always wanted something new and I always tried to push the bandNotes to another level, by reinventing ourselves Steel Magazine www.steelnotesmagazine.com

each time. The band I got now is a band of brothers who get this. I didn’t want the band who was remembered for the past. Rock’n’roll is an evolution, change is good and we wanted something fresh”. Wisdom in every answer. Don’t give up, try your best, be proud of your past, but look forward. He was also talking about how a band is all about teamwork. “I see the band as a team rather then an individual act. BulletBoys is a team effort and we have an amazing one. People love the record, we love it as well, and we just enjoy what we are doing. It is not easy to find the right people to work with. They must have the right attitude, they must love doing new things and they need to be focused on the project. I don’t want someone who can ruin all the good work we are trying to do. Music is the main goal.” He underlined that “the D-evil single, for example, is punk rock in your face, which talks about how evil shouldn’t consume you”. The album was made in Southern California, recorded in the studio where the Foo Fighters did all their albums, the 606. “It was magical to work with such great artists – I really have to thank Dave Grohl for this”. Wow, he made me dream. Southern California, sunny weather, rock’n’roll, a great album... pure magic. It took them 3 months to record the disc, but the process was longer. “I didn’t want to force anything. Every piece had to get to the right place, so we took all the time we needed”. Marq is also a perfectionist on stage. “When I’m on stage I wanna make sure that everything is perfect. I feel like when I perform it is the only time in the world that I can control”. Marq speaks with his heart when he talks about his music, it’s pretty clear and vivid. I asked him what BulletBoys mean for him. “Perseverance. Bringing the band to another level”. BulletBoys have already toured the UK, Australia and the US, bringing “From Out Of The Skies” wherever they can. Something else I wanted to know from Marq were his ideas on social media and tech. “I think they have two sides. They have a good part and an evil part. They are a great vehicle to push a band forward, out to people, but they can be extremely dark and negative, and they can bring

you down. It is full of haters out there, but we always try to move forward anyway”. I agreed 100%. When I realized it was almost time to say goodbye to each other – almost time to re open my eyes and be back in my cold room in Italy – I decided to ask him what advice he’d give young musicians who want to become musicians. “Young people nowadays should listen to their heart, know their talent and get surrounded by positive and inspiring people”. How could you not agree with that? Finally, I remembered the topic of staying healthy while on tour, so I asked Marq what his routine was. “I need to take care of my voice, no alcohol or other bad things. I do my best to give people the best. You gotta take care of yourself with the right food and by being in great physical shape”. It was time to end the call, but I really didn’t want to. My mind was wandering through the streets of LA, I was basically hearing the sound of the waves of the Pacific Ocean. I could not resist, and asked one more question. “How is California? You were born and raised there and everything seems like a movie. How is living in LA?” This is what he said: “You see people raise and fall, one moment you can be sitting next to Leo Di Caprio and the next moment be broke. Other countries have the illusion of the grandeur of LA, but it is a hard city to live in, a very difficult one. Yes there’s Disneyland, but there’s also a dark side. You really have to learn to handle the upside and the downside. This city can destroy you. Trying to have family, friends, supporters around you is really important. You have to try to do the best you can and don’t burn any bridges. LA is a melting pot and we have to love each other. You are gonna make it or you gonna break it!” And what about music in LA? “I think music drives business in this city”. And just like that, we were done. I particularly loved Marq’s last answer on which is his philosophy of life: “Don’t judge people, there is too much judgment around. Love and forgiveness are key. We are not perfect souls. Treat others

like you wanted to be treated”. Perfect ending. I opened my eyes. Back to reality.

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BRETT SCALLIONS OF FUEL