Guys, That Isn't Steven Tyler Below

What the hell?! I clicked over to Sleaze Roxx, as you do, to scan the stories... and I thought someone had made a mistake. There was an article about a band called Angels in Vein... but clearly a photo of Steven Tyler.

Wait! That isn't Steven Tyler at all! It's Chris VanDahl. Angels in Vein is a group made up of VanDahl from L.A. Guns during the American Hardcore era, Todd “Taz” Anthony (guitar), Stacey Blades from L.A. Guns (guitar), Eric Stacy from Faster Pussycat (bass) and of course Troy Patrick Farrell of White Lion (drums). I say of course for Troy because he's in every supergroup these days. I think this group originally formed back in 2016.

This jarring photo made more sense to me when I found out VanDahl is also in Aeromyth, an Aerosmith tribute band. Bloody hell, I want to book these guys for an event someday! Look at the second video below. Amazing.

Comments

[Him]

Actually, if you read the article it sounds like the guy shed most/all of the people you listed for reasons that remain "undisclosed." So he is going it alone, or with a new group, or something like that. He certainly talks a big game though.

The song sorta' sounds like Monster Magnet.

[Allyson]

I didn't read the giant Facebook post - just the SleazeRoxx article. I remember this band from a couple years ago. So now he's not doing a supergroup? So what's the point - he already have Aeromyth (great name!) - seems... super odd - Allyson

[Him]

I think he is hustling to maintain whatever sense of momentum he thought he had when it looked like a great band was in the making. Without all those named players, this is just the guy from a cover band (who DOES look like ST) trying to branch out.

God bless him for trying. But it reeks of self-promotion (his, not the band or the band he lost). If I were a smart fellow, I would say that the way he is going about this suggests exactly why they are no longer playing with him in the band.

[Him]

. . . and I want to clarify: it does sound as if Troy Patrick Farrell and Todd “Taz” Anthony are still in the band. But those two aren't/weren't the draw in the first place, with no disrespect to either of them. It was Blades and Stacy that lent some credence to this outfit.

And, again, I am not interested in slagging VanDahl. But he releases news about this band like a ton of people were just waiting, really waiting, for the next big thing from them. I get that you got to scratch and scrape to survive in the metal game these days. So I wish him well. I just think this was non-news promoted as news because he looks like ST. Maybe I am over-thinking it.

[SparkyDR99]

I actually liked the record he did with LA Guns, "American Hardcore". In 1996 it was like a tree falling in the woods. I even saw them on that tour at a bar in the village here in NYC, "The Continental". Good Luck to him. Just have to make sure to keep the Tyler style separate from the new band.

[Metalboy!]

I actually remember buying the CD of Roxy Dahl’s first band , “Cherry Street”, back in 1993. It struck me as about 5 to 10 years too late as 80’s style Glam Metal was on it’s last legs.

Of course, had the album been “all killer, no filler”, I wouldn’t have given a rat’s a*s whether Glam Metal was over as a genre or not. A great album is a great album, whatever the genre, whatever the time and place. Unfortunately, Cherry Street’s self-titled debut is not such an album.

However, it does contain ONE killer song called (surprise, surprise), “Cherry Street” ... All in all, the album is still worth a listen and maybe even the rest of it worth collecting, especially if you’re a completest.

It’s a shame it’s never really panned our for this guy. as I feel like he’s always showing up right after last call his entire career. And it s*cks because his last project, Angels In Vein cut some great tunes.

Alas, Aerosmyth may be the only hope for him to be able to put food on the table. He may not have Tyler’s chops but his near dead ringer looks and impersonation may be enough to scrape by until he’ll have to resort to playing piano in a cocktail bar. Still, ya gotta admire his tenacity. It’s way too late for fame now but at least he’ll know he died trying. And that’s Rock & Roll as h*ll, if you ask me.

p.s. It would be interesting to see if Ace has the scoop on this guy as he’s certainly spent quite a few years sluggin’ it out on The Strip.

[Him]

Thanks, Sparky and Metalboy!, for adding a bit more context. Like I said, I wish him no ill will. But I think MB! is right: he seems one step behind the big break he needs. He certainly still wants it. More power to him.