Friday
Dec272019
Badlands - Live in California 1989

Here's a gift! Picture it, California: 1989. Badlands are on stage and this video captures the entire show in all its glory. This show took place on September 9, 1989 at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountainview, Calif. Ray Gillen was on fire here. Just watch and enjoy (but you need at least 45 minutes, so plan accordingly!)
Reader Comments (8)
He did, however, have a "cool uncle" who was not only gay, but belonged to a biker gang and an intravenous heroin user. Reportedly, Ray was hanging out with his uncle in his later teens and was offered Heroin. He agreed just to try it and because he trusted his beloved uncle. Unbeknownst to Ray (and the uncle at the time), the uncle was HIV+. The uncle fixed a needle for for Ray, which subsequently gave him HIV and he subsequently died of AIDS.
Interestingly, members of Badlands and Black Sabbath have said that he was hired in their bands because he wasn't a drug user/addict and the musicians in those bands were tired of dealing with the toxicity of band members with drug problems.
I was able to see Jake and Greg play a few Badlands songs with RDC about 5 years ago at M3, but this is the sh*t! Happy holidays.