Backstage with Steve Summers

It's been nearly 20 years since Pretty Boy Floyd entered the Glam Metal arena. Now, two decades later, the band is back with an all new line-up. Steve "Sex" Summers still fronts his group of trashy men. Bring Back Glam! recently caught up with Steve backstage at a Pretty Boy Floyd show in Dayton, Ohio. During that conversation, Steve talked about a possible reunion album, tattoos and how the current band members came together. Transcription follows.  

Bring Back Glam!: Tell me all about Pretty Boy Floyd.

Steve Summers: What do you want to know?

BBG: Everything.

SS: Well, we’re one of those bands still keeping it together, from the 80s Metal scene and uh, we’re kicking some ass.

BBG: How did you put this version of Pretty Boy Floyd together? (Editor’s note: current band line-up is Summers on vocals, Mikki Twist on bass, Davey Lister on guitar and Scotti D on drums).

SS: I got a call from Scotti (drums) and he said “Hey bro, I’ll give you the best fucking version of Pretty Boy Floyd if you want to fucking do this.” I said “Oh really? Send me the music, this, that. I’ll see if I like it.” Oh yeah, and when he said “We’ll let you have all the money.” That was the clincher.

BBG: What do you mean you get all the money?

SS: The show money, the merch money.

BBG: So why is it feasible for the rest of the band to drive halfway around the world to play in Pretty Boy Floyd?

SS: Because they just want to have a good time. No, of course we pay them. They get paid. Wait, what was the question?

BBG: Are they really members of your band or not?

SS: Of course they are.

BBG: But, it’s not contractual?

SS: What? What does that mean?

BBG: Do you have an agreement written down on paper?

SS: A fucking contract?!

BBG: Yes.

SS: No one has contracts.

BBG: Sure they do.

SS: Ok, some do. Some don’t. I don’t know if the Bulletboys have a contract, or Bang Tango have a contract.

BBG: Do you like the Bulletboys?

SS: Yeah! They are all good. The bigger bands have contracts. This was more of “I like what I see, I like what I hear. Let’s do some shit and if I like it, we’ll continue to do it.”

BBG: You’re working on a new album?

SS: We’re working on new material. Whether it’s for a brand new record with all these guys or a reunion record with the other guys…we’re actually just, to be honest, we’re just recording many songs. That’s what you gotta do. You record a hundred songs, and maybe you like ten of them.

BBG: All new material?

SS: Oh yes, all new material. If everything went well, we’d put out two albums next year. A reunion record, because we came out in 1988. We’re writing with Aerial (Stiles, guitar player) who wrote most of the songs on the first record. New stuff, we’re all creating…maybe there will be two records.

BBG: Is that what you want?

SS: If it happens, it happens. It’s not the first thing on the top of my fucking-when-I-wake-up-in-the-morning-list.

BBG: Well, what is then?

SS: Being healthy, being happy.

BBG: How do you say so thin?

SS: I don’t eat fast food. I love to work out every day. Not for the sake to look good, but to feel good. That’s it, really.

BBG: You don’t eat fast food, even when you’re driving to shows?

SS: I try not to. Don’t get me wrong: fast food is the best! Taco Bell, Pizza Hut…it’s the best. Sometimes you gotta suffer and give the fans what they want. I’m suffering for the fans. If I wasn’t in the music business, and I just worked a normal whatever, I’m sure I would exercise to feel good but I bet I’d eat shitty. The fans deserve…we’re a glam band. You can’t be fat!

BBG: If you weren’t a musician, what do you think you’d be doing professionally?

SS: I’ve done a lot of things. Partner with my brother –

BBG: What does he do?

SS: He owns clubs. I’ve been in the strip bar business and the bar business. I’ve been in the fitness business. That’s what I’d be doing.

BBG: Do you smoke?

SS: No. Well, I take a smoke when we play once in awhile, just for the boredom, but when I’m home, I don’t smoke.

BBG: You get bored on stage?

SS: No! I didn’t mean to say boredom. Like…just a high. I don’t know. It’s like if someone were to hand me a Jager shot on stage. Fucking weed or something. I’d be like “That’s cool!” Wait, I don’t do that.

BBG: But you drink?

SS: For shows. When I’m at home, I would never touch a cigarette or drink.

BBG: Why is it that you play “Live Wire” at every single show?

SS: Oh, we’re that kind of band that’s like…well, we’re not big like fucking Def Leppard, or fucking Motley Crue or Bon Jovi. We admit it. Those guys are the big boys. When we play these shows, the club scene, people want to hear a couple covers. We could play fifteen of our songs off five different records but we gotta play a couple songs they (the fans) like and know. That’s why we do it. We’re big Motley fans, big Kiss fans, big Alice Cooper fans. We’ve covered it. Since we’re not in the “A” category, we throw in something we know they (the fans) would like.

BBG: What category are you in then?

SS: Well, you know, we’re in the major leagues but we’re like, you know…I don’t know how to explain it. Everyone knows where we are. We had a major deal (with MCA Records) and that whole deal. It is what it is.

BBG: So what is “it?”

SS: It’s all good! We’re like…we’re in the major leagues, but we’re at the bottom of the barrel. We’re having a good time. “Have you been on MTV?” Yes.” “Have you been on VH1?” “Yes.” “Have you played with all the bands?” “Yes.” We’re like the Cleveland Indians…

BBG: Expect they almost went to the World Series.

SS: I know that! I’m saying…before all the World Series shit!

BBG: You want to tell me what your arm means right there? (Points to markings on Steve’s upper left arm).

SS: Oh, I just write something on me every night. I admit, it’s no tattoo. It’s my family. I’m very close to my family. I’ve got my mom, my bro, my dad, my niece. I write it on me. It’s like a tribal thing.

BBG: Do you have any real tattoos?

SS: Why would I do that? No, I don’t have any real ones.

BBG: Why? That’s pretty uncommon.

SS: Once I make like a couple hundred thousand dollars for something I’m doing, I’ll tattoo it on me. It can be gay sex or whatever it is. I’ll tattoo it on me.

BBG: So you have to make a certain amount of money before getting a tattoo?

SS: Yes, a certain amount of cash – no! Honestly…I’ll probably…well, when you’re young and in your twenties and stuff, you don’t really know what you’re doing. A lot of people have regrets, so I didn’t want to do it then. Now that I’m in my sixties, I’ll probably put something…my family has always been number one to me. Family and health.

Live Hard, Live Fast

A lot of the Glam bands glorified on this website still tour today, albeit with a slew of member changes. Sometimes, the new versions of a band are just as good - if not better - than their original counterparts. Pretty Boy Floyd is back on the touring circuit, with lead singer Steve Summers as the only remaining original member. The rest of the band is comprised of The Dropoutz, fronted by Mikki Twist. Twist (real name classified information) picked up the bass specifically for PBF, and now considers himself a leather boy...with plenty of electric toys. Twist is optimistic about the band's future. During out conversation, Mikki Twist talked about working with Steve Summers, a possible PBF reunion, and playing Motley Crue covers. Transcription follows:

Bring Back Glam!: Tell me how you got hooked up with Pretty Boy Floyd initially.

Mikki Twist: Steve basically was looking to do some East Coast dates. At the time he didn’t have a band. Well, the original members were still all over the place and were not ready to tour. So, basically our drummer (Scotti D from The Dropoutz, now Pretty Boy Floyd) got a hold of him and said, “We’ve got a band, if you want to come out here and tour.” So that’s how it happened. We hooked up, it sounded good, and we became members. So it’s cool.

BBG: When did this happen?

MT: This year.

BBG: It seems like you guys have been on tour a lot.

MT: We started touring in July, and doing East Coast dates and then Midwest shows. That’s pretty much all we’ve been doing. Now, we’re starting to branch out more toward the South and West.

BBG: Why are you focusing on the east coast?

MT: I guess because Steve wants to make sure we’re the “band” and that we all get along before we venture to his neck of the woods (the West Coast). We know pretty much all of the club owners up and down the East Coast, so it was easy to book shows.

BBG: So Steve lives on the West Coast, do you live on the East Coast?

MT: Yes, all of us – me, Scotti, Davey (Lister, guitar) live on the East Coast. Steve lives out in Hollywood.

BBG: So you knew Scotti and Davey before talking with Steve.

MT: Yes, we were all in a band called The Dropoutz, so we, you know, we’re tight as musicians. So, we just learned Pretty Boy Floyd songs and we had Steve come in for one rehearsal.

BBG: Tell me about your time with The Dropoutz.

MT: The Dropoutz…we formed back in 1995. Basically, you know, we went out and did a couple shows in Ohio, a couple shows in Detroit, played a couple shows around here (New Jersey). It wasn’t really…well, what we were doing was trashy glam. I know you’re pretty familiar with Cherry Bang –

BBG: Yes.

MT: We were kind of like them. But it just wasn’t happening. So basically, [I] broke up the band and got it back together in 2006 with Scotti D. on drums. Before Davey came in, we had a guitar player named Ray Ray and a bass player named Shawn (Mohr). We went out touring for a little bit. We didn’t see eye to eye, so Davey Lister came in and another bass player, Dee Dee – who is no longer with us. I sang and played guitar. We were together, then Pretty Boy Floyd came so we just put The Dropoutz on the back shelf.

BBG: Do you regret that?

MT: No. There are all different fields of making music. I can write music for Pretty Boy Floyd that has my feelings and my thoughts – my inspirations, my influences. Pretty Boy Floyd, when I was coming up, were a huge influence on me. It’s kind of an honor to be in Pretty Boy Floyd.

BBG: And how long have you been a professional musician?

MT: Probably about 18 years. I was playing the club scene, the local scene…and finally realized there is money involved. So I started getting paid, and that was cool.

BBG: You’ve spent most of your professional time with The Dropoutz. Have you been in many other bands?

MT: Yes. When I first started playing music, I was a drummer. I got hooked up with a band from New York City that sort of got me into glam. Of course, being from New Jersey, the big thing in the 80s was to be like Bon Jovi. We had to look like Bon Jovi. So I hooked up with this band from New York City called Champagne Suicide. I played drums for them. These guys looked sleazy and punk. That’s when I dyed my hair black and got into that mode. Then our guitar player died so the band broke up.

BBG: So eventually you find yourself running your own band. How many songs have you written for Pretty Boy Floyd?

MT: I have ideas. None have been presented to the public yet. All of us have put our hands in the cookie jar to write for Pretty Boy Floyd. I’ll say it’s a collaboration of all four of us. We definitely will have a new album out by 2008.

BBG: Do you have a label for this album?

MT: I don’t know what Steve – I think he’s still on Cleopatra. The other members have not signed anything with that label. I’m pretty sure Steve is still signed to Cleopatra.

BBG: What is it like working with Steve Summers?

MT: You hear the stories. “You better watch out for him,” or “He’s a jerk.” My experience with Steve is that he’s a very down to earth guy, a lot of fun to be around. He’s great to play with on stage. All the rumors…they have not met up to the man. I think he’s a great guy.

BBG: Ok, well, where do the rumors start?

MT: Oh, you know, people talk. You’ve read on Metal Sludge that him and Kristy (Majors, original PBF guitarist) had a feud. It’s just people taking sides. We’ve been with him since July, and had no problems. To squash all the rumors, Steve Summers is a really nice guy.

BBG: Do you know Kristy Majors?

MT: I’ve never met Kristy. I’ve talked to him on the phone because we did a tour for Artists Worldwide – and he owns Artists Worldwide.

BBG: Do you know the other former members of Pretty Boy Floyd?

MT: I’ve never talked to Vinnie (Chas) and I’ve never met Kari Kane.

BBG: Does Steve ever talk about them, or tell you stories about what it was like at the end of the 1980s?

MT: Oh, he tells us stories of how they formed, how they got signed, which is pretty cool. Basically you got three guys who grew up on Pretty Boy Floyd music, on Motley Crue music and who are influenced by both bands. To hear the stories of how they did it, to hear their struggles, it’s kind of uplifting to know that…an influence of yours is sitting right next to you, telling you things you never knew.

BBG: The original release of Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz is out of print. Is the “special edition” that you sell at shows a CDR copy? Who even owns the rights to the release?

MT: I don’t know. I’m pretty sure Steve owns the rights because he’s still able to sell it. As far as the CD-R thing, I know Steve deals with a guy, but I don’t know how it’s formatted. It’s a special edition because it has three or four extra songs. As far as the merchandise goes, that’s all Steve Summers.

BBG: Will there be a Pretty Boy Floyd reunion?

MT: I heard they are trying to get a reunion together of all the original band members. Which, I think, would be cool. Just have a little reunion…maybe do a couple shows here and there.

BBG: Like a one-off at the Whisky A-Go-Go?

MT: Yeah.

BBG: How would a reunion work if none of the original members get along? Where would this leave you and the rest of the members of the current band?

MT: I’m a fan of Pretty Boy Floyd. For my personal thing, I wouldn’t feel sidelined because I’m a fan. Before we even started this, I said “Listen. If I have the choice to see the original Pretty Boy Floyd or me playing in Pretty Boy Floyd, I’d pick the original.” I’d be happy that I experienced playing in the band. I can walk around and say “Hey, I was once the bass player in Pretty Boy Floyd!” Even if it is a one-off, the shows after are going to be me. I think at our recent shows, I’ve made my mark as being a member of the band.

BBG: Is playing bass in Pretty Boy Floyd your full time job?

MT: Yes, basically.

BBG: Do you find yourself making a good living playing with Pretty Boy Floyd?

MT: I’m gonna plead the fifth on that one! I do stuff on computers too. I designed flyers for different bands, and get paid for doing websites. Do I make a great living? No. Then again, what musicians are? As of right now, my sole concentration is Pretty Boy Floyd. You know, I started playing bass specifically for Pretty Boy Floyd. I was playing guitar for The Dropoutz, so basically the transaction was simple. It took my fingers a lot longer to get used to it…I was walking away with blisters. I’m catching on. I hope.

BBG: Let’s talk about the current Pretty Boy Floyd set list. Why do you play two Motley Crue covers? “Toast of the Town” is on the debut, but why “Live Wire?”

MT: Why “Live Wire?” Motley Crue is a huge influence on Pretty Boy Floyd, so why not? Plus, it’s a heavy hitter song. When the crowd hears “Live Wire,” they go nuts.

BBG: What’s your goal for the next year with Pretty Boy Floyd?

MT: Goal? Just play. Get a great album out and make money. Make my family happy. Make my daughter happy. Make the band happy. Prove to people that Pretty Boy Floyd isn’t dead.

www.myspace.com/prettyboyfloydband

www.myspace.com/mikkitwist

Vixen: Live in Sweden

Love it or hate it, the fact remains that Vixen are one of the most successful all-female rock bands in history. The glam band started humbly enough in Minnesota before founding guitarist (and only remaining original member) Jan Kuehnemund packed up and moved to California for the bright lights of the Sunset Strip.

By the late 1980s, Vixen was formed and the quartet found themselves on MTV in heavy rotation. They also played some big shows, including a run with Bon Jovi. Then reality set in, the girls bickered and Vixen disbanded. Fast forward several years and the band makes a lot of false starts with various members. Then, just two years ago, Kuehnemund put together the current Vixen line-up and started touring Europe. This European vacation eventually landed the women a spot on the roster of the 2005 Sweden Rock Festival. The band recorded the performance, simply called Vixen: Live in Sweden. In all, the album is both a raw and exciting listen.

Vixen: Live in Sweden opens with the title track to the band’s second album Rev It Up. The crowd response is good, and helps get the momentum going for “Streets in Paradise,” also originally recorded for Rev It Up. In 2006, Vixen released an album of all-new material called Live and Learn. Many of the songs for the album were either written or recorded by the time Vixen took the Sweden Rock stage. It’s not surprising that some of those songs made their way into the set-list. “Anyway” is one of these tracks. An upbeat rocker with Vixen’s trademark melody makes the track more than listenable. What’s more the crowd seems to love the song, even if it is unfamiliar.

Vixen’s most famous songs, “Cryin’” and “Edge of a Broken Heart” are buried deep in the set, as expected. Moreover, you can hear thousands of voices singing right along as the band plays both tracks. To the band’s credit, the production on the effort is exceptionally high. It’s very easy to hear the crowd, but the fans don’t overpower the band. Ironically, the last song on Vixen: Live in Sweden is “Bad Reputation.” Vixen dedicates the song to Vince Neil of Motley Crue. The kings of Sunset Strip Metal also played the 2005 Sweden Rock Festival. In all, “Bad Reputation” is a more than fitting encore for all the glam bands at the massive event.

Top Ten Metal Songs for Halloween

Do you have a favorite Metal song for Halloween? Here are my (mostly glam) choices for my favorite holiday:

1) Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil

2) Dokken – Dream Warriors

3) Alice Cooper – Poison

4) Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon

5) Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath

6) Grim Reaper – See You In Hell

7) WASP – Headless Children

8) Fastway – Trick or Treat

9) Lizzy Borden – Psychopath

10) Queensryche – Eyes of a Stranger

There are several other websites doing this topic today:

Heavy Metal Time Machine

www.metalmark.blogspot.com

Hard Rock Hideout

www.hardrockhideout.wordpress.com

Heavy Metal Addiction

www.hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com

The Metal Minute

www.rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com

Rock of Ages

www.rockofages.wordpress.com

An Odd Night with Pretty Boy Floyd

I love Halloween.

Every year, I try to think of fun costumes and I have a rule about never repeating ideas. Last night, Pretty Boy Floyd played a "Halloween" party right here in Dayton, Ohio.

Of course, about five people wore costumes including me, Eric, and Heather. Adults who attend Halloween parties and refuse to dress-up are just lame. There is nothing shameful about having some fun one night a year.

Anyway, instead of going as individuals we dressed as a theme: "Catholic Mockery." In addition to our fabulous ensembles, some guy dressed as a penguin, and a couple bartenders decided to show up to work naked. The penguin won the costume contest.

So, there was no one in the club at all last night to see Pretty Boy Floyd. Time kept on ticking, ticking, ticking into the future and still no one came. I suppose everyone was at other Halloween parties, but I had high hopes for last night. That should have been my first clue: whenever I have high hopes, the evening usually goes down the toilet.

The other day, I interviewed Pretty Boy Floyd bassist Mikki Twist over the phone. Right after that conversation, he asked me to interview Steve "Sex" Summers at the show. Those interviews will post later this week on Bring Back Glam!

My conversation with Steve Summers was just alright. He wasn't very forthcoming with his answers. To his defense, it was exceptionally loud in the back room - er, closet - we were shoved into.

During the show, Pretty Boy Floyd performed:

Your Momma Won't Know
Toast of the Town
Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz
Rock n' Roll (Is Gonna Set the Night On Fire)
I Wanna Be With You
Live Wire
Shut Up
Rock n' Roll Outlaws
Live Hard, Live Fast
Wild Angels
48 Hours
Junkie Girl

The performance wasn't spectacular but I'll cut Scotti D (drums), Mikki Twist (bass) and Davey Lister (guitar) some slack: they had just learned about the death of a good friend, Pat Bush. I believe he played bass for Virginia- based Twist of Faite. During "Wild Angels" crazy Scotti cried and that was more than a little disarming. I didn't appreciate the negative comments from Steve Summers. Spewing from the stage is both unnecessary and unprofessional. I understand it was probably lame to play for 19 people. Still, all 19 of us paid our cover and expected a good show.

Just reading the set list, you can see the show wasn't very long. The list taken from the stage actually indicates Pretty Boy Floyd planned on ending with "Talk Dirty to Me." Instead, all the band members just sort of wandered off the stage after "Junkie Girl." It was during this song that Kenny Ozz of Drugstore Valentine took the stage to sing with the band. This seemed to make him awfully happy. While it was nice watching a familiar face on stage, it was an odd way to end a show. Then again, the entire night was just...odd.

Super Sweet Giveaway

If my expertly written review of AC/DC: Plug Me In (3 disc Limited Edition) made you want a copy of the career spanning retropspective, there is good news. Bring Back Glam! is giving away an exclusive AC/DC prize package including:

Plug Me In DVD set
AC/DC T-shirt
AC/DC belt buckle
AC/DC guitar picks

So how do you win?

Like my other contests, I want to make you work a little. Tell me why AC/DC is important to you. Did you camp out all night in the rain for concert tickets? Did you spend your entire allowance on Back in Black the day it was released? Did you propose to your girlfriend as"Live Wire" played in the background? Whatever the case, I want your story.

Keep entries to 75 words or less. Please enter by Monday, Ocotber 29th at 11:59 p.m. E.S.T.

Send your entries to allyson@bringbackglam.com. Please do not post your entries in the comments section of this post!

You get points for creativity, but I'd appreciate if the story is actually true. Remeber dear readers, we're bringing back glam: that means we've lived this once before.

Here's a clip right from Plug Me In: AC/DC performing "Back in Black" and "Highway to Hell" (Tushino Airfield, Moscow).

DVD Review: AC/DC Plug Me In

Planners: listen up. AC/DC has just released Plug Me In, a dual-disc DVD set. Trust me: the set will make a rocking’ holiday gift for many a music lover on your list. Originally released on October 16, 2007 via Columbia, the set is a live retrospective of the band’s career through 2003. Not surprising, the total runtime of both DVDs is nearly five hours.

Disc one is a retrospective of the Bon Scott era. Not surprising, the DVD set begins with Australian performances, as the band members play to their native land. Included are performances on Bandstand and St. Albans High School. AC/DC performed “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll)” on the Bandstand program, and it looks very trippy. While Americans were wasting hard earned dollars on disco albums, the Aussies were rocking with would-be icons of Metal. Plus, Bon Scott plays bagpipes during the performance while wearing a Superman shirt. That’s a lot of entertainment for your DVD dollars! I’m pretty jealous of St. Albans High School (Australia) Class of 1976. My high school never invited rock stars to play in the gymnasium. Hell, we didn’t even have a band for prom!

Disc one also includes the band’s first live U.K. television performance. At the beginning of the piece is a T.V. slate, and an actual vintage countdown clock that denotes changing segments. Being a television producer, this little bit of history was interesting to me but probably not thrilling to many other people. Incidentally, AC/DC perform “Live Wire” after the clock hits zero. Moving on through the early AC/DC years, the boys share performances in London, Glasgow, and Arnhem, Holland. The quality of some of the really old clips is amazing. Yes, the camera operators in Holland needed to white balance for the continually changing stage lights, but the integrity of the performance remains more than 25 years after the fact.

After the music, there are several “special features” including many interviews, a bizarre little promotional spot, and performance on Top of the Pops.

Disc two is a retrospective of the Brian Johnson era and features classic performances and rare interviews. Just like disc one, each concert is separated by a title slate for easy viewing and shuffling. The best part of disc two is the concert footage formed at Tushino Airfield in Moscow. AC/DC played the massive show right after the August 1991 coup, and this is referenced by interviews included on the DVD package. Band members note the importance of rock music and the potential to bring a divided nation together. Judging by the size of the crowd, I’d say AC/DC succeeded in their goal (for at least one night).

Moving through the Brian Johnson era, there are performances from Tokyo, Detroit, Sydney, and Paris. The Tokyo footage isn’t the best quality, even with digital restoration, so consider yourself warned.

Watching both DVDs is like watching time pass before my eyes. How is it possible that Brian Johnson doesn’t seem to age? He looks exactly the same in 2003 footage as he does in the 1983 video clips. Perhaps it’s the same hat and black T-shirt?

The final song of the concert portion of disc two is naturally “You Shook Me All Night Long,” recorded in Toronto (2003). The size of the crowd is humbling, and most concert-goers seem to be under the age of 30. I think this probably says something about the quality of modern music versus real classic rock.

There is also bonus material in addition to the hours of live performances on disc two. Some of these “special features” include the Beavis and Butt-Head Ballbreaker tour intro film. As expected, the film is entirely worthless and thankfully short. Much better is an interview segment recorded for The Old Grey Whistle Test. Angus Young talks about performing at Castle Donnington and possible “Metal battle” between AC/DC and Van Halen. Young calls Van Halen and pop band…and BBC producers brilliantly splice a clip of Diamond David Lee Roth into the interview. Classic.

In addition to the great, semi-rare footage are two little booklets. One contains song and band information, the other photos and tour logos of years past. The books add a lot making Plug Me In one very desirable collection.

www.acdcrocks.com