 Interviewer:
Cameron Edney - http://insideout666.mysite.freeserve.comI was fortunate enough to conduct an interview this week with Dokken bass player, Barry Sparks. Barry has been in the business for quite a few years now, recording and touring around the world with some of the greatest hard rock acts to ever grace a stage such as Yngwie Malmsteen, UFO, M.S.G, Ted Nugent and Dokken. This was my first interview with Barry and I hope that it isn't my last. We spoke briefly about the European tour that Dokken has just wrapped up, the VH1 Metal mania petition which Barry has signed along with many other artists, the latest Dokken album "Hell to Pay", Barry's influences etc. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed conducting the interview. Metal Fanatix: Hi Jizzy how's things Mate? Jizzy Pearl: Really good, I'm in Maine, I don't know if you know where that is? It's on the east coast. Just here kickin' back and getting ready for the show. Metal Fanatix: Now you're currently out on tour with Ratt as part of the "Rock Never Stops" summer tour along side Cinderella, Firehouse Quiet Riot. How's the tour been going? Jizzy Pearl: Really good, it's a great gig. We've been out almost two months now. It's really good to be workin. Metal Fanatix: I spoke with Fred Coury of Cinderella a couple of weeks back and he was saying that there was a possibility of the tour heading down here to Australia, have you heard anything about that? Jizzy Pearl: I'd be the last to know. It would be great, I've never been there. Throughout my career I've never played anywhere on the Pacific Rim. Metal Fanatix: For the fans that haven't seen the "Rock Never Stops" shows yet what can they expect to see? Jizzy Pearl: Black hair, tattoos, cock rock! Explosions, jumping around, It's all good. The Cinderella guys are great, we're all having a great time out here and I think it really shows. We've been getting some great responses. Metal Fanatix: How long is the set that you guys are doing? Jizzy Pearl: The set runs for about 45 mins. Some of these places have strict curfews and with there being four bands it's a mad rush to get the next band on one after the other. We get as much time as we are allowed. Metal Fanatix: Are you guys filming any of the shows for a future DVD release? Jizzy Pearl: I don't think so. I think that we're just gonna do this tour and once it's over I have an opportunity that I'm gonna pursue regarding my books. I'm hoping that it will be done by that time. I will be doing something a little bit different rather than just being the musician. Metal Fanatix: I didn't know you were writing a book at the moment? Jizzy Pearl: Well actually I have written two books already, but the reason I'm being a little cryptic about it is because the contract isn't signed yet and I'm a big believer in not sticking my foot in my mouth [laughs]. I've done it too many times in my life. But in the next month or two you will hear about the news and its very good news. I'm very excited about it. It's definitely music related as well it's something I'm really looking forward to getting out there. Metal Fanatix: Congratulations on the release of your most recent solo release "Vegas Must Die". When you prepare to do a new album such as "Vegas Must Die", what comes first the lyrics or the music? Jizzy Pearl: It's hard to say once you get into the zone, whatever that zone is things just come out. Once you get your chorus than the rest is cake. Metal Fanatix: I have read that the new album only took you three weeks to complete? Jizzy Pearl: Well caffeine played a large roll in that. God bless caffeine [laughs] Metal Fanatix: Tell us about the other guys that played on the new album? Jizzy Pearl: Our guitar player Pete Reveen formally of Salty Dogs, they were a big band back in the day. The drummer I used from Love/Hate that now plays in Puddle of Mudd I guess? On Bass is Mark (muddy) Dutton, my room mate that helped me out on my second solo record "Just a Boy". Good musician. Metal Fanatix: I believe that there were some guests that also appeared on the new album as well? Jizzy Pearl: Well Michael Lardie mixed and engineered it for me. He also played some of the guitars and keyboards on the new record. He definitely helped a lot. Metal Fanatix: Now the new album has been released on an independent label over there in the United States, is there any release dates set for Australia? Jizzy Pearl: I really don't know. He's got a European distributor, I hope so that would be great. Metal Fanatix: I'd like to ask you a few questions about life on the road, what is the most ridiculous thing you have ever asked for on a tour rider? Jizzy Pearl: We were never into that whole black M & M's thing like the Van Halen guys. All I care for is that I get plenty of beer and then I'm o.k. [laughs]. Metal Fanatix: Is life as crazy on the road these days as it was during the eighties? Jizzy Pearl: Definitely not as crazy, the recovery time from the drinking is always a bitch, nothing is as crazy as it was when you were younger. The drinking sure! The sex yes, but defiantly not as crazy as in the old days. Metal Fanatix: Over the years you have shared the stage with so many great bands. Who have you enjoyed touring with the most? Jizzy Pearl: I've toured with AC/DC, Dio, Ozzy, Skid Row, Alice Cooper once you get together with guys on the road you bond with them it's a lot of fun. I've made a lot of good friends over the years. Metal Fanatix: It's got to be a thrill hitting the road with bands such as AC/DC and Dio? Jizzy Pearl: Oh yeah, It's weird meeting your idols for example Ronnie James Dio was always a big idol of mine and it's weird when you meet the guy in person who's albums you have been singing along to for all those years. It's defiantly a trip. Metal Fanatix: What comes to mind when you look back on those early experiences with Love/Hate? Jizzy Pearl: All the good parts, none of the fighting and the arguing and the subsequent break-up. We were a real band back in the day, we lived and struggled together. When you finally achieve that record deal and hear your song on the radio there's no greater feeling in the world because you did it as a team. That's my fondest memories from the Love/Hate days. Metal Fanatix: Not too long ago I believe the bass player had written some new tracks and asked you to sing on them. It's been a few years since you guys broke up now, can we expect to see a Love/Hate reunion tour in the near future? Jizzy Pearl: The chemistry has changed. Back when Skid was the writer he was pretty much the boss, and now I've been doing my own thing for so long I don't want to be second anymore, at least in that situation. I don't see us getting together because as far as I'm concerned the student has kicked the teachers ass. Metal Fanatix: That's quite unfortunate. You guys still have a pretty big fan base around the world. Jizzy Pearl: We were a really good band, but those guys have different priorities now. I'm the soul surviving rock 'n' roller. I still do this for a living, I'm still out on tour and those guys' priorities are family. Not everybody can live the life of the gypsy. It's not easy sometimes. Metal Fanatix: What was the first tattoo you got? Jizzy Pearl: The first tattoo I got was basically this ring like a band I guess. I always think about getting more then change my mind, now I'm past the point of no return. It's not like I could ever get a day job now [laughs]. Metal Fanatix: Out of all the tattoos you have had done, what one means the most to you and why? Jizzy Pearl: Oh shit I don't know, I have so many different ones. I equate them with different times in my life; I'm pretty much satisfied with all of them. A lot of people end up regretting one or two of them but I'm pretty comfortable with mine. Metal Fanatix: In your honest opinion what do you think about the direction that Hard Rock & Heavy Metal music has taken over the last few years? Jizzy Pearl: I really don't like it. Not that I'm a big authority on new music because I really don't listen to it. I like what I like, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. So when I see new bands on MTV if I'm flipping through the channels, they look like they're all cut from the same cookie, and again derogatory. I'm sure there's a lot of good bands out there but I'm not really interested in keeping up with them. That's more of a young mans game. I'm not twenty years old anymore, what do I care about MTV? Metal Fanatix: I'm not too sure if many people care much about MTV these days, their play list has gone to shit! Jizzy Pearl: Yeah I guess, unless you're into the surreal life or something like that but other than that I'm really not interested. I really don't like hip hop or rap. I don't care for that and it seems to be the big thing over here now. I just like what I like. Metal Fanatix: What advice would you give to up and coming rock/metal bands? Jizzy Pearl: Well I guess the best advice I could give anyone would be not to give up. Don't listen when people tell you that you stink and that you'll never make it. I've heard that my whole life and in the end I have proven those sort of people wrong, sustaining a career, making money doing what I do, I don't really live in a mansion but I don't need to. I'm comfortable doin' what I do. There's gonna be a million people telling you that you suck & you just have to have the confidence or stupidity in yourself to be able to listen to them. Even then you probably won't make it but at least you've given it your best shot and you're staying true to yourself. Don't be discouraged, there are a lot of peeks and valleys in this business. Metal Fanatix: From all the albums you have appeared on what one would be your favourite to listen to and why? Jizzy Pearl: Well I don't listen to the Love/Hate records really. Not because I don't like them, because I really respect what we all did back then. I'm very much in the now, and my favourite record is the "Vegas Must Die" record because it's the latest. I think that's the best thing I've done, at least as a solo artist. I'm not very nostalgic when it comes to the fifteen years of music that I've done. If I had to pick a Love/Hate album "Blackout in the Red Room" would be my favorite.  Metal
Fanatix: If you could put a band together consisting of musicians
passed and/or present who would they be and what would you call the
band?Jizzy Pearl: Well I'd call it Jizzy of course, no I'm just kidding I would really like to play with Jimmy Hendrix. Pete Townsend playing with Led Zeppelin or playing with the surviving Guns n Roses guys Slash, Duff & Izzy would be awesome. There's a lot of scenarios I could picture where I could just get up and jam. I'd like to jam with Mötley Crüe, I think they'd be awesome. Metal Fanatix: The Crüe will actually be playing down here in December! Jizzy Pearl: Yeah but the gig is already taken isn't it? Metal Fanatix: Yeah, but this is Mötley Crüe we're talking about. Anything is possible! Jizzy Pearl: Well give me a ring if they need anyone [laughs]. Metal Fanatix: When I found out that I was conducting this interview today, I posted the news on my website and asked other fans if they had any questions for you to let me know and if I had the time I could pass them along. There was a great response and most of the questions were surrounding events that have occurred over the past couple of months. I'm referring of course to the comments that were made about you and Steve Adler's wife! Can you tell us what happened there? Jizzy Pearl: Well I just got tired of dealing with behavioral problems in the band and certain business decisions. I don't want to really get into it specifically but I think you can probably figure out what I'm saying. Instead of being a whiner about the whole situation I decided to leave and let them carry on. Metal Fanatix: What is the deal with "Adler's Appetite" it's not just old Guns 'n' Roses stuff getting performed is it? Jizzy Pearl: Pretty much yeah. We started to do some original stuff but obviously the body of work and the reasons that people would come to the shows was to hear the Gunner's catalogue. I had a lot of fun playing with those guys but I came to a point where it was time to move on. Metal Fanatix: The other question I was constantly asked to ask you was in regards to the blabbermouth.net incident. Jizzy Pearl: Yeah, I don't understand that really! I think people have to keep a sense of humour about stuff, sometimes I just poke fun and it's just meant as fun but people get so defensive about stuff. I've been one of those people on the internet that has been slagged off numerous times. Things like "I'm a phoney baloney, I can't write, I'm stealing Stephen Pearcy's legacy, I can't sing" on and on. Over the years you just have to develop a thicker skin and learn to take it on the chin when people give you crap. I think the blabbermouth thing was just a small hole that got blown up to be a mountain. Metal Fanatix: Did you contact Jack Frost at all? Jizzy Pearl: No I didn't. Metal Fanatix: Did you see his reply to your comments on Blabbermouth? Jizzy Pearl: Yeah I saw 'em. I think he over reacted. Those guys [Blabbermouth] must have straightened it out because I haven't heard back from them about it. Again, I didn't mean any harm. I think he just read my stuff out of context. I think he thought I said something that I really didn't, that's all. There are a million bands that I have never heard of and there are a lot of people who have never heard of me, it's just the nature of music. People like what they like. I give props to anyone who is out here workin and giving it a go! Metal Fanatix: Well Jizzy that's all I have for you today, I just want to thank you again for your time. Do you have any last words for our readers? Jizzy Pearl: Check out the new record "Vegas Must Die", I'm really proud of this album. You can find it on the web or in stores. I think you'll dig it! Jizzy's latest album "Vegas Must Die" is out now on Shrapnel records. You can grab your copy where all rockin CD's are sold. Ratt are currently touring as part of the "Rock Never Stops" festival. You can catch the guys along side Cinderella, Firehouse & Quiet Riot at the following venues: Thu 07/28/05 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Fri 07/29/05 Atlantic City, NJ Trump Taj Mahal Sat 07/30/05 Reading, PA Sovereign Center Sun 07/31/05 Westbury, NY North Fork Theatre @ Westbury Tue 08/02/05 Erie, PA Erie Civic Center Wed 08/03/05 Toronto, ON The Docks Thu 08/04/05 Kalamazoo, MI Wings Stadium Fri 08/05/05 Saginaw, MI The Dow Event Center Sat 08/06/05 Sterling Heights, MI Jerome Duncan Ford Theatre Sun 08/07/05 Kings Island, OH Timberwolf Ampitheatre Wed 08/10/05 Albany, NY Palace Theatre Thu 08/11/05 Buffalo, NY Shea's Perf. Arts Ctr. Fri 08/12/05 Chicago, IL Charter One Pav. @ Northerly Isl. Sat 08/13/05 West Allis, WI Wisconsin State Fair Wed 08/17/05 Saint Joseph, MO St. Joseph Civic Arena Thu 08/18/05 Tulsa, OK River Park Amphitheatre Fri 08/19/05 Beaumont, TX Fair Park Sat 08/20/05 San Juan, PR Coliseo de Puerto Rico Mon 08/22/05 Valentine, NE Rosebud Casino Wed 08/24/05 Greenville, SC Bi Lo Center Thu 08/25/05 State University, AR Arkansas State University Fri 08/26/05 Peoria, IL Civic Center Arena Sat 08/27/05 Clear Lake, IA Surf Ballroom Please note all dates are subject to change and are correct at the time of print, grab your tickets from the usual outlets. To keep up with all the latest news & more information on Jizzy's latest album "Vegas Must Die" check out his official site: http://www.jizzypearl.com For all the latest Ratt news & Rock never stops tour dates don’t forget to check out: http://therattpack.com To keep up with all the latest hard rock & metal news, reviews & worldwide tour dates keep it locked to: http://insideout666.mysite.freeserve.com © Cameron Edney July 2005 Not to be re-printed in any form without written permission. |
