Kevin Steele (Roxx Gang, Mojo Gurus)

Episode 138 - Kevin Steele from Roxx Gang & Mojo Gurus! Roxx Gang was another band that should have been much bigger in my opinion. The band had some tragedies and substance abuse issues, but did put out some great music. Their debut album “Things You’ve Never Done Before” was produced by Beau Hill (Warrant, Ratt) and went on to sell 250,000 copies. Kevin also formed the band Mojo Gurus which had a more eclectic sound. This was a fun interview as Kevin didn’t hold back. Hear all about the early days, his thoughts on a Roxx Gang reunion, the future of Mojo Gurus and what famous 80s rock band he turned down an audition for! 

0:00:00 - Intro
0:01:38 - Welcome & Early Beginnings 
0:03:58 - Influences of 1970s Glam Rock 
0:05:40 - Playing in Florida & Getting Signed 
0:08:45 - Guitarist Eric Carrell Tragedy 
0:12:25 - "Red Rose" Song Tribute to Eric 
0:13:35 - Producer Beau Hill 
0:15:45 - "Things You've Never Done Before" Album 
0:18:00 - Live Shows & Performing with Gene Simmons 
0:20:00 - "Voodoo You Love" Album 
0:24:05 - Lineup Problems & Timing
0:26:45 - Roxx Gang & Mojo Gurus 
0:28:30 - Window for Glam Rock Bands 
0:30:50 - Future of Roxx Gang & Offers to Reunite 
0:32:30 - Opinion of 70s Rock Bands Today 
0:34:45 - Musical Taste Changing & Aging 
0:38:35 - Price of a Roxx Gang Reunion 
0:39:00 - Producer Jack Douglas 
0:41:05 - Offer to Try Out for Skid Row 
0:42:39 - Former Guitarist Stacey Blades 
0:46:00 - Vinyl Collection & Music Fan 
0:49:15 - The End of Mojo Gurus? 
0:50:21 - Next Musical Project or Supergroup 
0:51:55 - How Rock Music Has Changed 
0:57:50 - N.O.R.M.L. Marijuana Legalization 
0:59:15 - Steele Records & Roxx Gang Re-Release
1:00:33 - Wrap Up 

Mojo Gurus website:
https://www.mojogurus.com

N.O.R.M.L. website:
https://norml.org/support/

Chuck Shute website:
http://chuckshute.com

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:12

Welcome to the show. It's a beautiful day here in Arizona. And I've got a really fun interview for you with Kevin Steele from the bands, rocks, gang, and Mojo gurus. Now if you're not familiar with his work, definitely check out the songs or check out the rocks gangs first album, the whole album is great things you've never done before. But especially the songs no easy way out and scratch my back. I also love the song stone dead drunk again off the Voodoo you love album great stuff. Unfortunately, this band disbanded and then Kevin formed the Mojo gurus. And we'll get the scoop on all that Plus he answers the question, if there will ever be Iraq's gang reunion. And a couple things about this interview. If you're watching on YouTube, Kevin could not do video. So his portion is going to be audio only. There is video of me and my ugly face. But for that reason, having no video of Kevin, I do think that maybe sometimes it was hard to tell if he was done answering the question. So I apologize by interrupting too much in this interview. He likes to take his time to think about the questions. And without being able to see sometimes it's hard to know when he was done answering. Also, if I seem a little bit distracted in the beginning of the interview, it's because my girlfriend and I were trying to buy Guns and Roses tickets. And yes, we got them and we got general admission. So I'm very excited for that. But anyways, here's the Kevin Steele interview. It's fun time, so enjoy it. Welcome Kevin Steele of rocks gang and Mojo gurus. The Chuck shoe podcast. How you doing this? Fine. What is it? What day? Is it Wednesday? Wednesday. How are you doing? Tuesday, it's Tuesday. Oh shit. Okay. Yeah. shows you're where I am. I'm surprised that I'm the one that knows. Yeah, I know. It's like when you don't have a nine to five. You lose track of the days. Thanks for having me on your show. Yeah, so yeah, like I said, I'm a big fan of rocks gang. Just kind of now discovering Mojo gurus. But yeah, tell me at the beginning so you started out in Ohio.

Kevin Steele: 2:17

Yeah, a suburb of Cleveland and Elgin all the English glam rock Mott the Hoople tea rack. And the American trashy or, you know, dolls and ag. And, and those are my, my roots, glam roots. So, um, you know, I moved to Florida, when I was a teenager and total culture shock. And the music I heard in Florida would later influenced me in moja gurus. But to begin with, that was it was a total culture shock. Going to Florida. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 3:06

Because what it was like, was it was it kind of like, rednecky over there.

Kevin Steele: 3:10

Yeah, I was a kid is, you know, into the New York Dolls. And they were into, like, you know, Leonard Skinner, you know, which I love Leonard Skinner. But, you know, when I was when I put a band together and we decided to, you know, I was trying to get my bandmates all that dress glam and everything. And it was a it meant to varied. People didn't know what that people didn't know what to think it was before. You know, rock scan was together for years before we got signed. And there was no MTV people who were not aware people had not been introduced to Motley Crue or poison or you know any of those bands yet. And so, right it was you guys started in 82, which was way before all that stuff. And you said that you were into the 70s glam you guys were not copying rat and motley crew. You guys were doing that stuff before those bands even were doing it at all right? Right. That's a common misconception. Yeah. There's a lot of people that thought we'd kind of you know, hopped on the, the Hollywood glam bandwagon but shine through. And, you know, we were into those 70s acts. And

Chuck Shute: 4:26

I think that's actually the case for a lot of those bands. They they're accused of being copycat, but you guys a lot of you just had a lot of the same influences. And so then it's like, yeah, you're gonna have a similar sound because you all have the same influences.

Kevin Steele: 4:39

But people from our area, Florida, they really didn't know what to think garage gang in those days. It was you know, they thought we were cringing

Chuck Shute: 4:53

right, that was not as accepted in the 80s as it the early 80s. Back then as it as it is now. So yeah, it's like it's fishy like you said, if it's red next that could be Did you ever have trouble there? Anyone ever tried to like beat you up? Oh, really? Yeah, we

Kevin Steele: 5:07

used to play these after our bottle clubs when we first started and they was fighting with very common fights with breakout pool stakes. It was

Chuck Shute: 5:21

Could you hold your own in the fights? Oh yeah. We learned to make friends with we had a lot of tough guy friends. That's how did you know I was funny cuz i when i was thinking of Florida bands in the 80s. And like, again, I didn't realize you guys were so early. But I remember Brian. I had Brian forsyte from kicks on here. And he talked they're talking about there was a period where they were down there for during the cool kids. Did you ever come across them? Or was that a different part of Florida? Yeah, I found performed on there. But I think it was after that. Okay. And what about Did you ever come across Johnny Depp's band? The kids there was like a rockabilly band. No. Okay. So were you sat? Were you guys signed in Florida? Or did you relocate out of Florida at some point?

Kevin Steele: 6:17

No, we got signed in Florida, which I've always been proud that we. Yeah, our band was dirt poor. Every everybody in my band was dirt poor. And we didn't have the money to you know, everybody is moving to Los Angeles, you know, now is the place to get signed. That's where the music business was. And we would make trips up to New York and play a little more. And got to New York lawyer. And we started to get some national press. And kurang magazine champion does a rename line right away before you got signed. Yeah. Oh, wow. We put out a album live demo called love him and leave him and that's what eventually got assigned to virgin. And it was out selling without selling Whitesnake and Guns and Roses locally. Wow. And that's what got her selling.

Chuck Shute: 7:25

So wait, what city was this? And what were you guys in Tampa? Or where exactly what what city was it? It was the Tampa Bay area. St. Petersburg Clearwater? Okay, so was that same? Was there any other bands that did you have any peers that ended up being successful in that area where you guys kind of the only ones of that genre?

Kevin Steele: 7:47

By the time we got shine? Like you know there was other bands who had wore makeup or had big hair or whatever. But personally, I don't think there's any bands like rock.

Chuck Shute: 8:00

No, I love you guys is so original. Um, so tell me the

Kevin Steele: 8:04

story. Rocking at the edge you know a lot of a lot of the bands have sprung up around us were more you know, there was that there was that pop element to a lot on the ground. Especially like the you know, hollywood strip. Man's No, we didn't really have that. We were more like I don't know. arena rock. Meech, please draw more

Chuck Shute: 8:30

sleeves. Yeah, that's the kind of like kind of like la guns, Guns and Roses kind of feel where it was more like a mix of punk and glam. I would agree with that. Yeah. So tell me what happened. If you don't mind talking about with Eric Carroll, who was the original songwriting partner and guitarist, he died mysteriously. In 1987. He fell off a bridge, but it was he was with some guy he owed money to so is there like some people that think he was maybe pushed off the bridge?

Kevin Steele: 9:03

Well, we were doing a lot of I mean, it was a it is we were doing a lot of blowback bang. And nobody was doing more. And he was out on Eric. We lived in Florida. Eric was the kind of guy who carried a fishing pole and he was banned. And he would go fishing off bridges or whatever it was, he had snickles that he wouldn't even tell anybody where they were. And one night he was out on a bridge fishing. And it just so happened that he was with a guy who he owed a lot of money to. And you know, all these rumors sprung up around it when I personally believe Well, I think they were probably just horsing around. He was wearing a snakeskin boots.

Chuck Shute: 9:58

Oh yeah. That's not a good idea. Okay. And then if he was, had been drinking or done any sort of drugs, then your balance is off. And so

Kevin Steele: 10:09

and you know, when you do a lot of coke and you drink a lot of jack daniels to kind of keep things balanced. And I don't know but nobody will ever know what happened. Except those two I don't want to tell the story and but I love Derek like a brother. You know that that a lot of people don't realize that the lineup on the on things you never done before the debut album is not the original lineup, Roxanne Roxanne was together for years with a with your, with Eric, and a different drummer and a different bass player. And that band all came together. Right before and after. We had to get two guitar players to reply. We were one guitar band was there?

Chuck Shute: 11:03

Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah.

Kevin Steele: 11:06

It took two guitar players to

Chuck Shute: 11:10

replace him. Yeah. So you know, you could have ended the band right then and there because that's a big piece of the band was a guitar, your guitar player and your songwriting partner, but you decided to continue on with the band as kind of as a tribute to Eric Right.

Kevin Steele: 11:26

Yeah, it was a huge blow because rock scan, we were very close all the band members at that time. And Eric and I, Eric and I went back to the beginning to be began in a rock band. We were in a band that became rocks. And it was a huge blow. And at first it's like, what do you do? It was all How do you keep going? Is it a betrayal to keep going? And then I said, No, I figured you know how, how, how better. Could I honor this guy, my brother than to keep this going? And you know, scratch my back and no easy way out. Eric and I wrote together so if I could get his music out there, our music. I figured there was no better German.

Chuck Shute: 12:22

Yeah. And also you did a tribute by the song Red Rose was inspired by the tragedy. When I was at you or someone in the band has a daughter named Caroline. And that was also a tribute. Eric Carol Caroline right.

Kevin Steele: 12:39

Now, that's what happened was,

Chuck Shute: 12:42

I screwed that when you're right.

Kevin Steele: 12:45

Writer, you take some creative license, you know, and I just I, it was a tribute to Eric and I chose the name Caroline because his name was Eric Carroll.

Chuck Shute: 12:58

Okay, but no one actually has a daughter named B. That's just the store the fictional story of the song

Kevin Steele: 13:04

now. Eric had a brand new baby daughter when he died, but her name is Nicole.

Chuck Shute: 13:11

Okay. Now it's a very interesting intro on that song who came up with that? Like it's kind of like the the drum roll inside. It's very interesting.

Kevin Steele: 13:19

Making a funeral march. Yeah. You know, that was your long ago. I'll give him the gay black Shire drama credit, I guess. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 13:33

So yeah, so then that album, things you've never done before 1988. It's produced by Beau Hill. And he was one of your top choices to produce the album because he had produced kicks, and Alice Cooper and rat and you said that he had really constructive ideas. So what did he add to the production of that album?

Kevin Steele: 13:52

Um, he really helped. He was very helpful as far as arranging the songs, you know, and suggesting a bridge or needed, you know, let's let's do two choruses on a fade out or left, you know, this little arrangement type guys. And then he was very creative as far as our sound on it. You know, he had a lot of great ideas. I enjoyed working with Bo. I've had the opportunity. In my career with with Beau Hill. JACK Douglas, who produced all the early Aerosmith albums jack Douglas produced the Mojo group. Now jack Douglas produced all the early Aerosmith cheap trick. He's worked at the New York Dolls he worked with freaking john lennon. And I couldn't fucking stand him and I hated working it was painful experience I've ever had. I never went into a project with higher hopes and came out with more disappointment. Oh, and I worked with Tommy Hendrix, who's one of Alice Cooper's guitar players and has produced Lou Reed and Alice. And I've worked with Carl Kennedy with the rods, who did a lot of heavy groups back in the day like anthrax.

Chuck Shute: 15:27

overkill, and

Kevin Steele: 15:30

so I've worked with some good producers and I think Bo is probably most helpful and the most fun to work with.

Chuck Shute: 15:44

Okay, so why do you think you saw I think you said that album set sold about 250,000 copies worldwide, but why do you think that album wasn't bigger? Because when I listened back to no easy way out or scratch my back pretty much most of the songs on the record still hold up today in my opinion, and I just feel like it's above it's above and beyond a lot of the bands of that era and that time lately I just feel like that album should have sold a lot more

Kevin Steele: 16:12

I think so. But um, timing is never been rocks gangs. You know, we got signed in like, what 80 I think is the end of ABA. Okay, and so shall we recorded things you never done before in a studio called the enterprise on cologne by billing money. You know, that's the name ring a bell?

Chuck Shute: 16:40

Yeah, sounds familiar. But I can't I'm not I can't place it.

Kevin Steele: 16:45

Well, you look like you're probably a little younger than me. But did you know you've heard in the show last name space?

Chuck Shute: 16:50

Yeah. Billy mummy was will Robinson. Okay, like the robot was like danger will Robinson like, right?

Kevin Steele: 16:57

Yeah. Yeah. He later became part of the duo that remember that novelty song. He's had Oh, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 17:06

That is a weird song. Roly Poly fish heads. Yeah.

Kevin Steele: 17:10

Yeah. So anyways, I can remember being in the enterprise in the lobby, watching TV while somebody was recording drum parts and guitar solos or whatever. I wasn't too bad. And I remember seeing Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. video a lot of people don't realize how late Brock's game came out in the game. And then really, the rug was pulled out from under us before we even before we even started Nirvana and Soundgarden. Those bands all had albums out before rock. By the time we put our album out, that scene was effectively dead.

Chuck Shute: 17:55

Wait, what? Because I thought did the album The first album come out in 8880? I think it was actually 89 by the time it came out. Okay, and so because I think you guys toured with warrant and you tour by yourself. Did you do some shows with Alice Cooper and what other shows did you do or tours with playboy shows are faster Plus, you can get some shows. We did two shows. Right. Can you remember? I thought I saw this thing online. It was a Gene Simmons came up and play with you guys. I don't know it was just for one song or what? What was the story there?

Kevin Steele: 18:42

Was that a they do a yearly annual benefit they do in Tampa. And they had a bunch of celebrities there that played with bands from Tampa. We got paired up with somebody at a radio station with dog gene and rocks game would be a good match. And Jean Jean wanted to play in the midnight hour and all these r&b songs. And, you know, we've been told about two weeks ahead of time. We're gonna play with Jean and we learned a handful of kiss on Sure. I don't want to play any kiss songs. Well, that's what we rehearsed. Yeah, I don't have any kids or what do you want to play in the midnight hour? gene? The guys in my band were even born on that song. Yeah, you

Chuck Shute: 19:39

guys are not an r&b group.

Kevin Steele: 19:43

So that was an interesting day. We ended up playing like rock me baby. And we he he consented to do a we did strutture

Chuck Shute: 19:51

Yeah, that's the video I saw. I think it was you guys doing strutture it's kind of cool.

Kevin Steele: 19:57

So like I was saying the scene was it was really it was overwhelming. It was done before we even started.

Chuck Shute: 20:04

Because Didn't they say the music for the second album? They wanted you you said the a&r guy wanted you to put out something like the vinyls that song I touch myself, which seems like

Kevin Steele: 20:15

this guy lyric way move his sister's teen away, we're talking heads. And he was one of our a&r guys at virgin. We were virgins first hardrock shine. And they didn't have a clue what to do with us. They had lots of money. They gave us plenty of money to record our first album to make two great videos. But as far as marketing as they didn't have a crew and after the first album, we went into the studio and recorded all these. We were so psyched, we thought we really made major leaps and bounds from the first album to the second which became the booty love.

Chuck Shute: 21:01

Great album,

Kevin Steele: 21:03

which is my favorite album.

Chuck Shute: 21:05

Yeah, it's funny because that's the first one I heard was the first song I ever heard of you guys was stone dead drunk again. It was like on that it was a song on this free CD, Paris record CD that I got from metal edge. And I love that song. And I wanted more. But I was like, how do I I don't even know if I could find rocks, gang CDs, even your first album.

Kevin Steele: 21:25

The second album, I felt like I was gaining control. Over my band like my first job. When I first started, I was a lyric writer. I have any musical I didn't play any instrument. Now I would write songs. And Eric and I, you know, Eric, would I put words to Eric's music or he put music my world as I began to mature musically, you know, and realize that even though I didn't play, I was coming up, I would hear the melodies that I wanted, you know how I wanted to sing my lyrics. And I had guitar players that were good enough to where now it's fairly common. I would, I would sing my musical ideas to my guitar player. I wanted to go nine lives to go like this. And that, you know,

Chuck Shute: 22:18

Mm hmm. Okay. Yeah, I think the singer of ugly kid Joe does the same thing.

Kevin Steele: 22:24

So but the problem was with the first album I think I wrote two really good lyrics on the first album, but it's a little heavier than I There are songs like live bass die, for instance, that are a little bit more metal or, man I would I would in what I feel is me. On the second, I feel on the second album, I got more into like, you know, kind of like r&b based rock or like, you know, more like the bands or the glam bands or Aerosmith or whoever that I have grown up. I got away from the live bass. That kind of stuff. So that was a little bit uncomfortable.

Chuck Shute: 23:15

So was that Voodoo you love album? What year was that? No, it came out in 95. But when was it actually recorded?

Kevin Steele: 23:22

Yeah, it was recorded like, it took like four What do you say came out?

Chuck Shute: 23:30

95? I think so it was record? 91?

Kevin Steele: 23:35

Probably maybe even 90. Ah, okay.

Chuck Shute: 23:38

Wow.

Kevin Steele: 23:40

So what's the same? Although the picture you know, this is another misconception about rock scanning is it's the same exact liner was the first album even though if you look at the picture, and this time Stacy blades have joined the band. We'd had a complete lineup overhaul but it was really the same guy.

Chuck Shute: 24:01

Yeah, so Okay, but so explain to me what happened with the lineup because I think you said ego heavy drinking cocaine. And fistfights is like that was like a lot of I think those are the three the things that happened with the lineup.

Kevin Steele: 24:18

Yeah, and like I said, the guys in the band were dirt poor. So when after the first album came out, you know, they were on per diem and you know, everything was moving along nicely and everybody had a salary live and it was the first time anybody but you know, after we got off virgin virgin wanted to put after the first album wanting to put us on charisma, which is a subsidiary label, Virgin. We felt that they only sold a quarter of a million records. We felt that the album should have been platinum and I think so if they only managed to sell a quarter of a million records. It's on the main label, what was going to happen if they move this to the subsidiary, we negotiated a release. And we got out with ours without overpaying. And right away, CBS gave us a demo deal. And they paid for these sessions that became booty love. But as it's very common in music, business people, you know, labels, there's changing personnel there to you all the time. And the guy we were dealing with all of a sudden was out. And then then the next thing you know, musical tastes are changing and grunge was in. Yeah, that's that. Those tapes just sat around for like four years.

Chuck Shute: 25:56

So sad because it does make you wonder, though, if they had put that out a little earlier, maybe 91 I think 9192 it could have still gone. Okay.

Kevin Steele: 26:06

If things you've never done before, we wouldn't outshine two years earlier, even a year earlier. I think their first album wouldn't went platinum. What is, you know, a whole different trajectory for the day?

Chuck Shute: 26:22

Yeah, that's just the story. Unfortunately, a lot of that stuff. It's just, I hate how for whatever reason, Nirvana. I mean, I like Nirvana. I'm from Seattle, so I grew up with all that stuff. And I like that stuff, too. But I was like, why can't we have both? Why can't I have Why can I listen to rocks gang and Nirvana? I never understood that. Yeah, well I wish I knew. Yeah. But so anyway, so then you decide okay, well, this music is not cool or whatever. And so then you're like well try something different do the Mojo gurus which is like really cool band. It's like country, kind of bluesy rock.

Kevin Steele: 26:58

No matter of like this music is not cool. And you're leaving out after Rudy love, there was like three more out rocks.

Chuck Shute: 27:11

Right, love them and leave them

Kevin Steele: 27:13

and so why didn't we love them and leave them was we released our demo that I told you about? We just put that on. Then we put out an old new borrowed and blue and we put out drinking tea and tea and smoking dynamite. And as we were kind of transitioning into the Mojo gurus this kind of made for a messy transition but because actually there was actually a rock gang album called Mojo gurus right and

Chuck Shute: 27:44

once you kind of doing both at one point you were having rocks gang and then Mojo gurus was like the alter ego

Kevin Steele: 27:50

we Yeah, we we did we played gigs where the Mojo group opened up for us.

Chuck Shute: 27:56

That's cool. That would be a fun show. We go in the dressing room and change our clothes. That's funny. He looks like the singer in the first band and you get paid twice that way. That's fun.

Kevin Steele: 28:15

matter you know by this time now now we're talking years interaction you know, and by now there's I always take a lot of shit for this, but it's just my personal opinion. And you know that other people have a different opinion. And you're totally welcome. No entitled to it. And who am I to? All I'm saying is what works for me. I understand that there are other people that completely disagree with me and they have tons of fans who enjoy their albums to this day. But I personally believe that the window for a glam rock band The dress and wear makeup whatever it had the image that rocks gang had the window for that is very small. You can only do it till you're a certain age and then it starts to look unseen one. Okay, there are many guys that are my my peers age wise. They're still doing still wearing mascara squeezing themselves in tight pants. And just because you can doesn't mean you should Steven Tyler and, and he's a guy who still looks good. There's plenty of guys who don't look good and are doing it. And I didn't want okay as being a fan of early glam rock. You're Gary Glitter. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 29:48

Rock and Roll part two. Right. Didn't you get in trouble with like, maybe we can skip that.

Kevin Steele: 29:55

But my point and bringing them up is that he even at the height of his popularity. He was way too old to be a glam rocker. Right? And he looked ridiculous. And I didn't want to go down that road. And I figured you know, live past gang leave a good look and courts Well, I wasn't ready to. I wasn't ready to check out yet, but I was gonna leave the image of rocks gang as a good memory. You know? When you look at Rock pictures or rocks gang you won't find pictures of you know, somebody in the band has thinning hair. Everybody's got somebody got is hanging over their leather.

Chuck Shute: 30:42

Yeah, I mean, I liked the song.

Kevin Steele: 30:47

Bad people cool looking rock room, right, potentially. But I want to

Chuck Shute: 30:52

hear the music so how can I hear am I ever gonna be able to hear a Roxx Gang song live? You play Roxx Ganng as Mojo Gurus like some of those songs.

Kevin Steele: 31:01

No.

Chuck Shute: 31:02

So I can I will never be able to hear no,"Scratch My Back" or 'Red Rose" or "No Easy Way Out." I'll never hear those songs live.

Kevin Steele: 31:14

No.

Chuck Shute: 31:15

That's sad. It makes me sad. Dammit. What did if you did a solo thing Kevin Steele. And you played stuff from Roxx Gang and Mojo Gurus and some other stuff or whatever.

Kevin Steele: 31:27

No, cuz, especially then because I'm the main guy who's saying that.

Chuck Shute: 31:31

I mean, because Ozzy does stuff from Black Sabbath.

Kevin Steele: 31:35

I have been offered. I'll protect the bands that made me this offer but I have been offered the opportunity from other 80s bands to go they said you come we'll book a tour as Roxx Gang we'll be Roxx Gang. You don't even have to come to rehearsals. You come sing, and we'll tour as Roxx Gang. I won't name their names because I don't know. I don't know how they feel about me talking about it

Chuck Shute: 32:07

Are they well known 80s band or?

Kevin Steele: 32:11

Yes.

Chuck Shute: 32:13

Damn. And now I'm curious what you told me off air. You told me off the record. Um, I guess I could. Okay, I won't. I won't tell anybody. I'm just curious for my own curiosity. But that's so that's really fascinating. And you turn it down.

Kevin Steele: 32:29

So, you know, I also watched much some of my idols. You know, I grew up I grew up praying at the altar of guys like Steven Tyler and Alice Cooper. And you know, but when I look at him now, and God bless him, and this is what I said. It's only my opinion. And I know who am I to saying that they may have hundreds of 1000s millions of fans now. But just for me for Kevin Steele. It just looks unseemly.

Chuck Shute: 33:03

So you think Aerosmith should just give it up and not play me shows anymore? No.

Kevin Steele: 33:09

No, I think arithmetic. I think Aerosmith is such a great man that they don't have that schema. Tyler doesn't have to still wear women's cars. Well, that's true. Yeah. So you're saying it's just more of the look. You wish. Mick Jagger Mick Jagger is? is a God to me. Mick Jagger. You know, Mick Jagger can do whatever he wants. Yeah, pretty much like he's Mick Jagger, Mick. You're 70 he's pushing 80 now he you don't have to dance around like that. It I'm I'm so impressed. That you can but you don't have to your Mick Jagger. But but it's not a part of the show is seeing them sing and dance and dress up. And I mean, so you just want to go out there and like jeans and a T shirt. Video. There's tons of videos. There's tons of film. It's you can see making this time. Hmm. Just mean,

Chuck Shute: 34:18

okay.

Kevin Steele: 34:20

Like, you know, Who the fuck is Kevin Steele? This time? The gag? I'm just saying. I'm just saying that. That's my, for me. I think it's unseemly. I think it looks. You know? That is a factor. And then there's also the fact that I've grown up and in my musical case, we're maturing and you know, look, the most glam rock guys there are David Bowie, for instance. He's not while he's gone now. But you know He didn't stay Ziggy started when I mean, he mature even Mick Jagger didn't. No longer wears sequence jumpsuits. Now Yeah. It's very hard to age gracefully and to be a rock and roll or to age gracefully. It's very hard. Especially if you are a flamboyant frightening. But it can be done I feel you know, Mott the Hoople. Ian hunter doesn't wear platform boots and, you know, satin suits and platform boots anymore. And my musical tastes, the music that I was writing and the music that I was feeling, you know, creatively like it was a little more soulful than when I was a 20 something year old kid. No,

Chuck Shute: 35:50

sure.

Kevin Steele: 35:51

I would. I would feel it's just me, you know, but I would feel foolish. At my I'm almost 60 man, if I get on stage. I didn't get on stage and sing too cool for school or scratch my back. Or I

Chuck Shute: 36:07

would love it. I'm so I don't know. I don't I know. I see what you're saying. I totally get your point. I wouldn't be like an idiot. Those were songs that a 24 year old kid wrote. And he was aiming it at you know, teenage, young 20 year old girls now, but we're all old too. So we'll come out and we'll sing along while the old together What's wrong with that? It's fun. I mean, Skid Row still does 18 in life and Sebastian boxing's 18 and lifestyle and I like it. Not a fan. Huh. Wow. So you think these bands should just stop?

Kevin Steele: 36:51

No. Ian Hunter is still rocking. He's putting out some of the best music he ever had. The stones still put out great music. Aerosmith still put out some pretty good music.

Chuck Shute: 37:04

But they shouldn't do the older stuff or?

Kevin Steele: 37:08

Well, it depends on if it's appropriate some of the time. You know, like I said, scratch my back for me is not appropriate.

Chuck Shute: 37:18

I love that song though. It's just so good. I want to hear live dance. D on the CD. I know I mean listen on Spotify by this evening. But it's not the same as seen it live video. Yeah, I saw the videos. It's cool that I can see those on YouTube now. I couldn't see him in the ad. I missed it. I miss I didn't. Yeah. 20 something

Kevin Steele: 37:43

year old Kevin Steele singing it when I was, you know, young rock bed. No. Yeah. I 60 year old man.

Chuck Shute: 37:50

I mean, you can still hit all those notes and everything, right?

Kevin Steele: 37:54

Yeah, and I weigh up. I weigh right now I weigh 150 I weigh about not even five pounds more than I did. When the first rocks getting off again, though. I still got all my hair. It's great. And now I don't dye it blue black anymore. But the point is I I still I still kind of a fair figure. And it's not the point. That's what you said about Steven Tyler just because you can wear those clothes even doesn't mean you should

Chuck Shute: 38:32

but Steven Tyler is also getting a boatload of money to do that. Like how much everyone's got their price. If somebody gave you a million dollars, would you do it for a million dollars? You wouldn't do a rock gang reunion.

Kevin Steele: 38:47

I might sell out. There it is. Okay. I want to take care of my loved one. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 38:57

right. That's worth it. I mean, yeah, it's cool. Why anyway, so Mojo gurus. So tell me you keep talking about jack Douglas. How this was such a miserable experience. What happened there? Why was he so bad? He's a great he was a famous phrase

Kevin Steele: 39:11

where I said it bow made suggestions that really were a plus to our songs. And really good, you know, really added something to the song. Yeah, felt like I felt like jack was making suggestion just so that he could say that he did and didn't agree with any of his suggestion. I didn't feel like he was making the songs any better. I actually felt like he was making them worse. So then she I

Chuck Shute: 39:48

so did he win with the suggestions or did you get your way

Kevin Steele: 39:54

um, for the most part, I got my way After jack What? Ultimately is our album? Hmm, we would pay him jack. So anything I didn't like to change?

Chuck Shute: 40:11

Well there you go. No, I

Kevin Steele: 40:12

didn't like that either. Well, that's nice. And I can't tell you how many times during the sessions he said with your album you can do whatever you want once I'm gone do it everyone that exactly what I did. He did not like.

Chuck Shute: 40:29

Okay, fair enough.

Kevin Steele: 40:31

Yes a lot. As far as I don't want to get into it too much, but argue views on life politics. Were just, we just came at life from two very different angles. We butted heads. We did not. We did not enjoy working on it.

Chuck Shute: 40:55

I'm sorry to hear that. Well, um, so I had another question. So you said that you had an offer to reunite with as rocks gang? Did you have any other offers like to join other bands or to work with other people in the in the 80s scene or or even in the 90 scene that you turn down?

Kevin Steele: 41:15

Not that this would have ever come to fruition... I don't know. But there was a point very early in Roxx Gang history when I got a call from a girl who I dated in high school, who was now with Snake. What's his name? Sabo? Yeah, Skid Row. And at the time, Sebastian Bach was not yet their singer. And she asked if I would like to come. audition. Hmm. And I was very happy with what was going on in Roxx Gang at the time that I wasn't interested. And I don't regret that decision. More probably to skid row and I'm really not as good.

Chuck Shute: 42:04

Yeah, no, that's kind of that's kind of interesting to think about what could have been though?

Kevin Steele: 42:10

Well, you know, who's to say, but I think skidrow had a lot of outside influences as far as creatively on the first album, at least, songwriter and I couldn't have done it. I have to have full control. But wasn't getting my music. I would not be happy.

Chuck Shute: 42:36

Okay, fair enough. Gotcha. Well, so another member, I think you mentioned them earlier, Stacey Blades. He was in Roxx Gang for a little bit. Then he went on to join LA Guns. And now he's doing a lot of other stuff. What do you think about what is it about him that allowed him to kind of build on that success of Roxx Gang and, and kind of keep going where a lot of the other members you just don't hear about them as much.

Kevin Steele: 43:01

Well, Stacy went back to Los Angeles and you bumped around in a couple of bands. And finally, I don't know how you got the gig in LA Guns. It just goes to show you how good Roxx Gang is. Yeah, that's definitely true... This is not this is not meant as an insult to Stacey but Stacey was by far not the best guitar player that's ever been in yet, but apparently, he improved leaps and bounds while he was in Roxx Gang. And yeah,

Chuck Shute: 43:44

so maybe it was more perseverance and hard work. You know,

Kevin Steele: 43:48

in rocks gang. I'm sure he's good enough.

Chuck Shute: 43:52

Yeah, definitely. So rocks gang reunion. I'll scratch that question off the list because you've already told me that's never happened. And anything is done since then.

Kevin Steele: 44:02

I mean, really? You I'll give them LA Guns because I got a lot of respect for their singer... But anythin he's done passed that or lik using Bobby Blotzer's version f Ratt Is that Ratt? No, that s not right.. personally as mu

Chuck Shute: 44:26

Right? Yeah, that's he's definitely a bit it's good h as I like Phil Lewis i don' think they're truly LA Guns wit out Tracii Guns Guns. that they're back together now. So

Kevin Steele: 44:43

He really just bounced around from tribute band to tribute band... That's Stacey- Stacey Blades- Tracii Guns- Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 44:59

Yeah. They, they both do a lot of projects for sure. They stay busy.

Kevin Steele: 45:04

Do you see where Stacey got his name? That's not that's not his birth one. Right.

Chuck Shute: 45:11

Is that is that a take on Tracii Guns?

Kevin Steele: 45:14

I mean, I always thought it was I was always embarrassed that he chose that name. Like that name. And I wouldn't tell him not to use it. But yeah. I thought it was a little derivative.

Chuck Shute: 45:31

I like how you have these strong opinions even though you know, it's like, it's interesting to hear this kind of honesty. I like it. It's no, it's refreshing. Like, you're not you don't hold back. You don't just give the typical like, oh, everybody's perfect. Everything's great. You like you're like, No, I didn't like this. I don't like this. And I like hearing that. It's kind of what? Rock and Roll, man. Yeah, it's it makes it I like the honesty. It's great. You're a huge fan of music. You have a giant vinyl collection, right? Yeah. I do. And that's where you know. I love rock and roll. How many records Do you own? Do you know how many? Because I saw this picture. And there was like all these records behind you. It was insane.

Kevin Steele: 46:17

I have no idea. In the 1000s will take too long to be too boring. Okay. But enough to where it's getting to the point. where like, you know, are you ever gonna be able to listen to all these? anymore? Right, yeah. But I'm a huge fan of music and not just rock and roll I love. I love all forms of rock and roll like rockabilly. And I love r&b music. I love soul music. I love reggae, especially 70s, reggae and soul music. So, I think I think it's very boring. I think that's the problem with a lot of my peers is and with a lot of their albums is that everybody in the band is used to same exact bands, the same kind of music. And then they put out an album and guess what I would sound song after song sounds exactly the same. And it sounds just like the bands they like. Like I have all kinds of different influences from all kinds of so many different genres of music. And you know, my critics might say that some of my albums suffer from a lack of direction. I totally disagree. I grew up listening to the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, like, can't anybody ever tell the Beatles like you can't do that because it's not like you don't mean Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones played rock and roll r&b, reggae, throwing music, you know, and, and that's why they're not born

Chuck Shute: 48:00

right now. And that's, and that's I had this discussion with people a lot about the Guns and Roses, the user illusion albums, because a lot of people say, well, that's not as good as appetite. But I really like the variety on the user illusions. There's so much different kinds of stuff on those albums. It's really interesting, I liked it all kinds of music to like you. So I enjoy that kind of stuff.

Kevin Steele: 48:22

So I know, as I grew as I as I grew as I aged, and as my musical tastes matured, and you know, let's face it, there's music that you listened to when you're in high school, which is you know, some of that instrument you still listen to and you have strong feelings of nostalgia and whatever. You know, some of it is time timeless, but there's some stuff that just doesn't quite do it for you anymore.

Chuck Shute: 48:54

Sure,

Kevin Steele: 48:55

my might be might even think is a little childish, you know? Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 48:59

I can see that.

Kevin Steele: 49:02

And, and so the Mojo gurus was my you know, attempt at making something a little more soulful?

Chuck Shute: 49:15

Yeah, so tell me what's going on with them. Do you guys have any new music coming out? Or you got any tours or

Kevin Steele: 49:21

our last album? I didn't to be honest. Our last album gone may very well be the last

Chuck Shute: 49:32

Oh, so would you still do shows are you saying you're just not gonna make any new music

Kevin Steele: 49:39

I think that gone as the title imply, so the whole thing's gone. I like ambiguity. I I don't like when things are like when Pete when if five different people listen to one of my songs and interpret it five different ways. I did what gave me That's awesome. Gone was the title of our last gone in the rockabilly vernacular is like you know what you could do real down. Okay, gone can mean your party

Chuck Shute: 50:19

Okay, so then what are you gonna what's your next project if rocks gangs done Mojo gurus is done what are you going to do? Who knows? I'll surprise myself somehow Why would you ever want to do some sort of like supergroup like with, you know, maybe not so the 80s guys or maybe some 70s guys are just? Well, it depends. See, as far as forming a supergroup just for the sake of having a supergroup that that idea is boring to me doesn't feel good.

Kevin Steele: 50:54

If I got together with guys who happened to Ben and other bands, and we were and we were driving on him, and we were feeling sad and created something that we all felt was worthwhile, then yes, then, yeah, I want to say no to that.

Chuck Shute: 51:14

Okay, well, now, where are you located? Now? What are you back in? Near the Tampa area? Yeah, I live in St. Petersburg, Florida. Okay, is there other rock bands around? There are other musicians that that you know, that are around that area? I'm not familiar with that scene.

Kevin Steele: 51:35

There are there are okay. But it's not as right. You know, the Tampa Bay scene in the late 80s was like it was in the top 10 biggest markets in the States. And even rock and roll, rock and roll like you and I rock, rock and roll probably. It's pretty dark around your house.

Chuck Shute: 52:04

Ah, that's sad. That's sad to hear. But I think it's making a comeback. Now everywhere. Yeah, I don't know, I have this argument with people all the time. I used to work in the schools. And it's been a couple years since I worked there. But I when I worked in the schools, I remember seeing kids with all the bands from the 70s 80s and 90s. Like they rarely would wear. But a lot of kids wear rock t shirts still like I mean, it was weird because I was like, wait, they like that ban, like, you know, so there is a like a lot of younger kids that are into this music, but

Kevin Steele: 52:37

there are kids that know good music. Very young kids. There's also a kid you wear those shirts, ironically.

Chuck Shute: 52:46

That might be Yeah, that's true.

Kevin Steele: 52:49

And here's something. See this is this is when I was a kid, when you were in high school. What do you do you graduate high school 96 Okay. So, when I was in high school, you know, rock and roll. In the 60s and 70s there never been music before that. There had never been music for young people to think about there had never been before rock and roll.

Chuck Shute: 53:24

Jazz wasn't for

Kevin Steele: 53:25

young kids. There was not music that was created and aimed at teenagers. Okay, or divers BIGBANG swimming and whatever but wasn't aimed at teenagers. Rock and Roll was the first music that kids could say this is our music and irritating the shit out of our parents. You know how many times I don't know about you but a lot of times growing up by her turn that shit down. You know

Chuck Shute: 53:52

her that a lot. Yeah, definitely. angry now. My bedroom was right above his office. So and he called me on the phone and call turn that date. Sorry. Yeah. And what and in any case making love that music even more. Yes, I did love it. Yeah, I didn't care. He made me hate my dad Moore's wanted know.

Kevin Steele: 54:14

You didn't want your parents to relate to it. Okay, yeah, that would have been weird. Yeah, we'll think about how weird it is now because now. People my generation are. Our parents tell people my age are my grandparents. They're the kids. If you're a kid, do you want to listen to the music that your dad grew up? our dads were in a remote station.

Chuck Shute: 54:45

Yeah.

Kevin Steele: 54:47

Yeah, it just hold the same. It's not it doesn't hold the same feeling of rebellion anymore.

Chuck Shute: 54:56

Yeah, I don't know. It's this generation is just totally different. I don't know what the Under rebelling.

Kevin Steele: 55:01

Not only is dad wearing a remote t shirt, he's wearing a remote t shirt. He bought it fucking target.

Chuck Shute: 55:10

It's true. You can buy some of those shirts at Target now. Totally different time. Yeah, it is very different. You're right. That's true.

Kevin Steele: 55:19

Something kids are always looking for something that separates them from their parents and their parents generation. And it just doesn't hold the same appeal anymore to young kids because their parents grew up on rock and roll.

Chuck Shute: 55:33

Well, maybe their parents grew up on rap, you know, and there's there could be kids that were their parents are like Snoop Dogg. And so then for them listening to Guns and Roses is rebelling. I don't know I'm telling you there is some kids that are in Iraq. I even see him at some of the shows. It's kind of and so kids don't want to rebel against their parents. They want to like kind of be friends with their parents. So I don't know it's a different generation.

Kevin Steele: 55:57

Every once in a while some dad comes out. Great event. vanfleet Yeah. Yeah, man, like that comes out. And this isn't a new rock band, you know? And every couple of years, or somebody who are going to be the new you're going to they're going to bring back rock, you know, but they never do.

Chuck Shute: 56:22

Well, they kind of do I mean, I saw greta van fleet and and they killed it. I mean, they're a great and dirty honey is really great. Joyce wolf. I had the singer of that band on my show, like they're really good. And so in there might not be as big they might not be able to solve soccer stadiums, but they're still making great music and having great shows and I enjoy it. So I don't know.

Kevin Steele: 56:45

greta van fleet, a cool band. I love the music, I

Chuck Shute: 56:48

think. Yeah.

Kevin Steele: 56:54

I mean, I grew up with with rock idols. You know, I mean, Mick Jagger, Robert Pyatt, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page turned to beat those guys. They were they were golden gods. Right.

Chuck Shute: 57:11

Sure. You know, fair enough. Fair enough. Well, this has been a lot of fun. I like I like hearing your opinions. what's changing? No, no, I don't. You know, there's a lot of people that don't like creative I enjoy them. But I see your point to the singer. You know, he's, he's out there. He's, you know, addressing the little that I have that kind of hippie flowerpower thing? I guess not the total package. Yeah, no, I get what you're saying. This has been a lot of fun. I like hearing your opinions. I do like to end each episode with a charity of the guests choice. Is there. Is there a charity that you want to give a shout out to here promote

Kevin Steele: 57:58

normal charity? What's the National Organization for the reform of marijuana laws? charity.

Chuck Shute: 58:09

I'm not familiar with that one, but I look it up normal. Is that a real one? It is a real charity. No, RML okay. reform. Okay. Yeah, if they can, if we can give them if people can give them money and they can rock anything in the motor grids have always been pro Hackman. Okay, but yeah, I think most people already I mean, they just legalized it in Arizona here where I live so yeah, it's I think it's what states don't this Florida still is it illegal there? I got a medic. Medical. The medical Yeah. Yeah, that seems like it's kind of easy. I've heard all it's really hard to get and I'm like, I don't think it is. I think if you just go in there and say I have anxiety which 99% of humans do then you can probably get the medical. You can probably the Doctor Who? Yeah. Should be our But yeah, I will put that in the notes. If people want to.

Kevin Steele: 59:09

Go we go. Okay. My brother and I are starting a new record label. Oh, and and we don't really we only have a working title right now, which is "Steele Records." Okay. pretty creative.

Chuck Shute: 59:31

My name is my podcast is the Chuck Shute Podcast. So

Kevin Steele: 59:33

yeah, I get it. We've been hours deliberate. But um, the first order is going to be the release. Releasing"Things You've Never Done Before" with a bunch of bonus tracks Oh,

Chuck Shute: 59:51

that sounds like big news.

Kevin Steele: 59:54

And you're any rock game fans out there watching?

Chuck Shute: 59:58

Okay, awesome. I will look for to that and so I will put the everything in the notes the website and I think your website, it has rocks gang and Mojo guru stuff on there and then

Kevin Steele: 1:00:10

your website, but you can buy rock game.

Chuck Shute: 1:00:15

Okay, well if I ever hit the lotto, I'm going to force iraq gang reunion on you. Okay, I'll hold you to that. Okay. Sounds awesome. All right. Well, thanks so much, Kevin. This has been a blast. Alright, had a good time here, man. All right, talk to you later. All right, thanks. Bye, bye. So sad that there will never be a rock gang reunion. So I guess I need to win the lotto and make that happen. But I really enjoyed this interview. I liked hearing Kevin's opinions. He's very honest and open. And I like that very genuine guy. And I'm excited to see what he does next. Because it does sound like Mojo gurus might be done, and rocks gang gonna happen. So make sure to follow both rocks gang and Mojo grows on Facebook and Twitter or check the website for more information. I'm sure they'll let us know about Kevin's next plan. And I've included a link in the show notes to those websites. And if you enjoy the interview, check out some of my other episodes. And make sure to subscribe wherever you listen and watch. If you want to support the show. You can follow me on social media and sharing and commenting on things that helps my stuff get seen and heard so that more people can see it and it helps the show grow. So I can't do that without you. So I really appreciate your support. I just hit 400 subscribers on YouTube, which may not sound like a lot but it's a lot from where I started a year ago on YouTube. So thank you so much for listening. I hope you have a great rest of your day. And remember to shoot for the moon