That Metal Show: Season 12- Episode 4 (Jake E. Lee & Rick Allen)

That Metal Show (Season 12, Episode 4 featuring Jake E. Lee & Rick Allen)

The following is a recap of this week’s show…

MUSICAL GUEST – Vinny Appice 

 

IN STUDIO GUESTS – Jake E. Lee & Rick Allen

Jake E. Lee breaks a 20-yr silence with his first visit to That Metal Show. The live audience gave Lee a standing ovation as he entered the room.

During the interview, Lee revealed that he nearly quit playing music altogether.  He had set a goal that he would continue trying to make it in music until he turned 25-yrs old.  Ozzy discovered him one month before his 25^th birthday.  Lee ended up replacing George Lynch (Dokken) who wasn’t a fit for Ozzy.

When grunge came to the forefront, Lee was unfairly lumped in with all hair metal bands, and his career took a downturn.  Frustrated by the turn of events, he didn’t pick up a guitar for a few years, although he continued to write music without it.

While many people in his position would have resented grunge, Lee actually embraced it, because he thought that it forced guitarists to focus more on songwriting than on extended solos in each song.

The former Badlands guitarist is about to launch Red Dragon Cartel.  Special guest stars on the album include:  Maria Brink (In This Moment), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Paul Di’Anno (Iron Maiden) and Sass Jordan.

 

Rick Allen also appeared on That Metal Show for the first time ever.  Allen has been at this for a long time now, joining Def Leppard when he was only 15.  He spoke about how powerful an experience it was to open for AC/DC with Bon Scott when he was only 16.

During the interview, Allen discussed his first-ever gig with one arm at the Download Festival.  It was a very emotional night for the drummer who was forced to reinvent himself after the accident that cost him his arm.

Allen also discussed Def Leppard’s residency in Las Vegas, where the band opened for themselves under the moniker Dead Flatbird.  The band played a 45-minute opening set that featured songs from their debut album “On Through The Night.”  It was the first time in nearly two decades that this material was played live. Amazingly, many fans didn’t even realize that it was actually Def Leppard playing under a different name.

 

PUT IT ON THE TABLE

Jake E. Lee

• If you could be in any other band – The Who
• Song you wish you wrote – “Bark At The Moon” (a not-so-subtle dig at Ozzy for failing to credit him with the songs that he wrote)
• Best concert you ever attended – Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1974
• First album purchased with own money – Iron Butterfly “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”
• First rock song you learned to play – The Guess Who “No Time”
• Weirdest rumor about you – That I was smoking crack in an alley in Las Vegas
• Favorite new band – In This Moment

Rick Allen

• If you could be in any other band – U2
• Song you wish you wrote – “Happy Birthday”
• Best concert you ever attended – Def Leppard in Donnington (first concert with one arm)
• First album purchased with own money – Deep Purple “In Rock”
• First rock song you learned to play – The Beatles “Back In The USSR”
• Weirdest rumor about you – That I was dead and came back to life
• Favorite new band – Steel Panther

 

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT – Social media, raw and unfiltered, giving band updates in real time rather than press releases like the old days.

• Jim Florentine – Take it.
• Don Jamieson – Leave it.  I don’t want to be involved in your drama.
• Eddie Trunk – Take it, loves the transparency and getting the real truth.

 

Q’S FROM THE AUDIENCE?

Rick – Personal favorite Def Leppard song that wasn’t a big hit?  “Rocket”

Jake – If Ozzy offered you the chance to play in his band again, would you consider it?  Only if I got credit for songs that I wrote on “Bark At The Moon.”  I don’t want any money, just credit.  If they did that, I would entertain it.

Jake – What’s it really like to work for Sharon?  I actually like her.  We always got along, it was wonderful.  And, I’m scared of Sharon.

 

ORIGINS W/ DON JAMIESON

• First metal album bought with his own money – Iron Maiden’s debut album
• Kiss, Aerosmith and Iron Maiden 3 favorite bands growing up
• Most proud of 1982 Ozzy “Speak Of The Devil” t-shirt (lost his virginity in it)

 

RANK

Rick Allen Ranks Def Leppard Albums

1. Pyromania
2. Hysteria
3. On Through The Night
4. High ‘n’ Dry
5. Adrenalize

 

ON THE SHELF – Recommended picks by Eddie, Don and Jim

• Eddie – The Winery Dogs (self-titled)
• Don – Battlecross “Pursuit Of Honor”
• Jim – Rebel Inc. “Soundtrack To The Revolution”