Exclusive Questions and Answers with Discover Card Star Michael Diamond.
Michael Diamond is the lead
vocalist of Metal Shop, who stars as "Danger Kitty" in a new
nationwide Discover® Card commercial. As the story goes, Danger Kitty
gained fame and fortune when their single "Love Rocket" hit the
charts at #3 in 1983, and the spandex-clad foursome lived the good life
until, like most acts of the era, their fame took a crash landing…
The Pure Rock Shop at TPRS.com caught up with Diamond to bring you this
exclusive behind the scenes interview. Read on to find out what's new with
Metal Shop, and learn how they became the band known as Danger Kitty.
TPRS.com: Michael, we've heard that you and guitarist Rikki Ratchet were once rivals
in high school. Why did you decide to join forces? What year was that?
Diamond: He was the only guy in my school with long hair and a guitar and
a car. He lived with his parents still and I knew we could practice in his
basement. Plus, I figured we could write really great music together because of
all the emotion between us being in rival bands and all. But, that never panned
out. Rachet can't write; he couldn't even read (I don't mean read music
either).
TPRS.com:
Did you know then that you were destined to be a rock star?
Diamond:
As soon as I changed my name I
knew. Even if I never became a full-fledged Rock star I still had a Rock star
name.
TPRS.com:
After living the life of a star do you ever wonder what life would have been
like had you stayed in Akron and kept playing shows at the Agora (which BTW is
now a country bar)? Diamond: I don't know. I sometimes miss
those days. At least I could stay at my mom's house and not work. I mean I make
tons of money being in Metal Shop but I mean, I mean just being in a band with
Rachett is work.
TPRS.com:
Tell us about how you hooked up with Mike Varney from Shrapnel Records and
got your first big break?
Diamond:
He saw us at a party. We drank
beer all night and then he decided to sign us. I think he was drunk, but
nevertheless we got our deal and he had a hangover that lasted him a very long
time.
TPRS.com:
I understand that you had an "embarrassing illness" that ended your
biggest tour, and really triggered many events that lead to the band's
destruction. Now that you have reformed, are there any hard feelings from your
bandmates?
Diamond: L.S.D (Lead Singer Disease) is
overrated. It just alcoholism. I drank everyday for years and then I got mixed
up with some fans that smoked crack and then that was all that was important to
me. Music meant nothing except a way to meet more fans that had crack for me to
smoke. So now, I just don't drink so I don't trigger the S.F.F.W.C. (Search for
Fans With Crack) syndrome.
TPRS.com:
With your careers realistically being washed up, how did you guys end up landing
a spot in a nationwide commercial?
Diamond: First off!! Our careers are
never washed up. We still have a million fans that could be ours in the future.
So, being washed up is a state of mine. In our case the only way for us is up
now. Overseas was a big market for us, but now we are here and everyone loves
us. I have a Discover® Card and I use it all the time. I called Discover® Card and
asked them to do a commercial on us. They said no, but five years later, a
friend of ours owns a casting house where the Discover® Card auditions were being
held, and she tipped us off. So, we went down and crashed the casting and booked
the job. They didn't remember that I called.
TPRS.com:
Being in the spotlight again with your recent appearance in the Discover®
Card commercial and upcoming cameo in the Metal God/Rock Star feature film,
there is the possibility of your fame rising once again. So, honestly, tell us
which you enjoy more, playing more intimate events like keg parties or playing
arenas?
Diamond: Lets be honest, keg parties are
cool if your going to drink for free, but not to play. Madison Square Garden
is where a band like us belongs.
TPRS.com:
Staring on the big screen must be exciting. Do you think that your acting career
will interfere with the band or do you hope to do both?
Diamond:
Well, I look at my friend Jon
Bon Jovi. He did it. Why cant I?
TPRS.com:
Do you have any plans to live off the free exposure from the commercial?
Diamond:
Of course, I get free movie
rentals from my friends that see me on the tv.
TPRS.com:
Is there any chance we may catch you on Broadway soon, or are you sticking to
the big screen?
Diamond: I tried that six years ago,
thanks to Nirvana. Never again.
TPRS.com:
Who hooked you up with your bass player Ginger Roxx and drummer Blackhead?
Who were the original drummer and bass player?
Diamond:
I don't really remember I just
remember driving out the L.A., and playing our first gig without a drummer or
bass guitar player and it didn't go over very well. That's when we decided to
make it a four-piece band.
TPRS.com:
Of the four of you, who owns the most clothes? And who has the biggest hair?
Diamond:
Me. I have the most clothes and
the most hair out of anyone I think here in L.A.
TPRS.com: Who designs your clothes?
Diamond: I have all mine made for me by
my seamstress Mel Olivas. She is the best. I come up with ideas and she creates
my idea for me.
TPRS.com:
Would you like to make it more interesting and tell us who's been the most
successful with your female fans?
Diamond: Ginger Roxx gets laid all the
time. That's why he is in the band. He can't really play bass that well. He used
to work at a Hotdog stand before Metal Shop and he never played bass. He was a
singer, but he can't sing that well either. But, he looks like a million bucks
at 45 years old.
TPRS.com:
Of all the perks during the upside of your career, what would you say was the
greatest?
Diamond: Towels - thousands and
thousands of white free towels.
TPRS.com:
I understand that the new lineup has just recently finished a demo tape that is
rumored to be stirring up major label interest from both Atlantic and Arista
records. Is that true?
Diamond:
Kind of. We did do a demo but
it's only one song, and we use it for intro for our live show. The labels told
us to write some more so we have called Desmond Child and some other writers to
help us out... We have been calling and calling Mutt Lange, but we haven't heard
back yet from him. I know he's hot on this project and he can write ok too.
TPRS.com:
Your commercial has reached a national audience of fans old and new. But for
those who have yet to see you live or purchase your albums, can you please
describe exactly what melodic power rock and progressive metal blues sounds
like? Or offer an explanation of who your biggest influences have been?
Diamond: You said it all. We are
melodic. We are powerful rock. We add some progressive tastes to our music and
we have a blues base metal twinge. It's very unique. We do all this every Monday
night at the Viper Room in Hollywood.
TPRS.com:
How is the hotdog shop doing these days? I understand the fajita dog is a big
seller?
Diamond: I don't know. Ginger is the
expert.
TPRS.com:
Is it true that Metal Shop actually opened for Stanley Eisen & Wicked Lester
(the original band Paul and Gene were in before Kiss…by
coincidence there is an Akron band called Wicked Lester as well!) at the
Smuckler Bar Mitzvah that was mentioned in your commercial?
Diamond:
Yes it is true. Wow, you guys
sure do your homework. Did you know that Kiss stole the idea from us to wear
make-up?
TPRS.com:
There is a persistent rumor that you were denied a Discover® Card before the
commercial endorsement came through. Do you have any hard feelings?
Diamond: It is not true. I have a card
with a $200.00 limit.
TPRS.com:
Blackhead (A.K.A. Dances With Leatherwolf) seems to be a universal drummer
playing with UDO and Warlock (Germany), Gorky park (Russia) and Survivor and VVI
(USA). How does someone from an Indian reservation in South Dakota get around so
much?
Diamond: His family - for years - have
beat stuff. His dad beat his mom and his mom beat him. That's why he likes the
drums so much, and that's why he plays with such passion. People like that about
him, and if he gets out of line you just beat [him] a little and he is quiet. He
is easy to work with.
TPRS.com:
Ginger Roxx appears to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He leaves
Brunette who then got signed as Hardline. Mozart gets signed to a huge deal by
SBK, promptly get dropped then reappear years later as The Flys. Is he the
sacrificial lamb if a record deal is imminent for Metal Shop?
Diamond:
Do you believe in Destiny?
Metal Shop is meant to be. That's all I know.
TPRS.com:
Where can fans find your latest tour dates and more information about the
band?
Diamond:
http://www.perfectworldentertainment.com
TPRS.com:
I understand you have also worked on some additional musical projects, including
a slot as the leader of the Van Halen tribute, the Atomic Punks, would you like
to tell your fans about them and let them know where to find more information?
Diamond: http://www.theatomicpunks.com
TPRS.com:
Can you give us one last quote summing up your mission as Metal Shop?
Diamond:
Metal is coming back whether
you like it or not, so start growing your hair so [that] your not left with
having to get extensions.
Disclaimer: Ralph Saenz (Atomic Punks, L.A. Guns) who has taken the stage as
a young "Diamond" Dave in by far the best Van Halen tribute, has also
taken on a new persona as Michael Diamond. All interview content is based on the
parody of Metal Shop. Thus, the dates, names, and places mentioned are based on
the fictional history of the band.
Questions from Kara and Greg Uhrlen;
Compilation and narration by Kara Uhrlen; Photos are property of their
respective owners; all interview content is property of The Pure Rock Shop at
TPRS.com. For permission to reproduce this article, contact
kara@tprs.com,
or
freely link to us at
http://www.tprs.com.
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