John Dougles | Kik Tracee | March 2001 |
This will be one of my first interviews that the person is no longer doing music..
This month is John Douglas from Kik Tracee... (I've almost gotten all the members now...)
Anyway.. Find out what John is up to now.. it's great stuff!
What a talanted guy...
J-How did you hook up with the guys in Kik Tracee back in the day?
John-I HOOKED UP WITH THE KT GUYS THROUGH BLAS ELIAS FROM SLAUGHTER. BLAS IS FROM HOUSTON AND WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SOME TIME ..ANYWAY HE HAD JUST GOTTEN WITH SLAUGHTER AND DANA WAS JUST STARTING TO WORK WITH KT (LIKE HE WASN’T BUSY ENOUGH) AND BLAS TOLD THEM TO CALL ME HERE IN HOUSTON.SO STEPHEN DID, I FLEW OUT TO L.A. , WE PLAYED AND IT JUST FELT NATURAL.
J-How was it working with Dana Strumm in the studio?
John-WORKING WITH DANA WAS AN EXPERIENCE AND AN EDUCATION. HIS WORK ETHIC WAS EXCEPTIONAL AND HE REALLY WORKED ON THE SONGS TO TRY TO BRING THEM TO THEIR BEST.HE ALSO HAD A LOT OF CREATIVE IDEAS
J-What was your favorite tour and why?
John-FAVORITE TOUR?? I DON’T KNOW…BUT I HAVE A FEW STANDOUT SHOWS. THE ROXY IN L.A. THE RIP PARTY AT THE PALADIUM.I REMEMBER PLAYING IN ATLANTA ON MY BIRTHDAY IT WAS THIS GREAT CLUB ,KINDA LIKE A CASTLE OR MILL OR SOMETHING. I REMEMBER I WAS VERY SICK WITH THE FLU.BUT..THE SHOW GOES ON.
J-Craziest thing a fan has done to meet you?
John-I DON’T THINK A FAN EVER REALLY DID ANYTHING CRAZY TO MEET ME.ITS NOT LIKE I AM A GUITAR PLAYER OR SINGER OR ANYTHING.
J-Your favorite song to play live?
John-I THINK MY FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY LIVE WAS “TANGERINE MAN” . I THINK IT HAS S GREAT RIFF.
J-Least favorite?
John-I DON’T RECALL ANY SONGS I DIDN’T LIKE TO PLAY. I’M SURE THERE WERE SOME BUT THEY DON’T STAND OUT.
J-How important was the look back in the hair days?
John-THE LOOK WAS IMPORTANT BACK THEN..BUT I THINK IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND STILL IS IMPORTANT. ITS JUST A DIFFERENT LOOK NOW. IT CHANGES JUST LIKE ALL FASHION.
J-Do you ever look at pictures now and think "What the hell was I thinking"?
John-I KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING!!!I JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY NOW
J-After the break up of the band..what did you do? Any more bands? Side projects? recordings? etc?
John-AFTER THE BREAKUP OF THE BAND I WENT HOME TO HOUSTON TO COLLECT MY THOUGHTS AND MY LIFE.THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE THAT I DOUGHTED WHAT I WANTED TO DO.IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL! I HAD ALWAYS PLAYED DRUMS.BUT…I ALSO HAD ALWAYS DABBLED IN ART.SO I DECIDED TO PAINT FOR AWHILE.I PLAYED ON FEW RECORDINGS FOR BANDS HERE IN HOUSTON…NOTHING SERIOUS.
J-Do you still talk to any of the guys? Know what they are up to?
John-I KEPT A PRETTY LOW PROFILE FOR QUITE AWHILE . I KEPT IN TOUCH WITH ROB FOR A FEW YEARS..HE EVEN DESIGNED MY WEBSITE…DID A GREAT JOB.BUT YOU KNOW…PEOPLE TEND TO DRIFT APART OVER TIME.ITS NOT ANIMOSITY OR ILL FEELINGS , ITS JUST LIFE MARCHING ON.
J-Now you do airbrushing..which is AMAZING! When did that start? and how did it turn full time?
John-I WAS PAINTING EVEN IN KT DAYS . MY DRUMS OF COURSE. SOME KT STAGE PROPS ,BACKDROPS.I PAINTED A FEW DRUMKITS WHILE ON TOUR. I WOULD GO BACK TO THE HOTEL AFTER THE SHOW AND PAINT DRUMS. I KNOW I DID KITS FOR EXTREME, ZZ TOP, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS WHILE ON TOUR.IT WENT FULL TIME WHEN I QUIT. LETTING THE DRUMMING GET IN THE WAY.JUST KIDDING!!AFTER KT … I JUST WAITED TO SEE WHAT CAME MY WAY, AND IT SEEMED TO BE ARTWORK.
J-What's your favorite types of pieces to do..people, animals, drums?
John-ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT MY “JOB” (IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT), IS THAT I NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GONNA COME NEXT.,ONE DAY IT MIGHT BE A DRUM KIT, THE NEXT IT S A JET SKI , HARLEY, PAINTING OF SOME MOVIE STAR ON CANVAS OR A MURAL ON SOME WALL SOMEWHERE.IT KEEPS IT INTERESTING.HOWEVER I THINK MY FAVORITE IS PAINTING PORTRAITS …TRYING TO CAPURE SOMEONES FACE , PERSONALITY, ESSENCE ON CANVAS IS ACHALLENGE THAT I LOVE.
J-Who's are some of the drum sets you have done?
John-LETS SEE…I’VE PAINTED DRUM KITS FOR VAN HALEN, ZZ TOP, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SEVENDUST, AEROSMITH,GUNS & ROSES,EXTREME,PANTERA,LYNYRD SKYNYRD,BOBBY ROCK, KID ROCK,MANA,EVEN BASEBALL PLAYER RANDY JOHNSON.
J-Any plans to do anymore music?
John-THERE IS REALLY NOTHING THAT I LOVE MORE THAN PLAYING THE DRUMS…ITS PURE ,PRIMAL PASSION.AND I DO MISS IT.BUT I DO NOT MISS THE BULLSHIT THAT GOES WITH THE MUSIC BUSINESS.SO AT THIS POINT I DO NOT HAVE ANY PLANS TO PURSUE IT.BUT WHO KNOWS!!
J-What do you think of the internet and how it help promote bands now days?
John-I THINK THE INTENET IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR EVERYTHING. IT IS THE WORLD AND A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. ITS ALSO ON INSTANT AND WORLDWIDE PLATFORM TO SPREAD BULLSHIT, GOSSIP AND INUENDO.ITS OUR JOB TO WEED THROUGH IT.
J-How do you feel about Napster?
John-WELL UNFORTUNATELY, NAPSTER IS ALL BUT DEFUNCT. IT WAS GREAT..ESPECIALLY FOR NEW OR UNSIGNED BANDS.
J-Do you have a website? or somewhere people can keep up with what your doing..?
John-YES, I HAVE A WEBSITE THAT HAS SOME OF MY WORK, CANVAS AND DRUMKITS, UP ON DISPLAY . IT IS www.johndouglas.com ( PRETTY CREATIVE HUH?) I CAN BE EMAILED FROM THE SITE.
J-Ok thats about it John..thanks for your time, is there anything you would like to say to your fans that are reading this?
John-WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OBVIOUSLY KIK TRACEE WAS A BIG THING IN MY LIFE…I LOOK BACK ON IT WITH PRIDE AND FOND MEMORIES AND I AM HONORED THAT OTHERS FEEL THE SAME WAY . THANK YOU.