Kevin Steele | Roxx Gang | Mojo Gurus | August 2000 |

 

This isn't going to be one of the "Where the Hell You Been" interviews...cause Roxx Gang never broke up....

they may have changed members a few times..

but all in all..the master mind of the band, 

Kevin,is the same. So I'm adding this interview as a bonus this month...cause I can..

Kevin Steele....the singer and songwriter for the band... 

and one of the hardest working guys in rock...

Enjoy...

 

J-First off how long was the band together before you got signed to Virgin records back in the 80's?

K-That line up that got signed was together for about two years,but actually Roxx Gang went back before that, I formed it with a guy named Eric Caroll, he and I wrote  half the songs that were on the first record before any one of those guys were even in the band.

 

J-How did you come up with the name Roxx Gang?

K-I don't really have a cool story, like everyone else does…Alice Cooper was on the Oija board..etc., but actually its stupid, but my favorite band is T-Rex, and I used to always love the band, and you knew how when you're a kid you write rock bands names on your folder and notebooks..I would write T-Rex , and I was dreaming in those days,I had no idea,I had never written a song…I was a kid..but I was already fantasizing about being in a rock band. Once I saw the Monkee's .I even remember this one particular episode stands out in my mind, it made such an impression on me,They were getting chased around the Eiffel Tower by fans and they caught them and ripped there shirts off.I said right then..I wanna do that..and ride around in a Monkee mobile.

 

J-Ha,Ha, Ha..most people say Kiss or the Beatles, I've never heard the Monkee's….

K-Ya this is when I was little, this was before I ever had any musical… that I had a clue that I had any musical ability. The Beatles came later when I started to appreciate the music. But anyways..I forgot what the original question was…..hahaha..

 

J-Hahahahaha..how you got the name..

K-Oh ya…so I was like T-Rex..T-Rex..I want a  cool name like that..and I wrote R-Gang..and some how it mutated through the years..I had all these stupid names.I was always in bands w/guys older then me..and I never had the nerve when we would sit down and try and pick names,that I had this name R-Gang or some thing..Id never voice up.Finally got to the point where I was in charge..and I laid it on them..Roxx Gang!

 

J-Do you still talk to the original members? Or know what they are dong now?…Well I shouldn't say original members..but the guys on the "Things You've Never Done Before" album..

K-I haven't talked to a single one of them in years…I don't like any of them, I feel like they really cheated me out of what should have been some of the happiest years of my life.Like any rocker..I worked…and dreamed,but when my dream was finally coming true..I got a record deal,I was going to Los Angeles to make a record, and my brother is the manager of the band,which put me in a little bit of a tough spot,like between a rock and a hard place.those guys were the biggest bunch of irresponsible,immature, babies..and they would trash everything..and ya know a certain amount of rockstar stuff is ok..but you have to pay for it in the morning…and when my brother is the manager, and hes the one getting presented the bill,and those guys…they just had everything handed to them…they were only in the band for like 2 years..they were all playing my equipment..even my guitars..and drums…half the songs were even written before they were even in the band..and boom they get a record deal. They were just kids…we were so young..my drummer was like 18 years old..he was an obnoxious brat. They werent ready for it.

 

J-Well that kinda leads to my next question…who writes the songs?

K-I write all the lyrics never been a song I didn't write the lyrics to and in most cases I have the music for it.,sometimes the guys come to me if they have a riff, idea, or a melody…or whatever..and I write to it..but it would be fair to say im the major song writer.

 

J-How do you get the ideas for your songs..?

K-That could be anything.

 

J-Well I mean do you sit down and try to write a song?

K-There is a million ways..there is no set way, and ya I have sat down and tried to write a song, but it's a pain..my best songs just come to me..within like 5 min. and I feel totally guilty..cause I didn't even work on the song..and that's my best songs..

 

J-Whats your favorite song you have recorded..

K-God..its hard to pick a favorite..they are all like your little kids..

 

J-Ok…what if you had to pick one song to let people listen to that is really important..?

K-Well I really like the title track on Mojo Guru's…"Mojo Guru". (more on them later)

 

J-Ok..whats your least favorite song..or your just not happy with the way it turned out?

K-Well I look back..and all my influences growing up were like T-Rex…english glam bands..Bowie.. and then I liked New York Dolls….but its so wierd what happened with us..I have like total 70's influence and I've been doing glam rock down here (Florida)  since before glam was really national. And the people down here were like "what the fuck are these guys..some kind of transvestites." They didn't know what we were doing.Nobody down here..Im speaking generalization…no one knew who the New York Dolls were. So I'm doing that thing..when all the sudden there is bands on the national scene making tons of money..that had a similar look..but I feel no where near a similar sound.I guarantee we benefited from the look that was popular at the time…that may have been why we got signed..but i've never associated myself with any of those 80's bands..and now I get the backlash…

 

J-Well I understand..cause Im looking at all these pictures while I'm getting ready for this interview and they are not comparable w/the glam bands out then..and that leads to the next question..how important was the look back in the hair band days?

K-It was important, I mean..things now are the way the music was originally meant to be .Now I'm a lot more musically savvy..ya know..10 years later.. when I started it was like I'd write the lyrics..and put them to somebody elses music..now Im writing the music.. and I had guitar players like Wade Hayes who was a monster ripper..like that 80's style at the time, and we may have benefited from him.Im sure that was an ingredient to the sound too..but I always felt like those guys were pulling my sound in a different direction. But I wasn't in control at the time..to inexperienced..to pull it back in..like when I wrote a song like "Ball in Chain" it was meant to be way more front porch..

 

J-Do you ever look back at the pictures and think "What was I thinking?"

K-No. I was proud of them…I think I look cool as shit. if I must say so my self.

Im not embarrassed one bit.Im not the guy who comes out with a 3 octive voice range..but image is my forte'. My whole band..I put them together..I even dressed those guys. Our look stands out.I look at some of these guys..all fat,hairy..and stuffed in spandex looking like their grandma or something..or like a wierd hairy drag queen. See that's what killed us..or the big corporate machine..that latches on to whatevers selling..pump the shit out of it..over saturate the market with it..till no one can stand it anymore, then they move onto the next thing..also what killed glam.All these bands Poison,Motley Crue,whoever, go platinun success..and were all over Mtv. Soon every motherfucker in the world was glam..and had hair extentions. And it got rediculous..and Im not braggin this is just facts,Ive earned this much after all these years. you've got to have the look to carry it off..

You have to find a look that's right for you..that line up in particular..("Things You've Never Done Before") we carried that look..and Im not embarrassed  about it at all..now if I looked back and saw my gut hangin out..all hairy I would be…..we knew what we were doing....now if I looked back and saw my gut hangin out..all hairy…..we knew what we were doing..

 

J-Ya I still see bands doing it..and its just not working for them..at all..

K-Well first of all,people keep coming up to me saying I've toned down…you just saw us at Carlies..the other night.(Click here to see pictures from that night),I mean really how toned down was I? With my leoperd hat,my braids, sunglasses..people bug the shit out of me about that old stuff……that's what I did ten years ago..but I've been writing..and playing,and everything for 10 years, and yes we still do a couple of those songs, for the crowd that come to see them..but people ask why did you tone your look down?…well because I'm 10 years older…I'm not an idiot and goes way past how old hes supposed to be..I mean like Jagger 10 years ago didn't wear what he wears now..

 

J-Well you gotta fit…the way you guys look right now..fits the music.when you guys were up there..the music has changed, to me anyway,its much bluesier…but you guys play like you look..

K-Right..well now that I have things under control..now the look fits the music perfectly. And when you asked what song I don't like..I'd have to say now , a song like "Live Fast,Die Young"…and I don't even mean looking back..I remember when the album came out..I was into Steven Tyler…Jagger…R&B..based rock bands…then I'd hear "Live Fast,Die Young"…and I was like geeezz…Steven Tyler would never do a song like this..

 

J-What do you think of all those 80's bands reuniting and you have never stopped,the band never broke up or stopped playing…do you think they did it for money..or the love of the music?

K-Ya..know, what could I say?…I don't know…I hate when people make judgements on bands..they don't know..there is so much that goes on inside a band, between 5-6 people..you don't know what motivates them. Everyone pretends to know..and I wish some of them hadn't..

 

J-Whats the biggest crowd you've ever played for..

K-Hmm..lets see..I have no idea. When we first came out..we toured with, of all people, Warrant, we played some pretty big shows..but I have no idea numbers wise.

 

J-Whats the craziest thing a fan has ever done to meet you..?

K-Well..Im telling you..that band, that lineup ("Things You've Never Done Before") was sick.. and the thing about it was..I wanted to have my fun too ya know..and I never in a million years, growing up..fantasizing about being in a band,from town to town…and we would go do it..and I spent most my time making sure they wernt killing each other,or killing themselves.there would be fist fights between us..

I've had roadies call up in the middle of the night… "Wades going home, hes going to the airport" ..in rehearsals my brothers been called, "You better get down here right away. Dave's throwing his cymbols" ….he was wippin cymbals at Jeff..I mean man..I can't  tell you how relaxed everything is now..even though the shows were a good time.it was really a bad time for me.

 

J-So whats the craziest thing a fan has done…hahaha..

K-Hahaha..well I don't know..they have done some pretty crazy stuff after they have met us.hahaha… we have always been so accessible, it really wasn't hard to meet us.

 

J-What other projects have you done besides Roxx Gang, in the last few years.

K-Well through Tom Mathers..that runs Perris Records,I've done some stuff..but its wierd..I've never met the people I've worked with,I wrote a song for Marq Torain from Bullet Boys…see Tom had a band and for a while didn't have a singer..he may now, but he released a cd with a lot of guest appearances..like I sang a track, Marq sang a track..or two..and Marq sang one of my songs. 

 

J-Ya wasn't the band called Monroe?

K-Ya..that's it

 

J- And what about the Mojo Gurus?

K-Well the Mojo Gurus are like this…the whole thing started…we were playing a birthday party..for a girlfriend in the band..and we played this place called the Voodoo Lounge,and we thought it would be cool to do this..but I'm not stupid..I wouldn't go into the Voodoo Lounge and do a full Roxx Rang show. Anyway..and I like the blues..but it's funny when you're a kid you don't realize its just…blues..and how much of the bands I loved from the 70's were really just playing blues songs.just white boys..speeding it up a little,cleaning it up a little and fuckin it all up.. haha…anyways..Roxx Gang had already been moving in the bluesy direction..we had a few site down acoustic shows..bluesy stuff….but back to my story..we did the party, and decided to call ourselves the Mojo Gurus. So we did the show..and had a blast..we had so much fun, we played a few other shows..and had a great time. So we started expanding.. I started realizing..the guys in my band..they are young, they didn't come up the right way..like through the blues..they didn't come up with the right progression.. that's why guys from the 70's had so much soul,they listened to the blues..and early rock records..and took it to the next level. These guys, these days are into the 2nd or 3rd generation guitar players., don't even know their idols, idols..were blues guys.and so I thought..this is going to be really good for the band…good for the guys. They are learning more..they are playing with dynamics, soul..and feeling.so we decided ok..thets put out a record..and I had wrote this song.."The Mojo Gurus" and we were playing under the name Mojo Gurus..and decided to start playing smaller bars as the Mojo Gurus..so were doing that on the side.. plus all the big rock places are closing..so half the time..we don't have anywhere to play. So we realease this cd..and all this shit came out of me..finally I had reached a point where I had control of things..finally the songs came out like I heard them in my head. I had all of these styles on it..ya know..im just a huge music fan..I like almost any music, as long as its done well.. and I had a little country..blues..I wanted to put some glam tunes..from like where glam really came from..instead of the Roxx Gang, metal sound. So Mojo Gurus happened..and I said we are shopping this thing to all the majors, even though we are on Perris ,any demo or cd release we are always trying to better our situation, and I said lets shop it as Mojo Gurus…cause with Roxx Gang..there is so much baggage, record labels look at it as 80's hair band..and throw it in the garbage. Anyway we got a ton of response…like unbelievable..  so right now we have record labels interested in us..as the Mojo Gurus.. resentley we went to New York to do some showcases.. as the Mojo Gurus. Now the new Roxx Gang release "Smoking TNT and Drinking Dynamite" will be out on Perris as the new Roxx Gang release, but well also be shopping it as Mojo Gurus…that's why we have a Mojo Gurus website. 

 

J-Boy you got it all going on…

K- And ill be totally open about it…if I gotta be in Mojo Gurus to get back on a major label ..so be it.

 

J-Well that's what I was going to ask next… tell us about the new cd..the sound of it?

K-Its more rockers on it then the last Mojo Gurus..not as many experiments..to me Mojo Gurus is like my little "White Album"..experimenting with a lot of different styles and stuff. this one is more traditional rock..this is really a representation of what you see live.

 

J-Is there any touring plans when the cd comes out?

K-Well we are always looking..but to be perfectly honest..no one  is going to tour w/a band like Roxx Gang right now. The tours we get offered..we cant afford to do. And guys wanna put us with Danger Danger..I don't wanna! Im not some 80's nostalga thing.I never stopped… geez..my first album came out in 1989..my whole professional carrer was in the 90's..but I get called an 80's band. It fuckin burns my ass! Nirvana, Soundgarden..Pearl Jam..all had recordings before we did..but they are not called 80's bands.

 

J-What new bands do you listen to? Is there anyone out there you like?

K-Hahaha..I'm going to sound like dick here….I love the Black Crowes…they arn't a new band..but at least they are still recording. Who am I to say this..but I'm kinda disappointed in Aerosmith lately. I'm still a diehard Stones fan.I cant really think of anything new.. but the guys in my band..they listen to a lot of stuff..

 

J-What do you see for the future of the band?Are you going to keep releasing stuff? Do you have plans to push Mojo Gurus?

K-I'm pretty convinced to progress to the next step were going to have to be the Mojo Gurus.I love Roxx Gang, I'm totally proud of what I did in Roxx Gang, but I if I have to become a Mojo Guru, so be it..cause I already am one.. I was one while I was in Roxx Gang.

 

J-Since the internet is taking over,do you get a lot of fan mail through your website?

K-Ya…from all over the world too..that's about the only thing that keeps me going. Just to know there are people that really do appreciate our music…

 

J-And you can get all your merchandise on your webpage.

.cd's..t-shirts..etc. right?

K-Yes,at www.RoxxGang.com  & www.MojoGurus.com

 

J- Ok.Kevin thanks!

K-Thank You…..