Three Minutes With…Dave Rude of Tesla

Three Minutes With…
Dave Rude of Tesla

This guy is living proof of the benefits of social media! While fronting his own band, The Dave Rude Band, he was spotted via Myspace by Frank Hannon of Tesla. The rest, as they say, is history. He became an official member of Tesla in 2006, replacing Tommy Skeoch. We caught up with Dave via phone from the band’s stop in Phoenix, the night before they hit House of Blues in Las Vegas. He passed along the best advice he was ever given, which really could be heeded by anyone, anywhere, anytime… Check it out!

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Be ready! Be ready to take advantage of it when an opportunity arises. A guy I knew back in the Bay Area told me that years ago. At the time, they had just signed this big huge deal with a big major label and you just have to be ready for it – have all your ducks in a row and have everything you need practiced, have songs, have whatever it is. So when that one lucky break happens, you can just grab it!  That was really, really good advice to me. I still tell people when they ask me for advice. It’s kind of how I joined Tesla. It definitely rang really true and is a good piece of advice, and can be applied to any situation.

Speaking of that, even though I know that Wikipedia isn’t always the most accurate source of info, I saw that you got the Tesla gig via MySpace, right?

Yes, I did. It was 2006, and my solo piece The Dave Rude Band had put up a demo. Myspace had only been up for a few months, and Frank Hannon from Tesla just randomly found it. That was kind of my opportunity. He said, ”Hey, you wanna come jam, in like two days from now?” “Yeah! I’ll be there!” “Cool!” And my life was kind of structured for my band to make it, its not like I had some 40-hour a week corporate job. I had my whole life structured so I could just kind of leave. About two weeks after I met Frank, I was on tour with his solo band.

Social media rocks!

Yeah, it totally does!

What is the one thing you can not live without on tour?

You know….I’ll be virtuous and say exercise equipment. Which is true. We are out on a mini-run right now and I forgot to bring it with me so I was working out with a shower towel. I do like to work out a lot. On the last tour I went and bought a tiny set of weights and an exercise mat. Sometimes you get a cool gym or if you have enough time you can go get a day pass at some local actual gym around town but most of the time I end up working out in the dressing room or in the hallway or something.

What is the best rumor you’ve heard about yourself?

You know what? Recently I’d heard from a friend of mine back home in Oakland that I’d been kicked out of Tesla for my “bad attitude”. That’s hilarious, considering that I’d just come home from a tour and me and the guys are like the best of friends. That was pretty funny! I was like “What???”  But you’ve got to consider your sources out there! That was a pretty funny one but I normally don’t hear any rumors about myself, but that one definitely came to mind.

The last one I have is – have you ever had any real-life Spinal Tap moments?

I can’t really recall anything too dramatic offhand, but definitely I have been lost in arenas many times. It’s not really funny, but it’s true. That scene is so true to life, when they have the arrows going around and you still get lost. Nothing truly hilarious that I can think of offhand though. 

And now you can promote whatever you want!

Well, my obvious plug is my band – DaveRudeBand.com. We’ve got videos and stuff up that’s pretty fun. Teslatheband.com too – you can check all that stuff out. We’ve got another acoustic tour in February and end up on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, at the end of February. That should be pretty fun!

 Follow Dave on Twitter: @DaveRude and LIKE his band on Facebook:

Are you or do you know a musician coming through Las Vegas that wants to give the shortest interview ever with probably the shortest interviewer ever? Forward me contact info or put them in touch with me. Do you have a query for the Sack O’ Questions? Email me at ThreeMinWith@yahoo.com. (Sorry, I can not guarantee any question to be asked to anyone specific, because it’s literally the luck of the draw, but if your question gets drawn, you’ll get props – make sure you note how you want to be thanked!)

Follow ME on Twitter: @MouthySmurf.

Three Minutes With…Laura Wilde

Three Minutes With………..
Laura Wilde Read more

A Triple Shot of Three Minutes With… Ted Nugent, George Lynch & Blas Elias

A Triple Shot of Three Minutes!

 For the last “Three Minutes With…..” for 2011, I’m giving you, my readers, a gift. Not one, not two, but THREE interviews! I was fortunate enough to be granted interviews with so many amazing musicians this year that I actually had a bit of a backlog. These were all conducted months ago, and not published for whatever reason… Enjoy!

Three Minutes With………..Ted Nugent.

The “Motor City Madman” gave us “Three Minutes” while on a recent swing through Las Vegas. It was a bit of a departure from the normal “Three Minutes With…..” if there is such a thing as a normal “Three Minutes With…”, but here you go!

Have you ever had any real-life Spinal Tap moments?
Yes dammit! Such ultra FUN! During the filming of SUPERGROUP for VH1, Sebastian Bach was fighting furiously ( I like that in a guy) to name the band SAVAGE ANIMAL. It’s what happens when you are perpetually stoned or drunk, phenomenal stupid funny. God bless him.

What is the best tour story you can tell?
Dear God in heaven, there are a billion stories in the Naked City and I was there for all of them! Let me put it this way- For a lifetime clean and sober ultra intense guy performing more than 6300 ultra energized madhouse concerts for over fifty years with the unbridled enthusiasm and energy of an Iron Man Gonzo athlete, there is no way the unsuspecting civilian public could grasp or comprehend the phenomenal joys of my nonstop gravity defying soul music jihad. The simple yet diabolically confusing fact that every damn concert has been a perfect firestorm of spiritually erect all American R&B&R&R beyond anyone’s imagination is a story unto itself. Let’s just say my pursuit of happiness is exactly what God had in mind when He created this miracle of life. I thank Him daily by living it to the max and beyond. Still. I still believe.

Well, since Ted didn’t plug anything, we will! Check out his website where you can get updates, full tourdate listings, and other appearances. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.  

Three Minutes With…….George Lynch. 

He’s a living guitar legend who really doesn’t need an introduction, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past twenty-five years or so… We caught up with the one and only Mr. Scary when he sat in with the Sin City Sinners at the Crown Theater at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas. He pulled no punches as he tells what he REALLY thinks about a singer he used to work with and what he would do if he was in charge of this country… 

What are 3 albums you think everyone should own, and why?
 Ahhh. I want to draw another question, I don’t like that one! What’s the other one say?

If you became President of the United States, what would your first order of business be?OHHH! That’s a MUCH better question!! Hmm…. Global answer or micro-answer?

Whichever you want to give! Totally up to you!
Let’s see… That’s a big question. I would insist that all policy be directed by truth and science and not mythology and bullshit.

I like that!
I know it’s kind of a sloppy answer, but it’s a good question. It’s an important one. Rationalism would be another term I would use. Rule by rationalism. By reason. What a concept, huh?

Foreign.
 Never happen though.

 I may have to put a footnote with the definition of rationalism in my column!
<laughter>

Yeah! Now you can promote anything you want to talk about!
 I have a new record coming out, I believe July 19th or thereabouts, on Rocket Science Records, Kill All Control. It was originally going to be a follow-up to the original solo CD, Let the Truth Be Known, but it become a George Lynch record. Worked on it for a couple of years, it’s an awesome record. Kill All Control. There’s that. I’m writing right now with Lynch Mob. Doing that as well. I’m working on a record right now with Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown, Tooth and Nail without Don Dokken, called Dump the Chump.

 That’s my favorite Dokken album!
 Okay. This’ll be your more favorite album! It’s the way we originally wrote it! 

Well, he certainly tells it like he sees it, folks! You can also check out George’s website and follow him on Twitter: @thegeorgelynch, and Facebook him. 

Three Minutes With………..Blas Elias.

Perhaps best known as the drummer for Slaughter, Blas is no stranger to the staff of TWRY. Now performing as part of Blue Man Group here in Vegas (he’s NOT one of the blue dudes though, just to clarify that!) I managed to catch up with Blas after he jammed with the Sin City Sinners and previous givers of “Three Minutes….” Pete Loran, Louie Merlino, and Jimmy Crespo, and he gave his first interview in more than a decade…. Here ya go!

Your question is… What is the best rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
The best rumor I’ve heard about myself, I don’t ever hear anything about myself… Not even from the old days. I’m going to fail this miserably. 

Okay. How about this one? What is the best and/or worst thing about playing in Vegas?
The best thing about playing in Vegas is that friends from all over the world come to see you all the time. The worst thing is that friends from all over the world come to see you all the time. <laughs>

 Allrighty then! Now you can promote anything you want to talk about.
Ahhh. I have nothing to plug.

 DUDE. Yer killin’ me!
The funny thing is I don’t have anything to promote. I don’t have a band. I do have a band that I’m playing with, but I’m not an official member. The drummer from the Henry Rollins Band <Jason Mackenroth> is in Blue Man Group now and he has his own band called MACK and he sings, and the last time he toured – he has an album out – just recorded a new album, and the last time he played drums and sang on his own record, and he didn’t want to play drums and sing, so I’m playing with this band, called MACK, and it’s really cool.

You did it! You survived!

Blas has done random shows with Slaughter here and there… None planned in the immediate future though. He is a member of Blue Man Group, which currently performs nightly at the Venetian hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. And check out MACK.   (But don’t expect it to be Slaughter-esque! It’s closer to being a more melodic Ramones/Sex Pistols.)

******

Side note to my readers: Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for reading this column (and TWRY in general) and supporting it, and supporting your local music scene. (They need you!) Without giving away all my secrets and possibly jinxing myself, 2012 could potentially be the biggest year for “Three Minutes With…” and I hope you’ll all come along for the ride! Together we’ll see who tries (and succeeds or fails ) to break the current records – shortest interview is still held by Kevin Baldes of Lit (one minute, eleven seconds), longest interview is still Sammy Hagar (seven minutes for one question and a plug), most questions in three minutes (and highest bar set because so many try to break this record) is still Brent Fitz (four questions in three minutes), and the one record that I hope never gets broken is held by Troy Patrick Farrell for the most number of failed attempts to conduct the interview (six in one year). I raise a toast to all of you! Thank you and Happy New Year!

Follow ME on Twitter: @MouthySmurf.

Are you or do you know a musician coming through Las Vegas that wants to give the shortest interview ever with probably the shortest interviewer ever? Forward me contact info or put them in touch with me. Do you have a query for the Sack O’ Questions? Email me at ThreeMinWith@yahoo.com. (Sorry, I can not guarantee any question to be asked to anyone specific, because it’s literally the luck of the draw, but if your question gets drawn, you’ll get props – make sure you note how you want to be thanked!)

Super huge THANKS to Jeff Klein at PRPlus, Jess Holmes and Jason Green for making this column happen!

Twelve Minutes With….John Corabi

Twelve Minutes With………..
John Corabi
Read more

Three Minutes With…Whitney Rosati

ThreeMinutes With………..
Whitney Rosati

You may know her by her stage name, White Rose, especially if you’ve been in Las Vegas or western New York in the last several months. If you don’t know her yet, you will. Whitney is a 15 year old guitar phenom and proves that anything boys can do, girls can do too – if not better!

With only about three years of playing under her belt, she can take on most who’ve been playing five times longer than she has and blow them out of the water! Whitney gave me three minutes early in the Summer when she was here in Las Vegas sitting in with our mutual friends, the Sin City Sinners. Check it out!

 

So, your question is, what are three albums you think everyone should own and why?
One of them is definitely Appetite for Destruction, because the songs are so original. You never hear it anywhere else. Also, the Sin City Sinners’ album. I’m obsessed with it!

Which Sinners’ album?
The Exile on Fremont Street one. I’m trying to think of the third one…. I love the Joan Jett album. I’m not really sure which one it is, I think it’s her Greatest Hits album. It’s my favorite. I listen to it all the time. I love all the 80′s rock bands. So, they would be Guns n’ Roses, Sinners, and Joan Jett. And, AC/DC of course…. I love the song “Back in Black”!

Want to draw another question?
 SURE!!

If you became President of the United States for a day, what would your first order of business be?
I would probably take away Fridays for school days. I would have a three-day weekend. I think that would be amazing!

 And environmentally correct!
YEAH! You know, running buses and stuff. Save gas. Electricity.

That works for me! Now you can promote anything you want….
Facebook, you can find me there. I have a White Rose page. You can find anything I’m doing there, I will post YouTube videos there, recent ones. Updates, stuff like gigs mostly. I have some opportunities coming up, so stay tuned to the page for details!

Check out her YouTube channel as well

Super BIG Thank You to “Momma Rose”!!

Are you or do you know a musician coming through Las Vegas that wants to give the shortest interview ever with probably the shortest interviewer ever? Forward me contact info or put them in touch with me. Do you have a query for the Sack O’ Questions? Email me at ThreeMinWith@yahoo.com. (Sorry, I can not guarantee any question to be asked to anyone specific, because it’s literally the luck of the draw, but if your question gets drawn, you’ll get props – make sure you note how you want to be thanked!) You can also Follow ME on Twitter: @MouthySmurf.

Three Minutes With…Scotty Griffin

Three Minutes With………..
Scotty Griffin Read more

Three Minutes With…Troy Patrick Farrell

Three Minutes With………..
Troy Patrick Farrell Read more

Three Minutes With…Athena Lee

Three Minutes With………..
Athena Lee Read more

Three Minutes With…Les Warner

Three Minutes With…Les Warner Read more

Three Minutes With…Carmine and Vinny Appice

Three Minutes With………
Carmine and Vinny Appice

These brothers really don’t need an introduction, but for those who’ve been unconscious for the last twenty or thirty years, here we go…. Carmine Appice is recognized as the drummer for Vanilla Fudge,  also having worked with other noteable acts,  and as the guy who set the standard for heavy hitting showmen drummers. Vinny Appice played in a little known band called Black Sabbath and with the late Ronnie James Dio in Dio.  They were kind enough to give me three and a half minutes after a Drum Wars show at Vamp’d in Las Vegas. (Which I highly recommend if it comes through your town!!)

Draw your question, but don’t peek.
Vinny: I got ‘em ALL! Okay. That one.

Vinny, your question is – what is the wackiest question you’ve ever been asked?
Vinny: This question right now!
Carmine: This one!

Surprisingly, everybody says that!
Vinny: Do you get hemorrhoids from playing drums? Is that true?
<laughs> Wow.
Vinny: That’s wacky!
That IS wacky. I’m afraid to know the answer.
Vinny: It is false. You don’t get hemorrhoids from playing drums…. Guitar, right? 
Carmine: That’s right! You get them from playing guitar. 
Good to know!

Carmine: Okay! Let’s go! I gotta pick one….
<hands over every card in the Sack>
Carmine: The top one.
Carmine, your question is -  What are three albums you think everyone should own and why?
Vinny: Dio…. Sabbath….
Carmine: Blue Murder, King Kobra new album, and the new Travers and Appice album. Why? ‘Cause I’m on ‘em!

Fair enough!  Now you guys can plug whatever it is you want to talk about – product, project, place – it doesn’t even have to necessarily be yours!
Carmine: Okay. We’re plugging Drum Wars, the new crazy music of me and Vinny;  Carmine and Vinny Appice. And we’re gonna be going around the world doing Drum Wars. Come check it out, because it does kick ass! Right ,Vinny?
Vinny: What?
<laughter>
Vinny: Right. Drum Wars. It’s gonna kick ass everywhere. We’re going to Japan next month too.

Gonna hit the East Coast?
Carmine: Yes. Going to hit the East Coast at the end of July. We have three shows – Providence, New York, and Long Island. I think we’re gonna be joined in New York by Ronnie Spector, of “Be My Baby” fame, with this kind of crazy drumming. She’ll probably have a heart attack!
Vinny: She’ll probably have a heart attack – she doesn’t know what she’s getting into!
WOW. That’s awesome!

##

For more info on DrumWars, check out the official website

Super super HUGE (as in, there aren’t anywhere near enough!) THANK YOUS go to Carmen Shortino for making this happen!

Are you or do you know a musician coming through Las Vegas that wants to give the shortest interview ever with probably the shortest interviewer ever? Forward me contact info or put them in touch with me. Do you have a query for the Sack O’ Questions? Email me at ThreeMinWith@yahoo.com. (Sorry, I can not guarantee any question to be asked to anyone specific, because it’s literally the luck of the draw, but if your question gets drawn, you’ll get props – make sure you note how you want to be thanked!)

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