20 Questions w/ X-Pretty Boy Floyd bassist Vinnie Chas

20 Questions with X-Pretty Boy Floyd bassist Vinnie Chas.



All right, who used all the electrical tape again?

 

Metal Sludge has interviewed hundreds of Rock Stars to date, but never have we interviewed anyone who played live covered in electrical tape. Today that changes as we hook up with former Pretty Boy Floyd Bassist Vinnie Chas. The former "Leather Boys With Electric Toys" low end man shares some great history. It’s all here, the good, the glam and disturbing pics of these guys dressed in almost nothing.

1. What’s up with Vinnie Chas, plug your shit now, projects, websites & anything newsworthy?

Currently working with Aeriel Stiles & Kery Doll on his new album. Check out http://www.kerydoll.com

In case anyone out there doesn’t know PBF was the the reincarnation of Kery Doll.  For anybody who cares what I’m doing, look me up at at www.vinniechas.com  My site updated as often as Metal Sludges main pages.

 

2. You have not been in Pretty Boy Floyd for well over a decade now, so what have you been doing with yourself musically and otherwise?

Has it really been that long?  Since  PBF I went on to form Rattlin Bones with Aeriel Stiles and Robert Wolf. We did record a album worth of material and have been talking about making that available for re-release on iTunes if there is interest.  After that, making music wasn’t paying the bills and I wasn’t interested in doing the couch tour thing so I went to work for Sony Pictures working in special effects.

3. Ok, well it’s been many years but what is your version of how Vinnie Chas & Pretty Boy Floyd came to your split?

I could give you he said, she said and the truth but basically it was about money, drugs, management and money. Aeriel and I weren’t happy and decided to do something else.

 

4. As shocking as it might seem to some, you use to be in a band with Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains up in Seattle.  Give us some history on this project, time frame, and have you ever been in contact with him over the years since the PBF & AIC success years and the eventual decline of your respective bands?

What’s so shocking about that?  Jerry lived down the street from me growing up and we actually met at a high school talent show. Our first few bands we played covers from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and UFO. We started out being metal then got into glam when we moved to Texas. We always knew that we were going to be rock stars. We would tell people but they wouldn’t believe us. Jerry’s like a brother to me but we don’t talk as much as we once did.

5. In a 2006 interview with Rock Eyes you said this: “I speak with Aerial Stiles all the time. I haven’t spoken to any of the other guys in a while.”

Does this still hold true or have you reconnected with the others since 2006? It seems as though there have been some mention of you re-joining Steve “Sex” Summers and the various PBF line ups over the years. Any truth to this?   

 

Still hold true with me speaking with Aeriel. I did speak with Steve in 2007. No truth to me rejoining that circus. But show me the money and things could change.

Note: This link is from Blabbermouth talking about you rejoining the band for a “re-union”

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/Blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70142

There was one conversation with Aeriel and Steve in 2007 that we discussed the possibility of recording new songs and playing shows but that was a one phone call. Months later Steve asked me if I wanted to do a reunion show with Kristy and Kari. I told him I would think about it but never got back to him. Next thing I knew they were using my name and image to promote a reunion show. Just to set the record straight, I never said I would do that. They intentionally mislead the fans. Believe me if I was doing a reunion I would have posted that information on my web sites.

 

6. Rate a bassist 1-10. A 1 being someone who sucks, and a 10 being a bass God.

 

Who am I to judge? I think everyone here should be given a 10 for they’ve worked hard  to live the dream. Their playing styles fit the bands they’re in.



Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue =   Toast of the Town.

Jerry Dixon of Warrant =  Never was into them.

Chip Z’nuff of Enuff Z’nuff =   Never cared for or listen to their music.

Gene Simmons of KISS =    Inspired me to play bass and want to be in a rock band.

Rachel Bolan of Skid Row =   Get Sebastian Bach back in the band.

Todd “Chase” Chaisson of Tuff =  Howard Benson was into that band he was in after Tuff.

Duff McKagan of Velvet Revolver =   – Dug his style when he was in Guns and Roses.

Bobby Dall / Poison =  If he could play bass, anyone could play bass. And me playing bass proves that.

Robbie Crane of Ratt =   Can’t say anything about him for I never heard him play.

JK Famous of Pretty Boy Floyd =   Just one of many that’s tried and tried to fill my shoes. You can’t beat the original.

 

The bass players that I was into growing up were Steve Harris, Geddy Lee, Pete Way and Bob Daisley  Even though my playing style doesn’t reflect it, these are the guys I thought of as being bass gods.

7. What band or bands off the Sunset Strip deserved some National recognition that they never got, and what band is/was WAY too over rated?

I think  The Zero’s, Slamhound and  Glamor Punks should have been bigger.

8. A few years back you talked about having a book in the works. What ever happened with that or did it disappear faster than Pretty Boy Floyds contract with MCA? 

Actually it under it’s final revision.  Stay tuned.

9. Kill, Fuck, Marry. You kill one, fuck one and marry the other. Who do you pick? (Sheryl Crow, Sharon Osbourne, Cher)

Some choices you given me. I would kill Cher for she’s old anyways, fuck Sheryl with a bag on her head and one on mine (In case hers comes off) and marry Sharon for she’ll exploit my talents and make me a lot of money.



10. What rock band should pack it in and call it a day once and for all?

 

Any band that doesn’t have a least 75% of the original members.  Bottom line… Any band that does not have all of it’s original members should be considered a cover band. Come on, at least change the name.

11. Memory Lane of the following So. Cal. clubs/venues:

Gazzarri’s = Home of future rock and roll stars.  Many nights of passing out flyers in front

Whisky-A-Go-Go = Monday night jam nights there was always fun.

The Palace =   Loved playing there. Sold out show.

Country Club = Where we met Bret Hartman for the first time at a Warrant show.

The Central (Viper Room) =  Johnny Depp. Saw Tom Petty play there.

The Roxy =   PBF’s favorite place to play. All PBF shows there sold out. On the Rox was always fun to hang out.

Troubadour =  We played there once. Not a good experience.

Coconut Teaser =   Home of the Zeros

FM Station = Lankershim and Victory

Santa Monica Civic Center =   Only been there once. Saw Guns and Roses and The Cult there.

12. If you could punch, or could have punched any rock star in the face over the years who would it have been and why?

To many to name names. Anyone that have substance abuse problems that affects their ability to play shows. No one should do this to the fans.



13. Name the 3 high points, and the 3 low points of your tenure in Pretty Boy Floyd?

High Points

1. Getting signed after 8 shows

2. Recording Leather Boys with Electric Toys

3. Our first Tour of Japan….and the groupies….

 

Low Points

1. Getting Dropped from MCA

2. Not making millions and millions of dollars.

3. Leaving the band

 

14. Of all the bands PBF toured or played a show with who were the coolest and what band were the biggest dicks ever?

La Guns and Shotgun Messiah were the coolest. Playing with Warrant and House of Lords at Universal were the worst. Gave us about a foot of stage to play on and no sound check and were dicks backstage.

15. Word Association, we mention a name and you tell us what comes to mind.

Steve “Sex” Summers =  Only original member of PBF that has never been replaced by another. Give him credit for keeping the name alive. We went through a lot together. Steve’s always been cool to me. Great guy.

Bill Auccoin =   What’s that smoke/smell coming from my bathroom?

Kristy “Krash” Majors =  PBF’s very first replacement player, taking over the guitar duties from Aeriel Stiles. Little blue pills.

Brett Hartman =  Great Guy. Responsible for signing us to MCA. Without him their would be no LBWET record.

Kim Fowley =   Genius. Came up with the name Pretty Boy Floyd. It was either that or the Rod Squad. Used to make us sing a capella outside the Whiskey.

Kari Kane =  Great drummer and nice guy. I couldn’t say a bad thing about him.

W. Axl Rose =  Talked about world peace in my living room.

Aerial Styles =  Great musician and great friend. Fyi…. It’s spelled Stiles.

Leslie Sanders =   Great times in Puyallup before I moved to Hollywood to become  a rock star. Those were the days…

Bill Gazzarri =  God father of Rock in Roll.

 

16. Going back to your RockEyes interview.

There is a new line up of PBF touring; do you have any feeling about that?

”The current lineup with Steve sharing a backing band? I don’t think you really can call that PBF can you? Then again Steve did tell me once that he "was" PRETTY BOY FLOYD and that all the girls/fans came just to see him….”

Steve is known for being a fairly brash singer, with a little bit of attitude and arrogance to boot. Then again, most singers do carry these qualities. You said that Steve said this same thing above in a few different interviews. Got any other good one liners that Steve or someone else in the industry or your bands may have said that come to mind?

Steve always had a few zingers. Unfortunately I never took the time to write them all down.  But haven’t you noticed that since I haven’t been in the band that no one goes to the shows? So the question is, who did the fans really come to see?

17. Sunset Strip quiz. No cheating either, answer the following questions?

Part I.

Rock City News, BAM & LA Rock Review were popular local zines. There were many others. We’ll name 2 more. Is the answer A, B, or C?

A. Hollywood Shocks & Dreamer

B. Hollywood Rocks & Screamer 

C. Hollywood Rockers & Scream Zine

B would be the correct answer. We were on the cover of both.

Part II of the Sunset Strip quiz.

Besides Cathouse, what other Club did Riki Rachtmen run on a weeknight? 

That would be Bordello on a Thursday night. We used to flier the hell out of the parking lots and streets for our upcoming shows. That used to piss Riki off so much.

Part II of the Sunset Strip quiz.

There was a popular hair salon that did hair extensions for bands back in the 80s. What was this salon called?

A. Antlers

B. Sky High Hair

C. Antenna  

 

I believe that would be C.  But that’s only a guess.

18. There were some rumors that circulated that one of your old managers made you guys rehearse in your underwear. Is there any truth to this, if so, what happened? 

This is news to me. But I can say that this is 100% untrue. We’ve always gone commando.

 

19. What was your biggest related check that you received while in PBF and what did you buy with it?

Check? What Check? Are you kidding me? All I have been ever told is that the checks in the mail. I’ll let you know how much when I get it.

20. The last of Vinnie Chas

Last time you talked with Steve “Sex” Summers =  Sometime in 2007

Last type of cereal you ate =  Captain Crunch

Last time you farted in the tub =  I take showers.

Last famous person you shook hands with =  Obama in Portland.

Last time you cried =  Last year when my grandfather died.

Last CD you listened to =  Vain – Beat the Bullet

Last time you signed an autograph =   Yesterday. Note to fans- Any autographed photos with my signature sold on any other site other than vinniechas.com is a fake.

Last time you had hair extensions in =  Can’t say if I had.

Last show you watched from the crowd =   Crazy Train in Portland.

Last time you visited Metal Sludge =  Does going straight to the message boards count? If so, today. If not, back in 2001. I’m glad I’m doing my part in helping you update your site.

We’d like to thank Vinnie for doing our interview.

For any fans who wanna buy his "official" autograph make sure to visit him >HERE<

Or check out his MySpace >HERE<



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