20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Riki Rachtman

This week’s interview is with Riki Rachtman, former host of MTV’s Headbangers Ball, occasional Love Line host, and master of many other occupations.  We think this is a pretty cool interview, cause unlike some, Riki actually gave us detailed answers!  What a concept!  So we asked Riki what he was up to and all that typical shit.  Enjoy!

1. What are you currently up to? This is your only chance to plug your websites, appearances, shit like that.

RIKI RACHTMAN:  I work for WCW. I do some wrestling interviews etc.  I do some NASCAR reporting which is a true love for me. I’m actually working on a new NASCAR show that I created. Its like all those Skate/Surf shows but this one deals with NASCAR.  I also plan to get back on the radio soon I really miss it. I own a skateboard company called POOLSCHOOL. We also have a site WWW.POOLSCHOOL.NET.  We sell old school Skate stuff , Punk rock etc. I’ve got my hand in a lot of pies I do what I enjoy and hope to make a buck out of it. I’ve had a few acting rolls which are a blast.  I’m a media whore. 

2. What do you think about all the reunion shows and how has it or will it affect rock n’ roll for the millennium?

Most of the reunion shows I don’t attend. I didn’t dig most of those bands when they were hot. There is a market for it though. I did see the Cult last night and they put on a great show.  TSOL had a reunion a couple months ago it was epic. Junkyard is starting to play again and they rip. 

4. You had a few fairly successful clubs back in the late 80s. However, Cathouse & Bordello faded just like the bands who frequented them. You made an attempt to do those same two clubs in 1998, what happened?

My clubs were not fairly successful. They were the biggest thing period. Cathouse broke more bands then anyone. Actually that’s not correct those bands broke CATHOUSE. The clubs had every band you could imagine play. Great legendary times. Axl Rose chasing Bowie down the hallways etc. We went on tour with Cathouse and went to 5 states. We were featured in every magazine from Rolling Stone to Newsweek. We did for rock and roll what Studio 54 did for Cocaine. Bordello was awesome.  I miss those days so much but unfortunately they will never come back.  I did the cathouse in 98 for 3 months. I just didn’t have the passion. People are lame now they don’t have that fun attitude they used to. I also couldn’t bare going out all the time. I do want to do another Cathouse reunion with Junkyard soon though. We always said CATHOUSE will turn you on to bands before any one else will. In 98 we had only 1 new band play.  That band is now called Buck Cherry. 

5. You sang in a few bands in the 80s also, like Virgin. What ever happened with your music career?

I guess I always wanted to be in a band. When I was 16 I auditioned to sing for the Angry Samoans. At 17 I was in a psychobilly band called the Fairlanes. In the 80’s I played 2 or 3 shows in a horrible band called Virgin. In the 90’s I spent over a year in Battery Club. I loved that band. We were made up of guys from Social Distortion, Adoloscents, DI and me. We toured with Offspring for a while. It was great…….For me at least 

6. What current band is the most overrated right now?Sugar Ray

7. Hollywood has long been known as a music mecca. However the 80s died a cruel death just like disco did from the 70s. Sunset Strip is now starting to gain hype again, so what’s your opinion?

It seems like LA is really trying to bring Rock and Roll back. I hope it does.  Everything recycles give it time. I actually live in OC and I love the music scene there 

8. MTV can make or break almost anyone. Bands, singers, VJs, actors and even nobody kids from the middle of nowhere. MTV must have done some really good things for your career. Did they? You seem kind of bitter about the situation. Why is that?

My only bitterness comes from not being able to offer any music suggestions.  Ever. When I would answer mail agreeing with the kids that there was a type of music ignored or that this band sucked, MTV found out and flipped. They eventually canned the show and after 5 years of service they didn’t even let me say bye or tape a fair well show.  I don’t have ill will towards them. They really gave me a break.  They will make ya famous what you choose to do after that is up to you.

9. There was some speculation in the Cathouse days that you and Taime Downe had homosexual relations. Did you & Taime ever take a trip down the old dirt road? Have you ever touched a penis other than your own?

Nope. Ya I’ve heard that rumour. No truth sorry none at all. I have never been with a guy. I’ve never touched another mans dick. I do however touch mine quite often. 

10.  Rate the following chicks on a scale of 1 to 10.  1 being a bucket, and 10 being a piece of ass. 

Janine  =   10+ Jenna Jameson = 7 Brandi Brandt= 7 Jenny McCarthy = 1 Pamela Anderson = 7 Jennifer Aniston= 7 Savannah =  6 Teri Hatcher = 5 Shania Twain= 7Traci Lords = 5 

11. In the February 1996 issue of Spin Magazine, you said, ?"I was known as the metal guy, which I wasn’t. I got labeled. I never picked one video the whole time I was at MTV! I never said I was metal.? What were you then? 

I am a guy that likes .music. I listen to everything. From Black Flag to Black Sabbath to Dean Martin to Hank Williams. I love Suicidal Tendencies but hey  I like a couple googoo dolls songs too so. I even bought that 3rd eye blind record so Hey guess what I like Slick Rick Oh damn I’m not metal How fuckin lame. I grew up to punk rock  Germs TSOL Descendents bla bla bla when I heard the 1st metallica record I was floored.  Guns n Roses are the greatest rock band ever. I turned down Kiss to see the Pistols.  I’m going to the Run DMC show.  One of my favorite shows this month was Wayne Newton… Oooooh Riki your a poseur.  You have to be the metal guy don’t see TSOL see Y & T.  Fuck you I like music. Sorry I had to much coffee 

I am white trash all the way. I love wrestling. I always did. I was on a wrestling show 7 years ago. For some reason I just get shit from a select few. Your not metal Your not a wrestling fan .  Bla Bla Bla. I do what I want and get paid well for it. I just get the jobs everyone else wants. However my first times on WCW I was a little bit intimidated, C’mon I almost got powerbombed by Kevin Nash 

14.  Compare these old and new rock bands and tell us who?s the champ? 

Buck Cherry Vs. Guns N’ Roses =  GNR Limp Bizkit Vs. Metallica = Metallica Kid Rock Vs. Skid Row = Skid Row Godsmack Vs. Soundgarden =  Sound Garden Smash Mouth Vs. Def Leppard =  Guns N Roses Backstreet Boys Vs. New Kids on the Block =  98 degrees Backstreet, New Kids Sugar Ray what’s the difference. 

15. For $10,000 (cash): You walk into a room and there is a nude man with a bag over his head. You are required to walk over to him and put his penis in your mouth until it becomes fully erect, which, if he?s a normal man, will take all of 3 seconds. Then you can take his penis out of your mouth and collect 5 grand. That?s a lot of skateboards! Would you do it?

Nope. I don’t need the money now. I have been poor before.  And I don’t wanna go back. However I can’t see needing the cash so bad I’d have to suck a dick. Oh wait is he cute?? 

16. Another Taime Downe question. There has been a lot of rumors about you & Taime not getting along. Taime said in our interview with him that you hate him. Why is that, and is it possible for you guys to kiss and make up? 

Taime and I were roommates but never really the best of friends. We are totally opposite. I had an issue with him for fucking my ex wife but there are no hard feelings anymore. I wish him all the best. 

17. Have you ever been arrested and do you have any restraining orders currently in effect?

Ya I’ve been arrested half a dozen times. Drunk driving when I was 18 and a couple instances of assault. Funny I am so not the tough guy I don’t fight much but every time I do I get arrested and sued. Only restraining order I have now is from the bitch dj I beat the fuck out of a year ago.

20.  Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association.  We menion a name, and you spit out your thoughts.

Dr. Drew Pinsky –Works sooo hard, Great guy truly cares about peopleHoward Stern –Mr monopoly he is doing something rightBret Michaels –Would love to say something mean but that guy is actually very nice. They way he handled the Bret Pam video was total classRob Zombie – Great on and off stage. Very coolBill Gazzarri –deadTommy Lee – Leaving Motley was a smart moveTracii Guns – Refuses to let 86 go. Great guitaristRikki Rockett – See BrettNikki Sixx – Fucked my ex fianc?eTaime Downe –Fucked my ex wife

That’s was pretty fucking good!  

Note to future interviewees:  Take notice of how Mr. Rachtman did the interview.  He went into detail and was honest.  That’s all we ever ask!

If you’d like to buy some old school skateboards, read some interviews, reviews, articles, and other shit like that, check out www.poolschool.net.  The site debuted on September 1st, which just so happens to be Metal Sludge’s birthday.  All the cool sites debut on September 1st.