“This is my 21st year in the band, and it’s lucky 21, I first met (late original singer) Kevin DuBrow in 2003 or 2004, and now it’s gonna be 2025, so look at that.”
— Alex Grossi / Quiet Riot
“I think everyone is coming in to drink the free booze. That’s how popular we are.”
— Chad Stewart / Faster Pussycat
LOS ANGELES — What a Christmas week filled with top classic rock bands at the Whisky in Hollywood, kicked off by Quiet Riot on Friday, followed by Faster Pussycat on Saturday, as both headlined before capacity crowds, followed a couple of days later by Stephen Pearcy, then L.A. Guns on New Years Eve.
Metal Sludge was there for the first two nights, and both Quiet Riot and Faster Pussycat performed spectacularly.
“This thing we’re all doing this week, I think it’s like the sixth or seventh year we’ve been doing it now, and every year gets bigger,” said Quiet Riot guitarist Alex Grossi a few minutes before stage-time. “People actually flew in from all over the country to camp out here for like four or five days. It’s like a mini-Coachella festival!”
Quiet Riot thrilled the throngs of fans with a nostalgic set that reminded everyone who was around in 1983 that the boys who make the noize were once among the biggest bands in the world.
“Slick Black Cadillac” was note for note perfect, “Mama We’re All Crazy Now” saw the Whisky crowd pushing to the front, and Quiet Riot even threw in a cover of Love/Hate’s “Blackout in a Red Room” in honor of long-time singer Jizzy Pearl, who has been the frontman since 2013.
“I enjoy playing with Quiet Riot very much. It’s what I do,” Pearl said in the dressing room. “Los Angeles is home, and in some ways it’s another gig. But with four of these bands playing in a row, I guess that’s pretty cool. I am glad we are all still playing, so that’s good. I haven’t done this gig yet but I have high hopes.”
As usual, Quiet Riot saved its two big smash hits until the end, and Pearl and his band mates pulled off “Cum On Feel The Noize” and “Metal Heath” with aplomb, as bassist extraordinaire Rudy Sarzo had the Whisky swaying to the beat.
“Rudy Sarzo re-joined four years ago, and it’s been great,” Grossi said. “We’re doing bigger numbers now and more business than we had been doing. This is my 21st year in the band, and it’s lucky 21, I first met (late original singer) Kevin DuBrow in 2003 or 2004, and now it’s gonna be 2025, so look at that.”
Classic rock has been pushed out of the mainstream as we welcome 2025, but it ain’t dead.
“There are so few authentic rock clubs left in America or in the world for that matter,’ Grossi said. ‘It’s like a frozen dinosaur you know, like frozen in time.”
The stage lights had barely cooled when Faster Pussycat arrived the next night, hosting a backstage pre-party for the ages, as well-wishers crowded the backstage area.
“I think everyone is coming in to drink the free booze. That’s how popular we are,” drummer Chad Stewart said with a laugh.
Faster Pussycat, led by singer Taime Downe, continues to tour regularly, but this night was special, as original guitarist Greg Steele joined in for a few songs starting with the band’s smash hit “House of Pain” that brought the house down.
“It was a new set. We changed a few things up with a couple of surprises for the folks,” Stewart said. “Taime Downe is still in fine voice, and it was just a fantastic week at the Whisky, our favorite place to play. It’s home base, you know what I mean?”
On New Year’s Eve, Metal Sludge switched gears and arrived at a low-key gig a few miles north of the Sunset Strip at Universal Bar, where Hollywood’s very own Nick Fuoco performed his Alice Cooper tribute.
The highlight was Alison “Metal Babe” Masson jumping on stage as a backup dancer. She pulled it off, too, as Fuoco and his backing band shredded away with “Welcome to My Nightmare.”
End
Gerry Gittleson can be reached at gerryg123 @ gmail.com
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