Rumors and Gossip for 8/14/04

The other day on the boards, someone called us “FrankenSludge.” All we’ve got to say to that is: Mwwaahahahahhaaaahahahha!!!! HAAAHAAAHAAHAAHHA!!!! HA-HA-HAAHAHAHAH!!!! Ha! That’s pretty funny!

Now go swallow some Matchbox cars and learn how to play tunnel.

All righty then, it’s been a few weeks since we did a RUMORS & GOSSIP post. We do this every once in a while where we simply post a bunch of RUMORS & GOSSIP that we hear. They turn out to be true most of the time, but at present, they’re still just RUMORS & GOSSIP! Did we mention that these are RUMORS & GOSSIP? Well they are, so shut your pie-hole and enjoy them for what they’re worth.

We’ve gotten quite a few e-mails over the past week in regards to the Bad Boys of Metal tour that’s currently on the road. That’s the tour that features Bang Tango, Adler’s Appetite, Kevin DuBrow, and, until recently, Jani Lane.

When this tour kicked off, the Staff at Metal Sludge were taking bets to see how long it would take Jani to get burnt out and quit the tour. We knew he was still showing up to play last weekend, because we got some captures sent to us from Sludgeaholics who caught the tour in East St. Louis and Lemont, IL, and a few e-mails that said Jani played at the tour stop Monday in Massachusetts.

Their reports told us that, after a local warm-up band, the show started with Bang Tango, and 1/2 way through BT’s set, Steven Adler took over on drums and it became sort of a GN’R tribute thing with Joe LeSte doing his best renditions of Axl. (Apparently, it’s good for everyone involved if Adler goes on early in the evening.) Next up was Kevin DuBrow, doing QR songs and stuff from his new solo CD, with Jani Lane closing the show with Warrant and solo album songs, plus performing the stage raps that we all know and love, including the apologies for writing the ‘pussy ballads’ and the all-time classic “if I offend anyone with my language, then you probably shouldn’t have fucking come.”

A few anonymous tips indicated that Jani had been bitching about having to go on last, complaing that in all his years of touring, he’s never had to go on as late as some of these clubs he’s playing. (That place in Lemont reputedly stays open until 4 a.m., with bands playing until 2:30 or even 3 in the morning.)

So by Tuesday in Buffalo, it seems that Jani had had enough, because that’s when he stopped showing up. Though reports are conflicting as to exactly why he’s stopped showing up to play.

Here’s a few e-mails we got from Sludgeaholics that went to the Buffalo show:

Hey just thought I’d let you guys know that once again Jani Lane doesn’t disappoint. My wife and I went to the Bad Boys of Metal show in Buffalo, NY on August 10th. We got to the club about 8. Jani was scheduled to go on around 12. After watching a kick ass show by Bang Tango, Steven Adler, and Kevin DuBrow, we were ready to see Jani Lane give a kick ass set as well. We went outside for a few minutes between sets, only to hear Kevin DuBrow come back out on stage about a half an hour after he had already finished his set. Apparently your boy Jani had been drinking quite a bit before the show and he was too fucked up to go on stage. Then we come to find out from our buddy that bounces there that Jani wasn’t on the tour bus and that he was never even at the club. We probably would had been more pissed if we actually paid to get in, but we still were looking forward to seeing Jani Lane on stage. It’s too bad that Jani considers drinking a bigger priority than his music and playing in front of the few fans that still come out to see him play. No wonder warrant got rid of him. He’s definitely a piece of work.

Larry & Tina

Tina does her best to keep Adler from falling over.
Hey, what’s up with the lack of Sludgendise in these captures?!

Jani Lane stiffed at the Bad Boys stop in Buffalo,NY on August 10th. He was supposedly sick in bed and couldn’t play. My wife and I have seen Warrant the last six summers and were looking forward to seeing Jani. This is the first time we have been “Laned”. I don’t know who in their right mind would schedule Jani to close a bar show(12:30am). He has a hard enough time staying upright at noon.

Overall the show was OK. Maybe 200 people in attendance, who all left after Steven Adler played. Kevin Dubrow was a true pro as always, he came back out after Jani bailed and played some more. Jani should check himself. The “bad boy” band played their asses off for four hours. Guitarist Alex Grossi was epic, as well as Joe Leste from Bang Tango, who sang his ass off with a crappy pa system. You think Jani would learn some professionalism. Just thought you guys would like to know that that tour is off to a great start.

Mark Ford

Here’s another report taken from our Gossip Board:

The Bad Boys of Metal rolled into Rock And Roll Heaven last night (Aug10) and put on a decent show. Dubrow put on his usual show and Steven Adler really tore the place up!!! So Jani Lane was supposed to go on last when all of a sudden Dubrow comes back up in his street outfit and explains that Jani is in bed very sick…it appears was a last minute thing…so Dubrow plays a few more songs to make up for no Lane. Then Kerri Kelli and Brent Fitz come up on stage and jam a few songs since Vince Neil is in town for an upcoming show. Overall a decent show even without Lane. Props to Bang Tango as they really sounded awesome and the crowd was really into them.
Posted 8-11-04 by JoeFromBuffalo

The next night, the tour continued on to Farmingdale, Long Island, and once again, Lane failed to show up. Here’s a few more reports from that show:

I went to the Long Island show last night and Jani was a no show. Nobody addressed the issue until Kevin Dubrow hit the stage. He stated,”I’m sure you are wondering where Jani Lane is, well, so are we.” Later on in his set he went on to joke around about how one person on the bus WAS indulging in drugs and how this person tried to fool the nine other people on the bus. He was obviously talking about Jani Lane because he went on to mention that this person looks like a FROG! Great Sludge reference by Dubrow!!!

The show was really cool. It wasn’t too crowded. Rush was playing a sold out show at Jones Beach a few miles away. That may have taken some people away. Spoke to Joe Leste…new Bang Tango album should be out soon….new Beautiful Creatures will be out the first of next year.

Adler’s set was great. The guy just smiles the whole time. He was very nice when I met him too. Great happy go lucky guy. Saw Dubrow for the second time in three months. I was never a big QR fan…but this guy is great live. Personally I think he is better off solo. The cover tunes off of his new album are bad ass.
Posted 8-12-04 by VinceNeilsRevenge

Jani looks – and is – fine, I don’t know where all the concern is coming from, you are all so judgeMENTAL.
Posted 8-12-04 by JohnnyHolocaust

Yeah, you’re right, Jani looks just great here. (Sarcasm mode off)

Well, even though it was a good show, Lane did not show, as predicted by the board….huge let down for me at least, since that was mainly why I was going. I was psyched to see Steve play, and talked to him for a minute after the show, really sweet guy. There were lots of inferences from DuBrow about frogs, and coke, and being too fucked up to get on stage…. Instead of Lane, DuBrow and Adler doing a song all together, Joe LeSte stepped in, and they did “Highway to Hell”
Posted 8-12-04 by LizStar319

It’s such a fucking shame. He’s a great songwriter, has a decent level of charisma, and is too much of a fuckup to do it anymore. I know people are slagging St James being in warrant, but he’s a million times better as a choice than Jani Lane right now. He’ll be dead within a few years the way he’s going now.
Posted 8-12-04 by Biggie

Some of the tips we got in suggest that Jani missed those shows because he had some kind of spell due to low blood sugar, and was sent to a hospital to recover. Others seem to suggest otherwise, as in these e-mails we received yesterday:

Did you guys know that Jani Lane is missing shows because of a cocaine-related issue?

He did not play the show in Allentown, and according to someone on the tour he had missed two shows (not sure if that included Allentown) and he would be out of action for a few more days.

Kevin Dubrow also alluded to the reason for his absence by commenting on the fact he was absent while the band played some of Clapton’s cocaine.

Jani Lane was busted on Aug 10 for coke…..He`s not on the tour anymore for Bad Boys of Metal

Whether Jani’s in the hospital hooked up to IVs, or he’s in jail, or holed up in someone’s apartment with a mountain of blow, we’re not sure. If he is in fact in the hospital, we certainly hope he recovers. We’d never wish anyone ill health under any circumstances.

If he’s holed up in a motel room or something, well… it wouldn’t be the first time he’s allegedly missed gigs for such a reason.

In other Bad Boys of Metal drama, we’ve heard a few consistent rumors that some of the musicians on the tour aren’t getting along. Kevin DuBrow, quite possibly one of the few sober individuals on the tour bus, is probably losing his mind out there. He seems to be holding it all together, and with a three ring circus with that cast of characters, that can’t be a very easy task.

Kevin takes out his frustrations on poor Jim Bob!

We’ve heard a few good reports about newcomer Alex Grossi, who’s been playing guitar for all 4 bands on this tour. That’s a long night, but the Sludgeaholics seem impressed with his abilities. This fan looks particularly in awe:

Who knows, maybe these two even hooked up!!

We’ll be watching the rest of this tour with great interest as it unrave… err, unfolds. Keep on sending us your reports and captures! We like pictures.

Jani Bon Neil and bastard boy floyd
The Bad Boys of Metal Sludge