20 Questions with Kenny McGee, 3/29/05

 

20 QUESTIONS WITH…

JULLIET singer KENNY McGEE!

In our never-ending quest to do 20 Questions with someone from every band who ever walked, played, hung flyers, or passed out on the Strip, we find ourselves today talking to none other than Julliet frontman Kenny McGee! “Who the hell is that,” you ask? Trust us, you’re not alone in wondering that. But naturally, we’re here to help!

There was a brief point in the late 80s when Kevin DuBrow wasn’t in Quiet Riot anymore, but during that time, he was doing a lot of other things to keep himself busy. One of those things was working with some up-and-coming bands, and Julliet just happened to be one of them! Hailing from Florida, Julliet recorded some stuff with Kevin, but those tapes ended up being shelved and re-recorded with another producer, which turned out to be their debut album in 1989.

Do you care? Probably not, but all these years later, Julliet is still at it, so we caught up with their singer Kenny McGee to find out just what in the hell was up with those guys. So without further ado, here’s this week’s 20 Questions with Kenny from Julliet! Please try to contain yourself.

1. What are you currently up to? This is your one and only chance to plug your shit.

And I gladly accept this chance. I have a new record out with “Julliet” called Psycho Boyfriend. This CD reunited me with Jimmi DeLisi the original guitar player for Julliet and my longtime friend. The CD was written by myself, Jimmi and Ty Westerhoff. Jimmi and I also handled the producing duties. The songs kickass! I am also still pursuing my solo career, I always like to keep my music fresh.

2. Let’s get right to the point. The original recordings for Julliet’s debut album were produced by Quiet Riot’s Kevin DuBrow, but those tapes were mysteriously scrapped as Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan took over production of the project. What was wrong with the original DuBrow-produced recordings that they needed to be shelved?

Well that statement isn’t entirely true. The recordings we did with Kevin weren’t really shelved. After we recorded the album with Kevin we moved to L.A. then we were signed to Enigma /Capitol who thought of that recording as more of a demo. They then brought in Frankie to produce as what was to be the first “Julliet” self titled record. That CD is now released on Melodic Mayhem records titled, “Passion”. It was released last year. Frankie from Quiet Riot played drums on those recordings.

3. Kevin DuBrow said this about you in the ‘Word Association’ segment of his Metal Sludge 3-Wind interview back in August 2003: “Another snake. Dig around the grass and they are everywhere!” Considering you have arms, legs, hair, etc., we don’t see any physical traits that would indicate that you’re a snake or even any form of reptile. Why do you think he said that?

First off this is Kevin we are talking about…… I don’t believe anyone needs a history lesson on Kevin DuBrow. If I had to point out any certain things that he may possibly hold a grudge for… #1. would be the song “love can change you”. Which I really don’t understand, because neither of us wrote the song??? Kevin had demo’d the song, even had played it for me. Later, Frankie Sullivan came to me with the same song, a friend of his had written it and he thought it would be good for us. Frankie was very strong minded about us recording this song, I told Frankie that I had heard Kevin’s version but none of that seemed to matter to Frankie and he was in charge. It really was out of my hands. We were a young band and constantly under pressure from the label and Frankie to compromise. #2. The fact is that Kevin did alot for the band when we first met in Florida and he agreed to produce our first record, for that I will always be grateful, he really spoke out for us. but remember at this time Quiet Riot was touring, Poison was their opening act…things were alot different then for Kevin. By the time we moved to L.A. he had been fired from Quiet Riot, he wasn’t the most popular person in Hollywood and it was being written in the papers and talked about through the music industry that Julliet needed to distance themselves from Kevin. No one wanted anything to do with him. He was poison, literally, at that time. The band never felt that way about Kevin, but I think he took it personal. We weren’t worried about sticks and stones but Kevin’s name was killing us…..

Julliet back in the day

4. Rank the following singers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being someone who truly sucks, and 10 having a set of the most phenomenal pipes you’ve ever heard.

Jani Lane = 7….. I like Jani’s vocals and his songs
Paul Stanley = 10……… my hero when I was growing up…I even have a “rose” tattoo.
Vince Neil = 6…….. and that is only as the singer for “Motley Crue”.
Don Dokken = 5…….. not a real big fan.
Stephen Pearcy = 3 ……….. but I did like “Ratt”.
Sebastian Bach = 9…… on tape. Live?????
Kevin DuBrow = 4….. now we are even.
Chris Jericho = ………… I would rather see him wrestle.
Bret Michaels = 4……… applies makeup better than he sings.
Axl Rose = 0-10……… I have seen him be it all.

5. We heard you also took up a career in professional wrestling! What made you decide to do that, how long have you been doing it, and do you have a fancy stage name or anything like that?

No stage name……. but my tag team was called “The Trouble Tribe”. I attended the Florida Professional Wrestling Academy for two years. I did it as a physical challenge to myself. I loved it! It was like being on stage and I like to kickass!

Kenny beating the fuck out of someone

6. Name the three highest and three lowest points of your music career to date.

Highest…..
#1 Julliet’s first signing
#2 First time hearing our song on the radio
#3 First time seeing us on MTV

Lowest….
#1 Having to quit Julliet
#2 Grunge
#3 Grunge

7. What hard rock/heavy metal band should give it up and call it a day?

I can think of a few……but Quiet Riot comes to my mind. I mean come on after playing “Nude Stock”……enough with the Spinal Tap!

8. Yes or no, has Kenny McGee ever done the following:

Licked a toad = No
Fondled a roadie = Yes, but her name was Pam.
Shot flaming arrows at a shark = No I only use a hook
Pissed in a drinking fountain = Wasn’t me dude……
Shit in a fondue pot = ate something that tasted like shit maybe…?
Jacked off in a butterfly conservatory = I don’t have to jack off.
Worn a radiation suit = Does a straight jacket count?
Gone down on a chick on the rag = redwings???
Touched another man’s penis = That would be NO!
Been arrested = not mama’s angel?…

9. For a tax-free $25,000 in cold, hard cash: You have to crawl through the entire digestive tract of a large Sperm whale that’s beached itself and is about to die, starting at its mouth, working your way through its stomach and intestines, and finally exiting through its anus. You’re welcome to wear full scuba gear and bring your own oxygen tank if you want. Would you do it?

Name the time and place!

10. Rate the following chicks on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a bucket of pig vomit, and 10 being a total hottie.

Britney Spears = 5….. just can’t handle the cig!
Christina Aguilera = 5…… lets just call it a tie.
Jessica Simpson = 8……. were getting warmer
Marge Simpson = 10….. I love a woman with big hair!
Jennifer Lopez = 8……. I guess I could make a stop
Beyonce = 8……… but she could work herself up.
Kylie Minogue = 7…… cute
Lindsay Lohan = Jail Bait
Sharon Osbourne = 10…. I love a rich, older woman.
Pamela Anderson = 10…. I love my wife.

11. For what amount was your largest music-related check, and what did you end up blowing it on?

Remember IRS……. I know nothing.

12. Of the following, which do you prefer and why:

Subway or Quizno’s = Subway……… fresh
Sting rays or manatees = Manatees….. save the manatees
White Lion or Enuff Z’Nuff = White Lion…….. I still do sushi with Mike
Roman candles or bottle rockets = bottle rockets….. I love the uncertainty
Being kicked in the plums or getting punched in the throat = who is doing the kicking and punching?
Kenny Loggins or Kenny Rogers = gotta go with the chicken
Joe Cocker or Joe Walsh = Joe Cocker but I would go drinking with either
Nikki Jiminez or Nikki Sixx = Nikki Jiminez, he would cry like a baby if I didn’t pick him.
Key West or West Hollywood = a fags a fag.
Clam bars or crab shacks = I like it raw

13. Time for a Metal Sludge walk down memory lane! What do you remember most about the following years:

1980 = drunk
1983 = still drunk
1986 = still drinking
1988 = Hollywood
1990 = Grunge
1992 = back to Florida
1995 = my own nightclub
1998 = drunk
2000 = Mark said the World was coming to an end…
2003 = Back in the saddle

14. What ‘rock star’ deserves a smack in the mouth and why?

You know you want me to say it, but I like it when you beg.

15. Out of all the bands that Julliet ever toured or shared the stage with, which ones were the coolest to work with, and which ones were the biggest bunch of jackasses you’ve ever met?

Coolest……… Cheap Trick
Jackassess………?????…. that would be Y&T’s road crew.

16. Name one good thing about:

Girls = how about two…..big, fat boobs
Drugs = wasn’t me
Florida = everything
Backyard wrestling = you get to kick ass
William Shakespeare = sleep
The Nelson twins = who????
Masturbation = Don’t need it
Flamingos = pink
Hurricanes = Don’t need it
Beer = need it!

Yes, that really does say “a lick of Julliet.” Neat.

17. Greg Pecka picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Greg Pecka picked. If Greg Pecka picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Greg Pecka pick?

I always tried to get him to drop that A and go with a Jr. or the III and run with it.

18. Fuck, kill and marry: Of the following people, which one would you fuck, which one would you kill, and with which one would you want to enter into holy matrimony?

Ashlee Simpson, Gerri Miller, Kevin DuBrow

These questions are like having a prostate examination…… fuck all three of them because I am not marrying none of them! But I’ll watch Ashlee fuck Gerri and Kevin can jackoff in the corner until he dies………….

19. The Last of Kenny McGee:

Last book you read = The legend of Hulk Hogan
Last CD you purchased = Keith Urban
Last movie you saw in the theatre = Robots
Last concert you watched from the audience = Wiggles
Last fast food drive-thru you hit = McDonalds…..ummm ummm good…SuperSize!
Last thing you felt really angry about = typing…. damn!
Last time you wore a wrestling mask = why cover up this beautiful face.
Last time you went on tour = Last year with Jimmi DeLisi
Last time you cried = I never cry
Last time you barfed = March… 2005

20. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name, and you give us your thoughts.

Lita Ford = rocker chick, gotta love it
Rikki Rockett = I still wonder?
Frankie Banali = Awesome Drummer….super guy
Gene Simmons = Money and some more money
Blackie Lawless = Chamberlain High School, Go Chiefs!
Frankie Sullivan = Great song writer, good friend
Kevin DuBrow = Constipated
Ty Westerhoff = You know poultry is just another name for chicken
Ted Nugent = Wild man
Mick Mars = Is he real?

Don’t forget to check out the official Julliet Web site at www.julliet.com and of course Kenny’s own official Web site at www.kennymcgee.com.