20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Ex-BulletBoys, current Lynch Mob Drummer Jimmy D’Anda

Welcome to this week’s 20 Questions. Jimmy was the drummer for the BulletBoys back in their glory days and recently joined Lynch Mob. We asked him a little bit about that, and then tried to get a bunch of BulletBoys sludge out of him, which he supplied!
Thanks for Jimmy for sending us the photos to use because it gives us less work to do. Enjoy!

1. What are you currently up to? This is your only change to get your plugs out of the way.
I’m about to go on tour with Lynch Mob. For any other info… jimmydanda@yahoo.com.

2. How did you end up in Lynch Mob?
Kevin Baldes, the bass player from Lit, knew that I was unhappy playing in this non-pro band from Hollywood. He wanted to help me get back into a pro situation. He called me one day and said he had just spoken to George Lynch and he’s playing with Oni Logan again and they wanted me to play for them. I said “aww shit, it’s on now!!!” – things have been good since. Thanks Kevin, I owe you.

3. What hard rock/heavy metal band should give it up and call it a day?
I’d say any band that’s out making a mess of themselves and everyone they come in contact with

4. If you had to sleep with someone you despise in exchange for one thing, what is it that you would demand?
Am I 11 years old signing someone’s slam book?

5. Rate the following drummers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being somebody who totally sucks and 10 being a God like drummer.
Vikki Foxx =
Brent Fritz =
Eric Singer =
Tommy Lee =
Peter Criss =
Lars Ulrich =
Randy Castillo =
Fred Coury =
Vinnie Paul =
Rikki Rockett =
Mick Brown =
Carmine Appice =
Some drummers are great and some aren’t – so fucken what. We’re all trying to do the same thing; keep the rock alive!

6. Who do you hate more, Lonnie or Marq?
Lynch Mob is getting ready to go out on tour, and we’re writing a record, plus I’m in the studio finishing up my Demo …I aint got time to hate them.

7. When you guys listened back to the mixes of your ?Latest & Greatest? CD, did you really think that Marq sounded in key? How could something like that get released?
Mark’s voice hasn’t been in a good way for a very long time, that’s no secret. And just for the record I was a hired gun, a man w/ out an opinion.The record was mixed and mastered by Mark and Lonnie.

8. Tell us about the worst fight the BulletBoys had with each other. What was it about, were punches thrown, etc.
Well it’s funny you ask that question…both Mick and I came close to hurting Mark. Mick – during a rehearsal, and me – on the road and at rehearsal….but amazingly enough, the Grammy goes to Lonnie Vencent Miller – last year at a club in Pasadena, CA called Pleasures. Lonnie kicked the shit out of Mark backstage (in the kitchen) in front of everyone – it was a sight to see. In retaliation, Mark settled the show, got the money, took Lonnie’s share and ripped it up – then he proceeded to ram his custom mic stand into Lonnie’s car window. Fortunately for Lonnie’s sake, Mark didn’t break his window. I never heard how they resolved that issue.

9. Isn’t it true you used to date Mick Sweda’s wife? What was that about?
I’d like to help you out, but I have no recollection of any women before my wife.

10. Which do you prefer:
Touring with Poison or Touring with Ozzy = Photo finish
Lit or Buckcherry = Though I love both bands, I have a personal connection to Lit.
Kid Rock or Fred Durst = Kid
Van Halen or Aerosmith = I love both of these bands, and seeing as that they are both touring this summer – I won’t choose between the two.
Jason Hook or Mandy Moore = Hooker
Carson Daly or Johnny Carson = The Old Grey Fox
Warrant or Slaughter = I was impartial to Kix, can I put them in instead?
Jackass or The Tom Green Show = Tom
Dave Kaplan or Ted Templeman = This is like asking – who do you love more, your Mother or Father, it’s an impossible question to answer.
David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar = I grew up listening to Dave, but I just met Sammy’s son and he was laid back, so I can imagine what Sammy’s like…mmmm…photo finish.

11. George Lynch once walked over to Don Dokken and started chocking him on their tour bus. Has George tried to choke you or beat the shit out of you yet?
George got a big laugh out of it when he read this question , he’s a very relaxed and together individual if there’s anyone who would like to talk shit about him come see me, we’ll talk.

12. Isn’t it true that Marq once punched a Warner Brothers executive in the face at an industry party, then the record was pulled the next day?
No, it was the top guy at MTV – Mark yelled at him backstage at a SCORPIONS show. I saw it happening in slow motion from across the room, I couldn’t believe my fucken eyes – I ran over as quick as I could and tried to make light of the incident by joking around. He wasn’t having it, and stormed away. A few days later our fate was sealed when MTV refused to play any B-Boy videos … welcome to my nightmare.

13. What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?
I was born in Boyle Heights (East L.A.); you don’t talk about smacking people in the mouth, you just do it.

14. Did you shave your head because:
A: It was the trendy thing to do
B: You have a Kojak fetish
C: You were losing your hair
D: So nobody would recognize you from the BulletBoys
All of the above.

15. Give us a touring memory of the following cities:
Philadelphia =
New York =
Boston =
Chicago =
San Diego =
Denver =
Tampa =
Tokyo =
London =
Detroit =
Anyone who’s ever been on tour will tell you, this is how it goes…bus, hotel, gig, gig, hotel, bus – and if you’re lucky, you meet someone that makes your life a little better. That doesn’t have to be a girl – it could be your long lost bro’ – other than that, it’s a blur

16. Don?t you think that “BulletBoys Greatest Hits? is an oxymoron? Yeah, we weren’t a hit machine. The original B-Boys were a hard rockin’ band, and that record was supposed to be a live record, to show that aspect of the band. Somewhere along the way, the concept was changed without my knowledge, and we ended up in the studio. 17. What are your expectations for Lynch Mob? Expectations? That’s a difficult question. I haven’t been in a band this talented since the first BulletBoys record. Playing with George in itself has surpassed my expectations thus far – so you can imagine what it’s like when Oni jumps in – everything is “LOVE.”

George Lynch and Jimmy D’Anda being interviewed by Junkman on KNAC at NAMM.

18. Do you know if Marq Torien has ever engaged in any homosexual activity?
There’s a lot of shit I can say about Mark and Lonnie, we had a 7 year career w/ the best of times and the worst of times. Unfortunately, it ended on a bad note, and things will never be the same. I don’t care for them and they don’t care for me – the money they owe me, the fights – all that’s true. I don’t need to make up lies to get my point across. I don’t fuck around w/ someone’s sexual preference; to my knowledge he is not gay.

19. You were responsible for naming the BulletBoys 3rd record ZaZa. What were you possibly thinking at that time?
Listen up party people in the house, I didn’t name the record ZaZa. There was a character in “God Father III” named Joey ZaZa, so I began saying “ZaZa.” And the way I said it had a comedic overtone to it. Before I knew it, a couple of the guys in the band were saying it and Ted thought it might be a cool name for the record. So it was voted on, and believe me when I say – I voted against it.

20. Are you still addicted to cocaine?
Her name is spelled “L-O-R-R-A-I-N-E” Lorraine D’Anda

21. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name and you give us your thoughts.
Lonnie Vencent = Honor-less
Jason Hook = Glutton for Punishment
Marq Torien = lost soul
Mick Sweda = Beelzebub w/ Love
George Lynch = the original
Jani Lane = never met
Bret Michaels = True Rock Star
Dana Strum = Wall Street
Oni Logan = Old Soul heavenly voice
Nikki Sixx = Brother Doom
Ted Templeman = The Maestro
Dave Kaplan = Love Honor,and Respect to the end

That story about Lonnie beating the fuck out of Mark in the kitchen was pretty good. That sounds like good entertainment!

Lynch Mob is headed out on tour with Dio and Armored Saint this month.  For more info you can go to www.thelynchmob.com.