20 Questions w/ Blackboard Jungle singer Kenny Price

20 Questions w/ Blackboard Jungle singer Kenny Price



Kenny Price early 90’s

Ok folks check it out. This week we’re doing a 20 Questions with Kenny Price frontman of Blackboard Jungle. The band hit Hollywood in a big way back in the early 90s. They headlined all the clubs, toured Japan, toured the US w/ Faster Pussycat, and signed to an Indy label. But like all good things, it eventually came to an end.

Now in recent years, they have been having a annual reunion in Hollywood to huge success. Their fans are rabid and have been known to fly in from Japan to see them live. Let’s check in with Kenny and see what’s up for this year.

1. Here you go, plug your shows, web sites, new products, etc..

Blackboard Jungle June 6th at The Viper Room, 20 year Anniv!!!! Pre Show party at Cat Club w/ No Thanks, (my Band) Medevil Kenevil (Britts Band), the Discontent and DJ Eric Ill

2. Tell the Sludge faithful who is Blackboard Jungle & why they should or should not care?

This is 20 Years of friends and Family enjoying what we did as BBJ, a real great energy,  If you didn’t like Blackboard Jungle we didn’t write it for you . stop reading

3. The original band/line-up was called Filthy Ritz and the band migrated from New Jersey to Hollywood. Why the move & name change?

Me and Britt were tired of getting spit on by HeavyMetal dudes who wanted to kill us cuz we wore eyeliner, plus all the music we loved was coming from the Sunset Strip, and since we lost half the band a new name was givin to us from the Fowley.

4. The band impacted Sunset Strip well, but the "I Like It A Lot" release (1992 Church Records) seemed like it fell well short of its hopes based on timing alone. Do you think the labels missed something early on that the band had to offer?

I really feel we just had bad timing, a little late, and in that I mean that our fans came later too, BBJ is like a fungus that grows on you.

5. Rate a Sunset Strip singer 1-10. A 1 being someone who sucks & a 10 being a ruler!

Phil Lewis of LA Guns = 9

Steve "Sex" Summers of Pretty Boy Floyd = 2

Paul Black of Black Cherry = 7

Jani Lane of Warrant = 8

Kit Ashley of Big Bang Babies = 7

Mark McGrath of Shrinky Dinks = 2

Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat = 8

Paul E. Bardot of Swingin’ Thing = 2

Jizzy Pearl of Love/Hate = 9

Josh Todd of Slamhound = 8

6. What rock star deserves a face full of brass knuckles and why?

Gene Simmons, cuz i invited him to my 13th Bday and he never responded, fuck him

7. The band toured in Japan in the 90s to a rave reviews. Why no return to Japan since?

We had a blast in Japan, a great time, we came back and ended up playin the LA Marathon to "shut the Fuck up" at 7am, a real wake up call, and no one called to bring us back to Japan either, hmmmmmm

8. You’ve spent 20 years in Hollywood, tell us in detail, one of the craziest nights you can recall of a party night from hell?

One crazy nite was watchin Dave zink try to get his dick hard to stick in Britts ass, no joke!!!, in front of like 6 cars full of midwest girls with there headlights lighting up the action and there jaws on the floor.,.. Let’s just say it was a fucked up bet..True story,..dave lost, he didnt get it up, oh my!!!! Britt was happy.

9. The band also toured with Faster Pussycat in the states. Give us the 3 high points and 3 low points of that tour.

The last anwer was  def a low point, so the other 2 would be  no catering and no dressing room, high points were great crowds, free booze, and Taime’s left overs.

10. Memory Lane with Kenny Price.

1978 = Singing into a TV antenna while playing a tennis racket worshiping Kss and I saw my first porno on VHS,the "opening of misty beethoven"

1982 = Singing(kinda) lead vox in my first band Bove. They kicked me out, kinda

1986 = Me and Britt were gonna rule the world from his basement,Rittz live on Wsou

1990 = Blackboard Jungle becomes the Troubadors pals

1993 = Japan, Hollywood, were gonna get signed like 4 or 5 times,Troub loves BBJ

1997 = Kenny starts Jet68 and new Job at Vidal Sassoon

2000 = Jet68 makes superqueen video with Joseph Kahn’s help

2003 = uh,hmm

2007 = uh,BBJ reunion and my band No Thanks on Espy Awards

2009 = Answering 20 questions, gettin ready for Blackboard Jungle 20 year Reunion!!

11. Kill, Fuck, Marry. You kill one, fuck one, and marry the other. (Mary Carey, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood)

Kill-Mariah, Fuck-Mary, Marry-Carrie, sweet

12. Name 3 bands who deserved to get a real shot from the Sunset Strip, but fell short. Who should’ve got signed, went platinum, etc.?

Salty Dog, Junkyard, Pussycat, loved em all

13. Kim Fowley worked closely with BBJ, how was this good and/or bad for the band over time?

The Duke of dreams/ King of Death  will be MCing the BBJ show this June 6th at The Viper Room.

14. Of all the bands BBJ shared the stage with over the years, what bands were the coolest, and who were the biggest assholes on the planet?

We never really shared any stage with any band, xcept the Glamour punks once, good times

15. In recent years we’ve seen some famous and some "Hollywood" legendary rock n’ roll brothers and sisters leave us earlier than we’d all hope. How has the death of close friends or comrades affected your life today?

I’m really torn up about our bro Gary from X-idols/Tuscarora, he just went last week, I loved his voice, and energy, he will be missed. I’ve lost so many in my life, Family over and over again, our brother Laz, they all impacted my life and my bandmates, we all, everyone, carry the scars of pain left behind by death. This is why I drink, in memory.

16. If you could play toilet seat for anyone who would it be and why?

The stripper from "My Name is Earl" really? look at her!!

17. Word Association: (we mention a name, you give us your thoughts)

Brent Muscat = owes me $3.00

Davy Vain = nice feet

Bill Gazzarri = Hot guys?

Gene Simmons = watch your back birthday killer

Britt Penella = my brother

Phil Lewis = proper gent

Rueben McBlue = great parties RCN!!!!!

Bill Kennedy = crazy girls and jager shots

Taime Downe = he fucked my chick(s)

Kim Fowley = King of Death

18. Tell us about your biggest regret ever in life related to being in a band?

regrets, I have few, but then again, too few to mention.

19. Your biggest ever musical related check and what did you buy with it?

Really cant remember, I think I paid rent…

20. The last of Kenny Price.

Last show you watched from the crowd = Space Hog @ Viper Room

Last time you puked from drinking = Chicago 2009

Last bowl of cereal you ate = NJ 2009

Last time you jacked off in the shower = 5 min ago

Last famous person you shook hands with =  Gabor Csupo

Last fast food drive thru you hit = White Castle with my dad April 2009

Last Hollywood club you got kicked out of =  I’ve never been kicked out, i think.

Last time you signed an autograph = When No Thanks released a record at the Viper Room

Last CD you listened to in the car = This is why I drink

Last time you saw a Metal Sludge shirt in public = A year ago? I have a horrible memory.

 

We’d like to thank Kenny & all of BBJ. These guys are all as real as they come.

Make sure to check BBJ out on MySpace >HERE< & Kenny Price >HERE<

Metal Sludge

Sludge Jungle