Sludge ReWind with Jaime St. James of Black N' Blue

Welcome to the Metal Sludge ReWind with The Saint – Jaime St. James of Black N’ Blue!

It’s been a decade (20 Questions June 2001) since we talked to Jaime, and a lot has happened. He joined Warrant, got kicked out of Warrant and reformed Black N’ Blue. He also still has all his hair and has a new CD coming out called “Hell Yeah”. We’ll let him tell ya the rest!

1. It’s been a month shy of 10 years since we did our 20 Questions with you. What’s new with you, Black N’ Blue?

Yes it has and I’m not dead yet!   The new BNB CD is out may 17th!  It’s called “HELL YEAH” and it kicks ass. Out on Frontiers Records  and I wrote the song “HELL YEAH”  way before there was a band called hell yeah … so ’nuff said. I’m sick of that shit. Also I have a band called HardRock AllStars with Juan Croucier from RATT Pete Holmes, and John E. Love from Love/Hate…we play very cool cover tunes…………………

2. Your label Frontiers is based in Italy. They have new releases from many other 80s bands (Whitesnake, Warrant, White Lion). Any plans for a tour hook up with any label mates?

No plans for now… but I know this question is just a nice way of warming me up for the total bunch of horseshit that is about to happen! Lets get it on!!!

3. Labels, bands and promotion are all different now. Even Zakk Wylde appeared on American Idol -HERE-What are your thoughts about the state of the music industry today for rock n’ roll, the life style and the music?

It sucks…Radio SUCKS… I plug in my I-pod and listen to great shit in my Hummer…..”go to hell radio”!   Labels seem to be in trouble…with the exception of some of the indie’s, and our label Frontiers Records who seem to be getting bigger all the time, so at least we are in good shape!

4. You’ve been in Hollywood/Los Angeles for 30+ years. What’s the good and the bad, that the scene and city have to offer?

I hate the fact that crap ass tribute bands rule the club scene and “pay to play” bands have killed The Whisky….it is a horrible thing and there are no cool roots of “metal” or “Rock”  growing anymore. I was there in the best time that the L.A. strip had to offer…I was signed right after Quiet Riot and Motley….Ratt was next…We were creative and wrote cool tunes…a few bands like Vains Of Jenna (I’m not kissing anyone’s ass here, I like ‘em)are holding down the fort but it’s almost dead right now……sad

5. Rate a Scab player 1-10. A 1 being someone who should be tech’ing instead of performing and a 10 being a guy who is killing it and owns the job now. Then rate the OG player as well.

Example:  NEW guy replacing OLD guy = 6 & 8

Tommy Thayer as guitarist in KISS replacing Ace Frehley =I love Ace and Tommy!  Tommy-9   Ace-10.  Ace is the original but he’s not there so Tommy’s guitar work makes KISS sound FUCKING GREAT so FUCK YOU Tommy Haters! Life goes on………

Paul Shortino as singer in King Kobra replacing Mark/Marcie Free = I think Paul is great-9 and Marcie still sings like a man woooooooooooow  I heard it!  dont know how that works but 9 for the transformation effort…

Dj Ashba as guitarist in Guns N’ Roses replacing Slash = I don’t give a shit   SLASH-10

Robbie Crane as bassist in Ratt replacing Juan Croucier = Robbie -9 he’s a cool and nice guy but Juan- 10  is the shit……I love Juan and he is a killer bass player and still has a crazy great voice!!

Gus G as guitarist for Ozzy replacing Zakk Wylde = Zack- 10…he could fuck him for dinner!

Stacey Blades as guitarist in LA Guns replacing Tracii Guns = I love Stacey   Stacey-9  Traci-7 “Ha god damn Ha”

Johnny Solinger as singer in Skid Row replacing Sebastian Bach = Sebastian- 10  Johnny- 9.  Johnny does a great job… but Bach is the Dude!!  I hung out with him at the Rainbow and found out that he was a great fucker… when he saw me he sang “Hold On To 18″  cool!   Bach is the man!!  Johny-8 Bach-10

Jizzy Pearl as singer in the “other” LA Guns replacing Phil Lewis = Phil-10  Jizzy -8   I love Phil    on the “we are in hell tour” He would make me Tea, thank you Phil!!!!!! I love you! and LA Guns Rocks!

Wolfgang Van Halen as bassist replacing Michael Anthony = Stupid! Get Anthony for gods sake! I will not rate this one.

Robert Mason as singer in Warrant replacing Jani Lane/You = Good God…Jani- 10, Mason- 9, me- 8……But in Black N Blue I’m an 11………..OK now fuck off!

 

6. Speaking of Rate a Player. We asked Marq Torien of Bulletboys to rate singers back in 2006 -HERE- and he gave you a “2” out of 10.  Any reply for Marq?

I give Marq  a 3 as a vocalist and a 1 as a human

7.  Speaking of Marq Torien. You did an interview with the Classic Metal Show -HERE- and were very candid about Marq Torien. 

You said: “The problem was Marq Torien. He’s an asshole. I can say that plainly. He’s a fucking asshole. That guy is the biggest fucking piece of shit that ever grew on the earth. Marq Torien was just as big a problem as anything ever was. That guy is a jerk. So, you heard it from me.”

Was this just based on some past crap, or is there any current or recent drama?

It was all from that tour. He walked onto the bus and thought he owned the place. He was a nice guy for a bit after that… but then the freak came out…. I smoked some pot with him in the back of our bus and had a cool time with him…He’s just a volatile motherfucker…I’m not a mean guy “I love ya Marq”  It was just a bad day on the road for him I guess. He basically told me to “fuck off” when he got left behind on the tour. Kerri Kelli wouldn’t play with him anymore so Marq lost it and got in everyone’s face. Guns did what they had to do.

 

8. In regards to your old gig (Warrant). When we interviewed Jani Lane in 2005 -HERE- 

Metal Sludge asked and jani Lane answered.

METAL SLUDGE: “What is your opinion of the current incarnation of Warrant, which now features 4/5th of the original roster with the addition of vocalist Jaime St. James from Black ‘N Blue?“

JANI LANE:  “I am actually very good friends with Jaime, um… jeez… I don’t know. I haven’t heard ‘em play. (pause) Uh… someday I guess I’ll hear ‘em, but…”

Does it feel like somebody’s sleeping in your bed? 

JANI LANE:  “Yeah, a little bit. Little bit. It’s, uh… it’s my “stuff.” So… I guess… we’ll leave it at that.”

How did that feel being in the band Warrant, knowing Jani, and trying to fill a guys shoes and sing his songs?

It was the hardest thing musically I have ever done.  Most Warrant fans who came to the shows loved me… how could it have lasted for 4 years if I totally sucked?   Jani is a great singer, I admire him and love his song writing abilities     I tried to do my best on the songs,,,…I felt I could not cheat and change the melodies….it was amazingly great but I’m glad I’m in BNB! I love ‘em and I wish them all the best with the new CD with Mason on vocals! Buy it!  All said, I am happy to be JSJ of BNB for the rest of my life…thank you very much!

9. In comparison to reading a magazine/new paper, or surfing the internet/social network online, what is the percentage of time, you’d spend on either?

I watch TMZ and Tosh.0    then the Net for everything else

10. Name 3 dead rock stars you’d love to be able to bring back to life right NOW and why?

John Lennon

Marc Bolan

Freddie Mercury

All for the same reason…more music!

11. Touring memory from the following cities:

Portland = They love me and I was born there

Dallas = Wow…I love the women…  great strip clubs. I have a story but can’t tell it. I once married a girl from Dallas!

Memphis = “I still have Elvis Side Burns”

New York City = Madison Square Garden opening for KISS… oh and Christie Kane!

Atlanta = Been there but can’t recall,  guess it was fun!

Milwaukee = Cold but Rocks

St. Louis = Refused to play with Alvin Lee at a club and played in a kids basement instead for all the BNB fans that were lined up to see us in 1984!

Panama = a dude threw tear gas on stage during Hold On To 18 and stopped the show. Try breathing that shit with machine gun security guards on stage!

12.  What’s the most shocking thing you ever saw backstage or in the back of a tour bus?

A big pile of crap Pete Holmes left on a pizza tray for giving us a bad dressing room with no bathroom.

13.  Video vixens = Kill, Fuck, Marry. You kill one, fuck one, and marry the other. (Pamela Anderson, Tawny Kitaen, Bobbie Brown)

I don’t kill chicks…and I’m not interested in getting married,  so I would fuck them all

14.  Find any random question online, print it here, and then answer it?

What is your favorite album

David Bowie-Ziggie Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

 

15. Finish this sentence…

The reason I started a band was because…I love music

When I first joined Warrant I thought…I can do anything

When I got kicked out of Warrant I thought….I get it

If you mix tacos and tequila you get…vomit

Black N’ Blue is really the main reason for…Great fucking kids from Portland to kick you in the nuts and blow your eyebrows off

MacDonald’s French fries and a Big Mac….are bad for you and will make your heart blow out of your asshole!

A tour bus back lounge is for….love!, pleasure, and hard core sex!

The most money I ever had in my bank at one time was….my business

All girls are all…beautiful

The greatest musical moment in my life that I can remember is…seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan at 4 years old

16. You have to choose one of the following to live past 75 years of age. If you don’t choose one of these, you will drop dead by end the week.

A.  Commit a bank robbery, but are caught and will serve 7 years hard time of a 15 year sentence. You will then be free again in 2018, and live to age 80.

B.  Get a sex change, hack off the dong, and live as a free woman (Janie St. James) well into your late 70s.

C.  Rejoin Warrant. But before doing so, you have to make a “Bukkake Pie” home video for YouTube of ALL former members jacking off on your face. All of these guys will all blow a load on your face, and you will live on into your mid 70s but die when you fall off stage in a freak accident during the 2039 “Grandpa Tom’s Cabin” US tour.

All former & current members present for the “Bukkake Pie” video shoot and they are…

Jani Lane

Joey Allen

Jerry Dixon

Steven Sweet

Erik Turner

Adam Shore

Josh Lewis

Max Asher

Scott Warren

Dave White

Rick Steier

James Kottak

Danny Wagner

Bobby Borg  

Vikki Foxx

Keri Kelli

Mike Fasano

Billy Morris

Shawn Zavodney

Kevan Phares

Robert Mason

Death awaits you at any moment, quick what do you do?

You can kill me now god

 

17.  What can be said about Motley Crue & Poison on tour together in 2011?

That surprises me…Nikki seems to hate bands from the 80s for some reason even though that’s what he is…but go tear it up!

18. Back during the Black N’ Blue tour heyday, what would you say was most important to you, in order… out of girls/booze/drugs. List them 1, 2, 3 in order of your desire.

1. Girls

2. Girls

3. Booze

19. How much money do you have in your wallet right now (including change)?

$360.78  I like to keep a little cash handy

 

20. The last of Jaime St. James…

Last time you saw “Hold onto 18” on Youtube = I hate that video and wont watch it…love the song

Last time you sang “Down Boys” with Warrant =in Vegas in 2008 I think??

Last fast food drive thru you hit = I don’t eat that shit

Last famous person you shook hands with = Donald Trump

Last time you got in a fist fight =10 years old

Last type of cereal you bought = I don’t eat that cause I hate milk

Last song you sang along to on the radio = I don’t listen to radio but I last sang to Rammstien in pure German gibberish!

Last time you recycled/pawned something for money = I never have

Last time you really cried = After I found out my mom died 15 minuets before I had to go on stage with Warrant and sing Heaven for around 30,000 fans. I did the show but broke down by myself after the show when I could be alone.

Let’s refresh and see what we learned today! Jaime has a Hummer, hates MacDonalds, keeps a bit of cash handy, has hung out with Steven Tyler on tour, is NOT bff’s with Marq Torien, and has no interest in doing a “Bukkake Pie” video with all past/present 21 members of Warrant. But will wear a pink and aqua colored spandex jumpsuit in public, on stage!

We would like to thank The Saint for his support of the mighty Sludge. Hey Jaime, we’ll talk again in ten more years! Check out more on Black N’ Blue on their official WEBSITE