20 Questions with Erik Turner of Warrant!

20 Questions with Erik Turner of Warrant!

 

It’s official. We’ve hit Yahtzee with Warrant. We’ve interviewed every original member, and about a dozen random scabs along the way as well. Erik Turner is the co-founder of Warrant and we finally tracked his ass down. 

In order we snagged Joey Allen July 1999, Jerry Dixon Sept 2000, Jani Lane January 2001, Steven Sweet Sept 2003 & now Erik Turner for the Yahtzee! Hope you enjoy this.

1. It’s about time we got Erik Turner to do our infamous 20 Questions. We’re interviewed EVERY other member, you were the lone holdout. Welcome. How are you, what’s new, Cd, tour, etc..?

ET. Well right now I am home answering 20 questions… who would have thunk (I hear you guys are grammar freaks; there is one for Ya ha!) Things are good man, 5 interviews set up today with Spanish press for our new baby ROCKAHOLIC (Gotta Love Skype), then an interview this afternoon for our Mohegan Sun show July 14^th… We love that place!  We have been out on the road doing fly dates and staying busy doing lot’s of rock press for the new CD, we have shows with Poison, Whitesnake, Firehouse, Skid Row, Cinderella booked to name more than a few and shows on our own as well. No rest for the Warrant’s J

2. You have a laundry list of 80s label mates on Frontiers. Including Black N’ Blue, King Kobra and more. Any plans to tour, or share the bill with these guys?

ET:  Two shows with label mates Whitesnake so far and a 3^rd on August 5^th at the Lucky Star Casino, Concho, OK.We would love to do shows with our other label mates too. We are playing a show on July 15^th in Wisconsin called Rock USA where we get to open up for one of our other label mates as well, Journey.  I am looking forward to that.  I have never seen Journey play live, but I have bought a lot of their ‘records’ and CD’s. Great band!

 

3. This record with Robert will be your first with your 3^rd singer. Technically 4^th, if you want to include Adam Shore. Anyway, how does Robert differ from your previous singers Jani Lane or Jaime St. James?

Adam Shore Rocks.com!  I think all three singers are really great and have their own styles. I am a huge Black and Blue fan so that was great experience for me to tour, write and record with St. James.  Obviously we had a great run with Lane in the late 80’s and early 90’s and he wrote some amazing songs.   That said, I can’t think of anyone better in the world to sing for WARRANT than Robert Mason. He has an amazing voice, great writer, looks great and kicks ass live… Oh yeah, he always shows up 110% and ready to Rock, a true professional that has inspired the four us to bring our ‘A’ game to this band. He fits in with us musically and socially and we group up listening to the same music. It feels very natural having him in the band these last three years… he is our long lost rock and roll brother that was separated from us at birth. 

4. Speaking of your former front men. You have joined Van Halen as one of only a few rock bands to release music with 3 different singers. Gary Cherone only lasted for a 1-off w/ VH; will Robert make it to a second release?

ET: I am planning on it and hoping for it. We already have some new song idea’s bouncing around for the next WARRANT CD. I feel like this new CD is just the foundation for hopefully even better and bigger WARRANT Rockaholic style music and shows with Robert and the rest of the Down Boys! We have something really cool here in my humble opinion and it would be a bummer if someone bailed! I hope those days are behind us.

5. Warrant has a history that has been well documented with hit songs; major tours, front page rock press, and of course – band turmoil. Warrant falls short of the legends like Motley Crue, Van Halen & Def Leppard, but has surely shined above many of the “hair bands” that followed those giants.  How does it feel to you, knowing you started this in High School and 25 years later it’s still active?

ET: It is funny that you say that. Jerry and I have talked about that every now and then over the years, we never made it to the Halen/Motley Status but we did make it big enough to headline our own Cherry Pie tour which was one of the top grossing tours that year and of course selling millions of CD’s.  We are kind of in that middle ground, but it is cool and we are stoked to play around 50 shows a year.

6. Rate a guitarist 1-10. We know you pre-warned us that you wouldn’t talk shit, and we accept that. But please give the fans your rating of the following guitarists on a scale of 1-10.

You know the deal.

Joey Allen = My guitar brother in rock n roll since before Warrant gets a ten mutha phockers!

CC DeVille = Gotta give CC a 9 I have had so many great times watching CC & Poison play live over the last 25 years.

Warren DeMartini = Torch gets a 9.5 I used to air guitar to “Round and Round” and he shreds!

Eddie Van Halen = 10.5 Even though Sammy Hagar’s book has some pretty fugly Eddie stories in it. I have never met Eddie but have seen him play live a handful of times, Wow!

Zakk Wylde = 9.5 I love Zack Wylde’s monster tone and guitar playing, RR is proud I am sure!

Billy Morris = 8 He did a damn good job with his tenure in Warrant and was always a professional.

Mick Mars = 0.0 I love the way the way he talks shit about Warrant in the Dirt book. When we toured with Motley on the Feel good Tour he was totally cool, oh well. I used to be a fan of his.

Scotti Hill = BMF! a great person and guitar player 9. Fugging 5

Jeff LaBar = another BMF & another 9.5 Jeff is cool as hell on and off stage!

Keri Kelli = 9 Mou Mou Kelli. He kicks ass, knows his sushi and is as guitarded as I am J

 7. If you could be a toilet seat for any celebrity, (of course pre marriage, lol) who would it be and why?

ET: I don’t want to be a toilet seat for ANYBODY (No Golden Showers ha!) but if I get to pick a hot chick to sit on my face it would have to be Fergie. No offense to her husband, who Jerry tells me is a very cool guy and I love the fact that he had Cherry Pie play in his movie too. (Great scene in the church)

8. Some years back, you were co-owner of a “Juice Bar”. Whatever happened with that?

ET: Ha-ha! My nightmare from HELL! That experience really made me appreciate being in a rock and roll band. We had great smoothies, sandwiches and gourmet coffee. Ask my bro Robbie Crane about Malibu Juice and coffee company. He hung out with us a lot and was very supportive of our cause and he tells funny stories!

9. Of all the bands Warrant toured with over the years, who were the coolest and who were the least pleasant (total dicks) to be around?

ET: All the bands we have done shows with over the past 25 years are pretty cool to very cool. I avoid the obvious rock star egos as much as possible, that way I don’t have to call them a dick head later ha! Over all we get along with most everybody most of the time. I always hang out and party with my own band and crew. 

10. Touring memory of the following cities: Tell us what you remember about….

Las Vegas = Blurry

New York City = Watching the sun come up.

Tampa =Dog Eat Dog

Atlanta = Shitty Mexican food in 89, but great music town.

Chicago = Good times and the coldest place I have been on earth.

Dallas = Very friendly

San Francisco = Not a whole lot of love from that city

Portland =Green, very green!

Detroit =Rock City, MyStar Sound and Oakhurst Country Club

Nashville = How the hell are you son????  Welcome to Nashvegas!

11. Okay, we’re half way there. We have to ask, how is your current relationship with Jani Lane? He seems to have battled some demons. Was this “problem” as severe in the hey day?

ET: No, we all partied a lot back in the day, showed up for the shows ready to rock and have a great time on and off stage.  We never got into drugs, just drank a lot of booze and made a lot of fast friends on the road. I don’t talk to Lane anymore which is a shame after all the good times, bad times and success we shared together, but there is just too much dirty water under the bridge. The 2008 reunion was a huge let down in so many ways, too many to mention, but we did play a show last year with Great White and Lane was singing for them. It was cordial but awkward. We went on stage first and played 17 Warrant songs or so with Robert of course.  Then Lane went on with Great White after us. I always say best to Jani and best to WARRANT, we are both better off without each other. I don’t have time for hard or bitter feelings for someone that used to be one of my best friends a long time ago… another lifetime ago.

12. You also have spent some time painting. How did this come about, and have you ever shared any tips with Paul Stanley about painting?

ET: Funny! I wish I could paint and get paid as well as Paul Stanley! He is a great guy also. I have not painted in years. I went through a phase in the 90’s where I would stay up all night drinking and painting. It was fun, but I don’t have time for that anymore. Maybe someday! It is very cool meeting people at shows every now and then or online that has bought one of my paintings in the past and wants to share that with me & how much they like it.

13. Its question #13, are you superstitious? If so, tell us about what.

ET: No… I am not superstitious… But if I was, I would not tell you because that would jinx me!

14. If you could break bread with the dead who would it be and why? (Name 3 dead famous people you’d like to have dinner with)

ET:

1. John Bonham hands down the greatest drummer that ever lived and from what I understand quite dangerous to hang around with in a good way.

2. I absolutely love Bon Scott… one of my all time favorite singers! I really enjoyed reading Maximum Rock & Roll, I fugging love AC/DC!

3. Jimi Hendrix… Warrant’s manager back in the million dollar days told us stories about Hendrix and I would love to hear Hendrix to tell me stories about Tom!

4. Can I pick Elvis too??????????????

15. It seems a lot of band members have stepped into the tribute world as it’s become in some ways, a better draw and financially competitive to their original acts. You’ve moon lighted with an AC/DC tribute (Back in Black) over the years with Robbie Crane, Brent Woods among other players. In your eyes, why is it that the “cover/tribute” band scene has blossomed so much in recent years?

ET: ROCKAHOLICS/Music lovers in general love all these classic/great songs and those bands only come around every few years, it is fun to go see musicians dress up and pay homage to their idles, have fun and some of these bands get paid well for it. God bless them & long live the mighty Steel Panther!

16. Erik Turner’s Bucket List; name 3 things you would like to check off your Bucket list?

1.  I would like to travel with my family around the world and spend some time on vacation as a touristnot only playing rock and roll but being able to go sightseeing.

2. Buy my wife a nice motor-home so she can stop bugging the shiat out of me to buy one!

3. Jump out of an airplane-Phuck no! Take a rocket ship to the moon-Phuck no!  Paying my kid’s Harvard tuition- Phuck Yes!

17. Kill, fuck, marry. You kill one, fuck one, and marry the other. (Lindsay Lohan, Lisa Lampenelli, Lynda Carter)  – Yes, Wonder Woman! Lol.

ET: Oh God! They all sound like bad options. I am not used to making bad decisions but if I had too… Marry Lynda Carter, F-Lindsay Lohan and push Lisa Lampenelli off a bridge-sorry Lisa… you are funny… I am probably making a mistake!

18. List the 3 high points, and the 3 low points of your music career to date with Warrant?

High

1.      Getting our first record deal with Columbia records.

2.      Getting over the sophomore jinx with the multi-platinum Cherry Pie

3.      Headlining amphitheaters on the Cherry Pie tour

There are many more but you only asked for three!

Low

1.      Lane quitting the band for the first time during the Dog Eat Dog tour

2.      Getting dropped from Columbia Records

3.      Our manager Tom Hulett passing away

There are many more but you only asked for three ha!

19. How much money do you have in your pocket RIGHT NOW (including change)?

ET: None, I sip Warrant Red and wear pajamas when I do these interviews at home, but to make the answer more interesting… 32 pennies!

 

20. The last of Erik Turner…

The last time you signed an autograph = Last weekend in Rochester, signed ROCKAHOLIC CD’s yeah!

The last time you ate a piece of Cherry Pie = Las Vegas in Frank Sinatra’s old Penthouse.

The last time smashed a guitar on stage = I can’t remember ever doing that. I did break a guitar on the set of the Down Boys video. Feels like yesterday… ha!

The last time you barfed from drinking = I never barf from drinking. But the last time I can remember was on the Cherry Pie tour in Japan. Must have been bad sushi, not the ten million drinks I had?

The last famous person you shook hands with = Joe Jonas at LAX airport… I gave him a ROCKAHOLIC CD!

The last CD you purchased full price = ROCKAHOLIC… true!

The last time you talked to Jani Lane = Last year at the Medina Entertainment Center where we will be performing again on Dec. 2^nd!

The last concert you watched from the crowd = My bro Tommy Thayer and KISS in San Diego! My son loved the show too!

The last time you sold a painting = I can’t remember it was so long ago.

The last time you cried = Every month when I see my wife’s credit card bill  J

www.WarrantRocks.com

www.myspace.com/warrantband

We wanna thank Erik for finally stepping up to the plate!

Metal Sludge

Where the Down Boys Sludge