Bobbie Brown on Jani Lane’s death, “He entrusted his life to people he thought were his friends and people he thought he could trust and they intentionally fucked him and left him to die.”

 

Bobbie Brown says she’s communicating with Jani Lane, “You are going to think I’m crazy for saying all of this….but basically, he wants me to let the world know what happened.”
By: John Parks

 

For Longtime readers of this page or anyone wise to hair metal pop culture,  Bobbie Jean Brown needs no introduction.  Bobbie is currently promoting both her reality show “Ex Wives of Rock” and her telltale autobiography  “Dirty Rocker Boys”, which is good fun (Think 50 Shades of Grey on Aquanet and Meth).  I recently spoke with Bobbie about the book, her show and lots more, read on..

 

LRI: Hello again Bobbie. I know you have been out talking about your book “Dirty Rocker Boys” and you mentioned on Opie and Anthony that you felt like there were a couple other books you could possibly write as well, can you elaborate on that?

Bobbie: I have so many more stories that obviously didn’t make it into the book that I could tell and tell all day long.

LRI: It’s a great book and a lot of fun but as a big Jani Lane fan I think you could really write a book exclusively about your lifelong dealings with Jani.

Bobbie: I want to and that’s why I kind of held back because there has been so much that has transpired since his death and since I first talked with you that I’ve found out so I kind of want to do a book just about that. I’ve mentioned it here and there and it’s been talked about. The issue hasn’t been pressed because obviously I’m focused on promoting “Dirty Rocker Boys” right now but it’s definitely being considered down the road.

LRI: “Dirty Rocker Boys” didn’t disappoint me in any respects and I was glad to see you were blushingly raw during the entire read.

Bobbie: (laughs) Right.

LRI: You’re also pretty candid talking about your family and there are a lot of things I didn’t know about you and your dad in particular. I think it’s cool that you were named after him. Do you think there are ways that your relationship with your dad has affected some of your relationships over the years?

Bobbie: I have never consciously, in the moment, thought that over the years but in retrospect, yeah probably because that’s what they say anyways, they always say that there’s that correlation so it’s likely. I don’t really know how it makes sense because it kind of doesn’t to me personally but I guess that’s kind of the way it looks.

LRI: On the other hand, if you and your mom had always had the stability that your stepdad provided your entire life could have been drastically different.

Bobbie: Oh absolutely. Like I look at how I was raised in my dad’s household and my little brother was raised in my stepdad’s household and he’s just a completely different soul, different temperament, everything. He’s just different in every way, he doesn’t have any anger issues, he’s just a completely different chill person and I think that environment growing up just has a lot to do with it. What your child has to see or deal with or endure growing up has a lot to do with who they become and how they develop their relationship skills as well as what you’ll tolerate and what you won’t and I think it really does play a big part in what you do every day subconsciously, I really do.

LRI: You talk about Leo and Costner and the bio sheet from your publicist says something to the effect of “hooking up with everyone from Hollywood” (laughs)

Bobbie: (laughs) Yeah, I hated that; I was like “That’s a LOT of people”. That’s not really true. That’s what it sounds like but the truth of the matter is there were a lot of “attempted hookups” on their part and they always turned out really badly so really that statement is not really an accurate or true statement.

LRI: Does the whole process of recanting these stories for the book tour ever make you feel like a slut or a whore? The nonstop discussion of the gory details?

Bobbie: No, because I know the truth. I know that I wasn’t fucking a bunch of people and nor was that my intention back then. If that was their intention then that was never known to me because that was never my intention. My intention was simply riding the wave of attention that I was getting.

LRI: Were you ever concerned that you were spilling too much dirt here in “Dirty Rocker Boys”?

Bobbie: No, because at the end of the day I am just telling the truth and giving my perspective on the way things happened; things that I was a part of so really there was nothing to fear unless I was lying because then I would fear being sued probably. To answer your question, no I wasn’t concerned because that was my life and that was a part of my life and I am pretty much an open book like you say so of course the actual book needed to come off that way.

LRI: You have had some pretty interesting dealings with the Nelson Brothers and Tommy Lee and you present both their good and bad sides. Have you gotten any feedback from any of the people you’ve talked about in the book?

Bobbie: This book was very cathartic for me and gave me closure on a lot of things that I had repressed for a really long time so on my end I am fine. I have not heard any other feedback from people, knock on wood, surprisingly but I know that before it came out there were some people who were really not happy that they were gonna be in the book or did not want to be included in the book or were just fearing my mouth of course. Then I heard from people like Athena who was like “Wow, you were much nicer about my brother than I expected” and I was like “You know, it may have seemed like the book was revolved around him but the fact is that the stories that play out in the book are all from that time frame where my heart was broken and all those crazy stories were due to THAT breakup so that may seem like it all revolves around him because that’s really how it was, that really was my downfall at that time.

LRI: That’s your negative story arc right there…

Bobbie: Right, it’s not that it was the most relevant or was my highest priority relationship it’s just that was the moment that I had gone off the deep end for real.

LRI: I will admit to being mildly annoyed by your Tommy to Jani ratio in the book. I am probably guilty, like others, of continuing to always view you as Mrs. Jani Lane/Ms. Cherry Pie. Do you think a lot of people will always see you in that role no matter what?

Bobbie: Yes but I think that for most of the public that association is only because of that video. I think that if we hadn’t done that video it wouldn’t be that way really; it would just be that I was his wife. Because I was in the video and it was such a huge part of the era and that kind of music it became so much more than just being about our relationship. The fact that I am doing this today is because of that video.

LRI: Warrant was so popular even before the video came out and the whole thing just pushed them even further. How much of an insider to the band did you feel like back in those days or in retrospect; how much of an insider do you think you were?

Bobbie: Probably not as much as people sometimes think I was or would like to think. You know what I mean? I came into that world; I wasn’t there from the ground up. Like you said, they had an entire hit record before I was ever even involved at all and I came into their scene. All the other wives were already staples in their world before I was there so in so many ways I was sorta the last one to join the Warrant party. Then within a year or so it was already in danger of being smashed out with grunge so while people like to associate me mostly with that Warrant era, when in all reality I feel like I was the last one in to the party. I had just gotten on the bandwagon.

LRI: I am such a fan of Jani as a writer and think he is really underrated in the grand scheme of things so it was nice to see you mention that he was such a huge part of the musical end of Warrant?

Bobbie: I just talk about what I saw and what Jani told me in terms of all of that. I saw him writing those songs, I saw him dealing with publishing, he was a really prolific and creative guy. Taylar is really creative as well, I am really proud that she made the Dean’s list in College.

LRI: Jani’s passing was a massive loss to a lot of people. Has time helped you or your daughter at all in terms of dealing with it?

Bobbie: Honestly, when I don’t think about it, I guess. It is pretty shocking to me how much time has already passed but I have to say that if I even allow myself for a second to listen to his music or think about him or think about what we’re all missing it definitely makes me very sad and I know it does for my daughter. She would never admit it but I know her and I know it’s the little things for her, all the time. I know she’s still very affected by it and it’s really hard for both of us but especially for her. I know she tries to be strong but I know she wishes he were still here, just as I do.

LRI: Are your daughter Taylar and Jani’s other daughter Maddi close?

Bobbie: They had a falling out over some bullshit after his passing but they’ve since had some communication and are on good terms now, which makes me really happy and she’s thrilled about that too. I guess everybody just goes through a grieving process where they’re just freaking out and everyone really does just that but eventually everyone realizes what’s important so they have a relationship again, which is good. They haven’t really seen each other but they communicate.

LRI: The book also talks in great detail about your meth addiction which was pretty bad at some points. You did an excellent job of describing what it was you found attractive about meth initially, have you ever felt the urge in recent years to go using?

Bobbie: There’s always temptation and there’s even been times where I’ve tried it but as soon as I’ve tried it I have always been like “Oh, man, FUCK this shit”. First of all, any time you’ve used a drug to that point of excess it never gives you that same feeling it did back then. It only goes back to the moment you left it so it will never give me the same high it will never let me lose the same weight just like it will never do any of the other things that it once did. So, the whole appeal is gone and you’re left with the whole shit end of it and there’s no good feeling in going back to that.

LRI: It’s not going to make you feel like 1996 Bobbie?

Bobbie: Oh FUCK no. If that were the case I would probably still be a drug addict (laughs). That’s just not the way it goes or the way your body works.

LRI: Do you feel like you’re a better mom, a better person overall than you were in those days?

Bobbie: I’m a completely different person and looking back on my former self feels like I’m watching a movie or telling the story of someone that I followed. It’s really surreal and bizarre but yeah, I feel like I have matured and I have grown in so many ways but at the same time in so many ways I am still a fuckin teenager. Seriously, I am still probably one of the most immature people I know but at the same time I have matured, at least in terms of some pretty important things.

LRI: I really hope you’re serious about going forward with the Jani book, there is still very little closure on his death…

Bobbie: I know but here is my concern. I have so much information that I haven’t really shared at this point and I know that it would be compelling but at the same time it is also very scary. I would be scared for my safety, I would be scared about a lot of things and it would blow your mind if you knew some of the things that have come down since the last time we spoke. The case is no longer open but a lot of things have transpired since then. I have never stopped investigating and the things that I’ve come to find out, some people might say “She’s crazy, that’s crazy, blah, blah, blah” but I have to tell you that all the things I’ve come to learn, all the pieces of the missing puzzle have fit and it’s scary and sad and I have to say that Jani should be here today. I want to write a book because I want to find out who basically….that’s all I want to say.

LRI: So, that part of the mystery hasn’t changed for you since the last time we spoke then?

Bobbie: No, it’s only gotten more and more clear. Oh my gosh, it would blow your mind John really, it would blow your mind and writing about Jani is something that I have already discussed with my book agent and of course they’re willing to hear me out when the time is right and they’re not completely shut out to the idea like “No, no”. Writing about Jani has been in some really serious, detailed discussion because I feel like it’s something that is really important.

LRI: Who checked him into the hotel room?

Bobbie: I don’t know honestly but I will say that I am confident in believing that he should be here today and that he entrusted his life to people he thought were his friends and people he thought he could trust and they intentionally fucked him and left him to die.

LRI: Wow.

Bobbie: I say that because that’s what I firmly believe and it bums me out bigtime and you can’t think about it without feeling that way. I just wanna know who.

LRI: Changing gears a bit, the book did make me laugh more than a few times, particularly the Matthew voodoo doll story. It may be your Louisiana upbringing but you do mention that you believe in spirits and things unseen. Your past interview with us you spoke of the time you sought a medium to communicate with Jani and people gave you shit.

Bobbie: So many people are just closed off to the idea , they just don’t think that it’s even possible, they don’t want to open their eyes to the possibility that it’s like “Ok, who are you to say that it’s NOT possible?”.

LRI: I can respect you having the balls to say that. So, have you had any other dreams involving Jani or communications or weird happenstances involving him since the last time we spoke?

Bobbie: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yes, insane! Crazy? Yes but yet so unbelievably impossible to describe that it’s scary.

LRI: How’s he doing?

Bobbie: Jani?

LRI: Yes, Jani Lane.

Bobbie: He’s okay with it now. He’s come to terms with where he is and what happened. He’s bummed out and he has a lot to say, a lot of apologies and he says things very directly. You are going to think I’m crazy for saying all of this John but it is some seriously amazing shit. Maybe I shouldn’t say any more and should just save it for the book but yes Jani has a lot left to say. Basically, he wants me to let the world know what happened.

LRI: He was really focused on being sober and probably had a lot more music in him. Everyone will remember the totally coherent and upbeat appearance on That Metal Show because it was so shocking when he died soon after.

Bobbie: He had so much in the works. It was surprising because of that interview but he did have a slip up where he was going through a rough time at home and was very unhappy in his current situation and had no support system close to him and the people he did trust were secretly sabotaging him. Instead of being dumped off at a hotel he should have been brought into a hospital which is where he was begging to go.

LRI: Before I let you go until next time…What’s going on with your TV show, “Ex-Wives of Rock”?

Bobbie: It’s going really well actually. We’re coming back for a third season. The reaction to season two has been fucking awesome.

LRI: Lots of shows aren’t afforded third seasons. What do you attribute the show’s success to?

Bobbie: The difference is what I think is going to allow us to keep our longevity, our show is truly not scripted and we are legitimately four looney, crazy ass bitches who have known each other for 20 plus years and we’re very honest with each other and very honest with the audience so it never feels fake or forced, it’s just us and people can relate to that. There’s never a reason to force some kooky situation onto us because we are all just naturally kooky. If anything Season 3 is shaping up to be even funnier than Season 1 or 2 although I will say that we don’t even know what we’re gonna see when we sit down to watch the episodes. We’re just as surprised to see how they turn out as everyone watching is because basically they just have shitloads of footage of us fucking around and then they just sit there and edit it and work it into the final product. Thank god we are working with an excellent company because we are always blown away when we see the show along with everyone else.

Purchase Bobbie’s new book HERE

Ex-Wives of Rock- http://www.slice.ca/ex-wives-of-rock

Thanks to John Parks at Legendary Rock Interviews for the above

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