LOS ANGELES — They’re called The Hard Way, and for once a band name actually fits.

It isn’t easy making a name for yourselves as a newbie in today’s rock climate, but The Hard Way is giving its best shot, led by blond-maned singer Eric Jeffreys, who has been pushing for years and is finally getting the recognition he and the band deserve.

The Hard Way is hoping to win over the judges on July 14 at the Whisky in a special battle of bands that determines which two get to play at dreamy Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre onAug. 15 for Riki Rachtman’s special Cathouse event — with the winner granted a slot on the main stage and the runnerup on the side stage.

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METAL SLUDGE: Hey Eric, how’s it going? You’ve got some good guys in your band. You’ve got Bobby Rock on drums and Howie Simon on guitar.

ERIC JEFFREYS: Yeah, they are incredible. Both are great guys and incredible players. Now that he’s (Bobby) been playing with us long enough, he’s getting more into it and saying things like, “Why don’t we do this” or “Why don’t we try that?”

Howie was kind enough and agreed to help out filling in for a few shows. Our regular guitarist is John Huldt. He was the 2012 South Bay Music Awards Guitar Player of the Year. We also got Joe Drock on guitar along with Tim Luce (Alcatrazz) on bass.

Or perhaps “why don’t we try to get paid this gig.” (laughs)

JEFFREYS: Well, we started like everyone else, the pay to play thing, but we’re really good at it. In the end, I’m contacting someone else about getting more tickets because we sell out every time, so I have to find other tickets. We’re making money every single show the past two years. We haven’t lost a dime.

It was rough at first, but now things are going like gangbusters, so for this Battle of the Bands coming up, I think we have a shot.

Yeah, this Battle of the Bands (Link) is going to be cool. It’s at the Whisky on July 14, right?

JEFFREYS: Yeah, the top band gets to play the main stage at the Irvine Meadows show on August 15, and the band that comes in second gets to play Irvine Meadows on the side stage.

I like your exotic dancers on stage. Who are they again?

JEFFREYS: Coco Cline and Stephanie Metcalf, and we also have a new one now, a third girl, Julliete.

Well, I hope things work out for you on this Battle of Bands event. Is D.J. Will a judge? He’s my friend.

JEFFREYS: Yes. It’s D.J. Will from KNAC, Paul Gargano from Metal Edge and another guy, Danny Dangerous from the Zeros, who I’ve never met.

I always see Jon E. Love from Love/Hate at your shows. He loves you guys.

JEFFREYS: He’s our sound guy — our sound guy and stage manager.

Is he a yeller and a screamer?

JEFFREYS: Well no, but he is opinionated, but he doesn’t have to yell to get his point across. He knows the business well. He’s a great wealth of information.

What else is going on? What’s it like being a band on the brink of success — or on the brink of being on the brink.

JEFFREYS: We’ve got so many new songs. We’re ready to record. We’re doing the Battle of the Bands and the Irvine Meadows show hopefully, and we’re playing with Y & T on Sept. 10. There is a poster of it on the wall at the Rainbow.

You’ve got a song about police brutality. It seems like we’re seeing a lot of that stuff on the net. What’s going on with all that?

JEFFREYS: It’s way out of control because nobody stops ’em, they never get indicted, maybe just administrative leave, where they sit at home and still collect a paycheck. How is that punishment?

Have you been victimized by police brutality?

JEFFREYS: Oh shit, I was in prison for five years for dealing drugs, but that was a long time ago.

Wow.

JEFFREYS: I was a dealer and got busted three times for cocaine and speed, just on that run and fucked up all the time, but like I said, I got out 15 years ago, and I’ve been doing good. But yeah, they actually sent me to Corcoran, and I saw dozens of stabbings. I was in three riots. I don’t want everyone who reads this in Sludge to think I was a jailbird. I mean, I’ve changed things. After I got out, I started my own business, bought a house, grew up.

Oh, Sludge is going to love this. It’s a comeback story. Everybody loves a comeback story, Eric.

JEFFREYS: Yeah, I figured it out and stopped doing things I shouldn’t be doing. I don’t do a lot of drugs, but I probably still drink way more than I should.

Well, you’re on the way. Oh, one last thing, what’s the new record going to be called.

JEFFREYS: The working title is The Hard Way 2.0. I’m hoping to do this in January or February, but for now we’re doing a major push for this battle of the bands. You wrote in Metal Sludge that someone should give us a break, and we really appreciate that. And yes, it’s true, we do want a break!

The Hard Way @ Facebook – iTunes – Eric Jeffreys – YouTube

Gerry Gittelson can be reached at gspot@metalsludge.tv