ROAD RASH
METAL SLUDGE EXCLUSIVE: Budderside’s Patrick Stone checks in on tour with L.A. Guns

Into the great wide open, that’s where Metal Sludge is clawing its way, and wouldn’t you know it, we found L.A. favs Budderside on the road with sleaze kings L.A. Guns.

Sounds like a dream come true for Budderside, which is quickly making a name for itself after a series of successful Los Angeles shows, including an opening spot with Steel Panther.

Now that summer has arrived, Budderside is out there slugging it out, getting by, we assume, on barely enough to make it to the next town in chase  of L.A. Guns’ luxurious, air-conditioned tour bus that has everything except a “girls wanted” sign up front (because they don’t need one!)

From city to city, Budderside and its gifted front man Patrick Stone (ex-Steven Adler) are plodding along, and by all accounts the young band is doing quite well.

We caught up with Mr. Stone and gave him a “10 questions from the road” assignment, and after some prodding the singer came through with some pretty good stuff.

So without further ado ….

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1, More MILF’s or young groupies? What is the ratio?

I’m going to say we’ve got a good 60/40 ratio. A lot of mother/daughter combinations, as well as young girls who were raised right and are out looking for some good rock n roll. Ladies of all ages are showing great interest in what we’re doing. My take is that they really weren’t expecting to get so turned on by the opening act. The unexpected thrill makes them like us even more. Every show has been explosive, just ask our fans. The wall of sound goes up, the bodies start moving, the sweat comes dripping down…. if you’re in the room, we’ve gotcha! SURPRISE, BUDDER IN YO FACE!

2, Has Tracii Guns given you even the time of day?

We really keep to ourselves, but he’s been charming. All of LA Guns, honesty. We all finally had a chance to have a bite at the same table the other night. Everyone is getting along famously. At the same time, we give them ALL the respect in the world. This is their tour and we are just so thankful to be along for the ride. Tracii is the real deal. They all are. Mad respect!

3, Name three unusual things that have happened so far?

First and foremost, Budderside got highjacked by the most amazing Psychopath in the business, Mr. David “Fitz” Gibbon. When I say psychopath, I mean he’s a perfect “fitz” with the rest of us. Fitz has been tour managing and road crewing for over 30 years. He’s been out with the best of the best and he’s got more of “those stories” than most rockstars ever dream to acquire. Fitz has watched Budderside since we began. He nurtured us, whether it was letting us stay at his place, or rehearse in his garage. He always had an eye on us. When news of the tour surfaced, so did he. A roadie just wasn’t in the budget, Fitz insisted on doing it anyway. Sent from God, to be totally honest. He works his ass off, does an incredible job, an absolute joy to be around, all because he believes in us. He’s part of the mission. Part of the family. One more person I live, never to let down. Our confirmation that we can make a difference. Because he makes a difference to us. He makes me feel like a star. The only thing he asks, that the job is his all the way to the top. DONE!

Second, I got sick after Dallas. Out of the blue, I had chills and was barfing all over. My friends Marie and Mike came to Harrah, from Oklahoma City, so on top of “the show must go on” it had to kick ass. These are my people!They lead the march, preserving the memory of the late, great, Randy Castillo and were there to make us a part of his documentary. An honor, to say the least. Marie smiled, placing a bucket just behind the curtain. I was hurling as I walked on stage and like crazy as I walked off. But, no one was the wiser. That show kicked ass. Even though I was MIA in my bunk after, we sold more Merch that night than any other. It’s a spiritual experience when you have to give everything you have just to get through something. It’s also very rewarding. After a long nights sleep, I felt good again. One hell of a bug, though. Rich caught it right after I did.

Thirdly, the enthusiasm and generosity we’re experiencing. I think it goes hand in hand with what we’re giving them, also, but people are lending us their homes, buying the whole band and crew meals, fans and friends are following and flying to numerous shows. It just feels like it’s not everyday, people go this far to show you their appreciation. That causes a chain reaction in the heart. We feel it, the people we connect with feel it, and they leave us with that feeling as they take it with them, as well. So, there is a magic that is unusual, surrounding us. It feels right.

Budderside drummer Rich Sacco

4, List every Budderside member’s bizarre habit that you have come to learn about?

The Stoneman, our mighty bass player,  loves to sneak off and fish! He brought two different rods for two different kinds of fishing. Instead of expensive hotels, we love to spend days off in nature, or at least close to it. RV parks always have lakes, streams or something. After we all turn in, Stone is out there, knee deep in water under the stars. He loves it.

Colin Reid is a vegan. This monster guitar player lives off of peanut butter and greens. This guy won’t have anything to do with anything that causes harm to any living thing. I’m in awe. But, try and “D.I.” his rig and watch out. Colin is very serious about his tone and can quickly put any “tech savvy” ‘know it all’ in their place.

Rich Sacco IS A BIZARRE HABIT! He’s just wound up so tight, he must constantly let off steam. Thank God! If there is nothing else to do he’ll just start cleaning. We’ve got five guys living on a bus and for the most part, it’s spotless! Thanks, Rich…

Me, I’m “in charge”, and if you knew me when, this habit alone is mind-boggling.

5, So you started the tour with a gross of 144 condoms, right? How many are left?

Lol! Very funny, Gerry…

Started with zero, still at zero. I hate condoms, they smell! Yuck…

6, Give us three highlights and one lowlight?

Getting the bus wrapped. Our ride is pimped out, BUDDERSIDE style. I’ve had tour busses wrapped before, but it’s a whole different game when it’s your own band. Something you’ve worked at your whole life, something you’ve prayed and dreamt of having be a success, now legitimized. Not that we weren’t already, but covering the entire United States, driving a moving BUDDERSIDE billboard, promoting your own album feels real NICE! Our label, Motörhead Music, has the logo screaming at you from all sides, as well. Driving down the highway, horns come flying out the windows of at least 10% of our surrounding traffic. We honk and horn back. Our guest list grows at every truck stop as people take interest, asking us about the band, because of the wrap. Pulling into every venue, there is no need to explain who we are. Being a part of the Motörhead Family DEMANDS RESPECT. Huge thanks to our sponsor, Sam’s Hof Brau for making it happen! Just the best friend a guy could ever ask for.

Again, our friends that follow us for more than one show, seeing old friends you haven’t seen in forever, driving their Tesla (so damn fast), letting loose and just being on top of the world. The reaction we get for playing our songs is ultimate reward and highlight of everyday.

Levitating in Florida! All the shows leading up to Florida were amazing. Maybe it was the heat and all the buckets of rain, but something changed when we took the stage in Destin. No more “what chord am I playing?”, “What words do I sing?”, what note do I need to hit, or what to say to the crowd?” Just “go”, leave it all out there on the stage. Don’t save your breath or say the right thing, just “Go!” It only got better in Ft. Lauderdale and by the time we hit St. Petersburg it was obvious that “this” was the new us. Fearless and floating in mid air, it seems. St. Pete was off the chain! The crowd was many and loud. Stone and I both had family there. Fitz and Stone bonded deeply caring for Stone’s mom. The love we give keeps coming right back. It seems this whole experience is a highlight and can’t be broken down.

One lowlight: Our bus flooded. A window must have been left open. With the rain coming down like it was (like a constant waterfall, no joke) it wasn’t long before the partition above the cabin was full of water. The result being my mattress was completely soaked and a constant stream of water was coming through the roof, directly onto the lap of the driver, me! No time to stop and even if we had time it was the middle of the night on the open road. I drove through the night while literally taking a shower. I was soaked like I had jumped into a pool with my clothes on. By mid-day the sun came out, we found an RV Park, dried her up, had everything that was wet washed, cleaned the entire rig, mattress dried in the sun and we were back in action with a tidy ship. But, It felt like we were lost at sea that night.

7, On a scale of one to 10, how much fun are you having?

11! We are honestly having the time of our lives. We’ve never been happier or felt more fulfilled. This is where we need to be. Although we’re far from where we want to be, we’re on our way. I guess there is a lot of truth in “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” The stadium tours are coming. It feels like my feet don’t even touch the ground once the music starts. You can’t cage what we’ve got. Every city, the same story. We couldn’t pay people to say the things they say. All the positive encouragement and validity that a lifetime of dedication craves, DELIVERED, nightly. That’s just the playing. Being with your family, this band and crew, is priceless. Endless laughter and constant compassion for one another. Nothing is taken for granted. Sure, you miss home and the ones you love, but knowing they’re all behind you and that they believe in you just makes it even better.

8, Is the L.A. Guns song title “Never Enough” also an apt description of your sex life? 

Taking the song at face value? Just the title? Absolutely! I have an unquenchable thirst, and it’s never enough. I always want more, if that’s what you’re getting at? Lol, Gerry! Ha ha! But, the song is really about telling some slut to take a hike. And while I can relate to the song, I’ve “been there”, it doesn’t apply to my life now, in any way. Just no time for b.s., at all.

9, How much are you getting paid, and if it is a lot, can you treat Metal Sludge to unlimited drinks at the Rainbow when you return?

We’ve ran out of Merch twice. We’ve ran out of CD’s. They’re selling like hot cakes! Fed Ex is working overtime to meet up with us in the next city to get us restocked. We’re blown away and so grateful. Of course, Metal Sludge is rock n roll royalty! Drinks are on Stoneman, especially at the Bow! No, but seriously, hanging with you, Gerry, is always a good time no matter where we are. Let’s do it!

10, And finally, do you now know if it is worth it to trade in your life to chase your rock and roll dreams?

If we never did this, we’d be a fraud. We’re NOT pretending. We’re proving. Yes, it’s the only thing worth anything to us. Being true to who we are is the only path to true happiness. The ones we love, who love us, would be let down if we didn’t give everything we had to get to where we’ve always wanted to be. That’s why they love us in the first place. Everything can be replaced, but your integrity. If you don’t have that, you ain’t got shit! You’re nobody. I’ve met plenty of transparent people with money, homes and cars that are miserable. They have no self identity. That’s all I’ve ever really had. My self. Knowing who I truly am. My band mates are exactly the same. I have mad respect for hard work and that’s exactly what it’s taken to get here. You can’t take that away. In our case there really isn’t any trading-in, anything. LIFE IS THE ROCK-N-ROLL DREAM.

Budderside @ WebSite – Twitter – Facebook – YouTube – iTunes –

Gerry Gittelson can be reached at gerryg123@hotmail.com