RIP
SISTER WHISKY drummer GREG E. WEST dies in tragic accident
Los Angeles — Life is short folks, and today I was reminded of this.
A friend called me to inform me that yet another friend, comrade, musician and someone who came into my life has now left it. I am talking about Greg Wasilchen. He was a drummer, and music fans will know of him from his stint in the band Sister Whisky.
The band was signed to Warner Brothers in the early 90’s and released an album produced by Dana Strum of Slaughter.
Tonight I have shed some tears thinking about what a great guy he was. And I wanna tell you how Greg affected my life.
I arrived in Los Angeles on June 26h 1987 and later that same night I was introduced to Greg and Fred from the band Kyrstal Jem. The drummer and singer.
I told them I was a singer, and they immediately told me, “Sing for us” as I stood in their apartment in Van Nuys California. They both busted my balls that first night and Greg told me “We’ll show you around, tomorrow night we’ll take you to see a real band.”
I had no idea who, but the very next night I walked into the Troubadour to see their friends in the band Angora. All nice guys from Philly, they kicked ass and that night I met their singer John Corabi. He was very nice to me, like Greg was, and the rest of their click of friends.
I was in LA for a day when I met Greg, and I also told him “I needed a job”. He told me, “I got a job for ya kid”, and the very next Monday at 6:30AM I was in his car (with 3 other guys) as he drove us down the 405 freeway to Culver City.
I was officially a phone salesman courtesy of Greg. I was selling boats to old ladies in Kansas. Anyone who knew Greg can recall his smile like I can, as he said to me in his pitch, “It’s simple, tell ’em ‘You won a boat!” as he laughed.
That was 28 years ago.
Greg is gone now and I hadn’t see or spoken to him in years. But we’ve got some common friends who I talked with tonight. We shared a few great stories and laughs talking about Greg.
Greg was a great guy and funny as fuck. One friend told me a quick little story that I found – so Greg.
This guy was a ball buster to anyone, including Gene Simmons of KISS. The story went like this. Sister Whisky was playing a TJ Martel charity event at a bowling alley and Gene approached the guys asking if anyone was a good bowler, “Can any of you guys bowl 200?”
The entire band stood star struck, “Holy shit, it’s Gene Simmons and he wants one of us to bowl with him.” Not Greg, Greg looked at Gene with his smile and said; “I’ll bowl your Mother!”
The band gasped as Greg laughed at the Demon.
Gene politely asked, “Why would you say that?” Greg just laughed and told him “I’m just playing with you.”
I don’t have much else to add other than Greg was a GREAT fucking guy. I am gutted to hear of his tragic death.
He was someone I haven’t seen in years – but I will never forget Greg Wasilchen. He opened some doors for me the minute I stepped onto California soil and I am forever grateful.
My condolences to Cherrie, their kids, Fred and the Krystal Jem guys, and the Sister Whisky band too.
A close friend of Greg’s wrote on the his Facebook wall and I wanted to share it below as well.
Stevie Rachelle
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Wandering the streets of Paris in a warm summer rain thinking the angels are weeping as I am that such a good man, friend, father, and person like you Greg Wasilchen has tragically passed away in your home last night while sleep walking and falling down your stairs.
The years we spent golfing, the bbq’s with our families & freinds, Softball Sundays, the phone rooms, the concerts together, the values of loyalty, the respect of being real men that we shared together and all the good times making each other laugh about anything and everything makes it that much tougher to grip that you have vanished from us.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and friends that will miss you so. I guess we will have to play that golf tournament we talked about recently on the other side some day…. RIP my dear friend.
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