The Metal Files

When I was still in high school there was this dude that everyone called Big Bill.  He was the other metalhead in the Catholic school that I was stuck in for 4 years.  That dude and I were the best of friends, inseparable for the 2 years he went there and for the few years after we graduated.  We traded a lot of music over those years and he really turned me on to quite a bit of metal that I probably wouldn’t have heard.  I’m thankful for those years.  As mentioned previously, Bill turned me on to Odin.  I in turn “discovered” Warrior.  Both Odin’s debut and Warrior’s debut stayed in heavy rotation throughout the late 80s.  Both of them still get played quite often around here.

Earlier this year during the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, TX I had the pure pleasure of playing tour guide, roadie, chauffeur etc for LA’s DC4.  This band is comprised of Jeff Duncan (Odin, Armored Saint), Shawn Duncan (Odin), Matt Duncan (Odin) and Rowan Robertson (DIO).  They were the coolest dudes and we had a blast for the few days they were here.  Shawn and I have been in contact on and off for a few years and I was glad to offer them assistance while they were in my wonderful city.

I saw a few months ago where DC4 was playing with Warrior at the famous Whisky in Hollywood.  It was a weekend show and I decided that I might as well go.  Why not?  I totally dig DC4’s music and of course I love Warrior.  Shawn was gracious enough to open his home to me for the quick weekend trip.

I hadn’t been to LA since 1997 and had a blast.  I was looking to move there and even had 2 job offers from the 2 biggest metal labels in the area.  Unfortunately with 2 days left on my trip, I received a call from my Mom saying that my Dad had cancer again and that I needed to get back home.  Unfortunately Pops died a few months later and my thought of moving to LA went away as I figured I needed to stick around town.  I ended up sticking around until 2006!

I took Friday off from work to get ready for my 2PM flight.  I got to LA (Burbank) around 5PM Cali time and grabbed my rental car and headed north to Monrovia.  The sun had already gone down and I didn’t get to see any of the scenery on the drive.  With traffic I got to Shawn’s around 6:30.  After hanging out for a bit and waiting for his significant other to get home from work, we ll went to downtown Monrovia for sushi.  I swear it was some of the best I have ever had.  We went back to the house, jibber jabbered for a while then I hit the sack.  I was beat from the trip.

The next morning I went up the street to get some Diet Mt Dew.  When I walked out of the 7-11 all I saw was a mountain…literally…a mountain.  It was gorgeous with the sun shining on it.   Shawn and I ran some errands and I got to see and remember how beautiful California can be.  We went by the Santa Anita Raceway.  It was busy there for the Breeder’s Cup.  I only saw the outside of the place but it was gorgeous.

After returning back to the house, we got the drums packed up and loaded into his truck.  He had a wedding to attend that afternoon and I offered my services to get his gear to the Whisky.  It was a gorgeous drive into Hollywood and I saw many familiar sites from my last trip there.  Rolling up on the Whisky I got parking right out front and got the gear loaded in.  It was a bit brutal as I had to lug it upstairs.  Damn!  No worries, got it done.

After load-in, I mulled around Sunset for a while.  I met up with an old pal of mine who had just moved back to LA.  It was awesome seeing him.  We went to the Rainbow for some pizza and I got to hang out with some of his LA crowd.  Good times.  I was in there earlier that evening for a few beers and played on Lemmy’s video game machine.  That dude has the high score on every game.  It was funny.  It was getting closer to showtime so I walked back down to the Whisky.  My dogs were tired so I just found a spot upstairs and rested for a bit until DC4 showed up to the club.  It was great seeing the dudes in the band before they went on.  I sat with Rowan and friends for a while.  He’s such a cool dude.  Great guitar player as well.  Jeff was pretty happy to see me as well.  We talked outside for quite a while.  New Armored Saint album is finished!

The opening bands for the show were all pretty awful.  Seriously.  Awful.  It was DC4’s turn to hit the stage so we got the drums down the stairs and on the riser ASAP.  shortly thereafter they started up.  Because of some rockstar BS their set got cut by about 4 songs.  Didn’t matter.  They kicked ass and the crowd was really into it.  It was a pleasure to see.

By the time that Warrior was about to hit the stage we had just finished packing the drums back up and loading th em in the truck.  I was getting really tired but wanted to catch some of Warrior’s set.  Fortunately I got to hear 3 songs, the last being my favorite from their debut, Mind Over Matter.  McCarty’s voice sound GREAT and Joe Floyd was playing very well.  I was fading fast though.  It was already 12:30 Cali time, 2:30 my time and I had been running around all day.  Shawn’s fiance was going to leave so I left with her.  Said goodbye to some of my pals there and headed back to Monrovia.  I had to be up early for my flight out as well.

All in all it was a great trip albeit brief.  After the first of the year I think I’ll make another venture out there and have a few more days to screw around.

On my flights there and back, I got to see some parts of the country that I really hadn’t seen from the air.  The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and the beautiful deserts between Texas and California really took my breath away.  We really take for granted how pretty this place is.  I will also say that California has some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.  I will also add that LA has some of the most fake people I have ever come across.  I noticed it in 97 as well.  I also met some really great people as well.  I guess both types are everywhere.

Looking back I really am glad I didn’t end up out there although I know I would have made my way just fine.  Austin is incredible and I think we have much better looking Latinas here!

Already I am looking forward to my next trip out there.