KATE MACEVICZ: All right.
Hey, guys.
I'm Kate with Google.
Thanks for coming today.
I'm very pleased to announce
that we have a special guest,
Stephen Pearcy.
Let's give it up for him right
here because Stephen's here to
promote his book, "Sex, Drugs,
Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock."
It's a great book.
Stephen's the lead singer and
front man in the band Ratt.
Ratt has 10 gold and platinum
records, I think sold over 20
million records worldwide, and
he's played in thousands of
shows all over the globe.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Too many.
KATE MACEVICZ: Too many
says Stephen Pearcy.
Let's do another round here.
All right.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, I'm
glad I wore these.
KATE MACEVICZ: Looking good.
So "Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll,"
how come you decided
to write the book?
STEPHEN PEARCY: I actually
wanted to start it
five, six years ago.
And there wasn't closure in a
lot of things having to do
with business and stuff.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah.
STEPHEN PEARCY: And then my
wonderful drummer, he came out
with something, and I actually
wanted to title this book
"Ratt Tails," and then he
ripped off my title.
So I think it's time
to write my book.
KATE MACEVICZ: Sweet.
Your definitely fits it.
So what was it like
writing the book?
Did you revisit a lot of your
old friends and whatnot?
Any surprises come
up during it?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
Because I didn't remember like
a good three years of that
'80s period.
KATE MACEVICZ: Did you remember
any surprises--
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
I didn't, actually.
Yeah, I did remember
some surprises.
I had to go back to some of my
concierge and security guys
who are still my really close
friends and kept me somewhat
grounded back then.
KATE MACEVICZ: Cool.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Like I had to
go back to them and say, do
you remember some of this?
Because I don't.
And they told me, yeah.
KATE MACEVICZ: That's
about right.
STEPHEN PEARCY: They refreshed
my memory.
KATE MACEVICZ: So in the book,
you talked about your
childhood in San Diego.
How did you evolve from just
being a normal kid to being
totally into music and in
a band and whatnot?
STEPHEN PEARCY: I don't think
I was ever a normal kid.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
And how did you get
into music?
STEPHEN PEARCY: We moved
to San Diego.
My mom actually got remarried
and moved to San Diego in 1971
or something.
And I was off touring with
a race car team.
I was a pit guy wanting to be
like a drag race driver.
And she goes, well, when you
come back from Indianapolis,
which was where I was, we're
going to be living here.
And I went, OK.
And I was just plopped
in San Diego.
I just went, oh.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah, I can
think the worst places.
STEPHEN PEARCY: It was
worse or for a while.
And what was the following
question?
How did I get into music?
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah.
STEPHEN PEARCY: All right.
Well, I'm living in San Diego
hanging around with all these
hippy, pothead kids, which was
no different from the LA
pothead kids except we were
probably tougher.
But I got in an accident, and
I got run over, and broke my
legs and stuff.
And then I was told that you're
barely going to walk
let alone race cars.
And so I was in the hospital for
like a good six months in
traction and stuff.
And later on in the stay,
somebody gave
me an acoustic guitar.
And I go, OK.
Acoustic guitar, what
do I do with this?
So I pretty much just
kind of taught
myself how to play guitar.
KATE MACEVICZ: Wow, while
you were laid up--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
KATE MACEVICZ: --in
the hospital?
Wow.
STEPHEN PEARCY: And then when I
got out, I just kept playing
and playing and kind of adapted
to it and actually
started doing the band thing.
And that started this snowball
effect of like,
this is kind of cool.
I can party, get laid,
and whatever--
KATE MACEVICZ: Everyone
favorite thing.
STEPHEN PEARCY: --play music,
and it was all cool.
KATE MACEVICZ: Awesome.
So let's talk about
Sunset Strip.
So do you have any crazy stories
from back in the day?
What was it like?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Oh, god.
Well, first of all, I got to
say this book is kind of
trippy In a way that there's a
bit of embellishment in a good
way and then in a bad way
because all I wanted to do was
tell stories.
But as far as the Strip, it
would take 10 books to even
get close to what I would
actually would like to say to
anybody who wanted to know
anything because I'm really a
private person.
So for me to do this was kind of
like, you know, I was like
actually eating a lot of
marijuana pops doing it.
But it was interesting, but
it would take 10 books.
But anyway, the Strip, yeah,
it was interesting because
when I moved here, I told my
band Mickey Ratt, that I'm
moving to LA in January
1, 1980.
Because that's where Van Halen
made it, and they had become
my friends actually before they
got signed in like 1977
or something.
I'd go back and forth from San
Diego to LA, and I met them.
A friend of mine said, you
have to meet them,
or go see this band.
They play Zeppelin
really good.
And I'm like, OK.
So I missed them at Gazzarri's
and then they said, they're
playing at the Whisky.
And one day I just went up by
myself, and I go, well, bands
go to gigs early, so I'm
going to go up there
early, and I did.
And I saw David Lee Roth walking
up the steps at the
Whisky, and I say, hey, you
want to smoke a joint?
And he said, yeah.
I went like, OK.
I'm in.
KATE MACEVICZ: Sweet.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I didn't
want to meet him.
I wanted to meet Ed Van Halen,
because I was a guitar player.
And I did.
KATE MACEVICZ: And you developed
a nice friendship
with him, if I recall.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
It lasted for quite a while.
KATE MACEVICZ: Oh, nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: But
that was it.
I moved up there, and that was
the place to be, and I used to
watch them on stage at
the Whisky and just
went, oh, my god.
This is crazy.
These guys are really good.
This is our competition, our
real competition if you want
to be in a band.
And nobody was getting
signed in San Diego.
I mean, we were playing huge
gigs, and then we moved to LA.
We had to start all over
to where we were
paid $100 to not play.
It was like, here's your $100.
Go home.
I'm like, OK.
KATE MACEVICZ: Well, you
certainly turned that around.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
Seriously.
KATE MACEVICZ: So do you go
to the Strip these days?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
I take my daughter there
to see some bands, so
how ironic is that?
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
KATE MACEVICZ: What were your
favorite spots back in the day
then on the Strip besides
the Whisky?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, we played
pretty much everywhere.
But in the early days, you'd
have to go to the Rainbow
because that's where everybody
kind of met, and you would
say, I'm in a band, you know?
Here I am at the Rainbow.
KATE MACEVICZ: It hasn't
changed at all.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I had
no special place.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah?
STEPHEN PEARCY: The Rainbow
hasn't changed, but I haven't
been there in quite a while.
I think the last time I was
there someone got into a fight
or something.
So I would stay away
from there.
KATE MACEVICZ: So you mentioned
that Van Halen
inspired you.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
KATE MACEVICZ: So do
you keep in touch
with Eddie these days?
I read something about
he used to hide booze
at your house and--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah, well--
KATE MACEVICZ: --kind
of collect it.
STEPHEN PEARCY: --he lived
up the street from me.
And he was, I guess you know,
couldn't get away with some
things at his house.
So he'd just come to my house,
which is down the street
little a little bit, quarter
of a mile and hang out and
stash his booze there, or
he'd come over and it
would all be there.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: It
was all good.
KATE MACEVICZ: Good to know.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I mean,
everybody used to come by
there from, I don't
know, everybody
used to stopped there.
It was no big deal.
KATE MACEVICZ: Just checking.
So looks like we need to loosen
this up a little bit.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I'm loose.
KATE MACEVICZ: You're loose?
OK. just making sure.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I'm
loosely tight.
KATE MACEVICZ: This is
so structured here.
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
I'm ready to go.
I got up at 5:30.
I get up at 5:30 every day.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Believe
it or not.
KATE MACEVICZ: Do you like
exercise and stuff?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
I just do dad chores
and what dads do.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
Right on.
So you went to the Strip, and
you guys started playing more
and more big.
And the momentum was built up,
so at what moment did you like
sit back, and you knew
that you made it?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, pretty
much when our EP, we had a
six-song EP back in the day.
was being played on KEMT
and KOS simultaneously.
And then our biggest gig, like I
told you out there was Santa
Monica Civic right down the
street or a bit or something.
And we knew we were doing
something good.
You know you start selling out
clubs, and they try to screw
you out of money,
and whatever.
But you knew you were doing
something right.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
And so tell us about the Ratt
house in Culver City.
I'm a Culver City
resident myself.
STEPHEN PEARCY: The
Ratt Mansion West.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah.
What was that like?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Sounds like
a mansion but it wasn't.
It was a one-bedroom apartment
that I had.
KATE MACEVICZ: So is mine.
I hope I'm not a--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Robin and I and
Warren lived there with
our two crew guys, and
we had a one bedroom.
And there were three beds set up
in one room, two cots and a
single bed.
I don't know if we were
ever there at one
time together, but--
and our gear.
And we'd have these great
parties after shows.
It's like Motley would have
their place near the Whisky,
and it was the same
kind of thing.
You play a gig, and you just
tell everybody, come to the
house after to the party, or
wherever, to the apartment,
and you'd have about 150
people at your place.
And it was kind of cool
because I had this
refrigerator, this really old,
small refrigerator at Ratt
Mansion West.
And everybody who came into the
place signed it inside and
out of it, like you would
have Roth, or
Blackie, or Dio, or whoever.
But it was signed, and to this
day, I wish I had that
refrigerator.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah, a piece
of history right there.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Oh, yes.
It would be in the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.
KATE MACEVICZ: Did women
sign it too, or was
it just rock stars?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
Everybody signed it.
No, everybody.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
You can all start fresh
with your fridge now.
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
KATE MACEVICZ: No?
STEPHEN PEARCY: It's one of
those goofy big things.
KATE MACEVICZ: So you talk a lot
about excess in the book.
So amazing stories of women,
wild nights, debauchery, all
the fun stuff.
So Ratt is on tour right now.
So is it still as crazy?
STEPHEN PEARCY: If you
want it to be.
KATE MACEVICZ: So that kind of
means a yes right there, I
think, huh?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Sure.
If you want it to
be, it's there.
Nothing's changed.
KATE MACEVICZ: What are the
fans like these days?
STEPHEN PEARCY: The same.
KATE MACEVICZ: Really?
Like same women, or--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
Believe it or not, yeah.
Some of the women are
still the same if
you call them women.
Me?
I tend to take myself
out of that system.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I'll hang out,
but I don't go there.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah.
So speaking of touring, do you
have any favorites spots,
cities that you always have a
lot more fun in and whatnot?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
Anywhere there's people having
a good time, I'd be happy to
be there and yell at you.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
And speaking of women just
back in the day,
you say it was all--
any favorite cities in
the women sense?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
Because you could be in
the middle of bum
fuck and be very surprised.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: You have your
standards, Florida, New York,
LA, whatever.
I don't know.
It's all the same.
Look, you know--
KATE MACEVICZ: You fancy
the more down hill.
STEPHEN PEARCY: --it's
like feeding a bird.
KATE MACEVICZ: All right.
So what are the band member
dynamics like right now?
You guys have been through
so much together.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
Well, we kind of still
love/hate each other.
But we're grown ups,
and we get along.
We're doing good business or
I wouldn't be involved.
And as we get along, we've
been rehearsing the last
couple days because we have
a show coming up tomorrow.
And our biggest problem
is picking songs.
That's about it.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
So fashion.
So you're known for
your style.
I believe your name was
the cement pirate.
Can you just describe--
STEPHEN PEARCY: That's
not my name.
That's what we just
called ourselves.
KATE MACEVICZ: Can you describe
your style back then
and then how it's evolved?
It's called, I can't afford
it, so where do
we go to get it?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
I would actually have some girls
who were friends, and
they would work at some high-end
stores on Melrose and
stuff and lend me clothes until
we figured out this
image that became the cement
pirate look that started it,
the '84, '87 kind of look.
But it's kind of like it's
just a grab bag.
I mean, put it this way, I mean,
I say it in the book,
and I don't know if people would
get it, but I liked Adam
Ant and Duran Duran, so I kind
of took them both and went--
KATE MACEVICZ: Made a baby?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
And that was us.
KATE MACEVICZ: Cool.
And where do you shop
these days?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Salvation
Army.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
All right.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Where
I got this great
jacket and pants, actually.
No.
Anywhere.
KATE MACEVICZ: Anywhere.
Sweet.
So fatherhood.
So your book actually opens
with the birth of your
daughter, and it sounded
like you were a
bit high at the time.
But the event was
life changing.
So how has fatherhood
shaped you?
STEPHEN PEARCY: It's perfect.
She's 17.
Just got a new car.
And she wants to go to
college, and I'm
bringing her up right.
It's cool.
KATE MACEVICZ: Oh,
that's fantastic.
STEPHEN PEARCY: She's a
good girl except she
likes the band guys.
KATE MACEVICZ: She likes
the bad guys?
STEPHEN PEARCY: The band guys,
KATE MACEVICZ: Oh,
the band guys.
So she's up there.
STEPHEN PEARCY: So payback's
a bitch.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: She's good.
KATE MACEVICZ: So she's a rocker
then a little bit?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
KATE MACEVICZ: No.
STEPHEN PEARCY: She
just likes music.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
All right.
Fair enough.
And what can we look forward
to in the future with you?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well,
we're doing shows.
I actually want to cut back on
doing live performances and
concentrate on other business
ventures and my race car stuff
and other things I've done
and created some shows.
But we'll be playing.
I mean, I actually do a
bunch of solo shows.
But I just go out when
I want to go out
and have a good time.
I don't have to go
out to go out.
And we don't have to go play
250 shows a year anymore.
KATE MACEVICZ: Yeah.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
KATE MACEVICZ: So what's up
with the racing that you
talked about?
What are you doing with that?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, I
sponsor raise cars.
Been doing it since early '80s,
and I sponsor top fuel
dragsters and funny cars.
And I'm still in the business.
I write songs for ESPN2
and HRA drag racing.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I'm
in there one way.
I'll be on the track.
Go to a race.
I'll be there.
KATE MACEVICZ: All right.
Do you hear that, ladies?
STEPHEN PEARCY: On the
starting line.
KATE MACEVICZ: Awesome.
And I hear you're also working
on a new record for Ratt, and
its back with Atlantic.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yes.
KATE MACEVICZ: So kind
of full circle there.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah,
we are back.
It's Roadrunner is back
with Atlantic.
It's good.
We're getting there.
Getting us in there
is one thing.
Hopefully, it won't take 10
years like the other one.
But there's some good songs,
really good songs.
You know, Warren and I are
writing, and he played me
something not too long ago.
And I actually told him, if we
can just releases this one
song, we're done.
It was that good.
So I'm very happy.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: You
know soon enough.
We want it released by April,
May of next year.
KATE MACEVICZ: OK.
Great.
Well, at this time, I'd like
to turn it over to the
audience to ask some
questions.
Do you want to step up to
the mic, my friend?
That way we can get a good
shot of you up and close.
AUDIENCE: So as you were growing
up, who were some of
your most powerful inspirational
musical
influences?
Growing up meaning after you've
got the guitar and
started to see--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah.
I really liked Blue Oyster
Cult, Black Sabbath,
definitely, I was heavily
influenced by Led Zeppelin and
actually got to see them three
times, and it was like the
most mind-expanding
experience.
The acid that I ate couldn't
even match when I
was watching them.
And then Van Halen when I
saw them in '77, '78.
But Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster
Cult, those kind of bands
influenced me a lot.
Hello.
AUDIENCE: How do you even have
the memory to write a book?
I can't remember anything
from my college days.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, I
remember quite a bit.
AUDIENCE: Really?
STEPHEN PEARCY: But like I said,
there were a few years
that I couldn't remember
because we literally
were just so busy.
I mean, the one thing that kind
of put the first nail in
the coffin was we did
this for so long.
We just did tour, record, tour,
record, tour, record,
but we were doing arenas.
And it was like you didn't
know what day it was.
Where are we?
Well, you're still in Texas
two weeks later.
Where are we?
Florida.
How long have we been here?
Two weeks.
But those days are over.
AUDIENCE: But to even like bring
that all up and have
enough information
to write a book--
I mean, to try and remember
stuff from
college and I don't.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I had to
call some friends.
AUDIENCE: Yeah.
STEPHEN PEARCY: What
did we do?
AUDIENCE: Cool.
KATE MACEVICZ: So we have a
stairwell in the office that's
devoted to Ratt--
STEPHEN PEARCY: Nice.
KATE MACEVICZ: --that I want
to take you and show you.
You guys are famous.
AUDIENCE: I have a question
about how did you get Milton
Berle to be in your video?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Good one.
Our manager was his nephew,
Marshall Berle.
And Milty did the first video,
"Round and Round," and nobody
quite got it then.
They kind of get it now.
But he was such a clever,
smart guy.
When he did that video with us,
he kind of just went in
there and took over.
Do you know, Don Letts
was the director.
He used to be in Big Audio
Dynamite, if anybody remembers
that name, long, dreaded guy.
And he kind of just threw his
hands up and went, OK.
And Milty just took over.
And he always told
us, keep things--
don't be so serious.
Keep things tongue in cheek,
and make it fun.
And we always tried
to do that.
Yeah, he was a good
guy, Milty.
AUDIENCE: If you could do it
all over again, what, if
anything, would you change?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Business.
Some business stuff,
that's about it.
But I would do the
same thing again.
I have no--
it is what it was.
You couldn't do that now.
I feel sorry for the new bands
because they'd be lucky to
hang around a year let alone
be able to accomplish or do
what we did like the
Motleys, and the
Ratts, and the whatever.
That was such a crazy period,
and it was all new.
Nobody knew what was going on.
We just created this
thing, you know?
And just went with it because
of the excess.
Threw a little success
in there.
AUDIENCE: That's great.
AUDIENCE: Do you mind if
I add to that question?
KATE MACEVICZ: Go for it.
AUDIENCE: When you talk about
the business part and certain
things you would differently
if you were in a band.
I guess there are a lot of
different voices about how
that handled some of the
business stuff or was it just
the management telling y'all
what to do and how to do it?
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
We were cool for a while,
but I would have done it
differently.
Because I did so much of
a lot of things by
myself for the band.
But I was one of those guys,
all for one, one for all.
It wouldn't happen these days.
No way in hell, but we're OK.
AUDIENCE: So the second word
in the title is drugs.
How important or helpful do
you think drugs are in the
creative process of writing
songs and recording?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Drugs.
Well--
AUDIENCE: Were they helpful
or damaging?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, I can't
say they were helpful because
we lost Robin to drugs.
And we all did a lot
of everything
just because we could.
Maybe it was the time.
But I did a lot of drugs before
I was even in a band,
so to me, it was just like, OK,
now we get it for free and
a lot of it.
So you just go, OK.
And whatever your
metabolism is--
So I don't suggest that
people do drugs to
write music or do anything.
It would probably hurt you.
AUDIENCE: I mean, I'm more
specific about--
I mean, I understand that drugs
can help you have a good
time, and if you're on road
and playing gigs.
But what about when you actually
have to write, and be
creative, and sit down with the
guitar, come up with a new
song, get inspiration, and get
in the mood for writing.
Do you think drugs
are helpful or--
STEPHEN PEARCY: They
could be helpful.
They could be helpful.
It depends on what kind
of dope you're taking.
If it makes you pass out, it's
not going to be useful.
AUDIENCE: Did you get loaded
for 650 shows in a year?
Did you guys get loaded
for every show?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Every day.
AUDIENCE: Every day.
KATE MACEVICZ: Wow.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Before,
during, and after.
Yep.
KATE MACEVICZ: Not a bad life.
STEPHEN PEARCY: It
made a bad one.
AUDIENCE: Do you have a favorite
song that you've
written or a song that
you're most proud of?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, it would
be wrong for me to say that
"Round and Round" didn't
accomplish a lot because it
did, and it's such
a huge tune.
It's like we sell that thing to
every few weeks to a movie
or something.
But just the way we wrote that
song was crazy because we used
to write on two tape decks,
cassette decks.
And we'd bounce one track one
to another until we had
everything on one cassette.
But for me, I mean, I have an
extended catalog of solo stuff
that I find more exciting than
what I have to do every day
when I do Ratt.
But I still love playing like
"Lay it Down," "Body Talk."
There's so many Ratt songs
that are so good.
It's one thing we could do is
play, and we'd put ourselves
up against anybody just
because we know
we'd kick their ass.
We still could.
We still can in a good way.
We love what we do.
That's the only thing that
keeps this band together.
Ratt is our music, otherwise
we'd hate each other.
It's respect for our music.
AUDIENCE: So you're
writing a book.
You have your entire life
in front of you.
How did you decide what you're
going to put in the book,
where to start, just
your process
of putting it together?
STEPHEN PEARCY: You know, I had
a good co-writer, and I
was reading Keith Richard's book
"Life," and I had read
Tyler's book.
And I was like, if there's
something I can just put those
two together, then I think I
can actually write a book.
But I wanted to be honest.
I didn't want to bullshit
anybody.
I mean, some names you know,
the end result is the main
editor, publisher, whatever you
want to call it kind of
made it into like this script,
dialogue, and he doesn't know
what we were saying.
I don't remember, but it's kind
of cool how he did it in
retrospect.
But I just wanted to tell some
stories and maybe the good,
bad, or the ugly would influence
somebody, or they'd
get a kick out of it.
And then some of the stuff I
don't remember, like the
Michael Jackson thing.
I didn't remember that.
But I just kind of
told stories.
AUDIENCE: Hi.
Were you approached by the
musical "Rock of Ages" to
include any of your
songs in that?
I don't remember any of
them being in it.
STEPHEN PEARCY: No.
But somebody told me
recently that they
played one of our songs.
AUDIENCE: Really?
STEPHEN PEARCY: And we actually
have well, I'll let
them know now.
There's a lawyer coming
after your ass.
You don't play our song without
saying, you're not
playing it, especially that
one song, a good one.
AUDIENCE: With the decline of
like CD sales and the amount
of money that musicians and
labels are making from CDs and
now downloads and the audience
shifting over to music
streaming, which is less,
definitely less lucrative CDs,
what do you think is the future
of keeping the business
within music and sustaining
people's creative endeavors?
STEPHEN PEARCY: For established
bands who have an
extensive catalog like us or
something, it would be live
performance or just making
sure your music's in the
marketplace.
For new bands, I really
feel sorry for, but
then again I don't.
Because some of these bands
that have made it recently
have made it from the
new format of music.
You don't need a record deal.
You just go on the internet,
and YouTube, something or
whatever, and next thing you
know you have a hit.
That's cool too.
I work with young bands
because I have
an independent label.
So there are benefits, but for
us guys who have the catalog
and stuff, we just have to
watch what's happening.
Make sure the thievery doesn't
happen like what's her name.
AUDIENCE: It was Mick Jagger I
believe who famously said when
he was in his 20s that he'd
rather be dead than stand on
stage at age 40 and sing
"Satisfaction." And what are
the biggest changes in like
view of the world of life
whatever can you talk about
from the old days to now?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, we could
party or can party like we
used to, but we don't.
And we don't suggest it for
anybody who wants to have
longevity because it does
beat you up eventually.
But I mean, I could play music
for as long as I feel like it
except nowadays I'm
preparing myself.
I don't need to I just like
to do it sometimes.
Me, I never said I was
a singer, and I'll
say it to this day.
When I tell my kid I'm going a
show, I say, I've got to go
yell at some people.
She knows exactly
what I'm saying.
Do you want to go?
I'm going to go yell
at some people.
Now there's 30,000 people there
or there's 1,500 people
there, or there's House of Blues
right down the street.
I mean she's jaded,
but it depends.
To each his own, you know?
Everybody's different.
I like doing it.
I still like doing what I do.
I still like meeting people, and
you see the smiling faces.
And now there's so many
younger people
going to our shows.
It's crazy.
And if they're into it and I see
they're into it, it just
makes me want to hang around.
AUDIENCE: What interesting
people have you met?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Interesting?
Oh, god.
Anybody from Charlton
Heston to Henry
Kissinger to Whoopi Goldberg.
I mean, it's crazy.
And I'll go right up to somebody
and just fuck with
them just to say hello.
You know?
Hey, Chuck.
You're not supposed to
be calling me Chuck.
Charlton Heston.
Or Henry Kissinger, I'm
surprised I didn't get shot
when I ran into him.
I just ran right up to him with
a drink in my hand and
said, hey, what's
going on, Henry?
KATE MACEVICZ: And you had some
fun with Ozzy, it sounded
like in the book as well.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Yeah, Ozzy.
Uncle Ozzy.
Yeah.
Ratt did an extensive tour
with Ozzy, Canada,
Europe, and the US.
It was a time when oh, god,
they were just on his ass.
And it was interesting.
He's a good guy.
KATE MACEVICZ: I heard you did
something to his shoes.
STEPHEN PEARCY: He shit
in some shoes.
KATE MACEVICZ: He did?
Oh, I thought that was you.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Me and Bobby
hung out with him
really late one night.
And he was staying at hotels
because his kids were like
babies then.
And they lived out of the
bus or something.
Matter of fact, it was Hollywood
somewhere, really
nice hotel.
And you put your shoes out there
to get shined, you know.
And he just thought it
would be a kick.
I'm going to shit
in these shoes.
And Bobby had a camera,
and he took pictures.
And he was so eager to wake
Sharon up and go, I shit in
these shoes.
I shit in these shoes.
And we were just
like, oh, god.
I left.
Goes to show how crazy
that night was.
I left right about 3:00
in the morning.
Him and Bobby were still up
partying or something.
But we got the photo.
KATE MACEVICZ: Nice.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Shit
in the shoes.
AUDIENCE: Can you tell us a
little bit about maintaining
your voice over the years.
It's your instrument.
I know that you said that you go
and scream at people, which
is a great line.
But it's got to evolve over
when you started.
And I don't know, do you think
it sounds the same?
I think it sounds good, but
is there a process?
STEPHEN PEARCY: Well, some
people say it sucks.
And that's OK too, because
they buy a lot of things.
But I've taken it seriously
and stuff.
But I'm from old school
listening to like I say the
Stones or mostly Zeppelin.
And I like their ad libbing, and
I like versatile of just
doing different things
every night.
So the problem that's done when
you make a record is you
try so hard to create this one
sound or thing, and you can't
do it live.
And we've made that mistake.
That's why I don't do songs like
"Dance, Dance, Dance,"
even though we did.
But it's very difficult.
And I'll admit it.
I'll cop to it.
I could give a shit.
You know?
I've never bitten into a
towel or did vocal warm
ups before I sing.
I just have a drink and a
cigarette, and try to laugh as
much as I can, and talk,
and I'm ready to go.
I maybe do some exercises,
but that's it.
I take it seriously, but it's
like I'm not some weird freak
about it, because I don't
come from that school of
singing, you know?
And I don't claim to come from
that, or say I'm some kind
of-- like I met Paul Rodgers
one time, right?
We did this award thing,
and we're presenting.
And the first thing I said to
him when we went out there,
they go, yeah, Stephen
and Paul Rodgers.
And I go, this is like
the real singer guy.
And he is.
He's like, that's like
a real singer.
I mean, I could sing,
and I do what I do.
I'd rather be guitar player,
but I ended up singing, and
that was through default.
I went into an audition for a
band ages ago, and they said,
well, we already have
a guitar player.
Can you sing?
And me, I go, I guess.
And then I got the job.
So I'm just going with it.
It's a blessing.
AUDIENCE: Something that always
struck me about like
'80s metal scene especially in
LA is the combination of very
masculine behavior almost macho
behavior combining it
with, I wouldn't even call
it androgynous, more like
outright female clothes
and dress sense.
STEPHEN PEARCY: I got a
pussy and some nuts.
AUDIENCE: So my question is,
what made you put on red
lipstick, and did you ever
run into problems?
STEPHEN PEARCY: I never
put on red lipstick.
AUDIENCE: Did people didn't get
it, didn't understand it?
STEPHEN PEARCY: That was
that other band Poison.
The furthest we got was like
maybe rat up our hair, but we
were Ratts, you know.
And that was probably
about it, may be
some eyeliner or whatever.
But no, we never went
out of our way.
AUDIENCE: What stopped you from
putting on red lipstick?
STEPHEN PEARCY: I wasn't
attracted to dudes.
I don't know.
No.
You know, the '80s were
an interesting thing.
You've got to understand
it was all new.
So it wasn't us, like when
people tell me, oh, what
killed the '80s, whatever.
It's like, it wasn't us.
And maybe it was those bands
that came after as that were
cookie-cutter bands.
You had all these goofy-ass
bands that came out of
nowhere, and they'd just poof
them all up and find out who
may our clothes.
But we're still standing.
If you've been standing for
over 20 years, you've got
something going for you.
We'll be 30 years next year.
KATE MACEVICZ: Congrats.
Yeah.
STEPHEN PEARCY: It's
interesting.
KATE MACEVICZ: We probably
have time for one last
question if anyone has one.
Yeah?
AUDIENCE: Have you been
approached about doing any
reality TV shows?
STEPHEN PEARCY: I actually
have a production company
that's been writing and work
and stuff for years.
It's just I'm not in
a real big rush to
like fall on my face.
And it's not going
to be about me.
I've been writing for
other things.
A couple of them are mine,
but it's something.
And even that is so overblown.
I wouldn't want to be trapped
in that kind of a scene.
I've been offered stuff, but I
wouldn't do it because you're
labeled some goof after that.
It's got to have
some substance.
Or I'll have somebody
else play the goof.
KATE MACEVICZ: All right.
So Stephen's book is "Sex,
Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in
Rock," available online
in bookstores,
and its a great read.
I highly recommend it.
Thank you, Stephen for
coming in today.
STEPHEN PEARCY: Thank you.
KATE MACEVICZ: And let's give
him a round of applause, guys.
Great.
