Rick Ventura
Featured on Riot’s seminal hard rock/heavy metal albums, “Fire Down Under” and “Restless Breed,” guitarist Rick Ventura was poised for stardom on the strength of high-profile tours with Rush, Black Sabbath, Sammy Hagar and Rainbow. He also had the immense respect of his peers (Hello, Lars Ulrich!). So, what happened? Sharpen your swords and pour some tequila as we dig into Rick’s storied past, his new music with Riot Act, the story behind Riot’s oft-maligned album covers and the heartfelt humility of leaving his mark.
Created and Produced by Jared Tuten
the talk louder podcast today we are joined by guitarist Rick Vincura from riot and man we are honored beyond belief to have him on the show Rick and I don't know each other Jason met him briefly one time but I just reached out to him on Facebook and asked him if he'd be on the show and he said yes and I was shocked and I remember texting Jason going dude Rick Vincura is gonna do our show and he couldn't have been nicer we got into the weeds with him today we'd like to say that we nerd out on this show and I feel like we really nerd it out with Rick today and he couldn't have been more accommodating just a super super cool guy and yeah he was mellow and I like that because yeah he's thinking the whole time because he's not you know tripping over himself like we are yeah you know and one of the things I like is that you know Rick and and Rick doesn't do a million interviews you haven't heard from him too much it's not one of those people where you go I don't need to watch this interview because I've I've know all there is to know about this person Rick and and Riot kind of flew under the radar and we love them for that but I think that's why he's he comes you know it was a very fresh conversation we really enjoyed it I'd like to think that he enjoyed it too because I just feel like there was good energy among the three of us today yeah and took to clarify when when I met Rick it was just because he was walking around the merch table at a gig when Riot Act about a year ago was supporting Raven on tour right and they were awesome and I just had to run up and go wow that was great here in those old tunes again are your singer is awesome blah blah blah blah and it was a quick meeting and that was it it wasn't a hang or anything like that because Raven was about to play and I had to get find my place in the front row right exactly exactly sorry sorry Rick but I was reporting for Raven duty yes and was pleasantly surprised by Riot Act it was it was a such a joy and they were slamming they were fucking killing it and we we talked about on this episode with Rick the difference between Riot Act and then the what what everyone who knows Riot especially the fire down under years the restless breed years where there's the classic five piece two guitar band and Riot Act is not that it's a one-guitar band so the the elements are slightly different but you would be surprised at how full and heavy it actually is because of the players that he's got monster monster rhythm section kick ass singer and they have a record out that you that's been out for a little bit closer to the flame yeah by Riot Act it's on every streaming platform out there and you can buy the record anywhere you know Amazon and all that silly shit yeah yeah Rick was not an original member of Riot he was not on the Rock City album but he joined in time for Norita and stayed until the end of Born in America and in that time period of course we got fired down under a restless breed just two amazing records and you know a lot of people hold up that Norita record as classic as well and and Born in America too and we had a really good conversation about the the differences in dynamics between guys brands on vocals and retforter on vocals and I've mentioned and I've said this before I find myself reaching for that restless breed record as often as I reach for fire down under and sometimes maybe even more I love that album yeah it's great it was great to hear him sort of give us background on the you know the two different singers and the and where the band was during those two different eras for the most part I'll chime in for the most part for you know me and my friends who played in bands we covered songs from both of those records yeah yeah yeah like all over Texas I had friends who were in hard you know hard rock bands and metal bands that covered songs from fire as well as restless and back to your point about the singer change it was very interesting to hear Rick sort of emotionally react and actually curl his brow and think about the differences between those singers and what they the cool shit that they could write for what Guy Speranza was doing changed like oh well that wouldn't have worked with Guy this is new and fresh for me having this new sort of element involved we could do this now that we have read that is just different with Guy so I want you to hear his words but yeah yeah a real honor to have him on the show today we're both big fans and I don't think anybody listening to this show would argue that fire down under is one of the great classic hard rock metal albums of all time so just thrilled to have him on the show today Rick Ventura from Riot and Riot Act on the talk louder podcast yeah some sometimes coffee has a has an adverse effect on people so yeah I yeah like drink it full of sleep and whatever it doesn't I think I'm worried like 24 hours okay okay Rick how are you man hey look at you man how are you I'm doing great thanks so much for joining us man this is a really pleasure to have you on the show hey Dave can you turn your mic down a little bit yeah hold on just a little bit he is real loud he was like this last time - like he's going through like a hundred watt Marshall half stack yeah yeah better better yeah that's better yeah okay cool all right Rick thank you again so much for joining us a great pleasure Jason and I are big riot fans and I hate I love that I you and I don't really know each other I just randomly reached out to you on Facebook and you were kind enough to say yes so thank you for doing yeah thanks for reaching out that was kind of surprise so oh man I'm surprised you don't get asked all the time to do stuff like this well you know in the last few years it's been happening more often it seems but it's always you know a thrill knowing some you know people I want to hear about me or the band and what's happening you know so that's always a thrill absolutely just to jump in here I saw Riot Act supporting Raven here in Austin Texas at the Lost Well little little dive bar on the east side of Austin Texas right and you guys fucking destroyed it was so good just to hear those old songs as well as new stuff was was just exciting and you know it's kind of like I'm a little bit of a purist you know I mean but you know rest in peace you know the the guys that are no longer with us anyway and and ultimately decided to I mean I saw the Rhett Forrester years we can start talking about 1981 anytime you're ready but oh wow because I saw all that shit but really the point that I'm making is I saw the new version of what you have going on and it was fucking awesome so congrats on that yeah well thank you so much you know it was just like you know we just had the right combination of people there and and you know we just I just wanted to keep it high energy not really you know we lost Lou at the beginning of this project yeah and you know I was like okay we're not gonna try to recreate this thing and that's why we yeah I just want to be just keeping one guitar and just keeping raw and just you know just play some new music and play some of the old stuff you know for fans yeah we're talking about riot act correct right right now we're talking about riot act yeah so give us a status update I was gonna talk about that a little later on but we're already do that yeah what what is the status of riot act and where can people get the album that you you already put out well at all the major outlets like yeah okay Amazon and Apple and you know people that actually want a physical CD you know you can get it on Amazon otherwise Apple music and every other streaming service and and what's the status of the band are you guys writing recording have plans per second album or yeah actually do I've been writing so I have quite a bit of material ready so there will be something happening very soon we take we just took excuse me a few months break a few months people doing various projects right now so for me I'm busy I'm still writing and doing stuff so over the next few months they'll be a lot of interesting things happening you know even outside of riot act so yeah yeah I thought it was cool I was doing some research on riot act and your singer Don is it chafin chafin how do you say his last name it's all those let's just go with Don we'll call Don yeah right I didn't realize he sang with Dan Spitz in red lamb yeah yeah yeah Dan from anthrax fame that makes sense all you guys are up in New York yeah yeah he's had quite a few projects prior to this this riot acts yeah that was one of them is he is he the did he work with Billy Sheehan in some capacity yeah they had a short-lived project I think just a few gigs yeah okay that's what I heard as well they did a few shows right yeah speaking of monster bass players the guy you currently have in riot actor at least the guy that did the last the debut album yeah well that guy's a beast oh yeah he's insane I got to see him live and I was like what the hell is going on right now I kind of say that you know people say what is he doing I said I honestly don't know right well the thing is just for yeah just for just for for cause and effect you know there's always the danger of of someone who has the ability to play a base like that you know I mean it's kind of in danger of overplaying if you will right right sure because I feel like I don't know let's let's stretch the box a little bit and say okay some people think Getty Lee might overplay and I disagree because there's only one guitar right it's a three-piece situation so if you look at a lot of the great three-piece bands for our history the bass players have always been killer you know oh yeah because you have to you have to hold it down and you also have to fill it out and make it interesting you know it depends you know on the bands you know if you look at I mean going way back if you look at the who look at John and whistle I mean correct he would just stand there on just his fingers I mean he was just filling out the whole thing you know yeah and somehow and somehow not still not overplaying right you know right right right and Russia's music you know it's very riffy but then they've been hailing which you know Eddie was really the focal point but then Michael Anthony he was very straight-head simple solid and held it down which was critical for Van Halen sound yeah I agree you know and I think because if he if he was a riffer you know and just constantly overplaying it wouldn't have been Van Halen you know it's just been a mess well and he's also right yeah he's also locking in with the drums to right that's critical I always make these players that lock in with the drums to yeah so it depends on the music you're playing really you know well do you think do you think while we're what we're sitting on this mountain here I mean obviously you're you're open to whatever and I'm sorry what what's your bass player's name I apologize over an area so Paul yeah right so he so you know obviously you're cool with what's going on because it sounds fucking awesome and he's locking he's locking in with you guys and and and you would think that when you think about just I'll just I'm just vomiting this when you think about riot right you don't think about these busy you know as like uppity of a bass player Paul actually kind of is he's probably holding back enough but still keeping it interesting I like the end whistle concept right that he's still pumping and locked in but he's keeping it interesting for sure he's keeping the listener on it on their toes there's no doubt it changed when we started as a two guitar band you know with Lewis in the band it definitely changed because I asked I remember saying to Paul I said you know it's going to be it's going to be very different now and you know the stuff I was writing it's going to be there's going to be more room for you to really spread out really and it's it's a totally different band now because you like you like said three-piece band you know so it gives them more creativity and freedom and but it's still like you saw it you know it's still solid yeah you know we have a solid drummer like Claudia he's not like not like Neil Perth so if it was if everybody's really out there and I'm like I'm not like you know anything or anything like that so it's it's kind of it kind of works yeah yeah there there is there is such a thing is too much of a good thing you know you don't want you guys trampling on each other and over playing and track you got to play for the song as the adage goes I yeah I heard the song always agreed with that yeah yeah well I was rioting yeah one more I saw him live and it was it was fucking awesome and I hope people will go and check out the record and and and catch up to riot act I was gonna say one last thing about just the where we were just just one little thing we're going going in realizing that you were the only guitar player in this this group here as an old riot fan right that my skepticism was underlined and I was like how is it how is this gonna how you know what I mean I'll maybe I was sure I was scared as a fan as to because I wanted to dive right in and go oh my god fucking you know real rock and roll again and and it was that but I was just knowing that it was just you I was like oh well wonder you know what I mean it was just like I stumbled for a second you know something that book was it was in my head - wow really believe me I came out with two guitar right you know so I knew yeah you know I knew but it was like I said there was no point in trying to recreate what was you know so it's like the combination of people we had we had it had a sound we had a sound it was it was different wasn't riot and but it was it was different and had the energy and and that's you know I said hey you know hopefully you know the fans were like we we we like the way we sounded you know the thought was they're getting another guitar player it pops up every once in a while you know because you have the harmonies and everything like that yeah but it kind of worked because every you know we did that Raven tour and everybody just loved it so the reaction was was phenomenal yeah and you can't argue with that that's important yeah I mean if it was like oh these guys a lame hang it up you know then you know we wouldn't be talking right yeah blue form reaction is always gonna yeah yeah so just for clarity the album is called closer closer to the flame is that right exactly yeah riot act closer to the flame go check that out it is good stuff I haven't seen you live but I listen to the record and you certainly haven't tarnished your legacy let's put it that way it's good and you're surrounded by great players for sure yes definitely right so I have a question that I've been dying to ask somebody from riot and you're the first guy we had to on the show to talk to okay it's March of 1983 I'm 16 years old and I'm finally allowed to go to my first concert and its kiss on creatures of the night tour I'm living in San Antonio and the opening act was advertised as being riot and so I was super excited because not only am I finally going to my first concert and gonna see one of my all-time favorite bands kiss but growing up in San Antonio and hearing riot on the radio I'm super excited about the opening band riot and then just before show date riot is off the bill replaced by the plasmatics now at the time the punks in the metalheads didn't really get along and I was so disappointed because I had no interest in seeing this punk rock band I wanted to see riot I ended up loving the punk rock band and the plasmatics were amazing and I wear it like a badge of honor that the first live band I ever saw was the plasmatics now but do you remember that and can you tell me why riot was on the bill and then off the bill suddenly I wish I was saying tell you I honestly don't know what happened at that period I mean I was close to the end of my era with riot you know okay and San Antonio what that was like that was riots oh yeah I think around in the early days I mean that's we first got an airplay and that was the first place we headed to you know yeah so it was always a thrill to play in San Antonio in fact last when we went unfortunately we didn't get to play play Dallas and Houston but we didn't get to San Antonio so hopefully we'll get there because that's that's always been one of the best cities to play oh yeah I remember there were people from San Antonio at that Austin show yeah people I found that out there were people that like they were there were fans that came from Mexico oh yeah they don't pass so it yeah unbelievable yeah yeah you still have a stronghold in Texas and especially San Antonio and I just had to ask that question because I was so disappointed that I didn't get to see you guys and so I did my research on that tour and the plasmatics that date was only their third date on the tour so they were only recently added when you guys were taken off so I didn't know what the last minute thing was yeah you know I'm trying I wish I could remember that you know I mean the band could have been at a light of change at that point you know if you don't remember it's cool I just thought I'd add because it was it was monumental for me because it was my first concert and I actually had a chance to talk to I met Richie Stott's the guitar player for the plasmatics I told him that story and he got a big kick out of the fact that I thought I was so pissed off that I had to sit through the plasmatics when I was expecting riot and of course I ended up laking the plasmatics a lot and punk rock overall but we came up doing the whole rock era yeah and San Antonio so you got I used to hear you on the radio Joe Anthony play you look and be Roni the the live photos on the back of the Narita album were shot in San Antonio right you're from New York so tell me especially in the age before the Internet how do you get word that you're getting air play at building on building an audience is you know halfway across the country yeah that's right it's kind of bizarre you think there's always there there always I always had friends that like a small group that would know you know what the newest band was right most of the highest new underground band because that was the coolest thing you know hey check this band I found you know it's like then word we just spread you know so that I guess through our management we found that we were getting air play down there and let me say you know decided hey you know we got it we got to visit this place we got to play this place you know I mean that's I think it's always been like that you know we've got stories you know from bands in the 60s and stuff like that you know throughout their rock era you would find little pockets where people just you know they hear a fan and and now with the Internet you know you could be some remote island in the Pacific and have a fan base there you know but it was just interesting San Tony I guess it's always been a rock and roll town I mean it was certain cities like you know Cleveland and yeah it just got back to us in New York either they contacted our management or whatever we just I will back various magazines also back then that monitor your play yeah I I seem to recall some bands whether it was right or not that I heard stories about like the radio station would get a promo right and it would have contact information on it of course and if it and if it you know the the guy who had the midnight show which is kind of what Joe Anthony did he would be I think a show was called in concert Joe Anthony in concert he would you would you would try new bands he played rush he played UFO a little bit later on he played you guys merciful fate he helped break bands in the south sure sure him and Lou Roni like Dave mentioned and and and then Corpus Christi all anything south of San Antonio the same kind of thing was happening somehow the DJ got a promo called the number hey man this is lighting up the phones you know that's that's 70s and early 80s talk pre-internet talk that I know there but that I think moves the needle and I feel like that I mean you're proof of it that you know you went you followed the divining rod oh no looks like we're going south guys you know oh yeah yeah Texas I mean you mentioned Corpus Christi we we played there I mean everywhere we went in Texas was just it was total insanity yeah yeah fans yeah yeah we get to meet Joe Anthony or Lou Roni I think we might have met him once I know I know they you guys thank them on the back of the Narita album and they are down under album the credits are too small on the restless breed CD that I own and my eyes can't read that's probably on there as well yeah I mentioned earlier I saw you guys on that tour I saw you with Saxon at the Austin Opera House and me and Dave are huge Saxon fans as well that show was amazing I want to say that was you may or may were you on that tour or you we've gone by a bit with such and quite quite a few yeah yeah I swear I say I swear you were you and Kip and it was everybody but it might have been with Rhett I can't I don't recall if it was like the turning point restless breed or I can't remember if you guys were still on the end of fire down under or what it could have been on the end I saw you guys in on an arena tour I saw you guys on an arena tour during fire down under and for the life of me I cannot remember who you were touring with can you give us a grocery list of of headliners you might have been supporting on fire down under oh God in in Texas in Texas sorry this is a pop quiz for you Rick yeah yeah we did we toured with ACTC I remember to yeah I wish I would have stopped wish I would have seen that show that's right and in fact I had the original bass player from Riot to play he came in to fill in and we I remember that tour right with ACTC and then it played with Hager and yeah I mean the arena stuff was what Sabbath and glue is to call and later on rush I mean it was what about white snake did you tour of whites now not with white no no yeah a guard quiet riot no no no that would have been interesting yeah so so that's funny it's funny that you bring that up because on my list of questions I feel like I read somewhere that you know you guys you guys had a lot of let's just call it bad luck and there was there was a time around fire down under going into restless breed when of course you guys had all the pieces in place like you always did but there looked like there was going to be maybe you were finally gonna break out and then quiet riot explodes and do you but there ever any conflict with you guys like trying to clarify no no we're not that band were the other yeah yeah cuz every time you had mentioned right oh quiet right you mean quiet right I mean I was kind no it was just like I mean you you mentioned bad luck and you know there was yeah some good luck to everybody used us as the band with you know the worst luck ever but this bands have had worse but yeah that was not a good one there you know right the time we're about to break and you have quite right and they have you know hit on the radio it is interesting nearly in the mid 60s the US had the birds right be why RDS and in Newland Ron Wood's band was with the birds and and it's interesting and it was the same type of thing that happened to them and they you know the birds took off in America and it's like they were kind of screwed you know and then we moved on and tried to just porch sure let's go let's go back a little bit I'm sorry Dave dinner up I'm just kind of before I forget I have this memory of reading about you guys in Karang magazine quite early an English you know rock magazine of course yeah of course and there were pictures of you guys it may have been a gig at Donnington yeah yeah and and you guys and you guys you you're on the record like they released a record and you guys are doing road racing right live on the record and I just seem to I mean the articles I read in Karang around 81 and 82 were just like fucking loved riot they loved you guys so much and I think that that's a seed planted for you know the the other guys you know the the riot fire that's out there I think that you that the just of course it planted the seed for that but yeah but but just you know without any saying anything or you know feelings fuck our feelings let's not go political here let's think about 1981 or what have you in the UK and your little band from New York gets invited to go play over there somehow some way do you recall how that even happened yeah and you got to record they recorded you and it's on the fucking vinyl and I have it and I love it I love that song yeah yeah that was a sort of a fantasy thing we couldn't wow that happens you know that we were got on that bill and you know when you look back at it now you know I mean the dancing festival became a huge event you know yeah yeah and then you know it was just like when we went there was we viewed it like a mini woodstock we're playing into a mini woodstock because it was just a sea of people and you know playing with priest yes and was UFO there is UFO there no no UFO okay Michael shanker rainbow April wine right there you go there you go April you know it just white and Saxon just rainbow just you know whatever whoever the rainbow headline yeah I mean you know I mean black one was one of my idols you know mark in the blackboard and yeah but that was that was that was a thrill and and the fans loved the band and that's why we were always included in the new wave of you know British heavy metal now you're over that got in there and yeah and we started to go to England and and the shows we just phenomenal there the fans even when I went back with ride act last year we did a small tour there and they all came out and it was a blast I mean loyal really diehard loyal fans and it was just very humbling to see that and play for them and they brought their fire down under and all the hurling ride albums it was a trip so when you did that monsters a rock festival where you want tour over there anywhere did you fly out especially for that gig I don't think we were on tour I could be wrong my memory is not very good to tell you the truth on this I'll be honest with you I don't remember if we flew out there for that I'm sure the other guys in the band will say it was I mean it was one of your earliest gigs and that's phenomenal that that's one of your earliest because as we said the lineup was rainbow scorpions right East Saxon yeah Jason's holding up the line all right there yeah touch that's a hell of a bill touch Riot Saxon April wine scorpions and rainbow yeah I was reading some of the reviews of that just recently actually it's just interesting reflecting on the first Donington show I'm talking about the bands then luckily they said some nice things about us yeah well I think you know you're one of those it's kind of it's kind of a double-edged sword you guys you guys made your mark but you weren't around long enough to kind of overstay your welcome not saying that you would have but there is a certain romance with bands that kind of make a mark and they're kind of this perennial underdog you're always going to be viewed as sort of the the little engine that could you know and it's and people love that and people will always respect that and always admire that and I think that's why you go around the world even to this day and people remember Riot fondly Oh no doubt especially they all just go back to the fire down under and and it's just like yeah one of my best favorite albums of all time the top 10 out I mean it's unbelievable what I would hear from from fans yeah just blew my mind you know and then I come across these is heavy metal list that people would compile and fire down there would be up there and you know top five top ten whatever and yeah that always blew my mind and it wasn't until I think decades later that realized the impact that album had a lot of people and a lot of bands too you know and we were always one of those bands that would just you know really under the radar kind of underground and it's kind of cool fans always like to have those bands are just like oh we just know about them you know they're and you know they're not they didn't make it big and sell out or whatever you know right yeah that's my that's exactly what I was yeah that's the point I was making and so on fire down under on the credits I think the first sentence in the liner notes is something to the effect of this album is the result of three long years of struggle and then you go on to thank all the people that helped make that album possible sure what can you tell us about the three years of struggle what was going on during that time well let's see I mean from your early days before I was in the band it's just just a just to clarify you joined in time for Norita you're not on right right okay exactly you know so it was it probably was a struggle the mark to get the band that he wanted cuz he's the one that started the band you know so getting the right combination of people and right that's just a history of like people coming in and out the musicians coming in out of the band I mean it's just my modeling you know to this day but in those early days they have a lot of different lineup changes and and musical direction getting right people that were into that higher energy hard rock sounds and the struggle of just getting things recorded and put the struggle of dealing with during the mid-70s when Rock City came out you know New York was punk and disco yeah it was the beginning it was did it was heavily disco you know so and then the punk movement came in so and we would just like kind of left field you know it's like this American British heavy rock you know it wasn't really metal but there are songs on there that that border on you know the early days of metal oh for sure Rock City proto metal yeah you know so that was a struggle playing the music that we wanted to play in an environment that was just total opposite so right and then trying to get trying to get noticed and shopping recordings that we had yeah so that's the three years struggle and you know going from cap of capital to Electra it was just a nightmare you know dealing management dealing with record companies and people getting turned off by the band turned off by our managers it's very complex and very frustrating but that that's the struggle you know just trying to get the band off the ground and in an era where that music really wasn't the focal point you know I always felt that if we came out a few years later that we would have really made it really big I think also we like just like a year or two early yeah it's interesting because I I've heard it the the opposite the folder opposite like bands will get a deal and then there you know the label sits on the record for a year or two before it finally comes out and then the what happens the moment of impact was back there and you guys were just well you know for you guys it could go either way you're either too late in that middle spot either too soon or too late so that's what I kind of felt you know it's like I mean just a few years later you know the focus was more on that music you know yeah I mean you know what the fan Helen hit 79 yeah you know and I don't know we just we predated some of the really bands that really made it big and we were right on the cusp of that but there's a whole political thing behind that too why there was why we never made it to that level to just a lot of a lot of reasons I wondered I've often wondered also if you had been from England and you could have accurately been called part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement if that would have given you a little more legs to because you would have slotted right in nicely with a lot of those bands but maybe to record labels and people that market stuff and you know the machine you're kind of this outlier because you're in New York you know and and and the Saxons and the Def Leopards and the Iron Maidens are happening in Europe so I've always wondered if that was maybe part of it too they just didn't quite dry on you and to piggyback I I always threw riot into the same stack of records I always threw oh yeah and this I know they're from New York and they're not from the UK or whatever you know I would always put put you guys right next to UFO or thin Lizzie or diamond head or even even motorheads early stuff because this bluesy kind of shimmy shimmy stuff you know and just loud and abrasive and then yeah I always did that yeah but here's what's interesting right so you think the cool thing about this here's this American band right that's doing this music that goes to England I mean just like Jimi Hendrix went to England in 67 you know and became like this phenomenon you know and it's just like wow you know why didn't that happen to us the thing is we weren't big in England you know that's what that's what's interesting about it right like I don't know the marketing people at the very good company is just oblivious to that you know it's kind of interesting obviously if we came from England you know with during that period with those bands we probably would have been right up there yeah we'd death leopard or saxophone made it you know yeah and those and those bands other than the three you mentioned there was a lot of people forget that it was up maybe they don't forget but the new way everybody should have been metal was a tag such as don't throw rocks at me at these are just words I didn't make them up grunge you know somebody said they called this kind of music grunge and they called this kind of music the new wave of British heavy metal and they called this kind of music disco and they well okay new wave of British heavy metal came out at the same time as like disco and punk were kind of like battling for fandom right Van Halen from the west coast was on tour with black Sabbath right so you're like this crazy shit going on right now so everybody's fighting to you know do that everyone's doing this you know yeah yeah dog pile of of just art and sound and fashion and it's it was just a crazy time but but you know Saxon you mentioned Saxon and death leopard and iron maiden and you you know those bands were getting going in 79 but they weren't the giant opus or the legends that they are now right and they were you guys were pretty much neck and neck if you will yeah pretty close yeah but they were all from over there and you're from New York going wow what's our next move right I mean if you would have moved over there because it was trendy to move hey dude let's load the van and move to L.A. that's what you know all my friends did that you know you stayed in New York I stayed in Texas whatever it is it was still it's a gamble either way you're not you know you didn't have to leave town to go do what you ultimately get I mean you guys might be as big as angel witch or a new everybody see what I'm saying right sure there's a there's a thousand new ever British heavy metal bands that are legendary such as riot that are not a death leopard or even a Saxon oh yeah there's so many yeah and and even diamond head is one of them they're just lucky that Metallica covered four of their songs right yeah wow there's a there's a thought what if Metallica had covered some riot to I've seen Lars where I've seen Lars where a riot sure that's a fan he loves the big fan of riot fuck yeah I think there was a talk of one time of them doing sorts of tequila from the mistake mm-hmm yeah I would have fucking rocked they would yeah yeah from what I understand of Lars and I think even James but I know I've seen Lars playing times with with wires shirts and yeah I've found out years later that we've influenced quite a number of super stars now of course do I've covered I've covered your songs a hundred times mm-hmm yeah I think I read a story where you actually had I won't say it was a formal meeting but at least a casual conversation with Metallica's manager when they were an upcoming band that nobody heard of and there was some it was kind of letting you know that you guys had the goods and can you expand on that yeah I think I mentioned this in another interview I was it was in New York I was at the Reds and I ran into Cliff Bernstein and he was a fan of riot and we were talking about just what was going on the politics of the band and management and he came out and he just said straight away you've got to break away from your management you know guys could be so big you've got to break away and then he goes like this goes see these guys these guys are going to be the next big thing and then sitting on this sofa is Metallica and yeah I look over their name the teenagers yeah they're gonna be the next big thing and it's like Metallica yeah but it's but it's but it's Metallica is Metallica like 84 you know forget that you know I don't get to Francine telling me that you know wow yeah you said and I remember going back to the band hey we got we have to do something here you know but it never panned out unfortunately and I why I think that we're not up there with Metallica yeah yeah I mean it happens it's part of the business right I mean there's a lot of talent there at the band doing that period when Guy was in the band and with all the elements the sound the guy was such a unique vocalist you know yeah claimed the sound of riot you know so and that's what people latched onto it very few bands can get away with switching us you know getting a new singer and like AC DC is one of the few bands that could pull that off right where people love Bond Scott but they still love Brian Johnson too you know yeah Van Halen did it I mean it's two different sounds in two different eras and just people say you know David Lee that's Van Halen yeah there's a lot of people you know love the Samia era so they sold a lot of fucking records with Sammy in the band they sold a lot of fucking records with Sammy yeah a lot of hits yeah a lot of hits yes yes Jason knows this and and maybe some of our listeners and people that know me will know this but I I find myself in the minority probably but I find myself reaching for restless breed at least as often as I reach for fire down under that's cool and I because I think that is a great great record especially I didn't I don't know that I knew this at the time because I wasn't paying attention to the chronology of the catalog but especially when you consider that that is your first record with a new singer it's a great record and I love it top to bottom and so tell me a little bit about that area and I also wanted to ask specifically before I forget the song the song loved by you is your baby that that you wrote that whole that song is credited entirely to you if I'm not mistaken and that might be my favorite song on that record oh cool yeah most of the songs that I did with Riot wore my songs actually even on fire down under and restless breed that would present to the band yeah love by you was was a lot of fun to play with red working with red was I enjoyed it I think probably because we're more from the same school and his he was more of a bluesier type of singer which appealed to me and Mark like that too guy was very very different just came from a different area really but for some reason the songs that I wrote on restless breed worked well with Rhett he interpreted them quite well I think love by you reminds me a humble pie I don't need no doctor good yeah yeah it's got that vibe to it yeah yeah we would I love tumble pie oh yeah mark look in fact we all love tumble pie and I was lucky enough to see them back back then awesome really in the early days yeah yeah this is that the whole harp thing guitar trade-off thing going down yeah it's really cool I really like the rest of speed it kind of gets overlooked but at this I think there's some really good tunes on there absolutely down down here there was a bunch of local bands covering songs off of that just as often as fired down under oh that's cool to hear yeah yeah I always love hearing when bands to do our tunes I think oh dude that's the ultimate compliment right especially in San Antonio because they knew that it was gonna light up to the backyard keg party if they played one or two songs off of both of those records because they heard them on the radio last night wow that's that was a real deal and we were right tribute band out there somewhere right yeah in San Antonio no doubt yeah yeah so what was ret because I've read that ret while he's a great singer was a great singer unfortunately in past tense here but I've read also that he was a bit of a liability in terms of he you know behind the scenes he was a bit of a loose canon as a personality was he a bit of hard to handle no I think that's just how everyone perceived him he was he was a really nice sweet guy he was it really was a great guy but you look at Rhett the persona of Rhett I mean I mean we were we first saw a video of him when we were auditioning singers you know he has his leather chaps on the long Robert playing hair right I mean he was just like you couldn't ask for anything more of a rock God singer you know right yeah so when you have a person that kind of image you sort of like have this I have an idea by okay this is what this guy is and he had the Southern draw he he was where was where was right from where was he originally from from Georgia okay well I don't know if I knew that but he was really he was a really good good nice guy he he had a bit of a temper I remember one time he had disagreement with our manager and I don't know if he goes mr. manager I'm gonna have to punch you out but he wasn't in troublemaker he was a really good guy yeah I like I think his voice is great especially this breed I like Jason's comparison to humble pie I think restless breed is one of the I mean a lot of people will say fire down under doesn't necessarily get the credit it deserves but it certainly gets more credit than restless breed and I think this breed is a great record so you know the bands you know direction had that it changed a little bit because the writing style has to accommodate your singer and you have no way you know that's just the way it is and luckily we came out with a good record and the songs just came out and and there's plenty of fans I love that era of riot yeah oh yeah it was kind of a nasty a nastier version of the band with Rhett on vocals because good point his his rasp I mean he could clean it up enough to be kind of soothing and and croon because he could he could crew and as well as get that you know the lion roar yes which I do compare sometimes and not limited to like what blackie lawless did and wasp when he would totally dig in that it's the same lion roar and I fucking love that but yeah I love stuff like guy and I like all the I like being able to sing with that clean and high and and be able and have a lot of melodic melodic control just as much as I love that lion roar yeah that's what guy had his melodies with great unbelievable and he could so he could soar he could his voice would soar and I feel like Rhett had a bellowing thing as well as that you know nails on the chalkboard sometimes when he wanted it yeah right on the head yeah yeah exactly maybe that's why I rest this breed appeals to me I love guy don't get me wrong yeah Jason nailed it there was sort of a nastiness and a snarl I'm just saying both versions of the band were fucking untouchable it goes back to what Rick was saying earlier there's very few bands where they can replace the singer and have an equal amount of fans with each singer and I think it's because each singer turns the band in to you can't just say oh it's the previous band with a new singer that band almost becomes a new sound it has a new identity comes a new band just like black Sabbath when they went from Aussie to Dio or as we mentioned earlier bond to Brian or David Lee Roth the Sammy Hagar those if you nobody will say that's just black Sabbath with a new singer happened like three times yeah it was basically a different sounding that's right happened like three times with rainbow yeah exactly and they had hits they had hits with all three singers - yeah you can't even shake a stick at it yeah yeah you got Dio yeah you got Dio you got Graham bonnet and then Joel and Turner and they were on the radio and they had hits and it was numbers the bean town was like wait this is rainbow another new singer you know it's probably funny management wise yeah that's that's quite amazing that they were able to sustain you know switch yeah three different singers that's and that's and again in this sort of round table we have going here and I think that all three of us have sort of like you know hit the the button correct is like your your comparison from bond to Brian you know it's hard to do I'm saying that riot did it oh yeah did it you find no choice to do it you know and we'll need the day need the day's easier rainbow and look at that and freaking back and black with the biggest one of the biggest yeah I mean yeah I mean yes I mean what a how crazy is that right yeah they lose bond and then they have the biggest freaking record ever you know yeah and you also think about it it's like that's that whole 1979 coin again there it is it's like a bad penny right the 1979 thing new everybody's heavy metal riots from New York Van Halen's on the east coast everybody's trying to you know do this and singers are changing and and here comes back and black 1980 yeah there's unbelievable there's no reason riot should have made it big even whether it was with Guy or Rhett because both bands had what it you know I agree had it you know and when Red came in it was just it was just new blood you know we wanted to continue and it was just new but you bring into a new member in the band it's just like hey you know it's excitement it just revives everything and you get excited about writing it's like oh wow this guy could do this maybe I couldn't do that but this guy could do this and it's just refreshing and and the songs just tap they just it just happens you know sure and we had all the elements with both bands I think absolutely it's just you know it's just a lot of mismanagement a lot of bad decisions there's a lot there's a lot of luck and timing involved in rock and roll all three of us know that yeah so why why did why did Guy leave and and what did you guys see it coming or was that a shock do you see coming I don't think anybody thought about that Wow it happened you know during the rush tour where it was like hmm he mentioned the fact that he wasn't gonna continue and it was I remember we would have we were bleeding with him backstage at a concert opening for Rush you know wow in the dressing room like God really you're gonna leave you can't I mean you put all this energy we all put this energy into this all this time and now it's kind of like the payoff time we're touring with Rush you know playing stadiums and I think each of us had a talk with him each band member would get him alone and and he tried to persuade him but I think his mind was made up and I don't know if it was years of frustration not making any money or just like or maybe there was a thought in my mind that maybe he wasn't really didn't want to take it to the next level where all right now you might be as big as Rush and you might be a superstar and you know I kind of wondered I want to maybe you couldn't handle that I mean I don't know you know there's all these things and maybe you just wanted to save a life yeah did he finish the tour did he finish the tour did he finish the tour yeah I think we just finished the rush tour and that was it and he said goodbye wow yeah I think we have actually have a photo of him opening a door back over his shoulders looking back and it's just like wow it's just it's like that's photo of guy Elvis leaving the room right yeah what album was what album was Rush promoting what what a timestamp on is that 81 that was the limelight Tom Sawyer you know that period yeah that's 80 that's moving pictures yeah limelight I remember we were I remember they were doing a soundcheck and they actually Neil Pert was late and they actually said he'd come up and play really I'm late with them for soundcheck oh man that's cool I bet that's it he used to check us out when we do an hour sound check I mean really really great guys really nice guys you know and we'd see him out there checking us out during sound check Wow it's like look at this getting check this out you know and I was a big rush band too you know I oh yeah we'll be here yeah I have read stories where you say that that was the best tour you guys have ever done and as we've mentioned you've done some massive ones some big names besides being a rush fan what else was so special about that tour what did you build some camaraderie with the guys in the band because I know a lot of times when you're touring the bands are really just ships in the night one goes on stage and leaves the building it goes to the next city and then people have this idea that you guys are all backstage party and all the time and that's couldn't be farther from the truth yeah right cuz I really didn't really hang out with them and we were at the we were at the parties and everything like that but I think we were kind of shy you know I remember just being I don't want do you want to come off like a fan or whatever I was kind of shy I was like there's plenty of idols like you remember meeting scene Tony I owe me we told it's everything we sounded breakfast with his wife and I just like smiled at him like anyone bother him I was like that with a lot of people I really didn't hang out the guys rush but I know they acknowledged you know get acknowledged us touring with the Sabbath hanging out with Geezer by just by chance we met in an elevator and me Kip and I we went up to Geezer's room and we're hanging out with Bill Ward and and Geezer and they were giving us a lesson on how to be screwed by your manager how to kid beyond that and not to make the mistakes that they made wow it was very cool they were very cool very cool people like Geezer was great and that was like a real lesson yeah and they would know during a rainbow black more I was afraid to talk to black more because he always had this image his persona about him and I just remember just like I can't even talk to him I'm afraid to talk to him were you the same way around Angus Young did you ever get to talk to Angus now Angus they were they were cool they were cool they didn't have that thing that black more had that aura about him you know yeah that was that was different they were you know down to earth working class guys and yeah it was a little different but I was always like Mark and I used to watch Richard play at the side of stage because it was nice he was just brilliant and but we were always afraid because he was like just strange there was times that Joel didn't turn out they want to go want to do an encore people wanted an encore and he would be banging on Richie's door come on Richie come on out let's do you know it's like so it's like you see stuff like that and go wow this maybe that's why the guy left you saw that stuff and was like oh my god these expectations when you get to that level they're just watching yeah it's a shame with guy because unbelievably talented dude like I said the melodies and the songs and the lyrics oh yeah great lyrics yeah he wrote he wrote all that stuff huh he wrote all those lyrics yeah wow yeah I mean I knew he wrote the bulk but I always thought Mark had some lyrics in there somewhere you throw lyric in you know we get together in the room and you know if somebody throws in a line or two that happens you know when you get credit or not it's a different story back to just kind of fanboy out on guy for a second his his lyrics were were if you just read them as a shopping list very proto power metal you know or something altar of the king outlaw oh yeah you know what I mean and I love how like like on the song outlaw you you guys had this kind of like swagger and you had quite a few songs that had this you know kind of you know this sort of dancey you know group group things good yeah it's kind of and then you guys yeah you guys also had you know fucking bulldozer effect as well yeah sure I think that's so and some stuff from restless breed probably inspired by we go to San Antonio you know that Mark was always fascinated with it with the West oh yeah yeah yeah there's I mean the speaking of rest is breed that song violent crimes I mean that's almost Metallica I mean that's thrash metal right yeah there's some crazy shit you guys yeah you guys were doing a lot of stuff that was I'll say it's just proto metal you guys were right you were doing something that what well you think of new everybody's heavy metal when people think of diamond head they think of am I evil thank you Metallica and you think this you go here the diamond head version it's a different band it's the guitar tones are cleaner it's a little looser in the you know the groove is kind of it's different than then Metallica oh yeah it's choppy when it's Metallica it's very staccato and they're kind of like this groovy rock band from England which you guys had a lot of that which once again throwing riot into the new ever British heavy metal thing for for more of a death leopard is not metal death leopards not Iron Maiden death leopard is not Motorhead death leopard is not Angel Witch right but it is and it's like everybody Saxon included is influenced by AC DC and UFO and oh yeah UFO was we loved I loved UFO it I remember when they first hearing about them it's like oh you got to check out Michael Shanker you know oh you know Michael Shanker and they were such a great band but that I guess the thing about Ryan was we were influenced by a lot of the great British bands yeah and Guy was influenced by a lot of American blues but also a lot of boogie bands like fog hat yeah Mark was into I don't know bad company yeah I was into Zeppelin D-Purple so there's a lot of I mean all my favorite favorite bands were British bands so we and Montrose for an American band oh yeah heavily influenced by Montrose I mean Peter at the original drummer and Mark heavy-duty Montrose fans I love Montrose and so you had that American side and and the British side and it just came together and that's what gave us our sound you know yeah and that's why I guess you associate throw us in that pile of British metal I hear I just hear it I think it's a natural thought right to just do that because of all of the bands that you just mentioned for bad company to fog hat to purple I mean that's enough and you mentioned humble pie earlier that's all blues based swaggery nasty loud but you know dragging sometimes and also like you know almost fast you know but dirty and just nasty bluesy rock yeah just turned up the speed of it yeah which is what ultimately I feel like the new wave of British heavy metal was all was doing because of the some of the same bands mentioned hey and I just want to say before I forget I know there's no way I'm going to I've enjoyed this conversation so much yeah and I just want to say that you know any version of riot in certain markets there's the the reality of it are always going to have fans that love you because of you know where what you have created and been a part of whether you're in or you're out or you're in or out this version that version it doesn't matter you're you and other rioters also I think it just made that up are all are always going to have you know in these pockets worldwide are always going to have the fan that is going to freak the fuck out I don't care if it's the year 3000 you guys have created these pockets you don't have to be the biggest band you know oh we were this close we were gonna make it and then we were gonna be a bigger band because of this moment in our career and that oh shit all that aside right talk about it a hundred times fast forward to what I just said and those fans that came from Mexico to see you play in south Austin freaking out I know I for forever freaking out they can't wait to see you again that's my point yeah oh there's no doubt I mean playing playing those clubs and just seeing those people come out I mean I tell you that I think I prefer doing that to see it to have a club packed with the loyal dedicated fans that enjoy it and we're enjoying playing for them you know that's like yeah it's just yeah I mean you couldn't ask for anything more being a musician right yeah yeah it's really more so yeah we have the songs don't sing themselves either and they don't write themselves either so hats off to you for both of those that's very kind of you thank you very much you so we haven't talked about born in America and that was that album at the end of that album you Kip and Sandy all left the band and so what was the catalyst for this mass exodus after that album what was why did all three of you leave at the same time well cuz you know we were often a lecture dropped us and things just management wise it was just spiraling down so it was a you guys were basically the ship was sinking and it was time yeah that's really what it was like the music was changing also it was it was almost like trying to jump on the bandwagon of what was happening as opposed to staying true to what we were doing getting right always had songs that were very structured as far as melodies hooks the guitar solo the harmony thing and it was just getting away from that really like it just that's really was it was down to how I was as thrilled with the music anymore and the whole collapse of management and record companies it was just I just remember talking about some guys this is you know it's just the end it's over yeah just going it's going in the wrong direction yeah yeah and that was the first and then Kippen and Sandy and Mark just changed direction yeah that's just unfortunate yeah yeah well I mean you guys been slugging it out for a long time at that point and it's just one thing after another I mean yeah you're human at some point you you can't take any more punches and it's time that's what it was like exactly I was like wow after all these years you know and this is where we are now and it's like it was almost like oh wow I'm done with this I just yeah yeah I just wanted to forget it to tell you the truth I just want I just want to forget it and we never leave you know years later it's like hey Rick you and riot right are you guys for the greatest feeling you hear that yeah you know till today it's like yeah yeah it's different today you know it's a different tell me about I know you're not the lyricist but yeah I think it's probably safe to say swords and tequila is maybe your best-known song do you remember the inspiration for that song or writing that song because I think people would be interested in the origins of that song we all know and love well then that's Guy you know Guy read a lot and so you have to ask Guy unfortunately you can't yeah that's why I'm asking you yeah I mean you know he he creates great imagery yeah you know that's what that's what was really you listen to his lyrics you know if I just mentioned Walter the King and I just he was really good at creating imagery and the lyrics that they just came out of him you know whether he read something or experienced something while on tour yeah it could have came from anywhere you know I mean the whole tequila thing I guess in Texas you know we drank a lot of tequila you're really necessary to play with swords but it always reminded me of the conquistadors you know and that whole battle that's a good one there yeah and it's possible where he got that from - sure yeah it also works with Texas because you know tequila right oh yeah there's a lot of Texas elements that came out nice in the music a lot of influences you know from the Mexican people that we would meet there oh yeah the lifestyle a lot of that you hear that in the music yeah just breathe and and find out under yeah I think you you said something earlier about Guy had a a very picturesque or cinematic way with words in like Jason's song Outlaw earlier I can't listen to that song without visualizing the main character in the song it's that vivid you know and I think that's what you're trying to say is you know he was really good at creating characters and and making them so relatable and so real that as a listener without any visual interpretation or cue you can you get the story you're seeing and you're seeing the story in the characters right swords into Kila does that Outlaw does that about the end of Outlaw Guy is speaking Spanish I believe oh yeah there's I don't know what he's saying buddy I think he's speaking Spanish yeah there is I don't I don't think that is actually Guy doing that oh it I always thought it was don't ruin my fantasy Rick that was guy yeah what am I saying yes sounded like guys think speaking Spanish at the end of Outlaw yeah yeah so listen Ryan of course is is known for great songs classic songs great albums you're also known for your album covers oh what can you tell me about and why did this theme go on from album to album to album what is that creature on your album covers it was a guy named Stephen Wise I believe who painted it he was there he was the artist well you know I guess every band needed a mascot right you know I made it and Eddie and I guess maybe to fit in right had this this mascot that was created I mean I don't think any of us were really what thrilled about it it wasn't definitely I wasn't thrilled about it there's a story behind it there was incidents with battered seals and it was kind of a statement against and seal uprising against this it's it's kind of crazy with the narrator there's also the airport the simple grounds that they build the airport and then the seal with the coming back the acts and vengeance and so I know ties into this you know this metal imagery you know you look at all the metal bands in the era right everything is there's always somebody screaming right or wielding some kind of weapon and it's going to the opera it's you're going to the opera because there's always this tragedy and there's always this drama going on and lyrics and the songs and the dynamic and everything it's like it's like going to the opera yeah it's a fantasy thing you know especially young teenager and you latch on to this yeah a lot of bands they delve into sci-fi oh yeah all these different genres you know that young adolescent males you know you're drawn to that I guess this fantasy of what's what's out there and it's very interesting it can be from it could be from novels or comic books you know the soul warrior it's from Beowulf oh yeah yeah so yeah there's a lot of stuff that was you know read books pull stuff from there yeah operas and plays and anyway lots of drama so much drama going on and I feel like that lends itself to you know to just be generic rock lyric just with oh what's gonna happen next you know I feel like that's kind of important well what's it gonna do with that axe you know right I think that it's important to have that suspense and you know this and it'll always had had that elements right yes the fire is the important elements yes sort of like if just up in defiance yeah I think that a lot of them and it's no different with other other styles I feel like it's interesting that you know when music with drums I'll be as generic as possible from maybe the 40s 50s in even 60s and keep on going there was sometimes a a an artist on the cover you know just going you know what I mean yeah and it's like it had the guys or girls name written and cursive and they were just going you know yeah metal was a crack last very manalow you know I'm yasmin or whatever it was and this went on this is still guy this is forever right so when the music was ferocious more dramatic instead of just it's like instead of this dainty pretty love song which I love that I love those old eras I love the big band stuff because that was some ferocious shit those guys were cooking they were cooking and usually on those records it would be the whole band going yeah man what up you know it was like it's like 10 or 15 guys right or it was the band leader out front with all his guys behind him going yeah you know or whatever so I think that Dave's digging I think that I think that as time went on and music got more dramatic yeah fuck it the art did movies commercials even it's crazy they curse on commercials now yeah you know what are you gonna do it's yeah yeah having the right imagery to match the music it's got to talk it's got to talk and it's got to walk so I was I wanted to do like a quick round of name recognition because I was looking like this game what I said I like this game yeah I was doing I was I was looking at the liner notes on fire down under and a couple names jumped out at me and I wanted to ask you about them number one I see a special thanks to Diana Ross and I'm gonna assume that is not Diana Ross the singer if it is that's a great story and I want to hear it yeah yeah I have no idea to be honest with you I probably never even read anything on there okay well and I'll say yeah Diana the Supremes were big influence on riot yes yeah okay okay moving on our we've Ed Aborn is listed on the back of that record and we've had him on this show and he was also instrumental in getting Jason to fill in some dates where he sang for accept when Mark Tornillo was sick so obviously that's more up today that's 2022 but this album came out in 81 fire down under what's your connection to Ed Aborn back there was a lot of people that just supported the band they were into the music into the band people popped in out of your lives back then and so all these names at that time where people that need to really like the band contributed to getting the band to move up the ladder somehow yeah yeah all those names are some of them and there might be some names that are like I know in some albums some not very kind remarks to me some managers I think there is a name on there that I saw that another Ed Ed Leffler now I know him as the manager from Sammy Hagar and Han Halen so what is riots connection to Ed Leffler in 1981 that's with the Sammy Hagar tour and yeah that didn't a lot of disagreements and a lot of back and forths with him and our managers yeah that's just a bad bad news the credit on the the credit on the album says special thanks to Ed Leffler for needing what we had or something like that so I'm using kind of saying he was using us okay I mean did Sammy need help I don't know you know I mean he was solo at the time no mantra not no bad handling yet and we were hot young bands you know I mean bands use each other sure and we were fans of Sammy so yeah oh we get to play with Sammy cool that name jumped out at me because I know it very well is being connected to Sammy and being sure sure yeah and then finally there's another one that's right at the end of the credits that I have to ask about there's special thanks to somebody named Dr. Sandy P. and his train chimp right yeah boy that was another nasty thing Sandy Perlman manager oh that's Sandy Perlman yeah that's okay reference to I you know it's like I don't know you know we saw this you know why are we doing this why you this is the way I'm managing what they were like vengeful they were you know like I couldn't understand why would you want to burn bridges and why do you want to say these things on their record you know they just had this they had to get a diggin you know yeah you know it's like it's like it's not the band saying this is the management saying it you know yeah yeah yeah and now it's just also sandy Perlman managed blue oyster cult is right we were on the tour this black and blue tour oh yeah that's cool wow yeah yeah that was so basically your manager is using your album cover as a platform to you all their vitriol oh yeah yeah yeah the bitching that went on it's like okay now the fuck you guys all eternity it's printed on this forever yeah thanks for reminding me Dave all right well I'm gonna I'm gonna end my line of questions at least on what I hope is a positive question for Rick we talked about Lars Ulrich and obviously a lot of your peers and people that came after you hold you and riot in the highest regard I was curious to know what is the greatest compliment you've ever gotten from one of your peers oh greatest compliment well I'm reading just certain things about hearing Lars mentioned about riot how it influenced that band you know reading things like that really just kind of sends like a chilt where you're like wow you know we did enough to inspire inspire you and to go on and become the greatest fans in Iraq you know man that's pretty cool you know oh yeah and you and hearing things from fans you know just going out on the road just in the last few years for riot act and and meeting people that are in bands and they're telling me oh we play your songs you know we do this I remember one band that opened for us that they I think they might have even done ultra the king bullet and the singer was saying yeah we do this we do this song of yours and and hearing that and they're so excited to tell you that and then you hear that like oh wow but what ultimate compliments so it's it's so it's really rewarding and makes it all worthwhile even all the bad luck we had and all that but here hearing those comments and be remembered for certain a period in music and exciting these fans loyal fans that would like you said that'll be with you for the next 10 20 years whatever yeah yeah well you certainly left your mark and you've left us with a lot of great music I mean a fire down under and restless breed not to discount the other riot albums but those two in particular get heavy rotation in my collection I won't speak for Jason but I will I think he would say the same and a lot of our listeners and a lot of people here in Texas where I where we currently live still talk about you as you know when you came here and played with riot act people will approach you forever for your autograph on fire down under so I can't wait to go back there yeah I'm from Corpus Christi originally oh yeah and there was a band it would it would have had to have been late 70s and there was a there was some kids a few years older than me and I think I went to like a warehouse party to see them play and the name of their band was Tokyo Rose oh and and I remember just hearing them play 21 12 by rush I didn't remember them playing any they didn't have a singer you know it was interesting just hearing rush without vocals and that's what's the name of this band you know someone said oh yeah they're called to I think the kick drum said they bed sheet maybe out of bed sheets at Tokyo Rose on it and I just thought that was really cool because it it was early so they knew about you early it was late 70s right before it right before right before I moved to Austin and yeah so that always shit like that is I'm never gonna I mean I'm 60 years old I'm never gonna forget that why am I gonna remember this not it's so great maybe they were okay I was too young to pay attention because I don't know I was a punk you know and this band it's called Tokyo Rose and I'm going oh like a riot song that's funny yeah yeah it's really cool I think it is really cool that that you're you know your your legacy begins somewhere that you don't know anything about because you're you're in New York and where where the fuck is why what you know you it's like a hand of God it's like a you know you're touching somebody that you don't know right it's the connection that you made with your music just by oh yeah this song school whatever what's for dinner you know it's like you're just it's a day it's it's an everyday thing for you because you're a songwriter you're in a rock band and and there's someone who's completely using something you created right here your intellectual property is there everything you know they're like oh yeah so it's kind of it's got it is and you know this kind of thing is happening right now universal and that's what's I think that we are just kind of talking about now is how many people are touched by someone else's art they hanging on the wall they named their kids after you you know what I mean it's you know oh sure it's kind of amazing in your and you've and you and your rioters have have done this man so it's awesome yeah when you grow it up I remember you know you always like oh you know what what is there and like you always want to leave some kind of mark yeah we did it and you find it I was always I always thought about that you know it's like you know whether you may reach the level of Metallica or whatever it and whatever field you're in you know just to have that and you know and then like Jason said you know years later you start hearing these stories and meeting people how the music touched them and I on the last tour we did I remember meeting this one this one young young guy he knew all about fired on under and he said in how old you and he was like I think it was just in his late 20s or something you know it's like wow you weren't even born you know and he like knew everything and loved it it was just like that just blew me away you know he was hearing stories like that so yeah it's definitely well it's a it's it's good parenting or it's the coolest big brother you wait for him to go to work or go to school so you can steal his record and play it all day and put it back before he gets home and it happens to be fired down under yeah that happens oh my god yeah I learned about a lot of cool shit I have three brothers man I borrowed their records all the time oh yeah yeah you know it's you know you always see a story is about you know I mean there's a there's a whole this I was I mean a lot of friends mine had older brothers that they grew up in you know 60s and so yeah you know experience that whole era and I had an older cousin that was at Woodstock so you absorb all this stuff and it's just it just stays with you it's just like just I don't know there's something about it that just like I totally absorbed it that leaves you yeah well I don't think that you have to be the richest or the biggest or the most popular I think that what matters the most and what we're kind of talking about right now is the fact that you're making someone you're making someone's day that's you're just making someone's day man and that's and that day will last forever and how that last forever is a sound and a smell that you helped create so so thank you Rick thank you yeah absolutely yeah man thanks so much man you you definitely left your mark and we thank you for all the music you've left us and we wish you all the best in the music that's forthcoming we hope to see Riot act back in Texas at some point ever love people need to go check out that album Riot act closer to the flame is the name of the album Rick it's been an absolute pleasure having you on the show like I said I hate to overstate it but we grew up on your music and it's an honor to have you here I'm so thankful that you are willing to do this you never heard of us you don't know me a random request and you said sure and we totally appreciate it man we know you and I'd love to meet you guys yeah yeah well next time here in Texas we'll make it a point we met at the we met at the loss well we chatted at the Austin show with Raven you know something yeah I'm a giant Raven fan so anywhere Raven is you get up and sing with Raven that night no that would have been would have been the next time like that was that was the riot act was with him a year ago or whatever right and so recently Raven came back through and I got up and saying I was gonna say Rick might remember you from being on stage with him but I would have remembered that yeah yeah it wasn't wasn't that time but I have a gig tomorrow and Mike Heller the drummer from Raven is riding riding with me in my van he moved to San Antonio did you know that I'm sorry Mike Heller the drummer for Raven yeah he bought a house in San Antonio he lives an hour from me that's recent yeah wow it's crazy right yeah I said hi I will I was gonna break that he's so talented man oh yeah fucking ridiculous drummer I would hang out with him all the time we watch him play it just like just like shaker heads yeah like what the fuck are you doing yeah I'm talking about about brash and death metal and it was fun talking with him yeah hi I will I will Rick thank you so much man it's a pleasure having you on the show on behalf of my co-host Jason McMaster on Metal Day with our special guest today Rick Ventura from Riot and Riot act on the talk louder podcast had to kick out Rick from Riot act sometimes I just have to laugh after we you say goodbye to our guests because I'm just so giddy that we had that person on our show and Rick is one of those oh I have a confession I break a sweat I'm like working over here going and I'm going damn man I'm burning up just gotta I feel like I'm in the front row I hope we're still recording this please say we are oh we are okay there are times when I don't mind fanboying out and fuck fuck that was you know what that this it's it's not we it's not the total reason we have this show but it's the seed yeah and when Jared came up with the idea of hey man you know when I'm gonna we I've said this before on the show here's Jared it's locked down we're stuck in our houses and it's a text message hey you know when you guys are at a party and like and like you guys start talking start nerding out really hardcore about metal and just whatever music and rock music and shit and and the other nerds like our moths to your flame yeah everybody else just can't stand it and runs away well we everyone calls an uber how about a podcast where you guys are you know doing that nerd fest and that's the rest is history today was a nerd fest man three three years later we got in the weeds with him today (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (dramatic music) (drum roll)
