to time, my landscaper friend’s leaf blower with its 100 mph winds), customers just assumed the guy with all the hair must know, so they flocked to me for advice. Eventually, I was told I had to cut my hair or lose my job. Guess which I chose?
Years later, when Mark “the Animal” Mendoza and I finally, officially met (after months of silent acknowledgment as our wall-scraping “hair hats” barely missed each other in the clubs), he told me that he was the lunatic doing the spinouts that day in the parking lot. Animal said he saw my incredible Afro and decided to puton a little show for a fellow “hair farmer,” with the auto-parts-store delivery car he was driving. True story.
DURING MY TIME OF recovery, I tried putting a new band together (Heathen), but it never got off the ground and eventually disbanded. Then I heard about something that lit me up: the local band Twisted Sister was performing without a lead singer.
From my last year of high school through my year of college and all during my time in Peacock, I was aware of the band. Born of the New York Dolls and the glitter rock of the early seventies, Twisted Sister—who advertised themselves as Mott the Hoople’s favorite band, until Mott got wind of it and sent them a cease-and-desist order—were popular in the tristate area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut). Though I’d never seen them perform, I had seen their picture in the local music papers and heard about their act: full-on makeup and bouffant hairdos, platform shoes and glam clothes, playing the best of Bowie, Mott, Lou Reed, and more glitter rock bands of that era.
Formed in 1973, the original band only lasted about eighteen months before imploding. Lead singer Michael Valentine’s partying finally got to be too much (though he did come up with the band’s amazing name one wild night), and the band fell apart. In early 1975 the band reformed with a new singer and lead guitarist, the new singer was quickly given the boot, and by the summer of 1975 guitarist Jay Jay French had taken over “singing” for the band.
When I got wind that Twisted was without a lead vocalist, I saw a real opportunity. I loved all the bands they covered and was into glitter rock (which was technically over by 1975), but had yet to get into the whole makeup thing. Hell, I had a mustache until I left Peacock! As part of my “fresh start” after I left Peacock, I decided to remove the offending “crumb catcher.” Thank God. I never grew it back.
The thing I loved most about Twisted Sister was the name. Twisted Sister. Man, did that conjure up some exotic imagery. I had to get in that band.
In August of 1975, they were playing a club in Wantagh, Long Island, called Bobby Mac’s. Using my landscaper friend’s backpack leaf blower, I blew my hair out to majestic proportions, put on my glitter platform shoes, and headed out to see them for the first time.
I walked into the small, filled, but not crowded club and parked myself on the dance floor. The band’s set was composed entirely of songs by Lou Reed, Mott, Bowie, Kinks, the Stones and the like, talk/sung in classic Lou Reed style by guitarist Jay Jay French (he can’t sing for shit). The band looked great and Jay Jay French exuded some real rock-star attitude, but they definitely needed a singer. I couldn’t wait to approach the band.
After the set, I kept an eye on the dressing-room door, waiting for them to come out. Keith Angelino, aka Keith Angel, the band’s new guitarist, exited first. A real Keith Richards/Johnny Thunders clone, he seemed approachable, so I made my move. I introduced myself, told him that I sang my ass off and rocked righteously (but not in those words), and said I would love to sing for his band. Keith reacted pretty positively, but told me I would have to speak with Jay Jay.
Keith went back into the dressing room to get him, and a few minutes later out strode Jay Jay French wearing makeup, sunglasses, platform shoes, and
Years later, when Mark “the Animal” Mendoza and I finally, officially met (after months of silent acknowledgment as our wall-scraping “hair hats” barely missed each other in the clubs), he told me that he was the lunatic doing the spinouts that day in the parking lot. Animal said he saw my incredible Afro and decided to puton a little show for a fellow “hair farmer,” with the auto-parts-store delivery car he was driving. True story.
DURING MY TIME OF recovery, I tried putting a new band together (Heathen), but it never got off the ground and eventually disbanded. Then I heard about something that lit me up: the local band Twisted Sister was performing without a lead singer.
From my last year of high school through my year of college and all during my time in Peacock, I was aware of the band. Born of the New York Dolls and the glitter rock of the early seventies, Twisted Sister—who advertised themselves as Mott the Hoople’s favorite band, until Mott got wind of it and sent them a cease-and-desist order—were popular in the tristate area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut). Though I’d never seen them perform, I had seen their picture in the local music papers and heard about their act: full-on makeup and bouffant hairdos, platform shoes and glam clothes, playing the best of Bowie, Mott, Lou Reed, and more glitter rock bands of that era.
Formed in 1973, the original band only lasted about eighteen months before imploding. Lead singer Michael Valentine’s partying finally got to be too much (though he did come up with the band’s amazing name one wild night), and the band fell apart. In early 1975 the band reformed with a new singer and lead guitarist, the new singer was quickly given the boot, and by the summer of 1975 guitarist Jay Jay French had taken over “singing” for the band.
When I got wind that Twisted was without a lead vocalist, I saw a real opportunity. I loved all the bands they covered and was into glitter rock (which was technically over by 1975), but had yet to get into the whole makeup thing. Hell, I had a mustache until I left Peacock! As part of my “fresh start” after I left Peacock, I decided to remove the offending “crumb catcher.” Thank God. I never grew it back.
The thing I loved most about Twisted Sister was the name. Twisted Sister. Man, did that conjure up some exotic imagery. I had to get in that band.
In August of 1975, they were playing a club in Wantagh, Long Island, called Bobby Mac’s. Using my landscaper friend’s backpack leaf blower, I blew my hair out to majestic proportions, put on my glitter platform shoes, and headed out to see them for the first time.
I walked into the small, filled, but not crowded club and parked myself on the dance floor. The band’s set was composed entirely of songs by Lou Reed, Mott, Bowie, Kinks, the Stones and the like, talk/sung in classic Lou Reed style by guitarist Jay Jay French (he can’t sing for shit). The band looked great and Jay Jay French exuded some real rock-star attitude, but they definitely needed a singer. I couldn’t wait to approach the band.
After the set, I kept an eye on the dressing-room door, waiting for them to come out. Keith Angelino, aka Keith Angel, the band’s new guitarist, exited first. A real Keith Richards/Johnny Thunders clone, he seemed approachable, so I made my move. I introduced myself, told him that I sang my ass off and rocked righteously (but not in those words), and said I would love to sing for his band. Keith reacted pretty positively, but told me I would have to speak with Jay Jay.
Keith went back into the dressing room to get him, and a few minutes later out strode Jay Jay French wearing makeup, sunglasses, platform shoes, and
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