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Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 12:49 am
by metatron
Mark Slaughter contacted by guitarist Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie

https://sleazeroxx.com/mark-slaughter-c ... ion-ended/

Slaughter and former Vinnie Vincent Invasion frontman Mark Slaughter was recently interviewed by Richie for the Focus On Metal podcast to discuss amongst other things the 30th year anniversary of Slaughter‘s debut album Stick It To Ya. That album was released back on January 23, 1990 via Chrysalis Records, which was the same label that released Vinnie Vincent Invasion‘s self-titled debut album (1986) and follow up album All Systems Go (1988).


On whether there were any other bands that reached out to him to audition for them when Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended, Mark Slaughter indicated (as transcribed by the Focus On Metal podcast with slight edits): “Believe it or not, Steve Stevens. He was putting together a band called Atomic Playboys and I went up to New York and I met up with Steve and talked. He’s an incredible guitar player. I didn’t know where I was going even though I had my own deal at the time but Warner Bros. courted me to go up and meet with him and I did. We just sang a couple of [Led] Zeppelin tunes and it was a baptism of fire moment as I realized I knew more of the guitar parts than the lyrics to the songs because I was originally a guitar player. We jammed on some Aretha Franklin stuff I knew.”

Wikipedia summarizes Atomic Playboys as follows (with slight edits): “Atomic Playboys is the first studio album by guitarist Steve Stevens, released in 1989 through Warner Bros. Records; a remastered edition containing two bonus tracks was reissued on August 5, 2013 through Rock Candy Records. The album reached No. 119 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The cover art was done by surrealist artist H.R. Giger, who designed the Xenomorph creature in the Alien film series.

Atomic Playboys was also the name of Stevens‘ band at the time, which was only meant to be a one-album effort upon him being signed to Warner Bros. In a 2001 interview, when asked about the possibly of reforming the group, Stevens replied: “Absolutely not. That group was a very expensive hobby”.”

In terms of whether there was any pressure from the label to find a name guitar player after Mark Slaughter and bandmate Dana Strum (bass) left Vinnie Vincent Invasion to forge a band of their own, the singer stated: “No, they didn’t really care as long as the music was there. It was very important to me that the guys we brought in were talented, had the same influences as us and we could rub elbows with them. We had spoken to Doug Aldrich but Dio was talking to him at the time but he decided to do Lion and I met Tim Kelly and he was the guy. The only other named drummer we auditioned for Slaughter was Nick Menza who would join Megadeth. He was a great drummer and could do pretty much anything but it didn’t seem like he would fit our style of music.”

You can listen to the interview with Mark Slaughter via the Focus On Metal podcast’s website.
https://focusonmetalpod.com/wp-content/ ... al-468.mp3

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 10:40 am
by Genebaby
Some nice information there. Doug Aldrich and Nick Menza, now that would have been an interesting version of Slaughter!

Mark could have sung for so many people back then, he was so talented.

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 5:31 pm
by shramiac
Pretty cool.

I LOVE the Atomic Playboys album (not as much as Dannii does...no one loves it more :D). The songs, the solos, the tone! A fan-freaking-tasic album. I know Steve hated Perry McCarty but geez! The album wouldn't have sounded right with anybody else. Perry of course fronted the band Warrior in the mid eighties. No relevance to Vinnie's band of the same name though. Ironically, The only song I've ever heard by them was the title track from their first album, Fighting for the Earth and I couldn't stand his vocals on it. LMAO It had a cool "Egyptian feeling" guitar solo it in though.

Oh bloody hell! Now I'll have to find it on Youtube! :P Woah! Those outfits!!!! Don't find the vocals that bad now...except the bridge section! Ugh!! :roll: :lol:


Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 7:34 pm
by Genebaby
Ha ha, I'm trying to identify the guitars in the video.

They were pretty serious about fighting for the earth!

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 2:59 pm
by shramiac
Hamers maybe? Probably custom jobs by a private guy?

Driving a forklift on Saturday, I started to whistle the tune as I was stacking empty pallets!! Oh good grief!

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 3:45 pm
by metatron
Interesting 6 degrees of separation.
Pre RATT, 'The King - Robbin Crosby' was in a band called Secret Service with a couple of the Warrior Guys. One being the mighty Perry McCarty.
Demo Download -> http://uploaded.net/file/lkf0759n

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 4:04 pm
by metatron
Robbin Crosby was also in Mac Meda.
Pre RATT demos




Robbin Crosby (Guitar)
Ronnie Jones (Guitar)
Rob Lamothe (Vocals) (River Dogs)
Cliff Schuchart (Bass)

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:24 am
by Genebaby
Wow, great stuff Dannii. I knew about Secret Service, though not who was in the band other than Robin, and Mac Meda, those early versions of some Ratt classics, wow.

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 4:49 pm
by metatron
Genebaby wrote: Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:24 am Wow, great stuff Dannii. I knew about Secret Service, though not who was in the band other than Robin, and Mac Meda, those early versions of some Ratt classics, wow.
Pretty much note per note rip off. Even the spasticato whammy ending in the solo of I'm Insane.

Re: Mark Slaughter contacted by Steve Stevens about joining band after Vinnie Vincent Invasion ended

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 7:18 pm
by Genebaby
Yeah, I never knew!