Rock City Angels

I'll tell ya why the Durango Kid should have been a big star. He's the kind of born entertainer who can just effortlessly CONNECT to all kinds of people. Like his fellow native Floridian, Tom Petty, who could sell new wave, power-pop, politically-astute sixties protest music, or tear-jerk break-up songs to rednecks, soldiers, and secretaries, Durango speaks the language of the common people. He could sell a downtrodden, drop-out, crusty-punk rock song to a misguided Joe-The-Plumber, tea-party, "Tool-Time" type, who somehow really believes he'll sponge up some rich person's power, vicariously, by just randomly, blindly, sucking-up to authority. He could sell a truck-stop hillbilly ballad to a black clad anarchist, who's furious with Wall Street and the whole ongoing Evil Dick police state. He's just got that Elvis appeal. The hawks love him, the doves love him, he's a boss entertainer, he can dance a little, kind of like a cross between Mellencamp and Tyler. He understands the authentic rock'n'roll subculture. He can identify with the evicted, the addicted, the down-sized, and ripped-off. He never sold his soul. He's a good songwriter, and in spite of a long and storied past, you can tell he really loves rock'n'roll, he ain't just tryin' to make-a-buck, and get over, on anybody. He still cares about other people. He works hard to stimulate, entertain, educate, and console his fan base. He puts his heart into the music, the live shows, even in to the D.I.Y. band promotion. He has sincerity, as Iggy Pop once sang.

Not to mention his secret weapon. JIMMY JAMES is an absolute dynamo punk raunch guitar genius. Reuniting with Jimmy James might be the wisest move Bobby Durango ever made. Jimmy brings so much emotion to his playing, he's really like an illustrator. The Hangmen, Coma-Tones, and Rock City Angels are three of the Greatest Sleazy, Streetwise Punk'n'roll Bands Ever, in large part, to his amazing ability, to musically, bring Bryan Small, Giovanni Vitanza, or Bobby Durango's hard-scrub stories to life, without ever over-playing, or resorting to empty, show-boat wankery, like so many guitar players. He really is a servant of the song. What a gift. He's among the best there is. He's like Spencer P. Jones, and Kim Salmon. He doesn't merely get it, he IS IT.

You can tell Bobby's in to Noir, grubby fiction, true crime, and the shattered romance of the no longer so beautiful, and the dispossessed. He finds the nobility, the dignity, of the drinking classes. He's a glammy punk rocker, but with an empathetic, observant, hard-country soul. Jason And The Scorchers? Meet The Joneses. Bukowski, Black Flag, William S. Burroughs, James Ellroy, the Rolling Stones...he pours it all in to his catchy, lyrical songs that have substance, craft, and commercial accessibility. As nasty as Fat Nancy, or Circus Of Power, as elegant and bluesy as the Quireboys, or Black Crowes. "Use Once And Destroy" has something for everybody. Hear it, at once, if you still love rock'n'roll. You'll be testifying, just like me.

We DESERVE rock'n'roll to be this good.

Article Source: http://sleazegrinder.blogspot.com/2009/10/rock-city-angels.html - Pepsi Sheen (USA)

Johnny Depp's old band, $6m, the botched bump-off conspiracy and the Guns N' Roses connection.

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Even if you’ve never heard their music, you may remember bits and pieces of the screwy Rock City Angels saga.

A young rock’n’roll band from Florida – with future megastar Johnny Depp on guitar – head to L.A. to make it big. They sign to Hollywood legend Ann Boleyn’s tiny label New Renaissance. Depp starts getting acting gigs and leaves the band.

Geffen Records smells the next big thing and leans heavy on Boleyn to let them go. When she’s in an oddball car accident, conspiracies abound. The band sign to Geffen in a whopping six million-dollar contract. At the time, it’s the biggest new band signing ever.

The band record their debut album in Memphis. It’s rumoured they’re being left for dead in the middle of nowhere to ensure the success of Geffen’s other major signing, Guns N’ Roses.

In 1988, long after the buzz has worn off, comes the release of “Young Man’s Blues”, a double album of remarkably soulful hard rock. At this point, however, the wheels are already off the bus, and Rock City Angels implode before a second album is recorded.

Now, 21 years later, Rock City Angels have returned with the stellar new self-released album “Use Once and Destroy”, and a fistful of stories to tell. Frontman Bobby Durango fills us in.

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CR: Where’d the six million dollars go?

BD: That was for a seven-album deal. I think we got $6,000 for the whole band, and that went into equipment and expenses. And of course when we left Geffen the deal was off. So we only ever saw a very small amount of that money.

CR: Did Geffen hire somebody to kill/scare Ann Boleyn to get you out of your contract with her label?

BD: I don’t know anything about it. All I know is that, at the time, she got paid for the masters and she was happy. What led up to that I have no idea. I do have to give her credit, though. If she came up with that story, it’s a good one.

CR: Were Rock City Angels shipped to Memphis to prevent you from stealing Guns N’ Roses thunder?

BD: That is definitely not true, because the idea to go to Memphis was mine. Were we buried after we got there? Yeah. But it had nothing to do with Memphis. The real reason was that our A&R guy had problems with GN’R’s A&R guy. As a result, what was supposed to cost $100,000 went way over budget, and the band got blamed for it. It took way too long and cost way too much money to make “Young Man’s Blues”. It was ridiculous. We got signed before all those other bands, and our record came out way after. So, Geffen looked at it and said, “Do we really want to go through this again?” And they didn’t.

CR: Why did “Use Once and Destroy” take six years to record?

BD: It didn’t. It just took six years to release it. We went in and recorded the basic tracks in 2003, but then I had to come up with the money to finish it. It probably took six months to make that record. It cost $1,800, and it’s the best thing I ever did. It’s the one record I never get tired of. I couldn’t be more proud of it.

CR: There have been a lot of Bobby Durango sightings over the years.

BD: After the Angels broke up I stayed in L.A. for a few years and I had a few bands. I did wait tables in there somewhere, though. I was pretty good at it.

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“Use Once and Destroy” is available from http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rockcityangels .

Article Source: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=435549156&blogId=511942914 - Classic Rock Magazine (UK)

I am not worthy. Dimitri (SugarBuzz USA) should be writing this. The grand wizard of words would exude clever colloquialisms, spontaneous prose, and bitter sweet indifferent characteristics, all the while taunting and tantalizing the reader to join the soulful legions of rocks inner truth. The literary legend of underground web and fanzines alike is a tried and true advocate of the mastery that is Rock City Angels, and this should be his finest hour. But his life journey has led him out of reach, down paths we fear to tread, and in the wind his compass points in my direction. I can only survey the horizon and anticipate an arrival. Embedded in my psyche are the words he last bestowed, “go ahead, yer more than qualified to teach the kids about Bobby Durango.” And so it goes…..

Take heed my brothers and sisters. Rock and Roll has once again reared its head in retaliation of the dreaded ho hum. Music that matters still resides, albeit not always on the airwaves, but in the hearts, souls and minds of those brave enough to seek it out and not conform. If it crosses my path, I share and sound the trumpet, and no louder will it resonate then for the new CD from Rock City Angels.

If you know Rock City Angels, you know the score. Florida, Hollywood, Depp, Geffen, Young Man’s Blues and oblivion. “Use Once and Destroy” indeed. Then 20 years later, the phoenix rises. Interesting read available elsewhere. No re-hash here. I always was a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Let’s dig in.

Revolution is arising, Mamas Red and Blue and Brother Clem say its so. Be ready, right now, right here, right now, because we are go fuckers! “Psychopath” grabs a hold and creepy crawlies up the central nervous system. Super raunchy ruckus rocks before the change up to melodic malady. Soaring sonic scenarios of sound seep from six strings. Durango doesn’t miss a step mixing old and new as you know were it’s been and where it hath going.

Serving up a sizzling slice of “Corrine” electrifies synapses supreme. Full frontal rock sans fake facades. Showing his hand, Durango seemingly snarls with determined direction. And hurray for Jimmy James’ kick ins; he’s in the spotlight and showing the love.

Not relinquishing possession, “I Got Your Heart” absolutely tears it up one side and down the other. Sporting an Idol sneer, this two and a half minute kicker gets the job done and then some. Exceptional listen close Rick Steff keys enhance ‘subliminal seduction”.

Placing a pit right in the stomach of any rebellious youngster, “Report Card Day” leaves no excuses for lackluster academic and sheer apathetic behavior. Seems the good for nothing just wants to rock. How many of us have been in this situation. Bobby is in the same boat. Rock City Angels dig the punk roots deep for this ala snot. Billie Joe is Green with envy and Mr. Yates addresses the class with tom tom tight. A lot of fun.

“Coffee and Cigarettes” has stained my teeth and etched a crevice in my brain. This is one of those songs you will pipe up when asked for all time favorites. Delightful Clash like crescendo and decrescendo lavish the landscape. Late night conversations kill, put on the pot. The additional wind instruments give this song an almost Orleans flavor and when the vocal effect kicks in the listener is transported back to The Heigh-Ho Club circa 1929. Everything and the kitchen sink in a trim-line package. Ace.

Home-boy Bukowski’s introductory excerpt from “Born into This” sets the stage for title track “Use Once and Destroy”. Sounding like apocalyptic spiders from mars, the madhouse spills out into the night like rats run amok. Bobby can hardly contain the agony of the wayward path as Jimmy reflects the pain. You’ll be begging to be dragged down too as it gets in under your skin.

A volatile driving blend of 60’s invasion garage ala The Animals and early Seeds psychedelic sowing shine forth on deep cut (I Ain’t No) Miracle Worker. This classic track written by Nanci Matz and Annette Tucker has been covered by legends such as The Chocolate Watchband, The Barracudas, The Brogues and don’t forget the unforgettable Great Scots. Simple man put on a pedestal, can’t make no promises baby. Rock City Angles retain the swinging sound while bringing it full force into the twenty first century.

The true grit of “Keep Fighting” packs a powerful punch upside the noggin. Come on down to the winners circle and dump the loser. Worse for wear, but not defeated, you’ll dig in deep and spit. Break the chains running with this uplifting Positraction.

More punk edge than morphed exile glam, Bobby has the runny noise and greased panache in tow as he sports “Convicted”. More in the vain of Ramones, Social D. and The Mansfields, this jailhouse straight to hell vent of anger will put some piss and vigor in your swagger.

Downtrodden misery never hurt so good as the beseeching blue note “Comeback”. Lovelorn lusciousness languishes longingly. Wallow in the feel good pass the brown bag. Make your move, before it’s too late. I got the blues for you.

Opening with what seeems to be Mr. Rogers psychedelic neighbrohood testimonials, “Divine Asylum” sends out a lysergic invitation for a journey inside Bobby Durango’s mind. Swirling trails of color building within keys and flange. Visionary escapeism, let your troubles flow. Take a giant step outside and find.

And so it ends… Shugsters, take the money you saved by burning your mom’s copy of Chinese Democracy and slap it down for Use Once and Destroy. As for me, I’ sitting on the front porch listening to Rock City Angels; all the while keeping an eye to the wind and an ear to the ground. Dimitri, the bomb pops be waiting.

Article Source: http://www.sugarbuzzmagazine.com/bands/rcacd/cd.html - Sugarbuzz Magazine (USA)

A super in-depth interview with Bobby Durango, singer for Rock City Angels. It is a long interview and a tale that I think needs to be told. Hear the story of a band that was signed to Geffen Records at around the same time Guns N’ Roses were signed to the same label and the completely different ways both bands were treated by that label. We talk about everything from the infamous conspiracy theory behind their debut release ‘Young Man’s Blues’, Johnny Depp’s time in the band to the long overdue new record “Use Once and Destroy. Bobby was extremely honest in this interview and nothing was held back. If you are in an up and coming rock band and want to hear what really happens when a band gets signed, you should listen to this interview.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE: http://www.americanheartbreak.com/rnrgeekwp/?p=1088 - Rock and Roll Geek Show - Michael Butler (USA)

Check out Blaqart Radio 39 co-hosted by Bobby Durango of The Rock City Angels. Hear the stories about the songs that influenced Bobby directly from the man himself.

[SHOW EXCERPT]

STEVEN BLAQART: "Welcome to Blaqart Radio. You just heard 'Psychopath' from the new Rock City Angels album 'Use Once and Destroy'. On the podcast with us today we have a specal guest, Bobby Durango of the Rock City Angels."

BOBBY DURANGO: "That's me."

SB: "Alright ... yeah! And we're going to talk about his brand new album, we're going to play a couple of tracks from it and we're going to play a couple of his favorite tracks of, would you kind of say all time or just ... ?"

BD: "These are basically songs that influenced me as I was coming up, so you know it's not necessarily my favorite songs of all time, that would take forever, it would be like twenty shows, but it's the stuff that influenced this record and influenced 'Young Man's Blues'. That's pretty much where this music comes from."

SB: "Do you have an idea of which one you'd like to play first?"

BD: "Bloodstains."

SB: "Agent Orange, 'Bloodstains'. That to me is your theme song"

BD: "[Laughs] Yeah, it's a great song. The first time I heard it was on a Rodney on the Raq compilation. And that was my first real exposure to punk rock. I think I was about 15 years old and it really, really got me going. I mean it really changed my life. From then on i wasn't the same kid, ya know? That song really just - after I heard that I knew I wanted to make music. I think the song pretty much speaks for itself."

SB: "Alright, well let's give that a listen, this is 'Bloodstains' from Agent Orange."

BD: "Yeah!"

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE: http://tiny.cc/weM5V - Blaqart Radio - Steven Blaqart (USA)

It's a hell of a time for the Rock City Angels to try to reanimate a long dormant sub-culture, and inspire people to re-imagine their entire histories, identities, and values, but one supposes, they kind of figure, "if not us, then, who? If not now, when?" Bobby Durango asks not, what rock 'n' roll can do for him, he asks, only, what he can do for rock 'n' roll. There is a rare breed of American artists, for whom, there is more to music, than merely selling black, skull shirts, or humiliating haggard, ole Banger Sisters backstage-there is also, the Songs, which is the primary focus of the Born Showman, Bobby Durango, and his current roll-call of gothic blues men, and post-glam iconoclasts. The Angels always stood alone. Never quite Howdy Doody enough for the cowpunks, too garagey for the headbangers, like their core audience, the RCA'S were comprised of all the hippest loners from all those separate factions, and sub-genres ...True rebels, revolution-rockers, and critical-thinkers, who sail under no flag, together.

The easiest thing in the world (and the dead-dullest, too!) is for alumni of some major label eighties band to resurrect their comfortably familiar brand-name, create a truck load of black t-shirts with their comfortingly familiar logo, locate a suitable hair-piece, and wag their beer gut in the general direction of those tanning-booth blondes, who pay too much to attend those hair band festivals, with the army recruiters, and all the Spicoli dude-speak. If your only aspiration in life is to have your drunken ego stroked by an aging Aero-floozy, whose skin in the texture and color of your favorite old catcher's mitt, and whose breast implants can hardly compensate for an identity based around, supposedly having blown Kelly Nickels in 1987, there are ample opportunities on the has-been circuit.

Songwriter, Bobby Durango, the fearless leader of those defiant sleaze punks, the ROCK CITY ANGELS, never liked to do anything the easy way. Instead of busting out the old black cowboy hat and spurs for the blissfully-oblivious, "Rock Of Love" watchers, who desperately want to pay hundreds of their hard-earned, manicurist dollars to merely, go "whoo" atop some mulleted male's shoulders they don't plan on sleeping with, and perhaps, tearfully, wave their lighters for any power ballad they may have some faint memory of having heard a long, long time ago, at some lucrative, outdoor gathering of middle-aged metal-heads ... those stubbornly independent, Rock City Angels, independently-released, one of the best punk rock records of the past few years, "Use Once And Destroy". Even the title has a sort of "underground-railroad" feel to it, because good rock'n'roll, the real hardcore, gutsy variety's been pushed back underground, to make way for corporate bullshit and war-time propaganda. Songs like "I Keep Fighting", "I Got Your Heart", "Coffee and Cigarettes", and "Use Once And Destroy" are so action-packed with anger, paranoia, nostalgia, moral courage, heartache and compassion, that it's hard for me to imagine someone not grooving along, with 'em. Unfortunately, I think Sal Canzonieri is right about the Anti-Rock Conspiracy in this country, and how the corporate, war-profiteering, honky, death-machine's media-monopolies who own the public air-waves, refuse to allow any heart-felt, emotional music to receive frequent air-play, preferring to manufacture always more Ken And Barbie Beach House Pop, watered-down rap with no message, or smarmy, art-school electronica, that seldom inspires people to come together, like punk rock. Naturally, when I refer to "punk rock", I mean, "pure rock'n'roll". I make the distinction, ONCE AGAIN, because there's still this lingering illusion in some circles, that punk has anything to do with peppy, upper middle class suburbanites, high-school pecking orders, dress codes, hair-product, and/or $75 striped hoodies, from Hot Topic, in the mall.

READ FULL ARTICLE/INTERVIEW HERE: http://tiny.cc/27FYA - Punk Globe - Pepsi Sheen (USA)

Calle: The band started out as a punk band called the Abusers in the beginning of the 80’s. How did you guys meet?

Bobby Durango: The Rock city angels started in late 1981 as a S. Fla. punk band called The Abusers. A kid named Andy Panikhad learned how to play the bass and was looking for some other kids to start a band with. You have to understand that there were very few punks in S. Fl. at that time because if you were just a little bit different, you just weren't accepted by anyone there. It took serious balls to be a punk, but he met me, another alienated youth, "L!" at a midnight double bill of "The Decline Of Western Civilisation" with "Rock'n'Roll Highschool", and asked if I wanted to start a band. We were both 16, and I had just quit school, a real juvenile Delinquent,"L!", so I said sure, why not? My parents were pissed coz I had left school, so I lived on his condo roof until his mom went to work and then we would jam in his room. We soon found some other kids to play with, and it wasn't long before we were playing shows.

Calle: Soon after your music style developed into a more glam inspired sound. Why?

Bobby Durango: After a year or two, we both started listening to a wider range of music and we got better as musicians. I personally got more involved in song writing and what we were listening to eventually translated to the songs we wrote. Whatever the inspiration, we never lost the attitude that punk embodies.

Calle: What made you change the band name to Rock City Angels?

Bobby Durango: We finally had to change our name to the Rock City Angels just to get gigs! It's important to understand that there were no places for original bands to play back then. Florida tourists wanted to hear covers! Every once in a while a club would open up that catered to a local audience that wanted original bands, but we were so crazy then, a show wasn't successful unless we fucked something up! If it wasn't our equipment, it was ourselves or the club. Needless to say, that didn't go over very well. So the only way we could get another show to play was to involve a little "trickery". The name stuck.

Calle: Who are your biggest influences?

Bobby Durango: The Rock City Angels have had so many influences through the years, it really shows with the range of music we play, but we've always tried to keep the punk attitude as an important ingredient, a constant. I mean I could say Iggy and The Stooges, The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Sex Pistols, Muddy Waters, N.Y. Dolls, Johnny Thunders, T. Rex, I could go on and on, but when you've listened and been inspired by as much music as I have through the years, all those influences become subconscious, until they're all mixed together into something NEW! A lot of songwriters don't get that, it's the way you combine your inspirations in a new way that creates a unique sound or style that keeps your work fresh.

Calle: What got you into music in the first place?

Bobby Durango: My parents were hippies when I was growing up, so I was exposed to all that as a kid, we went all over the country in a V.W. microbus and hit all the music festivals. I was even at Woodstock! Of course I was only 4 years old so my memories of that time were not always about music, but I listened to all that stuff, even as a little kid. My first record was Sweet, "Desolation Boulevard", man, I must have worn that record out! As I got older I gravitated towards the punk movement because I shared the angst and alienation that music expressed.

Calle: Name 3 “older” bands and 3 “newer” bands you can recommend?

Bobby Durango: 3 older bands that are essential would be The Who, The Stooges and Alice Cooper. 3 newer bands I would recommend would be The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Rocket From The Crypt, (who just broke up ) and APA State Mental.

Calle: In the mid 80’s Rock City Angles got a record contract with New Renaissance Records and soon after Geffen Records bought the contract and offered you a lot of money. How did the band react to that?

Bobby Durango: We were extremely happy to be signed to Geffen initially. New Rannaisance obviously didn't have a clue what to do with us, they were a small metal label who didn't know what to make out of a bunch of kids living the rock'n'roll they were writing. We felt like Geffen would get us to a much larger audience, which is what being an artist is all about. Communication.

Calle:You then moved from L.A. to Memphis to make the record. Was that a vice decision when you look back at it?

Bobby Durango: Memphis was completely the right decision for us. It was the home of the soul music I loved so much, and I didn't want to sound like every other band coming out of L.A. Plus, it got us away from bad influences and allowed us to focus on making a great record.

Calle: In 1988 you released “Young Man’s Blues” which was well received. Soon after Rock City Angels got dropped by Geffen. Rumors have it that Geffen only bought your contract to avoid the competition with Guns ‘n’ Roses. Is that a fact or do you have another side of the story?

Bobby Durango: Look, I don't really know anything about that but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, seems like it would be better to have two bands selling records than only one, but who knows their motives? We certainly didn't sound anything like Guns ‘n’ Roses! Also, we weren't dropped right after Young Man's Blues, that came out in '88 and we kept touring and recording demos for our second record until 1993! The politics of that label were crazy, we weren't actually ever dropped! They just broke their contract by not supporting the band financially.

Calle:As many people properly know, Johnny Depp was in the band for a short period. Do you think more people got to know the band after he got famous as an actor, and do you think you’ve gained more fans because of that?

Bobby Durango: We might have picked up a few fans that might otherwise have never heard the record but otherwise he was just a fun guy to write and play with.

Calle:I read somewhere that he co-wrote the song “Mary” from “Young Man’s Blues”. Is that true?

Bobby Durango: Yeah, Johnny was a very talented guitar player and he came in with a riff that I wrote a song around. He had a great ear for compelling riffs.

Calle: After the band got dropped you split up. What have you been doing since then?

Bobby Durango: We never actually disbanded, it's just as the funds and opportunities to play dried up, we all had to find new projects to make a living. That was a very hard time for me personally, rock'n'roll was my life, I didn't have any kind of "back up plan", so I went back to being homeless for a while, went to school and worked, then moved to Memphis. I never stopped playing though. I had about 3 different bands that did really well regionally and started to get exposure, but inevitably would break up. It takes a lot of patience to stick it out with a band and most musicians don't have that kind of patience.

Calle: In 2000 New Renaissance Records released “Rock City Angles”. This would have been your first release if Geffen hadn’t bought your contract. There isn’t a single song from that record on “Young Man’s Blues”. Why is that?

Bobby Durango: The self titled Rock City Angels album, that was released by New Rennaissance in 2000, (known as the "Glam Album" by fans) didn't have any songs from Young Man's Blues because it had been recorded in 1984-85 as a series of demo's to try to get a record deal. It was never meant to be released as it was, the songs weren't even finished! By 1987 when YMB's was recorded we had grown so much as a band and as songwriters, it would have been a major step backwards to put any of those songs on it.

Calle: In 2001 Rock City Angles reunited. You started the work on “Use Once And Destroy”. Why did it take so long to get the CD released?

Bobby Durango: I only agreed to let New Rennaissance put out our old demos if Ann Bolynne, (the owner)agreed to finance a NEW disc! She told me that was a great idea, so I got financing to begin basic tracks on USE ONCE AND DESTROY, with the promise that she would pay me back on delivery. Of course after we recorded that at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, she was never to be seen or heard from again! Yet another rip off! It took me six years to get the money to go back into the studio to finish and mix the album. So many people suggested putting it out as it was, just basic tracks, but thankfully I never gave into that temptation, I wanted this disc to be our masterpiece! It's probably as close to a perfect rock'n'soul record as I'll ever come.

Calle: How do you write the songs in the band?

Bobby Durango: I write songs all different ways, sometimes I might have a song all worked out already and the band and I work up the arrangement, other times I will just write lyrics to a partners idea or riff. I've worked up songs from scratch with the whole band writing together. There's no "one" way.

Calle: Where do you find the inspiration for the songs?

Bobby Durango: Inspiration is an intangible; an idea can be inspired by a film, a book, a joke, a political idea, hell, another song! One can never tell where an idea might come from, and I don't believe in limiting myself.

Calle :If you could name one song you wish you had written, what song would that be, and why?

Bobby Durango: Man! That's a tough question! Most of the songs I "wish" I could have written aren't technically rock songs, 'coz I can write those. It would be more along the lines of "Some Velvet Morning" by Lee Hazlewood, for it's mood and crazy feeling of epic mystery. Or Serge Gainesbourg's "Bonnie and Clyde" for it's cleverness.

Calle: How will you describe the music scene and the music business now compared to when you started?

Bobby Durango: The music business is way more in favor of the artist now, which is how it should be. It was in the record label's best interest to keep the band needing them and their backing. But that system helped nobody but the suits!

Calle: Rock City Angles played with a lot of great bands back in the 80’s, like L.A. Guns, Jetboy, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Jane’s Addiction etc. If you get the chance to play with or tour with some other bands, who would you like that to be?

Bobby Durango: Man, I'll be honest Calle, we will play with any band, any time, anywhere! We just want to play and have a great time! When you're having fun, the audience does too, yanno? Having said that, of course I would love to play with my heroes, The Stooges, Joan Jett again, Nick Cave, Ray Davies, X... the list is too long!

Calle: How was it to be part of the rock/glam scene in L.A. in the late 80’s?

Bobby Durango: Everybody seems to think there were so many great bands playing at the same time, all the time, but the truth is for every great band, there were about 10 terrible bands, and the great ones were usually touring or in the studio. It was quite rare to see a bunch of "great" bands on the same bill.

Calle: How would you describe each member of the band in only three words?

Bobby Durango: 3 words would not begin to describe anyone in the Rock City Angels, now or ever.

Calle: If you could put together your dream band, who would be in it?

Bobby Durango: I HAVE put together my dream band, that's the whole point, isn't it?

Calle: You have changed your name a few times from Bobby Bondage to Bobby St. Valentine to Bobby Durango. Why is that?

Bobby Durango: Just as it took a while to develope my style as a singer, I had to find myself as a person as well. I was in the mirror the whole time.

Calle: What’s the best advice you can give to up-coming bands?

Bobby Durango: Best advise I could give is don't give up and always follow a budget. Oh, and your fans and friends are what is important, fuck the rest.

And now some questions outside music:

Calle: What was the first CD/LP you ever purchased?

Bobby Durango: First record was Sweet, "Desolation Boulevard".

Calle: What was the latest CD you bought?

Bobby Durango: Last cd was Brian Jonestown Massacre, "Bringing It All Back Home, Again".

Calle: What do you do when you’re not playing music? What’s your other interest?

Bobby Durango: Art, film and revolution are my other interests, not nescessarilly in that order.

Calle: What’s your favorite drink?

Bobby Durango: Favorite drink is Sobe Lizard Juice.

Calle: What did you do before joining The Abusers/Rock City Angles?

Bobby Durango: Before Abusers I wanted to write and direct films.

Calle: Any last words for the fans?

Bobby Durango: I just want to thank the friends and fans of the band for still believing in and supporting us after 20 years and to promise to keep 'em on their toes and rocking for as long as I can. Hell, there are kids out there who are just hearing us for the first time, I'm just glad to be around to show them what a real fucking rock band is supposed to be. It ain't safe and it ain't pretty. It can push you to the breaking point and change everything you ever believed in. Most of all, a good rock band connects in a way few things EVER do in your life and makes you stronger.

Article source: http://callesrockcorner.dk/?id=213354 - Calles Rock Corner (Denmark)

It’s so good to know that you are back together again. How did you take this decision after such a long time?

When New Renaissance released our early demos in 2000, it really upset me because Young Man's Blues was out of print at that time so that was the only thing available for a while. That stuff was great for what it was but it was recorded in 1984 for Chrissakes so it was far from a fair representation of the band, so the original idea was just to make a new album that covered all aspects of the bands career but at the same time put out something new and fresh. Every thing sprung out of that first concept.

What have you been doing during the past years?

The past few years I've been doing what I've always done, I've had 3 different bands since 1994 so I've been writing and playing. I've also been producing. At the moment I'm producing my girlfriends group. an all girl punk band called Angry Pudding. We're eventually going to put out a record, one side Rock City Angels, the other Angry Pudding, so I'm pretty excited about that. The other guys have all played in various projects through the years, but this band means the most to all of us!

About “Use Once and Destroy” you once told me “it's the best, most personal album I've done”... can you tell me about the new RCA album? How did it come out?

Yeah, it really is the most personal work I've done. After the decision was made to record, I worked really hard to handpick exactly who I wanted to play on it, out of the massive amount of musicians the band's had over the years. Then it was a matter of choosing the right material that would play to the strengths of the players chosen, while still retaining a certain focus of style and sound. As you can see this was far from just being all thrown together, topsy turvey! LOL!

Andy on your forthcoming "Baby, that Mr. Yeah, the engineer was pissed but he said the Black Crowes pulled this shit all the time!", when shall we listen to "Use Once & Destroy"?

Every step of the way was really thought out and considered. We decided to record basic tracks in Hollywood, where Andy Panik and Jimmy James lived and then I would go back to Memphis and add the true Memphis sound and mix. I had the money to record but not to mix. It ended up taking 6 years to get the financing together to finish the disc.

Let's talk about the title of the forthcoming album: “Use Once and Destroy”. What does it mean?

That sucked! Knowing that it was collecting dust while one investor after another fell through. The only positive thing about that was that it allowed me to map out overdubs, find the right guys to play Hammond B-3, horns, etc. so by the time I got in the studio it went like clockwork. The players, thank God, performed on the disc for no money, as we didn't have the money to pay them, we were stretched really far as it was. Everything was done through friendship and mutual respect. I planned this disc out with my ears, my heart and soul, it really is a love letter to all the Rock City Angels fans. It still continues now! "L!" I make every disc by hand, my girlfriend Trish is still sewing the RCA cases that cover the disc when you order them through our MySpace page. It really is something special.

Your debut album was really New York Dolls oriented, while "Young Man’s Blues" was definitely more... bluesy. “Use Once and Destroy” is different from “Young Man's Blues”, don’t you think fans could be disappointed?
Use Once and Destroy is open to many interpretations but what it means in context with the album is that we as a society find things so disposable that even when something important is at stake, like another countries culture, etc., we look at it as something we can use for their resources and just throw away, which is why the back cover shows a picture of a tribe that was found recently in Brazil that had never seen a white man or a helicopter. The sad thing is that you know, even with the best intentions, that tribe will be used up and their culture westernized in a very short time. It's happening all over the world. In the name of progress other cultures are used and destroyed.

On a more personal level, people often use other people and wind up destroying them, their innocence, their bodies, whatever. Human nature is a bitch.

That could probably be answered better by the artist, Larry Poccia, who is also playing guitar in the band now, but I can tell you, I gave him the basic concept and let him run with it and he did an amazing job at capturing the feel of the music and getting across the message. The statue on the front is from a cemetery in Brooklyn, but what's really amazing is the inside cover. It's a photo of what looks like a crummy abandoned living room, with a broken T.V. in the corner and a busted framed picture of the band live. The crazy thing is that it looks exactly like the room the band used to practice in when we first started out, it's amazing.

You know, I was a little afraid of that at first, Moreno, but it's important to grow as an artist and ultimately I really felt that anyone who listened to the disc would hear enough echoes of the older stuff to be satisfied. That's turned out to be the case and many people really respect the band for taking a chance and doing something fresh and different. Let's face it, there's really not many bands making music like this any more, and there are even less taking it to another level.

On a more personal level, people often use other people and wind up destroying them, their innocence, their bodies, whatever. Human nature is a bitch.

There is such a varied sound to this album, can tell me about songs as “Psychopath”, “Corinne” and my fave “Coffee And Cigarettes” and “Report Card Day”?

Sure. Psychopath is probably my favorite song on the disc, I wrote it with a friend of mine named Shannon Smith while we played in a Memphis band called Hustler. It's just a great way to start the album, with a kick to the face, and I think it really sums up the Rock City Angels musically. I wrote Corrine with the drummer of that same band, Chris Yates, he also played drums on this disc. It's another serious rocker, a little more traditional. I think these two songs really give you the Rock City Angels experience.

Coffee and Cigarettes is another of my favorites too, it has a solid groove that reminds me of a cross between T.Rex and the Stooges, but I really layered this song, added horns to punch it up... it just kicks ass.
Report Card Day is a straight ahead punk rock song in the tradition of The Adolescents and other O.C. bands, I used the big octave guitar sounds and backing vocals. The words are definitely autobiographical! I was one pissed off kid! LOL!

Let’s talk about the new line-up...

The band on the album is Andy Panik on bass, Jimmy James on guitar, ( an original RCA member who has since played in The Hangmen, another great L.A. band, and many others.) Chris Yates on drums, and I did vocals, rhythm guitar and percussion. An old partner of mine named Crash Kole, ( a terrific blues player) played psychedelic guitar work on a few tracks. For my Memphis horns I had E.J. Dyce on trumpet and Art Edmenson on sax. Rick Steff, one of the best keyboard players in town, and one of the last of the soul B-3 players, played Hammond. Those guys really put that Memphis soul sound into their tracks and really made this different.

What about the old band member? Why are they not involved in the project?

The old line up has gone on to different things, though their all still involved in music in one way or another. Sadly, I don't hear from those guys much.

Let’s turn back time for a while. Your started your career at the beginning of the 80s as “The Abusers”. How did Rock City Angels actually form?

When we started we were a straight up punk band, but as our influences grew and our playing got better, we started to branch off into other musical sounds, while still retaining that punk attitude. The Rock City Angels sprung out of that growth, and also the fact that we couldn't get gigs anymore as the Abusers. We'd pissed off too many club owners who were more used to S. Fla. cover bands.

You got signed with Geffen for the release of the second album. Was it a pro or a con to be under the same major as Guns N Roses?

At first it really wasn't an issue, GnR were just another act on the label. We chose to go with Geffen because they seemed to put more resources into up and coming bands. As GNR sold more records, the label put everything into selling even more and just kind of ignored their other acts. We got caught in the middle of that.

The video for "Deep Inside My Heart" was on MTV, what’s your best memory of that period??

My best memory would probably be going to New York to appear on Headbangers ball. I met a lot of terrific people and had a great time there. The video itself was interesting. I had the basic idea for it from my experience at film school. Blue Velvet had just come out so I tried to talk David Lynch into doing the video, I was really impressed with his use of color. When he couldn't do it, he referred me to Dennis Hopper. That was amazing as he had always been a hero of mine. He ended up not being able to do it either, but they both really liked the record.

During those years you played with Jimmy Page, Joan Jett, Joe Walsh, Georgia Satellites, L.A, Guns, Faster Pussycat, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jetboy, The Zeroes, Guns & Roses, Jane’s Addiction, and Junkyard. If you could choose one of them to start touring again, who would it be?

We ended up doing it with Nigel Dick, who really stayed true to my original vision. We did the video in Memphis, which was a large part of the record, at Sam Phillips studio. That place was a trip! It was like walking into the early 60's, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee had recorded there. We even had Roland Jaynes, Jerry Lee Lewis's original guitar player in the video, engineering.
It would definitely be Joan Jett, playing with her was fantastic and her audience really responded to us. They had an open mind for the opening act, LOL!

What’s on your CD player these days? What are the best bands that Memphis offers at present?

I listen to a little bit of everything, but right now, I can't get Brian Jonestown Massacre out of my player. I also really dig the APA State Mental record and The Prostitutes new one. There's always great music coming out of Memphis, I'm a big Lucero fan, North Mississippi Allstars and anything on Goner Records is great.

What will you do to support the release of the new album?

I've put together a great touring band and we're doing our best to get on the road. If we can get some backing we'll go overseas this year to support this disc. That's the ultimate goal. We have so many fans in Europe, I would love to have the opportunity to play for them. Other than that, we're doing our best to get this disc out there, people really need to hear it.

Do you think Rock City Angels can still find a place in the American market?
Yeah, I think the American market needs a band like the Rock City Angels, it's been a long time since the U.S. has had an honest straight forward rock and roll band. I don't think this music will ever die out.

Have you ever been contacted by anyone from Italy to arrange some gigs in our Country?

No, I've never hears from any Italian promoters or record labels. I hope to play some festivals there.

Many people ignore that Johnny Depp has been a member of the band. How did he join you and why did he left?

Johnny Depp joined the band in L.A. after coming back from acting in Platoon in which he had a small part. We were looking for another guitar player and our guitarist, Mike Angel and I had known Johnny when he played in The Kids in Fla. Johnny was getting kind of fed up with acting and finding good parts and was excited to be playing in a serious rock band. We wrote some great songs together. He left the band about two weeks before we got signed, he got the 21 Jump Street gig and between financial and pressure from his girlfriend, he decided to take the show.

How was Johnny as a musician?

Johnny was a really good, solid guitar player, and he wrote real interesting dark, riff oriented songs. It was a terrific match.

Are you still in touch with Johnny? Have you ever had the chance to jam with him and what’s your favorite Johnny’s movie?

No, the last time I saw Johnny was the mid 90's, and unfortunately it was not a jam type situation. He has a very busy life now, and it's very hard to get a hold of him, no matter who you are. My favorite movie of his is probably different from most peoples, but I really got off on The Libertine, his acting was amazing.

The same old final message to all the Slam! readers.

I just want to say that Use Once and Destroy is available at CDBaby or at our site at http://www.myspace.com/therockcityangels. You can also download it from iTunes now, or at Amazon. We have the best fans in the world, they'd have to be to have supported us all this time. Now, we have a lot of new fans as well that are just discovering the band for the first time, it's awesome! I just want to thank them and you Moreno for a great interview.

Article Source: http://www.slamrocks.com/rockcityangels_eng.html - Slamrocks - Moreno Lissoni (Italy)

First of all this is an interview about the Rock City Angels new album, “Use Once And Destroy”. To all the folks who loved “Young Man’s Blues”, I appreciate it and will give some background, but honestly, THIS is the album I’ve always wanted to make and I truly believe that lovers of YMB will love this album as well with a few listens. “Use Once...” has made many lists of ten best albums of 2009. Not bad for an album that was put out completely DIY and distributed through CDBaby. If you really liked YMB, you owe it to yourself to listen to the best record I could make without someone constantly questioning decisions and watching over my shoulder. It’s a record I would want to hear but never do, now I can and turn a lot of people to something different.

To put it simply, ROCK CITY ANGELS started in 1981 after I left home at 15 years old. Long story short I was a huge punk rock fan and had a chance to go to punk mecca, Los Angeles, where I was convinced I would become friends with all my hero’s, especially Darby Crash. To me Darby was the new Jim Morrison and I loved The Germs!

Well, I arrived with two older friends about a week after he took his life, but I still managed to track down many of the important people in his life and learned a lot of things about him, maybe a few too many things. Still would have liked to have hung out with him.

Leaving Southern Fla. was one of the best things I ever did. I met many of my musical idols, learned to survive on my own and had a blast. My other objective for moving was to try to get a band I had started with a bass player called The Abusers signed by an indie label, even if only on a compilation. This WAS the home of Rodney on The Rock after all. I became great friends with Snickers from The Simpletones, all of Social Distortion, The Circle Jerks, several cats in FEAR, The Vandals... the list goes on. I could always count on Ray Gange from The Clash movie “Rude Boy”, El Duce, Maggie from Twisted Roots and of course Michelle Belle, crazy as they all were, to take care of me.

TO READ FULL ARTICLE GO TO: http://www.veglam.com/veglam/lire_itw5.php?lire_itw=85_ - Veglam (France)

“’Young Man’s Blues’ was a great album but for me this is even better. The best thing I ever made.”
~ Bobby Durango, Rock City Angels

This winter’s surprise is “Use Once And Destroy”, the longtime awaited second release by Rock City Angels. The point is that, after twenty years, Durango has DONE IT with this album and it doesn’t even matter if it a sells or not. When a band not only doesn’t surrender after two decades but comes back this strong, it’s time to kneel and give thanks.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen: Rock City Angels are back and here to stay. “Use Once And Destroy” is the title of the burning comeback of the band that should have never left. For the time spent in fighting to make it, the benefit of the doubt is well deserved. Didn’t we give a chance to “Chinese Democracy” when we didn’t even know what it was we were waiting for?

OK, we are in 2010. It’s not 1991 anymore but I feel the urge to go for a bottle of bourbon and raise it up because Rock City Angels sound better than ever (if Axl wished to do the same one day this world would be a better place to live)! There’s no experimentation here, but a lot of punk rock and soul.

Every time the player goes back to start again at “Psychopath” the album just gets better. The new album picks up where “Young Man’s Blues” left off, and the good news is that the Angels have even improved on yesterdays sound. You can hear shades of Neurotic Outsiders w/ Duff at the lead vocals (“Psychopath” & “Corrine”), Iggy Pop & Stooges (“I Got Your Heart”, “Coffee & Cigarettes), Hanoi Rocks (“I Ain’t No Miracle Worker”, one of the best), or Ramones and Social Distortion (“Report Card Day”, “I Keep Fighting”). However, the best thing is that they sound like themselves more than anything else. Is there anything greater than that? In the end, “Young Man’s Blues” was a great album but now we confirm that the talent wasn’t only there - it’s still safe and in progress for the next stage.

Now it’s time to celebrate Rock City Angels comeback, cross our fingers and hope they arrange a tour, better sooner than later. It’ll be such a ball to sing with them not only “Young Man’s Blues” hits but the new ones with choruses such as “I Got Your Heart” and “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker”.

Magazine website: http://popular1.com - Popular 1 - Enric Rivero Armengol (Spain)