🎸 In this episode of Joe's Happy Hour, Joe sits down with Frank Sidoris, guitarist for Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators, and Mammoth WVH with Wolfgang Van Halen. Frank shares his incredible journey from Vegas stages to global tours, landing a dream gig with Slash, and building an iconic Vegas bar.
🌍Discover how authenticity, hustle, and a little bit of Vegas magic helped him navigate the wild world of music and entrepreneurship.
✅ Topics covered:
- How Frank landed gigs with Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen
- Life on tour: highs, lows, and backstage stories
- Starting a bar business in Las Vegas- Lessons from Eddie Van Halen
- Finding balance between music and business
🎧 Whether you're a music fan, aspiring artist, or entrepreneur, Frank's story is full of inspiration, humor, and life wisdom.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Intro & Disclaimer
00:35 - Meet Frank Sidoris: Vegas-born Guitarist & Bar Owner
02:00 - Early gigs, retail jobs, and working for a magician?!
04:45 - How maturity came early: learning to "sit at the table with adults"
07:00 - Life growing up in Vegas: calling hotel operators at age 6
08:30 - First band, Cirque du Soleil auditions, and an unexpected fork in the road
10:30 - Choosing tour life over a stable Vegas show gig
12:15 - Touring with The Cab and international experiences
13:30 - Meeting Brant Fitz and the long road to Slash
16:00 - The Slash audition story (Super Bowl Sunday!)
19:30 - Nailing Paradise City — the moment nerves disappeared
21:00 - Getting the call: "We want you in the band"
23:00 - Lessons learned: being over-prepared pays off
25:45 - How confidence builds through preparation
27:00 - Jam sessions with Chris Chaney & Matt Chamberlain
28:20 - Transition to Mammoth WVH: from one legend to another
30:15 - The surreal Eddie Van Halen encounter
34:00 - Wolfie’s musical genius: no tracks, no safety net, all heart
36:00 - Touring with Mammoth & the "confidence shift"
38:30 - Hanging with Eddie: humility, legacy, and kindness
40:15 - If Frank could retire abroad, where would he live?
41:00 - Japanese culture and the mystery of trash-free streets
42:00 - Why Frank opened a bar: building something real in Vegas
43:30 - His global coffee list (and why he won’t gatekeep it)
44:50 - Hospitality & authenticity in the service industry
47:30 - The "Hard Hat Lounge" story: revitalizing a Vegas institution
49:00 - Partnering with local burger phenom Stay Tuned Burgers
50:00 - How Hard Hat became an industry hangout spot
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🎸 Whether you're into finance or Fender guitars, this show brings it all together. Thanks for tuning in to Joe's Happy Hour!
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