March 7, 2025 • 30 mins
Pop Evil's 8th album "What Remains" will be unleashed March 21st. Lead singer Leigh Kakaty joins the pod for the 2nd time to discuss the record, embracing a new era, the state of rock today, and to reminisce about when Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion debuted.
More info: https://popevil.com/
Our website: www.afdpod.com
More info: https://popevil.com/
Our website: www.afdpod.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, yes is Appetite for Distortion.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to the podcast Appetite for Distortion, Episode number four
hundred and ninety six. My name is Brando. Welcome back
to the podcast from Pop Evil. Lee Kakati. How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Real good man. It's good to be back on man.
Congratulations all. We're both still here right, still growing and
still trying to climb since the last time we spoke.
So I'm super grateful.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, we were just kind
of shortly reminiscing before signing on today. But for those
of you may remember Lee was on. It was like
episode two hundred and thirty something. You know, COVID had
just started to happen, and I remember we did against
the Phoner. But towards the end, you're kind enough, You're like, hey,
I guess I want to show you the house I'm
(01:16):
working on. You said something under construction. Yeah, is that
done by now? I hope.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
So I don't think it is. Man. I've been back
and forth and different places and different places. Obviously a
lot has changed since COVID, So you know, I think
COVID for me personally, I just remember doing anything to
keep my mind off the depression that was not being
able to play for who knows long at the time, right,
So you know, now it's now it's a much better
(01:42):
familiar situation with a new album on the horizon and touring.
So I'm much more grateful to rather be talking about
that than whatever I'm building. So I'm not I'm not
a builder, man, so but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
All that stuff's in the rear of your mirror, thankfully,
and we're far away from that. So, as you mentioned,
just a few weeks away March twenty first, what Remains
the new album from Poppy Eeville just also released a
new single, the third single, Wishful Thinking. So I mean,
this has got to be this is old hat for
you with a new and I mean that as far
(02:14):
as the album of cycle or does each one carry
something different for you? Like what's special about this album
cycle and this album for you?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean I think it's a little bit of both.
It's old hat in some ways, but it's always new
and still different from me. This album it's been done
for a minute now, so I haven't been listening to anything.
I don't I don't really know the song order. I mean,
I we approved it when when the pitch to me,
this was months ago, you know, I don't, but in
order to stay fresh, I've just I think with my experience,
(02:44):
everything for me is about the live show. So I
want to I want it to be like it's almost
new for me, you know, and we get it there
in April and we start touring the spring to just wow,
I forgot about this, So this is awesome, you know,
this is this is this is so cool, Rather than
I've heard it for the million time, like normally every
other album, I feel like micromanage everything, and by the
time the songs come out, I'm just I'm a little
(03:04):
wore out, you know. So I'm trying to just keep
a distant Obviously wrote it and did the whole process,
but once it was done, I'm really trying to just
get better at you know, just trusting the journey and
you know, putting it up for a little bit and
giving my mind an opportunity to relax and and uh
rest up for you know, the year and a half
two years that it is to push this record, so
(03:24):
you know, looking forward to it. Very excited about this album.
I feel like this is the beginning of a whole
new era for the band. So you know, we're definitely
excited as a team as as as as a band
of brothers, and you know, we can't wait for this
album to finally be out.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's it's cool to and what do you mean? I
guess far as like the era? What do you what
do you consider this era of h And that's like
the phrase now with Taylor Swift or you're in your
sumthing era? So what popular?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
What what era?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
What's the word before it?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I just think for me, it just feels like this
new this, this new start, right, you're always kind of
this this chapter is in this in this musical journey, right,
And obviously with Covid behind us, now we've had some
member changes. It's it's it's it's things are more focused
on the guitars and obviously this this this heavier side
of pop evil that we've had in the past. But
(04:14):
for whatever reason, you know, things things just evolve, you know,
and it's this evolution of where the band here is.
I feel it's been a three album cycle not to
finally be here. Obviously we have a new there's a
new branding of the logo as well. It just feels
like we just needed this fresh bit of energy to
start whatever this next chapter might be for the band.
You know, the futures, the futures up to us and
(04:34):
where we want to take it. And you know, obviously
with the success we had, but still you know, we're
still we're still a new band in other ways, you know,
so being able to just kind of write our script
still not have to you know, totally be tied to
sounding a certain way or doing certain things. We could
still you know, put the creativity where it belongs in
that live show and really grow this brand, you know,
grow this band in so many different ways. So we're
(04:55):
definitely excited about, you know, with the future holds for
Pop Evil and and you know where our places members
in it, and certainly where we are off the stage.
The way we're supporting each other and the way the
communication has been is something that's never been around the band,
so certainly behind the scenes, it feels like a whole
different opportunity for the band to be positive and you know,
just lay the foundation the right way where we can
(05:16):
build on that and hopefully you know, create some uh
some still a lot of great successes for Poppy Pop
Evil moving forward.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
It's cool that, yes, because it's a new era, but
also you know as a radio guy and going back
to the days of when I would be the guy
talking between the songs and when you were kind of
a quote unquote newer band. So in ways, you're you've
been around the block for a bit, but there's still
such a long road to add of you. I mean,
how do you see it?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
No, that's exactly it. You know, it's like you evolve, right,
like you have to. Like you said, you know, we've
been around and so many different eras of being like
you said, at radio and and and how the bands
really broke here and certainly in the United States that
that it was. It's interesting to kind of have that
have that confidence behind you, right, Like things that didn't work,
(06:07):
you know, we don't want to go back in those directions.
We don't want and even things that have worked, it's like, look,
when you think about it from the live show perspective,
we've already done that. You know, Like we want to
push ourselves to still respect our old catalog and certainly
our fans that have been with us since day one,
but at the same time be open to creating new
fans to be interested in the band to come on
and and you know, I want to see us live
(06:27):
and be a part of this next chapter for the
band as well. So in order to do that, you
have to be creative and things you're doing, you have
to be able to experiment ways, and obviously experimenting is
a very thin line. You know, things that you experiment
don't that don't work. You know, you have to be
very yeah, you have to at least be very well
aware of those decisions you're making, you know, to keep
fans interested as much as possible, but at the same
(06:49):
time not to alienate fans and and you know, keep
them less interested and want to come see us live
as well. So it just it's just it's a constant
game of chess in a way. And the cool thing
about it is you're playing against yourself, right, You're playing
against your old albums. You're playing against your old tours
and your old decisions you made all those years ago
and up until now. And hopefully, you know, we the
(07:11):
best version of pop evil is still yet to come,
and we're chasing that. We have this term chasing perfection.
That's always what we're trying to do now when we
think about being out away from our family friends, it's
it's it's harder. You know, the longer you're in the game,
the harder it is to be gone for longer periods
of time. So if we're going to do that, you know,
we've made the commitment to each other as brothers in
the band to just hey, let's not waste our time
(07:32):
here partying and doing those things that can you know,
that are selfishly rooted to take our you know, our
personal kind of efforts away from the end goal. So
you know, when you have four other guys that are
in that same page with you, and everyone understands the
respect they have for their own individual time, whether that's
family or personal, other personal, other journeys people are trying
to take on their own when it comes to being
(07:54):
in the band together, that commitment requires sacrifice. It requires
unselfish acts of just like, hey, we're here for each other,
rather than you know what, man, it was a great show.
I think I'm going to go get ripped tonight, rather
as opposed to, hey, man, I'm going to rest tonight
and make sure that I sound great for our fans tomorrow.
So there was a responsibility that I think that the
band members feel to our fans. Having a success, We've
(08:16):
had to make sure we have songs that people are
traving traveling many miles to hear, you know, songs that
have helped people in positive ways. So when they come
see us live again, we want to make sure that
it sounds perfect every night. We want to make sure
that that that performance is spot on. And obviously, as
you age, you want to make sure your body's you know,
ready to do that because you know, when you play
(08:36):
as many shows as we do sometimes a week, it
can be grueling on those knees, or it can be
grueling you know, on your back or grouling, you know,
on your muscles in different ways. So making sure that
you stay healthy and you know, from a physical aspect
individually is so important. To just make sure you're committed
and show your other brothers that hey, man, like I'm
serious just as much as you are. Let's go. And
when you have guys that are doing that, it's it's
(08:58):
a lot more motivating to it's a lot more fun
as well, right, It's a lot more fun to be
away from family and friends knowing that we're making sacrifices
rather than we're just you know, being selfish and taking
for granted the people that are back at home supporting
us and are here waiting for us. So it's just
important to do things right a little different again, hence
the New Era. It's just the mindset is a big
part of that. So you know what that's being said, it's, uh,
(09:20):
we're having more fun in ways that we never had before.
So with that, with that comes just more fun when
you're writing, and more fun in the creative process. Your
mind's open to be more creative. So you know what
remains when you really think about the album title, when
when the shit really hits the fan, or when you're
at your lowest, you know, you have that choice are
you going to give in or are you going to
(09:40):
take a step forward and try to be better the
next day? And it's not always easy, but you know,
are you looking at the glass half full? Are you
looking at the glass half empty? And you know we
have that choice, each of us individually. When when when
the wheels fall off and you're you're kind of set
and looking at adversity right in the face, Like when
when when you're looking in the mirror and that adversity
is looking right back at you. You know, you' a
choice and and what what version of yourself do you
(10:02):
want to put forward? And uh, that's kind of where
this feels like we're at, like individually as well as
collectively in the band. And and to name what remains
it's it's a challenge almost to ourselves and what we're
what what can we do with it? What are we
going to do with this opportunity?
Speaker 2 (10:15):
That's a that's what you want to hear, I think
as a fan, not just the the ripping guitars and
where your vocals can go, it's just the atmosphere of
the members itself. You want to know that it's kind
of a band of brothers or you know, a band
of just a band. It's a band. I think you
appreciate that knowing that you're watching friends on stage on
(10:37):
stage right like that's yeah, adds something.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, And with Pop Evil, you know, we've had a
lot of We've had a lot of members come and go.
I mean, it's just it's a part of the Uh,
it's a part of the process, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And and you're talking to a gun through Roses fan, so
well there you.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Go, so you know, you know exactly right, it's it's
uh Obviously I respect fans and even band members. Like
when you start band, you start that dream. You always
hope you're going to be with those guys. There are
those people your whole career. But you know, as life happens,
and certainly in the era when we came up, I mean,
success is different. Success doesn't always mean financial success. So
(11:11):
you know, if you can't pay the bills, or people
can't pay their bills, they got to do it's best
for themselves to just you know, make a living and
to survive in this world. So sometimes with musicians, as
everyone's heard, you know, off the scene is not always
as lucrative as you know most musicians would like. But
a lot of us don't get into this because of
the money or the financial success. We get into it
because it's all we know. It's a it's our lifestyle,
(11:32):
it's our form of expression, you know. So with that said,
you know, people have come and gone, but this particular
lineup that we have, it's it's it feels like again,
you're never guaranteed anything when you're dealing with other people.
It's a relationship. You know, even in marriage, you know
you're not guaranteed that you're going to be with that
significant other for the rest of your life, you hope so,
but at least at least the language from the beginning,
(11:54):
we've all kind of we're all kind of in that
same place in our careers. We've all had success, but
we've all feel like there's you've just tipped the iceberg,
and there's still plenty more left on that bone, mean,
on that bone that we want to accomplish. So when
you get a bunch of guys together that have that
same drive, it's easier to push each other right because
we all want the same thing. We all want to
be successful in a band, right, and we understand at
(12:14):
this point in our career that it requires another person,
It requires each in each and every one of us
to be able to play the role the right way.
And when you can hold each other accountable based on
that position, and hey, you know, you told me you
weren't going to do that today because and I hadn't
been doing it. We've been focused. Let's get back to
chasing perfection and let's get back to making the show,
(12:35):
you know, the best, or let's make sure that we're
writing the best record we can this album. And you know,
when you look at those people in the eye and
go yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. When if you do
find yourself getting off the tracks a bit, when you
have four other guys that are really helping you get
back on, it can be really beneficial. As you know,
looking back at sometimes in the earlier process of being
a musician, sometimes you don't speak up on those things.
(12:55):
You just kind of assume people are going to fall
in line and you know, do what you hope they will.
But when you be supportive of people, not just your fans,
not just your family, but your band family and you
guys can come together, and sometimes your band family is
the only person that can really understand what it's like
that what you're going through because they're on the stage
sharing those moments with you. Your family doesn't understand what
it's like to be up and have people cheering for
(13:16):
you or booing you, you know, But your band brothers do,
you know what I mean? They understand what it's like
when you had a bad show. They understand what it's
like when you know you sang bad, you thought you
performed bad, and they're there like, well, well, well it's
not the end of the world, you know what I mean?
Like what if you try this rather than focusing on
the bad things, you know, focusing on things things are positive,
that can really, you know, help you kind of get
a mental grasp on not being so negative yourself. And
(13:37):
I think that, you know, negativity seems to be so
much easier this day, in this world that we live.
It's so easy to pick yourself a partner that's not
good enough, or I suck or that sucks, and you know,
and and I think fans don't always understand that that
happens for us musicians too, you know, especially in our era,
because you see bands like what you're wearing, Guns n' Roses,
that was a whole different. Those are the legendary rock bands.
I mean, it's arguable in this era are there legendary
(14:00):
rock bands the same way? Sure of course there are,
but in the same way that it was in the eighties.
It's different, you know what I mean. Does that make
us any less relevant, of course not, but it's just different.
So it's it's when you're comparing yourself to other bands
like Guns and Rosa or whatever it might be, it's
easy to you know, it's easy to beat yourself up
or I'm not good enough or this isn't you know,
(14:21):
going the way I want it. So it's so important
that you have band of brothers that are behind you
to be like, hey, it's us against the world sometimes
and I'm right here beside you, man, I'm fighting the
fight with you, and it doesn't don't listen all that noise,
let's roll. So again, that's just my perspective on it.
But when you're there helping and supporting your other members
and their positions too, and you're giving each other that
energy when it's needed, it just can make it for again,
(14:43):
a more enjoyable experience. I mean, this is this business
is very hard, being out on the road. I mean,
obviously it's a blessing and there's a lot of things
that make it a dream job, absolutely, but there are
also things that make it just like any other job.
It's brutal. You know, time away from family, I don't
care what job you're at is tough. You know, when
you're on the road for six seven weeks, I mean
(15:04):
you know when you're when you're when you're going to
the bathroom at nothing but about truck stops and walmarts.
I mean, at some point you know it's just a normble,
bathroom man, you know, so it's uh, it can be again,
all those things man can can pile up and and
and lead to anxiety and depression for people. So again,
it's so important for us in this new era pop
be able to be supportively positive and really focus on
(15:26):
that energy off the stage because we obviously most bands
can do what they do on the stage. That's almost
in some ways the easy part, right because playing music
is something we've all been doing since we were young kids.
So by the time you get up on stage, that's
when the release happens. It's the time off the stage,
when you're living on the tour bus, you're traveling with
people that aren't necessarily you know, you didn't grow up
(15:46):
with these people. They're not necessarily your friends. They're your brothers, right,
And sometimes when you think about family, you're closer to
your friends and same of your family, but they're still
your family, you know what I mean. So that's kind
of how I relate it. I mean, we're not necessarily
always the closest friends, but we're the closest brothers. So
it's interesting that and probably just because when we get
off the last thing we want to do is go
(16:07):
hang out. Now, if we're all lived in the same
place as possible, we would, but a lot of times,
I think when we're off we all go our separate
ways and we go hang with some of those people
that we don't see often during the year. But then
when we're back on it's almost like a fraternity. You know,
you're back to see your friends again and this family
that you don't know you ever needed, but you're so
grateful that you have. And I think that's part of
(16:27):
being in your career. You know, when we're about to
drop our eighth album, eighth album, lens eighth albums in,
you're like, what have you learned? And I think that's
the thing I've learned the most. It's just how grateful
you are for the people that are still around the project,
you know what I mean, those people that are still
helping you support the vision that you had when you started,
you know, and to be here, I mean you think
about those bands that started when we were around, not
many of them left, so to still be here grinding
(16:49):
it and still be putting out new music is a
huge blessing and it's something that we don't take lightly
and we try to be grateful about it. So we're
super stoked about the launch of the Snatch record.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Yeah, right on, I have the I appreciate and respect
that perspective. I had a similar conversation my last interview
with Wednesday thirteen, you know, and talking about you know,
at this level of whatever is determined of success. But
it's like I call it and the same thing to you.
It's like almost a humility because you are successful, but
you have that drive. Okay, we're using it of course
(17:21):
here Guns and Roses as the example, but I it
brings up just organically. I was going to ask you this, Yeah,
because you hear Gene Simmons still saying rock is dead
and JJ French is saying how rock isn't is what
it was. I love the thought process of just stop
bad mouthing rock and roll and praise the bands that
are still getting it done successful like a pop evil
(17:44):
like yeah, I don't know how you you feel about it.
I hate this whole rock is dead thing.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yes, I love that, man. I wish more people did
embrace some of the bands that are still out there
branding because just because I know the journey, I know
art it is, you know, and I know that at
some point for most of us, just people. I mean,
there's been tons of times in my career I was
just like, look, do I really want to keep doing?
This is really worth it? You know, because like sometimes
you really don't understand the success because even when you
(18:10):
have levels of success, all you see are tour of
us walls. It's almost like a prison. You don't always
see the thousands of people who like your band or
like your songs. All you see is the you know,
three or four comments that piss you off, and then
it's like, Okay, I'm done. I'm not even looking at
social media. So it's almost like that, you know, your
report card, you get all a's, you get that one F.
(18:32):
It's like all you think about is that F.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Man, people are going around. Your parents are like, dude,
it's okay, man, you did so good. You're like, who cares?
I don't I'm a failure. You know this sucks. I
don't want So it's sometimes, man, in this new era
of social media, you can get comments right away. I mean,
in the early days without this, if someone didn't like
your band, who cares? You never saw them, they didn't
show up in your show. Who cares, you know, I mean,
but now you see the people that will never go
(18:56):
to your show and don't like your band ever, And
there's always there's always people for every band, even Guns
N' Roses, you know, which I can't understand. You're not
like Guns and Roses, but they're out there.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Right, There's plenty of haters.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
But you know what I mean, It's like, when someone
doesn't like your band, they were never gonna go watch
your band anyway, so their comment is straight.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Why comment? Why comment?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Well, you know you got to. You can look at
it a couple of ways too. I mean, if someone's
gonna really comment, you must you must have pissed them
off pretty good. So I mean, look, I guess you're
looking for a reaction. Is that better than the passive
fan who just doesn't care about you? So I mean,
there's tons of ways to look at it, right, But yeah,
I mean it would be I'd be lying to you.
It'd be great if, if you know, the rock community
(19:38):
embraced more of the bands in general, right, of course,
I would love that. But at the same time, you
can't focus on it, man. You gotta just uh. There's
more competition, which is great because there's more opportunities for
the average band to get a look, right, It's not
all about getting a record deal anymore like it was
in those days when we got That's that's all I
thought I needed was to blow up, you know, And
then those days you get your record deal, it means nothing.
(20:00):
You still need to hit songs, you still need to tour,
you still need to build a fan base, you know.
But but now more than ever, geez, you go viral
on something, you can end up being, you know, having opportunity.
And that's that's kind of truly what it's about. So
you can't for someone who you know has had his
own opportunities and still looking for more, can't be mad
at people forgetting opportunity. That's what it's about, you know.
(20:21):
But it would be nice if the rock community was
able to lift up our community in ways that other
genres maybe do, maybe you know, banning to. I just
think the thing that makes our community the way we
kind of like, the way we kind of, uh, what's
the right word, the way we kind of hold our
(20:41):
favorite bands close to us, right, Like this is my band,
I'm Guns and Roses. Forgive Metallica, then this Guns and Roses,
you know what I mean, Like, there's protective and right, right,
there's a pride that rock and metal fans where sometimes
if you think about it in the pop sense or
a hip hop or or or country sense, I love
(21:03):
all oh like I love all that, man. But you
think about the nineties, right, it was pac and big Ee.
You chose a side, and sometimes in rock and metal
it's still that way. But and that's look, I mean everyone.
The thing I think that makes rock and metal still
so cool is its it's people's identities, right, Like guns
n' Roses is your identity. Like you've probably been listening
to them since you were a kid. Maybe it was
(21:23):
the first CD you got, it was the first CD
I got it, so you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
It's just kind of like, okay.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah, it's your personal experience. Right, It's not just guns
n' Roses. It's maybe life experiences that you had when
you were listening to guns n' Roses. Right, It's maybe
a family member that you were listening to them with,
you went to the concert with, and you think about
those memories with them that just solidify the greatness of
what guns n' Roses truly is not just the music,
it's the life experience you've had when they've been around
as long as I have Right and Pop Evil now
(21:50):
our eighth album, we've had a taste of some of that,
you know, and we get that sometimes, especially when I'm
at home, some of my close friends will be like, oh,
you know, I really love the first two Pop Evil records,
and I'm like, well, did you even listen to the
new records? They're like, nah, I didn't even listen to it,
but it's the first albums when they were with us
and they were touring around. We were still younger, so
they were around us more. We were house partying and
(22:12):
jamming and just ready to break. So you know, I
understand that, like those earlier records are the link that
they have to the band, So of course that's why
they like them better. That's nothing really to do with
the music. So again, there's different ways why people like bands.
They support bands, so getting them to lift you up
in different ways is tough because it's about it's about
their link to you and their other bands, and you know,
(22:32):
you can't compete. If I was like, dude, you gotta
like Pop Evil more than Guns and Roses, you can
be like, well, I don't know about that, because Guns
n' Roses has twenty thirty years on us.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Being out on that might not be the fair comparison.
But it was always like i'd hear about you know,
you had to pick gn R or Nirvana. I just
never oh, there you go. I never understood that. So yeah,
I've never been of that ilk. You know, I know
there are people like that. That's kind of funny. I
know I have you here for a limited amount of
time and to make that transition. Now, Hey, fy, I
(23:02):
don't always wear guns and Roses shirt, even though it
is a GNR podcast, just one of the few shirts
that my son hasn't gotten applesauce on. So it's kind
of whittled down to what, oh, just my GNR shirts.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
I love it. I love it. You make sure there's
been a special case probably right, Yeah, you can't touch those.
I love it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, Well, last time, because I think you did mention
that Appetite was your first CD, and we spoke about
some gn R covers you guys would do or you
would do back in the early days of being a band,
of being a singer. But I also I wanted to
ask you since you're a few years older than me.
And do you remember nineteen ninety one when you USUALR
Illusion one and two came out?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Do you? I do?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
How old were you then? Did you line up at all?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
I'm not exactly sure of my age, but I remember,
I remember. I remember when they dropped the double disc.
It was just so different, you know, and you were
wanting and I was kind of I was different, right,
Like I was kind of like those fans like before
I didn't like you, before I liked you, you know
what I mean? So right when those obviously I had
the first I mean had appetite, you know. And then
(24:07):
I remember looking at the artwork just being like, oh
my god, this is awesome, you know what I mean,
and like I can't almost like it was looking at
like a soft porn or something like it. I had
to make sure my parents weren't around when I'm looking
at it or oh my god, it was so shocking.
I'd never seen like anything like that before. Obviously I
was young too. And then of course you know what
use you the you know, the the the two double Yeah, yep,
(24:31):
that's what it wasn't too in November rain, right, like
when all that came out. I remember being like, wow,
what is this like? And the covers were, you know,
very artsy and what they had that kind of sketch
of that girl reading a book or whatever it was
I think it was. And then I remember being like
and then of course you see the music videos and
you're like, oh my gosh, man, this is I mean
actual Roses a movie star then, because music videos were
(24:52):
so were so big, and they were such a big part,
you know, MTV generator. It was just starting to like
these bands and Guns N' Roses were one of the
first right that were spending millions of dollars on their
music videos, so it's almost like a cinematic experience, you know.
And and I remember just of course, you know, I
was a singer, so always watching Axel and in those days,
I don't know if I really dreamed about being in
a band at that then. I was just kind of
(25:13):
falling in love with rock and metal, you know. And
I remember being a little bit confused, being like, oh,
we'll do it. Well, I don't want to buy two records,
you know. I mean I was a young I was like,
I just want to buy the one record, you know.
But then then as it gets on and you're kind
of there, go, wow, dude, this is coolest by both records.
You know, I remember it kind of uh, the Guns
N' Roses whole persona, at least in Michigan where I was.
(25:35):
It was almost like it was like a spell on you, right,
and once you caught it, it just every day, every
month seemed to get you just used to just fall
a little more in love with it and you were
just like, wow, this is so good because again this
was so different, you know what I mean, And they
were just they were just they just kind of came
on the scene and you know, at that point, I'm
you know, Detroit Rock City a little bit like you know,
kiss and stuff like that. But like you like again,
(25:59):
Guns and Roses was was was just it was so reckless.
It was so raw. It was just like you know,
you pictured if you went to dinner with those guys,
that's actor. He's got his bandana and he's just that's
what he was, you know, Slash he'd be there with
the shades on his hat and he just yeah, I'm
getting spaghetti. What do you get? You know what I mean,
Like he would just be they'd be the same anywhere,
So you know, it started to really like like just
plant seeds and and me just falling in love and
(26:21):
wanted to be in a band. It was like, I
gotta I want to be like those dudes, you know
what I mean. And of course Metallica, you know, so
in pan Terra. So again it just that whole shift.
And then of course I did I did love the nineties,
that the Seattle grunge. I loved Pearl Jam. You know,
I was a big Pearl Jam fan as well. So
it was just you know, but I was always a
song guy. You know. I get asked all the time
about the albums, and I I mean I could lie
(26:42):
and say yeah, this album, and I thought albums were cool,
but I was I was always You got to remember
in those days when I was when I was kind
of climbing the CD singles, remember those like you could
get the CD single that they did for like that
window time, and I'll be like, okay, And again I
didn't have a ton of money, so if I could
get you know, November for three bucks, I'd rather do
that than I actually had the Guns and Roses albums.
(27:03):
But you get the picture, right, Like in those days
and rock was pop then, right, so you could get
different songs. They were blended in with what you were
listening to, not just on the radio, but because pop
was more secular, it was everywhere. It was on the TV,
it was on it was everywhere you went, you were,
you could hear a Guns N' Roses track. It wasn't
like you had to just go to the rocks.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Rock was more accepted than people weren't claiming it was
dead back then.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Correct. Yes, yes, you're getting back to your question. The
rock is dead. It's it's a I dis agree, man,
if you look at the festival circuit, it's It's interesting though,
how metal and rock, at hard rock especially have been
more infused and kind of just brought together, which I
love because I've always been more of a metal and
rock hard rock guy. And obviously when we started Pop
Evil being a radio band, the hard rock version of
Pop Evil was always just it was always just, uh,
(27:48):
it was always right there because to get you know,
to get our breaks and to get in hard rock
sound was just that was radio at the time. Now,
we like to think with songs like Waking Lions Breathe Again,
you know, we've had we've played a part in rock
radio being a little bit heavier in ways, and of
course all these great bands now that have come up,
these younger bands are just incredible and then you know
they're they're heavy, and their metal influences is very well apparent.
(28:08):
So again seeing the metal side start to shift and
become you know, I don't want to say more popular,
because it's always been popular, but you know what I mean,
be more mainstream at least at rock radio. It's it's exciting,
and it's it's opened the door for us to be
able to do things like we're doing on this album
here with what remains. So just super grateful for this
evolution and where it's been and just our place in it,
and just you know, like like we said earlier in
(28:30):
the interviews, like we feel like we're at this place
still where we you know, it's up to us. We
still have a lot that we can We can write
the script and in a lot of different ways to
keep the band relevant and keep us going and moving forward.
So we're looking forward to that challenge.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I look forward to seeing where pop evil goes from here.
I still remember when I was earlier in my radio
career when playing trenches you know, being that guy's like
the new song from pop evil and just playing the love.
So getting to talk to you now is pretty special.
And and for the record, because there's still a lot
more populable evil to come that these Lions are going
(29:03):
to get that for Super Bowl. I was rooting for
you guys this year as a Giants fan. Was the
season was terrible. Sure, Sure, And by the way, congrats
to Saquon. He deserved it. He deserves it.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Was it was great to see for him. And obviously
being a Giants fan, you've got to taste at least.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I've tasted him exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
That's why. And I'm younger one of my favorite. That's
one of my favorite super bowls. When you guys upset
Tom Brady, I love that. I was. I couldn't believe it.
That was amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
I was living in I was doing radio in Cape Cod,
Massachusetts at the time. I'm lucky I came home alive.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah, that's for sure. But man, for sure, if.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Any want to let you know, that was rooting hard
for those Lions. So if not the Giants, let's get
the Lions win the Super Bowl next year.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
That means a lot, man. I'm hoping hopefully we can
get it done here next year. It would be sooner
than later. Sooner than later it would be better for both,
for for both of us.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah for the lions and new guns of Roses music,
but we got we got new poppy music. So for
now we got the over right on. So Lee, thank
you so much for your time. Hope we get to
do this again. That does it for this episode of
Appetite for Distortion? When will we see the next one?
In the words of Axel Rose concerning Chinese democracy, I
don't know as soon as the word, but you'll see
(30:14):
it thanks to the lame ass security.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
I'm going home,
You know, yes is Appetite for Distortion.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to the podcast Appetite for Distortion, Episode number four
hundred and ninety six. My name is Brando. Welcome back
to the podcast from Pop Evil. Lee Kakati. How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Real good man. It's good to be back on man.
Congratulations all. We're both still here right, still growing and
still trying to climb since the last time we spoke.
So I'm super grateful.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, we were just kind
of shortly reminiscing before signing on today. But for those
of you may remember Lee was on. It was like
episode two hundred and thirty something. You know, COVID had
just started to happen, and I remember we did against
the Phoner. But towards the end, you're kind enough, You're like, hey,
I guess I want to show you the house I'm
(01:16):
working on. You said something under construction. Yeah, is that
done by now? I hope.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
So I don't think it is. Man. I've been back
and forth and different places and different places. Obviously a
lot has changed since COVID, So you know, I think
COVID for me personally, I just remember doing anything to
keep my mind off the depression that was not being
able to play for who knows long at the time, right,
So you know, now it's now it's a much better
(01:42):
familiar situation with a new album on the horizon and touring.
So I'm much more grateful to rather be talking about
that than whatever I'm building. So I'm not I'm not
a builder, man, so but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
All that stuff's in the rear of your mirror, thankfully,
and we're far away from that. So, as you mentioned,
just a few weeks away March twenty first, what Remains
the new album from Poppy Eeville just also released a
new single, the third single, Wishful Thinking. So I mean,
this has got to be this is old hat for
you with a new and I mean that as far
(02:14):
as the album of cycle or does each one carry
something different for you? Like what's special about this album
cycle and this album for you?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean I think it's a little bit of both.
It's old hat in some ways, but it's always new
and still different from me. This album it's been done
for a minute now, so I haven't been listening to anything.
I don't I don't really know the song order. I mean,
I we approved it when when the pitch to me,
this was months ago, you know, I don't, but in
order to stay fresh, I've just I think with my experience,
(02:44):
everything for me is about the live show. So I
want to I want it to be like it's almost
new for me, you know, and we get it there
in April and we start touring the spring to just wow,
I forgot about this, So this is awesome, you know,
this is this is this is so cool, Rather than
I've heard it for the million time, like normally every
other album, I feel like micromanage everything, and by the
time the songs come out, I'm just I'm a little
(03:04):
wore out, you know. So I'm trying to just keep
a distant Obviously wrote it and did the whole process,
but once it was done, I'm really trying to just
get better at you know, just trusting the journey and
you know, putting it up for a little bit and
giving my mind an opportunity to relax and and uh
rest up for you know, the year and a half
two years that it is to push this record, so
(03:24):
you know, looking forward to it. Very excited about this album.
I feel like this is the beginning of a whole
new era for the band. So you know, we're definitely
excited as a team as as as as a band
of brothers, and you know, we can't wait for this
album to finally be out.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's it's cool to and what do you mean? I
guess far as like the era? What do you what
do you consider this era of h And that's like
the phrase now with Taylor Swift or you're in your
sumthing era? So what popular?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
What what era?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
What's the word before it?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I just think for me, it just feels like this
new this, this new start, right, you're always kind of
this this chapter is in this in this musical journey, right,
And obviously with Covid behind us, now we've had some
member changes. It's it's it's it's things are more focused
on the guitars and obviously this this this heavier side
of pop evil that we've had in the past. But
(04:14):
for whatever reason, you know, things things just evolve, you know,
and it's this evolution of where the band here is.
I feel it's been a three album cycle not to
finally be here. Obviously we have a new there's a
new branding of the logo as well. It just feels
like we just needed this fresh bit of energy to
start whatever this next chapter might be for the band.
You know, the futures, the futures up to us and
(04:34):
where we want to take it. And you know, obviously
with the success we had, but still you know, we're
still we're still a new band in other ways, you know,
so being able to just kind of write our script
still not have to you know, totally be tied to
sounding a certain way or doing certain things. We could
still you know, put the creativity where it belongs in
that live show and really grow this brand, you know,
grow this band in so many different ways. So we're
(04:55):
definitely excited about, you know, with the future holds for
Pop Evil and and you know where our places members
in it, and certainly where we are off the stage.
The way we're supporting each other and the way the
communication has been is something that's never been around the band,
so certainly behind the scenes, it feels like a whole
different opportunity for the band to be positive and you know,
just lay the foundation the right way where we can
(05:16):
build on that and hopefully you know, create some uh
some still a lot of great successes for Poppy Pop
Evil moving forward.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
It's cool that, yes, because it's a new era, but
also you know as a radio guy and going back
to the days of when I would be the guy
talking between the songs and when you were kind of
a quote unquote newer band. So in ways, you're you've
been around the block for a bit, but there's still
such a long road to add of you. I mean,
how do you see it?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
No, that's exactly it. You know, it's like you evolve, right,
like you have to. Like you said, you know, we've
been around and so many different eras of being like
you said, at radio and and and how the bands
really broke here and certainly in the United States that
that it was. It's interesting to kind of have that
have that confidence behind you, right, Like things that didn't work,
(06:07):
you know, we don't want to go back in those directions.
We don't want and even things that have worked, it's like, look,
when you think about it from the live show perspective,
we've already done that. You know, Like we want to
push ourselves to still respect our old catalog and certainly
our fans that have been with us since day one,
but at the same time be open to creating new
fans to be interested in the band to come on
and and you know, I want to see us live
(06:27):
and be a part of this next chapter for the
band as well. So in order to do that, you
have to be creative and things you're doing, you have
to be able to experiment ways, and obviously experimenting is
a very thin line. You know, things that you experiment
don't that don't work. You know, you have to be
very yeah, you have to at least be very well
aware of those decisions you're making, you know, to keep
fans interested as much as possible, but at the same
(06:49):
time not to alienate fans and and you know, keep
them less interested and want to come see us live
as well. So it just it's just it's a constant
game of chess in a way. And the cool thing
about it is you're playing against yourself, right, You're playing
against your old albums. You're playing against your old tours
and your old decisions you made all those years ago
and up until now. And hopefully, you know, we the
(07:11):
best version of pop evil is still yet to come,
and we're chasing that. We have this term chasing perfection.
That's always what we're trying to do now when we
think about being out away from our family friends, it's
it's it's harder. You know, the longer you're in the game,
the harder it is to be gone for longer periods
of time. So if we're going to do that, you know,
we've made the commitment to each other as brothers in
the band to just hey, let's not waste our time
(07:32):
here partying and doing those things that can you know,
that are selfishly rooted to take our you know, our
personal kind of efforts away from the end goal. So
you know, when you have four other guys that are
in that same page with you, and everyone understands the
respect they have for their own individual time, whether that's
family or personal, other personal, other journeys people are trying
to take on their own when it comes to being
(07:54):
in the band together, that commitment requires sacrifice. It requires
unselfish acts of just like, hey, we're here for each other,
rather than you know what, man, it was a great show.
I think I'm going to go get ripped tonight, rather
as opposed to, hey, man, I'm going to rest tonight
and make sure that I sound great for our fans tomorrow.
So there was a responsibility that I think that the
band members feel to our fans. Having a success, We've
(08:16):
had to make sure we have songs that people are
traving traveling many miles to hear, you know, songs that
have helped people in positive ways. So when they come
see us live again, we want to make sure that
it sounds perfect every night. We want to make sure
that that that performance is spot on. And obviously, as
you age, you want to make sure your body's you know,
ready to do that because you know, when you play
(08:36):
as many shows as we do sometimes a week, it
can be grueling on those knees, or it can be
grueling you know, on your back or grouling, you know,
on your muscles in different ways. So making sure that
you stay healthy and you know, from a physical aspect
individually is so important. To just make sure you're committed
and show your other brothers that hey, man, like I'm
serious just as much as you are. Let's go. And
when you have guys that are doing that, it's it's
(08:58):
a lot more motivating to it's a lot more fun
as well, right, It's a lot more fun to be
away from family and friends knowing that we're making sacrifices
rather than we're just you know, being selfish and taking
for granted the people that are back at home supporting
us and are here waiting for us. So it's just
important to do things right a little different again, hence
the New Era. It's just the mindset is a big
part of that. So you know what that's being said, it's, uh,
(09:20):
we're having more fun in ways that we never had before.
So with that, with that comes just more fun when
you're writing, and more fun in the creative process. Your
mind's open to be more creative. So you know what
remains when you really think about the album title, when
when the shit really hits the fan, or when you're
at your lowest, you know, you have that choice are
you going to give in or are you going to
(09:40):
take a step forward and try to be better the
next day? And it's not always easy, but you know,
are you looking at the glass half full? Are you
looking at the glass half empty? And you know we
have that choice, each of us individually. When when when
the wheels fall off and you're you're kind of set
and looking at adversity right in the face, Like when
when when you're looking in the mirror and that adversity
is looking right back at you. You know, you' a
choice and and what what version of yourself do you
(10:02):
want to put forward? And uh, that's kind of where
this feels like we're at, like individually as well as
collectively in the band. And and to name what remains
it's it's a challenge almost to ourselves and what we're
what what can we do with it? What are we
going to do with this opportunity?
Speaker 2 (10:15):
That's a that's what you want to hear, I think
as a fan, not just the the ripping guitars and
where your vocals can go, it's just the atmosphere of
the members itself. You want to know that it's kind
of a band of brothers or you know, a band
of just a band. It's a band. I think you
appreciate that knowing that you're watching friends on stage on
(10:37):
stage right like that's yeah, adds something.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, And with Pop Evil, you know, we've had a
lot of We've had a lot of members come and go.
I mean, it's just it's a part of the Uh,
it's a part of the process, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And and you're talking to a gun through Roses fan, so
well there you.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Go, so you know, you know exactly right, it's it's
uh Obviously I respect fans and even band members. Like
when you start band, you start that dream. You always
hope you're going to be with those guys. There are
those people your whole career. But you know, as life happens,
and certainly in the era when we came up, I mean,
success is different. Success doesn't always mean financial success. So
(11:11):
you know, if you can't pay the bills, or people
can't pay their bills, they got to do it's best
for themselves to just you know, make a living and
to survive in this world. So sometimes with musicians, as
everyone's heard, you know, off the scene is not always
as lucrative as you know most musicians would like. But
a lot of us don't get into this because of
the money or the financial success. We get into it
because it's all we know. It's a it's our lifestyle,
(11:32):
it's our form of expression, you know. So with that said,
you know, people have come and gone, but this particular
lineup that we have, it's it's it feels like again,
you're never guaranteed anything when you're dealing with other people.
It's a relationship. You know, even in marriage, you know
you're not guaranteed that you're going to be with that
significant other for the rest of your life, you hope so,
but at least at least the language from the beginning,
(11:54):
we've all kind of we're all kind of in that
same place in our careers. We've all had success, but
we've all feel like there's you've just tipped the iceberg,
and there's still plenty more left on that bone, mean,
on that bone that we want to accomplish. So when
you get a bunch of guys together that have that
same drive, it's easier to push each other right because
we all want the same thing. We all want to
be successful in a band, right, and we understand at
(12:14):
this point in our career that it requires another person,
It requires each in each and every one of us
to be able to play the role the right way.
And when you can hold each other accountable based on
that position, and hey, you know, you told me you
weren't going to do that today because and I hadn't
been doing it. We've been focused. Let's get back to
chasing perfection and let's get back to making the show,
(12:35):
you know, the best, or let's make sure that we're
writing the best record we can this album. And you know,
when you look at those people in the eye and
go yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. When if you do
find yourself getting off the tracks a bit, when you
have four other guys that are really helping you get
back on, it can be really beneficial. As you know,
looking back at sometimes in the earlier process of being
a musician, sometimes you don't speak up on those things.
(12:55):
You just kind of assume people are going to fall
in line and you know, do what you hope they will.
But when you be supportive of people, not just your fans,
not just your family, but your band family and you
guys can come together, and sometimes your band family is
the only person that can really understand what it's like
that what you're going through because they're on the stage
sharing those moments with you. Your family doesn't understand what
it's like to be up and have people cheering for
(13:16):
you or booing you, you know, But your band brothers do,
you know what I mean? They understand what it's like
when you had a bad show. They understand what it's
like when you know you sang bad, you thought you
performed bad, and they're there like, well, well, well it's
not the end of the world, you know what I mean?
Like what if you try this rather than focusing on
the bad things, you know, focusing on things things are positive,
that can really, you know, help you kind of get
a mental grasp on not being so negative yourself. And
(13:37):
I think that, you know, negativity seems to be so
much easier this day, in this world that we live.
It's so easy to pick yourself a partner that's not
good enough, or I suck or that sucks, and you know,
and and I think fans don't always understand that that
happens for us musicians too, you know, especially in our era,
because you see bands like what you're wearing, Guns n' Roses,
that was a whole different. Those are the legendary rock bands.
I mean, it's arguable in this era are there legendary
(14:00):
rock bands the same way? Sure of course there are,
but in the same way that it was in the eighties.
It's different, you know what I mean. Does that make
us any less relevant, of course not, but it's just different.
So it's it's when you're comparing yourself to other bands
like Guns and Rosa or whatever it might be, it's
easy to you know, it's easy to beat yourself up
or I'm not good enough or this isn't you know,
(14:21):
going the way I want it. So it's so important
that you have band of brothers that are behind you
to be like, hey, it's us against the world sometimes
and I'm right here beside you, man, I'm fighting the
fight with you, and it doesn't don't listen all that noise,
let's roll. So again, that's just my perspective on it.
But when you're there helping and supporting your other members
and their positions too, and you're giving each other that
energy when it's needed, it just can make it for again,
(14:43):
a more enjoyable experience. I mean, this is this business
is very hard, being out on the road. I mean,
obviously it's a blessing and there's a lot of things
that make it a dream job, absolutely, but there are
also things that make it just like any other job.
It's brutal. You know, time away from family, I don't
care what job you're at is tough. You know, when
you're on the road for six seven weeks, I mean
(15:04):
you know when you're when you're when you're going to
the bathroom at nothing but about truck stops and walmarts.
I mean, at some point you know it's just a normble,
bathroom man, you know, so it's uh, it can be again,
all those things man can can pile up and and
and lead to anxiety and depression for people. So again,
it's so important for us in this new era pop
be able to be supportively positive and really focus on
(15:26):
that energy off the stage because we obviously most bands
can do what they do on the stage. That's almost
in some ways the easy part, right because playing music
is something we've all been doing since we were young kids.
So by the time you get up on stage, that's
when the release happens. It's the time off the stage,
when you're living on the tour bus, you're traveling with
people that aren't necessarily you know, you didn't grow up
(15:46):
with these people. They're not necessarily your friends. They're your brothers, right,
And sometimes when you think about family, you're closer to
your friends and same of your family, but they're still
your family, you know what I mean. So that's kind
of how I relate it. I mean, we're not necessarily
always the closest friends, but we're the closest brothers. So
it's interesting that and probably just because when we get
off the last thing we want to do is go
(16:07):
hang out. Now, if we're all lived in the same
place as possible, we would, but a lot of times,
I think when we're off we all go our separate
ways and we go hang with some of those people
that we don't see often during the year. But then
when we're back on it's almost like a fraternity. You know,
you're back to see your friends again and this family
that you don't know you ever needed, but you're so
grateful that you have. And I think that's part of
(16:27):
being in your career. You know, when we're about to
drop our eighth album, eighth album, lens eighth albums in,
you're like, what have you learned? And I think that's
the thing I've learned the most. It's just how grateful
you are for the people that are still around the project,
you know what I mean, those people that are still
helping you support the vision that you had when you started,
you know, and to be here, I mean you think
about those bands that started when we were around, not
many of them left, so to still be here grinding
(16:49):
it and still be putting out new music is a
huge blessing and it's something that we don't take lightly
and we try to be grateful about it. So we're
super stoked about the launch of the Snatch record.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Yeah, right on, I have the I appreciate and respect
that perspective. I had a similar conversation my last interview
with Wednesday thirteen, you know, and talking about you know,
at this level of whatever is determined of success. But
it's like I call it and the same thing to you.
It's like almost a humility because you are successful, but
you have that drive. Okay, we're using it of course
(17:21):
here Guns and Roses as the example, but I it
brings up just organically. I was going to ask you this, Yeah,
because you hear Gene Simmons still saying rock is dead
and JJ French is saying how rock isn't is what
it was. I love the thought process of just stop
bad mouthing rock and roll and praise the bands that
are still getting it done successful like a pop evil
(17:44):
like yeah, I don't know how you you feel about it.
I hate this whole rock is dead thing.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yes, I love that, man. I wish more people did
embrace some of the bands that are still out there
branding because just because I know the journey, I know
art it is, you know, and I know that at
some point for most of us, just people. I mean,
there's been tons of times in my career I was
just like, look, do I really want to keep doing?
This is really worth it? You know, because like sometimes
you really don't understand the success because even when you
(18:10):
have levels of success, all you see are tour of
us walls. It's almost like a prison. You don't always
see the thousands of people who like your band or
like your songs. All you see is the you know,
three or four comments that piss you off, and then
it's like, Okay, I'm done. I'm not even looking at
social media. So it's almost like that, you know, your
report card, you get all a's, you get that one F.
(18:32):
It's like all you think about is that F.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Man, people are going around. Your parents are like, dude,
it's okay, man, you did so good. You're like, who cares?
I don't I'm a failure. You know this sucks. I
don't want So it's sometimes, man, in this new era
of social media, you can get comments right away. I mean,
in the early days without this, if someone didn't like
your band, who cares? You never saw them, they didn't
show up in your show. Who cares, you know, I mean,
but now you see the people that will never go
(18:56):
to your show and don't like your band ever, And
there's always there's always people for every band, even Guns
N' Roses, you know, which I can't understand. You're not
like Guns and Roses, but they're out there.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Right, There's plenty of haters.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
But you know what I mean, It's like, when someone
doesn't like your band, they were never gonna go watch
your band anyway, so their comment is straight.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Why comment? Why comment?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Well, you know you got to. You can look at
it a couple of ways too. I mean, if someone's
gonna really comment, you must you must have pissed them
off pretty good. So I mean, look, I guess you're
looking for a reaction. Is that better than the passive
fan who just doesn't care about you? So I mean,
there's tons of ways to look at it, right, But yeah,
I mean it would be I'd be lying to you.
It'd be great if, if you know, the rock community
(19:38):
embraced more of the bands in general, right, of course,
I would love that. But at the same time, you
can't focus on it, man. You gotta just uh. There's
more competition, which is great because there's more opportunities for
the average band to get a look, right, It's not
all about getting a record deal anymore like it was
in those days when we got That's that's all I
thought I needed was to blow up, you know, And
then those days you get your record deal, it means nothing.
(20:00):
You still need to hit songs, you still need to tour,
you still need to build a fan base, you know.
But but now more than ever, geez, you go viral
on something, you can end up being, you know, having opportunity.
And that's that's kind of truly what it's about. So
you can't for someone who you know has had his
own opportunities and still looking for more, can't be mad
at people forgetting opportunity. That's what it's about, you know.
(20:21):
But it would be nice if the rock community was
able to lift up our community in ways that other
genres maybe do, maybe you know, banning to. I just
think the thing that makes our community the way we
kind of like, the way we kind of, uh, what's
the right word, the way we kind of hold our
(20:41):
favorite bands close to us, right, Like this is my band,
I'm Guns and Roses. Forgive Metallica, then this Guns and Roses,
you know what I mean, Like, there's protective and right, right,
there's a pride that rock and metal fans where sometimes
if you think about it in the pop sense or
a hip hop or or or country sense, I love
(21:03):
all oh like I love all that, man. But you
think about the nineties, right, it was pac and big Ee.
You chose a side, and sometimes in rock and metal
it's still that way. But and that's look, I mean everyone.
The thing I think that makes rock and metal still
so cool is its it's people's identities, right, Like guns
n' Roses is your identity. Like you've probably been listening
to them since you were a kid. Maybe it was
(21:23):
the first CD you got, it was the first CD
I got it, so you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
It's just kind of like, okay.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah, it's your personal experience. Right, It's not just guns
n' Roses. It's maybe life experiences that you had when
you were listening to guns n' Roses. Right, It's maybe
a family member that you were listening to them with,
you went to the concert with, and you think about
those memories with them that just solidify the greatness of
what guns n' Roses truly is not just the music,
it's the life experience you've had when they've been around
as long as I have Right and Pop Evil now
(21:50):
our eighth album, we've had a taste of some of that,
you know, and we get that sometimes, especially when I'm
at home, some of my close friends will be like, oh,
you know, I really love the first two Pop Evil records,
and I'm like, well, did you even listen to the
new records? They're like, nah, I didn't even listen to it,
but it's the first albums when they were with us
and they were touring around. We were still younger, so
they were around us more. We were house partying and
(22:12):
jamming and just ready to break. So you know, I
understand that, like those earlier records are the link that
they have to the band, So of course that's why
they like them better. That's nothing really to do with
the music. So again, there's different ways why people like bands.
They support bands, so getting them to lift you up
in different ways is tough because it's about it's about
their link to you and their other bands, and you know,
(22:32):
you can't compete. If I was like, dude, you gotta
like Pop Evil more than Guns and Roses, you can
be like, well, I don't know about that, because Guns
n' Roses has twenty thirty years on us.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Being out on that might not be the fair comparison.
But it was always like i'd hear about you know,
you had to pick gn R or Nirvana. I just
never oh, there you go. I never understood that. So yeah,
I've never been of that ilk. You know, I know
there are people like that. That's kind of funny. I
know I have you here for a limited amount of
time and to make that transition. Now, Hey, fy, I
(23:02):
don't always wear guns and Roses shirt, even though it
is a GNR podcast, just one of the few shirts
that my son hasn't gotten applesauce on. So it's kind
of whittled down to what, oh, just my GNR shirts.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
I love it. I love it. You make sure there's
been a special case probably right, Yeah, you can't touch those.
I love it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, Well, last time, because I think you did mention
that Appetite was your first CD, and we spoke about
some gn R covers you guys would do or you
would do back in the early days of being a band,
of being a singer. But I also I wanted to
ask you since you're a few years older than me.
And do you remember nineteen ninety one when you USUALR
Illusion one and two came out?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Do you? I do?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
How old were you then? Did you line up at all?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
I'm not exactly sure of my age, but I remember,
I remember. I remember when they dropped the double disc.
It was just so different, you know, and you were
wanting and I was kind of I was different, right,
Like I was kind of like those fans like before
I didn't like you, before I liked you, you know
what I mean? So right when those obviously I had
the first I mean had appetite, you know. And then
(24:07):
I remember looking at the artwork just being like, oh
my god, this is awesome, you know what I mean,
and like I can't almost like it was looking at
like a soft porn or something like it. I had
to make sure my parents weren't around when I'm looking
at it or oh my god, it was so shocking.
I'd never seen like anything like that before. Obviously I
was young too. And then of course you know what
use you the you know, the the the two double Yeah, yep,
(24:31):
that's what it wasn't too in November rain, right, like
when all that came out. I remember being like, wow,
what is this like? And the covers were, you know,
very artsy and what they had that kind of sketch
of that girl reading a book or whatever it was
I think it was. And then I remember being like
and then of course you see the music videos and
you're like, oh my gosh, man, this is I mean
actual Roses a movie star then, because music videos were
(24:52):
so were so big, and they were such a big part,
you know, MTV generator. It was just starting to like
these bands and Guns N' Roses were one of the
first right that were spending millions of dollars on their
music videos, so it's almost like a cinematic experience, you know.
And and I remember just of course, you know, I
was a singer, so always watching Axel and in those days,
I don't know if I really dreamed about being in
a band at that then. I was just kind of
(25:13):
falling in love with rock and metal, you know. And
I remember being a little bit confused, being like, oh,
we'll do it. Well, I don't want to buy two records,
you know. I mean I was a young I was like,
I just want to buy the one record, you know.
But then then as it gets on and you're kind
of there, go, wow, dude, this is coolest by both records.
You know, I remember it kind of uh, the Guns
N' Roses whole persona, at least in Michigan where I was.
(25:35):
It was almost like it was like a spell on you, right,
and once you caught it, it just every day, every
month seemed to get you just used to just fall
a little more in love with it and you were
just like, wow, this is so good because again this
was so different, you know what I mean, And they
were just they were just they just kind of came
on the scene and you know, at that point, I'm
you know, Detroit Rock City a little bit like you know,
kiss and stuff like that. But like you like again,
(25:59):
Guns and Roses was was was just it was so reckless.
It was so raw. It was just like you know,
you pictured if you went to dinner with those guys,
that's actor. He's got his bandana and he's just that's
what he was, you know, Slash he'd be there with
the shades on his hat and he just yeah, I'm
getting spaghetti. What do you get? You know what I mean,
Like he would just be they'd be the same anywhere,
So you know, it started to really like like just
plant seeds and and me just falling in love and
(26:21):
wanted to be in a band. It was like, I
gotta I want to be like those dudes, you know
what I mean. And of course Metallica, you know, so
in pan Terra. So again it just that whole shift.
And then of course I did I did love the nineties,
that the Seattle grunge. I loved Pearl Jam. You know,
I was a big Pearl Jam fan as well. So
it was just you know, but I was always a
song guy. You know. I get asked all the time
about the albums, and I I mean I could lie
(26:42):
and say yeah, this album, and I thought albums were cool,
but I was I was always You got to remember
in those days when I was when I was kind
of climbing the CD singles, remember those like you could
get the CD single that they did for like that
window time, and I'll be like, okay, And again I
didn't have a ton of money, so if I could
get you know, November for three bucks, I'd rather do
that than I actually had the Guns and Roses albums.
(27:03):
But you get the picture, right, Like in those days
and rock was pop then, right, so you could get
different songs. They were blended in with what you were
listening to, not just on the radio, but because pop
was more secular, it was everywhere. It was on the TV,
it was on it was everywhere you went, you were,
you could hear a Guns N' Roses track. It wasn't
like you had to just go to the rocks.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Rock was more accepted than people weren't claiming it was
dead back then.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Correct. Yes, yes, you're getting back to your question. The
rock is dead. It's it's a I dis agree, man,
if you look at the festival circuit, it's It's interesting though,
how metal and rock, at hard rock especially have been
more infused and kind of just brought together, which I
love because I've always been more of a metal and
rock hard rock guy. And obviously when we started Pop
Evil being a radio band, the hard rock version of
Pop Evil was always just it was always just, uh,
(27:48):
it was always right there because to get you know,
to get our breaks and to get in hard rock
sound was just that was radio at the time. Now,
we like to think with songs like Waking Lions Breathe Again,
you know, we've had we've played a part in rock
radio being a little bit heavier in ways, and of
course all these great bands now that have come up,
these younger bands are just incredible and then you know
they're they're heavy, and their metal influences is very well apparent.
(28:08):
So again seeing the metal side start to shift and
become you know, I don't want to say more popular,
because it's always been popular, but you know what I mean,
be more mainstream at least at rock radio. It's it's exciting,
and it's it's opened the door for us to be
able to do things like we're doing on this album
here with what remains. So just super grateful for this
evolution and where it's been and just our place in it,
and just you know, like like we said earlier in
(28:30):
the interviews, like we feel like we're at this place
still where we you know, it's up to us. We
still have a lot that we can We can write
the script and in a lot of different ways to
keep the band relevant and keep us going and moving forward.
So we're looking forward to that challenge.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I look forward to seeing where pop evil goes from here.
I still remember when I was earlier in my radio
career when playing trenches you know, being that guy's like
the new song from pop evil and just playing the love.
So getting to talk to you now is pretty special.
And and for the record, because there's still a lot
more populable evil to come that these Lions are going
(29:03):
to get that for Super Bowl. I was rooting for
you guys this year as a Giants fan. Was the
season was terrible. Sure, Sure, And by the way, congrats
to Saquon. He deserved it. He deserves it.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Was it was great to see for him. And obviously
being a Giants fan, you've got to taste at least.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I've tasted him exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
That's why. And I'm younger one of my favorite. That's
one of my favorite super bowls. When you guys upset
Tom Brady, I love that. I was. I couldn't believe it.
That was amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
I was living in I was doing radio in Cape Cod,
Massachusetts at the time. I'm lucky I came home alive.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah, that's for sure. But man, for sure, if.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Any want to let you know, that was rooting hard
for those Lions. So if not the Giants, let's get
the Lions win the Super Bowl next year.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
That means a lot, man. I'm hoping hopefully we can
get it done here next year. It would be sooner
than later. Sooner than later it would be better for both,
for for both of us.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah for the lions and new guns of Roses music,
but we got we got new poppy music. So for
now we got the over right on. So Lee, thank
you so much for your time. Hope we get to
do this again. That does it for this episode of
Appetite for Distortion? When will we see the next one?
In the words of Axel Rose concerning Chinese democracy, I
don't know as soon as the word, but you'll see
(30:14):
it thanks to the lame ass security.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
I'm going home,
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com