Interviewed by Mark Dean (Journalist/Writer/Contributor) Myglobalmind Webzine
David”Hi this is Dave”
Myglobalmind: Good evening its Mark from Myglobalmind.
Dave”First of all, can you hear me because I am at the San Diego comic convention and its pretty crazy here”
Myglobalmind: An unusual location for album promotion?
Dave”No, I’m just here as a fan. I am an old comic book geek from way back. This is a mecca for sci fi and comic geeks.”
Myglobalmind: Taking you back,after the lineup that recorded the first two King Kobra albums split you had several singers. That included both Johnny Edwards and also Kelly Keeling. Did you ever consider getting the original singer Marcie Fee back into the band before Paul joined?
Dave”Actually I think when we were first talking about doing this a couple of years ago, Carmine had made the first contact with Marcie. I guess that Carmine and Marcie are not getting along very well so that was politely declined.”
Myglobalmind: What then prompted the return of King Kobra in 2010 with Paul?
Dave”Well we had always wanted to get together and do an album,but it was never the right time or a good way to actually get anything out. Frontiers had expressed an interest in signing the band with the original members. We were anxious to get in there again and see what we could do,and that’s what we did. We had always enjoyed playing together, we just needed an excuse to get together.”
Myglobalmind: Regarding the new album “2”,how was it recorded and where?
© Denise Truscello
Dave”Well it was mostly recorded in Las Vegas, Paul Shortino has a studio there and we did most of the pre-production. We did a lot of the post production and guitars at my studio in Arizona ,and we had Michael Voss in Germany. He was the mixer, when we had completed recording we sent it to Michael. He was asked by the band if he wanted to do anything on the record and actually did some acoustic guitar on the song”Take me back”. We were happy that we got him to play on our record.”
Myglobamlmind: Obviously is a fresh and new record for the band, but any particular tracks that stand out for you personally?
Dave”I think a real departure for King Kobra would be the long song”Deep River”its over eight minutes in length. We are very proud of that one, it sort of captures all of our classic rock seventies roots with a modern recording. It gives Paul a chance to do what he does best, and that is to be a soul singer.”
Myglobalmind: One track that stood out for me was “The ballad of Johnny Rod” that resembled a track that he had done with a former band of his-Wasp.
Dave”Oh really? I’m not that familiar with the Wasp stuff. When we were finishing the lyrics for that song, I think that I came up with that title. I asked him if it was OK, and he said “absolutely”and the rest is history.”
Myglobalmind: Taking you back again after the release of King Kobra 3 you played with Lizzy Borden.
Dave”Yeah I played on…..what was the name of that record”?
Myglobalmind: Master of Disguise?
Dave”Yes I played most of the guitar on that album. It was a great album and I was really proud to be a part of that.”
Myglobalmind: How did that opportunity present itself as musically it does seem like quite a departure from your work with King Kobra?
Dave”Well I knew Joey, and Lizzy just in passing. The two guys that produced that particular record were Alex Molten, and Elliott Solomon. Both of those guys had worked on King Kobra 3. When they were in the studio with Lizzy he was looking for a guitar player for the record. They suggested me and I came in and did my stuff and I think that it came out really well.”
Myglobalmind: Any particular tales of Lizzy himself.was he as wild and crazy as his stage persona?
Dave(laughing),”I can only say that he was one of the nicest guys that I have ever met. He wasn’t wild or crazy at all. One of the most straight up and nice guys that you could ever meet”
Myglobalmind: Following on from my point of pursuing a different musical direction,have you ever had an urge to follow a different genre maybe through a solo album?
Dave”Well I have done a lot of stuff, I did an album with Robert Mason who is now the singer in Warrant. That band was called Big Cock. We put out three albums from 2005 to 2008. I did another thing which was kind of a solo project called Tunnel in 2009. I just recently released a bunch of new songs under the name Steel Shine which if you get a chance should check out. Its pretty cool stuff.”
Myglobalmind: Following your solo contribution to the “Black Roses”horror movie soundtrack have you ever had a desire to do any more music for films?
Dave”I did some songs for another movie in the late eighties, and I’ve written little songs here and there that were used in commercials. The most recent was one of my Big cock songs called “Real man”was used in Americas got talent . That was a thrill to see that on there. Like I have said, I try to keep busy.”
Myglobalmind: I have read that you returned to college and did a degree.What in your life are you most proud of,was it attaining that qualification or something musical?
Dave”I did a scholarship for one and a half years before I went to LA to become a musician. In my mid thirties I went back to college here in Arizona, and got a degree in computer sciences. I do work as a computer programmer as well ,and as a software engineer.”
© Denise Truscello
Myglobalmind: Would that therefore be your proudest achievement in your life?
Dave”That is interesting that you should mention that because, I am very proud of what I have achieved in music. One thing about going to college though is you get out of it what you put in. If you do the work then you will get the degree. With music you can put the work in and just not get anywhere. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not good. There is a degree of luck involved which just isn’t there when you go to college. If you want to get an A or a good degree average you can get it if you put in the work, it does take a lot of work though.”
Myglobalmind: Looking back on your music career what would you say was your biggest regret?
Dave”I can recall my biggest disappointment. We were touring with Ted Nugent in 1986 and we were supposed to play a sold out show in Detroit on my 24th birthday. Our truck broke down on the way to the gig, we couldn’t do the gig and had to return home. We could not afford to fix the truck. I think that was my greatest disappointment.”
Myglobalmind: Have you ever felt intimidated by another guitarists ability and talent?
Dave”Oh there are a million guys that are fantastic. I’m comfortable within my own skin with what I do, and play in my style. I am not a wild shredder,or ever will be. I Iike to think that I have my own style.”
Myglobalmind: Do you keep in touch with current musical styles and trends by going to shows.? Or do you alternatively feel that sometimes you prefer to take a break from music?
Dave”There is a lot of great groups that are around right now. I really like Rival Sons and the guitarist in that band who’s a real bluesy player..I still like some bands from the nineties that are putting stuff out. I like Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins. I would listen to Deep Purple, Montrose any day or Yes who I saw just last week. They are still killing it.”
Myglobalmind: Over the years you must have done many interviews but if you had to choose a person to sit down with and you interview them, who would it be?
Dave”Probably Ritchie Blackmore,he is such a difficult personality. I have always really admired his playing and you can never second guess what he is going to play next. He possesses a degree of danger which always made him so good. His folk new age music isn’t my style, I saw one of his videos of a concert that he did in Russia. When he plays “Sixteenth century Greensleeves”it was just fantastic, no one else can do that.”
Myglobalmind: Just a few general musical questions to finish up on. What was the first song that you remember hearing?
© Denise Truscello
Dave”That’s a hard one, probably early Kiss and Bachman Turner Overdrive.”
Myglobalmind: When you went to school, then what were your favorite songs at that time?
Dave”That’s a hard one, probably”Smoke on the Water”, or anything from Dressed to kill by Kiss.”
Myglobalmind: What about the saddest song that you have ever heard?
Dave”Gilbert and Sullivan”Alone again, naturally.”That song makes me cry every time that I hear it.”
Myglobalmind: Which song do you wish that you had written?
Dave “Probably You shook me all night long”or “Back in black”
Myglobalmind: Which song from your own musical legacy that you had a hand in writing would you be most proud of?
Dave”I don’t really have a perspective on that at the moment. With regard to the latest King Kobra release. The track “Deep River”that we discussed earlier and I am really proud of that. Another track from that”Take me back”, its poignant , its not about booze and strippers. Its appropriate for where we are in our lives.”
Mygloblamind: With regard for touring plans specifically for Europe and the UK? Anything drawn up yet for those territories?
Dave”Unfortunately nothing is finalized, its still being negotiated. We haven’t yet received a sensible offer to really make it worth our while. Fingers crossed though that we can get that sorted out as I would really love to get over and play with King Kobra in the Uk and Europe. Carmine has told me that we received 3/4 offers to play festivals. We all live in different areas so just getting us together presents a huge problem.
Myglobalmind: Thanks David for chatting to me. This evening for Myglobalmind.
Dave”Its been a pleasure, thanks for having me, and anything I can help you with or you need just get in touch. Thanks ,bye
Myglobalmind: Cheers Dave.
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