Tommy Mandel is a keyboardist who has played with many well-known musicians, but is best known for recording and playing with Bryan Adams from 1981 through 1998. He grew up in the New York City area and began studying music at the age of six. Mandel studied songwriting with Paul Simon at NYU in 1969-70, in a class that included The Roches.
Ian Hunter, Ellen Foley, and more
Mandel was involved with the band, Stories, in the mid seventies and in 1978, his friend Paul Jacobs helped him to go on tour with the National Lampoon Travelling Road Show. His career started taking off from there. In 1979, he began recording Ellen Foley’s debut album and met Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson, playing on three albums with them from 1979 through 1981. Since then, Mandel has worked with David Johansen (aka Buster Pointdexter) of the NY Dolls, Dire Straits, John Waite, Little Steven Van Zandt, and more.
Solo Recordings
In 1981, Mandel released his first solo recording with the EP, Tommy Mandel on Songshop Records. He has released several solo recordings since, including in 1984, Music for Insomniacs and The Secrets of Marital Bliss. He has also composed and recorded a song cycle based on the touring experience, entitled, Starlight, featuring the vocals and writing talents of Marianne Faithful, John Waite, Joe Cerisano, Fran Eckert, Jeff Southworth, and Pete Hewlett. In the nineties, Mandel compiled the following CD’s of his instrumental compositions: Themes for Dreams (his favorite), Music for Insomniax II (sleepy synths),and recently, “Every Dog,” and The Enlightenment of Age, and most recently, Curio-City.
Kristin is a self-taught, rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter, born and raised in the Chicago area. Kristin developed her style as soon as she had her hands on her first guitar at age 12, and has been playing and singing since. Kristin’s influences are Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Led Zeppelin, and Queen, to name a few. She has auditioned on American Idol and Nashville Star, but would rather play with her band any day. She had an Emmy nomination in 2011 for the intro theme to the Herman the Jester television show. Her debut album, Pantyhose, was released in 2017. Kristin says of the album’s title, her “female rock anthem,” meant to empower women and has been aired on Chicago’s Rock the Fox. Pantyhose really shows Kristin’s talent on songs like “Rockin Muse” and “Hapi” to the acoustic ballad, “In Your Eyes.” Touching on many views, her songs and lyrics naturally fall into place once she has the music. Kristin has supported the album by recently touring across the country and with southern Belk winner Eryn Shewell. Her other accolades include singing and writing for Al Krouse, opening for Dilana, and Isaiah Grass.
In Part One, we spoke with Glen about his influences and learning to play bass. We also talked about his major breakthrough playing in Beatlemania. Glen has been a member of the legendary Asbury Park music scene, and has been involved in many projects throughout his career. At many times, Beatles related. In 2015, Glen and Bob Burger formed The Weeklings, and the band released three albums with critical praise. The band performs Beatles’ songs (and songs the Beatles wrote but did not record themselves), and their own originals.
Solo Career, Song Writing, and Styx
In 1986, Glen was signed to A&M Records and released his first album, Talking In Code. Then, in 1987 he released his follow-up album, Heroes and Zeros, featuring the single, Follow You. It was during that time that he began working with Bob Burger.
After Glen left A&M Records, Dennis DeYoung asked him to audition for his band, Styx (after Tommy Shaw left to form Damn Yankees). Glen jumped at the chance, and was hired as the second guitarist and songwriter and helped them release their new record, Edge of the Century. He stayed with them through 1991. Glen eventually returned to Styx in 1999, playing bass.
With Glen’s successful songwriting with Styx, he continued writing for other artists, most notably, his collaboration with Patty Smyth of Scandal. They wrote Sometime Love Just Ain’t Enough, and Patty ended up doing the duet with Don Henley, and it went to the top of the charts, reaching number one.
In Part One, we spoke with Chuck about his high school days in Montclair, New Jersey, and hanging with Joe Walsh. Also, about when he went to Berklee in Boston, with his friend, Al Anderson (who eventually became the lead guitarist for Bob Marley), and their chance to meet and jam with The Allman Brothers Band when they came to town. Chuck told us about being influenced by Ringo Starr, Mitch Mitchell, and his start in playing Jazz and Jazz Fusion. He mentioned his preference for playing Tama drums and Paiste cymbals.
Al DiEmiola, Brand X, & Phil Collins
In Part Two of our three-part interview, we chat about Chuck’s time with jazz-rock guitarist Al Di Meola for his first solo venture. In 1978, he joined English fusion group, Brand X. As a member of Brand-X, he replaced Phil Collins and recorded and toured for the classic album, Masques.
Hall and Oates and Rainbow
Returning to his rock and pop roots in 1980, Chuck joined Hall & Oates on their Voices album, featuring the number one hit, Kiss on My List. After a world tour to support Voices, Chuck went back in the studio with Daryle and John to record their follow-up album, Private Eyes.It featured the hits, the title track, and Can’t Go for That (No Can Do). Another world tour followed.
In 1983, Chuck joined Ritchie Blackmore’s band, Rainbow, to record their album, Bent out of Shape, and subsequent tour, to support the album and the hit single, Street of Dreams. Chuck returned when Ritchie put a new band together in 1995, and he was the only returning band member from the Bent out of Shape line up. The band did two sold-out tours in Europe, South America, and Japan for the album, Stranger in Us All.
Matt O’Ree is an American blues-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter, born and raised in Holmdel, New Jersey. He formed the Matt O’Ree Band in 1994, releasing his debut album, 88 Miles in 1998. In 2006, he entered the Guitarmageddon contest, sponsored by Guitar Center and Guitar World Magazine, hosted by BB King and John Mayer. He won after competing against 4,000 other guitar players. O’Ree was the touring rhythm guitarist for Bon Jovi in the 2015 South East Asia Tour. In 2016, he was inducted into the NY/NJ Blues Hall of Fame.
O’Ree has released four studio albums and two live albums, with his latest album, Brotherhood, released in 2016. The album features contributions from Bruce Springsteen, David Bryan (Bon Jovi), Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG’s), and John Popper (Blues Traveler), to name a few. The band includes his wife and singer, Eryn Shewell.
David Bryan and Bon Jovi
In 2013, O’Ree met David Bryan, and have been friends since. Bryan helped O’Ree with his career by introducing him to Jon Bon Jovi and getting him an audition to be the guitarist in the Bon Jovi band to help support their album, Burning Bridges.
After the South East Asia Tour in 2015, O’Ree did a homecoming show with his band at the The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey to a sold-out crowd. The show included David Bryan, where they performed Bon Jovi’s song, Wanted Dead or Alive, as well the song co-written by O’Ree and Bryan, My Everything is You; and their new single, the recorded version of “Black Boots,” featuring Bruce Springsteen. Also in 2015, O’Ree and Bryan performed with blues legend, Buddy Guy at B.B. Kings Club, with backing singer, Eryn Shewell.
Steve Brown, a guitarist from New Jersey, had his career picked out ever since he heard Kiss and Van Halen. He immediately picked up playing guitar at nine years old, and had his first band at the age of 12, named Trixter. From the get go, Steve modeled his band after Van Halen. The band’s popularity increased through the 80’s playing with acts like, Kix and Skid Row. The band was signed to Mechanic/MCA Records in1989 and released their debut album, Trixter, which featured the hits: “One in a Million” and “Give it to Me Good.” The band toured, opening for Stryper and Don Dokken, then Poison, and the Scorpions. In1991, they formed the Blood, Sweat & Beers tour with Warrant and FireHouse.
During the recording of their second album, Hear!, in 1991, Steve met Eddie Van Halen and began a friendship that lasted until Eddie’s passing in 2020. In 1994, the band decided to call it a day after their third album, Undercovers. Trixter regrouped in 2007, and made two more albums in 2012 and 2015.
Def Leppard and Tokyo Motor Fist
Steve has been involved with many bands and solo artists over the years, including Joe Lynn Turner, Dennis DeYoung, Wizards of Winter, and more. In 2013, Def Leppard invited him to play guitar while guitarist Vivian Campbell took a break; and In May of 2018, the band asked him to fill in for guitarist Phil Collen. Frontiers Music asked Steve to put a band together in 2017 and immediately asked Chuck Burgi, Ted Poly, and Greg Smith to join the band to became known as Tokyo Motor Fist. They released their self-titled album with great praise. Tokyo Motor Fist released their follow up – Lions, in 2020. Steve has produced and is the guitarist for both albums, stating that Lions is his greatest work yet.
Stone Temple Pilots
December 3, 2020, was the fifth anniversary of the passing of Scott Weiland. Scott was best known as the vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots (aka STP) and the super group, Velvet Revolver. Scott was born in San Jose, California, in 1967, and spent most of his teen years in Huntington Beach. Per Scott’s memoir, he was brought up listening to The Doors and Merle Haggard, the same as me. I was also privileged to see Scott in STP three times and attend the first Velvet Revolver tour.
Scott participated in all the high school sports, and sang in the church choir. This is where Scott realized he could sing in different voices. He studied John Lennon and David Bowie’s voices, and used them as a reference when singing.
Stone Temple Pilots
Weiland and bassist Robert DeLeo first met when Robert jumped up on the stage to play with Weiland’s band, Swing. After some time, Scott went looking for Robert, and asked him to join his band, but Robert only agreed if he got rid of the guitar player. The new band included drummer Eric Kretz. Then, Robert approached his brother, Dean DeLeo, who played guitar. Dean was hesitant at first because he had a thriving business and had given up trying to be a successful guitarist. He eventually caved, and they called themselves Mighty Joe Young.
Some of the first songs they had in Might Joe Young were eventually hits off the first album were: Plush, Creep, and Wicked Garden. The band had started to quickly draw crowds in the San Diego area and began opening up for Soul Asylum, Henry Rollins Band, and Electric Love Hogs, whose guitarist Dave Kushner would later be a part of Velvet Revolver.
As Mighty Joe Young’s popularity grew, they were spotted by Tom Carolan of Atlantic Records, at the Shamrock Bar in Los Angeles. Tom was so impressed with the band, he asked if they wanted to make a record. The only flaw signing them was that they had to change their name, since it was already taken by another band. The group loved the logo on the oil can, “STP,” but needed a name to go with the initials, so they came up with “Stone Temple Pilots.”
In 1992, they released their debut album, Core (the word that summed up what they were trying to do with their music), and it took a little while, but eventually climbed the charts, reaching number three in June, 1993. It was a smash hit and has since sold more than 40 million worldwide.
Riding on the success of their debut album, they released their sophomore effort, Purple in 1994. It debuted at number one, and stayed in the top ten for five months and sold over six million copies in the US alone. The album spawned the hits: Big Empty, Vasoline, and Interstate Love Song.
The band released their third album, Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop in 1996. It was another success with hits: Big Bang Baby,Lady Picture Show, and Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart, but it was the beginning of Scott’s substance abuse problems and internal issues within the band.
12 Bar Blues and STP Breakup
With Scott going to rehab, and the band at odds with Scott, they decided to work on other projects. Before Scott went to rehab, the band issued a public statement that Scott was a junkie and sued him for the money lost in support of the tour of their last album. When Scott was discharged from rehab, he decided to release a solo record in 1998, called, 12 Bar Blues (a chord progression called twelve-bar blues), which was a totally different sound than that of STP. Scott received positive reviews on the album and did a small tour, but then found himself back in rehab.
After Scott got out of rehab, the band reconciled somewhat and went back to the studio in 1999 to work on their next album, aptly titled, No. 4 , but shortly after it was released, Scott was back in rehab and jail. After Scott got out, STP began promoting the album and co-headlining a tour with Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band released their fifth album, Shangri-La Dee Da in 2001, and headlined the Family Values Tour with Linkin Park, Staind (which I saw first hand, and it was a great show). The album was not as successful as the other albums, and at the end of the 2002 tour, Scott and Dean almost came to blows backstage, and the band was over.
Velvet Revolver
After the breakup of STP, Scott was asked to audition for the band that former Guns N’ Roses members – guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, drummer Matt Sorum, and guitarist Dave Kushner were putting together. The new supergroup called themselves Velvet Revolver and released their debut album Contraband in 2004 with critical appraise. The album topped the charts at number one upon its release and has sold over three million copies worldwide. The album contained the hits, Slither and Fall to Pieces. The band was an an immediate concert draw. They released their second album, Libertad, in 2007, and was another success, but the band couldn’t survive the tour. Scott began using again, which built up tension with the group. Scott’s last show with Velvet Revolver was April 8, 2008, in Amsterdam.
IReturn and Exit of Stone Temple Pilots
While Scott was with Velvet Revolver, the STP guys had reconciled in 2007, and agreed to a reunion tour in 2008. Prior to the band officially getting together, Scott released his second solo album, Happy in Galoshes.
The band’s first appearance was on the Late Show with David Letterman, performing their new single Between the Lines,the band’s self-titled sixth album. They got along and toured through 2012, until tensions came up again when the band wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Core, but felt that Scott no longer had the vocal range to perform some of the album’s songs. Scott was frustrated and decided to perform the songs they did not want to play, on a separate solo tour. This caused more angst with the band and eventually broke up again, Scott’s last show with STP was September 23, 2012 in Sacramento, California.
The Wildabouts and the End of a Legend
After Velvet Revolver announced that Scott was fired, Scott and the band sued each other which put a nail in the end of the band with Scott. Scott put another band together called Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. The new album, Blaster, was released March 31, 2015, with a tour that followed. Unfortunately, Scott was found dead on the band’s tour bus on December 3, 2015, marking the end of a legend.Check out his last interview the night before he died and Velvet Revolver’s performance of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, indeed we do.
