Metal Sludge Gossip Board

SikkiNixx wrote: ↑Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:00 pm This thread needs steel toe boots ...Name dropping Norman mentions every single celeb you see in Hollywood.. We understand theres famous people eating outside... but still... good reading... so my question is... its obvious that Tuff had money ... why didn't they, or you, Norman, buy a couple good songs?? Ive listened to a bunch of Tuff.. lots of songs.. probably pretty close to all there is online... the only constant so far, is theres no Good songs... which aint no huge secret or anything.. so by not purchasing a song or hiring a tried and true writer, was the reason something like the old ego?? I Would Do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That type of thing?? Or was that just too expensive??? Or what??? You guys had everything... every single ingredient in music... except for good songs. if this question is already answered somewhere else in the first 4 pages, answer it again lol

Question....

What is a good song?

It's safe to say there are a ton of not very good songs, that became hits, based on timing, label support, etc..

I am not claiming we had Bon Jovi or Def Leppard hits... but it's not like our debut or "Religious Fix" was WildBoyz level. Let's be 100.

Just sayin'

$tEvil

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Sat Jul 14, 2018 3:25 pm
Please tell me...what should the title be?

Still Tuff after all that Stuff


Stevie Rachelle in: Tuff Times


Big Dreams, Big Dick, Tuff Shit


The X-tension Files

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:18 am

SikkiNixx wrote: ↑Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:00 pm This thread needs steel toe boots ...Name dropping Norman mentions every single celeb you see in Hollywood.. We understand theres famous people eating outside... but still... good reading... so my question is... its obvious that Tuff had money ... why didn't they, or you, Norman, buy a couple good songs?? Ive listened to a bunch of Tuff.. lots of songs.. probably pretty close to all there is online... the only constant so far, is theres no Good songs... which aint no huge secret or anything.. so by not purchasing a song or hiring a tried and true writer, was the reason something like the old ego?? I Would Do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That type of thing?? Or was that just too expensive??? Or what??? You guys had everything... every single ingredient in music... except for good songs. if this question is already answered somewhere else in the first 4 pages, answer it again lol

Question....

What is a good song?

It's safe to say there are a ton of not very good songs, that became hits, based on timing, label support, etc..

I am not claiming we had Bon Jovi or Def Leppard hits... but it's not like our debut or "Religious Fix" was WildBoyz level. Let's be 100.

Just sayin'

$tEvil

You're absolutely right.. Eye of the beholder and all that... I was simply wondering about the possibilities that might have been if your "money" member in the band would have bought a couple songs.. I don't wanna blow smoke up your ass, but you guys were obviously all talented, capable musicians, living in the best place to be at the time.. seems like maybe the right song at the right time could have made a difference, that's all.
I guess it's all moot now anyhow.

Man I really enjoyed the Tuff Diaries! I sure hope you will have more installments.

skatexedge wrote: ↑Sat Jan 19, 2019 3:35 pm Man I really enjoyed the Tuff Diaries! I sure hope you will have more installments.

They've now become the UBER DIARIES narrated by $tuber.

SikkiNixx wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:32 am

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:18 am

SikkiNixx wrote: ↑Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:00 pm This thread needs steel toe boots ...Name dropping Norman mentions every single celeb you see in Hollywood.. We understand theres famous people eating outside... but still... good reading... so my question is... its obvious that Tuff had money ... why didn't they, or you, Norman, buy a couple good songs?? Ive listened to a bunch of Tuff.. lots of songs.. probably pretty close to all there is online... the only constant so far, is theres no Good songs... which aint no huge secret or anything.. so by not purchasing a song or hiring a tried and true writer, was the reason something like the old ego?? I Would Do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That type of thing?? Or was that just too expensive??? Or what??? You guys had everything... every single ingredient in music... except for good songs. if this question is already answered somewhere else in the first 4 pages, answer it again lol

Question....

What is a good song?

It's safe to say there are a ton of not very good songs, that became hits, based on timing, label support, etc..

I am not claiming we had Bon Jovi or Def Leppard hits... but it's not like our debut or "Religious Fix" was WildBoyz level. Let's be 100.

Just sayin'

$tEvil

You're absolutely right.. Eye of the beholder and all that... I was simply wondering about the possibilities that might have been if your "money" member in the band would have bought a couple songs.. I don't wanna blow smoke up your ass, but you guys were obviously all talented, capable musicians, living in the best place to be at the time.. seems like maybe the right song at the right time could have made a difference, that's all.
I guess it's all moot now anyhow.

i don't think the voice suited the shitty songs. it was like phil lewis singing in poison.
wake me up was a pretty cool tune. i'll give ya that.

TUFF DIAIRES (Entry #11)

...the start of 1990 is coming along nice!

Highlighted with the Britny Fox/Tuff East Coast Tour April 1990.

The tour kicked off night #1 at "The Living Room" in Rhode Island ... we killed it and outsold BF in merch!

And then I will detail the rest of that tour...and what happened...as we watched 'Dizzy' Dean Davidson beating up the guitarist Michael Kelly-Smith...and the tour was over in a hot mess minute.

....Stay Tuned!

$tEvil

Niiiiiice

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Thu Jan 31, 2019 11:51 am TUFF DIAIRES (Entry #11)

...the start of 1990 is coming along nice!

Highlighted with the Britny Fox/Tuff East Coast Tour April 1990.

The tour kicked off night #1 at "The Living Room" in Rhode Island ... we killed it and outsold BF in merch!

And then I will detail the rest of that tour...and what happened...as we watched 'Dizzy' Dean Davidson beating up the guitarist Michael Kelly-Smith...and the tour was over in a hot mess minute.

....Stay Tuned!

$tEvil

That's great, man... been wondering if you still planned to write another chapter

Really have enjoyed reading these diaries, Stevie. Can't wait to read more.

Deege wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:35 pm Really have enjoyed reading these diaries, Stevie. Can't wait to read more.

Don't hold your breath. It's been 4 months since the last entry.

What gives, Stevie?

Surely you could have covered off everything easily by this point... I mean, Jesus.

TUFF DIARIES #11
Hello 1990, Texas Strippers, Hells Angels, the Britny Fox Tour and Atlantic Records signs Tuff
#Tuff #Diaries #NumberEleven #1990 #Texas #Strippers #HellsAngels #BritnyFox #AtlanticRecords
#DizzyDeanDavidson #DangerousToys #Pariah #Troubadour #JaniLane #XPoseur54 #AxlRose #MarqTorien
‘Dizzy’ Dean Davidson, Dangerous Toys, Pariah, Troubadour, Jani Lane, X-Poseur 54, Axl Rose, Marq Torien
http://metalsludge.tv/tuff-diaries-11-h ... igns-tuff/

$tEvil

And I am just drunk enough to read it!!

Seems like you're extra busy these days so thanks for getting it out when you can.


Anyone who says you're wasting your time is just not telling the truth.

TUFF DIARIES #12
Ready to record, Howard Benson, FM Station, Jani Lane, Court hearing and my 1st Playboy Playmate
Andy Secher, Paul O’Neil, Susie Owens, Hot Rod Long, Bobbie Brown, Tommi Gunn, Sabine & Young Guns.
#Tuff #TuffDiaries #StevieRachelle #ToddChase #JorgeDeSaint #MichaelLean #HowardBenson #AtlanticRecords #JaniLane #BobbieBrown #AndySecher #HitParader #PaulONeil #Playboy #SusieOwens #BretMichaels #CCDeVille #Poison #Sabine #HotRodLong #RockCityNews #HollywoodRocks #YoungGunns #WildSide #FMStation #RobbieCrane #TommiGunn #GerryG #MetalSludge
http://metalsludge.tv/tuff-diaries-12-r ... -playmate/


$tEvil

Another great entry, just amazing stuff and very detailed as always

I spotted 2 small mistakes Falling Down was with Michael Douglas, not kirk, and its Britney not Britany ( when you talk about young stars losing it )

theglammerthebetter wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2019 4:44 pm Another great entry, just amazing stuff and very detailed as always

I spotted 2 small mistakes Falling Down was with Michael Douglas, not kirk, and its Britney not Britany ( when you talk about young stars losing it )

Hey man, glad you liked it.

#13 is pretty much done as well. It's all about the actual recording process, in studio, who are guests were and the money breakdown.

$tEvil

I forgot how good All New Generation was. Now I can see why you did American Hairband!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv-uWu1dzYQ

Post deleted.

Flowerfairy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:47 pm Hi!

I love reading these diary entries.
Was a big fan of rock and heavy metal back in the day.

I remember the model you mentioned, Susie Owens, being in a few rock videos too. If I remember correctly, they were: Badlands: 'Winter's Call', Kiss: 'Rise To It', Stage Dolls: 'Love Cries', Silent Rage: 'Rebel With A Cause', and Solinger: 'Tell Sandy'.

Can't wait to read the future posts!

:0)

Don't think I recall Stage Dolls ever being mentioned on Sludge. Just played their debut yesterday actually. Saw them open for Blue Murder. Great band.

#13.... is pretty much done. #14 underway....

Lots of interesting "being signed" related stuff here...money, splits, budgets, etc...

$tEvil

m glad to see that alot of you are still enjoying these.

This has all been thought out...and for the record, the TUFF DIARIES will be a 25 part series

#12 is up and that means we're half way there. Well, kind of.

In late 1995 the band ended, literally at the end of November.

But it's 2019 and it's still going, ha. Of course it's not nearly as interesting today as it was in 1988!

TUFF DIARIES by year, with respective Diary #'s

1987 = #1, #2, #3 & #4
1988 = #5, #6 & #7
1989 = #8, #9 & #10
1990 = #11 & #12

1991 = #13, #14 & #15 (Releasing the record, touring, MTV, the U.K. and our stolen truck)
1992 = #16 & #17 (Chase quits, Atlantic gives us more money, new bassist, new recordings & getting dropped)
1993 = #18 & #19 (Signing to Grand Slamm/IRS, Lean quits, touring, drugs, girls, grunge, etc..)
1994 = #20, #21 & #22 (Lots about releasing "Fist First", the videos, tours, girls, drugs, etc..)
1995 = #23, #24 & #25 (More about "Religious Fix", tours, more drugs & girls and the ending)

Between 1996 and 1999 I did 2 solo records, 3 Cheesehead releases and also started this website called Metal Sludge. I also sang on a bunch of tribute records and auditioned for the band Ratt.

It was my audition for Ratt in early 2000 that kind of gave me the itch to rock again.

So in the summer of 2000 I decided to reform Tuff, only my original plans was to call it TUFF 2k. Or TUFF 2000. As there was all the hype surrounding Y2K.

It started...and I hired Darrell Roberts on guitar who eventually quit to join W.A.S.P. and then he was in 5FDP. I also had Brian Saunders (Bass) and Tony "Sid" Eckholm (Drums). They were from a Minneapolis band called G-I-V-E who had relocated to L.A. a few years earlier. All great players.

Both Brian & Tony were from Wisconsin, and Tony, who was aka Sid was from a popular band out of the Twin Cities called Brass Kitten. And previous to that, when he was 16 he played with me in the band Talon. Which was post X-Iter, my first band. I was playing with the Talon guys until May 1987, in June 1987 I moved to California.

Darrell & Brian played on "American Hairband" but the drummer was Brian "Dogboy" Burwells.

Darrell tried to play it off like he was never in the band, but that's not true. He absolutely was in the band for almost a year. He recorded with me, did photo shoots and played just shy of 30 shows all across the Midwest and East Coast as well as the West Coast.

The TUFF DIARIES are only getting started.

The first 25 parts takes you through the first decade. More to follow...in time.

#13, 14 & 15...all from 1991 are well underway...posting sooner than you think.

I will likely add more into the late 90's...and then in the 2000's when it restarts. Lots to cover, including Sludgy stuff, releasing "American Hairband" & more.

Thanks for reading.

$tEvil

If "Sludgy stuff" refers to The Dirt on Metal Sludge, aka the origin story and the heyday, except not so sugarcoated... count me sleeping on the sidewalk waiting for tickets. Dressed like Kyle Kyle, of course.

You've always told it like it is, Stevie. Looking forward to all of these.

Mikky_Five wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:44 pm If "Sludgy stuff" refers to The Dirt on Metal Sludge, aka the origin story and the heyday, except not so sugarcoated... count me sleeping on the sidewalk waiting for tickets. Dressed like Kyle Kyle, of course.

He already posted a lot of that stuff last year. I think it was a thread about the 20th anniversary of the website.

You're so right, George.

Too old to sleep on the sidewalk anyway. Keeping the pants, though.

Who says the # 13 is unlucky?

....sooner than ya think.

$tEvil

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:31 am Who says the # 13 is unlucky?

....sooner than ya think.

$tEvil

Excited to read this.
But enough teasing. It’s like you’re giving us “just the tip”