Metal Sludge Gossip Board

I was trying to find a song on Spotify with a chorus about "rock city" and these guys came up - a self-titled compilation. I'd never heard of them before, it sounded pretty clichéd - a couple of lifts from Hanoi, some very obvious Dolls / Thunders homage, and a cover of LA Woman which I skipped after 20 seconds as I hate The Doors.

Then I read up on them. Apparently they were known BITD for Johnny Depp playing guitar (before they recorded anything), then I read this article - https://www.loudersound.com/features/rock-city-angels - and there was a whole lot more: massive advance from Geffen, debut album was a double cd, support slot to Jimmy Page, then a drugs implosion.

So there must be some of you who liked them, maybe even knew them, back then. Any stories?

Had the double album. They were ok, very Stonesy, but was different from most of the other bands at the time. Double album was a huge mistake, as they pretty much had 1 side of material that was good.

Electric Angels did that sound waaaaay better a few years later. Kill for thrills were better as well.

I think a lot of GnR / Depp stuff ended up getting debunked

I liked the Geffen debut a lot! I think they were supposed to be the next GNR but I think the only thing they had in common was the drugs. Unfortunately the singer, Bobby Durango, died several years ago from drugs. They Geffen album isn’t available for streaming but I would look for it on YouTube, as most of the streaming stuff isn’t as good!

The Geffen album is totally forgettable, 80's hard rock with a little southern/soul mixed in. Not hearing the Rolling Stones comparison?, more of a ZZ Top/generic bar band sound.
Maybe the band was used for some type of internal politics at Geffen?, because there is no way anybody really thought Rock City Angels were going to be the "next big thing".

Single "Deep Inside My Heart", is as good as it gets......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqQQKHaiqJg

Wild Obsession wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 8:26 am The Geffen album is totally forgettable, 80's hard rock with a little southern/soul mixed in. Not hearing the Rolling Stones comparison?, more of a ZZ Top/generic bar band sound.
Maybe the band was used for some type of internal politics at Geffen?, because there is no way anybody really thought Rock City Angels were going to be the "next big thing".

Single "Deep Inside My Heart", is as good as it gets......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqQQKHaiqJg

Thanks for that link, it was much better than most of the comp I heard this morning. I wasn't going to explore further but even if that's "as good as it gets" I'll give them another chance.

But agreed: "next big thing"? Yeah, .... no.

Wild Obsession wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 8:26 am The Geffen album is totally forgettable, 80's hard rock with a little southern/soul mixed in. Not hearing the Rolling Stones comparison?, more of a ZZ Top/generic bar band sound.
Maybe the band was used for some type of internal politics at Geffen?, because there is no way anybody really thought Rock City Angels were going to be the "next big thing".

Single "Deep Inside My Heart", is as good as it gets......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqQQKHaiqJg

I had the Geffen album back in the day. It's 15 songs. Not quite a "double album," although I'm sure it was split up that way on vinyl.

The singer had some charisma. In an alternate timeline he'd be a star.

"Deep Inside My Heart" is okay. I agree: definitely ZZ Top inspired. A lot of "La Grange" in there.

My high school friends and I thought "Beyond Babylon" was easily the best song on the album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOgsMnTv2xM

“Hush Child” is a good song: https://youtu.be/8JCpjLjT2LA?si=DBO9ANp78nmKijej

“Mary” good, too: https://youtu.be/CaEBk_O27Mg?si=Y8i0svnvX5N8ooKa

The album, Young Man’s Blues, isn’t perfect, but better than most releases from the era.

BulletProofPoet wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 7:43 am I liked the Geffen debut a lot! I think they were supposed to be the next GNR but I think the only thing they had in common was the drugs. Unfortunately the singer, Bobby Durango, died several years ago from drugs. They Geffen album isn’t available for streaming but I would look for it on YouTube, as most of the streaming stuff isn’t as good!

How long ago did that guy die? Because I knew a guitarist from that band like 3 to 5 years ago he was homeless meth user in pomona.. He still looked cool though. He dated a drug dealer who was a stone cold killer. Normal looking woman who was actually nice. He lived in like a tool shed in her backyard. He told me something happened to his wife and daughter where they died and he went nuts leading police on a high-speed chase on the freeway.

Don't Damn Me wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 6:03 am

BulletProofPoet wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 7:43 am I liked the Geffen debut a lot! I think they were supposed to be the next GNR but I think the only thing they had in common was the drugs. Unfortunately the singer, Bobby Durango, died several years ago from drugs. They Geffen album isn’t available for streaming but I would look for it on YouTube, as most of the streaming stuff isn’t as good!

How long ago did that guy die? Because I knew a guitarist from that band like 3 to 5 years ago he was homeless meth user in pomona.. He still looked cool though. He dated a drug dealer who was a stone cold killer. Normal looking woman who was actually nice. He lived in like a tool shed in her backyard. He told me something happened to his wife and daughter where they died and he went nuts leading police on a high-speed chase on the freeway.

Died in 2012.

Don’t suppose you know the guys name you knew?

BulletProofPoet wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 7:15 am
Died in 2012.

Don’t suppose you know the guys name you knew?

I'm not sure, maybe Dave?

I saw him around and spoke with him like 3 years ago. I think he said he was late era RCA like early '90s. I think he may have said that before him, Johnny Depp was placed in the band in the '80s because he wanted to be in a band and the record company thought it was a good gimmick for the publicity that were building around him. But I don't know for sure, sorry