The Mau Maus, Outlaw, Flytraps, Raven’s Moreland, Samion & the Spades, and Frankenstein
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood, CA
Friday, August 31, 2012
Time: 9:00 PM

Rick Wilder invited me to this album release party about a month before the date. Promising an exclusive event, press and industry types only, and damn, Rick provided a circus!

I met up with Eric Leach of Symbol Six and Symbol Six manager Ginger Kuroishi down the block at one of the vastly overpriced parking lots off of Hollywood Blvd. We trekked up the block to the world famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Those of us in the know . . . know that the Roosevelt is the location of the Mau Maus first show back in 1978, making the band . . . somewhere in their mid-thirties (yeah, I failed math).

Once inside the hotel shit got wild, wall to wall celebrity imitators. The guy who plays Superman in Dave Markey’s film The Reinactors was there. Darth Vader, A Samuel Jackson clone, Jason from Friday The 13th, you name it.

They had rented out two separate banquet halls, and both had open bars . . . meaning everything was free. The place was a who’s who of L.A. music. I met Ginger Coyote of Punk Globe, watched Taquila Mockingbird from a distance and insulted Robbie Kriger of The Doors.

Long story short, I was standing around the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel talking and debating music with Eric Leach, when an older couple walked by. I thought nothing of them. I continued by saying this, “The Doors sucked, no band should build themselves around the organ. My aunts played organ in church, I don’t listen to the organ for fun. It’s a horrible instrument.” Later in the evening, I see Robbie Krieger of The Doors, not making the connection (old couple, organ sucks) I ask to take a picture with him. He smirks, and refuses to look into the camera. Fucker.

All night long I was popping into the banquet room to watch various bands, Raven Moreland, and Frankenstein left the biggest impression, Moreland good, Frankestein, well, not so good.

Finally, after almost four hours, Rick Wilder comes into the room where music is being performed. Finally, the Mau Maus were going to take the stage. Instead of the band on their latest album, Rick was playing with a variety of people he has worked with over his career, the guitarist played in the Berlin Brats, and Robbie (my buddy) Kriger also played on a few tracks.

Rick Wilder and troop put on a classic rock and roll show. Rick was in great form and ruled the stage.

By the time they got underway it was after 1:00 am, and the second they finished I got the hell out of dodge. It may have been Hollywood, but I’m no vampire.

LAST ONE TO DIE is officially out, order at: https://www.createspace.com/3669330.