LUSTKILLERS, ex- LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH frontman Adam Becvare talks to LRI

 

Q: Where has Adam Becvare been all these years? 

 

A: Well let’s see, I first left Rockford for Hollywood after high school. I had all these Musicians Institute ideas in my head but the lifestyle caught up with me first. I was around for all that GnR, Faster Pussycat, Janes addiction etc but they were the last of the good stuff as far as I was concerned. Guitar playing became a shred thing so I Got more into my dark wave roots. Returned with some terrible habits and started working the Chicago underground industrial scene quite successfully….Until I Had to get myself sorted out back in Rockford. By then Grunge got huge so I cut off my hair to not be confused in all that and I started up a 77 NYC style rockband in rkfd called Buick Mackane and the Drill. We played Irish Rose LTs, CJs, Billy and Earls and all those Cubbies (specially West 😉 relentlessly but we were mostly Just a giant FU to how boring things had become.

We had chicken wire, smoke n flame guitars, Drag shows, you name it. By the end, we became The Lustkillers on the best of Rockford Waterfront stage, with 35 songs, tons of incredible crazy memories, Chicago gigs and had interest to turn it all into a musical by a legendary producer.

I sold the rights and moved to NYC to play in a climate that understood me better. I loved nyc, the music, the friends, etc. a little too much. Again I returned to rockford to sort things out for a year. Then I moved to SF/bay for 7 Yrs. I began touring the earth and ended up fronting my heroes, Lords of the New Church in place of the late Stiv Bators. I moved to Chicago and bought a fantastic little West Loop Condo in 03. From here I’ve continued writing, recording and touring with the Lords, Vancouver’s Black Halos, and finally again since 08, with my Lustkillers.

That was quite a mouthful. Forgive me, but you did ask and I answered it all without even name dropping!

 

Q: I am not the brightest but I do know my rock. I am confused as to the lineup variations and versions of Lustkillers. I know the cd I’ve heard ROCKS and your t shirts and merch are to be envied (latent KISS influence?….lol).

Give us the lineup and recording timeline, and is this anything like the infamous two lineups of my favorites L.A. guns?

 

A: Nothing like LA guns two lineups I assure you 😉

The Buick Mackane was a Rockford 1993 Lineup. We had a 4 song cassette called Filters. That was Mark Adamany, Tim Speer, Greg Janssen and I, but we never recorded as Lustkillers

As for LustKillers, The Black sugar sessions CD was recorded in San Fran. It was really just a batch of demos that were getting around and were honest enough so we released em.

Lords of the new Church heard them and recruited Me to sing in their reformation. A Couple labels picked up on that interest and pressed em in 2008.

 

Until that happened, I had only been doing LK again as a selfish release with good friends between my other projects.

 

Perfect timing though, cuz Black Halos had just ended and I was back on tour with a touring lineup of LK 2 wks later. We continue to live scattered across the US until duty calls. I’m with the bassist of LustKillers in AZ right now.

 

 

Q: How active is the band then, and what do you do in between Lustkillers gigs? Do you have any recording planned ??

 

A: My new year’s resolution has been to learn to enjoy myself more. All my downtime from tour is spent rebuilding the temple and getting 4 humans back on the road. We’ve got an album being mixed and 10 demos mapped for the following release.

LustKillers tour 2 to 6 weeks every 3 months. We’re pretty conscious about hitting same territories every 6 months.

 

Q: How did you come to start playing music in Rockford and what do you remember most about that early period of your lust affair with the guitar?

 

A: Today is the 29th anniversary of Randy Rhoads death. My first concert was Ozzy w Motörhead in 81 at Metro Centre.

Motorhead made me want play rock n roll, Rhoads made me want to play guitar. It wasn’t very cool in school to like metal as a kid in Rockford. We could only catch AV, Fallen Prey etc at the Icehouse, sand park pool, etc.

Older guys took me under their wing. They’d teach me the metal songs and send me home with ny dolls, clash, deadboys, etc albums.

 

Q: ….as someone who continues to globetrot and see different scenes, what does it take to resurrect a music scene? Can it be done?

 

A: Honestly, I think the honest stuff never is appreciated in a scene. Cheap Trick barely gets the hometown respect they deserve. I watched the LA scene implode. I was in NYC and sf as the clubs closed and live music withered away.

Wish I knew the answer.

At a very local level, Bars will tell you it’s that patrons don’t like paying a cover to see live bands, so I guess it would start there. Sad that people won’t pay 5 or 10$ when they’d easily blow that at taco bell.

Or it’s that clubs don’t want to pay bands; so they get the ones who play cheap that aren’t very good or serious. Clientele then doesn’t trust paying a cover anymore. If people want it, it will come. You wouldn’t believe how grateful people are when you deliver the goods. That’s why Europe was so good for so long. I watched that scene and even Canada become more and more like the US. It takes money to make money. Promotion really doesn’t exist anymore, so people don’t feel that they’re necessarily missing anything. The net and cell phone really killed it though too. Right up until around 99, when you went to a club you made that club the place to be. Look how many now are consumed at the club with texting, thinking they are missing something better somewhere else. We’re ALL guilty of it. We forgot how to smell the roses.

 

Q: As you said, you were also a part of the Chicago scene which has always been both productive as well as clique-ish…..many of the clubs there DO stay open but the fans as a whole tend to be fickle…..Is it a fine line between a band staying true to themselves versus morphing or adjusting to the times and tastes?

 

A: You’re right, John. The Chicago scene has always been more of an UNscene, which is why I did best in the underground. It’s a bit artsy- indie. I learned quickly that being the charming darlings of the city means very little here. I broadened my sights to use Chicago as more of a centrally located base logistically for the band. I love being here more than ever now. Smashing Pumpkins are the only band I can think of that changed/morphed and got signed but that was cuz Shanahan put them on every single good bill that came to caberet metro.

Is it selling out if you still love the songs you’re playing? For Me, the only person that’s gotta like what I do is Me and that attracts genuine fans.

 

Q: The big bands are crying their eyes out over downloads but it has leveled the playing field for everyone else as far as getting attention. Lots of folks are checking out bands they would never have heard of in the days of mtv and big fm radio….

You’re an artist….what do you see?

 

A: What do I see as far as the Internet leveling the playing field for artists? So far, Oversaturation.

It’s somewhat like what’s happened to the news media. Thanks to the web, its near impossible to tell what’s true now. The same thing that’s allowing us to filter is also a disposable convenience, immediacy. The industry and artists are both racing to get an angle on it but it hasn’t yet been tapped. When I started with Halos in 04, myspace was an indispensable tool. Now, only 5 years later it’s nothing but a splash page and it’s done. LK have some out of the box great ideas for it but we’re too conscious of etiquete.

 

Q: You guys kinda remind me of a band I know very well called New York Loose that got a few breaks, some big soundtracks, a major label but were virtually a ghost as far as actual cash success. They managed the u.s. scene for a while before disillusionment set in and they cast themselves overseas. To me, it was a bummer but to them it was a bit of a new lease…..Your band manages to do both, how much different is it touring overseas vs. The states?

 

A: I moved to NYC to play with Anthony Esposito (Lynch mob/ace frehley). A lot of great bands rehearsed in our studio. My favorite was New York Loose. I got to watch Ms. West slave drive those boys. I still have great respect for her. Touring Europe isn’t really comparable to US in any way.

You’re jumping states here whereas over there you are jumping vastly different cultures. We did 46 shows in 48 days across 13 countries in Black Halos. That will bend your head. Accommodations, meals, hospitality used to be the standard abroad but as I mentioned Europe and Canada have become more Amercanized now.

 

Q: As you said, you moved out to Hollywood for real, you “stepped off the bus out into the city streets” as Poison put it!

So, How accurate was the movie “Decline of Western Civilization part 2” ????

 

A: Too accurate! Difference is, I was just as embarrassed then, as we are looking back on it now. People embrace it (hairspray and lipstick and everything) now but it’s as a mockery. I guess that’s the same as 70’s hippy bellbottoms or 90’s flannel grunge.

I’ve just really never been a fancy Dan and my NYC time reinforced an inner belief to keep things classic and timeless. Any time I’ve dressed up it’s been intentionally cheeky.

 

Q: Your band has a real gritty, dirty sound to it and sounds sorta new but yet age old at the same time…..I know that sounds bipolar but that’s how it strikes me. You’re doing a kickass job at hitting below the belt, both sonically as well as with your sleazy image and merchandising….How important is attitude and style versus chops and persistance? Plenty of bands have chops and persistance and go NOWHERE

 

A: Attitude vs. chops…….., I was playing Rhoads solos by 16 and left to pursue MIT after High School.

I saw this metal guitar cat, Michael Angelo Batio (of the band NITRO….editor’s note), play a 4 neck X shaped guitar thing out there. That ended all that for me. Michaelangeloaf was playing left handed right handed shredding over and under on all 4 necks. It made me realize what’s the point? I’m not in this for sport. I thought if Poison could make it here anyone could. It’s because they wrote good hooky songs. None of my MIT friends could write a song. I still loathe telling people I’m a musician. I write songs about life experiences, So give me a wrong note played twice with conviction. The difference to me is knowing it all and using your powers for good rather than evil. It’s very sad to me when musicians don’t realize that or evolve beyond technical skills. I’ve played metal, girlstuff, punk, goth, industrial, greaser, country, and a myriad of rock genres. I never miss a Michael Schenker show cuz he takes risks every night but how great are his songs compared to Rudolph’s? (always been my argument as well-ED)

 

Q: Since you play and front a band I can include both singers and guitar players in this next bit…..I mention a name and tell me a thought on a performer and though you probably hate to please rate them…..1 being a total douche and 10 being someone you would drop everything to work with

 

A:

Lemmy – 8 – what great rock n roll songwriter.

 

Steve Stevens -7 – I’m more about Idol. Steve’s a great player but just too old for his clothes.

 

Mike Ness-6 – Halos did a Can/US tour with Social Distortion, I got stories…He’s a difficult fella but was great to us.

 

Blackie Lawless- 3 – at least he’s a Raiders fan.

 

Iggy Pop- 8 – he’s so endearing and honest. Love his voice.

 

Ian Astbury- 6 – he kinda ditched us goths after Love.

 

Keith Richards- 7 – not much in common. I Prefer Ronnie.

 

Randy Rhoads- 9 – a sheer game changer. A light that burns twice as bright dies three times as fast it seems. Brilliant.

 

Edward Van Halen- 5 – a great trickster, a rude dude.

 

Vinnie Vincent – also a 5 – what a great swindler. He’s my screensaver! Ankh if you’re ‘Orny.

 

David Johannsan- 6 – when the NY Dolls split I went with Johnny

 

Billie Joe Armstrong- 3 – I don’t find Green Day very genuine.

 

Q: Tell us the last time Adam……,

 

A:

dropped the needle on some vinyl

… A Year ago, spring on tour in sf. Radio Station KUSF gave LustKillers reign of the studio. It sounded so good spinning Godfathers, GenX, AC/DC.

 

Wondered why Hanoi Rocks wasn’t bigger…

 

Just the other day, I blamed Crüe. CBS was ready to break Hanoi wide when Vince killed Razzle. Accidents happen, but had it not, I believe ROCK N ROLL wouldve been what glam metal became.

 

Purposely broke something…

 

Last week. A TV in the back alley. I never get tired of the sound.

 

Told someone to get off your stage…

 

Last July in Baltimore w LK, Wild child Rebecca. Pics posted 😉

 

woke up with a hangover…

 

I never get headaches but couldn’t leave the couch a couple weekends back after a vodka night out w John Soroka (Rockford/ministry:)

 

Thought about Rockford, Illinois  before this interview…

 

When I was reading Rudy Sarzo’s book last month trying to determine where they stayed when Ozzy played ROCKFORD in 81.

 

Convinced a girl to pose seminude in LK shirt…

 

I’ve never had to ask;)

 

had to explain what you do for a living to someone…

 

Just the other day when you asked 😉

 

Actually enjoyed being in a strip club…

 

1988. Henry Wetzle (Rockford) was visiting on break from the Stones tour I think. He had some serious dough to blow!

 

Saw a band at The World Famous Whiskey a Go Go…

 

Shame I can’t even recall. My good friend Gretchen called me in Arizona today asking me up to her show there this Friday. I can tell you I was at the whiskey for GnRs signing party, I went with Johnny colt who ended up in Black crowes. Ahhh, ain’t name dropping fun?

 

Q: Last question….literally. Imagine you have some kind of ironic luck. You DIE but in a fantastically amazing and bizarre fashion that draws massive attention to not only YOU but your band as well. Your frigged up story goes mega-viral and is the biggest thing going and in the process one of your band’s songs becomes an ICONIC CLASSIC ROCK STAPLE.

How do you die and what song from your career becomes your signature hit?

 

A: I die in a tragic blimp accident and the Lustkillers “So Bad to You” gets covered by Jason Bonham’s new band. Remaining Led Zeps sue for the song ripping off “Rock and Roll” despite the fact that the song is based on one of the most popular chord structures in rock and roll, the 12 bar blues progression (in A).

(also note “Rock and Roll” is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit;)

 

Q: HAHAHA…..Great answers man ….now if only we could get people to read the shit…..thanks so much Adam…..I enjoy your passion, you wanna drop another website/album/tour plug before you go?

 

A: Thanks a lot for asking, John.

 

 

Lustkillers next album is aptly entitled “that which does not kill us…”

 

I’m considering a hometown release party just to get you all in the same room again. Stay Tuned.

 

Find Us anytime at

www.facebook.com/lustkillers

www.myspace.com/lustkillers

www.lustkillers.com

 

thelustkillers@gmail.com

Booking: Mike@foot2face.com

Tags: lords of the new church, lustkillers

Category: Interviews