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soulful, yet ballsy, rock music
Nobody quite knew what to think of these longhaired,
tattooed bikers singing such soulful, yet ballsy, rock music when they arrived
on the scene in Los Angeles in 1987. They stood out amongst the "Hair Bands" that populated
the music scene at the time – a distinction the band wore as a badge
of honor.
Much hype surrounded the band as they
were managed by music legend Jimmy Iovine, guided by legendary A&R
man John Kalodner and produced by Bob Rock. It seemed like a formula
for success, yet the band met an unfortunate set of circumstances that
left many scratching their heads shortly after the release of their self-titled
debut album. Many were to speculate why the band never achieved the level
of success that their legendary team of backers took as inevitable. Many
were to speculate that it was due to the dichotomy between the band's
gruff appearance and their sound.
The truth was that the band fell prey
to an unfortunate set of circumstances that occurred in the limited window
of time where bands get to perform - or get exiled in the music business.
Three weeks into the band’s initial release, Geffen Records was
sold, their label Manager left the company, accountants took over, and
their records where lost in transit to their new distributors. As sales
dropped off due to the lack of product availability, the accountants
shut the project down. And so, another band dies....there's always more
where they came from in the rough and tumble world that is the music
business. |
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Ron was brought up in a family that had a passion for music.
Being introduced to some really great artists as was shown how one form of
music melded into another over time. His brother showed him the blues and Rock
that came from the blues. His sister showed him the Motown and Soul music.
Mom showed the classic singers like Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat Cole
etc. After a stint with college where he decided the academic life wasn’t
for him. he moved into NYC and started singing in bands. Getting to tour the
US and play with people like Stevie Ray Vaughan….before he was even
discovered. The scene in NYC was dead when rap took over and Ron moved to Los
Angeles.After banging around a few bands there before putting Little Caesar
together….mostly
out of frustration with other guys that wanted to look and sound like men
and not dudes in drag….and play blues based music….not over produced
pop.
Little Caesar, featuring Ron Young (vocals), Jimmy Hayne
aka. Apache (guitar), Loren Molinare (guitar), Fidel Paniagua (bass) and
Tom Morris (drums), first appeared on Metal Blade’s “Street Survivors” compilation.
The band then released a four song EP titled “Name Your Poison” (produced
by Joe Hardy of ZZ Top fame), which subsequently led to a deal with Geffen
Records. Little Caesar’s eponymous 1990 Geffen debut was produced by
the infamous Bob Rock (producer of Metallica’s self titled 1991 multi-platinum
release, Motley Crue’s “Dr. Feelgood”, and The Cult’s “Sonic
Temple” among others). The album was a no-nonsense collection of hard
rock in the vein of 70’s giants like Bad Company and Humble Pie, and
was also brimming with classic R&B influences, garnering widespread acceptance
and positive reviews from the rock media. It also featured two Motown covers,
including a ballsy rendition of the classic Aretha Franklin track, “Chain
of Fools,” which hit the Billboard Top 100 chart and received strong
airplay nationwide on both rock radio and MTV.
The group toured extensively
opening for such legendary acts as Jane’s Addiction, KISS, Social Distortion,
Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. They also headlined their own club
tours, and appeared on TV’s popular “Arsenio Hall Show”, “The
Rick Dees Show”, and MTV’S “Sex” in the 90’s..
Vocalist Ron Young was also featured in the movie “Terminator 2” as
a tough talking biker that gets into a fight with the film’s star, Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
The Geffen Years
Despite the group's chart success, they
had problems maintaining a popular image, due in part to their heavily tattooed
membership. They remained with DGC/Geffen for a sophomore release, Influence
in 1992, but neither Rock nor Kalodner continued working with them. By this
time, guitarist Apache had left and would have Earl Slick (of John Lennon,
David Bowie, and Ian Hunter fame) replacing Apache on guitar. The “Influence” album
was produced by the well respected, Howard Benson (who has recently produced
releases for platinum artists like Daughtry, Papa Roach, and P.O.D. among
others). The band completed its first tour of Europe after the release of
the album and drew rave reviews and sold out crowds across multiple countries
including a sold out headlining performance at the famous Marquee club in
London. After Influence failed to sell well (which was not surprising as
many metal albums did not sell well in this period due to the rise of alternative
rock, which DGC - initially a metal/progressive rock label - began to embrace)
the group disbanded. Ron Young later went on to sing in The Four Horsemen,
Manic Eden, and Dirt.
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Upon speaking with Ron Young, he feels
signing with Geffen was one of the band' sour worst experiences. "It
was run by a bunch of clueless people that took credit for everything
they had nothing to do with creating. They were more concerned with personal
image and reputation than the bands they were supposedly committed to
nurturing.
They had no vision and no personal integrity when it
came to the lives of the bands they oversaw. Signing with Geffen, and
letting John Kalodner ruin our records and taking 10 years off from making
music with my best friends was a real mistake. I couldn’t care less as
long as I get to play with the Caesar boys…be it in front 0f 25
or 2500." |
As the band slowly recovered from the shock and lessons learned in the nasty
world of the music business, they always remained close, as they are a family
way before they are a band. They started to do local shows and remember why
they loved music and each other. Since the reformation, the band has played
high profile shows at venues as House of Blues, California Speedway for NASCAR,
and the Rock The Bayou Festival in Houston TX.
In 2010, Little Caesar moved forward with a vengeance
on a worldwide level with new release titled "Redemption" as well
as touring in the US, Europe and the UK. They also introduced new guitar
player Joey Brasler (Etta James, Bob Welch, Cherie Currie) as welcome addition
to their musical line up.
Songwriting Process And the Future
Ron shares with us a little
of the Little Caesar's songwriting process, "We usually start off with
a guitar riff or chord progression. We then start to arrange a song based on
what would make a good verse and chorus…and
then write an appropriate bridge to cleanse the palette. We then figure what
section works well to solo over and then tighten up a working arrangement.
I will write a melody that suits me best for the progression and once I figure
out the meter and phrasing of the vocal, I write words that work in that meter
and tell a story best. Our latest songs are more of our roots…blues,
rock a bit of country….all rolled together to wear our influences on
our sleeves. We don’t try or claim to be innovative. The forms we love
are perfect as they are and we just try to build on the foundations of the
great music that has moved us as fans of music. "
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In 2012, Little Caesar now releases
their latest effort entitled "American Dream" on the Unison
Music Group label. Produced by Bruce Witkin, it's a powerful, no
nonsense, guitar driven group of songs, that takes the band to that same
warm R&B driven Rock and Roll Universe they call home. They embark
on a tour of Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium mid June and will
be performing at the Hard Rock Hell festival in Wales in Dec 2012.
Ron
recalls "Putting out these
last 2 records under our own power and scrutiny has been incredibly rewarding.
We are working with some really talented people that have a passion for
music and personal integrity. There is no politics or bullshit going
on anymore. It’s very empowering. I love the fact that I get to
get in front of people and bare my soul and make my best attempt at making
a listener feel something by way of my voice. I love the fact that I
get to articulate thoughts, feeling, emotions and ideas through compositions
that might change the way somebody thinks or feels about something…that
it might give them comfort or a sense or understanding and insight that
they didn’t have before they heard the song. I hate just about
everything other than performing and meeting our fans. I hate busses
and vans. I hate road food. I hate crappy hotel beds. I hate drunk people.
I hate crappy sound systems. I hate crappy crew guys. I hate nasty bar
owners." |
However Ron feels it is great that people get out and support
live music more and stop watching and listening to music on computers and earphones.
Music should be interactive and their contribution to a live performance via
their energy and feedback can inspire and help create music that will only
be heard in that one single moment, never to be created again. That should
be the blessing for both parties and more people need to see it for what it
is and appreciate it.
The internet is a double edged sword. It has opened up a small tightly
controlled industry and has make it accessible to every creator of music….the
down side is that it has made it accessible to every creator of music.
It is great to see that the band is back and have gotten a
fresh start again. The music business needs more bands like this that are the
REAL deal and play from the heart. They are totaly honest and be sure to check
them out on a cd or if they come through town. You will be glad you did and
feel the passion that is so much missing in todays music all too often.
On 25th March 2013 it was announced that
band will perform at the Download Festival on the 16th June 2013.
The band will perform on the Pepsi Max Stage. Frontman Ron Young
explains: “20
years ago we were offered to play the festival when it was called
Monsters Of Rock. We had to turn it down because our label would
not give us the funds to get there.
“Today, with no label, manager or big-money
supporters, we finally made it. We got there because we have some
amazing people that prop us up, inspire us, and bless us with their
talent, energies – and
most priceless, their friendship. They’ve helped us accomplish
what we couldn’t do with a lot of powerful people behind
us.” What they all have
in common is their passion for music and talent to bring music
to others….and Little Caesar and our fans are the beneficiaries
of those talents.
When we hit that stage on Jun 16th….you will all be there
with us. Thanks to you all from the bottom of our hearts.
Read more at http://www.littlecaesar.net
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