Acey Slade, started in August of 2016 as the touring guitar
player for the Misfits, though he also plays with Dope, Murderdolls, Wednesday
13, Amen, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and composes his own music. He will be holding a guitar clinic at Rock
Box, a music school owned fellow Dope musician Angel Bartolotta, who also
played in Genitorturers and founded the collaborative Team Cybergeist. Rock Box
is located at 5400 S. Biscayne Dr, Suite F in North Port, FL, and the clinic
will be held at 7 p.m. March 10; tickets are $20 with advanced reservation: call
(941)200-2163.
Bartolotta said, "The Rock Box is extremely excited to
be bringing Acey Slade down from New York! It's not every day a musician of his
calibre visits North Port. He has played for some high-profile bands, including
the Misfits, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and Murderdolls, to name a few.
Acey and I both played together in the band Dope. He is one of the nicest and
most down to earth people I've ever had the privilege of sharing a stage with.
I can't wait to see what he has in store for us."
In preparation for the guitar clinic, I chatted with Slade
to get to know a little more about the clinic and his experiences as a
musician, and a little about his personal life.
Author Marisa Williams:
Acey, what can people expect at the upcoming guitar clinic?
Guitarist Acey Slade:
A lot of times, when people do these clinics, I feel they’re very show
offy, kinda geared towards musical gymnastics, which is great, but I like to
include people that aren’t at that level.
I’m going to have students from Angel’s School (Rock Box) come up and
play with me, which is a little different than how these things usually go. Rock music is different from other genres
that promote sharing and being inclusive; the type of music we play is more
outsidery, a little more standoffish, but I want it to be inclusive, to inspire
people to play. Clinics can be
inspiring, because seeing a very good musician play can make you want to pick
up guitar and play. That’s what I want
people to get when they get done from this clinic: to go home and want to start
a band.
Marisa: Have you done
clinics before?
Acey: I did a clinic
in Russia last year, did a bunch in Europe several years ago, and this year, I’m
doing a lot more. I really enjoy
them. This year, I will have the break
to focus on doing something like this. I
will do it in between touring, if people like me enough.
I think the main thing is that I hope when people leave
there, they want to start their own band. I don’t consider myself a master guitar or
bass player, and that’s usually what these clinics are. I just always wanted to be in cool
bands. Just like the drummer from the
Clash, as soon as he learned three chords, he started forming a band. I hope
that’s what people do, get inspired, and leave wanting to express themselves,
as opposed to musical mathematics or fitness.
Marisa: What do you
consider to be your hometown, and is that where you live now?
Acey: I’m from a
small town in PA, but I’ve lived in NY for the past 20 years now.
Marisa: How did you
get started in music? Did you come from
a musical family? What were your biggest
musical influences?
Acey: I was in the
church choir as a kid, and my favorite thing in the world was the Passion Play,
a reenactment of the crucifixion of Christ.
I loved the theatrics of play. I
saw Alice Cooper a year later, and he cuts off own head and rises back to life,
just like church. I wore the concert
shirt to school and got sent home. When
I went to church, I can read from scripture all day, but showing me the play
with the theatrics got my attention.
Just like when I saw Alice Cooper, he’s running around on stage dressed
crazy, guillotines. That’s where the two
tie together I suppose.
Marisa: I know you
play guitar, but do you play any other instruments, and how old were you when
you learned to play them?
Acey: I also play
bass. It comes back to people out there who
see Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Hendrix, or Steve Vai playing, and they say, “I want
to be an awesome guitar hero.” For me,
growing up in small town in PA, the pool of musicians so small. It was more like the band up the road needs a
bass player; now, another band needs a guitar play. I always wanted to be in a band and write
songs, as opposed to a soloist, per say.
I was probably like 16 when I got my first guitar.
Marisa: What was your
first concert that you attended, and how did that compare to the first concert
that you played?
Acey: First concert I
attended was probably Alice Cooper, and that was a huge production, huge
show. First show I ever played was an
all ages place in the town next to mine, probably 30-40 kids there. There was nobody smoking, no marijuana like the
Alice Cooper concert, no massive lights or PA.
In my imagination through, both of those shows took me to another place,
not in my body. I was so absorbed with
what’s going on on stage. I was
terrified and excited at the same time.
The feeling was the same, but aesthetics couldn’t have been further
apart.
Marisa: What was the
first album you purchased?
Acey: I worked at a
record store, so I don’t remember the first album I purchased, but I remember
that I stole Cheap Trick, Rolling Stones and Judas Priest from my sister to
listen to when I was growing up.
Marisa: How do you go
about writing music? What comes first
for you: drums, guitars, vocals or something else? Has the process of writing changed for you
over the years at all?
Acey: It’s
funny. It comes from everything. I have a list in my phone of song titles. I have song lyric phrases that I write down. Sometimes, I’ll walk and hear drum patterns
or melodies, and I’ll hum that in my phone.
It’s funny even for me to listen to, let along someone else. It’s not like scat singing, but sometimes I’ll
sit with a guitar, play a part wrong, but if I follow up with another chord,
it’s a whole different riff. Most recently,
I was working with Earl Cohen, Lady Gaga’s producer. I’ve always been like whatever comes to mind
first, that’s always the best, as it’s the most impulsive and pure, so I would
work with that idea, put it down, and either it’s good or not. Earl was interesting. We would work off a guitar riff. He would say, “that’s good, but how would you
play it better?” Just really working the
aspects until he would say, “I think we got something there, but what’s the
vocal melody?” Then again, he would say,
“that’s really good, but how would you do it better?” We recorded the whole time. Maybe we would start with the best idea, but
it may be at end. I had never worked
that way before. It was really cool; I’m
going to start implementing that, too.
Marisa: What is your
favorite musical technique?
Acey: To be honest
with you, you have to keep it fun. A lot
of musicians sit and try to learn a scale.
Sure, you have to learn a scale, but knowing it and putting it to use
are two different things. Carol Kaye –
she’s a bass player on a lot of Motown stuff - her teachings are based around
how to make use of an octave. We’d work
on song and put it to practical use.
When you keep in practical use, you keep learning. I was watching a guy today to prepare for the
clinic, and he did the complete opposite.
He would say, take the C scale, play it over E and D, but he was
telling, not showing, so it was not very fun.
Marisa: Are you only
playing with the Misfists now, or do you have other projects, too?
Acey: I also tour
with Dope, not currently, but I work with a few different people. I do sessions in NY, so I keep busy. Have my own stuff that I do, too.
Marisa: What is the
scariest thing about being on the road?
Acey: Going
home.
Marisa: Best or worst
tour moment?
Acey: Funniest
memory, I gotta say, probably the funniest that comes to mind was when I played
in Australia with Joan Jett for the New Year’s countdown. The sound cut out during our set. We used in-ear monitors that block out the outside
sound to hear band through headphones.
At the time, I wasn’t using those, but rest of band was, so they could
not hear. There was like 30,000 people,
and it was almost like scene in The Doors, naked men crowd surfing, blow up
dolls, confetti... They start arguing
about how to fix problem. I notice the
screen counting down 10, 9, 8, 7… By the
time I got everyone’s attention, we missed the countdown. Nobody else could hear. I always feel a lot of gratitude; every time I
get in a tour bus, I’m grateful. At the Misfits
reunion shows, we broke attendance records.
I’ve known diehard fans with Misfits tattoos on them, and they said, “it
was too crazy; I had to get out of there.
I got cracked ribs, sprained ankles; it was pretty intense.” I guess one time I was playing with Joan, and
Stephen Tyler, Dave Grohl, Brett Michaels, and Lynard Skynard were on the side
of the stage where I had my equipment.
So, every time I would walk over to switch instruments, I had to say
excuse me, Dave Grohl. Excuse me,
Stephen Tyler. I remember Stephen Tyler
singing melodies so loud that I could hear him over the amps. That was like a pinch me moment.
Marisa: What's your
favorite way to travel and why?
Acey: I like buses. I can go to sleep whenever I want, go to my
bunk. Chances are whatever’s on TV is
pretty cool, because you have like-minded people. You drive through the night, wake up in the
next town, so you’re waking up with bigger chunk of day. With Joan, we flew everywhere. At first, it was cool, but you’re spending
four hours of each day at an airport just waiting, so definitely being in a
bus. Those are luxury items, problems
like winning the lottery and complaining about the taxes.
Marisa: What's your
favorite place to travel to, and is there anywhere you have not been to that
you would like to go to?
Acey: Well, I really
like Russia and the Ukraine a lot. I
like Asia a lot, too. I haven’t been to
India, so that’s on the bucketlist of places I haven’t gone.
Marisa: What's your
biggest musical fantasy?
Acey: As corny as it
sounds, doing the Misfits reunion shows pretty much hit it. That was like up there. I’d have to say that’s it. When I played with Joan, the band was
inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
As minimal as it sounds, I wish my own music would get the attention as
some of the bands I play for gets.
Marisa: I have three
personality questions that I ask everyone.
They might sound like hogwash, but I promise, there is a psychological
basis to the answers ;-) First, if you
were an unicorn, and you could be any color but white, what color would you be
and would you have any special powers?
Acey: Purple. I’d like to have x-ray vision.
Marisa: If you were
yogurt, what flavor would you be (feel free to be creative, as this does not
have to be a traditional flavor) and how would you be served?
Acey: Well, I just
got home from buying yogurt, so it’s funny that you should ask me that. Normally, I would say coffee flavored, but I’ve
had it, and it’s not great, so I’m going to say … I make a lot of smoothies, like
chocolate and blueberries, so definitely chocolate, served in a gauntlet,
floating in perfume, served in a man’s hat.
Marisa: Describe
yourself as either a dog, a cat or a cartoon.
Acey: I’m definitely
more of a cat person. You’re asking me
in front of my cats; one is a black cat, and one is an Egyptian Mau. For fear that either would seek vengeance by
pooping somewhere, maybe I’ll say a Persian cat. Persians are banned from our
country right now, but Persians are actually hypoallergenic.
Marisa: Do you
collect anything?
Acey: Well, I
collected Nightmare Before Christmas toys, then I saw a special about people
collecting Beanie Babies. For some
reason, I just thought those people seemed creepy, then I looked around my room,
and I thought I was one of those creepy people.
Plus, I ran out of room. I do
photography, so I collect photography equipment, and it gets very expensive.
Marisa: What's your
biggest guilty pleasure?
Acey: Something
people may not know, I could listen to Motown all day long, so Motown
music. I love going into the
desert. I will spend retarded amounts of
money on coffee. I walked into a coffee
shop today, and I walked out $20 poorer.
That’s not even buying beans or anything. It’s the last vice I have.
Marisa: Do you have
any hidden talents or special skills?
Acey: I can wiggle my
ears.
Marisa: What's the
most important thing to remember?
Acey: I forget. Brush my teeth.
Marisa: What was your
most influential moment?
Acey: On the serious
tip, probably when I got sober. I’ve
been sober 20 years now, so there’s that.
I know that’s not for everybody.
Probably that, and when I got the call to move to NY to play for Dope
when they had their deal with Sony, which would’ve been 1999. I joined Murderdolls with the drummer from
Slipknot. I’ve tried to get my own
projects off ground intermittently. It’s
been so close, but they never quite got traction. Seven years ago now was the day I got set up
to quit music. I had it, thought I had
done everything I was supposed to do. I
thought, that’s it, then I got the phone call to play for Joan. I played for her for six years.
Marisa: Were you
playing with Dope when they played Croakie’s Party Island in Michigan?
Acey: I didn’t play
Croakie’s. At that point, it was a weird
time. We had two records on Sony, but we
didn’t know what was going to happen. I wanted
to ride it out, see it out, then Joey from Slipknot called me up. He had booked two weeks of shows for
Murderdolls, one week in Europe, another in Japan opening for Guns n’ Roses. I went to the lead singer of Dope and said, “here’s
the deal. I don’t want to leave the band,
but I have an opportunity to go to Europe, then Japan. So, when I get back, I will resume playing
for Dope.” I feel positive about it, but
then the next day, he calls and says that I can’t go to Japan, because he had
booked this gig at Shakie’s. He said,
don’t go Japan; go to the Party Island, but I said no. I did not play that show.
Marisa: If you were
not doing music, what would you be doing?
Acey: Probably hair
or photography. When I quit Joan, it was
doing first day as a hair stylist. It’s
a good way to make money. Young kids who
want to be musicians ask me what they should do for extra money, and I tell
them go to hair school. It only takes
nine months for school, and you can make cash straight away. You can have a flexible schedule, can look
weird with tattoos, and it’s easy. It’s
better than swinging a hammer, not to say that there’s anything wrong with
that; it’s just, for me, this is great.
Photography, I wanted to go to school for it, and my mom said, “pick
career that makes money.”
Marisa: What are
three things you must have with you when you are on the road?
Acey: My Aeropress, a
coffee press; my camera; and my phone.
Marisa: Any advice
for musicians starting out?
Acey: Yes, learn how
to cut hair.
Marisa: Where can
people find your music?
Acey: www.aceyslatemusic.com, www.twitter.com/aceyslate1, www.facebook.com/official-acey-slade,
https://www.instagram.com/aceyslade/
Marisa: Closing
thoughts and additional comments?
Acey: I’m excited to
come down to FL; hopefully, everybody takes it easy on me. We’ll have a lot of fun, play some music, and
it’s great to support Angel’s school.
The way the band Dope is set up is like a fraternity; there’s always different
guys. I’ve played with Angel a handful
of times, but the thing with Angel that strikes me is that he’s always so pro
with whatever he’s doing; he always has every I dotted, every t crossed.
The Acey Slade guitar and bass clinic will be held at The
Rock Box on Friday, March 10th at 7:00 p.m., and the event is open to the
public. Tickets are $20 and must be reserved in advance, as tickets will not be
available at the door.
The
Rock Box Music School & Stage is located at 5400 S. Biscayne Dr, Suite F,
in North Port, FL. For more information,
call (941)200-2163 or visit www.rockboxmusicschool.com. Rock Box teaches private lessons for voice,
piano, guitar, bass, drums, ukulele, violin, mandolin, cello, hand percussion
and more. They also host band camps, clinics/workshops, and monthly Open
Jam Nights.
The author of more than 100 books, Marisa Williams earned
her Master's in Writing from the Johns Hopkins University; for more on Marisa,
visit www.lulu.com/spotlight/thorisaz
and www.twitter.com/booksnbling.
