Todd Kerns

March 27 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada

Just back from the first Slash show of 2012 in Toronto, Canada. This one in particular was under the title Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators. It was the first with the name The Conspirators and the first with my new little brother, Frank Sidoris on guitar. It was also the first time You’re A Lie, the first single from the forthcoming album was ever performed live. The song is doing huge. Number one most added song at Active Rock Radio. That’s Active not Classic. That means NU school. That’s exciting for someone like Slash who’s been around as long as he has. Things are shiny and vibrating at a high intensity right now and it’s about to go off the charts within the next few weeks.
All in all the Toronto show was amazing as was the entire trip. Got to see my Brother, John (from both Age Of Electric and Static In Stereo) and his amazing lady, Jenn. Got to see lots of familiar Canadian faces and even enjoyed some poutine. Google that shit! Yum.
I wore a Sloan shirt cuz they’re my favorite Canadian band to commemorate my love for the country of my birth. Slash played Oh Canada at a motocross event while we were up there. All in all it was a very patriotic trip for this prairie boy.

Today, as part of my celebration of being home with a bit of a day off I took in the newly opened KISS mini golf here in Vegas with my fellow KISS nerds Greg Verdusco and Mikey Ramone. Greg is in the amazing Las Vegas band, Bloody Villains. Check em out. Mikey Ramone was my first roommate when I moved to Vegas. He has amazing taste in music, books and movies. We share a brain there.
The mini golf is a blast. I’m sure I’ll be there many, many times. Where else can you have some laughs with your friends, play a pseudo sport while Under The Rose from The Elder is cranking? Nowhere that’s where.

Before Toronto I’d been rocking with the Sinners in Vegas. We did the closing ceremonies of NASCAR which was totally epic. Always a blast.

I made my way to LA early for rehearsals with Slash and the gang. My dear friend, Cheryl hooked me up with a knee doctor in LA. Yea, I’ve somehow developed a bad knee along the way. They call it ‘runner’s knee’ though I don’t really run. I guess it’s just improper use and not warming up for 20 years of performing. This body of mine gets pummeled pretty good on stage night after night and I don’t really take time off. I go from Slash to the Sinners and back again. Might be time to sit on a beach somewhere with some brightly colored beverage adorned with fruit slices and garish umbrellas but let’s be honest I’d rather stick needles in my eyes. Why would I take a vacation from playing music when I love it so much? That just doesn’t make sense to me. On top of the fact that the beach means sun and sand and people. Nah. Not for me. I need dark and loud music and people!
Anyway, it turns out my Doctor in LA is also Steven Tyler’s Doctor. My friend Cheryl hooked me up with the Doctor and she works for Steven. I crossed paths with Steven several times on my trip out there. Keep in mind I have crossed paths with Steven a thousand times in my life.
I even managed a visit to the set of American Idol. I never stayed for the show. Not that interested to be honest. Never really watched it but I know my Mom loves it. I saw Steven in his trailer/bungalow. His trailer is not much smaller than my house. The man is a star. He’s bigger now than he ever was. He’s on fire. Endless, boundless energy. We should all be so lucky. I don’t have his energy now! The man is 63 years old.. I can’t imagine. If I’m still doing it at his age I will certainly feel blessed.

Instead of Idol I was off to rehearsal with the Conspirators! Rehearsal for a tour of the size we are about to take on is a whole other animal. We have two entire stage rigs being worked up so one can go to Europe while we are touring the US with the other. You have to have the same amount of amps for both rigs, same amount of guitars, wirelesses etc etc etc. It’s a giant undertaking. As we’re rehearsing on the A rig the B rig is being shipped up to Toronto.
It was good to get back into playing the old Slash set. We only worked in the one song from Apocalyptic Love as the album won’t even be released for another 2 months. We will be playing a lot of the album once it’s out though.
We had to get ourselves up to speed plus working in Frankie who is fitting in great. In no time at all we were super tight and ready to tear it up!

A surprise visit from Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick was upon us one of those days. Always an immense pleasure. He had been to American Idol earlier to visit Steven as they are to be touring together this summer. Rick was completely nonplussed by the entire Idol phenomenon and we had a laugh about that.
It’s not lost on me that one day I’m talking to Steven Tyler and the next Rick Neilsen. These are two men that are responsible for me playing music in the first place. Life is so weird.
Rick was great and a whirlwind as always. Just like that he’s gone! He is a character and a half that guy.

One day at rehearsal I went next door to meet Robert Trujillo from Metallica and Brooks Wackerman from Bad Religion. They were jamming next door for some Bootsy Collins tribute. Robert is a super nice guy and a monster player. Brooks and I talked a lot as I know Jay Bentley from Bad Religion from when he lived in Vancouver. Jay and I even jammed a time or two. Brooks is an amazing drummer and will be out with Tenacious D this summer. I’m dying to see the D. I’ve never seen ‘em live. I know every song!

We had another late night dinner with our old pal, Eric Singer from KISS, of course. It wouldn’t be LA without some food time with Eric. Speaking of energy that man makes Steven Tyler look like he’s standing still. Always fun to hang with Eric. You know what a huge KISS fan I am.
They played on Kimmel while we were in rehearsals and then were off to the opening of the very mini golf course I was at today.
I, for one, am excited about the new KISS album. I always am. Life goes on but there’s always something KISS related to look forward to!

We did an acoustic set in the back room in Guitar Center Hollywood that was totally awesome. I have to say that the first time I set foot in that back room was 1989 and I heard angels sing and doves took flight when I entered it. Well, metaphorically. On those walls are hung some of the most coveted items imaginable. Pieces I had never seen in person before. I’m not talking about Van Gogh paintings I’m talking about my kinda art-guitars! It is truly hallowed ground back there and here I am all these years later playing back there in front of 3D cameras. Truly bizarre. Life is weird.
The fine folks at Hagstrom sent over a hollowbody Viking bass for the set and it was absolutely perfect. Sounded great and looked gorgeous.
We ended up doing two new songs for the acoustic set, Not For Me and Far And Away. It was awesome to be able to debut those babies. Can’t wait to play the whole album live.
The acoustic set was awesome. Can’t wait to see it.

Afterwards we made our way to Barney’s Beanery, a legendary Hollywood spot with our friends Alecks Paunovic, Adam Beach and his gal, Leah Gibson all from the Canadian tv show Arctic Air. How crazy is that? They had come to our acoustic set. Adam is a big actor. Google him he’s in a lot of stuff. He’s native American from Winnipeg and is in everything from Joe Dirt to Cowboys and Aliens. Always good to catch up with our fellow transplanted Canadians. They’re everywhere, you know? And they look just…like…you!

After a few more days of rehearsal we made our way to the Great White North. We stayed at the Royal York, the epicenter of the Canadian Music Week convention so it was overrun with music biz folk. Everywhere I went and looked I’d find people from my past in the Canadian music industry. Even saw my old manager, Ray Daniels. He’s been Rush’s manager from the very beginning. It was great to catch up with him.

You know the rest. We came, we saw, we kicked ass, we bailed. Next thing ya know I’m at a dentist appointment on my first day back. Don’t you hate when you go to the dentist for a simple check up with no pain or discomfort or concern at all only to find out you need this filled and this crowned etc etc? Dammit! I went in for a check up and stayed to get a buncha work done. I figured better do it then rather than be on stage in Tokyo going, “Agh! My bicuspid!”

This morning off to the eye doctor to set up one, final laser treatment on ‘the eye’. You remember ‘the eye’ don’tcha? The one that decided to detach from it’s retina in Europe in 2010 and had me catching a one way flight from Moscow to LAX. Then a quick jump to Vegas. No Fun. No Fun At All. But I’m ALMOST 100%. This last round of laser surgery should be the clincher. Lasers…what an age we live in…

Then KISS mini golf, Cash For Chaos (my fave punk rock clothing store in Vegas) then Zia Records (my fave record store in Vegas) then home. Tomorrow is Fitz’s birthday and I may or may not have gotten him a gift or two from the KISS mini golf gift shop. I’m not saying anything.

I have gigs with the Sinners this weekend then I head back to LA to shoot a video for You’re A Lie. Plus we are going to be on Jimmy Kimmel on April 10th. Then we are on the Golden Gods Awards with Marilyn Manson, Sixx Am and more. Gene Simmons is being given some kind of lifetime achievement award. Going to be a crazy night.

Then I’ll be back in Vegas for a stretch with my Sinners before I make my way across the US with Slash. Soon after that we’ll be in the UK and Europe for festival season. My favorite!

Apocalyptic Love comes out May 22nd. I promise to do a song by song play by play when it ‘drops’. That’s what ‘the kids’ say!

See you all very, very soon!
Your loyal and humble servant
Todd Dammit

Thursday March 1 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada

Well, I have been meaning to check in for a loooong time but could NOT seem to find a moment to do so. A few weeks back we finished recording the new Slash album that has been since been titled Apocalyptic Love after the lead off track which is Earth shattering! Since then I’ve been to Vegas, Vancouver, Vegas, Winnipeg and Vegas again. Whew! No rest-Too wicked!

We finished up recording at Barefoot Recordings with Eric Valentine and the very next day we were shooting an in the studio performance for Mativision. We performed all 13 songs from Apocalyptic Love for the Mativision cameras. The cool thing is that while watching it on your computer you’ll be able to select what you wanna look at and switch around 360 degrees all over the place. It is totally mind blowing. Crazy.
I have no idea what format that’s coming out in but it is to be part of some fancy release of the album.
Check out their website http://www.mativision.tv/

I had to pass on the Van Halen warm up show in LA to get back to Vancouver to spend some time with my fam. Some people say I’m crazy to pass up seeing VH but I’m a family first man, myself. I still haven’t dug into the new VH. I’m excited to hear it. Went down to their rehearsal space while in LA and it was a real trip to be in the presence of their stage gear. VH gets nothing but mad respect from me. Wolfie is super talented even though I very dearly miss Michael Anthony in the fold. It’s a bummer that Aerosmith and ZZ Top are the only original line-up bands out there. Think about that…and discuss!

I had an awesome week off in rainy Vancouver with my favourite people in the world before returning to Vegas to play with my Sin City Sinners.
Lots of changes in both of my bands. The Sinners and what has since come to be called The Conspirators (as dubbed by the dude in da hat).
I came home to find one of my best friends in the world no longer a Sinner. Well, he’ll always be a sinner but not a Sinner. To be honest, he’ll always be a Sinner to me anyway. Whatever transpired transpired and Doctor Ellis has moved on to his own projects and I wish him all the best. I once said that he and I vibrate on the same frequency and I believe that to always be true. We will play music together again somewhere sometime and he will always be one of my closest friends.
In the meantime our pal, Scotty Griffin, from Phil and Steve’s current line-up of LA Guns is sitting in on bass. Scotty’s a great guy and a genuine rock star. We’ve been having a lot of fun and he’s been doing a great job. People love him as he’s been a part of the family in my absence.

In the other camp, The Conspirators, we have a new face in the fold as well. Our brother in arms of the past couple of years, Bobby Schneck, has moved on and I, again, wish him all the best in the world. Bobby is an amazing guy, a great talent and a great friend.
The newest Conspirator is none other than Frankie Sidoris. Look out! We got some young blood in the band. Gonna have to step up my game now! Frankie comes from Las Vegas’ own The Cab.
Fitz and I jammed with a lot of people to find this kid and he’s gonna be a monster. In the future when you’re all clamouring about how wonderful Frankie is remember it was us who found him!

After a few shows in Vegas with The Sinners including a mighty return to our old stomping grounds, Ovation in Green Valley Ranch Casino where we jammed with Blas from Slaughter and Oz from Stryper I made my way to the Great White North with co-Conspirator Brent Fitz. Fitzy comes from a great city called Winnipeg, Manitoba in the Canadian prairies. That city spawned a lot of great music including the Guess Who, BTO and the mighty Neil Young. Brent and I did a benefit there last year with our friend and fellow Canadian Cory Churko from Kelly Clarkson/Shania Twain and Spider from Streetheart/Loverboy. This year we had John-Angus Macdonald from The Trews on guitar and it was another triumph. We played all Canadian rock except for Welcome To The Jungle in tribute to our day job! It was an amazing night for the Make A Wish Foundation and we managed to raise some money for a good cause. It is always amazing to play with Spider who is by far one of the greatest rock bassists in the world. He is my hero every time I pick up the bass.

My cousin, David, got married in Vegas so I had both my brothers and their much, much better halves at my house. My parents were in town as well as aunts, uncles and cousins everywhere. That was a lot of fun. My brothers got up and played with The Sinners having a mini Static In Stereo reunion. Always fun.

So now here I am entertaining my parents who have stuck around after the rest of the family trudged back to the frozen tundra of our birth. Luckily my parents are pretty cool to hang with plus more than happy to entertain themselves. They’ve been hitting local bridge games in Vegas. Probably winning large cash! They took a drive out to Palm Springs for a couple of days. Living the dream!
We managed to catch a couple of movies which I always try to do around Oscar time. Saw Iron Lady where Meryl Streep makes all other actors look flat out silly. The woman is to acting as Jimi Hendrix is to guitar. Wasn’t a real fast moving movie but definitely worth checking out.
Tonight we went to The Artist and it was awesome. I just loved it . I have fallen head over heels in love with Berenice Bejo who played Peppy Miller. Of course she’s married to the director but whatevs. She is glorious. Highly recommend this one folks!

So my parents go back to the great metropolis of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada this weekend and I will continue Sinning in this here city of sin. Soon I will return to Los Angeles to commence rehearsals for our first show of 2012 (also first show with Frankie) on March 23rd in Toronto. Fitting that it should be in Canada. Two out of the three Conspirators are Canadian after all! We will be playing the first single from Apocalyptic Love live for the first time.
The single, of course, is You’re A Lie and it’s a barn burner of a track with that nasty Slash riff and a big ol’ chorus where you can hear me screaming my guts out with Myles. That song was the most difficult birth on the entire record. i think my co-Conspirators would agree with me there. It was the first of the riffs we started jamming. It’s genesis originated while on tour last year. It grew and changed and grew some more. It was rearranged and redirected and almost abandoned but tenacity has paid off and turned it into the first single. It really is a monster. I’m personally very proud of it. The fact you can hear me screaming my head off is one of my prouder moments.
So that’s 5 titles out there already. The initial three tracks, Halo, Standing In The Sun, Bad Rain and now the first single, You’re A Lie. Plus the album title itself is also the title of the lead off track. That’s five titles out there!
Once the album is released I’m going to do a song by song review from T-Damm’s perspective. Giving my 2 cents on each of the 13 (ol’ lucky 13) songs!
In April we have some TV appearances lined up that I’m very excited about. In May we make our way across the US before heading to the UK and Europe in the summer. It’s going to be an epic year on Planet Slash. Stay tooooooned!

If you’re in Vegas for the next couple of weeks come see the Sinners with your pal, TK.
My friends and family in Toronto I’ll see you very soon! LA I’m coming back sooner than you thought! Look out.

Eat your vitamins and get your rest cuz this is gonna be a hell of a year!
Big love
Your loyal and humble servant
Todd Dammit