In my last post I forgot to tell you about the Bugle American and the Emerald City Chronicle that my friend Michael St. John started. These were free newspapers that gave us informative articles and where our favorite bands were playing. They both kept us in touch with the music scene. Now in 1984 …. Milwaukee.
Ax was rehearsing and writing. The management did not like what we were doing. It was time to take a break. I had family problems that led me to Milwaukee. Bobby Barth and Michael Osbourne decided to go to Denver to rest and write. They left Gainesville, Florida and were driving. Michael used to talk to our bus drivers about letting him drive. He loved it. Well, Bobby and Michael were in a Datson 280 Z. They made it to Mobile AL. and a semitrailer was coming onto Highway 10 and Michael crashed into the rear. Bobby was crouched sleeping in the passenger seat. He survived, Michael was killed immediately. Ax would never be the same again. Michael was a major force in the group. What do I do now …! Well, Ken Adamany, who was the manager of “Cheap Tricks” at the time, said he had a band called “Bad Boy” that needed a professional drummer like me, but I would have to audition. After 34 drummers I got the gig. They put out a new album with “Cheat on Me” and “Thunder & Lightning” that was making some noise. I was on tour with the band for over a year.
My old manager finally let me out of my contract with Ax, while Ken wanted me to sign with him. So, I called a meeting with the band. I said Ken will make $ 300,000.00 over the next 3 years from his commissions, we should ask for $ 25,000.00 for clothes, a good vehicle to travel with (we were in a beat-up ’76 Ford LTD) and fix our monitors. It was a legitimate request for the money. We play Headliners in Madison, WI and we talk about it all the time.
We got to Madison and we were in a meeting with Ken Adamany and I laid out our plan. After I finished, Ken said it was a very logical idea, but Teddy, all the other guys in the group already signed the contract. He was sooo mad. Their performance like this is what should be done, what should be, but they already sold their souls …! Well for 3 years they paid Ken and they never got a world record deal. Young musicians, take note! The next night at the Sunset Bowl, I left the band.
I was seeing young talent in Milwaukee, so I started a band called Moxy Roxx. Mark Worpel on guitar, Brooke St James on guitar and Chris Martinez on bass that I didn’t want. I wanted Carey Caelin on bass. But Chris begged me and I mean he begged me! You will practice 10 hrs. one day. I said guitarists are not good bassists, he said I will. His brother Tommy, he was the owner of the PA of lights and he told me that my brother Chris would do it Teddy. You own this city right now. I said we want to own the country, not the city! I helped make Moxy Roxx a driving force on the Milwaukee music scene. Summerfest was definitely a highlight. Marna, who I met on Bad Boy, was my partner and we were in love at the time. I introduced her to John Bon Jovi, Tommy Lee and everyone from Motely Crue, Judas Priest, Kiss, Queensryche, Winger and more, she loved Rock ‘N Roll and I miss her: Rest in peace Marna! Later, I also had my friend Jay Davis call me and ask if he knew any singers. The Rod Stewarts band was looking for a singer to write with. I turned Xeno around, they flew him to Los Angeles. He wrote with them and came back and Xeno did a radio interview and never gave me credit for helping him. He acted like he did … Wrong … I made that happen for him. Just for the record.
Moxy began to take the city by storm. Brooke and I used to say we did it. Nothing last month this whole month. Welcome to the entertainment business, I said. We had huge crowds at Billy’s, the Jabberwoky, the Electric Ballroom, Pappagio’s, it was great! I built this into what it became, then started a misnamed Machine and left the Misic Industry in ’87. We had fun but I knew there were no stars here for me like I had in the past. Good luck and Rock ‘n Roll Milwaukee. I moved to New York and went into business!
Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of real Rock’N Roll and the music industry … We’re not done, stay tuned for more information!
