Guitarist Mick Sweda of The Bulletboys and King Kobra

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Tell us where you grew up and what made you decide to get

involved in music.

I spent my pre-teen/teen years in Randolph, NY which is in the

western part of the state near Buffalo. I saw a new kid in town

playing a Thinline Telecaster on his porch and approached him to

say hello. About one week later I had convinced my friends to get

instruments and we had a band. The beginnings of one anyway.

Were you self taught as a guitar player?

I took a couple of lessons but wasn’t very cooperative so I was

largely self taught. Once I started playing I never really put it

down.

As you enter your late teens you start to play gigs on a regular

basis. When do you make the move from New York to L.A.?

My intention was to move my band The Pedestrians to LA where I

hoped we could make some noise. As it turned out, just two of us

made the trek in 1981.

What was your first impression of the music scene on L.A.'s

Sunset strip when you got there or was there much of a music

scene at all in 1981?

I didn’t hang on the Strip much but I was a regular on Melrose

Ave. where I lived. At the time, it was rockabilly that was hot with

pompadours and upright basses. I didn’t connect with that but

there wasn’t much in the way of hard rock that I liked. I stuck with

Michael Schenker, Pat Travers, Max Webster and music from my

past.

You would eventually hook up with legendary drummer Carmine

Appice and join his outfit called King Kobra. Thought?

I wasn’t really a fan of Carmine’s but it was a great opportunity to

work with total pros and talented players. I jumped at the the

chance and made the most of it. I believe we deserved a better

fate but it was a necessary step and it worked out as it was

supposed to.

With KK you guys were playing huge gigs with the likes of Iron

Maiden, Kiss, Accept and others, but by 1987 you would join

forces with guitarist/singer Marq Torien, Lonnie Vencent and

Jimmy D'Anda to form Bulletboys.

It was a great education and a hell of a lot of fun but we just

couldn’t break through. Torien and Vencent were in the band at

the time but I was over it. I asked them to start a new thing with

me but they wanted to see KK through. Eventually, they quit and

we started writing.

Now, Mark Torien was an accomplished guitar player and for a

minute he landed the guitar spot for Ozzy when Randy Rhodes

passed. Was there ever a time when you guys thought that

maybe it would be a good idea having Marq play guitar in the

band as well? You certainly covered a lot of ground by yourself.

It’s always interesting to hear that because many don’t seem to

keep in mind that he never got that gig and, as much as people

mention it, that he didn’t make it in Ratt, etc. There are good

reasons for that, as I was to learn. I brought up the idea that he

play guitar in the band and Jimmy and Lonnie both tried

desperately to dissuade me. Finally, they said “Ok, you’ll see.” He

played one song with us in rehearsal but it was a colossal mess

and immediately evident that it would never work. Lesson learned!

The Bullet Boys seemed to be touring non-stop during this time.

Are there any bands that come to mind that were exceptionally

fun to hang with while on tour?

I tend to be very private and a bit of a lone wolf so I didn’t really

engage much beyond the requisite civilities but I enjoyed being on

the Cinderella/Winger tour because, in spite of our proclivities,

they kept us on board the whole time. On the other hand, there

were a few groups who seemed to be taking the rock in a very

different direction from what I appreciated.

In 1993 Bulletboys would release ZA-ZA but would disband two

years later only to reform in 1998. By this time former Guns N'

Roses drummer Steven Adler and future Guns N' Roses guitarist

DJ Ashba would be added to the fold. What was Steven Adler like

to work with?

I ended up playing in various incarnations a couple times over the

years, but they were far and few between. But I don’t know those

chaps however I’ve heard they’re very nice.

There would be other Bulletboys and KK reunions throughout the

years but tell me what your favorite era was with either band.

It was the Cinderella tour because we got to bond and grow as a

musical entity and we took up the challenge of creating a new,

fresh set every night, even though it was very much a routine. As

I’ve said, we hadn’t played many gigs prior to recording our first

album so the opportunity to experiment and refine our set was

great for us.

I'm going to say a word or phrase and you answer accordingly.

Ready?

The Hot Summers band =

A true representation of my recent musical ideas and my love

child with Shane Tassart.

Black Gibson Les Pauls vs Gibson Firebird guitars =

I just played Bones, my `77 Les Paul Pro today but I’ll take my

Firebird to my next gig.

Former King Kobra and W.A.S.P. bass player Johnny Rod =

I’m praying for you, brother!

Shitty mobil home camper tour buses =

Freezing in the Rocky Mountains with the flu, chills and sub-zero

air blasting through every seam in that God forsaken thing.

Any memories of playing Alpine Valley (East Troy Wisconsin July

10th 1985) - ultimately that would be the final resting place for SRV

in 1989) -

I can’t remember if we were there just before or just after that

happened in 1989 but I was very sad.

Rick Nielsen and Cheap Trick =

I went to a bar to see a cover band and they opened with “Hello

There” and “Big Eyes” and I was stunned. I didn’t know they were

Cheap Trick songs and I’d never heard such great songs from a

cover band. I went home and listened to late night FM radio and

they played the Cheap Trick In Color album and I heard those two

songs. I was spellbound and from that moment on all I wanted to

do was go to Chicago and see Cheap Trick. I fantasized about it

night and day. We finally played with them and I was still an

adoring fan. Later, Rick came to a show and we played “Hello

There” in his honor. He came backstage and said “I always knew

that was a crappy song and you guys proved it”! I love that man!

Foundation and or charities that are near and dear to your heart =

Shriners, Children’s Cancer Center, Wounded Warriors, Animal

Shelters.

What's next for Mick Sweda?

I’m working on post-rock instrumental songs that are cinematic

and ambient in nature. There are also plans to start on the second

Hot Summers release but we still like our first one so give it a

listen!!

Thank you and cheers

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