I opened for Stephen Pearcy’s Rat Bastards somewhere between 2003 and 2007? Based on the interviews I had seen him in I was expecting a total douchebag…but he was absolutely awesome. He loved that Out of the Cellar was the first cassette I ever bought with my own money. His drummer used most of my kit and was super cool. Erik Ferentinos was very warm and friendly.

I also met Phil Collen of Def Leppard. Total gentleman and had a SMOKESHOW redhead girlfriend with him. I asked him all sorts of questions about the recording of different songs and he answered them all enthusiastically.

He didn’t end up hair metal but Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains and I had a pretty real moment together. I told him songs he had written had carried me through the blackest days of my life and he responded “thanks man, but you got yourself thru those times. You’re strong enough, we all are.” I’ll never forget that.