Behind "Behind The Music"

See the big smile on Richie's face?  That's because 1999 started out with a bang as his buddy Michael Bruce headed into Manhatten to interview for the VH1 production of "Behind the Music: Alice Cooper"..

    After the interviews, MB headed up to Connecticut to visit Richie.  This pic was taken when Richie answered the door.  For more pics of Richie's Batcave, click here.

Richie releases his new album "OUT OF MY PAST" a collection of Richie's favorites from the '60's and '70's including Scarletized versions of "Heart Full Of Soul", "Too Much To Dream Last Night" and more.

Richie rocks the Kiss Expo '99

Richie Ranno' ("Starz") Kiss Expos in Hackensack just across the river are always a blast, and 1999 was no different.    Michael Bruce and Neal Smith and Richie had lines around the place waiting to get copies signed of Richie's CD "Out Of My Past".   Michael and Neal sold everything from books to drum sticks, and the Kiss crowd treated them like royalty.

Richie Ranno how much he really appreciated the crossover loyalty between Kiss fans for their Cooper cousins, which of course also have an affinity to a certain Emperor also!!!  Also, the fans certainly appreciated being able to catch Michael, Neal, Richie, and Dee Snider all in one place!  Later, the Michael Bruce Group performed what turned out to be almost a full set for the Expo crowd, to thunderous applause.  Toward the end, Richie Scarlet joined Michael for a really smokin' version of School's Out. 

Neal Smith, Richie, Dee Snider, and Michael Bruce

Richie also took the stage for a couple of his favorite Cooper classics.

  Did you know he saw the original ACG at least 15 times including their debut of the Killer tour at the Academy of Music?  Well, now you do!!!!

By the way, from the response that the KISS crowd gave our Coopers, it is obvious that they hold much respect for our hero's, the original shock rockers. 

Of course, Richie Scarlet is The Emperor!!!!! .

From the pic below, it's obvious that security was tight for the small, but very crowded NYC venue named CBGB's!!!!

The place was packed as  Richie smoked on lead guitar that night, playing cuts from his new CD, "Out of My Past" (available from Torn Ticket's PRODUCTS section), collection of '60's covers including tunes by Yardbirds, Animals, and The Who in addition to his own original songs from "Wise Guy". 

Next, it was on to Nashville trip to record additional material for the US release of the Sebastian Bach's album, "Bring 'Em Bach Alive".  Richie,  Larry "The Indian" Fisher were at Michael Wagener's studio ("Constrictor", "Raise Your Fist And Yell", Janet Jackson, Anthrax, Ozzy, etc.  And who should happen to be driving by on their way back from Cape Fear but of course "Michael Bruce and friends" (as it says in the credits now).  We got there just in time to see Richie play some incredible harmonica and some absofuckinlutely great guitar licks.  This album smokes, and you should be able to purchase it soon from Seb's website, hyperlinked above.  

As a quick trip to Atlanta and back turned into an extended road trip and more fun and anyone could have anticipated.  Sebastian was a wonderful host, making MB feel like family.  And from watching Seb and Richie in the studio, the kismet between them was obvious.  Can you spell "Ozzy and Randy Rhoads"-style chemistry?

August of 1969:  rock and roll came to the little town of Bethel, NY.  At the  site known later as Woodstock came luminaries of the rock world such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Johnny Winter, Mountain, and so many others who performed back then in front of an Angry Young Man named Richie Scarlet and half a million of his closest friends.

Now, 30 years to the day later, rock returned once more as many of the original artists from 1969 returned to pay homage and perform together once more.  Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, and many other came back to find the garden and once again Richie Scarlet was there, this time however on stage with Leslie West as "Mountain".

Imagine Richie's excitement to be standing on the same stage where 30 years prior Jimi Hendrix had carved himself a place in Rock History.  Imagine his feeling that even as all things must pass, the rock lives on in the hearts and minds of fans and artists like Richie Scarlet.

ON TO [2000]