CHAD STEWART INTERVIEW - Jan. 2008
T.E.N. is going to start featuring interviews with people in the entertainment business that we feel people should know about. The first interview is Chad Stewart, an amazing drummer for many of today’s bands. He was born in the small town of Zanesville, Ohio (my home town as well) and with hard dedication and a few twists of fate...has become one of the “In Crowd” in music and a sought after drummer in the music scene today.
I caught up and got to hang out with Chad during this years’ weekend long 2008 NAMM Convention and at “The Guitar Players Jam” in Los Angeles, California.
Like I said, Chad is someone that you should know… I do!
The Entertainment Nexus- How have you been?
Chad Stewart- I’ve been a busy man my friend. Very…very busy! Since New Year’s Eve of last year, I have been a new member of LA Guns. We have been workin’ non-stop traveling the world to crazy…crazy places. Ya know, “breakin’ hearts and takin’ names” the whole way through. So it’s been good!
TEN- How did you become involved with music?
CS- Ya know, I think it was a natural inclination. I think I was just sort of born into it. I saw KISS on “3…2…1…Contact!” on PBS and that was it. That was the end! Gene Simmons ruined me for life. Thank you Gene and you’ve taken half of my money…I appreciate that. (Laughing)
Dude, we were in Myrtle Beach and we went to the KISS coffee house. I spent twenty-two dollars on a coffee mug. What’s wrong with me? Seriously…hasn’t that guy gotten enough of my money? Honestly…I love him to death. He and Prince…and I’ve met both of them and they’ve both been fantastic to me. I hear about horror stories of people who meet their icons. Those two are my two and they’ve both been great. I’ve been to Princes’ house four times at his house parties! I’ve met Oprah Winfrey at his house! Yes…oh yes! I’ve met Stevie Wonder at his house! Dude, it’s been crazy. I’ve played pool with Joni Mitchell at Princes’ house…crazy shit. They have both been fantastic and I’ve heard what a “dick” Gene can be to people…he’s been nothing but fabulous to me every time that I’m around him. I cannot bitch about Mr. Simmons except that he’s taken too much of my money.
TEN-Who were some of your influences growing up?
CS- Drummer wise or people wise?
TEN- Both.
CS- Drummer wise, Tommy Lee even though I’ve found out that there’s no Santa Clause after “Super Nova.” (Laughs) John Bonham for sure…Bun E. Carlos…Peter Criss, not so much because of his drumming but rather his personality with the role that he plays in the band…Kelly Keagy from Night Ranger. All the same drummers…even Phil Collins in a small degree. Don Henley for sure. I never wanted to be “just a drummer” I’ve always wanted to be more of a “band member.” I wanted to be one of the guys that “This band would not be this band if these guys weren’t in that band!” Do you know what I mean? That was sort of my thing growing up. If I was gonna be a guy…it was gonna be that guy! My parents and grandmother instilled in me a very, very strong work ethic and it’s been “grindstone.”
TEN- You’re living your dream.
CS- I am! And I’m from Zanesville, Ohio!
TEN- You’re from “small town” Ohio.
CS- One of the smallest towns in Ohio. (Laughs)
TEN- What are some of the bands that you’ve played in?
CS- It’s a long list. Google.com (Laughs) I have been in or are in various versions of let me see: Faster Pussycat…LA Guns…I am a rotating member of Enuff Z Nuff…Bang Tango…Love Hate… and Gilby Clarke’s Band. Who else have I played with; George Lynch…if they were from the “70s”, “80s” or “90s” I’ve played with them! Michael Thomas, a good friend of mine and who is a guitar player who has played with a lot of these guys and Kerri Kelli we make a joke that “If Keri, Michael and I ever die in a bus crash…the “80s” are over!”
TEN- What other projects have you played on that we might recognize?
CS- I have a band that’s on Universal Records called Stimulator and they may not recognize me from it because it’s sort of “under the radar” as far as the Rock World is concerned. It’s a pop band. When our first record came out, we opened for Duran Duran on their big reunion tour. We did six months with them. We did four months with The Go Gos on their reunion tour and we’re getting ready to do a George Michael tour. It’s very different than anything else that I do as far as the rock side but it’s equally musically as good and I’m very proud of it.
TEN- How do you get the gigs that you get?
CS- It has truly been “How bad do I want this?” I knew nobody goin into this. I knew nobody from Los Angeles. I didn’t even want to be in L.A. I got a record deal in Nashville on Warner Brothers Records in a band called Spill Red in 1995 and they moved me to New York City. I was there for two years and I didn’t know anybody there either. The singer decided that he was moving to L.A. so the entire band moved and two weeks later…he went solo. When the band broke up, I lost all of my Warner Brothers money and was on my own. Two weeks after that, I started playing in a “house band” at the Coconut Teaser on Monday nights for beer money. Eddie Van Halen came in and saw me play and said “I’m producing a band and you’re our new drummer!” I spent two years working on that record with a band called; Custom 500. That was during the “Gary Sherone years” in and out of the studio. Unfortunately because they had to go back in so many times…the record (Custom 500) never saw the light of day. Because Eddie was way too busy dealing with all of that. But, it was my “in” to everyone in Los Angeles. I was doing that and people saw me…my phone started ringin’ and it hasn’t stopped yet.
TEN- Didn’t you play the drums on the “Super Nova” promos?
CS- I played…technically I played two songs completely and two songs are a “mash up” of me and Tommy (Lee). There are two other songs that are just Josh Freese so I’m in pretty good company.
TEN- You know everybody who’s anybody in the music industry.
CS- I know quite a few of them.
TEN- Who is the coolest to hang out with?
CS- (Busts out laughing) well let me see. Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray is one of my favorite people on the face of the earth. He is absolutely hands down. He’s funny…he knows everything about music. I don’t know if you saw the “Rock N Roll Jeopardy” thing he did…he knows everything! He’s “No Bullshit!” The guy knows music. He lives it…he breathes it. He’s the “real deal” Sugar Ray is completely fabricated. He knows it and the fans know it. It’s fun. They go out and have a good time and kill it but Mark McGrath is one of the greatest people walkin!
TEN- Who are the musicians that you dig playin’ with the most?
CS- I dig playin’ with Tracii Guns, Tamie Downe…oh I love Tamie Downe! Do not get me wrong…I do love me some Tamie Downe. We’re regrouping right now. We’re doing a “greatest hits” record that’s coming out in February…I hope. Kathy Valentine from The Go Gos…I played in her solo band. She’s really, really great. Actually all the girls in the Go Gos are great! I did some stuff for Jane Wiedlin. I did some stuff for Olivia Newton Johns’ daughter. She’s been great. I’ve been fortunate. I’ve played with a lot of great people in a lot of different styles…a lot of things that people would never have expected to hear me on. So, it’s been cool.
TEN- What’s one of the coolest things about what you do?
CS- It’s the fact that I get to do it at all. I do what I love for a living. I make money doing what I love to do. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t do this. I don’t know how to do anything else. When I was eight years old, I made up my mind that this is what I was gonna do and I haven’t done anything else. Yes, I went to college, yes I have a degree, yes I worked at Opryland, I did front of house for all of the biggest country artists and I did monitors too. I networked and met all kinds of people but it was all the same shit. I mean it’s all been part of the same circle. It all builds to the story. This is all I know. I am what they call a “True Road Dog.” I’ll do this for five dollars…I’ll do it for five thousand dollars. I do it because I love to do it. This has nothing to do with “ego” or anything else. I truly love to play drums and entertain and play in front of people. That’s it!
TEN- Tell me something disturbing about yourself that you’ve never revealed before.
CS- I’m probably my worst critic. Like tonight it was a great show but I couldn’t find a “vibe.” I’m bummed. I had a lot of friends and family here and I wish it could’ve been better. I don’t know how “disturbing” that is but it bugs me.
TEN- Is there anything else that you want to add or say?
CS- I want to say Thank you to the people that dig what I do. I’m thankful to the people that show up to the shows. I’m thankful to the people who still care about the music that I make. I appreciate it and God bless. Thanks!
I want to thank Chad for taking the time to do this interview and everything he did to accommodate T.E.N. during this years’ NAMM Show weekend in L.A. California.
For more information on Chad visit www.myspace.com/chadwick_stewart