Retrospectives on ‘80s rock often paint the whole decade with the hair metal, er, brush. But nobody used the term back then.
Mötley Crüe and Poison were regarded as glam metal, and while some members of Skid Row and Warrant had hair as big as their choruses, one listen to the Skids’ Monkey Business or Warrant’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin should convince you they were both essentially hard rock bands.
Still, it seems Warrant’s producer on those records, Beau Hill, felt differently about the ability of guitarists Joey Allen and Erik Turner – and in the years that followed, a rumor arose that the pair had not played on the records.
Showing remarkable character and tenacity, Allen took lessons with Slamer, and the lead breaks were split equally between them on Cherry Pie.
Allen was powerfully vindicated on the band’s third album, 1992’s Dog Eat Dog. It was helmed by Michael Waegner, who'd already worked with four of the era’s premier guitar heroes in George Lynch, Vito Bratta), Nuno Bettencourt and Zakk Wylde.
Allen turned in a ripping performance, prompting Wagener to state in the credits: “No artist, except those listed, performed on this album in any capacity whatsoever.”
Lane added: “This album is dedicated to Joey Allen, one of the most underrated guitarists in rock today.”
After Lane died in 2011 his Warrant bandmates, along with vocalist Robert Mason, continue to tour and release new music. Guitar World caught up with Allen to chart his remarkable progress through the band’s first three records.
Which players were your main influences?
The first was Ace Frehley. Some of the solos he did on those first three Kiss records were great. Strange Ways on Hotter Than Hell, was just killer.
Before Metallica I was in a band with Lars Ulrich, when he came over from Denmark, and Lloyd Grant. We jammed for about six months. Lloyd played on Hit the Lights on Metal Massacre. I'm still friends with Lloyd. I haven't seen Lars in a long time, but we’re fine.
Warrant opened for the Black Crowes, Metallica and Aerosmith on a few gigs in America. I’m real happy for him and his success. What a great band. Lars turned me on to Gary Moore – he played me White Knuckles.
I found out Gary played on Black Rose by Thin Lizzy, which is one of my favourite bands. Scott Gorham’s another huge influence. I've ripped off the dual guitar thing a few times. Brian May is another – the layering and harmonies. And Randy Rhoads.
Warrant formed in 1984 and you joined in 1987, a few months after Jani Lane and Steven Sweet.
Erik and I were in a band in Orange County called Nightmare 2 in 8’2 or ’83. He left and started Warrant in LA, with Jerry Dixon. I lived in Hollywood; I was auditioning for bands and I ran into Erik on Sunset and Doheny. He said they were looking for a guitar player, and I was like, “Let’s do it!”
I worked with Erik for a few weeks before auditioning for Warrant at a rehearsal place called Mates in North Hollywood. About three weeks later, we played our first gig at Gazzarri’s.
Prior to signing with Columbia, you cut demos for Prince's Paisley Park label. It’s worth noting that he had no problem with the guitar solos on the demos.
Yeah. Great guy, another great player. Probably the best Super Bowl performance ever. One of the people that brought Prince to prominence was Jamie Shoup, who was managing Warrant. Prince was looking for a band, because that genre was blowing up with Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Poison. He paid for our first demo, which he liked. Then he saw us live, which he did not like.
Maybe my chops weren’t as great as they could have been. They’ve certainly gotten better over the years!
We didn’t end up on Paisley Park, but he let us take the demo and shop it around, which helped us get a deal with Columbia Records.
It was Beau Hill’s decision to bring in Mike Slamer to play some of the lead work.
There's always this folklore that neither Erik or I played on either record. Number one, this was a Beau Hill thing. By the third record, with Michael Wagner, that’s all Warrant.
On the first two records, all the rhythm guitars are Erik and I. Mike Slamer was a friend of Beau Hill. At the time, Beau was working with people like Warren DiMartini and Reb Beach, two friends of mine, and two incredible players. And then along comes Warrant. There was no Reb Beach, Warren DiMartini or Ed Van Halen in Warrant. Warrant was more of a clumsy solo type band.
When Beau was producing our first record, he was producing Winger’s first record, managing Winger and was part owner of Interscope Records with Jimmy Iovine. He had a lot going on. So when it came to solos, and you have a guy that you have to work with, I think he got a little impatient with me.
On the first record, Big Talk, is all me, 32 Pennies is me, and Heaven is me, except for the last three seconds – that’s Mike. I’d track then literally hand Mike the guitar, he’d do a few riffs and Beau would say, “That’s it. Let’s move on.”
Mike taught you and Erik his parts and you played them live, and you took lessons from Mike between the two albums. You played some great solos on Cherry Pie, on tracks like Mr Rainmaker – so it seems unfair that Mike was used again on that album.
It’s about 50-50, Mike and I. Mike’s a fantastic gentleman; a good friend of mine. I would go over to Mike’s house two or three days a week and take lessons. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is Mike and I. You can't tell who’s who, I bet, unless I tell you!
I remember working with the engineer, Jimmy Hoyson, on Mr Rainmaker. I had to play that solo until my fingers were bleeding, because Beau was in the vocal booth, on the phone, talking business about Winger, or whatever. He just wasn't present; he didn’t engage with me. I think he was juggling a little bit much.
You can say he was maybe impatient; maybe my chops weren’t as great as they could have been. They’ve certainly gotten better over the years! I think it was just because he was on the schedule, boom, boom, boom. So no disrespect to Beau. He did what he thought he had to do.
It was a different story on Dog Eat Dog. You played all the lead work. The statement Michael Wagner put in the credits was quite a vindication.
There you go! I had two records under my belt, two world tours under my belt, and I was still taking lessons. And it was a different situation with Michael – he cared. We had a whole day or two where we just went through amps and cabinets. I never did that with Beau.
When I did my first solo the engineer went, “Wow, I heard you didn’t play on the records. Alright! this is gonna be great!” And off we went, and it was a lot of fun.
If you want to hear what Warrant sounds like, that's a Warrant record. Not that the first two weren’t, but now we had a sixth member in Mike Slamer.
You left the band in 1994, and rejoined 10 years later. Robert Mason has been with you since 2008. Your most recent album Louder Harder Faster (2017) shows that you're continuing to progress.
I went back to school. I had a young daughter to take care of, and I got into computer engineering for about eight years. And right when I burned out on that, Erik knocked my door. I’ve been back about 21 years, and it's where I belong. I tried to stop – but you can’t!
I prefer to listen to something I can hum, like a vocal. I could hum Brian May’s whole solo to Now I'm Here right now
I’ve worked hard on my playing. My tone, where I place my notes, rhythms; everything’s just gotten better. And I’ve been sober for a few years. Not that I had a big problem; but I always played with a few pints under my wheel. Sobriety really helps with going back through the catalogue and going, “Let’s play these like the record, instead of getting gratuitous.”
It's a lot harder to write three notes that sing than it is to do three hundred in the same amount of time. I prefer to listen to something I can hum, like a vocal. I could hum Brian May’s whole solo to Now I'm Here right now.
The Warrant sound is Eric Turner and I. We have a lot of fun and get along like brothers. It’s been a fun trip, and it’s continuing!
- Louder Harder Faster is out now.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
