PRETTY BOY FLOYD…The Wild Angels Are Back !!!
1. Pretty Boy Floyd were formed as Doll when they first started. There was a singer called Kerry Doll, what happened to him is he still around?
STEVE SUMMERS: The band was started by myself and the first member I found was original drummer Kari Kane, and then we ran local ads in all the mags and found a guitarist straight out of the Munsters, just like us, and that was the band, he just left. Kristy Majors was the first guitarist Pretty Boy Floyd played out live with in 1988.
2. What do you remember from your collaboration with the record producer Kim Fowley?
STEVE SUMMERS: Kim Fowley was one of the legendary producers/managers that came around during the forming of Floyd. Kim was a great guy, we did some writing with him and he helped us with the name. Very cool, street mined rock n’roll guy.
3. Your first album was released under a multinational label, MCA Records, what do you remember from those days? How did you sign with MCA and how did this affect your career? What was the reaction of the music industry towards glam bands in the middle / late 80s?
STEVE SUMMERS: We went with MCA because they were the most excited about us from all the label interest. When a label goes: Hey, we want you guys to be our big Rock act and we will do whatever it takes, it’s hard to say no. Let’s just say they had all the money in the world and were not shy at using it with Floyd but, hey man, a few of the people over there were out of their minds or maybe not in touch with the whole 80’s Rock movement of Crue, Guns n’Roses, Poison and all the other artists from Van Halen to Warrant. MCA did what they knew how to do. Hey man, no regrets, you live and you learn, and Pretty Boy Floyd is still rocking hard with its best to come, so all is good. The labels were the same back then as they are today, if you see a band selling out all their shows and having a great buzz about them, they see dollar signs, so from Hair Metal back then to any other kind of music, if you rock the labels find ya.
4. Howard Benson that was the producer of your album Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz, has been a reputable name in the music industry, working with Flyleaf, Daughtry, etc. Have you ever thought of collaborating with him today?
STEVE SUMMERS: Howard Benson was a great guy and he went on to produce some great records. What can I say about the guy, sure it would be great to work with him in the future. Pretty Boy Floyd has worked with a few great producers, one was Max Norman of Ozzy fame. That dude knows some Rock but hey, we are always open to evolve with a new producer. Bob Rock would be cool, fresh blood is always nice.
5. Your first album was well received, plus you had frequent air play in MTV for your music videos. Do you think that MTV played a special role in the establishing of Glam Rock during the 80s ? What’s your opinion about VH1 and all these 80s documentaries that are aired right now?
STEVE SUMMERS: Yeah, we had two MTV vids back in the day, I Wanna Be With You and Rock n’Roll is Gonna Set the Night on Fire. Sure MTV and VH1 had a great deal in helping bands back then but hey, with the Internet and YouTube, etc. in these days, if you got good stuff and get it out there, people will find it. All the Behind the Musics and so on’s these days, I like them a lot, they show a lot of cool stuff and hey, more press, the better these days for all those 80’s Hair rockers.
6. What happened with the other Canadian band called Pretty Boy Floyd during your first days ?
STEVE SUMMERS: Yes, there was another Pretty Boy Floyd that we didn’t know about when we signed our major label deal, so we gave them a little MCA money and they went away and we stood as the only Pretty Boy Floyd.
7. How did you manage to include Pretty Boy Floyd’s music into movie soundtracks, was there any feedback from the market about that? Did you attract fans from other types of music?
STEVE SUMMERS: Yes, we had a few tunes in some cool major motion movies, one was the song Slam Dunk from the movie Switch and the other was 48 Hours in Karate Kid 3. Well, Pretty Boy Floyd plays upbeat, high flying, kick ass, party Rock n’Roll so sure it helped us. We’ve had our music in all kinds of projects and hey, it all helps out and we gain new fans all the time which is great.
8. Do you recommend or regret living this rock n roll lifestyle in Sunset Blvd during the late 80s?
STEVE SUMMERS: I have no regrets of life in the 80’s, I’ve lived all my dreams from the early 80’s to now and then some. I saw all the bands that I dug when I was a kid and then got to live out the same dreams in Pretty Boy Floyd just with a few less private planes but hey, we are still working on that.
9. What were the attraction points in Sunset Strip for hard rock bands during the 80s?
STEVE SUMMERS: Well, the Sunset Strip days were the best! Kids, still to this day, all around the world, ask me stuff all the time, I mean c’mon, Van Halen at Gazzari’s, Motley at the Whisky, Guns n’Roses at the Roxy, with pretty girls overflowing the streets, what can I say, it was a great time and Floyd was one of the last of the warriors standing in the late 80’s. The cool thing is when we travel, especially overseas there are a lot of venues or special nights dedicated to the 80’s Sunset Strip style, so it still lives here and there.
10. As we travel into the time and we come across the bad relationship between Majors and Summers in the late 00s: invitations for kick boxing fights, verbal fights, etc. Why all this chaotic situation happened and how the guys treat each other right now ?
STEVE SUMMERS: Me and Kristy get along great, better than ever. Hey man, any fight you ever heard on the Internet over some years were always blown out of proportion, we really just had the fight for the same thing, which is Pretty Boy Floyd and taking this band to a whole other level, so all is well. Me and Kris are a great team so all is well.
11. What’s your opinion about Metallica that took their personal differences to the cinema by creating a reality DVD called Some Kind Of Monster?
STEVE SUMMERS: I dig Metallica. Hey man, take your music wherever you want to take it. I’ve always liked them dudes. Hey, they were an influence on me, sure not the same music at all but those dudes did whatever they wanted to do and that’s always cool.
12. Would you ever do a reality TV series like The Osbournes ?
STEVE SUMMERS: A reality TV show, sure if it was the right one. Hey, to each his own in this crazy world we live in. Get yourself out there as best as you can and as much as you can get paid, its all good.
13. What s your opinion about Bret Michaels career in reality TV series ?
STEVE SUMMERS: Bret Michaels is a great guy, I’ve known him since way back then. I think it’s cool for someone in the 80’s Hair Metal time to be rocking on all those shows he does and his solo stuff. I wish him the best. Hey man, you only live once. Let people do what they like to do and that dude likes to stay busy.
14. What’s the line up for Pretty Boy Floyd in 2010 and why was Troy Patrick Farrell fired ?
STEVE SUMMERS: We have a new drummer, Vik Foxx from Enuff z’Nuff, Vince Neil and the Veronicas of late. There was no firing of Troy, we just all agreed to move on and we wish him the best.
15. When are we going to have a new album from the band, any new info to prepare the fans?
STEVE SUMMERS: We have a new 15 track CD called Kiss of Death out now, which is a tribute to the big Shock rockers Kiss, and then we will have a full original CD out next year before summer. The new original CD will be the true follow up to Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz and we are very excited to get it out there.
16. You are back in Europe with a new tour..are you excited ? What does the band expect from this tour?
STEVE SUMMERS: Yes, we are back on the road and we can’t wait, we are bringing a whole new show with more fog, more burning guitars, more fire, more lights and a kick ass lineup. We will be in the UK, Spain, France and Belgium in November and December with LA Guns, it’s gonna be a great double bill and we will be showcasing some new tunes as well as all the classics.
17. Any surprises or special guests during the tour?
STEVE SUMMERS: There’s always surprises and special guests on Floyd tours, but we are very happy we are hitting a lot of places we have never been before and we can’t wait to showcase new Floyd with Vik on the drums. The fans are very excited.
18. Pretty Boy Floyd isn’t focusing in releasing live DVDs just like other bands ? Why that, any plans for it?
STEVE SUMMERS: We have a couple new DVDs coming out soon. One will be of a lot of lost footage from back in the day, as well as all the big festivals we’ve done in the past few years with a lot of cool interviews from all over the world, so yeah lots of DVD stuff for next year.
19. How would you describe life on the road for Pretty Boy Floyd?
STEVE SUMMERS: Oh, life on the road with Pretty Boy Floyd. What can I say, it’s great, it’s a dream come true. I won’t glorify what we do on the road here, I know kids read this, but it’s great man, for sleazy rockers traveling the world. Let’s just say there isn’t enough hours in the day for all the fun stuff.
20. What’s the glam way of life in 2010 / 2011 ?
STEVE SUMMERS: Well the Glam way of life. Hey, it’s still out there and growing strong. There is a great cult following of new and old glam fans all around the world, and I believe their saying is it’s party time all the time so bring it on, and that’s what we’re here for.
Information about Pretty Boy Floyd: http://www.myspace.com/prettyboyfloydband
