Stephen Pearcy: The Culture Brats Interview

Stephen Pearcy is releasing his memoir, Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock, today. It's exactly what you'd want from one of the kings of the '80s hair metal scene: tales of backstage debauchery with tons of sex and drug usage. But there's also another side to the memoir which lets you in behind the curtain to hear about the bicycle accident that nearly left him paralyzed as a teenager but did lead to months in a hospital, the brotherhood of the band and its sometimes volatile relationships and inner-workings, his interactions and friendships with other musicians, the journey to superstardom, and his daughter Jewel, which is who finally got him into rehab.

I was lucky enough to chat with Stephen about the book, the bicycle accident, Robbin Crosby, the Sunset Strip, women, Simon Le Bon, Eddie Van Halen, and who would play him in the movie adaptation of Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock.

You're currently doing a book tour for Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock. How's that compare to a rock tour?
Well, I'm not releasing any energy, number one. Number two... it's just like an interview. It's just like doing interviews in Japan nonstop minute after minute after minute after minute, which is cool. I can handle it.

Are you doing readings from your book or just signing autographs?
I have three important personal events to go to, bookstores. I'm going to be setting up the reading thing probably in the next few weeks. That's my own thing, though. Hopefully they'll help.

Mickey Ratt gig, 1978
CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

I was 14 when I first saw "Round & Round" on MTV and was instantly hooked. Given that so many bands of your ilk were visually oriented--you yourself call it fashion rock in the book--do you think hard rock would've made such a splash if not for MTV?
Without a doubt, they were so important to the new scene. If it wasn't for MTV, most of us wouldn't have been in the picture, so to speak.

I loved the book. I thought you were brutally honest and were unafraid to paint yourself in an unflattering light. Is this how you are in real life or did you just want to lay it all on the line for the book?
There has to be some flattering moments in there...

You weren't afraid to paint yourself in an unflattering light is what I'm saying.
True, but I actually had read Steven Tyler's book and Keith Richards's book and I wanted to put myself in a real perspective. I didn't want to paint this picture of, "Oh, it's all roses and everything's picture perfect when you're in this rock group that's successful." I wanted people to know that there is a good, bad, and an ugly and actually what got me there. If I had my choice in life, I would be racing cars. I wouldn't be yelling at people for a living.

Steven Pearcy and Ozzy Osbourne
CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

I never knew about your bicycle accident. How were you able to get through that? That just seems like something that would've been so tough being so young.
Actually it was. It gave me a lot of mind control because I was on my back in traction and I couldn't move. Everything was done out of this bed for months and months. It gave me a lot of mental stamina and when I set my mind to something, that was it. That's the way I've been ever since. If I'm going to do something, I don't say if, I say when.

A good portion of the book focuses on Robbin Crosby, your relationship with him, and his contribution to Ratt. Was it important to you to make everyone know his role in the band?
Definitely. 100%. Because as the first incarnation of Ratt after Mickey Ratt had imploded, Robbin had been jamming with Jake E. Lee and myself. We were actually opening up a lot of club shows for Motley. His band imploded and he was very important in the direction and the look we created and where we were going musically. I don't want him forgotten. I want him to forever be associated as an integral part. Granted, what made Ratt Ratt as we know it are the surviving members and thank God we're together doing what we do to this day. But if it wasn't for Robbin, we could've had a totally different direction.

Stephen Pearcy and Poison
PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

The Sunset Strip of the '80s: was it closer to Disneyland or closer to hell?
Disneyland. When people ask, "How can you describe that scene and era?" I'm not talking about the Poison and the Warrant era and all these bands after us. I'm talking about the Motley Crue, the W.A.S.P., the Great White, the Ratt era. It was Disneyland. I relate it to that Doors movie with all the cars on Sunset, people jumping around, people having sex on lawns. It was just "anything went."

There's a reason the book's called Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock: there are tons of pages devoted to sexual conquests and drug usage. You have any estimate on how many women you've been with?
Oh God, no. I don't. I actually had a quota of three a day, but I did have normal relationships that did last awhile. I told myself until I was married I would just be me. It's like a kid in a candy store. I didn't keep track, I just knew I was going for that grab bag every day.

Speaking of relationships, the girl from the beginning of the book who went off to New York City to become a model, did you ever find her or get in contact with her over the years?
Tina. I don't know if I mention it, but we did hook up after I started having success and tried to work something out and it didn't work. I actually ran into her years later and she was happily married, had kids. I didn't dwell in, "You broke my heart!" I was just, "I hope you're doing fine. Later. Bye."

Stephen Pearcy and Billy Squier
PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

You mention Duran Duran several times in the book. Did you finally ever get a chance to talk to Simon Le Bon?
No! And the thing that was funny about that whole incident is--and I dug the band and their look because I was into the fashion thing--it was the photographer that instigated [Pearcy's putting his arm on Le Bon's shoulder and having his picture taken with him at The Limelight.] "Just go over there! I'm going to take a picture of you guys anyway!" He was a fan of mine more than Simon's.

I just wanted to compliment the guy and go, "Hey man! I'm a fan and I dig your stuff." People wouldn't expect that out of me. He probably looked at me and thought, "Who is this heavy metal freak?" But I was like, "I've got platinum albums. I'm playing the Garden, you freak." He turned it into whatever and I didn't pursue anything after that. Whatever, dude. I'm doing my own thing here, I don't need to suck your butt.

Speaking of photos, do you still have all those photos you took from your Disc camera?
Oh yeah! Boxes and boxes. I have hundreds and hundreds of photos of stuff they wouldn't even put it in the book. I've got pictures of Robbin doing somebody backstage. I've got pictures of us doing things that nobody wants out and I respect the privacy of the guys. It wasn't the right place and time to be doing that to any of my boys.

Backstage with Motley Crue
PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

Once again, I really loved the book. I loved hearing all your stories with other bands, like hiding Eddie Van Halen's vodka at your house [so that Valerie Bertinelli wouldn't know he was drinking]. That just seemed so... un-rockstar.
He was trying to stay out of trouble. When he found out I was his neighbor he was like, "Now I've got a partner in crime!" Who knows what he was going through, but we were friends from back in the day. I actually crashed one of my Porches coming from his house all loaded. A lot of stuff didn't make the book like meeting Robert Plant or Page. There's so much, it would take books to tell it all.

But look, in our occupation, we're all victims of our own excess and success. You watch each other's back, even if you really don't know somebody. It is what it was and it will never be like that again and that's unfortunate for some of these new guys coming around. There's no way, number one, they can match us in anything and number two, the opportunity wouldn't even be there.

Final question: Hollywood decides to make a movie from Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock. Who plays Stephen Pearcy?
Oh wow. Johnny Depp. Why not?

Stephen Pearcy and his daughter Jewel
PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Pearcy

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