Culprit / TKO / The Bang Gang bassist
Scott "The Bitch" Earl

FIB MUSIC:  What's new, what have you been up to lately and what's in the future?

Scott:  I'm really into my Ipod. I had it installed it into my BMW and it totally kicks ass. Just got back from Cabo. Missed Hagar at his club Cabo Wabo by one day. Watching a lot of American Football. Work, taxes and eventually death.

FIB MUSIC:   How did you get the nickname "The Bitch"?

Scott:  I'm kind of a perfectionist and I complain a lot.

FIB MUSIC:  In your very early days in Seattle you were in a band with Geoff Tate and Adam Bomb. What was that band called and did you guys ever record anything, or write any songs?

Scott:  Rage was the name and i don't believe we recorded anything.

FIB MUSIC:  What was it like working with Geoff Tate back then?

Scott:   You mean Jeff Waterfall. He was cool.



FIB MUSIC:  Had his voice already developed into the one we have all come to know?

Scott:  No, not even, but he was still great.

FIB MUSIC:  What was it like working with Adam Bomb? Are you surprised he never really achieved platinum success?

Scott:  Yes I am. Adam is very talented but he killed himself with his attitude. He taught me a lot by watching his mistakes.

FIB MUSIC:   You later formed a band called Culprit, which was considered a Seattle favorite. Being voted best local act, in major Seattle publications. What was that time like for you? How old were you?

Scott:  It was really great. I think I was between 18 and 20 when that was going on. It was kind of the big fish in a small pond thing. I always wanted more.



FIB MUSIC:  Describe a Culprit show. How big were the crowds. Anything stand out.

Scott:  Imagine a roller rink or a small hall with anywhere from 1 to 2 thousand people. Dressed in Leather. It looked like early Iron Maiden pictures I've seen, with more women in the front. Very loud and a lot of energy. Oh, and I threw up almost everynight from the smoke machine and nerves. Ha!

FIB MUSIC:  What was the Seattle music scene like at that time?

Scott:  Very cool. Not a lot of bands doing originals so it was very exciting for us to be fronting the way. It was uncharted territory for the crowd and the band. There was and still is a lot of talent in that town.

FIB MUSIC:   How did the band end up signing to Shrapnel? Do you remember the day you signed? Anything stand out?

Scott:   We sent in a tape from an article we saw in guitar player magazine and Mike called and said he wanted one song for a compilation record. I was very excited. We eventually went down to SF to meet him and decided to do an album.



FIB MUSIC:  What was it like working with Mike Varney back then? How was he as a producer at that time?

Scott:  It was very frustrating. He promised a lot of things that he didn't deliver on. The worst I've ever worked with.



FIB MUSIC:  Any memories stand out from those recording sessions? Any good, sucked, brilliant moments? What was the budget for the record? Where did you record it? Etc. Feel free to share more than one.

Scott:  We recorded outside of San Francisco in at a really cool place. Prairie Sun. We smoked a lot of pot, drank a lot and had sex with local girls we met when we opened for Metallica. The studio experience sucked because Varney didn't have a clue. We didn't either and trusted him to capture the band. We all kind of just prayed and tried to have fun. It really sucked because that band really had a lot of power and that record doesn't even compare to one tenth of what we sounded like. The partying and show with Metallica were really fun though. Exodus also opened for us at another fun gig. I forget where it was at though.

FIB MUSIC:  Tell us a little more about the Metallica gig. Any memories come to mind that you would be cool enough to share?

Scott:  My drummer grabbed Dave Mustaine by the throat and threatend to kill him because he threw all our guitar players pedals in a big duck taped pile at the end of our show. They always say that opening bands were flipped a lot of shit and their fans turned their back on them and flipped them off. That wasn't the case at all with us. I think we won them over, especially the ladies that were there.







FIB MUSIC:  What did you think of Metallica at that point? Did you have any idea that they would become METALLICA?

Scott:   No way. But I thought the bass player was brilliant. I did not hear their music until Kill em all came out. i thought they were great! But when the black album came out I knew they would be huge! i think they finally learned how to write songs. Don't get me wrong the old stuff is the best, but as far as pop songs, they finally got it down. I auditioned for them after Cliff died. I think I would have gotten that gig if it was before the Black LP.

FIB MUSIC:  3 fond memories from your days in Culprit.

Scott:  There are so many but okay 1. Almost getting killed when the gun powder got wet and instead of flame shooting out. It blew up and we are really lucky somebody didn't get killed.
2. First time I heard Ambush on the radio
3. My first ride in a limo to a in store apperance. i felt like a rock star. HA!
One current is seeing us in the EMP museum in Seattle



FIB MUSIC:   Please share a little history about how you got involved with TKO.

Scott:  Brad Sinsel was friends with a girl I was dating. i had been a fan of his and he stole me from Culprit for $250.00 per week and a chance to go to Hawaii for two months to record a record.

FIB MUSIC:  Any memories stand out from the shows / tour you did supporting "In Your Face"

Scott:  Yes, my first big big show opening for Foreigner in front of about 12,000 people in bum fuck Montanna. Playing at Harpos in Detriot where we were simal cast over the radio to about a half million people.


TKO
(L-R) Ken Mary, Brad Sinsel, Kjartan Kristoffersen, Scott Earl


FIB MUSIC:  Describe a typical, or not-so-typical TKO show at that time? How big was your following?

Scott:  Not that big. Locally we were hated because Seattle loved Culprit and the original TKO line up was loved as well. It was hit or miss. Some towns when the songs were on the radio we went over real well. Ted Nugent came out to see us one night. That was a thrill for me, he was one of my idols.

FIB MUSIC:  Any idea how many copies of "In Your Face" sold?

Scott:   Well. On the wall at the EMP museum in seattle it says 100,000. The problem was that the demo tape was everywhere before it was released. People had that tape for years.
FIB MUSIC:   Any memories come to mind from the "Below the Belt" sessions? What was the budget? Where was it recorded? Etc. Any great, sucked or brilliant moments to share?

Scott:  It was recorded in Hawaii. We drove a rental car on the golf course and got in a lot of trouble. My bass tone sucks. It was a much better experinence than the Culprit record but still didn't capture the band.

FIB MUSIC:  During that time were you able to live as a full-time musician, or did you have to take on additional work?

Scott:   No I finally was a full time musician. With a little help from some rich women. Ha!

FIB MUSIC:  Did the band tour for that release? Who were some of the bands that you toured with?

Scott:   Foriner / Ted Nugent / Robin Trower / DIO and a lot of small club shows in the mid- west.


FIB MUSIC:   What was it like working with Brad Sinsel? How would you describe him as a musician and a person?

Scott:  Great musician, great drunk. I love Brad he taught me how to write songs.

FIB MUSIC:   Where the hell is he? What is he up to? He seems to have done a pretty good job at keeping a low profile.

Scott:   He's in Spokane Washington taking care of his son. We did a show together in Seattle at the EMP about 4 or 5 years ago.

FIB MUSIC:  What was it like working with Ken Mary? I always remembered him as the drummer in TKO, but I also remember during the 80's and even into the 90's, his name would show up everywhere as either guest appearances or playing on albums. How would you describe him and where is he now?

Scott:  He is living in Phoenix AZ. He owns a recording studio and is very involved in Christian rock. He was a great drummer to work with and a great guy all around. We had a lot of fun.

FIB MUSIC:  Who signed the deal with Retrospect Records? It looks like they have done a release of TKO's, 70's release, "Let it Roll" and also "In Your Face". Do you receive any payments from them? Do you know anything about the label? Who owns it? Etc.

Scott:  I don't know anything about it.

FIB MUSIC:  Who owns the rights to the TKO recordings?

Scott:  Rick Keifer

FIB MUSIC:  Let me first say that just off the strength of "Give into the Night", I thought you guys were going to be huge. I really loved that song as a kid, I can remember listening to it over and over. Why did TKO, in your opinion, never reach multi platinum success, or score a major label deal.

Scott:   Bad timing. If the band was from LA and it would have been released right after it was recorded it would have been huge.

FIB MUSIC:  Why did TKO break up? Did anyone leave first? How did it fall apart?

Scott:  I left to LA after we opend for DIO on New Years eve in Seattle. 16,000 people. I knew music was changing and I needeed to get to LA. Nobody would take you seriously if you lived in Seattle at the time. The idea was I was to go down first and scout it out and the rest of the band was to follow. Brad took to long to get it together so KJ and I started The BAng GAng.

FIB MUSIC:   Who released "In Your Face and Up Your Ass"? Do you have an opinion on that being released?

Scott:  That's some Adam Bomb thing he did to make a few bucks.

FIB MUSIC:  3 fond memories of your days in TKO.

Scott:  Japan, Hawaii, Detroit

FIB MUSIC:  Brad later formed a band called War Babies. What happened with you and his band at the A&M recording studio. Strippers an all. Lay it down please.

Scott:  God how do you know about that? I don't really remember...honestly. jUST ALOT OF BOOZE AND STRIPPERS AT CRAZY GIRLS.



FIB MUSIC:  You later formed a band called Bang Gang. How did that band come about?

Scott:   KJ and I were writing songs for the next TKO album. Brad was still fucking around in Seattle and I met this guy Jet Silver who wrote lyrics to the music and wouldn't stop bugging me until we started a band together.

FIB MUSIC:  You were guys very popular in LA.

Scott:  Not really. We had a few cool gigs but mainly did show cases for record execs. Clive Davis, Jimmy Iovine, some real heavyweights.



FIB MUSIC:  Bang Gang?s first cd, Love Sells, has never had a re-release. Are you aware of the money it sells for on Ebay? Will there ever be a re-release for it?

Scott:  No I heard it does well and I doubt it will ever be re-released. I would love for it to be done.



FIB MUSIC:  Any memories come to mind from those recording sessions?

Scott:  It was the first time I felt comfortable in the studio. We worked 16 hours a day for about 3 or 4 weeks to get it done on a very small budget. I got to co-produce and it was really fun to do. I am most proud of this record. recording BMG late one night just for the hell of it. Traci Guns my old rommie coming to lend a hand on Dangerous.



FIB MUSIC:  In 2001, Bang Gang released, Vanity Kills, was that a band reunion, or were they previously recorded tracks?

Scott:  Those were demos that were recorded at my apt. in Hollywood. It was to be the next record. Some guy talked me into putting it out. Those songs would have been great done in the studio. (read the liner notes dude)HA!



FIB MUSIC:  Why did the band break up?

Scott:  The Seattle grunge scene. How ironic. I guess I should of stayed up there. That music is more what I'm about as a player, but I wanted to go to Hollywood. Bad timing again.



FIB MUSIC:  Out of all the bands you ever played shows with. Who were the coolest and who were the biggest jerks?

Scott:  A band called Rail from Seattle were by far the biggest jerks. Can't think of anybody else. Everybody else has been great. I would say the coolest was Paul D'anno from Iron Maiden. We did a reunion gig in Germany with him a few years ago and he was really cool.



FIB MUSIC:  Scott Earl is transported back to the year 1981 is there anything you would do differently?

Scott:  Of course, but i don't have any regrets. I probably would have moved to LA a few years earlier.


THE FAST 5

FIB MUSIC:  What is your most disgusting habit?

Scott:  Smoking

FIB MUSIC:  What is the most feminine thing you do?

Scott:  Massages

FIB MUSIC:  If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

Scott:   Where is Jimi Hendrix

FIB MUSIC:  Greatest Rock band of all time?

Scott:  Led Zep

FIB MUSIC:  What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

Scott:  Yelling at my employees

v
Make sure to read our interviews with
TKO vocalist Brad Sinsel - Part I

TKO vocalist Brad Sinsel - Part II


Don't Forget to visit Scott at his Culprit website:


www.culpritlives.com

Search Fibits for TKO cd's

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