By AMES FLAMES
LOS ANGELES – I am happy to say Cheetah Chrome was a friend of mine. I was roadie for him and I performed with him. This story is not about tooting my own horn. It’s about the man I knew and our adventures together.
I know most things you will see coming up about him will focus on the Dead Boys. I can tell you he was so much more. My story with him starts in 2004. I was roadie on Texas Terri’s tour. When we got to Nashville Cheetah joined the band for eight shows after having not played out in a few years. The Continental in NYC was his last show with us. Over those shows we became good friends. I was bummed out when his run with us was over.
Next, fast forward to 2010. I got a call from Cheetah. He wanted to know if I wanted to roadie some shows with him. He said he had a band with Sylvain Sylvain called The Batusis. My reaction, I am an effing idiot, of course I want to do that. So it was a West Coast run in October. This is where I met Sylvain Sylvain. We got along great guns like Cheetah and I. They had Batusis originals, but the set list included solo songs by both of them, Dead Boys song, New York Dolls songs, and select covers.
It was amazing to watch these two legends play together. They had as much fun doing it as I had watching them. In November they went into the studio to record the second Batusis CD. Then in December I flew into Nashville for the second run. I went to Guitar Center with them and Sylvain bought a red SG so he had a back up guitar. Then we went to the studio and Sylvain played the recording of his song “Leaving New York,” he was extremely proud of it. This run of shows was just as fun as the first run. The last two shows were in Texas with Chelsea Hotel and Blower. At the final show Sylvain gave me one of his black suede custom made hats. They all flew out and it was my job to drive the van with the gear to Nashville.
I drove from Houston to Memphis and checked into a hotel for the night. It was 28 degrees. The next day I drove to Nashville through flurries of snow. I went to Cheetah’s to drop off his stuff and then to SIR to drop the gear. I checked into my hotel room just as a full blown snow storm broke out. I made it just in time. In the morning I dropped off the van and they dropped me at the airport to fly home. None of us knew that The Batusis would play no shows going forward.
Cheetah was an extremely proud father. During both runs he called home to talk to his son Rogan constantly. Cheetah was on top of the world. I really admired that. I even called dibs on being Rogan’s roadie if he ever got into a band. Because of my Batusis experience and bonding with Sylvain, six months later I was on tour with the New York Dolls. That is a whole other story.
My next encounter was 2014. Cheetah got a hold of me about a run of shows in So Cal. He was solo with the band the Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs opening and the they backed him up. We had two days of rehearsal, The second day I asked Cheetah if I could sing Sonic Reducer just to see what it was like to sing with the real guitar playing. We did it twice. He said I did a good job. For me that was it. That was all I wanted. We did two shows then he had an acoustic thing to do. He borrowed my brand new 12 string so he christened it for me.
Then we did Spike’s Bar in Rosemead. He said I was singing Sonic Reducer tonight. I was thrilled and terrified. I took my place front and center with Cheetah by my side. The song starts and the crowd goes off. I had never felt such energy. It was very empowering. I took command and belted it out. When it was over the crown was cheering and Cheetah Introduced me. I felt bigger than life. I decided if he had faith enough in me to do it that I should go out and give it my best. I was so glad I nailed it.
In 2015 with the same lineup, he was opening for James Williamson’s Relicked show at the Bootleg Theater. I asked if I was singing and he said no. I just didn’t want him to call me out off guardI was fine with that, I didn’t expect to sing. The Richmond Sluts opened, then Cheetah, then James with his all star set featuring a variety of singers doing Stooges songs. Cheetah and I are backstage and he sent me to go get him a fruit punch drink, I got one for each of us. Cheetah is going to sing lead on Search and Destroy during the encore, trading vocals with Jessie Malin and Jello Biafra. When the set ended all the singers left the stage and Cheetah went up and I stayed on the catwalk side stage. I was with Cheetah’s drummer Jim Cessa and two of the Richmond Sluts members.
Suddenly the stage manager is trying to yell down the stairs at all the singers. “James wants everyone onstage for the encore.” No one responded. He looked over at us and said, “you guys get up here.” The Richmond Sluts guys went up. Jim looks at me and points like I should go up. “No way, I am not on this bill and I am not going to get in trouble.” A couple minutes later the stage manager is trying to look down the stairs again to see if anyone is coming. I go over, look down the stairs and shake my head no. He looks at me and says, “I know you can do this, get up here.” I said, ” Ok, but if I get in trouble I am telling them you told me to do it.”
As I climb the stairs the song has started. As I hit the stage there is two ways to go, out front with the lead singers, or to my right where Frank Meyers is setting up a mic so I pony up with him. The Richmond Sluts guys are behind us. We were right by James and his amp play those trademark riffs loud and clear. I sang a line then leaned to the side so the guys behind us could lean in and sing a line. It was awesome. The song ended and I walked off as all the singers returned for the final song. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time.
Now we go to February of 2016 at The Monty Bar, same line up. The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs opening then Cheetahs set. When I arrived Cheetah says, ” You are singing Sonic tonight, what else do you know?” I said, ” Search and Destroy.” We ran through it once then it was doors. After the SWC’s set I am setting up for Cheetah and go get his guitars. I notice a set list so I look to see where in the set I am singing. To my shock it is the last two songs of the set. Yikes! I have to close the show. Well if he thinks I can do it then I will. This was wilder than Spike’s Bar. A swirling pit at my feet with beer, sweat, and God knows what flying through the air. I nailed both songs and when it was done I felt like I conquered the world. After Cheetah told me he got lots of compliments on my performance. I told him that I love singing but it is more about you being able to do the Cheetah and do your trademark moves which you can’t do when you are locked down behind a mic.
Then in August I flew into Cleveland to meet him and his solo band at Beachland Tavern. In August 1976, Rocker From The Tombs played their final show in Cleveland and it was that show where Stiv Bators jumped up and did two songs with Cheetah and the band before the Dead Boys. On this night 40 years later I jumped up and did two songs, Sonic Reducer and What Love Is. Again, I nailed it and got lots of compliments including being told that I was channeling Stiv. I felt like I was retracing historic footsteps.The next morning I flew home. In December he get a hold of me and says he is coming to LA to perform YLS and I would be singing a bunch of songs. Which ones? I don’t know yet. Great. So I rehearsed the album everyday so I would be ready.
I was called for rehearsals in February of 2017 and there was Jake. He was recently added. I said I should get to do something since I have been rehearsing so it was decided Jake and I would both sing Down In Flames to end the set. We did it at The Whisky and Alex’s Bar. Then is July he returned with Johnny Blitz on drums and using the Dead Boys name. We did Down In Flames again at both shows and even rehearsed Search and Destroy for a possible encore but that never happened. I did the So Cal Dead Boys shows thru 2019. but didn’t sing again. That was OK by me. I can nail a song or two but I could never do a full Dead Boys set and I was Happy he found Jake who did the whole Stiv dive into the crown thing which I would never have done.
I lost touch with Cheetah but recently we talked about performing “Leaving New York” to tribute Sylvain, or possibly even record it. I was looking forward to seeing him in November but now neither thing will ever happen. He actually liked a post of mine 10 days ago. I guess life and death are things that happen while you are busy making plans.
I am forever grateful for all these experiences I had with Cheetah and I will always carry the torch for him and keep our common history alive.
Cheetah, say hi to Sylvain Sylvain and David Johansen for me. Until we meet again, know you meant so much to me and all of your fans.
Ames Flames reviewed the Dead Boys here.
Check out the Relicked show here.
Check out Plowboy Records here:
