JON E. LOVE
"THE INTERVIEW" BY : UROTSUKIDOJI

U- Let's start with how things are going for you, how is your new job going? And what are you doing?

JON- My life is going much better. I am working for a new media company called Trafficstation.com, basically what I do is report traffic on the internet. It's a great opportunity for me to learn more about the latest technology and get paid at the same time. I'm like a radio news reporter on the net. As you read I am also producing records and just easing back into music.

U- We know you were recently in prison, I believe for drug possession, has it changed you?

JON- I was never in prison, I was in County jail in a place called Wayside Co. for 52 days Yes it was for drug possession. Has it changed me? Obviously! Every one has their own bottom and going to jail twice in a year was mine. I worked in the library at jail and pretty much stayed out of the way of heavy shit but I don't wish that experience on anyone.

U- How is the producing going of Luiz Oliart's and Freak Machine's CDs ? How did these gigs come about? Have you produced others?

JON- Luiz's solo album is going well. We're taking our time to get it the way we both agree it should be. We cut 14 basics and are focusing on 11 of the cuts right now. I've known Luiz since 1994 when we were introduced by his guitar player at the time. I produced and engineered his band, (Zootcase), in 1995 and it turned out incredible, so he asked me to do his solo album this year. We started it in April,1999, than I was arrested in June, but he waited for me to get out so we could continue. I can't tell you how pleased I was that he wanted me to finish with him. Freak Machine's album is actually going to be an E.P. unless we can generate enough money to proceed with the tracking. Right now I rough mixed two of the 6 cuts because they have some labels that wanted to hear what we are doing. If they are interested enough maybe they will spec the rest of the project so we can have the funds to do it the way I would like. We will be going back in to finish the other 4 cuts vocally on the 9th of October. Depending on what happens with the label interest will determine how fast I can continue to finish. I have produced numerous other projects, too many to talk about right now.

U- What were you doing during all the times Love/Hate kept falling apart? Did you play in any other bands?

JON- After we were dropped by Columbia records I had basically lost faith in the band. The emotions and political bullshit that were rampant just depressed me. I was emotionally and physically drained. I also had a drug and alcohol problem which I guess at the time I blamed my band mates for. It's something addicts do, i.e., "It's everyone else's fault but mine". I knew that they hated me and I don't think they know it but I hated myself at the time as well. They claim that I was fired but the truth is I wanted to quit. This was extremely hard because I had such a long history with Skid and I was disappointed that we didn't get the recognition that I felt we deserved. You see, I've been playing music with Skid since I was just out of High School and I wanted our dream to come true. When you are in a band it's like being married to three different guys. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it's hell. After I left I wanted to spend time with my girlfriend, who I married a year later, and relax for a while. I played with some other musicians and just coasted for a while. I tried to start a new band but I just couldn't find the right chemistry with other players even though they were great musicians. I missed that energy that L/H had. So being even more depressed I did what I did best at the time. Wallow in self-pity. This led to even more alcohol and drug abuse, and became a living nightmare. My poor wife didn't know what to do. After a year passed Skid asked me if I would be interested in playing on some tracks for the fourth album and I said "sure" as long as it was no pressure and that we could try to make it fun. At that time "Spinning Wheel" was getting a lot of airplay and they asked me to rejoin. As you already know I said yes. Things were good for a while but eventually escalated back into the same old pattern. I just didn't feel like the wound had really healed and I still had strong resentments towards them. Anyways, I really don't like talking about who did what to who and all the fecal slinging drama, suffice to say that I made mistakes and I have to realize that that was then and this is now.

U- Did you play with any other bands prior to Data Clan/LoveHate?

JON- I've been playing since I was 6 yrs. old, so yes but nothing really serious until I moved to Los Angeles in 1974. I was in a band called "Meridian" with my cousin who is an incredible guitarist. He was a big influence on me when I was growing up. I played bass in that band. Actually I was a bass player for 8 years before I decided to really pursue the guitar. And that was only because I thought that it was always the lead guitarist that got the good looking girl. So there you have it, I turned into a guitarist for pure sexual obsessions. Skid and I had several incarnations of different bands in our early years but Data Clan was the first real serious project that actually recorded professionally. I have to thank Skid for some of the credit of my producing and engineering abilities. Skid used to sell flowers and he would buy recording equipment for us to write with. I had a natural instinct for it and I turned into the 4 and 8 track god because of that. I had the ability to train my ear on limited equipment and trying to make the best sounding demos I could with it gave me a kind of attitude that it doesn't matter how many tracks or how much gear you have that makes a song good, it's what you put on the tracks available that count. Look at the Beatles's White album, that was done on a 4 track by continuous ponging and smart engineering tricks by Phil Spector. But so what, if the songs sucked it wouldn't have mattered how slick his production was. So all the woodshedding Skid and I did is what really gave L/H its sense of direction which was, good songs, good songs, good songs.

U- Would you perform on another Love/Hate CD or play live with them if you were asked?

JON- That's a touchy question. Part of me says it would be great to play with the original line up again, part of me says that with all the past differences, could we really just get together and play. I feel that L/H was and still is an incredible band, that without each member present it's not the same. Each member brought something that gave us our strength and originality. Jizzy is the voice, Skid is the stylist, Joey is my favorite drummer in the world for me to play with because of the turbo-lock and telepathy we achieved by playing for so many years. Who knows, maybe one day we could try and forgive each other for the past, but until then I don't see us together for any type of event. I was pretty upset when Jizzy and Skid did those one-offs with Darren this year, but now I say, "so what let them go out and play a few tunes and make a few bucks". Besides I was happy that Skid decided to play again, I just would have liked to at least been asked.

U- Do you miss touring? And the drunken 24 hr party life of the early days, or is it "out of your system"?

JON- Sometimes I miss it, but why live in the past. We did something 98% of people never get a chance to do. I have a lot of great memories as well as some horrific ones, but I can't dwell on that, Life goes on. I ask myself "would I have done it different?". Yeah maybe, but I could say that about anything in my life. Things happen for a reason.

U- You recently announced that you found a lot of live recordings (for which we all thank you), what all have you got for us, and when do you think we can get our hands on it?

JON- Let's just see what turns out to be acceptable. You see I have a certain standard of Audio quality that might not jive with what someone else deems acceptable. I don't like releasing inferior product. But I have found a gold mine of old tapes and will try to objectively analyze them. I won't know until I try Mastering them, but I am at least going to digitize everything. Updates will be posted on the L/H site. I know that the Live Astoria show will probably be available as soon as I can master and talk with the rest of the guys. It would be nice to see that each of us get some of the profits if there are any. It might just be dollars and cents, but it's the principle to me.

U- Do you have any more of the old Data Clan stuff on tape? There are a lot of fans that would be interested in hearing this.

JON- Data Clan was a joke really. We were just trying to hard to be something all gift-wrapped and perfumed. We were still trying to find ourselves. So even if I have that stuff I have to admit I'm pretty ashamed of it. Yet it was a part of our career. Skid wrote a song called Love and Hate. Shitty song, great name! You can guess the rest.

U- Are you still playing guitar? Do you write your own music at all?

JON- I will always play guitar. It's in my blood. Yes I am writing, you just never know what might pop up and crazier things have happened. I'm not retiring if that's what your asking.

U- Would you want to join a band or start a new one and do it all again?

JON- Like I said, crazier things have happened. Right now I need to focus on getting my immediate situations together. My Daughter's well-being is more important than me getting on stage to show that I can still do it. If I was made the right offer and I felt that it was right I would consider joining a pro situation. I don't really have the energy to start a new band, it's just to time consuming. Sometimes I get itchy feet and wish I was touring, than I say "if it's meant to happen than it will".

U- Who are your musical (guitar) influences? And what bands did you listen to when you started the band? And who do you listen to now?

JON- A to Z. I don't hate any music, but I do dislike some of the messages that some artist's give to the impressionable youth. We have enough problems in the world than to glorify the death of fellow humans. Maybe it's because I'm a Father now, I just want my child to have a chance to live in a safe world. I have so many different influences that I can't really start to name them all. One of my all time guitar faves would have to be Jeff Beck. He just has so much feel and emotion. I also like Page, Townsend, Clapton, Hendrix is god. I can't imagine what music would be like if Hendrix were still alive today.

U- I do not want to get into this much, because there are already enough bad vibes in the Love/Hate camp, but Both Skid and Jizzy have kind of slagged you on their web sites. Although they both admit you are an amazing guitar player, they make it sound like torture, for any one to be in a room with you for more than 5 seconds. And that you destroyed any chance of a future for Love/Hate by quitting the Dio tour (3 times) and costing the band big $$. So do you think they have a point? Are you hard to get along with?

JON- You know what, I don't need to sit here and defend myself. I "was" hard to get along with. I just don't see the point in slagging my band mates. I could say a million reasons why Love/Hate broke up and start pointing fingers like both of them. Egos man, they just get out of control. Did I destroy any chance of L/H by quitting the Dio tour? According to Jizzy, Yeah! I should have never even been on that tour. I was in serious legal consequences and honestly didn't think Wendy Dio could do squat shit for us. I saw what we were, a Mule for Ronnie. Jizzy knew where I stood. I couldn't rationalize me being out there with a jail sentence hanging over my head. Making joke money and being in fear was to stressful. I guess I owe an amends to the guys for my behavior. But like I said, I can't change the past.

U- Is there any sort of communication between you and Joey or Skid or Jizzy? Have you talked to Jizzy since the Dio tour?

JON- I spoke with Jizzy about doing some shows that a few promoters wanted us to do and that I would not take any pay until he was reimbursed the money I lost for us, but he just said no. Next thing I know He's out doing one-offs with Darren and Skid. So as far as I'm concerned I tried to tell him I was sorry for the bullshit I put him threw, He just didn't want to hear it I guess. Skid and I work in the same building and I talk with him almost everyday during the week. I'm really proud of Skid for taking charge of his life sobering up and being a provider for his family. I love Skid, Jizzy , and Joey. They were a large part of my life. I don't wish anything bad for any of them. "Live and let Live"

U- I will ask you a question I also put to King Jizzo and Skid "If you had to label LOVE/HATE, most people would say Glam, but something I have found, with the fans I know, is that you are the only "Glam" band that any of us like. Most of us are into thrash, punk, death metal, goth, alternative, etc. So my question is, how do you explain LOVE/HATE'S cross over appeal?"

JON- Love/Hate are and always will be nothing more to me than a great rock band, period. I don't buy into all the labels and bullshit. We just tried to rock hard and make believable music from our hearts and souls. A Glam band? I see it as entertainment, actors use makeup, why not musical performers? We were just trying to look young and attractive. Alright maybe we put on a little too much sometimes, but that was just insecurities. I can't really explain the cross-over appeal. I feel that if you make good music people will notice that and will give you a chance. Sorry, I don't have any profound answer.

U- If you had to put a label on Love/Hate's music, what would you call it?

JON- Hard Rock.

U- Do you like the fact that people see LOVE/HATE as a party band? Or does it piss you off, because people might not give your guitar playing ability the respect it deserves because of that.

JON- Respect? When did I ever have any to start off with? Hey, we play songs about drinking, smoking, and getting laid, gosh do you think people might want to party to us? No it doesn't piss me off. If someone thinks that I'm a great guitar player than thank you. If not, that's cool.

U- What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you or the band on the road?

JON- Probably having my pants split at the Astoria show and all my plumbing hanging out for like 15 mins. I couldn't go change until the acoustic version of "Angel" came up.

U- What's the craziest Love/Hate story, the one you never get tired of telling? There has to be one or two good ones with all that beer flowing back then.

JON- Geez, so many! Let's see....... I'll never forget when we left Joey at a gas station in east Germany while we're all sleeping. Joey got off to take a leak and the driver didn't know, so here we are pulling into Hamburg, were about 3 Miles from the gig and I look down and say "that looks like Joey hitchhiking on the side of the road". He hitchhiked hundreds of miles with no jacket in the middle of the winter and beats us to the town. That's just too crazy. I would have been so fucking irate but he just hops on the bus like nothing's wrong. We all thought he was still sleeping in his bunk.

U- When you look back over your (Love/Hate's) musical career, what regrets do you have, if any?

JON- That I didn't get to sleep with Madonna.

U- On the same track?when you look back, what makes you smile, or think "that was our greatest moment"?

JON- That I didn't get to sleep with Madonna.

U- Any parting thoughts for the fans?

JON- Thanks for all your support and all your encouragement. PEACE, Jon E.

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS VAN DAHL!

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JOHNNY CRYPT!

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SKID OF LOVE/HATE!

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JIZZY PEARL OF LOVE/HATE!

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