But earlier than touchdown the Headbangers Ball gig, Rachtman was the co-owner of the LA rock membership the Cathouse with Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe (a few of rock’s then-top names may very well be noticed sporting Cathouse shirts in pictures inside rock mags on the time). And now, Rachtman is launching a one-man present, titled One Foot within the Gutter (which was a part of a phrase he would say on the conclusion of every Headbangers Ball episode).
Rachtman spoke to AllMusic shortly earlier than hitting the street for a string of ‘OFITG’ dates in December 2022, and was up for sharing some reminiscences and tales from the times when he served because the face of Headbangers Ball.
AllMusic: What can followers count on out of your one-man present?
Rachtman: “I believe they’ll get what they count on in the best way of listening to some first-hand experiences with a few of these unbelievable moments in rock n’ roll – whether or not it’s what was it like on Headbangers Ball on the water park with Alice in Chains, or with Nirvana. And they’re additionally going to listen to the tales from the Cathouse.”
“But I believe there’s going to be a variety of stuff that they don’t seem to be going to count on – as a result of there’s a variety of tales that I’ve by no means advised, and there is additionally a variety of private issues that I speak about. So, as a lot as you are going to get all of the loopy raunch n’ roll and sleaze and debauchery of that period, there’s additionally a variety of tales that individuals had no thought – from getting arrested for beating up a DJ to medicine to…it is slightly little bit of every part.”
“Somebody that noticed the primary present stated that they had been stunned it was so inspiring – which I did not give it some thought like that, nevertheless it was very, very flattering. I believe the entire present is sudden. But, when you’re anticipating to listen to some nice rock n’ roll tales, you may hear that as properly.”
“I promise anyone that goes, the primary three minutes of the present, they’ll say, ‘OK. I by no means anticipated that to occur in any respect.’ I can promise that. In one million years, nobody’s gonna guess what’s going to occur within the first three minutes.”
AllMusic: Are there plans to do additional reveals into 2023?
Rachtman: “Absolutely. I might like to say that I did 30 reveals in 2023 or extra. I do know that Halloween subsequent yr I’m on the Headbangers Boat, and I’m doing my present there, and persons are asking when am I going to do present in LA, what about New York City. I would love greater than something to have the ability to make this ‘my gig’ – to have the ability to exit on an even bigger tour and do 100 reveals.”
AllMusic: Is it true {that a} sure well-known singer helped you land the Headbangers Ball gig?
Rachtman: “Absolutely. To say would I’ve gotten the job if it wasn’t for Axl Rose? Probably not. Because he was the one which instructed I do it, and Axl stated, ‘Do you need me to go to New York with you if you audition?’ And I’m like ‘OK!’ He received the resort room and we stayed in a very nice resort. He determined to ‘slum it’ and fly enterprise class and we went to New York.”
“And I simply keep in mind again then, if you journey with a giant rock star and also you get off the aircraft, anyone escorts you to a unique space the airport, and also you get right into a automotive. It was like type of cool.”
“Axl was a really huge a part of each a part of my profession, and to today Slash is consistently carrying Cathouse shirts, and anytime Slash is on stage and he is carrying a Cathouse shirt, I promote extra Cathouse shirts! So, Guns N’ Roses has all the time been an important a part of my profession and has all the time been extraordinarily useful.”
AllMusic: Who had been your favourite visitors on Headbangers Ball?
Rachtman: “I believe the reveals that individuals keep in mind probably the most are the reveals that had been one of the best. Obviously, any time I received to spend time with Lemmy was a pleasure. And Lemmy was anyone that I spent a variety of time with after we weren’t on MTV.”
“But the reveals that individuals keep in mind probably the most are the Alice in Chains reveals, Pantera…although folks wish to consider there was this actual huge feud between me and Dave Mustaine, Dave Mustaine was all the time nice as a result of he all the time saved me on my toes, as a result of I knew he was going to provide me a tough time nevertheless it was all the time enjoyable.”
“I’ll always remember interviewing Brian Johnson from AC/DC. I’m sitting there speaking to Brian Johnson and him saying to me, ‘Well, now if I see you as a result of we’re buddies…’ and I used to be similar to, ‘Did Brian Johnson simply referred to as me ‘a good friend’?!'”
“I’m not a journalist, I’m not a reporter – by no means actually been accused of being one. I’m nothing however a glorified rock fan that had the best job on the earth. So, when anyone says, ‘You received to go to England to interview Aerosmith,’ there’s not an opportunity I’m not going to be like, ‘Oh my God. Are you kidding me? I’m going to interview Aerosmith?!’ It was all the time nice.”
“And to be ready the place these bands…the ‘Cathouse period ‘ was totally different, as a result of on the Cathouse, I grew to become buddies with most of those bands earlier than they even had document offers. But to satisfy legendary masters, to hastily be in Brazil hanging out with Rob Halford, I’m like, ‘This is type of like the best factor on the earth.’ And I used to be ‘that man.’ If I got here off like this goofy man on a regular basis it is as a result of I’m excited. This was superb.”
AllMusic: What do you recall about Nirvana’s notorious look?
Rachtman: “I speak about that rather a lot in my present. But the factor was only a complete apathy that Kurt confirmed – that he didn’t wish to be there. He didn’t wish to be there. And would have Nirvana been large with out Headbangers Ball? Absolutely they might have. But Headbangers Ball did expose lots of people to Nirvana. And I do not take credit score for that and I do not suppose Headbangers Ball ought to take credit score for that. But it was a giant factor for them.”
“And he was simply wasted, and the entire thing was similar to…I used to be bummed out, as a result of I used to be a giant fan of the album Bleach. I believed Bleach was only a nice document. And when there is a band that I’ve by no means met that did not go to the Cathouse that I’m a fan of, I’m excited to satisfy them. And folks stated, ‘Oh, you regarded so uncomfortable.’ I wasn’t uncomfortable. I used to be similar to, ‘He does not even wish to be right here.’ I used to be similar to, ‘Yeah, no matter. He appears so excited.’ Because that was what he gave out – he did not actually care about being there.”
AllMusic: There is a well-liked perception that grunge killed metallic, or reasonably, hair metallic. But when you watch a number of the Headbangers Ball reveals from ’92/’93 on YouTube, you see that it was nonetheless a reasonably huge number of movies that had been being proven.
Rachtman: “I’m simply gonna make this up and let’s simply see if this analogy even works. If heavy metallic within the ’90s was an individual, you want to suppose that that individual was a nasty ass. That individual was robust. And that individual is big and powerful. And hastily, this new sort of music comes on and pushes you apart. Well, that signifies that your music will not be that sturdy.”
“Do I consider that grunge killed metallic? Absolutely not. I do not consider that for slightly bit. Because I do not suppose metallic ever died. Because there have been bands like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains coming and Pearl Jam, and MTV was enjoying them. If you are saying that any such music killed your sort of music, which means your sort of music was weak.”
“Who cares if it is being performed in regular airplay? The bands that I take heed to do not get radio play, weren’t performed throughout prime time MTV. And if you are going to say, ‘Well, Soundgarden’s this…and now take a look at grunge.’ No. First, I do not say ‘grunge.’ Just like I do not say ‘hair metallic.’ When I take heed to Soundgarden, I do not hear this ‘Seattle sound.’ I hear a band to me that’s closely influenced by Black Sabbath. When I take heed to outdated Sabbath, I hear Soundgarden and vice versa. Alice in Chains is a superb rock band.”
“If you suppose that individuals would nonetheless be wanting and dressing like Warrant and Poison if there wasn’t grunge – no. That was one thing that was an period and it was a vogue and it was a kind. And a variety of the bands of that period – and I get a variety of crap for this – had been very weak, and did not have any substance. And generally, bands like Cinderella – that had been so extremely superb – received pigeonholed into being a few of these ‘fluffy bands’ that did not have any substance.”
“Bands like Cinderella and Skid Row are simply killer, kickass rock bands. And as a result of each these bands broke up…issues change. It’s like saying if hastily everyone’s ingesting a sure sort of beverage as an alternative of one other, hey it is a new taste and folks prefer it. But nothing killed heavy metallic.”
“I went and I noticed WASP a pair nights in the past, and it was packed. So, clearly metallic will not be useless. And if I might go see Alice in Chains, it is packed and so they’re promoting out arenas. So, I do not consider that something killed something. I believe any such music would have died out by itself if it wasn’t substantial and had sufficient meat to it.”
“Why do not folks say that Guns N’ Roses was hair metallic? Because Guns N’ Roses by no means stopped enjoying – they grew to become one of many greatest rock’n’roll bands on the earth. And to show that it was by no means useless, if it died, then how did the Stadium Tour [with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Joan Jett] do in addition to it did? This music has by no means died. To say that grunge killed it’s to insinuate that it is useless. And when you used to take heed to Mötley Crüe and then you definitely began listening to Stone Temple Pilots, properly that is that individual’s selection – they carry on going with the flavour. They’re not going to take heed to the identical factor. People like no matter’s scorching.”
“Things are available waves, and the those who like metallic are nonetheless going to metallic reveals. And I do not suppose that that scene was killed. I believe it won’t have gotten the identical publicity, however a real fan by no means stopped going to see Iron Maiden. A real fan nonetheless helps that sort of music – it doesn’t matter what occurred. And sure, does it generally not have the luster and the shiny newness that it as soon as did? Yeah, that occurred. But it did not occur due to sure sort of sound out of Seattle.”
AllMusic: Did you might have any say through which movies could be performed on Headbangers Ball?
Rachtman: “None. Ever. In my whole time on the Headbangers Ball, I received one video picked to play – and it is most likely as a result of they had been going to play it anyway. I used to be like, ‘It’s my birthday. Can I decide the movies?’ And they’re like, ‘You can decide one video, that we already play.’ And I’m like, ‘Motörhead. Just play a Motörhead video for my birthday.'”
“Because there’s a variety of bands that I do not consider ought to have been performed on Headbangers Ball. I consider when you’re a band that is performed in the course of the prime time of MTV, then you definitely shouldn’t be on the Headbangers Ball. I’ve all the time believed that Headbangers Ball ought to have been the music that we do not get wherever else. And lots of people thought that I picked all of the movies. That I sat right here like, ‘I’m going to play this video right here and that video there.’ There had been tons of movies that I grit my enamel having to play – as a result of I did not like them.”
“People are like, ‘Well, it’s best to have advised them ‘Don’t play that video’.’ It’s like, ‘This is my job! I’m getting paid a crap load of cash to speak about rock n’ roll!’ It’s like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna go to Burger King and say, ‘Hey, screw these burgers…we’re making tacos now’.’ This was my job. I by no means received on Headbangers Ball and stated I like a band that I did not like, however there have been movies that I performed that I did not like. But that was my job.”
“And as a result of there the music fanbase was so broad, since you had simply as many individuals that wished to listen to, y’know…Warrant, that wished to listen to Nuclear Assault. I imply, you had all these folks wanting to listen to the totally different genres, and a variety of these bands must be performed, as a result of that is the one place to play them. That was why I consider we by no means ought to have performed any movies that had been being performed in the course of the daytime.”
AllMusic: What had been a few of your favourite movies that had been performed on the time?
Rachtman: “My favourite band all the time has been Motörhead. I really like Motörhead. I’ve received Motörhead tattoos. I am unable to say sufficient concerning the band Motörhead. But throughout my period on Headbangers Ball, I liked Danzig, I liked Suicidal Tendencies, I liked Megadeth. I imply, these are all bands I nonetheless take heed to, however movies that I keep in mind going to love, ‘Hey, now we have got one thing from Suicidal or Danzig,’ and I additionally favored bands just like the London Quireboys – which had been a really Rod Stewart/Faces sort band. And I nonetheless received love for my brothers Faster Pussycat, and a number of the LA bands.”
“Some folks grow old and so they take heed to the lighter stuff. When I grow old, I take heed to even heavier music – as a result of it makes me smile. Sometimes, the stuff that is so ‘ARGHHH!’ makes me smile. But I take heed to every part. Spotify simply put out the record of the songs that I listened to probably the most in 2022, and I used to be like, ‘Really? THAT was what I listened to probably the most?!’ It’s type of shocking.”
AllMusic: How essential was Headbangers Ball in breaking bands, and likewise, may a present like which have the identical influence as we speak?
Rachtman: “It was very important in breaking bands. I hear it on a regular basis, folks saying, ‘Riki, you turned me on to Pantera.’ Which, I admire it, however I do not consider I ought to take credit score – as a result of I used to be only a host. But if folks heard me say how a lot I really like Pantera and ‘Pantera is nice, Pantera is likely one of the biggest stay bands,’ they may suppose, ‘Oh. I ponder what this Pantera feels like.'”
“See, the factor is we did not have YouTube then. Now, we’re on this ‘TikTook technology,’ that if there’s one thing that we do not like within the first 10 seconds – scroll, scroll, scroll. If you wished to see a video from Pantera on Headbangers Ball, you might need to sit down via six movies that you’ve got by no means heard earlier than, and three of them you may hate, however three of them you may like.”
“Now, we will decide up our cellphone and say, ‘Show me a video from Megadeth,’ and we’re gonna see them immediately. Which due to that and that on the spot achievement of what we would like, we’re not going to get turned on to new stuff as a lot. Which is type of a disgrace. If you wished to see a video from Pantera on Headbangers Ball, you watched Headbangers Ball, and you are going to see different bands throughout that point that you just would not have recognized about. And now, if there’s one thing that you do not know about – scroll, move, delete. Go proper by some great things. So it would be robust.”
“But I consider – particularly the best way that I hosted Headbangers Ball, for higher or for worse – I did not thoughts being a butt-end of a joke. I did not thoughts doing goofy stuff. I did not thoughts bowling with Chris Cornell, skydiving with Megadeth, or strolling via the streets of San Francisco with Metallica. These are issues that that had been enjoyable, and what I hoped is I confirmed folks extra of the persona of those artists. That’s why I by no means minded if an artist gave me a tough time on digital camera – as a result of I consider the those who had been watching actually loved that.”
AllMusic: Who are a few of your favourite modern-day metallic or rock artists?
Rachtman: “I simply noticed Amon Amarth stay, and holy crap – that was probably the most enjoyable reveals I’ve seen. I actually like Amon Amarth. As far as bands that I like as we speak, I imply yeah, I’m going to a Lamb of God present – I like Lamb of God – however even that is not new anymore. Lamb of God have been round 20 years.”
“I’m a giant fan of Shooter Jennings and Yelawolf. That’s not metallic in any respect, and I believe that [Sometimes Y] is likely one of the biggest albums of the yr. I additionally like Municipal Waste. People give me a tough time, however I actually like My Chemical Romance. I really like that band. I like Turnstile. I additionally rediscover outdated catalogs. Back once I was on Headbangers Ball, consider it or not I used to be not that into Venom. And now, I discover myself listening to extra Venom.”
“But to me, going to see Amon Amarth was enjoyable – like going to see Maiden for the primary time was. It was only a enjoyable present. I like seeing bands that that do goofy, enjoyable stuff. Y’know, they’re Vikings, come on! It does not matter what number of occasions I’ve heard a Motörhead album, there’s so many albums of their discography. And I take heed to my Misfits, I take heed to a variety of outdated punk rock rather a lot. But I like every part.”
AllMusic: It looks like now greater than ever, folks take heed to a little bit of every part.
Rachtman: “I hope so. There’s lots of people which have a tough time listening to new music, and there is so many bands that I take heed to that to me really feel like outdated bands. I prefer it when there is a new band enjoying that has that ‘outdated really feel’ to it, as a result of I like thrash, I really like Exodus, I really like Slayer – I really like that stuff. So, once I hear newer thrash bands, I’m like, ‘Oh, proper on.’ Because they pay homage to that sort of music, and I believe the rationale I like thrash a lot is as a result of it type of has a punk rock really feel to it.”
AllMusic: It was enjoyable talking with you, Riki – as I used to be a loyal Headbangers Ball viewer again within the day, tuning in each Saturday evening.
Rachtman: “That was bizarre that we had been on Saturday nights, as a result of Saturday nights…that is why there have been a variety of youngsters that watched it, as a result of youngsters didn’t exit on Saturday evening. To be sincere, I didn’t watch Headbangers Ball – as a result of I shot it on Fridays, however I might exit on Saturday evening!”
To view Riki’s upcoming spoken phrase dates and Headbangers Ball and Cathouse merch, click on right here.