Three decades into an unbroken streak of industrial metal, Long Beach legends Heavenly Trip to Hell (HTTH) aren’t slowing down—they’re escalating. On August 13th at the Road Dogs TV Legacy Award Show, the band reached a milestone three decades in the making: receiving official recognition from the City of Long Beach for 30 years of uncompromising contributions to music, culture, and the local scene.
For frontman G Christ, keyboardist Vicky Vicious, bassist Sergio, and the rest of the crew, the civic honor was a nod to a band that never compromised, never played a single cover song, and consistently held down the underground. But true to HTTH fashion, there was no time to rest on their laurels. The award was simply the starting gun for their next wild chapter.
Crossing Borders: The Mexico Stampede
Taking their raw, heavy sound across the border, HTTH is set to launch a explosive two-night run in Mexico this September:
Friday, September 11th: Invading El Dragon Rojo in Tijuana for a night of relentless industrial rhythm and chaos.
Saturday, September 12th: Heading further south to Ensenada to take over The Black Dog.
For HTTH, playing south of the border is a natural extension of their sonic ethos. “We’ve always gone against the grain,” Sergio reflects. “We don’t care what’s popular or trendy—we just do what we love and take the madness wherever the music leads.”
Homecoming Mayhem at Thunder Studios
The month-long 30th-anniversary celebration culminates on Saturday, September 26th in their home turf of Long Beach. HTTH returns to headline a massive multi-genre festival at Thunder Studios, bringing together an insane, stacked lineup of iconic bands and local legends:
From Xerox-copied flyers in the ’90s to city proclamations and sold-out international dates, Heavenly Trip to Hell remains living proof that real rock and roll doesn’t soften with age—it just gets louder.
Catch HTTH live at Thunder Studios on September 26th. The madness is far from over—they’re just getting started.
You’ve got a new album coming out. Tell us about it.
Yes—we have a new album called Healing Miserable coming out on October 31, and we’re incredibly proud of it. We’ve spent about a year making it across eleven separate recording sessions. It features twelve songs, a wide variety of instruments, and explores so many different musical directions.
To me, it feels more akin to musical theater than the pop and rock people may usually associate with us—but it’s also incredibly versatile. I genuinely think there’s something on it for everybody. We’re very, very proud of what we’ve created, and we can’t wait to finally put it out into the world.
Do you have any upcoming shows planned?
We haven’t booked anything yet. We’re at a stage in our lives where we don’t necessarily know where we’re going to be from one week to the next, so we’re allowing a little time to pass before committing to any dates. But we will absolutely be back onstage.
With this new album, the live presentation will probably have to expand considerably. Emily and I won’t be able to recreate it by ourselves if we want it to sound as layered, powerful, and full of different instruments and effects as we imagine it. We’ll likely need to bring in additional musicians and personnel.
We may do a small, intimate duo performance at the Petit Ermitage, but our next full shows will be much more theatrical, with far more people onstage than just the two of us. We still need to determine exactly how we’re going to accomplish that and then book everything, so realistically, you probably won’t see us onstage again until 2027—unless we somehow come up with a wild Christmas show.
What makes you tick now?
All sorts of obscure little things: old records discovered for two dollars in a 45 bin, lost newspaper articles unearthed in thrift shops, strange Halloween decorations from the 1970s, abandoned dolls dating back to the Second World War, and ’70s cooking recipes that read less like instructions for preparing food and more like elaborate ways of getting away with doing drugs.
It’s essentially the same collection of strange things that has always made us tick—only now the fascination has become deeper, more obsessive, and more intense.
What’s your favorite David Lynch movie, and why?
Emily gravitates more toward Mulholland Drive, while I gravitate toward Wild at Heart. But if you put the two of us together, the answer is most obviously Lost Highway.
It has this sense of dread, but also a strange feeling of acceptance—like driving deep into the void and surrendering to wherever it takes you. If you try to explain the story to somebody, it doesn’t really make much sense. But when you watch it and allow yourself to feel all of its bizarre, emotional, and disorienting moments, it achieves a rare kind of perfection. You understand it emotionally rather than logically.
So yes, together, we would have to say Lost Highway.
Any big plans for Halloween?
I don’t know what Emily has planned, but I need to return to Europe to renew my visa, take care of some medical things, and see my family. I’m just praying that, like the demon I am, I’ll make it back home to Los Angeles by All Hallows’ Eve.
I’m also supposed to play a show with Hollywood Apocalypse on Devil’s Night—October 30, the night before Halloween—so let’s hope I make it back in time.
Any last words?
We absolutely cannot wait to share this album with all of you—and with the world. We have poured so much love, joy, and sadness into it, and I think it truly reveals who we are, not only as people but as artists.
I’d also like to end by quoting something I said after the very first Death of a Nightingale show:
“I didn’t think so many people would understand—but they do.”
Healed or haunting. Both lives in me every waking minute of my life. With or with out love, I am the sacrifice. With every hard choice I made to keep my son safe. I’m nauseous as I feel this these words resonating deeply within my soul in the present moment and lingering lessons from long long ago. Today I am a completely different version of myself.
It’s amazing how many different lives
we live in one lifetime if we’re lucky(?) I am ConStance Ly Steele. Not perfect. Real. Bold. Brave. Still here winning
and with no apologies do I owe.
Now I walk alone an eternity of polished cultured chaos from my Weathering beautifully obnoxious broken heart.
On lifes stage that I remain.
Lessons that teach us can no longer destroy us. Let it be loud enough for the heaven to rejoice and for the devil to shake when my feet hit the ground for I fear neither.
Nothings ever saved me for no protections do I hold. Lucky ones call them parents and I call em monsters that left me on my own “Leave her hurt. We’ll just call her a liar.” You see life will go on for everyone except for me.
I’m sorry to that girl so many versions ago, Shes be proud now that we have became the person that once upon a time we needed so.
Wherever I land is now my home.
Paranormal Polarities that seem
to always find me but now Im
fearless on my battered throne. I embody the paranormal + the peacefulness of forgiveness that my broken heart yearned for yet no more seeks. For the beyond is encrypted into feasible factual realistic expectations of once an unacceptable duration. My living hell where I was deliberately enslaved.
Life has always been a bitch.
Eventually, I learned that I should come to terms with the basic fact I’ve always found more peace with the ones who are already gone than the ones who are here.
Singing the same fucking fight song.
The ones who wait to love you when you’re gone, instead of loving you while you’re alive. Proclaiming of how they adored you. Not at my funeral
pour me a shot
make it a double save your words for hallmark
and move along.
For having no more pain, well,
those days have never came. A logistic. Gone vs. Here. Alive vs. After. After what happened,
after the aftermath or
after this is all said and done.
No apology could erase the pain I feel every day. No one has won.
I escaped domestic abuse. My son’s father was horrid. This is what happens with parents don’t teach their daughters any better. We Unconsciously after the bad guys for protection. Eventually he becomes our monster we actually conquered .All the monsters are not in your head. They are in the dark
every night under your bed. They’re in the shadows.
They’re in the whispers of everybody’s quotes that wants to pay you as a victim, but forgot you’re the fuckin goat. I raised my son on my own.
I told all those mommy-lies to protect him. It came from a good place in my heart
that may he never feel what I had to feel. Plot twist.DNA always wins. “I’m not sorry I turned every moment
of my life into devotion for my only child. Totally disgusted he holds his vicious father victorious and like I’m not even alive.
It’s all about ones own version of love’s expectations that will save us or bury us.
No love last forever and I mean no love. Even when people die. The pain doesn’t. I turned into everything positive
that I possibly could. I had two choices
and I chose alchemy. Yet now we’re estranged
and it’s all my fault —
in his delusioned eyes.
When his father passed away.
My son saw a picture online.
The athletic Bank robber was seized. Somebody came to collect.
He never made it through the night.
“He didn’t look sick!”
My son Angrily proclaimed!
They always said that the
goddamn devil would be gorgeous.
No truer words are spoken . A notorious Bank robber and hitman
Fast Eddie ruthless style kind of dude.
My son feels to follow his footsteps.
How could that be? I unknowingly realized that I gave up
all my pretty years and for what would
later condemn me unjustly and still, I rise.
His father always said to me 143. I love you. He gave it to me in golden ambulates. Adored like a queen wrapped in gold
which would be ripped off whenever
he got a real bad Jones. Often.
“He had demons.”they say. And that was the excused for turning their head away
while all my promise was beaten out of me.
This August 30 after a deep meditation as all the lights in my studio flickered three times. A knock on the wall 333.
I heard a Voice at the door 444
whistle at night.
If you learn nothing from me,
please never answer these entities.
I knew as three flickers of the lights did arrive. I fully understood that was meant for me. He came crawling through the ethers. Either way to say he loved me,
or to beat my ass. I never knew which.
I was Absolutely fully prepared to battle
an entity I couldn’t physically see.
This On my son’s birthday. Alone, I am as the night unfolded, my lights flickered three times. Distinct. Clear. Real. I chose to take it as love. Not fear.
That’s the only way to conquer the dark.
The biggest polarity of all
is Fear vs. Love. Same signal. 2 Different choices. I chose the light. I seek no revenge.
I’m nobody’s victim ever again. I am victorious and be well advised
not to mess with me for having two choices is the only reason I can let it be.
Forgiveness isn’t saying
what happened was okay. Forgiveness is choosing which
polarity I live in the rest of my nights.
The real heroes aren’t the ones who got away. The real heroes are the ones
who were with you that stayed. And I am still here unapologetically.
Bold. Beautiful. Obnoxious.
Pushing through boundaries that would kill most. To be beaten in a physical,
leaves me no fear of death by a ghost.
I am something to behold I am beautiful,
no matter how the story unfolds. I will forever be ConStance Ly Steele. I take no man’s name for that never shall be.
For not one has ever loved or rescued me. That quite all right. It’s not like I have a choice. so I am conquered in flight. Where’s my fairytale memories
and a happy ending for me.
I don’t believe in love.
I don’t believe it’s real.
It’s something that I definitely
Nonever want to ever re feel. I don’t have time for any more mistakes surviving the polarities of life
and my own past mistakes.
Most spirits, are much more loving than the remorseless humans that remain.
My advice to you, my friend…
”Don’t lie to protect anybody else’s feelings ever again for someday it’ll backfire on you too….eventually.
There is something deeply backwards about a country that prides itself on being a cultural powerhouse making it increasingly difficult for international musicians to perform on its stages. For heavy metal fans, this is becoming painfully familiar.
In August 2026, Swedish death-metal veterans Hypocricy were forced to cancel their entire North American tour because of visa problems. The tour was supposed to run from Toronto through the United States and end in Los Angeles. The band apologized to fans, saying the visa problems were beyond their control and that they had done everything they could. This was not some unknown garage band trying to sneak into America for a weekend. Hypocrisy has been a major name in extreme metal since the early 1990s, and this wasn’t even their first experience with U.S. visa trouble. The band previously canceled U.S. dates in 2009 because of work-visa delays. Hypocrisy is hardly alone in this issue, however.
In 2022, Swedish black-metal band Watain was forced to withdraw from a North American tour with Mayhem and Midnight after the U.S. Embassy placed its visa applications into an additional, undisclosed “administrative process.” The band had previously toured the United States eight times using approved working visas. This time, however, there was no clear explanation and no guarantee the investigation would finish before the tour ended. The fact that a band can do everything right and still lose is simply maddening.
International musicians generally cannot simply arrive under a tourist or visa-waiver authorization and perform professionally. Established groups commonly require a P-1B petition, and the process can involve contracts, detailed itineraries, labor consultation, evidence of international recognition, press coverage, performance history and documentation for individual members. USCIS describes the P-1B process as requiring substantial evidence that the group is internationally recognized and has been established and performing together for at least a year. If a band has had recent member changes, this becomes even more of a hurdle.
Recent reporting indicates that artist petitions can take many months, with some P-visa processing reportedly reaching roughly eleven and a half months. Application costs have also risen dramatically. The result is a system in which an international band can spend thousands of dollars, months of preparation and enormous amounts of administrative effort, only to face delays and uncertainty after the petition has been approved. For independent metal bands, that can be devastating.
A tour is not just four musicians getting on an airplane. Promoters book venues. Tickets are sold. Merchandise is manufactured. Flights and hotels are purchased. Trucks and crew are scheduled. Support bands are booked. Fans make travel plans. Every day of delay costs money. What even is the gain of denying these bands last minute? Is it a power move? Does the US really think they don’t desperately need a lesson in European culture? The United States also looks increasingly out of step when compared with touring in much of Europe. That doesn’t mean European touring is completely bureaucracy free because American bands absolutely can encounter work-permit, tax, customs and immigration requirements, particularly after Brexit. Nonetheless, many European countries have established visa and work-permit free routes for short-term touring musicians. The British government, for example, says 20 EU countries confirmed such routes for British performers, while other European countries maintain their own simplified arrangements.
Overall, an American metal band can have paperwork to deal with in Europe. But the experience is not necessarily equivalent to navigating the U.S. artist-visa system, particularly for short tours. This isn’t just a small inconvenience for the European bands to play in the US because America always needs culture. Heavy metal, punk, goth, industrial, classical music, electronic music and countless other scenes have always depended on international exchange. A Swedish death metal band brings Swedish metal culture to American fans. A Brazilian band brings Brazilian influences. A Japanese band brings something that American audiences may never otherwise encounter. Global unification is the point. When legitimate artists start deciding that America is too expensive, too unpredictable or too difficult to tour, the country doesn’t become safer or stronger. It becomes exponentially weak, and biased. This has to change yesterday.
Watain may eventually return, and Hypocrisy may reschedule. Other bands will undoubtedly find ways through the system, but many great bands that were touring in 2018, have turned their backs on touring the US because it has become such a royal pain in the ass. The irony that America is the melting pot of different cultures, but won’t simplify the process of bringing over great bands from other countries, is uncanny. These are talented visitors bringing us entertainment that we so desperately need. If Aliens from another planet wanted to play a show here, they should be allowed as well. Let them pass! Let global unification exist!
Hello ladies and gentlemen, this is Ashlin Ashbaugh, back for the review you guys have been dying to hear, or that’s what I assume. Anyways, THROW RAG at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove, how was it you ask? Great, as always. Might sound a little biased here, but their music is always great to listen to. And I would highly recommend going to one of their shows if you appreciate punk. Especially in Orange County, the show was wild when I went there. and apparently Sean saw my last article, which was pretty cool.
Next on our list folks, THE GRABBERS at the same show, to be honest here guys, they sound like a generic punk band. Not to say that’s a bad thing, they were great, but there wasn’t really anything much to say about. But that’s just my personal opinion.
And again at the same show, FRYING SAUCERS, they were great, you know it’s gonna be a good time when one of the members plays an upright bass. Wish to see them again at their next show.
And before we continue folks, I gotta say, I did not keep all my promises. I did not go to see THE ORDER OF THE FLY and NAUGHTY WOMEN at Black Hole Records (twas their 40th anniversary). Why, you ask? Well, simple, Mojo was sick, and I don’t drive, at least not yet. He wanted to go, but I convinced him not to.
Now back to the list, next up, METEORS at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, which I saw on my 18th birthday countdown. They were great, and even though I don’t often listen to psychobilly, I can appreciate it like any other genre, except for pop punk and K-pop, they can go fuck themselves, especially K-pop, that shit is literally slavery. The only reason why emo isn’t on that list is because they already get made fun of too much.
Sorry for my personal opinion folks, I just felt like I needed to add that. Anyways, next up, the GUTTERFEST event at the Garden Amp. Where of course GUTTERMOUTH and CHEMICAL CONTROL played at. gotta be honest here once again folks, I was not fucking with Guttermouth. Not sure if it was because I was tired at that moment or there was something about, but I did not like it. But the opposite could be said for Chemical Control, I loved Chemical Control. There was something just so magical about them, even if they’re way of playing wasn’t new, it definitely felt like it.
Next up, REVEREND HORTON HEAT at the Observatory OC, gotta say I loved them, great band, great songs. And again folks, you know it’s a good time when one of the members plays an upright bass.
And the final thing on our list folks, ROAD DOG TV AWARDS SHOW at the Art Theatre in Long Beach. What can I say folks? It was an award show. Great venue, great performance, and great people. It was a wonderful time for everyone including myself.
And that’s all for the review, and now the next shows I’m going to.
The first show I’m going to is DRI on September 29th at the Flyaway, which is in Pomona, where my friend, Mexican Jacob, lives. And considering if you guys ever saw me in real life, I always wear a vest with them as my backpatch. So you know I have to go.
The next show I’m going to is THE ADICTS on October 18th at the Garden Amp. Can’t wait to see them on stage for the first time.
And finally, I’m going to RUMBLERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY on October 24th at the Garden Amp. Besides the Rumblers, I will also be seeing Reverend Horton Heat again, SWINGIN’ UTTERS, and CADILLAC HEARSE, which I know them personally somewhat.
I recently had the chance to celebrate her birthday with 1 of Ska’s favorite ladies Monique Powell of Save Ferris. Put on those checkered shirts and enjoy a stroll through the journey of this amazing artist.
Happy Birthday!
Did the booking of Nashville coincide with where you wanted to throw your birthday bash, or is this just where the tour was booked?
It just happened that way. I feel so lucky that it’s happening here. Nashville is great, I love it and have so many friends here. I remember in the 83″s and 90’s so many artists moved from New York to LA due to the cost and now that exodus has really started again with artists moving to Nashville and other places due to the cost of living in LA. I recently moved from LA to OC in the house I grew up in and I love being able to garden.
Save Ferris has been categorized as a defining act of ska’s 3rd wave, who were your influences?
Definitely The Specials and The Selector, I was also influenced by bands that had nothing to do with Ska. I was a child when KROQ was at the forefront, and Rodney on the Roq was bringing all these new bands out. I remember being like 7 or 8 and listening with my big sister.
Since you brought him up, what was it like to hear Rodney play the band for the first time?
That was huge! I was like WOW! He was really a champion of artists in LA. Then being played in like the middle of the day on KROQ was a defining moment. Even as a child I would’ve never dreamed this could happen.
Bringing up The Specials, how exciting was it for you to have Neville Staple (Specials) on the single “New Sound” and the album “Chekered Past” produced by John Avila (Oingo Boingo)?
Very exciting, Neville and I have become friends over the years. When I lived in England, we lived close to each other and would visit each other. John Avila and I worked together when I was 19 years old and sang on the Reel Big Fish album that he produced. Fast forward 20 years and here we are again with Checkered Past which right now this is my favorite Save Ferris album. I really had the opportunity to flex my writing skills, which I was not really permitted to do with the former members but with the new band we collaborated together. I love it!
Did the Reel Big Fish song “She has a Girlfriend” help labels take notice of you?
Not really, Save Ferris got signed before Reel Big Fish. We were the first major label signing in the scene at that time after our predecessors No Doubt and Sublime. Those guys were my friends from high school, so for me it was something I was very happy to do, also because they were 1 of my favorite bands in the scene.
“It Means Everything “ launched you and the band into the mainstream, what song means the most to you from the album?
Uh, “Everything I Want to Be” has some very special lyrics for me because it’s about becoming the person I want to be. “Lies” is my favorite song to perform from that album.
I witnessed so many up and comers come through diPiazza’s and cover “Goodbye” and every time I heard it, I thought back to your cover of “Come on Eileen”. How does it make you feel to now be a band that is being covered?
It feels so weird, because we cover bands like Operation Ivy and Dead Kennedys so it like nah dude you should be covering them, not us. That’s who you should be covering, not us. I’m not offended and it’s definately an honor.
Chain Reaction closing really signified a change in the scene in OC. Did “Under 21″ come from living that life and trying to get into shows that were over 21?
Well, I didn’t write that song, but what I can say is I was living that reality. The reason why we had the scene we had is that all these places started popping up in coffee shops, warehouses, wherever and we could see bands play. It saddens me now because we are losing those all over the country now. I remember playing in places when we were under 21 and they would make us leave right after and sitting on the curb waiting to be paid our $50 for the door. It’s just sad that there are no places for the next wave to go. Now at 51 this song means something way different for me than it once did.
“The World in New” has been featured on so many tv shows, and also launched into the movie 10 things I hate about you, how did all that happen?
Sony, being on major just makes things happen. Being in 10 things was just phenomenal, such an interesting experience. People all around the world know that movie knows us from that movie. Even though we were just in it for a moment, I love it and it’s cute.
What was it like performing at the Olympics?
It was so cold and stressful because I had forgotten the words to 1 of the songs and so I had to improvise and so embarrassed, but I don’t think that part got on tv. It was cool though because the Olympics is like its own planet. The village is like a city inside and city.
Checkered Past also features “Anything” a love letter of sorts to your husband, I won’t ask about him but how is your health now?
My husband is now my ex-husband, but we are still cool, Health wise I’m better and I wouldn’t have got the band together again if it was not. The surgery was scary, but I made a promise to my dad that if I wake up from this, I will bring the band back and here we are. Then we finished “Checkered Past” and he died and 10 days later I went out on the road and have been since. I know my dad would be happy to see me performing again.
Since this is for a LA/OC publication, what are your favorite memories of the scene back when you started?
I remember everything being so new and I was so young. To this day I really try and approach who I am as an artist with the knowledge, with the joy that I had just as a fan and an audience member. So many of the places I remember I wonder if they were legal places or just pop-up shows. When I was 13, I was a Cloud 9 goth and my mom would drop me off every weekend. That was my spot.
Last question, what are you listening to now?
To be honest, I’m not listening to anything new, right now mostly what I call my roller skate jams. 80″s electronic, funk, freestyle jams. Bands like Nu Shooz, Atlantic Starr. It’s weird I go through phases, I need t go through a rotation, so it all stays fresh.
Dave Bats is an amazing artist, musician, promoter, dj and a staple of the underground. His club Release the Bats was legendary and now you can find it as a radio show with his wife Jen and many amazing guests. Let’s turn down the lights, grab a bottle of wine and hear what the man behind the legendary RtB has to say.
Clubs like Old World in HB, Cloud 9 at Knotts and Helter Skelter were influential for me, what influenced you to launch Release the Bats?
Hi! Thanks for having me! The actual influence for RtB was Helter Skelter. But Knott’s in the 80’s was definitely my first experience in clubbing. I missed out on Old World but frequented Knott’s a lot during those seminal teen years. DJ Craig was a big influence on me. I was always lingering around the DJ booth waiting to get to talk to him. A little after we stopped going to Knott’s a new club had opened up at the old Grand Central Station in Long Beach called Jets. That was where I got my footing into promoting events and being part in the organizing of club nights. Of course we’re talking about an all-ages summer thing, not what would come later. In 1989 Helter Skelter opened up in Hollywood and that set the course for me – to get to Helter!
How did you keep RTB so relevant for over 20 years?
We had a great team of people working with us and we booked some of the greatest bands in all of Gothdom. RtB occurred only once a month, and I booked only one band per event, unless there were two bands on tour together and shared the same backline. That created a long waiting list of bands that wanted to play there. The venue where it was held, The Que Sera, was famous for heavy pours and cheap drink prices so that added to the continuity as well. Every RtB was a good time, and our patrons were never ripped off; that’s for sure! Plus, the logo I created. It’s everywhere and has become a symbol of the old school Death Rock aesthetic that LA was known for.
What live performances stand out most for you from RTB?
Yanno, there were so many great ones it’s hard to nail that down. I could say my favs were when I played live up there on stage with Element or Kommunity FK or when 45 Grave played, or the many times Gitane Demone performed. More memorable performances from Ex-Voto, Mephisto Walz, Eva O, and other bands that I only heared about when I was a teen dancing at Knott’s. The main thing is really many of my friends played on that stage and getting to see how much they enjoyed performing there was enough for me. I deliberately booked only one band. It gave that band the opportunity to really play! To set up their gear how they wanted to. They could use tape on the floor, park their amps, and leave their guitars on stage till show time. Really, all of the performances there were memorable. But now let’s talk about the really bad ones! Some of those stand out pretty well ah ha ha ha!!
Did you always want to be a dj?
Yes. I blame the television show WKRP in Cincinnati for that influence. But also my love for radio. I grew up listening to radio and from a young age had been working on radio voices and recording pretend radio shows on cassette tapes. No gear, just a boom box with a mic. And no, those cassettes are gone. Too bad too cause that would be funny to listen to. Probably irritating but funny. But it was in the 1980’s and a guy named Richard Blade where I really found my calling. I was already that kid in the neighborhood that wanted his friends to come over and listen to new records but alas, they all wanted to play sports ball. At Jets I had friends that were actual DJ’s. My oldest friend Shane was already years ahead of all the rest with his selecting skills and incredible record collection but the other DJ’s inside that club were great too. All of those guys were influential to me. I became a DJ in the mid 1990’s and never looked back. All of those years of watching and listening paid off.
Besides the obvious “Release the Bats” from The Birthday Party what other songs are a must play?
To achieve that RtB sound and attitude, Release The Bats by the Birthday Party is on top of the playlist. It has to be, it’s the name of the club. But then go to Christian Death – Spiritual Cramp, Alien Sex Fiend – Smell’s Like Sh*t, Big Black – Kerosene, Siouxsie – Monitor, The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary, The Cramps – What’s Inside a Girl, Play Dead – Propaganda. These are just some of the songs that were must plays at RtB.
Bauhaus, The Cure, Christian Death, Sisters of Mercy influenced many people, what was yours?
Yes, those. And Killing Joke, add them to the list too. Less the Sisters of Mercy. I knew a lot of people in the 80’s that were all about them but for some reason they just didn’t jive with me. Bauhaus, who I absolutely love, is a great example because that band is really also many more bands! Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets, Peter solo, gotta add them into the ingredients of the to be Dave list as well. But it was Siouxsie and the Banshees that sealed my fate. I blame her the most. So does my mother.
How has the scene evolved?
That’s a tricky question. On one hand it’s the year 2026 and there are thousands and thousands of people of all ages all over the globe listening to bands and music from forty years ago. Thousands of those people are listening to contemporary Gothic music and have no clue about the bands from forty years ago. And on the other hand, there are original Gothic types who still exist from forty years ago that have no clue what today’s music sounds like. In my opinion there isn’t any one “scene”. Instead, there are many sub scenes. Gothic and Death Rock music, all of its style’s, the different sounding bands, the burgeoning clubs that were created, all came along way before the Internet and Social Media. It was a small scene in its beginnings but now, like I said, there is no scene, there are many scenes. I don’t want to use the word evolved. I would rather say “goodbye” to most of the people who are exploiting our music and style with their social media creator lifestyles. The music comes first, then everything else. That’s how it was in the beginning and how it should be in my opinion.
What bands are you surprised didn’t make a larger impact?
That list is pretty small. I’m more surprised when a band stays together for a long time and creates great music regularly. This music genre is pretty limited as far as mass appeal goes. I’ll use The Cure as an example of a small band from the UK getting their start in pubs along with punk rock bands in a tiny music scene only to later in life become one of the most famous bands known in pop music. Who saw that coming?!? But that fame and notoriety took decades to achieve. There are bands today that are performing in pubs and clubs all over that sound like they should be the biggest band in the world, and they might be someday. It’s hard work to keep a band together and write great music. I think most of the bands that I like made a great impact in their ways, but continuity is a key factor in making that impact reached on a broader scale.
What’s the biggest difference between performing in Hollywood vs Long Beach?
Performing in LB is great for me because my drive home is quick! But really, i’ve always preferred LB over Hollywood, not only for gigs but for the lifestyle and weather too. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, performing in Hollywood was a huge deal for us. That’s where all the famous venues are and the cool clubs were held. When I was first starting out, getting to play at places like The Roxy and The Whiskey were goals, and that’s probably true to this day for other fledgling bands. After performing in LA and Hollywood for the past thirty years though, my love for local LB gigs has grown. I don’t want to rip on today’s Hollywood, but it’s not the same place it was decades ago. There are still great clubs happening and lots of awesome bands performing there because that’s how it is supposed to be. I’d love to go back in time and perform in Hollywood for the first time again. Even if it’s “pay to play”.
What are your memories of Hollywood?
I had a great day job when I lived there. The party supply shop on Melrose and Wilcox. I made enough money there to pay rent, but that was really about all. They were cool to musicians and would work with schedules when gigs came up. I walked there every morning passing the same guys that would panhandle at the donut shop and along the sidewalk at Melrose and Vine. I smoked cigarettes at the time and after getting to know these people a little bit, they started hitting me up for smokes. I made a deal with them to give me a quarter for every smoke. Some days i’d make enough money off of them to buy lunch! And also, during my time living there, the riots of 1992 broke out and all of Hollywood was shut down. Luckily for us though, we managed to find the last liquor store open before the cops shut it down as the curfew approached. We bought enough beer to last a couple days but had to traverse back down Melrose on foot carrying multiple cases while people sped up and down the street screaming and honking their horns. We were chased for a block, but we ducked behind Raleigh Studios to hide. A week later, everything reopened, and gigs resumed. Today, when I’m in that area, I always have to slow down and enjoy some old neighborhood nostalgia.
Any clubs you’d like to see return?
I’d like to see Helter Skelter return. In 2013 Mike and Bruce brought it back to life at the Dragonfly and invited me to DJ the back patio. I jumped at that chance, and we had a good three year run there. Unfortunately, that venue is gone now too, so we aren’t going back there. And of course, I’d like to see my own club return but to have it proper, we would require a time machine.
If I remember correctly I read that you’re an Italian foodie, where is your go to spots?
There are two spots that we frequent for Italian. In LB the oldest of the old school, Dominico’s on 2nd street. And the other is in Ventura called Cafe Fiore. Both of the places make incredible food. Being vegetarian, Italian food is perfect. And, I’m a pizza junkie and these places make the styles of pizza that are really heavy, kinda thick but not thick crust. It’s different!
You and your wife are now doing the radio show. How has the change from club to radio impacted RTB?
With the radio show every Thursday on Twitch, we’re able to reach hundreds more people with new music than the club was able to do. RtB was only once per month and for about five hours long. and generally featured only one contemporary band per event. Our weekly show, though not a filthy nightclub packed with sweaty people drinking and shouting, is three hours of great music each week and reaches an international audience. We’re able to debut new music to a direct audience, show videos, and have in-studio guests. Most of our past guests are the same musicians that played at RtB in the past. But instead of a forty-minute live performance on the stage, we can all talk about music and share experiences live on the show. Can you imagine if we stopped all the music at the club and started talking about the songs you just heard? That would be crazy. On our radio show, it’s part of the format.
It’s your first show in a new location. What are your top 5 songs to start the night?
I’m probably throwing an old school Goth club here, so I’d start out with some songs like these! The Bolshoi – Giants, Abecedarians – Beneath the City, Bauhaus – Hair of the Dog, The Creatures – Mad Eye Screamer, The Cure – Screw What bands/artists are you listening to now? One of the great things about hosting my radio program is the discovery of incredible artists. Here are just a few contemporary bands that I’d tell you to check out on Bandcamp today. Octavian Winters (San Francisco), Lunar Paths (Chicago), Datura (Seattle), Ariel Maniki and the Black Halos (Costa Rica), Liquid Remains (Los Angeles), Velatine (Melbourne)
What’s next for RTB?
Right now, we’re charting a steady course of more incredible Thursday shows on Twitch and look forward to seeing many of our friends and cohorts in NYC for the Murder of Crows Festival happening on Labor Day weekend!
Taking a cue from the third wave of Ska revival acts like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake, Chase Long Beach erupted onto the scene with an updated traditional high energy ska-template with a dark cloud. At the forefront of the band stood Karen Roberts. She has done it all since arriving on the scene, acting, improv, singer songwriter, she has drunk her fair share of the Hollywood dream. Let’s sit back, open a cold brew and kick our feet up with this Hollywood starlet as she gives us a glimpse of her life so far.
Where do you find inspiration? Wow. I guess really from anywhere. Life experiences, especially hardships, hard times, and heartbreak. I also find inspiration by surrounding myself with people who inspire me and fill my cup.
Who are your musical influences? that’s a wide array from Sam Cooke to RX Bandits from Radiohead to OK Go. It’s allll over the place, anything that moves me
Chase Long Beach recently released Rico’s Cocktail Club how has your sound evolved since LeBeC and Gravity? Oh boy. Short answer, A LOT, haha. Long answer: there are even vast differences between LeBeC and Gravity, especially because between those two albums we switched to our current guitarist, Joe Cooper, who undeniably added musicianship that really changed and expanded our sound. And now, even more so, Rico‘s is a completely different beast than Gravity. Even though it’s all the same members on Gravity and Rico’s (minus our original bassist), the years of living, experience and continued growth both individually and together as musicians, made for an even more layered, rich and complex sound. We’re bringing so many other genres into the band and are simply not just a ska punk band anymore.
CLB was on the verge of some major success with Victory records and Reel Big Fish behind you. What did those tours teach you? to never sign with a record label again! we learned a lot from every tour we did. How much we could get away with drinking, how fast to drive through a snowstorm, to pick the right strangers to share beds with…. In all seriousness though, those tours helped shape us as the family we are today. Made us grow closer together… and also want to kill each other at times lol
Are you still driving 75 in snow storms? Per my last response, luckily, we did grow from that and learn to never do that again. And even more luckily, I don’t think snowstorm driving is really on our bingo card these days.
Did Aaron Barrett produce again? Yes, Aaron produced his own band as well as a couple others after producing LeBeC for us. But as for CLB, Aaron only produced LeBeC. He played a guitar solo on Gravity as well but we have yet to work together again. Hopeful of working together again though, now that RBF is reuniting!
You mentioned the latest song from CLB took 10 years to create, what does the finished song mean to you? I am so happy with how “Aftershock” has turned out. The song is especially important to me as I was the one who initially created it for a solo album. I had been really sad thinking it was never going to see the light of day. So when the band so graciously took it on and let me produce the whole thing, it meant even more. It’s a song about my first love, who was also in our band at one point in time. It allowed me to honor him but also be honest about the sometimes toxicity of our relationship. All while also helping give me closure for his untimely death.
What’s next for CLB? “Aftershock” will be the first single on our next EP. We have a couple other songs already partially recorded, one of which will have a couple very exciting featured performers on it…
What tour or lineup is your dream? One where were we each get to sleep in a bed and are fed meals other than pizza every night
Any Unicorn sightings on the horizon? Sadly, Unicorn Injection is no longer and will never reunite again.
Fistful of Improv was great, any chance the troop is heading back out? Oh Fistful is still together! I just unfortunately had to take a hiatus for almost 2 years because the job I had didn’t allow me to make it to the performances/rehearsals. But I’ve actually been back rehearsing with them as of a couple months ago. Hoping to play in the October show
What’s the latest you’ve been cast?
Unfortunately, the business has been really rough and slow these past couple years but in March I did a really fun “play in a day” performance. Where the writers had 12 hours the night before to create the script, finishing by 6AM. Actors arrived at 7 AM and we were given our roles. Then we had to memorize lines, block, props, costume, makeup all by the 7PM performance that same night. It was a spectacular and unbelievably fun experience
Who are your favorite actresses/actors? Funnily enough as an actor myself, I don’t have a lot of “favorites”. I’m more about each performance. Every actor is good at different things and I think it’s more about capturing a particular performance that was meant for you. For example, someone I’m absolutely in love with right now is Jesse Buckley, from her performance as Agnes, William Shakespeare’s wife in the movie Hamnet.
What bands are you listening to? Currently reliving my Saves The Day love from high school, RX Bandits “…And the Battle Begun” getting ready for the 20th anniversary show at the end of this month + been vibing with Runaway Ricochet since we finally got to play with them in April.
What do you want to be remembered for? Wow, no pressure lol. One of the things that has always brought me so much joy in my life is being able to make other people happy. Whether it’s cracking an inappropriate joke, touching their lives in some way through my various art forms or being able to uplift someone, especially when they’re feeling down on themselves. It’s important for me that everyone knows that they have a place in this world and deserve to be loved. I wanna be remembered for making others’ lives just a little bit brighter 🙂
Thirteen years ago, Long Beach was a landscape of raw potential and vanishing venues. For G and his partner Vicky, it was a city that needed an outlet—a place where the vibrant, colliding worlds of punk, hip-hop, metal, and Latin music could be documented without a corporate filter.
“Culture always has to be promoted,” G says, leaning back. “There always has to be an outlet. We used to have a shop called No Regrets, where we held punk shows every two weeks. We realized we needed to showcase the people who actually deserved to be seen.”
Vicky agrees, noting that the move to television was almost inevitable. “The scene has been here for a long time. It made sense to take what we were already doing in the shop and put it on the air.” What started as a labor of love has become an institution. Airing Friday nights at 11:00 PM for over a decade, Road Dogs TV operates on a simple, uncompromising ethos: If we think you’re cool, you’re on. If we don’t, you aren’t.
“We don’t do this for money or glory,” G explains. “We do it because we truly want to keep music, art, and culture alive in Long Beach. We believe it’s our obligation as Californians.”
The Green Room Confidential
When you spend a decade in the underground, you witness the surreal. Asked about the wildest moment they couldn’t broadcast, G chuckles, recalling a guest who “wanted a platter of guacamole and chips and went absolutely crazy when we didn’t give it to him”- “all while holding a tall can.” added stage manager Juan.
But for the most part, the “after-hours” nature of their slot provides complete creative freedom. The show has played host to heavyweights like Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, and the late DH Peligro of the Dead Kennedys.
“I feel like I’ve lived four lives just by doing this,” G says. “We’ve interviewed Jack Grisham from TSOL and all the guys from D.I. when nobody else could get them. All the big magazines and newspapers were there, but the only people in the green room were the Road Dogs TV crew.”
Mission from Gods
Reflecting on their longevity, the crew—including stage manager Juan and HTTH band manager Dennis—maintains that their success is rooted in the refusal to “sell out.”
“I’ve always had the mentality that I’m going to finance my own art,” G says, his intensity rising. “I just feel like the Blues Brothers. I’m on a mission from the Gods.”
Vicky adds that the “Road Dogs” network is built on genuine human connection, not industry status. “Money won’t bring you happiness. Being able to support local art and create unity within our own surroundings—that’s bigger than anything.” Coming Full Circle
This year, the show turns 13, and their band, Heavenly Trip to Hell, hits the 30-year mark. To celebrate, they are hosting their first-ever Road Dogs Legacy Awards show at the iconic Art Theatre on 4th Street.
“It’s the last standing single-screen theater around,” says Dennis. “Hollywood and the film industry actually started in Long Beach before moving to LA. It’s full circle, bringing it back.” As for the “rules” of this new awards ceremony? Vicky is characteristically blunt. “The first rule is: there are no rules. We’re recognizing people who have left a legacy of music and art, and because they didn’t do it for money. At the end of the day, art will pay you.”
For a crew that has navigated the highs of Mexico City festivals and the lows of seeing beloved local clubs shuttered, the mission remains unchanged.
“We’re not stopping,” Vicky promises. “We’re looking forward to so many more places, so much more art, and meeting so many more people.”
Road Dogs TV airs Friday nights. To catch the latest in the Long Beach underground, tune in—just don’t expect them to play the hits if they don’t think they’re real.
Thirteen years. Zero apologies. The Road Dogs Legacy Awards show hits the Art Theatre August 13,2026.
Keeping the Fire Alive on Streets of Long Beach, Ca.
Thirty years. In the music industry, three decades is a geologic era. Most bands flame out before their first van oil change, but Long Beach legends Heavenly Trip to Hell (HTTH) are still here, standing as the undisputed, unchanged heavy metal spine of a city that transformed completely around them.
“I’ve seen a complete change in all the bars and all the clubs in Long Beach,” says frontman G, looking back at a landscape of vanished venues and flipped ownerships. “But Alex has held it down on Anaheim Street for a very long time. The V-Room, The Stash—all of that changed. But it’s bands like Heavenly Trip to Hell keeping it going. We’re keeping it alive.”
HTTH didn’t just survive; they conquered. Born from the gritty, unhinged pre-internet era of Xerox flyers and underground tape trading, the band used whatever secrets necessary to claw their way onto local bills. They grew from a teenage pact between G and his brother, founding member and bassist Sergio.
“Growing up with G was like living in a monk prison,” Sergio laughs. “We were always fighting, trying to beat the shit out of each other. But then we realized we shouldn’t be fighting each other—we should be fighting the world. That’s when we embraced rock and roll. I thought we were gonna die young. But that didn’t happen. So, here I am.”
THE HTTH SONIC ARCHIVE
From Aztec Batman to Road Dogs TV, three decades of uncompromising noise.
Declaring War on the Sunset Strip
When HTTH finally migrated from Long Beach to Hollywood, they didn’t just play the legendary venues—they occupied them. Selling out The Whisky a Go-Go, The Rainbow, and The Viper Room became a regular rite of passage.
“It felt like we declared war on the Sunset Strip,” Sergio recalls of their early days. “All of downtown Long Beach would come out on a Tuesday night and we would just take over. We were younger, reckless, and going against the grain. When punk was popular, we went metal. When metal became popular, we played punk. We don’t compromise our sound.”
Keyboardist Vicky agrees that the band’s live energy has always been a zero-sum game. “Every single night we play, we give it 100%. We go up on stage and we fuckin’ rock the house. There are no boundaries in HTTH. We’ve never stopped ourselves because we wanted somebody to like us.”
That uncompromising sonic footprint—a devastating blend of dark Goth atmosphere, heavy metal, and industrial synth—frequently terrified the bands they opened for. Management often feared HTTH would upstage the headliners. “When you’re actually a good band and you can really play, it makes people who aren’t a real band kind of fearful of you,” G notes dryly. Yet, the true titans recognized their power. Backstage chaos and wisdom followed them, including a memorable joint smoked with Megadeth’s David Ellefson, who told them they had something special and to never quit. Then there was the cryptic encounter with Nikki Sixx: “Take my phone number down, I’ll probably never see you again.” Did they take it? “Negative,” Jose Drummer laughs.
No Covers, No Requests, No Capitulation
After 30 years, most bands rely on a nostalgia circuit. HTTH refuses. They don’t do request hours, and they possess one sacred, unbreakable sonic rule: “No fucking covers.” When asked which songs still feel dangerous enough to ignite a riot today, the band points to a legacy of sonic weapons. For Vicky, it’s their timeless anthem “Fuck the Police.” For Sergio, it’s “Type the Riot,” the track where their signature cocktail of synths, metal, and punk first crystallized.
“Our music is more relevant today than it was 30 years ago,” G states. “Back then, we were talking about what’s happening right now. We basically predicted the future. We should change our names from being a band to being psychics. It’s not negativity—it’s inspiration. We’re on fire.”
That fire keeps burning in their upcoming material, with new tracks like “Holy Water” tackling religion, and “Suicide Tuesday” capturing the brutal, chemical comedown of partying too hard. Sergio is even tinkering with heavy, dance-driven compositions to push the band into punishing new territory.
The Ritual of Survival
How does a band notorious for causing chaos survive three decades without killing each other? It comes down to brotherhood, an ironclad work ethic, and a running inside joke born in the studio with producer Adasi from Fuel Music.
“Every time we play and something doesn’t sound right, we look at each other and say: ‘Do it again, and do it right this time!’” Vicky reveals.
Ultimately, Heavenly Trip to Hell has achieved the rarest feat in rock: they exceeded every dream they ever set without selling out, softening their edges, or turning to methamphetamine to cope with the road. They carved out their own version of heaven right here in the underground.
“I don’t even believe in hell or religion,” G says, summing up thirty years of defiance. “I believe that you make whatever you want. This band has given me a life, and it has inspired me. We’re just getting started. Hell yeah. Watch out for the new music.”
we learned a lot from every tour we did. How much we could get away with drinking, how fast to drive through a snowstorm, to pick the right strangers to share beds with…. In all seriousness though, those tours helped shape us as the family we are today. Made us grow closer together… and also want to kill each other at times lol 
