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 🙂 

By Tracy Kimberly Fuentes

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.”

How was your headline gig at the whisky?

The headline gig was fun. There’s something magical about actually having 3 albums done. It gives you a lot of options and you have the ability to play 75 minutes and still have some songs left to choose from.

The only thing that sucked is that our release was delayed by about 2 months. So we kind of had an album release party without the album actually being released.

What’s going on w/ the new album?

It is finally going to be released mid July. I’ll have the exact date this week actually. Our producer, who mind you increased prices by double midway through the album, is taking forever to deliver the final mixes.

This album was quite the rough experiences. I think everyone involved in the making of it almost

Pap died at some point. Except for Celinda. Celinda is invincible.

But what do you expect? The album is called Rather Excessive. Of course making it wasn’t going to be the easiest thing in the world.

But what’s really great about it is that- this is the first time we have a group effort on the album. Every band member wrote their own parts on this one. On 53 Minutes it was basically just me n my producer in Germany and on Bonus Dias it was our producer, me n Rotten Rollin who is still our drummer to this day.

What’s next?

Lots of rehearsals to get a new setlist together followed by a bunch of shows with the new songs finally seeing the light of day. We should shoot some videos too. We have way too little of those out there.

Any big shows coming up?

The Viper Room and Daddy Diamonds. Oh and now that Adrian, who hates me, doesn’t work at 3 clubs anymore we’re finally gonna play there.

I will announce them as soon as we have the album release date. Also planning shows in San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland and Vegas.

Any last words for your fans?

You guys have alot of Hollywood Apocalypse coming your way. New songs! New shows!!! LETS GO!!!

The heartbeat of the Long Beach underground isn’t found in stadium tours or viral trends; it’s found in the steady, relentless grind of artists who show up, day after day, for their city. On August 13, the Long Beach Art Theater will serve as the backdrop for a milestone celebration of that dedication: the Roaddogstv Recognition Awards. 

This year, the ceremony takes a poignant turn as it prepares to honor two pillars of the local scene—the veteran rap group The Hustle Holix and the legendary Long Beach lyricist Big Supa—with legacy awards for their unwavering twenty-year commitment to the culture. 

A Legacy of Longevity 

For two decades, the Long Beach underground has relied on the presence of artists who hold the line. The Hustle Holix and Big Supa have become synonymous with the “International City’s” hip-hop identity, proving that longevity isn’t just about survival—it’s about evolution and influence. 

The Hustle Holix have been instrumental in keeping the underground spirit alive, not only through their music but through their media presence. Their segment, Hustle Holix Hip Hop Corner on Roaddogstv, is celebrating a monumental 10-year anniversary. For a decade, this platform has served as a vital lighthouse for local talent, amplifying the voices of the LBC and bridging the gap between established legends and the next generation of North Long Beach lyricists. 

Joining them in the spotlight is Big Supa, a titan of the West Coast scene whose career trajectory remains a blueprint for independent success. From his early rise with the West Coast Killa Beez—marking his indelible connection to the Wu-Tang lineage—to his relentless solo output, Big Supa has remained a constant force. With a discography that includes projects like Big Supa Tha Long Beach Pusha and 8 Dayze a Week, and his most recent power moves like the album Long Beach and the anthem “Still Banging Long Beach,” he continues to command respect as a true “Pusha” of the West Coast sound. 

The Ceremony: A Night for the Culture

The Roaddogstv Recognition Awards at the Long Beach Art Theater are set to be more than just a trophy presentation. It is a moment of reflection for a community that has weathered industry shifts, economic tides, and the changing landscape of California music. 

By honoring The Hustle Holix and Big Supa, Roaddogstv is highlighting the importance of the long game. These artists have chosen to build from the ground up, turning their passion into a permanent fixture of Long Beach history. 

As we look toward August 13, the message is clear: while the trends may come and go, the legends who stay true to their roots are the ones who build the foundation upon which the future is written. Congratulations to both The Hustle Holix and Big Supa—thank you for twenty years of keeping the city’s heart beating.

In the attic he is bitten. Rats escape and unwittingly find sanctuary underneath the van of the paid mercenary genocidal human death machine , The Bad Soul.

The rats lay dormant in the van for days, convulsions, mutating, not awake but not quite dead incubating the disease. the twisted cocktail of bio-toxins intimately weave a new strand of sickness we find ourselves biologically fucked and now the true world order begins.

Attending an HTTH show the following weekend. The rats make their way into the club hypnotized and lethal. Motivated to kill.

The metal scene is the first to be exposed after incubation, Mojo El Diablo anti-propaganda machine greets the vermin with a war cry a work of art wrought with angst and above all else inspired for the Lost anarchy, blank pages are penned. the New New Testament is found deep within latest edition. His blood stream is saturated with enough blow to combat infection but even the sickest in society are turnt up. A suitable host for the afterlife party.

TO BE CONTINUED

“The intuition condition” True or hype

 Welcome to my column. 

I would like to address the state of using your intuition. It’s a long journey to get to the center of You’re authentic being, especially with all the chaos surrounding Obstacles of distractions.

 Immediate  gratification equals third eye calcification.  The hustle and bustle of the daily grind. It’s an Unconsciously long road to understanding that you always knew better the whole time by employing  impairment of stopping self sabotaging  tactics. Utilizing it as precautionary sense, avoiding unnecessary risk of tower damaging moments until we finally understand the true selves knew before we did. Authentic Awakening literally means before hand Knowledge is key. There is no goal Unconscious discovering never stops. We shouldn’t look for answers.

 We should just listen to them. 

To figure it out, go inside without a doubt

 I would like to share a safety precaution with acquaintances following a distressing experience: when interacting with unknown individuals, particularly those from online marketplaces to exercise most control of enabling caution is paramount. 

This is my most recent experience. 

A true account of what transparency.

These indeed are actual factual 

real Lifeline destiny changing events. 

I posted a DVD on Marketplace and received an inquiries from an interested party. We agreed to meet at a gas station; however, upon the individual’s arrival, I noticed a discrepancy between the person in the profile picture and the one standing before me. Fortunately, I had a friend observing from a distance and my dog did not accompany me as I told the buyer 

I would have with me. The buyer’s demeanor I would deem highly suspicious, and it became apparent that he had obtained my personal belongings information from a prior encounter at an event.

 This unsettling experience underscored the significance of trusting one’s instincts and prioritizing safety. Most  accidents occur within 3 miles of home.

Two individuals were involved that I was aware of that which leaves me three or more optional Scenario situations that could be concurring.

 One pretending not to be the buyer 

and another who did not match the profile picture that said he was the buyer. 

Had my friend not provided support, 

the situation could have escalated severely.  This ordeal left me feeling apprehensive and raised major concerns about the extent to which lengths an individual would go to acquire a personal-item of mine. What is the Santa Maria is going on? 

No ill forged against me will ever Prosper. I’m finally non revengeful with no choice of option in the matter as I am your mirror. When you summon unholy order over me you’ll most definitely  shall receive that  said blessing times three what goes around comes around by the power of three. It’s the universal flow of matter.

Consequently, I will be more cautious

 in the future and advise others to do likewise. I didn’t liketo complain,
but I don’t to back down either.
I just wanted to throw out a little 

friendly safety shout out to everyone that 
when you’re out at a new place may you 
not  forget to turn your Wi-Fi off !

I noticed something very different and group stocking stalking. It’s a little bit in a long process. This way our brain doesn’t get to connect the 123 because of the time loop in between that’s where the word regret comes from knowing better but too late to do anything about it, but not today. Here we go.

This gentlemen that walked up to me

at a venue. Says I like that kiss bag
Oh thank you sir

where can I get one? 

Well I post on marketplace
I was distracted momentarily after that, the person left. No goodbyes just gone. I observed him pulling out of valet parking 

at the venue where I was  attending. He stood out to me. He was a different breed than our fellow rock crew and then Suddenlyhe was just gone. 

Like a bat out of hell. Before I could check out the white walls of his profile and his Choice of shoes, the mystery quickly became a memory. Never do business 

with anybody that’s wearing flip-flops. 

A while goes by and I check
in my marketplace Messages and 

there’s a gentleman in message
there ~ we’ll just call him “lil d

lil d)
I’m inquiring about your item for sale. 

Is the DVD still available?
ME)
Yes it is.
One weeks later ~ a new message ;
Lil d)
Sorry I haven’t got back to you.
I was out of town.
But I’m still interested.

Week later, New message ;
lil d) I just drove in from 

Huntington Beach. I’m in West Hollywood

Me) I’m busy doing what I gotta do
when I get back to him much later 

perhaps line it up for the next day
He’s reply’s immediately to me
It’s approximately 1130 at night.
ME)
I tell him I’ll meet him
outside at the gas station.
My friend works in there.
I’ll have my Chihuahua with me.

~He says, you had mentioned
you had kiss items.
~ in person  later,

he tells me it’s a gift
I need something for a 

collectors birthday  this weekend.
not thinking, I take a picture of my kiss

 gig bag that I only rarely really take out. 

He says ~I’ll take it. 

Great, I reply okay.  
let me know when you’re close.
I’ll meet you outside

… Meanwhile, I ask my neighbor

Can you watch me out of your window 

cause I don’t know this dude. 

She happens to go downstairs
We watch each other‘s back.

I get a message from
Little D. It says I’m here …

I look over things. 

Ginger to the left and I recognize as  the 

man in the profile picture of the 

aka buyer from marketplace 

I signal him with my hands to 

roll his window down.
I say are you lil d ?
He laughs oddly
and says naaaaaa

I’m like oh Ok I’m an astonished,
and was a bit off my game cus I’m in pain. I only have so many hours in a day 

For anybody that knows about that MS gate The first four hours are excellent but the hours following sadly I slowly slip away inter frozen swollen mid drift fused spine. scoliosis and  MS triggered sort of living hell so I make sure to use the time that I have with passion projects. Out 1 day down equals two days down. I’ve been this way since the showdown few years back. 

As Bonnie says to me. 

 “You shouldn’t walk all

 the way up to that truck. 

ME) But  I thought that was the guy.

So I walk to the right
towards this gas stations
and the guy pulls in the gas

 station and yells toward me.
“hey Constance, it’s me”

Nothing like the redhead 

that was in the profile picture. 

I didn’t put it together at the time
this dark haired devilishly debonaire gentlemen pulls up  and rolls down the driver’s side window of his beemer. 

He seemed a little nervously eager vibe  

but yet calm slow cool enough with no Apparent Plan B. It wasn’t his first rodeo.
He’s had something in his left hand
but it’s like if his hand was on the 

ground or lower front seat driver floor. 
so I don’t over lean my head to the 

opening of the window and signal Bonnie to please come over when that happens.

He sets down whatever it is
and he says
“I just want the bag
holding the money inside to where
I’d have to reach my arm in for it and

 I don’t. I stand back slightly and 

I pray to myself outloud “Not today santonia!

lil d)says I’m a fan!”

~It still doesn’t register with me

I smoke and reply that I have the whole season here for you the DVDs?

Reluctantly lil d )
Yes OK I’ll take them

He commits telling me what a 

pleasure it is to have met me
and again that he’s a big fan of mine. 

That’s it. The counter is over. I walk away with Bonnie. The other guy still parked on the left where my front door is.

Soon after I m in my casa 
and I see there’s a notification
for a new marketplace message
and I open it and it reads..
Can I have your phone number ? We discussed this other KISS memorabilia and that we would be in touch.

I give him my text number.
I don’t notice that he’s called.
I see a missed call.
I don’t call it back.

I look at my text and now it says; 

“Now, I can do this proper~

JUST IN CASE
I L U
You’re gorgeous.
Next time we can spend more together.”

After a while, I’m stressed. 

Buyer number one fake?  

Buyer number two fake. 

Who is who at this point 

was yet to be all determined.

I realize and revisit look the  

gingers profile picture after I just 

rated this nice dark hair devilishly debonaire gentleman ops. 

I said holy shit to myself outloud. 

This is the gingersnap that was 

in the left vehicle looking off the beatnik. 

I remember him from walking my dog earlier before all this would facetiously happen. Coincidentally on the left Ginger 

was already out there when I would get correspondence from From lil d buyer. 
Validating he had been stalking for a while.

The man to the left that 

said he wasn’t
so why was there two men ? 
one to my me to the left at my front door.

The other man to the right of me.

What wouldn’t happen ?
if my friend didn’t watch my back?
and I would’ve just showed up
with my Chihuahua.

I indeed met at that man
the buyer at the venue prior
when he introduced himself to me.
why would somebody go out of their way from Huntington Beach. 

Assuming that’s true and then 
wait all day in West Hollywood. Im imagining wherever  he was complaining that just at the strip wasnt the same ….

Just  to get my kiss concert bag?
My personal effect?
sight unseen, no post
No pic or no nothing
At this point, he didn’t even know detailsz 

This makes me very uneasy  .
We all need to watch ourself better
That’s kind of rare.
And fake and VERY QUESTIONABLY-UNLIKELY SAFE. Trust your intuition. The devil really is in the details and he’s very distracting. New priorities can save your life from  unnecessary tower moments at bay.  Slay safe out there. It’s definitely seems to be a new world without order. 

We’s back with Thad Law, and his hew band Fast Hammer, and here’s what he’s gotta say.

Thad:  We certainly have a blast every time we come to Hollywood, and I am sure this Nickstock will be no different.  Just to clarify…FastHammer was founded over a decade ago by Toni Aleman, but I have jumped on board relatively recently.  He does not know this yet, but I will refer to him as Toni “Aeolian” because of his rich minor Malmsteen tonality, and mastery of music theory, which blows my mind every time we talk about it.  This is a four-piece project, and amounts to a 4-to-5-hour catalogue of juicy, guitar rich, kick ass rock/metal music.  Toni handles all the guitar parts.  

Any shows lined up?  

Thad:  Well, since last time we chatted about this, I probably mentioned the various projects I am involved with, and the notion of “drummer drama” that has tended to be the rate limiting step to progress and booking.  I don’t want to jinx it or anything, but we seemed to have remedied the situation, having found Joey Aguirre, who has signed on as our permanent chairman of temporal mechanics.  He is a beast, and we are all happy with what he has brought to the project.  No drama or bullshit with this fucking guy.  We are polishing the above-mentioned catalogue, and are fixing to throttle up the booking this fall.  

How as NAMM?  

Thad:  I can’t recall.  JK…kind of.  We did not play anywhere, and it was a real in and out for me.  I went out with FastHammer bass player, Darin Huska, who lives near me in Northern Colorado.  He and I tend to be partners in crime when it comes to skiing, mountain biking, jamming, and putting away the beer.  We spent a day and a half of walking around looking at booths and what not.  We saw Tiffany sing at the NAMM jam.  That is about it.  

Any big shows lines ups after Nickstock?  

Thad:  This is how I generally see things as they stand at this moment.  FastHammer is such a large catalogue of material that, in a sense, that has become the umbrella heading, and has eclipsed some of the other projects.   For example, Breaking the Law is still an active Judas Priest tribute.  However, since FastHammer is capable of doing so much Priest, we might say, we may commandeer an entire night, and insert a segment subhead as “Breaking the Law”, with all its unique video support and production.  There are parallels for other tributes in the works, including those for Van Halen, and Megadeth.  Also, I am not sure if you recall a rowdy bunch of piney rogues called “Coloradicals”, who came through here, but that is still an active punk project playing a bunch of smaller shows this summer, in the Denver metro area.  The only difference is that it is now called Amongst Wolves.  

What is next after that?

Thad:  Well, we will just have to see about that.  Honestly, I have never felt more comfortable with the lineup.  Serendipity at its best. We are looking forward to the fall for FastHammer, and in the meantime, I am planning to dabble in the NOCO (Northern Colorado) punk scene.  

Any last words for your fans?  

Two windmills were chatting one day, and one says to the other, “what kind of music do you like?”. The other replies, “I am a huge metal fan”.  That is definitely me.  I love playing more than anything else.