Vince Neil on ‘The Dirt,’ ‘Like a Virgin’
MÖTLEY CRÜE might not be the first band you’d select to cover Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” Actually, they might be the last.
But that song is a single from the soundtrack of the upcoming Netflix biopic “The Dirt,” based on the book of the same title, which chronicles the band’s wild ride to rock stardom. Vince Neil, who splits time between Las Vegas and Nashville, sang the four new songs over the band’s tracks recorded at Tommy Lee’s home in L.A.
Neil was eager to put what he said several weeks ago was “a heavy metal spin on a Madonna song.” The idea arrived from bassist Nikki Sixx, who told Rolling Stone, “I went over to Tommy (Lee)’s house, and (rock producer) Bob Rock was over there,” Sixx said. “I said, ‘I’m gonna play you something and go in the other room so in case you don’t like it, you won’t punch me in the face.’ And Tommy started laughing. I started playing it and all of a sudden, you just saw Tommy’s face light up.”
The reaction was beyond genius.
“I heard the demo and it was like, ‘This is (expletive) genius,’ ” Lee added. “When it drops down into half-time, it gets so heavy. This is right up our alley.”
The L.A. premiere was Monday night, and the film streams on Netflix beginning Friday.
“It’s amazing,” Neil said Monday. “The movie is amazing. You laugh, you cry and you root for the underdogs — us! The actors are amazing. They have not only studied each guy’s mannerisms, but took musical lessons … It’s a movie you’ll want to see over and over.”
Wouldn’t that be, I don’t know … excessive?
Brown in
There was a reason Palms General Manager Jon Gray (hey, his birthday was Monday) dined with Zac Brown at Scotch 80 Prime a few weeks ago — Zac Brown Band will open the Kaos Pool Concert Series on April 7.
Zac Brown Band is one of these bands that, when you refer to it as a country band, hard-core country music fans shoot back, “They are not country!” They are simply versatile rockers with some country flair who are musically superior, led by Brown himself.
He showed his range in November 2015 when he sang “The Way You Look Tonight” during the taping of CBS’S “Sinatra 100: An All-star Grammy Concert” at Encore Theater (this is what you remember when you go to shows every night).
The Zac Brown concert is part of the Kaos grand opening weekend celebration. Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Travis Scott, G-eazy, J Balvin, Marshmello, Skrillex and Kaskade are among the stars performing at the new club and at Pearl Concert Theater.
It’s going to be a show
Any question about how Lena Prima chooses to embrace her family bloodline is answered in the title of her latest album: “Prima La Famiglia.”
The Las Vegas native and daughter of swingin’ lounge legend Louie Prima and singer Gia Maione is embracing her entertainment royalty. Backed by 13 Vegas musicians and rolling through her father’s famous numbers (among a wide range of numbers), Prima headlines Myron’s Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Prima moved to New Orleans eight years ago, but is maintaining a strong connection to Las Vegas, where her father made history by tearing up the lounge scene with Keely Smith and Sam Butera and the Witnesses.
Prima was as childlike as her father during his shows at such haunts as Sahara’s Casbar Lounge and, later, the lounge at the Sands. That makes sense, as she began singing in public as a little girl.
“I think I was five when I first went to his show and was in the audience,” Prima says. “It had a real effect on me, watching my father literally blowing the roof off the place.”
Prima continues, “I remember that spotlight hitting me and it was like, ‘Wow!’ I want to do this!’” She describes her father in those days as “a big kid, like a cartoon character, funny and joking all the time.”
Prima’s new album hit No. 10 in its first week on the Billboard charts — sharing top listing with such superstars as Tony Bennett.
For the Vegas show, she says, “We’re using all local musicians, playing some tracks from the album and some of my dad’s hits, too.” Expect “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Just a Gigolo/i Ain’t Got Nobody,” “Jump, Jive An’ Wail” and “I Want to Be Like You.”
“Those songs still resonate,” Prima says. “I never get tired of them.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
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Two male Arbor View High School students were arrested Tuesday in connection with racially motivated threats made against their school.
2. Jailed Las Vegas lawyer Alexis Plunkett accepts plea bargain
Las Vegas attorney
Alexis Plunkett pleaded guilty to a felony on Tuesday for allowing clients to use cellphones in jail.
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