Toney Richards of D-Zire

Interview conducted by email

July 2002

By Cynthia Barton

(click on image at right to visit their homepage)

1. Give a brief synopsis of your band to let readers know who you are and tell everyone a little about each of your band mates.

1) Well, D-ZIRE is a versatile Hard Rock Band that started in Dec. of 95'. We went through a line-up change in March of 98', when veteran Billy Miller replaced original drummer Stell Steel. We actually did a gig in late 97' at a place in Sierra Madre, Ca. called The Sunset (I don’t know if it exists anymore) with the Atomic Punks (The Van Halen Tribute Band-they did a commercial for VISA on T.V. and called themselves Bang Kitty or something like that) anyways, we played with this guy named Wran-who was a fuckin' speed freak because we were already having problems with Stell suffering from Rockstaritis. We could not back out of the gig, so we ended up doing it with only two rehearsals. Wran was so fucked up, that he ended changing the tempo of the songs and speeding everything up. We pulled it off but I was pissed, so me and Byron decided to bring Stell back. In March we had enough and brought Billy in. We have not played out since Sept. of 2000' (our last gig was at Pleasures in Pasadena) because we've been working on our CD The Awakening, which will be released on Sep. 16th of this year. Our two year hiatus will be over in October when we do our CD release party somewhere in Hollywood. This will put to rest all the rumors about us being broken up. My band mates consist of Tomo (T-Man) Nishimura who is one of the best guitarist I have jammed with and that’s saying a lot, cause I've played with a lot of guys that graduated from M.I. and Grove School of Music in the Valley that were very fuckin' good. The thing that separates Tomo from them is that he doesn't have the ego trip and is always practicing to get better and experimenting with different sounds. He is a very humble guy when it comes to his talent but believe me; he can rock with the best of them. His guitar solos are so tasty and catchy that it energizes me on stage. I can be dead beat tired at practice but when T-Man starts soloing, I get this rush of energy that keeps me going. Byron Bahan is the Bass player who is responsible for writing most of the music for D-ZIRE. Byron is great at creating catchy rhythms that Tomo and me feed off of. I have seen him blossom into a very good musician. We may butt heads at times because we don’t always agree on something but we usually take a step back and analysis it before we make a crucial decision on something major. If we still can't decide, then we vote. If its still not settled, we'll flip a coin and fate will ride on that. Byron and me have enjoyed some good times together and a few bad ones as well. We're like brothers though, we always seem to make up and keep on rolling forward to make things happen for the band. Byron is also a descent guitarist and getting better as we speak. He uses his guitar skills to write new tunes. He presently has written seven new songs that I will need to write lyrics to, so the dynamic duo continue to come up with good material. Billy Miller is the drummer.

He is solid and creative with the way he plays and places his fills and accents. I have known Billy since the 80's when we played in competing bands on the Sunset Strip.

He was in a band called Rocking Horse with CuttThroat Guitarist Ken Snyder (who originally moved out here with Billy from North Carolina) and I was in a band called Firestarr. A mutual friend of ours named Ron Carly who was a Nikki Sixx clone, introduced us one night at the Ten-Masa Sushi Bar across the street from the Rainbow in West Hollywood. We would run in to each other over years and always bring up Ron because he was so funny that he used to make girls cry with his sarcastic remarks. Billy is also responsible for back-up vocals, which he more than adequately nails with his strong voice and accurate timing. Since joining D-ZIRE in 98', Billy has pushed the band to become tighter and better. His strong work ethic and lead by example attitude has inspired the rest of the band to follow his lead. He is consistent and on time in his playing as well as master of percussion.

2. What sets your band apart from others? What is the one thing that captures the audience about your stage show / music?

2) Definitely our lyrics and music and of course the message that we are sending out there. Our songs do not all sound the same, so we have a variety of music to play. We can also change gears and go from ballads to more aggressive stuff. There are lots of bands out there that don’t know jack about songwriting because it’s not what’s in anymore. So I guess that would set us apart as well. Our arrangements, I feel, are as good as any big name act out there today. We also feel that we have a responsibility to the audience, to be the best that we can be. That’s what motivates us and keeps us honest. We are not following any trends of today. There is no way in hell, that we will allow ourselves to do that. We know what works for us and we are sticking to it. We've seen a lot of our hero's from the 80's fall prey to this pressure of trying to stay current and it just didn't work for them. It actually ruined some of their careers. I was around in the 80's and I refuse to cut my hair just because it’s not trendy to have long hair anymore. To me it’s always been a lifestyle. This is who I am and I'm not changing for anyone cause there is nothing fuckin' wrong with me. When you have a Mother Fucker in office who purposely started a war and created this entire terrorist shit in order to scare people and line his pockets with money from all the oil that he is trying to claim in Afghanistan--to me that is wrong! To top it off, he is a conservative and he is the President of the most powerful nation on earth. Boy, I think we got way off track. Sorry about that! More on Bush later... Our Image also sets us apart from all these trendy geeks out there. But I guess we're kind of current with that as well. After Billy cut his hair, we now have two shorthaired guys in the band, as well as two long hairs. So there it is and there you have it!

Its a high energy in-your face onslaught of good Hard Rock that’s coming at you loud and clear. We pride ourselves on our live shows because we feel that we are on a level that most bands have not reached yet. Maybe its because we've been together for so long.

As far as our music goes, most of the comments I get- are that our lyrics are intense, our rhythm section is solid and that our guitarist solos are tasty. So when you combine all three elements, how can you not be captivated by it?

3. Describe your band’s music style in depth (i.e. Glam rock, heavy riffed guitars with a loud down beat, obnoxious bass, etc.)

3) A lot of people called us a Glam Band when we first came out because of the way that we dressed and because we wore make-up and painted our fingernails, etc. I don’t mind that, if that’s what people want to associate us with but the truth of the matter is that we are a Hard Rock Band. Someone described us as being a Glammy Hard Rock Band. I think that statement is probably right on the money! I think that if you mix Kiss, Old Van Halen, Skid Row and Poison--you come up with D-ZIRE. We are very 80's influenced but I feel that we have a lot more substance than a lot of those bands had back then.

D-ZIRE is a Ferrari that can cruise and sit pretty but has the get up and go to kick some serious ass when you put it in 6th gear. Just remember, versatility is the name of the game for us!! I cannot stress that enough!

4. How does the music of the 80’s influence your style today and do you think that the resurgence of that style of music will allow for a larger fan base?

4) Well like I said in the previous question, a lot of the music that we enjoyed and our influenced by, had lots of success in the 80's. We realize that its 2002 and that those glory days in Hollywood, are nothing but distant memories now. Without a doubt we are influenced by it but we are just doing what comes naturally to us. We do not want to change because everything around us is. Frank Sinatra played the same stuff for decades and his popularity never decreased. Even today after his death, he is more popular than ever before. Rock Critics will always try to influence the general public on how to think by telling them what’s good and what’s not, based on the current trend that is out there at that particular moment in time. I truly believe that we have reached a point where people are starting to see how fucked up the media really is. They promote who they want to.

Hard Rock and Metal are a threat to the conservative majority. That’s why they totally want kids to disrespect the whole 80's scene. The government would rather have kids of all ethnic backgrounds be exposed to Rap music and its offspring- Metal-Rap-Crap, than listen to real metal. The reason: it promotes violence and it keeps the prison system going....

As far as whether or not I believe there will be a resurgence in our type of music with a wider fan base, I really don’t believe so, at least not at this particular point in time. The whole record industry is in chaos right now with all these allegations of corruption and scams that they've pulled. If Hard Rock and Metal ever reach the mainstream again, it will probably happen after all these scandals are dealt with in court. Their needs to be a whole restructure of the record industry, like a watchdog group that monitors all record deals. The fan base can definitely grow through promotion on the Internet. I think that if we keep it underground and create a scene again like there was in Hollywood during the 80's, but on a much wider scale (thanks in large part to the internet) then this whole thing can explode into something that cannot be denied. That’s control of the airwaves, which in turn will influence a whole new generation of Rockers. I am willing to do my part but the thing is that everyone has to do their share to keep it alive and kicking.

5. Do you find it hard to draw an audience from today’s youth and their boy-band, grunge, and rap influenced music preferences?

5) No not at all! We live in the largest city (population wise) in the country. There are still a lot of people in L.A. and Hollywood that like our kind of music. I don’t think that’s ever going to change here because it has a history of being the groundbreaking place for a lot of bands that are still successful to this day. It’s been a haven for good Hard Rock and Metal and I really don’t see that diminishing. You have to realize that we get a lot of tourists here from all over the world that are aching to go out and party when they get here. That helps a lot as well. The youth movement could be better but there are those that have older brothers and sisters who influenced them with a good foundation of music. Its those kids that seek us out, who in turn influence their friends and so on and so on..... You get the picture! This time around, we are going to concentrate more on the youth movement. Its important to get them exposed to real music and not this forced feed MTV Hip-Hop Shit!!

6. With so many rockers of the past outlasting the young groups of today, do you think that your age and experience will allow for many more years of performing?

6) Most definitely!! Our age and experience will come in handy, as far as being able to handle pressure situations. When we first started out, we were not able to do that but we have found our comfort zone and have maintained consistency because of it. Our experience has also helped us to understand, that drugs and alcohol will only hinder our progress. It’s O.K. to celebrate a good performance every now and then but you cannot let it become a problem. It’s hard to do when you’re on the road because there are so many temptations. So you have to constantly remind yourself that you have an obligation to the audience, to put on a good show, night after night. It’s your job and that’s what you are being paid for. You’re not getting paid to be a tweaker or a lush! A lot of the young groups do not understand that and end up biting more than they can chew!! All of us feel good right now and were still young as far as I'm concerned. We've learned from the bands that we admired on what not to do. Excess and ego was what killed the 80's...

We are about attitude, mental tenacity and questioning authority. Image is important, but not the main focus of what we- are all about! If we continue to evolve as a band and grow and mature together, we could probably play for about 15-20 years. Provided that no one gets on another’s nerves and we avoid internal conflicts at all cost. Our music is good and I believe that people will respond well to it and push us upward, towards new heights of success that we never dreamed of. It is all these factors combined, that will keep us around for a good while!

7. What makes your band better than those others that are trying to make their way to the top?

7) What makes us better, is that we are sending out a good positive vibe that everyone seems to enjoy! Our songs speak for themselves and they have a lot more substance than most of the stuff out there today. Granted, we are a Hard Rock Band and the occasional Cock Rock tune and Ballad are bound to come out sooner or later! But it’s the other aggressive political stuff that shows our diversity. Our songwriting and professionalism all around-- from each band member put us at the higher echelon of talent out there today.... WE ROCK HARD!! But we do it with style and class other factors that make us better than the average trend band of today.

8. What do you take from your influences and incorporate into your show and where do you draw your inspiration for songs?

8) When I first started out, it took me a while to get my routine down. I did not really start taking command of the stage until I joined my fourth band (Pistol Whip). It was at this time in my musical career that I found out who Toney Richards was and what he was capable of doing- in terms of rocking his ass off and being a good front man. By the time I joined D-Zire, I knew exactly how I was going to attack the stage for a particular gig. I am always striving to get better and be the best that I can be. Why?? Because I care about the audience. I used to be part of the audience and I would get pissed off when I saw one of my heroes up there either drunk off his ass or so strung out on dope, that it would hinder his performance to the point of no return. It's the audience that motivates me and pumps me up when I'm up there. I have an obligation to do my best because without them, I would be nothing. I want to get better and keep pushing myself to a higher level. I want to perfect my stage show, if possible. I do not believe in choreography! You should do what your heart tells you to do and let it come naturally. It's always better that way! My high energy, in your face, barrage of stage antics- is only going to get better. I promise you that! I have been influenced by Steven Tyler, Paul Stanley and David Lee Roth. I guess I take a page out of each of their stage personas and have developed my own. When you see us play, you'll see some of those elements (Tyler, Stanley, Roth) come out. But if you watch closely, you'll also see some Toney Richards in there as well. As far as inspiration for songs, it's always been the school of hard knocks for me. My life has been quite interesting. Maybe I'll write an autobiography when it's all said and done. And then again, maybe not-can't remember that far back. Too much dope! But seriously though, if I have not experienced it, then I can't sing about it. The whole process for me is kind of cosmic- the way it all comes together into a hit potential tune. Bad relationships, being incarcerated, being in debt, good sex, being drunk, fighting some ignorant jerk, being depressed, etc. All of these experiences have been inspirational for me. With every experience that you gain whether its good or bad, you start developing your own personal wisdom on what works for you and what does not. I try not to limit myself as far as being too violent or too political or too mushy! Balance is the key...I think that D-Zire has a good balanced array of songs. Hopefully, we can continue in that manner and prosper even more.

9. Do you incorporate a little bit of your past into your music?

9) Most definitely! I think we all do- whether it’s on a conscious level or a subconscious level. You hear a lot of Little Richard and Chuck Berry in the some of the early Beatles tunes. I hear Howling Wolf and Robert Johnson in a lot of the early Stones tunes. When I listen to certain Fates Warning songs, I hear a lot of Queensryche in it. You can't help it! With D-Zire, you'll hear a lot of Kiss and Van Halen. Do you want to know what makes it D-Zire though??? Toney, Byron, T-Man & Billy... Its not Kiss or Van Halen, it’s us!!! We make it D-Zire!

10. Where did the band name come from?

10) We were asked this same question when we did an Interview in Palm Springs for a local cable show out there. It was quite funny! You'll have to see it sometime. I was at the tail end of messing around with speed but that particular night I was on it but the rest of the guys were unaware of it. Anyways, this attractive gal was doing the Interview. I forget her name-not important.. I remember acting a little to arrogant and making these funny faces because my mind was racing a million miles a second. It was a trip! We laughed about it all the way home! And yes, we have it on videotape! But back to your question. The original name of the band before I joined was Antioch. Me and the original drummer (Stell Steel) disliked it with a passion. It’s probably the only time that me and Stell had ever agreed on something- besides tasty Greek Food. Anyways, one day we decided to take a vote on what we were going to call ourselves. It was split 2-2. Byron and T-man wanted Antioch and me and Stell wanted Dezire. Since it was a tie, we ended up flipping a coin. Well I guess you know who won. Or as the gal in Palm Springs said, maybe it was fate! I truly believe that it was. I think that D-Zire was definitely pre-destined for us. It’s a great name- I think. We had to trip out the spelling because of legalities but we are happy to say that we own the trademark in the U.S. for the name D-Zire. It is rightfully ours.. So that’s the story behind the name!

11. Describe your fan base.

11) Our fan base is people from the ages of 27 and up. They are located mostly in Southern Cal, parts of Northern Cal, Arizona and Nevada. However, we do have a fan base in the South, East Coast and Midwest. Out of the country its great! Germany, England, Spain, Italy, France, Japan, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland. I think that fans outside of the states appreciate us more because they do not like all the rap or rap metal crap that’s out there now. Europe has always been very receptive to our style of music and we truly appreciate it. Australia, Japan, South America, Canada they are all great for keeping Hard Rock and Metal alive! My goal is to concentrate more on my own country, especially the youth movement. It’s very important that we focus on the kids. They are the future! If we hit it big in the States, there wont be anything that could stop us. It’s an uphill battle but we are up for the challenge.

12. Where do you see your band in 20 years?

12) Old, gray and probably a grandfather. My little girl will be 27. Hi Manda Mae!! Hi Lauire!! I could say that right??? Well I did anyways, so tough turtles!! Just kidding! Maybe married, divorced and married again-No Way!! I'm only getting married once and that’s it! I guess I totally fucked up this question didn't I??

What you originally asked was where do I see the band 20 years from now right? See it’s that 80's ego flashback thing without the dope. It’s always worse without booze or happy pills. Maybe inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame. No I take that back, politics even in that. Kiss has not made it yet and they've been together for 30 years. Maybe we
can be the first band to play on the moon! That would be cool! What was the question?? Ha! Ha! Ha! Hopefully together and still rocking hard!!

13. Can you tell us some of the big named bands you have had the privilege of auditioning for and / or working with?

13) In the 80's I auditioned for Rough Cutt when Paul Shortino left to join Quiet Riot. Niji Management (Wendy Dio) was responsible for setting up the auditions. It was a great experience to go in there and show them what I had but it sucked that I did not get the gig! I guess it wasn't my time yet. Recently I auditioned for Michael Wilton's solo project. Michael is the guitarist for Queensryche in case people don’t know who he is. Anyways, I came very close to getting the gig but no cigar. It was very frustrating but hey, things happen for a reason! I feel that D-ZIRE needs my 100% of my undivided attention right now because we have something very special going and I would like to continue with it at this point in time. I wrote a very cool tune for Michael's audition that will definitely turn people on to very soon. It deals with the 9-11 George Bush scam and how he was responsible for everything that happened. Its real deep stuff! As far as working with people that have had some fame and fortune. I worked with Darren Householder from Love/Hate for a very short time in 1993 and recently was working with Derek Frigo from Enuff Z Nuff on a couple of songs that I was going to redo. Like I said though, right now-I just want to concentrate on D-ZIRE and not be distracted by anything else.

14. How would you describe some of your previous bands?

14) Torn Image was a Metal Band. Firestarr was a Hard Rock band. Brigade was a Metal Band. Pistol Whip was a Bluesy Hard Rock Band. Slammer was a Sleazy Hard Rock Band. Road Angel was a Commercial Hard Rock Band. I think that’s all of them...The only serious shot I had at getting signed back then, was when I was in Pistol Whip. All we had to do was sign on the dotted line and we would have had a two-album deal with a good indie label. My guitar player refused to sign because he thought that a major was going to pick us up. Well it never happened cause the Nirvana thing and that whole Seattle scene-just exploded. Music as we knew it, was over once that happened. Record companies refused to sign any more Hard Rock acts and started signing everything Alternative. It was a very dark period in my life. The disappointment with the band, me and my girlfriend breaking up. My drug use had reached an all time high. Lets just say that I was not a happy camper. Living in Hollywood at the time did not help matters any--there was dope all around me. I went into a deep depression and started having real bad anxiety attacks and severe panic attacks. I had Insomnia real bad-it was horrible. I was like Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde literally. That’s the best way I could describe it. I'm just happy that all that’s behind me now!! I do have to say though, that every band that I've been in had the potential to really become something potent- but egos, dope, booze and women always seemed to get in the way and fuck everything up!

I think that Road Angel was the only band that I felt had no chance in hell, of ever going anywhere. There were personality conflicts and power trips and there was no magic between me and the guitarist. I feed off of the guitar player and I just didn't feel it with him. I almost gave up music entirely after "Road Kill" as my girlfriend Laurie called them. She would crack me up when she said that!! Being in Firestarr was fun! We had a blast cause it was the 80's and everyone was having a good time! We were really good it’s just too bad that everyone was fucked up. Oh Well! Learning experience! Looking back is all right but I want to look ahead because I truly believe that D-ZIRE has a date with destiny....

15. What is the one song you wish you could have written?

15) Stairway To Heaven! Its just timeless and a brilliant piece of music- the composition and lyrics are great. Plant & Page man! It doesn't get much better than that. My Aunt Iris's husband (my uncle by marriage) had a cousin who was a hippie back in the 60's. His hippie name was Mars Bonfire. He wrote "Born To Be Wild", that Steppenwolf made famous- and was later covered by several other artists. I don’t think he wrote another tune after that but was still living off the royalties he received from that song-somewhere out in Hollywood. A bit of trivia for you!

16. As a Kiss fan, what is your take on the whole makeup issue with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer?

16) Well it’s a delicate subject. When you deal with issues like this one, it’s going to be impossible to please everyone. There is just no way that could happen! True diehard Kiss fans want to see the original line up with Ace and Peter. The new generation of Kiss fans from the Revenge album on don’t really care. They just want to see them in make-up and watch them put on a rocking show! So you have a disagreement between old and new fans. Looking at it from a different perspective, bands like Kiss need to be out there right now-in order to lay down the foundation for bands like us to take over when they retire (which will be real soon from what I've heard). I remember Tommy Thayer from Black and Blue. He is a good guitarist but he's not Ace Frehley. Ace had his chance and wanted to leave and do his own thing for whatever reason. That’s on him! Same thing with Peter. Why should you stop something that you love to do, just because someone else is trying to power trip you or manipulate you into doing something that is not going to be beneficial for the band as a whole. When selfish interests surface, it usually spells trouble. There are too many egos in Kiss and you can't please all of them. All four members were larger than life back in their hey day. There will always be conflict because of that. Look at the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Van Halen. No one is immune from it. I'm happy for Eric Singer cause he's a very cool person and deserves a good paying gig like this one. I met Eric at the Troubadour in West Hollywood and had a couple of drinks with him. We opened up for Gilby Clarke when Eric was playing with him. He is an awesome drummer but again he is not Peter Criss. As long as Kiss keeps playing and putting on great shows wherever their tour takes them, then we will all be one step closer to influencing a new generation of kids- that playing an instrument, is a lot better than talking shit through a microphone with programmed drum beats and some other clueless idiot going Yeah! Yeah! ..... Talent less wonders come and go a true musician withstands the test of time and hold his own. If Kiss can keep on rockin' hard with this line-up, the let it be! Look at the big picture--Hard Rock is becoming an endangered species. We cannot let it become extinct. If Kiss can keep it going, then don't bitch and get your ass out there and support them! Enjoy the show, until the next wave of Hard Rock and Metal surfaces. D-ZIRE will be that next wave. So there it is and there you have it! Keep on Rockin' People! Now more than ever, we have to stick together and make a stand and fight for what we like.... Good Hard Rock & Metal!