Ex-WARLOCK Guitarist TOMMY BOLAN Steps Out On His Own In NYC: 'Lead, Follow Or Get The F*** Out Of My Way'

By David E. Gehlke

A self-described "overcaffeinated New Yorker," guitarist Tommy Bolan previously played the role of sideman to German metal queen Doro Pesch in WARLOCK and was consequential in salvaging the sessions for the band's classic (and final) 1987 "Triumph And Agony" studio album. While he's since made additional rounds with Doro, celebrating "Triumph And Agony" and playing on the "All For Metal" cut from her 2018 "Forever Warriors, Forever United" LP, his own aptly and succinctly titled NYC band has been beset by a constant stream of less-than-serious musicians and a lack of record-label support for their first studio album, 2008's "Zyko". Never one to quit easily, Bolan re-launched NYC with a fresh lineup for the release of "Built To Destroy", which recently saw the light of day.

Featuring Bolan on guitars and now vocals, along with former METAL CHURCH bassist Steve Unger and former METAL CHURCH / current W.A.S.P. drummer Stet Howland, NYC purveys a type of no-frills, straight-ahead, meat-and-potatoes metal that has become increasingly rare in an age of endless categorization. It's the album that Bolan has always wanted to make, and he's more than willing to take it on the road in 2026. Before that gets underway, BLABBERMOUTH.NET grabbed Bolan for a chat.

Blabbermouth: You are known for your work with Doro in WARLOCK. What has kept you from doing something on your own, like NYC, for so long?

Tommy: "That's a good question. I had a different version of NYC with different people, then I came back with Doro in 2017. Before that, I was playing with Richie Ramone of THE RAMONES, and I did his record [2013's 'Entitled']. I guess I have to say, the big thing was that Adrenalizing Media, the company that got behind me. [Founder/owner] Markus Liedtke had so much belief. They put everything on the table and the people in front of me, it made a difference. They gave me the ability to produce the record, do the record, write the record, choose my time and cut me a blank check, so to speak. He's so involved with me in the video production; he brought in an awesome team. The oldest story is the truest story: You can have the greatest thing going, but if you don't have the right people on your team, you don't get out of the fucking dugout. It's frustrating and maddening since I'm an overcaffeinated New Yorker who wants shit done yesterday. [Laughs] If there's one thing, it's the sudden appearance of Adrenalizing Media. It's a European company that already knew my history in WARLOCK. He loved the music and turned out to be one of the coolest fucking guys; one of my best friends now. He lit the runway, and I started landing the jets. I called Stet and Steve, boom, boom, bang, and we did the album. Now, it's a sprint to the finish line and beyond. That might be the long-winded answer to your question."

Blabbermouth: It's really as simple as having the right people behind you.

Tommy: "I came close with other people in versions before. People said, 'We'll do this. We'll do that.' On race day, they showed up with a car with no tires. That's it, and we were going nowhere. They showed up with a car that looked beautiful, but there was no engine! I can go on and on about so many things. But this just came together perfectly. I had the material. When I came back with Doro, I did 'Triumph And Agony' live and some of the festivals, 'Forever Warriors, Forever United', which had Johan Hegg from AMON AMARTH, I was all over that. Then the EP and more touring. When that started to close down, that's when I met Markus."

Blabbermouth: Why Stet and Steve for NYC?

Tommy: "I've known Stet for years from Los Angeles. WARLOCK toured with METAL CHURCH a few years ago, so I got to see Stet again, hang out, and watch Steve play every night. So I thought, 'This is the rhythm section from hell.' I started talking to Stet: "I want to do my own project.' He heard of NYC and knew of my reputation as someone who isn't a time waster or out-of-my-mind bullshit artist. There are plenty of people out there like that. He liked it. I started talking to him, then I met Markus in Hollywood at the Sunset Marquis. I was with a friend of mine, Drew, who was talking to everyone in the bar. The next thing I know, he was talking to Markus: 'Do you know the band WARLOCK? That's Tommy Bolan over there.' Next thing I know, we're taking pictures, shaking hands, and we're in business. Stet was right in front of me. I said, 'This is fucking great.' He was living in Vegas at the time. Then, Steve is attached to him at the hip, and Steve's a super-cool guy and a solid bass player. The rhythm section is built in. I told them I got this guy and the company. I flew them out here and threw them in a hotel. We did two days of rehearsal and three recordings. Kenny Meredith did the engineering. Robert Vosgien did the mastering; he's done all the SLAYER records. Next thing I know, I'm thinking, 'Holy shit, someone is coming together.' It was an opportunity where I saw the chemistry. I plugged them in, and it ignited."

Blabbermouth: How did you become the singer for NYC? Most people associate you with just being a guitar player.

Tommy: "I've been singing for years. When I was forming bands before, I got so tired of these singers showing up with an attitude. They were prima donnas, had fucked up habits—the fucking 'me, myself and I' card. I thought, 'Are we doing a band?' I thought, 'Give me the mic.' I started barking in the mic, screaming, shredding. I'm the guy on the New York street corner screaming about everything. I thought, 'Hey, this has a certain aggression. It fit the vibe of the music.' I thought, 'The singer is going to show up. He's going to know the lyrics, and he's not going to be dead-ass drunk.' Not saying that any of the singers I've worked with were like that, but all the stories you hear about those rehearsals were someone comes in, and you go, 'You have to be kidding me? Am I being punked? This guy can't be real, telling me this shit.' I'm not Johnny Ego, but when you have your head out of your fucking mind and have your own entourage — I'm like, 'Do you want to sing?' I thought, 'Fuck it. Give me the mic.' I'm East Coast; I'm a New Yorker dude, born and raised in Queens. It's lead, follow or get the fuck out of my way."

Blabbermouth: The ballad, "Lyin' Eyes", shows you can put down a good vocal melody with some heft as well.

Tommy: "I used to be a music teacher years ago. I took guitar lessons, and I had two teachers. After two years, I excelled so quickly that they asked, 'Do you want to become a teacher?' It was at a known music school in Jackson Heights, Queens, and if I could hear it, I could play it. I'm not saying I'm a fucking savant or any of that shit, but with melody, the stuff I grew up on, my brother owned a stereo, he was playing LED ZEPPELIN, so I heard all the bluesy rock there. He bought DEEP PURPLE, so Ritchie Blackmore and the exotic scales and a different kind of vibe, then came Frank Marino and MAHOGNY RUSH, then I went bananas from the guitar from the live record [1978's 'Live']. I took all three, put them in the blender, and made a mess of it and made me. I'm a big fan of melody when it fits the song. Otherwise, the song, you have to scream your brains out."

Blabbermouth: What led to the decision to make "Built To Destroy" no-frills and just something more straightforward than the norm?

Tommy: "I play music I want to hear. I grew up blasting the SCORPIONS and JUDAS PRIEST. You hear 'Another Thing Comin'', I must have blown the speakers out of my GTO so many times. I conveyed the power and energy. I wrote all the lyrics, and I produced it, so I have control. Of course, Stet and Steve came in, and I said, 'Just be you.' I knew they'd bring the energy that I wanted. They did a phenomenal job. They brought the metal to it, plugged it in and gave me the groove. I played the music I wanted to hear. I listen to everything, but I went back to my roots. They came in and played ten songs, then I had to finish some other songs. I said, 'Give me that acoustic guitar.' My brother, John, had a tape deck that I would turn on in the morning. Suddenly, 'Bron-Yr-Aur' is playing. I heard that every fucking morning!

"The song 'Gasoline', I was sitting by myself in the studio. It's about 'The Burning Bed' with Farrah Fawcett. She was really abused, and the husband was this devil from hell and tortured this poor woman, so one night, in temporary insanity, she snapped, and as I said in the song, 'It's the final ruling,' she set the place on fire. It got the mood and vibe. Then we brought in Vince DiCola for some keyboards. He's done the soundtracks for 'Transformers', 'Staying Alive' and 'Rocky IV', and he did the insane RAINBOW vibe thing like 'Stargazer', then he did some clean piano, and he nailed it. I can start seeing the whole album as having a great flow. Start with 'Heavy As Hell', then 'Twisted'. It got a flow. 'Tired Of Smiling' has a groove, then 'Lyin' Eyes' comes down, then 'Let's Roll [40 Brave]' comes in, which is about Flight 93, 'Central Park' gets mellow again, then you come back with 'Fight'. It naturally came that way. I couldn't be happier."

Blabbermouth: It's a big statement to start your album with a song called "Heavy As Hell".

Tommy: "I've been fed up with so much stuff. I have a saying that's on the back of one of my guitars: 'Fed up and disgusted.' It's self-empowering; fuck it, get heavy as hell or go home. The music fits it, the attitude fits it. I threw it all against the wall and burned right through. It's saying, 'Get ready for what this is about and hopefully you'll dig the journey.'"

Blabbermouth: How old are some of these riffs on the album? Have they been sitting around for a while?

Tommy: "I've had some of these riffs for a bit. Some I created on the spot. 'Central Park' was created in the studio; '244', I had that riff, but finished the song in the studio; 'Gasoline', I made up on the spot. 'Tired Of Smiling', 'Lyin' Eyes', and 'Heavy As Hell' were recent. A lot of it was recent, but most of it was an accumulation of a riff lying around or a bridge or some sections. It all came together."

Blabbermouth: What's "Tired Of Smiling" about?

Tommy: "We've all been in a situation or a relationship, whether it be business or personal, no matter what you do, you're wrong. Someone's talking shit without explaining themselves. Every day you have to be happy, and eventually you get tired of smiling. You no longer like the person. No matter what I do, you won't tell me what's on your mind, you're complaining all the time or not explaining yourself. I'm all about communication. As you probably figured out, I'm an overcaffeinated New Yorker. I have no problem telling you what's on my mind. That comes out in the music, but when it comes to your personal life or business, they start saying all these things, and I say, 'What's the problem?' Enough already! Then you have to live with this? You have to deal with this? Eventually, you're phoning it in. That's why I'm tired of smiling."

Blabbermouth: What's going to be the thought process behind shows for NYC? Is this the sort of thing you will take on the road?

Tommy: "Things are already in the works, believe you me. We're going to be on the road in 2026. I can't tell you with whom. Adrenalizing Media is ramping up the campaign to the next level. They have the strength to get behind us and put us on the road. Stet and Steve are ready to roll. I was talking to some booking agents today. We got a guy in America, already talking about this and that. There's one tour we're talking about, but I can't say what. I'm going to be on everyone's doorstep. Have you ever seen 'Saturday Night Live' and the skit 'The Thing That Wouldn't Leave'? That's going to be me."

Blabbermouth: Are you at all reluctant to hit the road at this juncture in your career? A lot of musicians in your age bracket are starting to do less and less.

Tommy: "I come alive on the stage. To me, that's a big part of who I am. I play different live. It's like jumping in the phone booth and coming out with a big 'S' on your chest and flying around the room. People have met me and go, 'You're calm,' then they see me onstage, and I work myself into a full lather. Doro calls me a 'powerhouse.' Suppose people can get my energy when I bring it to the stage. We're a three-piece, and I've always been in that situation. I can't wait to get back on the stage and bring this for everyone to see. I want people to see this. It's always great when you can take the studio songs and recreate them live so they can become a thing."

Blabbermouth: What has Doro meant to your career?

Tommy: "I'm always going to be the guy from WARLOCK, which I'm very proud of. I did 'Triumph And Agony', and it's come out now more than I did the guitars. I redid the guitars at her request, which nobody ever knew. I did all the leads. When the album was done, and the other guys flew home, the rest of the guitars and the leads, because, if you notice, my guitar answers her voice on it, like 'East Meets West'. She screams; my guitar screams. She says something, and my guitar answers, like 'Metal Tango'. She had the songs with Joey Balin, the producer, and I was there every night. She said in 'Metal Hammer', 'I sing better because of Tommy Bolan's playing. He's somebody I really need now.' That's a direct quote; that was the energy we had. I was very proud of what we did on that album. It meant a lot to people when I came back playing with her. I had so many people coming up to me. That's as big a compliment as you can get. It's great playing; great creating the songs and coming back to the live record and all that stuff and playing 'Forever Warriors' and doing Wacken, I bleed WARLOCK blue."