Drummer CARMINE APPICE Talks About KING KOBRA Singer's Sex Change

November 2, 2004

In a recent interview with Sweden's Metalshrine.se webzine, legendary drummer Carmine Appice (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLUE MURDER, VANILLA FUDGE) spoke about the first time he heard that his former KING KOBRA bandmate Mark Free had undergone a sex change and had changed his name to Marcie Free.

"I didn´t have a clue!" Carmine said. "I lived in Palmdale, California which is like an hour from Hollywood. I was outside and putting my garbage out and a friend of mine who used to play with Eddie Money came by. He sells classic guitars now and he went: 'Carmine, did you hear about your old singer?' I said 'Who?' 'Well, Mark Free! He's had a sex change!' I just said 'Get outta here! What sex change?' 'I talk to him every once and a while. What do you mean he had a sex change?' Well, he said: 'He just auditioned for a friend of mine's band and he said he used to be the singer in KING KOBRA and his name is Marcie Free! Pretty fucked up or what?' So I said I didn't believe it. I called Mark up and I go: 'Hello Mark, what´s up?' and he goes (High pitched voice) 'Hellooo!' And I said 'Mark, what's up? We haven't had lunch in a while, why don't we get together in the Valley? How about one o'clock? I'll bring my wife and the kids.' He said 'OK, but I gotta leave at three because I have to go to electrolosis!' I go: 'Electrolosis? Why?' And he just said 'I'll tell you when I see you!' Driving down with my ex-wife and talking about it and my kids go: 'Dad, your friend was a man and now he´s a woman?' And I go: 'No, no, no!' And this was when the movie 'Mrs Doubtfire' was out. So we get down there and we're waiting in the restaurant and he walks in with sweat pants and boobs and he's got make up on and I just go: 'Holy shit!' So he walked in, sat down and said (High pitched voice) 'Hiii!' And I go: 'Hey Mark, what´s up?' He just said: 'I bet you´re a bit surprised!' I go: 'Yeah, but maybe not! You wore more make up when you were in KING KOBRA!' Apparently he´s out of the business because nobody would hire him and he lives in Michigan and works for a mortgage company and has a really boring life."

Read the rest of Carmine Appice's interview with Metalshrine.se at this location.

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