Ex-KINGDOM COME Singer KEITH ST. JOHN Recounts 'Spinal Tap'-Esque Story Involving JAMES KOTTAK: He Was 'A Complete Mess'

In a new interview with We Go To 11, powerhouse vocalist Keith St. John (MONTROSE, KINGDOM COME, BURNING RAIN) was asked to name one "Spinal Tap"-esque moment" of his career, a reference to the classic 1984 film mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" and the fact that many bands have talked about having experienced similar situations that the members of SPINAL TAP found themselves in. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm gonna say this because [late KINGDOM COME and SCORPIONS drummer] James [Kottak] is up there, and he knows I love him, and I know he loves me more than anything in the world. And it's no secret to anybody on this planet that knows who James is that he had an alcohol problem, and he had a bad problem. But we tried to help him fight it. Members of the SCORPIONS tried to help him fight it. And no matter how much you do, how much you pay for, how much you coddle somebody and how much you help them try, nothing will ever get through it until they decide they wanna end it, until they've seen the dark side. Well, James never saw the dark side, and it's really unfortunate for us 'cause we lost a great talent."

Keith continued: "We went on this ground tour with a sprinter van and drove down and through certain areas of like Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. And we worked our way down to where James and [KINGDOM COME guitarist] Rick Steier grew up, in Louisville, Kentucky. And it was the first gig in James's hometown. So we got there and we got to the point in the song — I can't name the song right now; there's a song we did where James typically did it as long drum solo. And during the SCORPIONS he got famous for these drum solos where he would take off one shirt, show his back, and then say 'you kick ass' and sit down again, play something on the drums, say something on the mic, say something else, take off the next shirt. And then the tattoos would say the same thing the shirt said, or something that he'd make a joke about and do all that. And then typically he'd get up on top of the drums, step up on the bass drum and turn around. And I just remember being on stage, and it was hometown, and we're just walking off the stage for the drum solo. And as we're walking off, I just hear this gigantic thud behind me and I feel the stage go. And the only thing it could have been was — the toms of the drums aren't heavy enough to shake my feet as I'm walking. The only thing heavy enough could have been James's body just hitting the ground. And I was, like, 'I don't wanna look back.' We were walking off stage. And it's just that moment, man — that moment in his hometown with all the people he went to high school with and whoever else was there, he just got so tanked that he just completely lost it and just became a complete mess. That was his 'Spinal Tap' as it gets, man."

St. John added: "The funny things in 'Spinal Tap' are when the guys are in the. automatic cocoons and one guy's [cocoon] doesn't open. It was reminiscent of that. James was doing the superstar thing, getting all the way up on the drums, drummer standing up on the drums., doing the Jesus pose and then just falling."

Keith concluded: "There you go, man. That's one of the biggest 'Spinal Tap' moments I remember. It wasn't too bad. I mean, some guys went out there and helped him get up. People were very supportive because they all knew kind of what was going on. But still, I was, like, man, everyone's got the smartphones and everyone's rolling tape. And I've had those as singers. It's happened, stuff happened where I'm, like, 'Shit, I hope nobody had their smartphone rolling.'"

On January 24, St. John will stage a concert saluting iconic American rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose at The Grand Theater in Anaheim, California. The tenth-anniversary celebratory concert highlighting Montrose's career will feature his greatest hits from early MONTROSE, Edgar Winter, Van Morrison, GAMMA and more. Additionally, the show will feature surprise cameos, speakers, never-before-seen video clips and other raw footage, showcasing Montrose's career.

St. John was with MONTROSE for the last 13 years of Ronnie's life. The band was on top of the charts in the 1970s when Sammy Hagar was vocalist, with tunes like "Rock Candy", "Bad Motor Scooter" and "Rock The Nation". When St John teamed up with MONTROSE, the band continued to entertain until right before Ronnie's death, filling clubs and festivals around the world. St John wrote many unreleased tunes with Ronnie Montrose, some performed at concerts throughout their years together.

It has been ten years since the first "Ronnie Montrose Remembered" memorial celebration took place and St. John wants this special anniversary edition of the show to be as scintillating as the first.

"Ronnie's contribution to rock music in the early '70s was the rock and roll bible for many of the up-and-coming great American rock guitarists for the next two decades more than he probably ever realized or gave himself credit for," Keith said. "I really want to give those who really appreciate Ronnie the chance to get together in a loving dynamic concert setting where we can all really dig in and enjoy each other through the commonality of Ronnie's music."

Kottak, who was open about his battle with alcoholism, died in January 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 61. No cause of death had been given.

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

Kottak was married to Athena Lee, the sister of MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee, from 1996 to 2010.