Ex-W.A.S.P. Guitarist CHRIS HOLMES: Most Lead Singers Are 'Jerks'

Kevin Oakes of Global Onslaught recently conducted an interview with former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the infamous scene in the "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" movie in which he can be seen guzzling vodka in his pool:

Holmes: "I've had a lot of people actually that part in that movie influenced them. When you're younger, you live by, 'Who gives a crap?' And when you get older, now I [am] 56. I didn't wanna make it to 56, but now I wanna live a little bit longer. I've got a few more goals to do."

On his inability to work with singers:

Holmes: "I sing. I sang on my last album [2013's 'Nothing To Lose'] and I sing on this one [next year's 'Shitting Bricks'] and I don't need to put up with any singers on the road. That's the worst thing to anybody that's in a band; to put up with their attitude — singers' attitudes. I will sit here and say that most of them are jerks. They call it LSD: Lead Singer Disease. It's a really bad thing to have. I haven't got it yet. I mean, I might get it, I don't know, if I sing. Gene Simmons [KISS] does; he's got LSD and he's a bass player. He plays bass and he's got LSD, I guarantee you that. Paul Stanley's [KISS] got it. Blackie Lawless [W.A.S.P.] has got it. Bruce Dickinson [IRON MAIDEN] don't; he's a singer. It's kind of weird. Dave Lee Roth [VAN HALEN]. Dave's Dave. I used to hate the guy, but Dave's Dave. His personality…Without him, they [VAN HALEN] never would have made it."

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

Asked if he would ever rejoin W.A.S.P. if had the opportunity, Holmes told Seiska TV: "Never say never. Never say never. You know?! I'm half of W.A.S.P.; I was half of the situation. Even though I am not the voice [of the band], or whatever, I was the driving force of that thing."