Why Reunion Of KINGDOM COME's Classic Lineup Failed To Materialize A Decade Ago

In a recent interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series, KINGDOM COME guitarist Danny Stag was asked if there had ever been any attempt at a reunion of the band's classic lineup in the three and a half decades after the original group abruptly broke up for personal reasons in August 1989. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In 2014, we all agreed to put the original five back together. And we actually got to the point where we had an agent and shows were being booked and we were gonna start rehearsing out in L.A. And Lenny [Wolf, original KINGDOM COME singer] flew out from Germany, and we got through one rehearsal, and it fell apart because James [Kottak, KINGDOM COME drummer] had to go back to play with SCORPIONS. SCORPIONS had told James, 'Yeah, we're winding it down. We're only doing 50 or 60 shows a year now.' And Klaus [Meine, SCORPIONS singer] knew that James had been talking about putting KINGDOM COME back together and he knew there was a market out there for it. And it was like a dream of [James's] — the guy that quit, funnily enough, he wanted to put the band back together. [James] always loved the band. He loved [bassist] Johnny [B. Frank] and I and [guitarist] Rick [Steier]; we were all great friends. And so what happened was SCORPIONS said, 'Yeah, James, you can do KINGDOM COME now with our blessing. Just don't double book. If we have a show, don't book a [KINGDOM COME] show on any of the dates where there's a SCORPIONS show. And you're still gonna get paid the same way.' He wouldn't have to change his contract or anything. They just said, 'If you wanna fill in some days with KINGDOM COME, that's great.' So that's what we were gonna do. Then Klaus had surgery on his knee. He was in the hospital, and he's a sober guy. He was in the hospital, and they had him on painkillers and all this stuff, and he had a change of heart, and he told James he couldn't do it. And we had already put it in motion. Yeah, they said, 'We're gonna do another record.' Remember how SCORPIONS retired about six times in the last 10 years? This was this was one of those times. And they said, 'You have to come back. We're going in the studio and we're doing a tour.' And James had no choice. Well, he didn't wanna throw away a lot of money and screw the band over. So he said, 'I'm sorry, guys. We can't do it.' He was in tears. He felt really bad. And so Lenny went home, back to Germany."

In an interview this past March with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, Frank gave a slightly different version of why a reunion of KINGDOM COME's classic lineup failed to materialize a decade ago. He said at the time: "We tried to do [a KINGDOM COME reunion] in 2015 when Lenny was still in the band. James had a year off from the SCORPIONS, so he said, 'Let's do some KINGDOM COME. ' And Lenny was into it. We were getting those big bucks, 'cause it was all original members and we hadn't done anything in 30 years, 29 years or something. So there was a big buzz about us. And then James went to his doctor that afternoon — we were gonna rehearse that night with Lenny and Rick and Danny and everybody — and he told his doctor, 'I'm an alcoholic.' And his doctor said, 'Well, let me prescribe you some Valium.' So he thought, 'Okay, I'll just take a Valium before rehearsal and then I won't need to drink.' And then when the Valium started kicking in, he thought, 'You know what would go good with this? Some Jack Daniel's.' He felt that buzz coming on, and he was, like, 'I've gotta finish this off.' An hour later, he actually fell off his drum stool, and Lenny said, 'That's it. I'm going back to Germany.'"

In 2018, Kottak seemingly confirmed Stag's version of events as it related to the failed reunion of KINGDOM COME's classic lineup, telling NJArts.net: "I wanted to [put the band back together] in 2012 or 2013 and I had the entire band assembled, including Lenny here in L.A. And then I got this call from … Klaus Meine and he said, 'James, we've [SCORPIONS] been on our farewell tour for a few years but I have to ask you, can you not play with anyone else? Because we've decided not to say farewell, we're going to do another album.' Well, I said, 'My allegiance is with you guys,' so I had to go along with the boys, because they're like family."

The new lineup of KINGDOM COME — featuring Stag, Steier and Frank, along with the band's latest additions, vocalist Ezekiel "Zeke" Kaplan and drummer Matt Muckle — played its first two shows on March 15 at The Lamp Theater in Irwin, Pennsylvania and on March 16 at The Mercury Music Lounge in Lakewood, Ohio.

In February, singer Keith St John announced his departure from KINGDOM COME after a five-year run with the band.

St John joined KINGDOM COME in 2018 after Wolf opted not to be involved in the group's reunion alongside Kottak, Stag, Steier and Frank.

St John's exit from KINGDOM COME came just a month after Kottak died at the age of 61.

Earlier in February, Stag, Steier and Frank launched a new web site at kingdomcomerockband.com where they revealed that they would carry on under the KINGDOM COME banner with the addition of Kaplan and Muckle.

Kottak, who was open about his battle with alcoholism, died on January 9. No cause of death has been given.

KINGDOM COME had used a different drummer, SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias, instead of James for most of the band's shows in the last two years due to Kottak's deteriorating health.

Prior to Kottak's death, KINGDOM COME's most recent touring lineup consisted of St John and Elias alongside Stag, Steier and Frank.

Kottak's daughter Tobi told TMZ her father passed away in Louisville, where he lived until 1987, although further details about the exact circumstances weren't available.

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.