Dannii Lee Damage was born Chiam Levi Danielovitch, in Las Vegas Nevada, on April 27. The only member of the Toyz to not graduate from high school (he was kicked out of his high school in his freshman year for having sex with the school librarian on the Principal's desk, while being videotaped by the Vice Principal, mind you). Despite his lack of formal education, he moved to L.A. and enrolled in, and graduated second in his class from, G.I.T. (now called the Musician's Institute).
After missing out on the lead guitar gig in Steeler, to Yngwie Malmsteen, who had been the only one to graduate above Damage in their G.I.T. class , Damage, like Likki Stixx, worked his way through a number of Sunset strip era bands. (By the way, he may have been beaten by Yngwie at G.I.T., but how much sexier is Damage now than the more-than-a-little porked out Swede?). His, mostly short-lived, stints include a short tour with Plain Jane (eventually Warrant), a period with Vixen (before they went all-female), one weekend with Roxx Regime (before they found God and turned into Stryper), a turn with King Kobra (before Mark Free became Marcie Free), and most notably a tour of Pennsylvania with Paris, which later became Poison, where he was replaced by future bandmate Johnny Emaxx, who in turn was replaced by Bruce Johannassen (who you know as C.C. DeVille).
The newest member of the band, and it's only blond, Damage is the quiet one who the guys wish they were and the chicks want to...have hair like.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Likki Stixx
Likki was born Frank Carlton Serafino Harvey-Jay, on December 11, 1972 (which made him about twelve when he hit the scene), in Seattle, Washington, while his teenaged parents were on a Mormon mission from their home church in rural Arkansas (and no, they weren't brother and sister). Raised in a corrugated tin shack, he was educated either at home or in a one room school house, until the clan (not the Klan) packed up the truck and moved to Beverly...Hills that is, swimmin' pools, movie stars, oops wrong story. After a stint in San Jose, they did move to Hollywood, though, where Likki fell in with a crowd that included fellow drummer Tommy Lee.
Before Broken Toyz, his career was eerily similar to that of Spinal Tap, but in reverse. Whereas the Tap were a band who went through drummers like you and I go through underwear, Likki came and went through bands like a hooker does morning after pills. His stints, some long, some short, included runs with Pretty Boy Floyd, Odin, Cats in Boots, Babylon A.D., Sweet F.A., Kill for Thrills, Harlow, Baton Rouge, Nitro, Zebra, Junkyard, Black Eyed Susan, and Lizzy Borden, kind of making him the Kerri Kelly of drummers. And of course we can't forget his one-night stint as Motley Crue's drummer, some of which can be viewed on YouTube.
But all of that was simply preparing him for the rock 'n' roll pinnacle... drumming for Broken Toyz. His flamboyant and flirtatious stage presence, as well as his hairdressing skills, have added a dimension to the Toyz line-up that has allowed the band to hit that, oh so elusive, next level that bands strive to achieve.
Before Broken Toyz, his career was eerily similar to that of Spinal Tap, but in reverse. Whereas the Tap were a band who went through drummers like you and I go through underwear, Likki came and went through bands like a hooker does morning after pills. His stints, some long, some short, included runs with Pretty Boy Floyd, Odin, Cats in Boots, Babylon A.D., Sweet F.A., Kill for Thrills, Harlow, Baton Rouge, Nitro, Zebra, Junkyard, Black Eyed Susan, and Lizzy Borden, kind of making him the Kerri Kelly of drummers. And of course we can't forget his one-night stint as Motley Crue's drummer, some of which can be viewed on YouTube.
But all of that was simply preparing him for the rock 'n' roll pinnacle... drumming for Broken Toyz. His flamboyant and flirtatious stage presence, as well as his hairdressing skills, have added a dimension to the Toyz line-up that has allowed the band to hit that, oh so elusive, next level that bands strive to achieve.
Johnny Emaxx
Johnny Emaxx was born Jonathon Edward Milton Achilles Xander Xavier Jehosephat III, in the City of Commerce, California, on December 3 (he won't divulge the year, but he's gotta be younger than Gunns). He grew up a gifted, almost prodigious child, attending Spring Hill Private School for Gifted Children, but ran into trouble in his early teens and spent some time in a military academy before doing a short stint in the California Penal System (well known for producing Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn). Similar to Tommy Gunns, he somehow furthered his musical education by lying his way into the Berklee School of Music (for parts of two months, at least).
Like Gunns, as well, he started his musical career in a vastly different vein, playing guitar and lead accordian for a well-known touring polka band, before landing a plum gig with Lawrence Welk's house band. Desperate for a change of pace, he stepped in to do some uncredited guitar work on Slayer's 'Show No Mercy' album. Then he had a brief gig, replacing future bandmate Dannii Lee Damage, in a band, called Paris, that would go on to fame and fortune as Poison. Frustrated by the heavy glam direction that Paris had been headed in he jumped ship, joining Dallas-based Pantera, taking the place of the departing Terry Glaze, and changing that band's course, from being a run of the mill glam metal band, to a much heavier one, which, again, resulted in fame and fortune. Of course, the fame and fortune came after the band fired Emaxx for sleeping with another band member's wife (shades of Richie Kotzen, another tangential Poison story...).
Bummed out, Emaxx headed back to the West Coast. After a particularly rough Tuesday night at Riki and Taime's World Famous Cathouse, Emaxx camped out under a humming freeway off-ramp and woke up looking at the face of his ticket to rock 'n' roll notoriety, Tommy Gunns. Nothing else need be said.
Like Gunns, as well, he started his musical career in a vastly different vein, playing guitar and lead accordian for a well-known touring polka band, before landing a plum gig with Lawrence Welk's house band. Desperate for a change of pace, he stepped in to do some uncredited guitar work on Slayer's 'Show No Mercy' album. Then he had a brief gig, replacing future bandmate Dannii Lee Damage, in a band, called Paris, that would go on to fame and fortune as Poison. Frustrated by the heavy glam direction that Paris had been headed in he jumped ship, joining Dallas-based Pantera, taking the place of the departing Terry Glaze, and changing that band's course, from being a run of the mill glam metal band, to a much heavier one, which, again, resulted in fame and fortune. Of course, the fame and fortune came after the band fired Emaxx for sleeping with another band member's wife (shades of Richie Kotzen, another tangential Poison story...).
Bummed out, Emaxx headed back to the West Coast. After a particularly rough Tuesday night at Riki and Taime's World Famous Cathouse, Emaxx camped out under a humming freeway off-ramp and woke up looking at the face of his ticket to rock 'n' roll notoriety, Tommy Gunns. Nothing else need be said.
Tommy Gunns
Born Thomas Smith Wesson Remington, on the 9th of January 1944, in Heston, Middlesex, England, Tommy Gunns is one of the co-founders of Broken Toyz. After living briefly in the country of his birth, he spent the majority of his formative years in Southern California, before blackmailing his way into the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, Austria.
Following his extensive training on his instrument of choice, the triangle (his first gig in front of paying crowd was in the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, he stuck with the instrument for years), he stumbled into the world of metal with a gig on Hawkwind's Winter 1979 tour, again playing triangle (albeit offstage...).
Moving back to the states he landed a choice gig replacing vocalist Henry Valentine in the Sunset Strip favorite, London. Unfortunately, he was fired after two months, having played no gigs. He then rejoined London, replacing bassist Nikki Sixx, when Sixx left to form Motley Crue. Again, he got fired, this time after two weeks, played no gigs, and was replaced by Blackie Lawless. As fate would have it, he then replaced Lawless in London, when Lawless left to form W.A.S.P. He, unsurprisingly, got fired after two days, played no gigs, and was replaced by some homeless guy.
It was at this point that he started Broken Toyz with Johnny Emaxx, who was not a homeless guy, but who was none-the-less found by Gunns sleeping under a Hwy. 101 off-ramp in Hollywood. The two shared a 40 of Olde English 800 over a couple of open-fire grilled tofu burgers with a side of Ramen noodles, and a lifelong bond was formed.
Following his extensive training on his instrument of choice, the triangle (his first gig in front of paying crowd was in the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, he stuck with the instrument for years), he stumbled into the world of metal with a gig on Hawkwind's Winter 1979 tour, again playing triangle (albeit offstage...).
Moving back to the states he landed a choice gig replacing vocalist Henry Valentine in the Sunset Strip favorite, London. Unfortunately, he was fired after two months, having played no gigs. He then rejoined London, replacing bassist Nikki Sixx, when Sixx left to form Motley Crue. Again, he got fired, this time after two weeks, played no gigs, and was replaced by Blackie Lawless. As fate would have it, he then replaced Lawless in London, when Lawless left to form W.A.S.P. He, unsurprisingly, got fired after two days, played no gigs, and was replaced by some homeless guy.
It was at this point that he started Broken Toyz with Johnny Emaxx, who was not a homeless guy, but who was none-the-less found by Gunns sleeping under a Hwy. 101 off-ramp in Hollywood. The two shared a 40 of Olde English 800 over a couple of open-fire grilled tofu burgers with a side of Ramen noodles, and a lifelong bond was formed.
The World According to Broken Toyz
It was the dawn of the 80's, the era of New Wave had run it's course, thank God, and the world was hungry for something new. Luckily for the masses, a motley crew of musicians, four men from four vastly different backgrounds, came together, and in a cataclysmic rock Armageddon, saved the world for rock 'n' roll. That band was... Motley Crue! And there is no way in hell you can afford to get them to play your personal version of the US Festival (look it up...).
Lucky for you then that around the same time, in nearly the same place, four other equally as creative, yet messed up, musicians wound up joining forces to create the rock juggernaut that is BROKEN TOYZ!! Loud, rude and aggressive (and a bit dirty, just for good measure) the band is carrying the torch of Heavy Metal through the 21st century. Long hair, leather, spandex, and groupies galore, all the trademarks of glam rock and metal are now held by Broken Toyz.
Every song you knew and loved from the days of high teased hair, leg warmers and Tawny Kitaen frolicking on the hood of David Coverdale's precision German sportscar, are brought to life by four musicians who all but single-handedly created the sound of the Sunset Strip in the 80's. You want your MTV heavy-rotation favorites like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and the Scorpions? The Toyz can deliver. You want some Autograph, some Skid Row, some Whitesnake? The Toyz are your boyz. You wanna hear Milli Vanilli, A Flock of Seagulls, Kajagoogoo? Get the hell out of here, you're in the wrong place.
Broken Toyz are 100% unadulterated, 100% genuine, 100% intoxicated... they ARE 80's metal. If you want a rock experience that will make you think it's 1987, and that you still have a chance with that 18 year old you were eyeing up at the mall today, then this is the one for you.
BROKEN TOYZ: THE 80's METAL EXPERIENCE !!!
Lucky for you then that around the same time, in nearly the same place, four other equally as creative, yet messed up, musicians wound up joining forces to create the rock juggernaut that is BROKEN TOYZ!! Loud, rude and aggressive (and a bit dirty, just for good measure) the band is carrying the torch of Heavy Metal through the 21st century. Long hair, leather, spandex, and groupies galore, all the trademarks of glam rock and metal are now held by Broken Toyz.
Every song you knew and loved from the days of high teased hair, leg warmers and Tawny Kitaen frolicking on the hood of David Coverdale's precision German sportscar, are brought to life by four musicians who all but single-handedly created the sound of the Sunset Strip in the 80's. You want your MTV heavy-rotation favorites like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and the Scorpions? The Toyz can deliver. You want some Autograph, some Skid Row, some Whitesnake? The Toyz are your boyz. You wanna hear Milli Vanilli, A Flock of Seagulls, Kajagoogoo? Get the hell out of here, you're in the wrong place.
Broken Toyz are 100% unadulterated, 100% genuine, 100% intoxicated... they ARE 80's metal. If you want a rock experience that will make you think it's 1987, and that you still have a chance with that 18 year old you were eyeing up at the mall today, then this is the one for you.
BROKEN TOYZ: THE 80's METAL EXPERIENCE !!!
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