Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: June 2011

Brian Rademacher: Hello Mike and welcome to RockEyez

The band started in 2008, before that you were in different bands. Were they 80’s glam

also?

Mike Nazzty: We played rock music but not necessarily just 80´s glam. We

did stuff like G´N`R, UFO, THE HELLACOPTERS, THE CLASH, and even

some punk tunes like RANCID or BAD RELIGION. Basically all the

songs we liked.

Brian Rademacher: You just sent over your debut EP with four tracks. I must say “Roll The Dice” is an excellent tune and really standout…

Mike Nazzty: Thank You!

Brian Rademacher: I’ve read that they are comparing HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS to RECKLESS LOVE and CRASHDIET. How do you feel about that?

Mike Nazzty: Well...people always like to compare things, you know...bands,

beer, tits...whatever...and since most of the "big new glam/sleaze bands" are from Scandinavia, it´s pretty obvious that they like to compare us with those bands. Actually we don´t look around that much, you know. As far as I’m concerned, rock music reached it´s peak with UYI 1& 2 by GUNS´N´ROSES...nothing ever came close to that...so i didn´t feel the necessity to listen to "new" music...I’m pretty much an "old-school-guy", you know.

Brian Rademacher: For a fairly new band you seem to go the extra mile with the release of the EP, gatefold cover and quality. Are you happy with the release and the production?

Mike Nazzty: Yeah, we´re pretty happy at the moment. I mean...as a musician, you are never satisfied with your product - it ‘keeps you from standin’ still and drives you further but it´s the best thing we could right now, so...yeah! We´re happy.

Brian Rademacher: Now the band is from Germany. I really don’t think Germany is a popular place for glam rock, is it?

Mike Nazzty: It´s pretty tough, that´s right, but that´s a problem every that’s what bands has to deal with...no matter where you come from. The Germans like rock music in general, and we met quite a lot of enthusiastic fans here, so we are pretty confident.

Brian Rademacher: If it is! can you turn us on to other glam bands that you would recommend?

Mike Nazzty: As I said, I’m an old-school-kinda-guy, so let me think for a minute...We did a show with DIRTY PENNY in Switzerland last year and they we´re pretty cool. And i recently discovered an Italian band called JOHNNY BURNING which I like.

Brian Rademacher: I heard you also teach guitar. Can you tell me anything about that?

Mike Nazzty: Well...I started playing when i was about 10 years old...went to a music college when i was 19/20 or so to study rock/jazz guitar...and started teaching at about the same age. I really like teaching guitar...it´s great to see the students getting better and better every week/month or so...you know...to watch them evolve. Every now and then it makes me think about how I started.

Brian Rademacher: I would say your vocals are similar to Mike Tramp of WHITE LION. Who are your vocal influences?

Mike Nazzty: When i started, there were two major influences – AEROSMITH and GUNS’N’ROSES. I just couldn´t decide who i wanted to be, you know...Axl /Steven or Slash / Joe...so I ended up doing both, ha-ha-ha...so I guess Steven Tyler and Axl Rose are two of my major influences although i would never compare myself to them.

Brian Rademacher: When you were in your youth what‘s some of the bands you listened to?

Mike Nazzty: My dad showed me a lot of classical rock bands, when i was a

kid...DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, TOM PETTY, LED ZEPPELIN, DIRE STRAITS etc...At the age of 8/9 i started to discover heavier bands like IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH. KISS, METALLICA, SCORPIONS etc...and of course the obvious ones like GNR, BON JOVI, RATT, SKID ROW, UGLY KID JOE and so on.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel glam is making a comeback?

Mike Nazzty: Yes, I do think glam is making a comeback, but not like back in the 80´s. I think the "new" glam sound is way heavier and more into metal as it was back in the day. The last 15 to 20 years of new metal crap left it´s marks, you know.

Brian Rademacher: So far what was the highlight so far being in HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS?

Mike Nazzty: The last few years were pretty crazy, so it´s hard for me name

THE highlight...maybe i can tell you more the next time we talk ;-)

Brian Rademacher: Were there other names that you were thinking about beside HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS to name the band?

Mike Nazzty: Yeah!!! But unfortunately...or fortunately I can´t remember...we drank way too much the night we picked the name.

Brian Rademacher: What made you go in the direction of 80’s glam?

Mike Nazzty: It´s the sound of our childhood, you know. We all are familiar with the bands, the songs and the looks and none of us could really deal with the "new-shit", so we decided to play the music that we love. It comes right from the heart, so to speak.

Brian Rademacher: Is it difficult having a chick Chrizzy Roxx in the band?

Mike Nazzty: been a problem. Besides...Chrizzy is a great musician, so why

bother?

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel that HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS will make an impact in Germany and what is the goal of the band?

Mike Nazzty: I´m not a clairvoyant so i think we´ll have to wait and see what the next couple of month will bring. Basically we love making music! Of course we try to get as far as possible, but you cannot force anything, so we keep doing what we do.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel that you have to play United States Dates to be successful?

Mike Nazzty: We´d love to play in the US! The American market has definitely a big influence on a bands career especially in that genre. But...at the end of the day, you have to be real to have success, you know. The fans can figure out pretty well if you

are true to what you´re doing, or if you´re in the game only for the money.

Brian Rademacher: I see you are playing Shout It Out Loud Festival with CINDERELLA and BONFIRE June 18. Will this be a huge step for the band?

Mike Nazzty: Well, we can reach a lot of rock´n´roll fans with that concert, so hopefully it´ll help us to get a little bit more popular. And it´s a great lineup, so i think we can definitely learn shit from the "big guys", you know! Besides that I´m a huge CINDERELLA fan and I´m really looking forward to seeing the guys. Especially since Tom got his voice back! He sounds amazing!

Brian Rademacher: When playing shows is their anything you ask for special?

Mike Nazzty: Basically a mixing guy who doesn´t tell me: "Turn your fucking

Marshall down!!! It´s waaaayyyy too loud!" ha-ha-ha...no, we´re pretty down-to-earth-guys, you know. We don´t ask for anything fancy.

Brian Rademacher: Well Mike it’s been great talking with you and I hope fans support the band and buy the new EP HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS. Would you like to say anything in ending?

Mike Nazzty: Thank you...it´s been my pleasure! Stay tuned because we have a lot of things in stock for the next couple of month! You can follow us on facebook or our website www.hollywood-burnouts.de - there will be an English version pretty soon!