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In 1979, when a young Nikki Sixx answered an ad to play in a now-forgotten LA club band, he was immediately turned off by the group's Door-ish jams. But he clicked with the guitar player, Lizzie Grey. The duo shared a passion for the style of the New York Dolls and the music of Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, and Slade. They joined the band Sister, but butted heads with leader Blackie Lawless. Soon the pair started their own band, London. When Nigel Benjamin answered London's ad for a singer, Sixx and Grey were thrilled to work with the former vocalist of latter Mott the Hoople. London tore up and down the Sunset Strip: the Babylon of the 80's. When Sixx jelled with the other players who would become the global phenomenon Motley Crue,he moved on and left Grey in London. (Cousin of actress Rebecca De Mornay) Grey appeared to need nothing but a good time, gigging and swinging while various members moved through the band, and imitators like Poison nabbed the elusive Big Break. Penelope Spheeris even featured Grey in the decadence document Decline of Western Civilization Part II: the Metal Years. After, Grey redubbed the band Ultra Pop. In the early 90's, Grey changed the name again to Spiders & Snakes (Jim Stafford connection undetermined). Defiantly weathering the glam-metal holocaust, the quartet soldiered into the new decade with Grey proudly filling the passe hair star profile. When the black label Cleopatra exploited (discovered?) the connection between glam and goth, the Spiders & Snakes version of "Public Enemy No. 1" ironically made a Motley Crue tribute, Shout at the Remix. The label also backed the fifth Spiders & Snakes record, London Daze. Featuring Grey songs from different phases of his career, the album tacked on three London demos. Momentum slowed considerably when bassist Leigh Lawson died and the band cancelled its London Daze tour. Grey also wrote a science fiction novel, The Digital Church Of Psychedelic Love. -Stone, CheapTrash NYC |