Lita Ford
It’s that time of year… NAMM 2013!!!
(1/24/13) Day 1 started off very well for METAL SHOP Rocks. Getting to the Anaheim Convention Center was a breeze and very limited traffic. I was able to secure my Golden Ticket (Media Badge) and made a bee line to the Schecter booth to secure a pass for the Saturday night party.
Walking in to the Schecter Guitar booth, the first person I saw was guitarist Gary Holt from EXODUS!!! I was able to chat with him for a few seconds and he let us take a few pictures with him (see below).
Next, the good folks at DR Strings where having a meet and greet with BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler! The line to see him was very long line, but I was able to make my way to the front and collect a quick hello and autograph.
Near the end of the day, I hung out at the Samson Hartke Zoom (AKA Sams on Technologies) booth, where they were holding an autograph session with Geezer Butler, LITA FORD, Frank Bello from ANTHRAX, Billy Sheehan from Mr. Big and a few other musicians.
Just walking around, enjoying the show was bassist Mark (The Animial) Mendoza from TWISTED SISTER. We spoke for a few minutes and took some photos (see below).
It was a great first day at NAMM 2013. Stay tuned for the rest of the weekend and be sure to check out the available product lines of the companies noted here… they are the ones making this happen for us! -Ralph
(1/25/13) Day 2 of NAMM 2013 started off at the Ampeg booth for a meet and greet with AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams. After I introduced myself to him, I asked if AC/DC are working on a new album and he said he couldn’t talk about it with a very coy smile????
Later, I was able to catch JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis and STRYPER drummer Robert Sweet taking in all the new products by Paiste Cymbals. They were both cool allowing us to take a few photos.
It was also perfect timing as Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN), Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX), Dave Lombardo (SLAYER) and Nigel Glockler (SAXON) showed up for a meet and greet with fans. I was even able to catch them sharing cookies that Nicko had in his Jacket Pocket… very funny moment.
More photos have been added below. -Ralph
(1/26/13) For Day 3 at NAMM 2013, it was a day of meeting many artists walking around the convention floor.
First stop was Jackson guitars for a meet and greet with Chris Broderick and David Ellefson from MEGADETH and Scott Ian from ANTHRAX. As we made our way through the massive crowd, we ran into Shawn Drover (MEGADETH), Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Mikkey Dee (MOTÖRHEAD), Bjorn Englen (DIO DISCIPLES), Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX), Kerry King (SLAYER), Frank Hannon (TESLA), Eddie Jackson (QUEENSRŸCHE), Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT), Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN), Rob Trujillo (METALLICA) and non-metal musical legend Stevie Wonder, who had a mob of people walking with him everywhere he went… it was an amazing sight.
Unfortunately, I was not able to see MÖTLEY CRÜE’s Nikki Sixx because there were way too many people in line and if I had waited in line for him, I would have missed everyone mentioned here.
It was a exciting time meeting all the big 80′s metal stars. Check out the new photos added to the gallery below. -Ralph
(1/27/13) Well, NAMM 2013 has come and gone 
… Day 4 was more of a relax day at NAMM … not too many folks and it was easy to walk around the convention center. Dean Guitars was the booth to be at for a meet and greet with Dave Mustaine from MEGADETH. I was able to finally meet Dave and get a autograph!!!
In all, the 4 days where a big success and looking forward to NAMM 2014. I want to thank The Lippin Group for the media badge, Dean and Schecter Guitars for the passes to their parties and a Big Thank You to all the companies that make NAMM happen!!!!! Hope to see you all soon!!!! You Rock!!
Def Leppard, Poison and Lita Ford “Rocked” the quiet suburbs of Orange County on June 22, 2012 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. I got hooked up with a backstage pass and orchestra “1″ seats and had the honor of hanging out with Lita Ford and her two little dogs. Spending surreal moments with Lita in her dressing room after her smoking set was a highlight of my life, for sure. As we were chatting and talking about her new album “Living Like a Runaway,” in walked legendary bassist Glenn Hughes. He and Lita are old friends. She played several songs from new new record including a crazy cover of Elton John’s immortal,”The Bitch is Back”. Killer guitar and awesome vocals, metal’s blonde bitch IS back with a vengeance.
Poison also delivered a rock solid set with hits like “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Every Rose has it’s Thorn.” Don’t get me wrong, I love “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” but I saw the same show on their 2007 tour! Nevertheless, the Poison faithful ate it up. All the middle age ladies in the audience still swooned big time over Bret Michaels’ baby blue eyes and, well, can you blame them?!
The headliners, Def Leppard, were my number one childhood rock heroes and the first band I ever saw perform live back in 1994 when they toured with Ugly Kid Joe. I was really fixated on lead guitarist! Phil Collen with his ripped abs, bod of a 25 year old. He and fellow axeman, Vivian Campbell ripped it up together as did drummer Rick Allen, bassist Rick Savage and still-gorgeous lead singer, Joe Elliot. Can you tell I was excited to see them? HA! Halfway into their set the band calmed the frazzled crowd down by grouping together at the front of the elongated stage by playing a 10 minute acoustic set of perfectly blended Leppard ballads. Then it got back to all electric and all classic with “Photograph, “Hysteria”, “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and the horn’s up anthem, “Rock of Ages.” I still haven’t made it out to the theaters to see the film, ‘Rock of Ages,’ but it sure better be fantastic to match the rockin’ fun of this tour. -Raquel
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