Brian Vollmer of Helix Interview with Rock N Roll Universe

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

3. FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY?

Camping with my grandfather.

4. FIRST MUSICAL INFLUENCES?

5. FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND WHAT DO YOU PLAY NOW?

Voice. Just started piano lessons a few weeks ago.

Interview by: Rikki Rampage
Date: 5/24/05

We would like to thank Brian for doing this interview for ROCK N ROLL UNIVERSE.
Cheers ! ~ Rikki

6. YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES GROWING UP?

Art. Photography. Building things.

7. WORST THING YOU DID AS A TEENAGER?

I did a few things I'm not too proud of. One that sticks in my mind and that I still think of, was how mean I was to a girl who used to ride our bus and go to school with me. Her name was Ida and she was very quiet. I would make comments about that which must have hurt her feelings. Kids can be the cruelest individuals and I was cruel to her. I've thought many times how I'd like to apologize to her, but I don't know where she lives now.

8. YOUR FIRST GIG EVER AS A MUSICIAN?

Well, technically singers are considered "musicians" by the Musicain'a Union, but my first gig with a band who have to be in my first high school band called Homegrown. It was at Listowel District Secondary School. My first Helix gig was at Bluevale High School in Kitchener, Ontario.

9. YOUR WORST LIVE PERFORMANCE EVER?

Some of the years through the 90's were terrible years for the band. The only two people left from the 80's line-up were myself and Daryl. Daryl had several weekend bands and was the musician of us two, so it only seemed logical to appoint him the guy in charge of hiring the other players. We were playing infrequently and it was hard to get players to stay focused on playing the songs correctly and doing a good job. The same day Archie first came out to play with us
(around 1996) Daryl hired a guitarist (who will remain nameless) from the Niagara Region. First off, the guy was half loaded before we even went on. Archie told me later he was banging back shots of tequilla at the bar! Then the guy's amp caught on fire during the show. Archie kept yelling at him, "YOUR AMP IS ON FIRE!" but to no avail. The louder Archie would yell the more the guy would give him the "thumbs up" and "Yah, Man! We're Really Rocking!" look. When the song finally ended he suddenly realized what Archie had been screaming. Pretty spinal tap-esk.

10. WORST TOUR BUS OR ROAD STORY?

I don't know if this is the worst or not-but it is a funny story. Our tour buses back in the 80's were jokes. While all the other bands had nice tour buses, we decided that to save money and not take tour support from the record company that we would own our own bus,
which was a renovated school bus. Instead of a washroom we had a port-o-pot at the back which usually overflowed (because of all the parties we would have on the bus after the show) and frequently the piss would leak into the surrounding carpet. Oh, did I mention we
didn't have air conditioning either, and that we were travelling across the Southern U.S. in 90 degree heat? Places like Albuquerquee, Phoenix, South Carolina, etc....Needless to say, our tour bus wreaked of urine. But you know what-we still got all the chicks in our bus! On the Quiet Riot/Whitesnaike tour we had so many women on the bus that Kevin Dubrow and Carlos Cavazas came over to see what all the fuss was about. They came onto the bus and sat down. Everyone there had been partying for some time. After about 10 minutes none of the chicks seemed interested in talking to them, so they left.

11. YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO PERFORM AT?

Theatres or outdoor festivals.

12. NAME A FEW OF YOUR MOST FAVORITE ALBUMS.

Love it to Death/Alice Cooper
Rocks/Aerosmith
Let There Be Rock/AC DC

13. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OTHER THAN MUSIC NOW DAYS?

Collect architechural antiques.

14. FAVORITE FOOD AND DRINK?

Pussy pie and Canadian whiskey & coke.

15. WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES & TV SHOWS?

Trailor Park Boys, Cops, Law & Order.

16. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

17. PEOPLE YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET?

18. WHAT IS THE BEST BAND YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN CONCERT?

19. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?

20. WHAT IS IN YOUR CD PLAYER RIGHT NOW?

21. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY?

Completing my autobiography "Rock You", planning our trip to Sweden Rock Festival this June, and arranging other dates for later in the summer back in North America. I also teach 45-50 vocal students per week (I'm one of the last people on earth to teach true Bel Canto) , run my own record company, and am involved in many other projects as well. Several times a year I sing with the London, Ontario and Kitchener, Ontario symphony orchestras. I also sing classical music for funerals and weddings and get paid very well to do this. On the side I also sell architectural antiques-last year for example, I bought one of the oldest tin ceilings in downtown London (1873) and tore it out myself. What a gruelling dirty job!