Ashley Ellwood
Former Escape the Fate frontman Ronnie Radke talks about his time in prison. “I’m very happy, because now I’m clean. If I hadn’t gone away, I would never have changed,” he says.
Monday, May 9, 2011 | 1:59 a.m.
- Download the 2011 Las Vegas Weekly local music sampler, including full-track mp3s from 15 different bands
- Watch live-performance videos from the bands featured in last week’s music-issue concert at the Hard Rock Cafe
- Listen to an audio podcast about the Vegas music scene, including an acoustic performance from Holding Onto Sound
- Download music from hundreds current and former Las Vegas bands
Battle Born Studio, used by The Killers, was named in honor of their home state. (Leila Navidi)
Battle Born
Location: West of the Strip (exact location is secret)
Street cred: Owned/used by The Killers
Know this: The Killers bought the studio — previously Studio Vegas — in 2008 and rechristened
it Battle Born after their home state. Although the studio has hosted other notable artists, it’s primarily used as the private studio for the boys in the band. Three of the four (Brandon, Ronnie and Mark) have been working on solo or side projects, which has kept their full-time engineer busy recently. If you ever get invited to the studio, don’t forget to stroke the textured wallpaper — ooh, so velvety.
— April Corbin
Get an exclusive video tour of The Killers’ studio and take slideshow tours
of other top-equipped local audio labs at lasvegasweekly.com.
Las Vegas Weekly is out with its annual music edition, which details the hottest bands and coolest concerts of 2011. Find the best summer shows, high-tech recording studios and a playlist to get you started on the local scene. Plus, read a conversation with a Vegas-bred rocker who’s survived prison, drugs and the loss of his popular band to make music once again. All of that from our sister publication, Las Vegas Weekly, at lasvegasweekly.com/music.
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Ronnie Radke has lived a lifetime over the past seven years. After signing to a legendary record label, the singer was on the cusp of megasuccess when his reckless behavior cost him everything — his gig, his bandmates, even his freedom. Now he’s out of prison, back making music and determined to do it all differently this time. Here are few excerpts from our interview with the ex-Escape the Fate frontman:
What was prison like?
It’s horrible — the worst place ever. There’s riots and people getting stabbed … just not a good place to be, especially when you have a little bit of fame, you know?
Are you in any way glad that you went to jail?
Oh yeah. I would have never been able to write this good of a record if I didn’t go. I’m very happy, because now I’m clean. I’ve been clean for a long time now. If I hadn’t gone away, I would never have changed. I’d probably be dead. I’d probably have died onstage or something.
Have you talked to or run into anybody from Escape the Fate since you’ve been out?
All of a sudden, they want to be friends. “Let’s wave some white flags, peace” — that’s what they want. “Are you doing a record right now? Ohhh. Let’s be friends.” No, no, no, no, no. They make a whole album called “This War Is Ours,” and then they try to say, “We didn’t name that album after you, dude.” Which in fact, they did …
You wrote your new (“Falling in Reverse”) songs while you were in jail. How did that influence the way they turned out?
I would think all day, for days and days, (about) what people would want to hear. I would dissect my old album and read all the fan letters and the reasons why they loved my band and why they listened to it. I don’t know why these kids love the tragedies that I write about. I guess they can relate to it.
-- Annie Zaleski
For the full transcript with Ronnie Radke, visit lasvegasweekly.com.
Find more stories about local rockers, along with enhanced multimedia content, at lasvegasweekly.com/music.
Must see summer concerts
Paul McCartney
(MGM Grand, June 10)
Do we really need to tell anybody why they should see this guy in concert? OK, how about this: “Eleanor Rigby,” “Helter Skelter,” “Blackbird,” “Get Back,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude.” Yep, he still plays
all that stuff live.
Electric Daisy Carnival
(Las Vegas Motor Speedway, June 24-26)
A hundred thousand people, give or take, partying from dusk until dawn three June nights in a row at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But when the largest electronic dance music festival in the country comes to town, we go. After we sleep for a week.
Vans Warped Tour
(Plaza parking lot, June 30)
Whether you know all 66 bands or just dig Against Me!, Warped — back after a six-year hiatus — is as much about the experience as the music. And if you’re under 21 and complain about the spotty all-ages scene in town, there’s really no excuse for missing this one.
-- Spencer Patterson
See the list of a dozen must-see concerts coming to Vegas at
lasvegasweekly.com.
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