The Last Vegas
by Tina Hall
August 2010
Chad Cherry
photo by Trey Campbell
Michigan native Chad Cherry and his band The Last Vegas were awarded the iTunes “Rock Song of the Year” in 2009 for the song “I’m Bad off of the album “Whatever Gets You Off”.
The Last Vegas were then hand picked by Motley Crue as a part of Guitar Center’s “On-Stage” Program, and later signed and are managed by the Crue.
The band came together when some of the group were living in the small town of Normal, Illinois playing house parties and decided to take the act to Chicago where they met and where joined by Chad and his childhood friend Danny Smash.
Before being signed to Eleven Seven Music, they had independently sold well over 10,000 records, toured in over 17 countries and were designated the official music of Kyle Busch Motor Sports.
Maximum Ink: At what age did you first know you wanted to become a singer? What did you want to do before then?
Chad Cherry: I have always been guided and driven by music. At a very early age I crossed over to the dark side via rock-n-roll and sold my soul. I would say around the age of 14 or 15 I dove into writing and singing songs as more of something I took serious then just for the sake of me not being bored in a small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go. There was only one path that I have been on my whole life. I’ve always wanted to be a part of rock-n-roll chaos.
MI: Which vocalists have influenced your style the most?
CC: I love so many bands and there are so many amazing vocalists from all styles of music that have and still influence the hell out of me. The list would be endless. A couple that come to mind right now would be Mr. Robin Zanders from Cheap Trick. His voice can take you to Heaven or it can belt ya down to Hell. Alice Cooper is a pretty obvious one from me. He’s my evil hero.
MI: Can you tell us a little about the “Ask Chad Cherry” segments on YouTube, what made you decide to do that?
CC: The “Ask Chad Cherry” segments you see are delivered to the fans by my sinister and very insane clone that goes by the same name as me. He is one of my lab projects that I thought could help me out with interviews such as this one and possibly do my sound checks while I sipped high end cocktails on the beach. But something went seriously wrong. If you see this dude on the streets inform, the TLV hotline and we’ll try to retrieve his crazy ass and put him back in his cage. I’m pretty sure the Devil is making him do it.
MI: What was it like to win Guitar Center’s On-Stage contest? Were you a Motley Crue fan as a child? What is the most important thing you have learned from working with them?
CC: All at Guitar Center have been great friends and partners in crime. They support TLV’s blood lust and our savagery. They rock! As of being a Motley Crue fan as a child…. Put it this way… I feel sorry for the kid who didn’t or doesn’t grow up with the Crue. Working and rockin’ the countryside with the Motley boys is of course an amazing experience in itself. And working with Sixx is a recipe for wicked song writing that shakes the foundation of your skull. We bring the ROCK! He’s just my evil big brother.
MI: The Last Vegas where termed the official music of Kyle Busch Motor Sports, were you surprised by that? Are you a NASCAR fan?
CC: Nothing can surprise me with the world I live in. I like anything that is full-on heavy-duty loud, fast, and dangerous. I’ll provide the sound tracks for that kinda mayhem. Let me entertain you.
MI: What is it like to have toured in over 17 countries?
CC: I’ve seen a lot of this world due to my insane touring schedule. It’s amazing to go to another country and have people who can’t speak English singing the lyrics to your songs. That to me, is a trip. Music is a universal language.
MI: Do you prefer to work in studio or on the road? Why?
CC: I’m on the road non-stop, so writing is something that I’m doing on a constant level. I do it everywhere I go. When I’m not on tour terrorizing this mud ball called earth, I’m in the studio working on and writing new songs. It’s a part of how my life flows.. It’s something that’s in my blood. You can never stop me.
MI: What do you like to do when you are not pursuing your music career?
CC: Sex, art, love and respect, and then maybe some more sex. I like to have a good time all the time and surround myself with like minded freaks in a productive and wicked way. I’m big on the rock fashion thing and help out with Suzanne Candy X’s ( of SS-Triple-X) Hard-Wear clothing (leather and evil) and also Nicole Pickens (designer/creator) of EyeScream Industries,” it’s a bipolar mash- up of fashion kickassery” in her words haha. I have done stuff for Fangoria magazine and I write a monthly article for Lip Service clothing. They let me do whatever I want so you get a dose of C.C.‘s dirty world and bad influence of the strange and the macabre every couple of weeks. I’ve been dabbling in film and music videos. I recently have been script writing for some twisted horror stuff (that’s just wrong). I’m getting together a dream team of brilliant dark minds with a ton of talent. I will focus on that more when the time is right. Oh, and I DJ my favorite clubs from time to time too. I’m a ROCK-n ROLL Vampire, what do you think I do!?!?
MI: What projects are in the works for The Last Vegas in the future?
CC: Well of course more traveling, planes, trains, tour buses and vans, (limos to the strip clubs) videos, movies, television, more TLV rocker gear for the fans, bigger and better live shows, demo new songs, make another record that will take over your soul.
MI: Anything you’d like to say to your fans?
CC: I would personally like to extend my hand of appreciation and thank all of the TLV warriors, all the fans and all the beautiful sexy woman for ROCKIN’ the world with yours truly.. What can I say, you are all right there with me keeping our music alive. I salute you and keep looking forward to giving you the fix that we need. From the bottom of my heart… Cheers you creeps hehe!!! ROCK-ON - C.C. -TLV
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Last Vegas
CD: Whatever Gets You Off Record Label: Eleven Seven Music
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