I wasn't going to post about this until I saw reports of Motley Crue singer Vince Neil's arrest for suspicion of DUI the other day.
A couple weeks ago, Vince was in town to perform at the M3 Rock Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Vince's camp arranged a phone interview with the middle aged rocker and me, to talk about his new solo album and tour.
Vince has (allegedly) been sober for a while now. But on the cover of his new CD (check it out), "Tattoos and Tequila," he is holding a glass of what appears to be tequila.
Typically, I save the tough questions for last. This time, it was Friday and I was feeling feisty, so I started the interview with "Vince, how are you. You're sober, right?" ...
Stupid me didn't save the tape, because I was so flustered with how it went. But here's the paraphrased version of it. Again, I must stress, these are not exact quotes, but I'm 99 percent on it, because your most memorable interviews, for better or worse, always get etched into your brain:
Sam: The album is called "Tattoos and Tequila," and on the cover, you've got a glass of tequila in your hand.
Vince: So? I'm not the sobriety police. I don't drink but I don't tell other people not to drink. I've had my own line of tequilas for four years now.
Sam: I know. So is that water in the glass you're holding on the album cover?
Vince: No, it's tequila. (Pause.) It's just a (freaking) photograph, man. Why are you busting my (ahems) over it? What the (cuss word)?
The interview quickly spiraled downhill from here, and ended with Vince hanging up on me shortly thereafter.
Maybe I should have waited until the end of the interview to ask him these questions. I could have been more tactful, too. At the end of the day, I was left wondering why he had such a thin skin about the issue. It's common knowledge that Vince is/was sober -- he's discussed it in previous interviews.
I think it's interesting how someone who is sober can have a line of tequilas (and wine, I believe), and be holding a glass of tequila on his album cover. So I asked him about it. Calamity ensued.
Now, we find out that he was allegedly drinking and driving. Hmm.
(Photo courtesy of Reuters)