3?aK Episode 8: James LoMenzo (Megadeth, White Lion)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be former Megadeth and White Lion bassist James LoMenzo.

3?aK Episode 8: James LoMenzo (Megadeth, White Lion)

1. We've already seen disco and '80s synth pop make comebacks. Do you think a hair metal renaissance is right around the corner?

I think it’s already kind of come in its own right, initially through parody. The Darkness came around and started parodying it, and Bowling for Soup came out with that song. I think it kind of got everybody’s juices flowing. Most people who were actually going to the clubs in the ‘80s and seeing the shows in the arenas in the ‘80s, they’ve got raising families and paying mortgages and all that stuff on their minds now. And all of a sudden, I think everybody started going “Hey, what happened to that? That was fun.” So yeah, I think there is kind of a pop culture renaissance of it coming around.

2. Can you let our readers in on your secret to maintaining the perfect 5 o'clock shadow?

(Laughs) You know what? I’ve cut out the middleman now. I either go all the way or nowhere at all.

3. What have you been up to for the last 15 years?

Well, I’ve finally given up the ballet. I picked up my old Spector bass and started practicing my pirouettes at the same time and actually broke my leg. So I figured I still want to play bass, I still want to sing, so I put down the ballet. I actually did go on a flight of discovery for a little while. It was a hot air balloon. I took off, I went across, I got as far as Pennsylvania, and then I saw the ocean coming up and said “Maybe New York, New York is fine.” Then I went back to Arizona for a little while, hung out, fed a few scorpions, looked around and said “You know what? It’s time to bring it all out again.” I called up my manager and said “Light up the machine. Here we go.”


Go to Episode 9.