NEEN
Trash Gallery
By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)
SugarBuzz Magazine
TRASH GALLERY are HEAVY, babies. Like vintage Aerosmith, the Dragons, the Wildhearts, or the Heartbreakers. Raw Power got a healin' hand! They'll make you want to chase women, and drive fast cars. They'll make you wanna wear leather and dab on some eyeliner. They've got that huge, pummeling, urgent, sleaze-metal drum sound, that's become so popular in recent years, esp. among the Backyard Babies/Hardcore Superstar/Hellacopters/Turgonegro satellites, with a big crunchy guitar, shades of Joe Perry, or Michael Rank from Snatches Of Pink, and Neen's righteously raspy vocals, they could fit right in on a bill with say, Buck Cherry, Duff McKagan's Loaded, Vains Of Jenna, or Rock City Angels. They're probably my favorite new Canadian discovery since Throbbing Purple. I immediately decided I better interview NEEN, their main man, cos I know this group's gonna drive all you sleazy Shugsters wild!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: So when did you first pick up the guitar? Who were your early inspirations?
NEEN: Hmmmm....Well i guess it was at age 12, but I put it down again, and came back at 16.....Remember...Military father...'Nuff said!
Well, there are so many, but let's say, at a very early age, when I noticed the guitar...I would say Keith Richards...Later, came Ronnie Wood, Johnny Thunders, Joe Perry, Chris Spedding, Steve Jones....And in the early 80s, Andy Mccoy...'Love Andy.....Right now, I would say Andy and Joe Perry.
I hoped that answered your question...I know I left alot out....Hell...ask me how many guitars I have...LOL
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How were you affected by Punk?
NEEN: It was like a close encounter with an alien species..Ha ha
I remember being opened jawed and speechless....It wasn't until '78-'79, when I started seeing the footage, because there wasn't a video music show at the time...I remember seeing Don Kirshners rock concert back then, and it was the Dolls!
Man, I ramble....Sorry...Punk showed me that anyone can go up on stage, but at the end, only the talented, and I suppose charismatic, live on.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Favorite Cult L.P.?
NEEN: "Dream Time"...Very moody, and it reminds me of someone that was a big part of my life, once.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Were you a big Jacobites fan? Bounty Hunters? Nikki Sudden?
NEEN: Yes I was...And still am...Was sad and shocked to hear of Nikki's passing.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How were you impacted by James Honeyman Scott?
NEEN: James...Well, first his style...Reminded me of a young Dave Edmunds...Hell, I'm sure James was a fan of him and Nick Lowe. After the style, and his collection of guitars...(look at mine and you will see...Ha ha) his playing on the first Pretenders album. "Private life " was killer...Then, the album following that, with "The Adulteress"...Wicked, bad guitar that matched the painful, heart felt vocals.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Did you like any commercial new wave/goth/or hair metal as a kid? Guilty pleasures?
NEEN: Hair metal? No....I liked L.A Guns, but not that other junk...'Liked the sleazy glam 
rock Jetboy, Rock City Angels, GNR, etc. New wave?...aaah..Not sure if this falls in that category, but I loved Lene Lovich, Nina Hagen. Goth...Well, its hard to say who was "goth", and what was "post punk"....so here goes.
Sisters of Mercy
Southern Death Cult
The Creatures
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Theater of Hate
Clan of Xymox ...Which by the way, my best friend is the bass player for them.
Specimen
The Birthday Party
Alien Sex Fiend
Cocteau Twins
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry...I know they came later, but great band, had to mention them.
Same with New Model Army...Brilliant band and lyricist
Again, I'm drawing a blank, and I know there is sooo many that I loved, and still do.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How did you feel about the two NY DOLLS comeback albums?
NEEN: Not sure...I mean, I'm glad they are doing it, but I never bothered seeing them when they came to Toronto twice....Just the same way as I feel about Hanoi playing...(Shrugs shoulders)
Which isn't to say I don't like their new albums....'Just felt I would like to leave a good memory of a beautiful corpse...
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Are you excited to hear the new Michael Monroe lineup?
NEEN: You know I am!!!...Just look at the line up in the band! I hope it lasts a long time and I get to see them in Toronto.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What current artists do you listen to for pleasure?
NEEN: That's hard...I'm all over the map...From John Foxx's new c.d.s to Towns Van Zandt ...Yes, scratch your head....I'm a Gemini...There's two of us.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Do I understand you were in a car accident recently? Are you okay?
NEEN: Yes I was...on January Third....'Lost my brakes during a bad storm, coming from a recording session at a friends studio.
Yes, I'm okay...Being a typical human, I reacted as if it was a inconvenience: "Im gonna miss Californication!!"...Let's say divine intervention stepped in, from what eyewitnesses observed...I can thank my rally car racing on keeping it cool.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: What do you do for fun, in these dark times? What brings you light, hope, and inspiration?
NEEN: My pets...My family in Berlin...They have filled the void of my blood family...The memories of Berlin, and I would say, the beautiful people that I have met there...For fun?....Well there's Rally car,but that is another story in its self...I guess, the few close friends and movies. Movies inspire me very much..I always had an over active imagination.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: How did TRASH GALLERY come together? Please discuss each on your collaborators...
NEEN: Must I?...Hahaha..That was a jab at my drummer. Well...It was '89, they were looking for a singer, I auditioned, and got the job.....However...The real Trash Gallery came together when I got tired of the sympathy claps and said Im writing the songs, and bringing in my guitars, and amps....Since 
then, the band has been a strong force, but the problem is that we are too punk for the metal/ rock crowd and to metal for the punk crowd. I write the music and lyrics and we work on arrangement....There's a longer story on all of this and my disappearance for 7 years, but I'll save that for another time.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Tell me about that record, and where fans of genuine rock'n'roll can go to purchase your music and merchandise...
NEEN: The record was being recorded against my better judgment, during my divorce.....Not big on this cd, but then again, what band is happy with their stuff...Hell, I wasn't returning to music...Was gonna go back to school and finish my Fine Arts programs and teach. They can purchase the cd at I-Tunes (Boooo), CD Baby, and the merch. they can get from our myspace page. Trashgalleryrocks@hotmail.com
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Tell me about THEE RUMBLE BEEZ. Is that a subtle Thee Hypnotics homage? Did you dig Thee Hypnotics? Black Moses? Jim Jones Revue?
NEEN: LOL...Well..I have a good friend who is a drummer of a certain band in the city and he's dying to rock out, and in tow is Trash Gallery's original bass player, Dan....We will go out just performing some covers and we will see from there......Yes, love them all...JIM RULEZ!!!!...He needs to invade Germany more because I played their stuff and showed youtube vids and people were like, "Who is that!??"...I mean in a very interested tone.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Billy Idol or David Lee Roth?
NEEN: Sheeez...I guess Billy...Not much to choose there..Same egos..LOL
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Hollywood Brats or Hollywood Stars?
NEEN: Hollywood Brats!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Cherry Bombz or Shooting Gallery?
NEEN: Damn...I like both, but Cherry Bombz.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Kill City Dragons or Gunfire Dance?
NEEN: Gunfire Dance.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Celebrity Skin or Trash Brats?
NEEN: Well, seeing that I lived in Detroit, I would say Trash Brats...Ricky is a sweet guy..And hell, is he busy!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: 69 Eyes or Hardcore Superstar?
NEEN: 69 Eyes....The boys in Superstar need to choose a style of music and just stick to it..I mean really?....I like 'em, but guys!?
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Smashed Gladys or Princess Pang?
NEEN: Princess Pang.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Sea Hags or L.A. Guns?
NEEN: Sea Hags.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Brigitte West or Inger Lorre?
NEEN: Inger Lorre
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Circus Of Power or Junkyard?
NEEN: Love both,but I guess Junkyard.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Crystal Pistol or Robin Black?
NEEN: Crystal Pistol....And why aren't those boys signed yet?
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Black Halos or Backyard Babies?
NEEN: I love both...do I have to choose?....Well, since they are Canadians, The Halos! Nice bunch of guys, too.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Hangmen or Ultras?
NEEN: THE HANGMEN!!..The first album, and "Metallic I.O.U" never stops playing in my house!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Sinisters or 63 Monroe?
NEEN: Steve would kill me if I didnt say the Sinisters..I can't tell you how many shows we did with those guys. Good people, and Steve is a close friend of mine.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Four Horsemen or Rock City Angels?
NEEN: Again...I guess the Horsemen?!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Lords Of The New Church or Hanoi Rocks?
NEEN: You did this on purpose....Hanoi....I can just hear the comments.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Motley Crue or Guns N Roses?
NEEN: GnR
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: I'm sorry, that was a trick question. The correct answer is Hanoi Rocks.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: The Joneses or Soho Roses?
NEEN: The Joneses.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Smack or Uncle Sam?
NEEN: SMACK!!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Chesterfield Kings or The Veins?
NEEN: The KINGS!!
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Fleshtones or Fuzztones?
NEEN: Fleshtones.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: The Replacements or Dramarama?
NEEN: The Replacements.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: D-Generation or Motorcycle Boy?
NEEN: Motorcycle Boy
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Flesh For Lulu or Psychedelic Furs?
NEEN: The Flesh...They both had their high and low points, thanks to teen movies..ha ha
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Are you a Manic Street Preachers fan? If so, which era was your favorite?
NEEN: Yes, I am....'First album was the best, second was good...After that, I lost interest.
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Black Crowes or Diamond Dogs?
NEEN: The Dogs...Diamond Dogs. You made it hard to choose..It was like "Sophies choice" over here..LOL
SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE: Current events, future plans, what did I forget to ask you?
NEEN: Future plans?...To record Trash's new cd, and do another Video, record my cd...I dont think you forgot, but how the hell do you know the Sinisters!!??.....LOL...Is this my ex-wife?....lol