The music scene has evolved at great lengths in the 18 years Billy has been involved. Having a part in several clubs, a well-known studio, a number of bands ( most notably Kidd Wicked and Warrant), and many other projects, he’s definitely seen highs and lows of the scene both locally and beyond. With the onset of summer will come a more active time for Billy and being so, I guessed it a good time to see what we might see and expect to come next…
TOURBUS: To get everyone up to speed, tell us what you have been up to lately.
BILLY: I’ve been busy helping to run Hi-Fi and the Revolution and putting the finishing touches on my new Billy Morris solo CD which will be finished before I leave but not released until October. Basically everything I am doing right now is in preparation for me to go out with Warrant in June for our three month tour.
T: Should we expect a new album from Warrant in addition to the tour and where is the tour taking you?
B: No new album plans are set with Warrant, just the tour with Ratt, Dokken, LA Guns, And Firehouse. The tour will start in Fargo, ND in June and goes all over the country and ends in Los Angeles.
T: Anything you are looking forward to with the tour?
B: Jerry Dixon, bass-player of Warrant, says we have our same driver, Kenny, and the same road manager, Caesar, as last time. We have a really cool tourbus with personal TV’s and VCR’s in each bunk with satellite TV, a front and back lounge, Playstation II, basically a rolling party on wheels. All those people who laugh because I am in Warrant can get up and go to their jobs everyday while I watch videos in my bunk and play in front of thousands of people nightly.
T: Any personal summer plans for you we should watch for?
B: I will be launching my new billymorris.net website in June that Chris Akin helped me design. I will be able to stay in touch with anyone who wants to email me throughout the tour. When I return, the website will make available all the Kidd Wicked releases, unreleased stuff that never saw the light of day, and the new solo project.
T: Who will take over Heavy Metal Karaoke in your absence?
B: Heavy Metal Karaoke will continue to have Craig Martini and Mark Anthony backing along with Tom Brady (lead singer of The Threat) taking over my spot for Mondays at the Revolution. It’s still in question as to who will take over for me at the Hi-Fi on Wednesdays.
T: You had some well-known musicians make guest appearances at the Revolution last summer, can we expect more of the same this year?
B: I’ll be gone so maybe quite not, but a lot of the guys know the place is here and I am friends with some of the guys of Poison and their crew. I am sure if Warrant or any of the guys on our tour have a day off in Cleveland we’ll make it there. Unset, but you never know who may show up.
T: You’re well-known in Cleveland for Kidd Wicked and at the end of last year we saw you reunited with Aaron, is he part of the Billy Morris solo project you are doing now?
B: Absolutely! Aaron is a full-time member in the new project. I am calling it the Billy Morris solo project because it’s not going to be called Kidd Wicked anymore but we are still throwing names around. Aaron is just an incredible guitar player and his “shred boy” status of his shreddy guitar playing is one thing Kidd Wicked always was. I can’t do that without him. He is the shreddiest guitar player in Cleveland and I am glad to have him in my band.
T: Is there anything in particular that inspires you in your music?
B: Really I just get in the studio, write a song, put pen to paper and wrack my brain to come up with something that doesn’t sound cheesy.
T: When looking back on your involvement in the scene, what one thing will always bring a smile to your face?
B: I can’t even talk of all that in an hour, but recently to play Blossom in front of my friends and family and finding out I was voted best guitarist in Cleveland by the Free Times. The award is a nice little trophy for my many years as a hard working Cleveland musician.
T: Outside of musical interests, do you have any other hobbies?
B: I race dirt bikes. I just bought this kickass 2001 KTM 200EX. It was last year’s champion’s actual bike. When I bought it from KTM they gave me a killer deal along with free jerseys, tires, hats, and shirts.
T: Has anyone ever told you to pack it up and go get a real job?
B: I kinda feel like buying into the two clubs, I bought into a real job. Last night I closed Revolution at 3:00 and I was back at 11:30 this afternoon opening the doors.
T: If your girlfriend and your guitar both fell overboard, which would you save first?
B: My girlfriend. And then I would make her go to work and get enough money to buy me another one. Plus I get GMP guitars for free so I could get another guitar.
T: Name your top influential/favorite album.
B: One of my top favorite albums would be Van Halen I. I remember when my uncle played it for me back in 78. We were amazed at the guitar playing and that was very influential to me. My classic albums would be all the Van Halen albums, the first Ozzy albums with Randy Rhoades, and early Warren Dimartini albums. And all the great Warrant albums.
T: Is there anything you would like to set the record straight on?
B: There is something I have been wanting to get out there. Everybody thinks Jani Lane is a cook at the Hi-Fi and it has even been said on MTV just last week. I just want everyone to know that he does not cook at the Hi-Fi, he does not own the Hi-Fi, and has nothing to do with the club. When we first bought the club, I asked him to help me design a menu and teach me how to cook the stuff because he is a really great cook. He came down to help me get it all up to code and taught me how to do it all. If anyone wants to make fun of anyone about it, come up there any night and I will be the one with the apron on flipping the burgers and loving every minute of it.
T: Is there anything else you would like to add?
B: I want to say a special thanks to my two partners, Jimmy Maler and Dave Romweber of Dizzy Park, for being two cool partners and here’s to much success in the future.
COMING SOON - The Official Billy Morris Website
Where Anything About Warrant Is At
