EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with former member of Frehley's Comet.

Kiss Army Argentina interview with Tod Howarth: "Touring was fun with Ace Frehley"

Tod Howarth and Kiss Army Argentina.

KISS Army Argentina: Hi, Tod! Thanks a lot for your time for this exclusive interview with KISS Army Argentina. It is an honor for us to be able to talk to you.Tod Howarth: Well, its an honor for me to be able to talk with KISS ARMY Argentina, thank you for thinking of me! KISS Army Argentina: It will not be simple to know where to start, because you have worked with many great bands, and those achievements are part of a path that started in your childhood, we guess. How did you enter the world of music? Why are you a musician and who or what inspired you to be so?Tod Howarth: Yes, you are right, its been many years since I discovered that I had a love and maybe even a talent for music. My mother and maternal grandfather were singers, my father used to listen to a lot of music in the car and at home when I would visit him (my parents were divorced before I was a year old) and then when I was living with my aunt and uncle for a short time in 1964 I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. I was hooked. I would draw them, listen intently to their songs, all the harmonies, orchestrations I was fascinated by all the melodies that I heard going on at the same time. Then when my father re-married, my step mom had a piano and she would hear me plinking on it, and hear me singing too. She hired a piano teacher who told her that I had perfect pitch, and so the lessons started.KISS Army Argentina: Your first professional experience, as we know, came with the band 707. Please tell us more about that.Tod Howarth: 707 was a band that I had heard about once I first moved to Los Angeles in 1979. I was really into heavier music at the time and had a few original bands that were trying to get off the ground but it was tough with some temperamental band members mucking up the forward motion, so I met some cool cats that were in bigger LA strip bands and managed to join up with them. One band had the musicians, Rudy Sarzo, Frankie Banali, Micki Free. Along with Pete Comita and Jon Brant that revolved in and out of it, so theres just some of the foundation for how Cheap Trick got to know me. Little did I know that the mucking up in future bands would never end!While showcasing with the Miki Free band, for Gene Simmons and Diana Ross (for a show that she was to have in Los Angeles then) I had secretly already auditioned twice for 707 and got the gig. I had called 707s management about six months prior but they had just hired another keyboard dude. Well he didnt work out and so they called me. Once in the band we headed out for the Reo Speedwagon Hi-Infidelity tour. This tour turned out to be the biggest attending audiences that I would end up playing to concerning the summer fests. The band eventually moved to San Francisco, went through some band member ads and changes and finally faded out in late 1983. It had some good potential back then, too bad.KISS Army Argentina: Among many other bands and artists, you have worked with Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent, and we are sure that those experiences left a mark on you. What are your memories from those days? What did those artists leave you as an experience? How did they mark you?Tod Howarth: I was never a fan of Reo, but I really admired the consistent way they performed, drew crowds and fans and always delivered. In fact a good friend of mine is now their guitar player, Dave Amato. I never played in the Reo band, 707 just toured with them a lot (I was asked to maybe consider a position in later years, but that never came to pass) Ted Nugent was a great guy as well and he liked the band 707. So much in fact that he wanted to manage us along with his co-manager. This took place in 707s final year, but fizzled out when the band did. However shortly before that I was asked to sing backups for Teds next album and did so in very late 1983. Many months later Teds camp came looking for me to do the Penetrator tour 1984 and that I did for about six months.KISS Army Argentina: Moving forward, before you joined Frehleys Comet, you worked with Cheap Trick, a legendary band and another great mark in your career. Please tell us more about your experience with this great band.Tod Howarth: As I stated before CHEAP TRICK found out about me through Jon Brant and perhaps Pete Comita but also from a great studio keyboard guy (whose name escapes me at the moment) and another producer who knew my talents as a singer, great parts player on the keys and guitarist if it was needed. I ended up auditioning for them twice as well, as I think that initially I didnt impress them, in fact I had to sing at the sound board at one of their concerts in Irvine California to their manager to convince them all that I had it Once in the band (as a hired gun) and we did a show they said, Wow, how come you didnt sing like that at the audition? I hadnt realized that I didnt. I Played with Trick from 1985-86 and then back with them from 1990-96 2000-2005 on the Silver DVD and then scattered shows here and there and then finally 2008 for the 30 year anniversary concert at Budokan in Japan. They are still one of my favorite American rock bands, as I liked them when I was long before playing in cover bands in San Diego, in fact we did one of their songs. And I had a cassette tape of it.Yes I played it for them one day and they got a cynical kick out of it. I learned a lot with the band and I was humbled by playing with them again after being a focus with Frehleys Comet, but such is the life of a musician. I am way more comfortable with it now days than I was many years ago. It was tough on me but I bit my tongue and swallowed the proverbial pride.KISS Army Argentina: Lets talk about Ace now. How and when did you meet him? What was that first meeting like?Tod Howarth. I met Ace in New York twice to audition. Each time it was either during a Cheap Trick tour or on my way to or from one. He was very friendly, very focused, very driven and I was impressed with his demeanor. Its no secret that I was not a participating fan of KISS in my younger years, although I thought that they had some great songs, terrific image and brilliant merchandising technics. So I was not that familiar with Ace, his back-story, or the story of how and why he left KISS. I just knew that he was a great guitar player and no one had the style (that I knew of) that he made completely his.KISS Army Argentina: When you joined Ace Frehleys Comet, the band had already had a first line up that did not include you. Those original members were Ace of course, Anton Fig on drums, John Regan on bass guitar, Richie Scarlet on guitars and Arthur Stead on keyboards... a fantastic lineup!. When you joined the band, Arthur and Richie left, so this obviously meant a change. What have been your contributions to the band for that period?Tod Howarth: I replaced Richie and Arthur actually really to just downsize the band and I could do many musical duties Vocals, guitars and Keyboards. The replacement reasons may vary depending on whom you ask but there was probably a financial incentive for the band to only have four members in lieu of the five. Those guys are great musicians in their own right so I dont think it had anything to do with talent, just maybe a different approach line-up wise. I do know that I also brought to the Comet table very strong commercial songwriting and strong lead singing capabilities and that was probably my biggest asset. KISS Army Argentina: How did the band work in those days? Was it really a band or did Ace have the final word on everything, as we would expect? How much of an input did you have? What about the rest of the guys, especially at the time of choosing the songs and performing live?Tod Howarth: It was a band with him at the helm. I think it was as close to being a full band as it could be because of who Ace was, but we all had inputs and he was very generous more than any other band Ive played with. However he had the name that was known around the world and of course his final word on most things stood. As it should be. John Regan was instrumental to putting Aces band together and so he had a lot of influence especially in the finance department, touring, recording schedules etc so he was a very valuable entity there. Me, being a prolific songwriter always had song ideas flowing out, some, not all suitable for the Comet, but I had the ability. Anton Fig, Billy Ward and Jamie Oldaker didnt really contribute tunes (Im sure that some of the guys or all had the ability to write but it wasnt offered that I know of or remembered) but that in no way made them any less important parts of the band, in fact I love bass and drums if you dont have that pounding and driving for the project, you dont have shit in my opinion. I got to present my songs, sing most all of them, play some leads on them and even make a little moneyI couldnt have been happier.KISS Army Argentina: In the moment of splendor and glory of the band, was Ace still a wild child with a crazy lifestyle? If he was so, how did that impact on the band and on your relationship with him?Tod Howarth: Ace got a little wild at one point that really put a unsettling ripple in the momentum and concentration that we needed to keep producing the image of the Comet. It didnt last too long after we had a band meeting, but it was to be expected I guess. We all still got along, there was no real big tension and we just dealt with it.KISS Army Argentina: Of all the moments you lived with Frehleys Comet, which is the one you remember the most and why?Tod Howarth: Hmmm, well it would have to be the start of the last tour, at the Limelight in New York with Gene and Paul joining us on stage, The London show where we filmed the entire concert and the production videos. Epic events in my mind for obvious reasons. I had known Gene for many years (and would continue into the future) and I thought it fantastic that the fans couldnt get enough of that event in pictures or by word of mouth which would be good for the tour, both KISS and ours, and maybe we all could go on and do something more to ramp up the interest and anticipation for the fans.The London concert/taping I thought was going to take us way up and over the top wherein we would start playing Its Over Now live for the first time and move into the next level of a real big band. Its wild how that did not take place, and then tragic later on when it would appear that it would in fact, never happen.KISS Army Argentina: We guess that that legendary show in the Limelight Club of New York, when you shared the stage with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley to perform Deuce must have been really exciting. Please tell us more about it.Tod Howarth: Ha! I just read this question now after commenting on that show! Well all went into a tizzy then, the cameras, the people, the women, the party back stage and beyond it was a real rock star, rock band scene by far.. the most populated, chaotic event ever now that I think about it. I loved it. I embraced it as I thought this is it, this is how it should and will be To me at that time it represented what I had worked for all my musical life and that I should treat it as a special event but that I could also make it happen more often in celebration of the band as a whole. Not just the party and women aspect but the success of the band! The party was just the justifiable icing on the cake.KISS Army Argentina: You have had a very active role in Frehleys Comet, and you wrote many songs for that band, and yet, there are no official releases of songs written by you and by Ace together. Is there any unreleased material in this sense? If there are unreleased songs, why were those songs not included in official releases?Tod Howarth: I was very fortunate to have been given a lot of artistic room and I am and will be forever grateful to Ace for that. There are in fact no songs that ace and I wrote together, unreleased, None. My plan was to write songs and have Ace contribute to them to kickstart a collaboration of sorts between us and then really make an effort for us to co-write some tunes together for what would have been a Ace/Tod/John/?Drummer third LP. Of course that never happened. KISS Army Argentina: How was the recording process like for the band by the time the albums Frehleys Comet, Live + 1 and Second Sighting were released?Tod Howarth: The first LP was already being recorded when I joined. I added some embellishments and songs to put my identity on it but the momentum was well on its way. There was a definite drive and purpose with the album as I think Ace wanted and needed to prove that, not only was he worthy of the new record deal, but he could deliver as well. Live Plus 1 was just that, an energetic kickass live recording because we could! At that time we had Anton back on the skins if only for a few weeks and it was the perfect opportunity to showcase the band at its fullest. Those who were lucky enough to catch those shows were just that. Lucky. As were all of us playing together again. Second Sighting was deemed many things but one thing that it wasnt was my attempt to take over the band We started to record this LP because the recording schedule had been laid out for us and time was up. Some of us were ready, some not. The album may have been rushed to get it done but with all projects, deadlines have to be met. We werent a HUGE band and couldnt dictate the finished product as we pleased so results had to be produced. I had songs ready so it was just that simple.KISS Army Argentina: The second studio album you recorded with the band was Second Sighting and considering your performance there, many fans think that the name of the band should have actually been Tod Howarths Comet. You truly had freedom to develop and display your skills there, right? Please tell us more about this.Tod Howarth: Wow, again, I just now read THIS question after answering the last one! (my apologies) It could never have been called Tods Comets even though I know the name change is symbolic, it was Aces baby and I was lucky enough to be in on the ride although I paid my way. Again, I contributed half of the songs on the LP because I had them. I write a lot of songs all the time, so much so that I dont always get them down on tape and lose many too. Anyway when it came time to record I had tunes. I did want to collaborate with Ace more as Ive stated in another question but with the limited time frames, geographical locations of Ace and me and his schedule, the time just wasnt there plus Ace wasnt too healthy through this recording session. He had a bad chest infection and his appearance was spotty from week to week. Not an excuse, just the reason I suppose. KISS Army Argentina: By that time, Eddie Trunk was working in Megaforce Records, and he was one the persons that allowed Frehleys Comet to get a recording contract. Another person who truly got financially involved with the band was John Regan. What was the administrative part of the Comets like in those times? Because based on Aces comments in his autobiography, they were chaotic timesTod Howarth: This statement is pretty dead on really, John handled a lot of the money decisions for the band with Ace being at the final helm, and Eddie was to the best of my recollection the reason Megaforce took a chance on him. Chaotic times, yes, as it took a lot of wrangling to keep The Comet afloat and moving ahead, but evidently not enough. I watch the money too but Im more the song and melody man, and this project had enough chiefs to run itbut then again, other variables came in and took us out. Again, chaotic and volatile it was, but I wasnt entirely aware of the impending cliff that we were about to reach. KISS Army Argentina: What can you tell us about tours? How was touring with Ace like?Tod Howarth: Touring was fun with Ace Frehley, work of course but we had a blast. Ace was big fun to tour with and only once in a great while would he regress to not wanting to deal with certain fans and crowds at times. I understand this more now but back then John and I would respectfully remind him that he was no longer with KISS and had to act kindly to these fans (little did we know that soon there after hed be back with KISS or maybe we knew but ignored it) Overall Ace was great to his fans, we had laughs, wild times, great shows, and road stories but none too wild. We did leave him in one city after he threw a bottle through a hotel window at what he thought was a pesky fanit was John and me trying to get him up and out of the room to leave for the next city and show and then the time one of our tour buses dropped us off at the hotel and then took off with our luggage and my portable studio in the luggage bay all due to the fact that the company thought the bill wasnt paidTHAT was personally alarming to me.KISS Army Argentina: What did the Comets lack to play in the big leagues? What happened that led the band to split? Are there any pending matters for the band, or things that you would have done differently? What are your memories from those days?Tod Howarth: Money and the proper management of it perhaps to keep the Comet out there and going. I think that John did a great job keeping us afloat but then again the variables - some of which I still dont know of to this day - just undermined the foundation of the band and the ability to keep us going. The split was just me departing the band. I had found out that after the tour with Iron Maiden died, that on the next LP Ace would be singing and writing all the compositions which left me with virtually no income or way to exist so in my mind I had no choice but to try and strike out on my own. John stayed with the band for a while but I think that the magic had been sucked out of it by the events that had taken place in our last tourthe expectations that never came to be were quite devastating looking back now, although back then we thought of it as it was, just business. There are no pending matters. Its over. Ace COULD ask us all to do something to revive the Comet and John and I have been planting that seed for the last few years but ace has turned it down.KISS Army Argentina: Can you please share with us a story or two that best represent you relationship with Ace Frehley?Tod Howarth: I believe that Ive shared most of the cool stories about Ace and me there arent too many really. I think the best one was when he and I were at his condo in New York going through my song catalog for the first album. Ace was so very happy and positive about this record deal and the more we got know each other, the more I think he felt that I could contribute so in turn he felt real comfortable and we got to work on defining what would become Comet tunes. We laughed about all kinds of stuff while going through my tunes, we talked about my other bands that Id played with and hed mention some parallels with KISS. All the time were doing this he had this little dog at the condo that I think was his daughters or Jeanettes (probably one in the same) and it was running around, yipping at this or that mostly sounds from the street many floors below and he kept darting out to the balcony through the sliding glass doors which was many storeys up. There was no danger of him flying over the edge but we started laughing about Jeeez, why doesnt he just shut the fuck up? Lets throw a dog toy over the railing just to see what happens well this got us laughing a lot as we imagined him leaping over the edge and into the darkness below barking all the way down. THEN we thought, Hey but first lets put a little red cape on him So there was the humor bond combined with the musical section as well.KISS Army Argentina: What are your most important memories from having worked with the Comets? What did you learn from that experience?Tod Howarth: The fondest memories was my musical freedom coming to fruition, really, and then to produce and co-produce and be involved with many aspects of the creativity of the band as a visual too. I knew then that nothing lasts forever so make the very best of it. I did learn that one only gets so many chances until one is too old and the next new musical genre comes to rule. I dont mind that, its the natural order of Rock, unless youre the Rolling Stones ha! Another thing that I learned is that I was (and am) very capable of writing, performing at the needed pace that makes one a world class participant, and its humbling at times although I may not sound like it here.KISS Army Argentina: We have recently seen (and published) a couple of pictures of you & Ace & John Regan, too. There have been rumors about a possible comeback of the Comets; is there any truth in those rumors? Have you talked to Ace about that possibility? Do you think it could ever happen?Tod Howarth: John and I are exploring the prospects of assembling a band with another guitar player and drummer to do Comet tunes and then songs from the big bands that weve played with. This is proving to be a daunting task but we are hopeful Ace has been contacted but shows no desire to resurrect Frehleys Comet.at this time..unfortunately. KISS Army Argentina: Not too long ago you re-recorded a version of Breakout. How did you feel recording again what is probably the most relevant song of the Comets?Tod Howarth: Well it was strange and fun at the same time. It was weird because Kevin Valentine did the drum track first, sent it to John Regan via E-mail where John laid down the bass to a different arrangement and then sent it off to me in the same manner to complete the vocals, rhythm and lead guitars and then mix with my musician friend Ronny Jones here in San Diego. I did miss tracking with real time players on this tune since when it was first recorded it was HUGE sounding and I came into the band when the song was already on its way to being done so I wouldve loved to re-record it from the start with John, Kevin at the basic track level to get it even heavier than it came out this second time. Another perspective was that I drifted back in time when I was singing the song first with the CometIts like when you smell something that brings back memories of a certain event in your life, the images - some forgotten - come flooding back wherein you get to relive the excitement. And/or the sadness of knowing that the particular song/era that youre replicating is lost on many possible new listeners. It is again, a weird mix of emotions.KISS Army Argentina: We know that you keep in touch with John Regan and with other (former) members of the Comets. Do you have any contact with Anton Fig, Bill Ward or Jamie Oldaker, the different drummers of the band?Tod Howarth: John and I have talked the most of course, I just spoke with him last week. I havent spoken to Anton in many years as his plate is always full (fantastic for him!) Along with Anton, I have seen Jamie at a few Kiss Conventions but our talks on the phone have been very few we just have different paths. Billy Ward and I spoke many years ago when I was forming my first solo band here in San Diego he had been playing with The Knack for a while and if I remember correctly he was about to venture on to something else but I have not heard from him since then. I do believe that he felt some disdain for The Comet or a few of the members for perhaps feeling that he was let go from the project unfairly. He was a great drummer in my opinion; he just played a lot in some area.KISS Army Argentina: Have you listened Ace Frehleys Anomaly? If you did, what is your opinion on that album?Tod Howarth: You know I have not. I havent not listened on purpose really, it just never peaked my interest. I would imagine that he hasnt listened to any of my 5 solo efforts as well, but thats just the way things happen, not on purpose, just a different musical path. I dont think he has any idea of what Im really capable of doing musically, or maybe he has, who knows.KISS Army Argentina: Changing the subject a bit, what is your opinion about KISS nowadays and their present (performances, albums, etc.)?Tod Howarth: Without sounding pretentious, I really dont have an opinion. I mean Ive gone a full circle, I guess, with KISS going from, I didnt listen or follow them to, Hey, this band has got a great marketing idea from a total package point of view to Oh heres the replacements guys, I understand to Ah the reunion gig, well of course and then back to the Replacements I cannot take anything away from Eric and Tommy, as I sort of know Eric, hes one Hell of a drummer, and Tommy fills a void that would otherwise perhaps not provide the Ace image to (forgiving) fans that still wish to see KISS in the original glory. And of course the Bruce and Eric Carr era built new fans for the band as well. Gene worked it well and Paul delivered. In short, I wouldnt be a good judge here as I dont really listen to the band in depth They DO have some kickazz songs though.KISS Army Argentina: Please tell us about your current projects. What can we expect from you, maybe a new album, a new tour? What about your future?Tod Howarth: While I take care of some personal investments that suck up a lot of my time and energy, I am writing for two more solo CDs and working a possible live band with John Regan, Sean Kelly (From Canada) and a drummer to be named. My solo CDs will be one that is heavy rock, the other that will be virtually acoustic piano and vocals, and acoustic guitar and vocals real simple. The band project is one that John and I are looking to try to assemble to see just how far we can take it. The set list should be comprised of mainly Comet tunes, with a heavier update and then some famous tunes from the bands that John and I have played forand maybe, just maybe a new song or two. This project will be an uphill run but, you gotta keep going if only to see where it may take you. Other than that I will be writing my own book, and I do write as well. So this will be one of my last interviews as I will need to start writing down the stories in full, from many bands, before the memories start to blend!KISS Army Argentina: Tod, once again, thanks a lot for your time for this interview with KISS Army Argentina. It has been a pleasure!Tod Howarth: To KISS Army Argentina THANK YOU for asking me these great questions! I do look forward to perhaps one day, if were lucky to perform for you in some way or another I again, apologize for taking so long in answering them but such is life, as we all are, always busy!

Interview by: Marcelo Garca and Diego Ferreyra (November 2013)http://www.kissarmyargentina.com/