Legendary music manager Doc McGhee is now directing the career of new Hollywood band Vintage Trouble.
Vintage Trouble
After signing acts for more than 30 years, Doc likens finding a new act to how a trainer finds a horse. “You know you come across them all the time. We are like handicappers,” he tells Noise11.com. “We look at the horse, we look at the trainer, we look at the jockey. We look at all those things and if we think that horse can run and we think it’s the one to win then we’ll bet on it. If we don’t, we don’t. It’s about connection with artists. Its not about if I like the music or not, it is about connection to people”.
Doc says he is bombarded with about 25 new acts a week and doesn’t touch any of them. “If they don’t connect, there is nothing you can do for them,” he says.
He came across Vintage Trouble when he was working on Gene Simmons TV show. “I was doing Gene Simmons Family Jewels and the camera guy and producer said go and see this band,” he says. “I heard one song and I signed them. There were 100 people in the club. It was packed. Everybody was sweating and dancing and just having the best time. They were incredible live. So I signed them”.
Doc has driven the careers of Motley Crue, Kiss and Ted Nugent. “It was the same thing I did with Motley Crue,” he says. “When I saw Motley Crue I didn’t even know what they were playing it was so unlistenable. But I saw 3000 kids going absolutely ape-shit.”
Vintage Trouble will tour Australia later this month. They will also showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March.
Dates are:
January 27, 28, 29, Sydney, Spiegeltent
January 31, Melbourne, East Brunswick Club.
Listen to the Doc McGhee interview where he talks about Vintage Trouble, Motley Crue, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Guns n Roses and his Aussie signing Adam Brand:
