Sitting Down With: Slade Willis

By Joanna King

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about Mellow Metal. For those who don't, they are LaQuest Beach's resident rock stars who have been traveling the world and making beautiful music. While there is no doubt that Slade Willis, Brian Johnson, and Kenny Connors are all hotties who have girls and women alike swooning, Slade Willis is definitely the heart breaker of the group!

SDW: So, how are things?

SLADE: (laughs) Things are great, how are things with you?

SDW: I'm great. You guys recently did a show in Apple Valley right?

SLADE: Yea, we played at their Apple Festival. We were so honored to be asked and we're all big fans of Aerial Bionic and we've learned so much from those guys. We also did a huge collaboration with them, Jimmie Page, and Leander Snow for charity which was awesome!

SDW: I'm a fan as well. Are you guys working on new music?

SLADE: We actually just got back in the studio. We wanted to take some down time before jumping back in. Kenny and I wanted to spend some time with our kids and Brian wanted to make goo goo eyes at his girl for a while (laughs)

SDW: Yea, I hear Brian's girlfriend is gorgeous! (laughs) Speaking of kids, our readers may be surprised to know that you have one. You're like the Hugh Hefner of your group.

SLADE: Hey, even Hef has kids! Joss wasn't really planned but that little girl is my life. All the bad I've done aside, she's the one thing I got right.

SDW: How sweet. So are you going to be giving her a sibling anytime soon?

SLADE: (laughs) No way man! I mean I love my daughter, but unless her mom has another kid, she'll be an only child. The lifestyle I live isn't really good for kids, ya know?

SDW: So you plan to be a heart breaker for the rest of your life?

SLADE: I really don't get why people call me a heart breaker. Women know up front what to expect from me: a good time. A hell of a good time! But that's it. It's not that I don't believe in love, Kenny loves his wife without a doubt. But that just isn't for everyone. My band mates, my friends, my daughter, those people love me and I'm good with that. I don't see myself ever wanting to settle down with one chick. She'd have to be absolutely perfect, and we know that no one is perfect (laughs).

SDW: So what do you look for in a woman?

SLADE: Kenny and Brian would say a pulse (laughs) but it's a little more than that. Since I don't really do relationships, I look for confident women. I don't really have the time to reassure more shy women, it sends the wrong signal. Women who come up to me and are direct about what they want are so sexy to me! And she'd obviously have to be hot. I also like a woman who can laugh, I'm not about all that seriousness, life is too short. 

SDW: I think people are surprised by that when they find out you lost both your parents at such a young age. I think people kind of expect you to want a family more than anyone else to serve as a replacement for what you lost.

SLADE: See that's faulty logic. No woman on this planet can replace my mother and father. No one. And I'm not going to jump into a relationship with some chick just to have that. Because I'll never have that again. So instead of pretending to be something I'm not, I live my life by what I want to do. I plan to be just as good of a dad to my daughter as my father was to me, and I don't need a woman to do that. I am who I am.

SDW: Well, we have to respect that. There have been reports that your daughter's mother has been seen around the city with millionaire Armand Wrightwood. How do you feel about that?

SLADE: What do people keep asking me that? (laughs) Meadow is a grown woman, free to do as she pleases. The only thing between she and I is our daughter. End of story. I could care less who she dates as long as they know that Joss is MY daughter. Everything else concerning that situation is irrelevant to me.  

SDW: So where do you see yourself in ten years?

SLADE: In ten years? I don't know. Music has always been an important part of my life. My dad made sure of that. So I'll definitely be doing something music related. I hope to still be touring with Mellow Metal, but you never know. Kenny and Brian are both interested in starting families and once that happens, priorities shift. And I get that.

SDW: Would you ever consider going solo?

SLADE: I don't know.........I've been playing with these guys since college, ya know. They're like my brothers. So I don't know how I would feel about doing that. But I don't have to perform to be apart of music. I think we've all learned a lot about producing from Jake (Ellison) so I think that is definitely an option for me.     

SDW: So when can we expect the next Mellow Metal album?

SLADE: Pretty soon I think. The three of us have such different personalities and we try to make sure that we're all represented through songs on the album. So sometimes the process can take a little time. But it won't be too long (smiles).

SDW: Great! Thanks so much for taking the time to sit down with us.

SLADE: No problem, anytime!

We're so grateful to Slade for sitting down to chat with us. Until we find someone else to occupy the hot seat, later gators!


* I still haven't gotten a chance to sit down and play, which SUCKS! But I'm still around and thought I would fill in the space with an interview from the man himself :). I plan to do these here and there whenever the mood strikes. If you have a specific person that you would like interviewed, just let me know! These are quicker to do than actual updates. I planned on taking a break this summer but a last minute change in the class offerings had stomped out all of plans I had, including a trip to Disneyland :(. But I'll graduate a semester earlier than planned so I guess that's good right?