It may be a few years old, but it's still a good laugh. Songwriter/producer and now label owner Jack Ponti talked to Metal Sludge about the "good old days" with Nelson, Joe Lynn Turner, Snake Sabo and many other war stories. Ponti is now busy with his Merovingian Music - the company that recently released Sebastian Bach's Angel Down. However, Jack unfortunately fails to reflect on his brief time spent with MTV''s Jesse Camp. Too bad.
From Metal Sludge.
The name "Jack Ponti" may not be instantly recognizable to you, but if you lived in New Jersey, you'd know it's a name that conjures a blend of reverence and utter contempt when whispered in the backs of seedy clubs, basement recording studios, and all the dimly-lit bars from Clifton to Sayreville. And if it didn't incite those emotions before, then it certainly will after you read his 20 Questions, because this one is sure to ruffle a few feathers!
For those not in the know, and you're not alone, Jack Ponti first became known to the Garden State music scene in the late 70s and eary 80s when he played guitar in the band "The Rest," which also featured a then-unknown Jon Bon Jovi. Later in the 80s and early 90s, Mr. Ponti evolved to become a prominent songwriter and producer, working with all kinds of hard rock acts that you know and love including Skid Row, Alice Cooper, Babylon A.D., Bonfire, Every Mother's Nightmare, Shark Island, Grim Reaper, Doro Pesch, the Nelson twins, and many more that we're certainly overlooking. Plus he played guitar on one Baton Rouge album! He's also been in several of his own bands, including Angry Tears, Surgin, and a few more that we'll never hear about again. But that means nothing, because after this week's 20 Questions, Jack Ponti will forever be a household name! It's just that good.
We first heard from Jack Ponti last March when he responded to Joe Lynn Turner's Rewind. He told us a great story about "The Rev" Turner getting all fucked up at a Bon Jovi afterparty and doing crazy shit at the Four Seasons hotel. It was a great, detailed story, so we thought to ourselves, "maybe Jack's got some more great stories like that he'd be willing to share." And fuck, were we ever right. This is some great old-school Sludge, filled with lots of smack talking and some fantastic recollections. We don't have that many pictures of Jack (supposedly there are only 3 in existence), but fuck that, there's so much going on in this interview that you don't even need pictures. We can't say enough about this week's 20 Questions, so we'll stop, and let Mr. Ponti take over from here. Let's go!
1. What are you currently up to? This is your one and only chance to plug your shit.
Let?s see, after many a year being the B rate Desmond Child and the K Mart Mutt Lange, I wisely took my earnings and pulled a giant Houdini in the early 1990s.
Then after properly enjoying doing nothing for 7 years ?they pulled me back in? and I began managing writers and producers.
Then we got into artist management, hit a few home runs and now I run a company that has many indie labels within its umbrella.
We took a long look at the indie world and felt we could make a difference.
Our model is very unique in this environment and we think fills a giant void.
We empower the indies rather than strip mine them.
We provide financing, distribution, infrastructure, staffing and the like. www.platformgroupmusic.com
After being in this shit for almost 30 years, you figure a few things out.
Retirement was fun, but what the fuck.
It?s also cool as shit helping people realize their dreams, as I am the luckiest man who ever lived.
Odd career I?ve had from Hair Bands to Urban to Indie Rock?Polka next!
2. How many people reading this actually have a clue as to who you are? Take your best guess.
The high teens and of course the few friends that I have left.
Maybe a slew of ex girlfriends who wish me bad.
Being an enigma has its rewards. Being a nobody is fun as well.
3. What?s the deal with the ?Jack Ponti Boozing Society?? Apparently there?s a drinking society based in Finland whose mission is to honor your career as a musician and a producer by ? go figure ? mindlessly drinking! What are your thoughts about that?
Better than the ?Jack Ponti Enema Society? no?
The only way to honor the shards of my career is to mindlessly drink.
I love those guys.
The only way I can listen to some of the work I?ve done back in the day is to drink heavily first.
In fact, I wonder why I even had a career.
Shows you how important luck and timing are.
4. Rate the following guitarists on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a hack, and 10 being a virtuoso:
Snake Sabo = 7? Little Snooky can play, ask him about his vagina though.
Richie Sambora = 8. Richie never got the limelight of guitar hero but he is brilliant and soulful.
Jeff LaBar = 4, but good hair.
Ace Frehley = I love Ace but never understood the worship?..6
Steve Brown = Amazing rhythm guitarist?.6
Andy Timmons = solid 6, vastly under rated.
Vic Pepe = Master of the Maytag, 3.
Lance Bullen = About as much soul as cardboard, good technique though but bad hair?.4
Aldo Nova = If not for the leopard pants a 7, but due to them a 5.
C.C. DeVille = You gotta love the guy but??4 ?.
I of course was around a solid 1 as a guitarist, which is why I became a writer of solid 2 stature, producer of solid 3 stature then figured out that I sucked and became a manager of solid 10 ten stature and label chief of solid 10.
Read more of Metal Sludge's classic interview with Jack Ponti...
