Hello, My Name Is Neil

Hello, My Name Is Neil

IE: How often do you get the “What’s it like to be Vince Neil’s son?” question?
Neil Wharton: I get it all the time. It’s either that or “Vince Neil doesn’t have a son.” I use to get irritated with the second one, but hey, it comes with the territory. And to answer the question: It’s just like being the son of anyone else. My dad just happens to have a really cool job.

IE: Give me the story behind your Mötley Crüe tribute act, Rock N Roll Junkies.
NW: The Junkies were formed by my guitarist Steven [Talbott] and myself about two years ago. The idea started way before that and it was conceived at CrüeFest Hollywood. Basically he was in another band that was performing at the show and invited me to come onstage and sing. It was a blast. We decided that a good way to raise money for the Skylar Neil [Vince Neil’s daughter and Neil’s half sister who died of cancer in 1995] fund was to play music and donate everything we made to charity. None of us make any money playing; we all have other jobs. This band is all about the charity and what we can do to help out.

IE: What was your dad’s reaction when you told him you were doing a Crüe tribute act?
NW: He was very supportive and kinda shocked, I guess. But he thinks it’s cool. He has not yet been able to see the band due to schedule differences, but he really wants to.

IE: How does the debauchery level of a Crüe tribute band compare to the real thing?
NW: I have friends that are in really good Crüe bands and they get treated like the real thing. With that I mean boobs hanging out and everything. The Junkies are a lil’ different [because] we’re not all about that. We’re about the charity first and playing the music to the best of our abilities. We get treated a lil’ different because we don’t dress up. The Junkies don’t look anything like the Crüe. But I guarantee you if you’re in that club and you close your eyes while we are onstage, you’d think you were in Hollywood in ’81. That is a promise.

Neil Wharton’s Rock N Roll Junkies headline the second annual CrüeFest Chicagö April 28th at Champs Rock Room in Burbank.

— Trevor Fisher

Category: File, Monthly