Confessions of a Former Glam Rocker (T.A.G. tagged)

[TheBenGiant]

I know steve missal personally hes my history teacher

[ToddAllenGates]

@TheBenGiant

> I know steve missal personally he's my history teacher

Tell him that Todd Gates, former Rhythm Team keyboardist, says "Hi!"

[KevinBKlein]

too cool

[ToddAllenGates]

@KevinBKlein

> too cool

Thanks!

[Disthron]

I still like this vid, and I still have trouble believing you are that old, you don't look that old.

Too bad about the Raw Angel, so close and yet so far.

[ToddAllenGates]

@Disthron

> I still like this vid

Thanks!

> I still have trouble believing you are that old, you don't look that old.

Turned 48 this summer -- time flies!

> Too bad about the Raw Angel, so close and yet so far

Oh well ... at least the band made for a decent section in a YouTube / TAG video.

[LASchgos]

Steve, hello to an old East Side guy, from and old Roseland girl...Young democratics dance on 87th and Cole..Awe the memories..Tellstars..LOL..Fina­lly teaching history...UIC..

[ToddGates]

> Steve, hello to an old East Side guy, from an old Roseland girl

I don't quite understand your comment - are you saying you're a woman from Roseland NJ saying hello to Steve Missal (an old friend of yours?)

> Finally teaching history

Is this a reference to Steve Missal's current occupation?

> ...Young democratics dance on 87th and Cole..Awe the memories .. Tellstars .. LOL ..... UIC..

I don't understand this part at all!

[juancradlegonzalez]

Steve Missal is now my History teacher here at Perth Amboy High School in NJ =)

[ToddAllenGates]

> Steve Missal is now my History teacher

Tell him Todd Gates says "Hi"! (And let him know about this video!)

[juancradlegonzalez]

Ok ill tell him . i couldn't believe it when he told me we were in class and he put this song call white wedding and i recognized it from rock band 2 them he told me he was the drummer and told me a little bit about the bands he was part of

it was kinda cool

[ToddAllenGates]

> he told me he was the drummer and told me a little bit about the bands he was part of

Steve's a great drummer - it was an honor for me to have the opportunity to play with him.

[juancradlegonzalez]

yes he is he still has a band but is like a band of history teachers and they play songs about american history and stuff like that for schools.

[SkepticsClaw]

Well this was excellent and very interesting! One of the best youtube videos I've seen in a long while. I must admit this was about the last thing I was expecting from you, haha.

A great and surprising story, well told.

[ToddAllenGates]

> One of the best youtube videos I've seen in a long while.

Thank you!

> I must admit this was about the last thing I was expecting from you

Yes, I can see why people don't look at me and think "hair band"!

[smalltownatheist]

Wow. I had no idea. You were pretty!

XD

[ToddAllenGates]

> You were pretty!

Going bald was actually a blessing--so to speak--in disguise: it made it very easy to stay faithful to my wife. (The Lord works in mysterious ways!)

[smalltownatheist]

I dunno...I'll bet Mr. Clean gets laid all the time.

[punka1970]

Great video

[ToddAllenGates]

> Great video

Thanks Punka!

[TLSlayer]

my third video there,the probem is that i forgot to include motley crue.

FACEPALM

[GregGirardin]

ha ha...very amusing Todd, thanks for sharing.

[ToddAllenGates]

> thanks for sharing

Thanks, Greg, for watching!

[TRUCKEEDOG666]

I'm really glad I've found your channel. You're very talented and intelligent. This backstory is a hoot also. keep it up, please.

[ToddAllenGates]

> I'm really glad I've found your channel.

I'm glad you did too!

> This backstory is a hoot also

Ha-ha . . . yes, I know people don't look at me and think "hair band"!

[mainemade]

What an interesting and cool video memoir!!! :)

[ToddAllenGates]

> What an interesting and cool video memoir!!! :)

Thank you -- and thanks for the guest-star visit, "mainemade"!

[TLSlayer]

a great video,im curently trying to make my own music on myspace,my style is death metal,im 31 now and still trying.

[ToddAllenGates]

> currently trying to make my own music on myspace

I wish I had had the internet back in my struggling musician days (1984-1989). It's still probably just as hard now as it was back then to make a living from it---but the great advantage is that it's much easier to get your music heard by the public without having to suck up to the major labels.

[TLSlayer]

well,the problem is though hat too many bands around and alot of them not that great IMO.

it is great that death metal is gaining popularity though.

[practicalmagic9]

thank you for opening up about your career in music and the choices you made.glad to see a video from you again!

[ToddAllenGates]

> glad to see a video from you again!

I'm glad to have viewers: thank you!

[Larsinger58]

Sharing this broadens our perception of you and humanizes you even more. Good choice and well done. I admire talent like you have but it is good to see the ones who 'make it' sacrifice quite a lot. That means everybody with LESS going than you have should be practical about career vs hobby; so this was helpful, even to me, who performed as an 'actor' professionally for a very short while but am enjoying Biblical studies much more passionately.

[ToddAllenGates]

> the ones who 'make it' sacrifice quite a lot.

True: a common theme in the autobiographies of celebrities is how often it cost them their relationship with not only their children, but with many of their friends and family members. I'm lucky I'm not so talented that I felt compelled to keep trying!

> Good choice and well done.

Thank you!

[Larsinger58]

Neato!!! Thanks for sharing this with us.

[StormTrek]

Geat video autobiography. Rock on!

[ToddGates]

> Great video autobiography.

Thanks StormTrek!

[buzzausa]

Todd, I came to know you only recently thanks to ProfMTH. He recommended your channel and as it often happens, he was right. I have only watched a few of your most recent videos and I enjoy very much the way you present your arguments.

With this video you made even more glad I followed Prof's suggestion. So many things I can relate to, not the least of which is the love for 80's glam rock big-hair bands (that's the music I grew up with).

Looking forward to more videos!

[ToddGates]

> I came to know you only recently thanks to ProfMTH.

I was very flattered by ProfMTH's recommendation: he makes some of the best videos on YouTube.

> I have only watched a few of your most recent videos and I enjoy very much the way you present your arguments.

Thanks! (The central video series on my channel, BTW, is "Using the Socratic Method with Christian Proselytizers." The videos starting with 5.1, .5.2, 5.3, etc. all stem from that series.)

[flamablesteve]

You are so awesome!

You should become a glam rocker again!

[ToddGates]

> You should become a glam rocker again!

Even in the 80s, it didn't really fit my personality--and it *definitely* doesn't now!

But for some inexplicable reason I *did* try to re-capture my old look for the first few blues harp videos I ever uploaded (July 2007, on my ToddGates musician channel, the one I'm currently writing from). Click on my ToddGates channel and sort my uploads by MOST VIEWED and you'll see. (The hair in this video is real; the 2007 hair is fake.)

[HappyApostate]

Really well done, and what an adventurous full life you've had so far. Bravo! Love all your vids. And IMHO you look better bald.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Really well done

Thanks!

> IMHO you look better bald

I confess to missing my hair, but being bald is much more practical. No need to worry about things like sleeping on it when it's damp, or to ever have to fuss in front of the mirror again.

[Redfingers]

You're much cooler now, Todd.

[ToddAllenGates]

> You're much cooler now, Todd.

I don't know if I ever measured up to the word "cool" (at least as the word is typically defined by the media) . . . but I *will* say I feel much happier / more authentic these days: I feel more at home as a father than as a band member, and I'd like to think I have something unique to offer in writing in a way that I KNEW I didn't have to offer in music (and certainly not in hair bands!).

[wdgeo]

Great video! Thank you!

[ToddAllenGates]

> Great video! Thank you!

Thank *you* for watching and commenting!

[Redfingers]

Ew, that's fucking nasty, don't tell us that.

RRRAGAHGGHGGH I HATE HAIR METAL!

[ToddAllenGates]

> that's fucking nasty.

C'mon now - "nasty" would be if I used to do something like male prostitution.

More appropriate for hair metal are adjectives like "idiotic" and "formula crap."

[Disthron]

holy crap! You were 25 back then. I though you were around that age now! Yea, needless to say I didn't think you were an old man, just balled.

I guess I do find hair bands kind of silly but hay, silly is good sometimes.

I think you've talked about some if this before but I guess I had the time scaling all wrong. Anyway, interesting video.

[ToddAllenGates]

> You were 25 back then. I thought you were around that age now!

Nah, I'm a 47-year-old geezer--but thank you!

> I guess I do find hair bands kind of silly

Agreed!!

> but hey silly is good sometimes

The goofiness of hair bands is best from a safe distance ... that time period is at its best when seen in 30 second clips only.

[Domzdream]

Tod, I ahve to say, you have really impressed me with your life's history, and ultimate assention.

[Domzdream]

HA ha . Awesome. Pretty proffessionaly done. You guys were great!

[ToddAllenGates]

> You guys were great!

The anti-hair-metal commenters disagree, but nice to hear that *some* of ya'll liked us--thank you!!

[ToddGates]

> You guys were great!

Just an FYI: I just posted some Raw Angel music on my "ToddGates" channel:

- "Looking for Love": /watch?v=N5XIsXvetdA

- a cover of Joplin's "Piece of My Heart": /watch?v=QdMu1aCSCn4&feature=r­elated

[TheAist]

i loved when u did "freak on a leash"

& "man in a box" that rocked

[ToddGates]

> "freak on a leash" & "man in a box" that rocked

Thanks! (You can check out the full versions on my musician channel--the ToddGates one I'm writing from at the moment.)

[ToddAllenGates]

> i still think it's awesome that you went out there and did your thing

Music in general was more my thing than the "glam scene" -- I joined Raw Angel mainly because I knew they had interest from some major labels, and I thought they were a good way to get my foot in the door ... to get "a name" that would come in useful for future projects.

I'm much more at home nowadays with my "thing" as an author!

[amberview30]

Thank you for uploading again. I loved big hair bands and had big hair without the band. :-) This was awesome to watch. I would have never imagined.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Thank you for uploading again

Thank you for commenting again!

> I would have never imagined.

It's even hard for *me* to imagine! (Things have changed a lot in the last 20 years.)

[chuckfaststrat]

Holy smokes...talk about flashbacks...

..I just KNEW there was a deeper history of your past, Todd. And now I also know why I feel a youtube bond with you!

[ToddAllenGates]

> And now I also know why I feel a youtube bond with you!

I'm honored -- and I just checked out some of your lead guitar solos: great playing!

[chuckfaststrat]

Tip of the hat back atcha, Todd. Yup- I did the glam thing many moons ago...and ended up performing on cruise ships for a living. Talk about a gig that'll burn you out and deaden your creativity....

[ToddAllenGates]

> a gig that'll burn you out and deaden your creativity

When I first started performing paying jobs I was surprised by how much I could hate them ... for me, one of the worst jobs was being a background piano player in a restaurant. I actually preferred being a restaurant's waiter than its pianist. As a waiter, I didn't have to pretend to like what I was doing!

[chuckfaststrat]

HAHA!! I completely relate!

On the ships, we had "theme nights" where we dressed up for the part. Disco night and country night were the worst...I was just in "robot mode", allowing my motor skills to carry me through the night, the whole time thinking to myself..."where di I go wrong? This wasn't how it was supposed to be!"...

= D

[ToddGates]

> Disco night and country night were the worst

Sounds extremely painful!

When it came to being a restaurants pianist vs. its waiter, I didnt particularly like either, but my dislike for playing the piano there was more soul destroying (for lack of a better word). Being a waiter wasnt tied to anything I loved—it was just a straight-forward exchange of cash for a service, so it wasn't depressing in quite the same way.

[chuckfaststrat]

I hear ya...

[chuckfaststrat]

...and I'm curious, Todd....what became of the other members of Raw Angel? Still in touch with any of them?

[ToddAllenGates]

1 of 2:

> what became of the other members of Raw Angel?

The only steady members of the band were myself and the lead singer: those who played guitar, bass, and drums turned over too fast for me to form real bonds with (and I only remember them as "Steve," "Brian," "Richie" etc, so I can't look them up). I kept in touch with the lead singer for some time—she didn't do well after leaving music, and ended up living in & out of mental institutes and homeless shelters.

[ToddAllenGates]

2 of 2:

She abruptly stopped communicating in early September 2001, and I couldn't even try to contact her b/c she had no phone or steady address. I'm *speculating* that she was one of the many unidentified homeless NYers who was killed on 9/11, but she could have stopped communicating for some other reason (or something else could have killed her, given her lifestyle).

I was going to include this info in the video, but it seemed unnecessary to throw in this tragic ending!

[stevebritgimp]

That's absolutely brilliant - kind of a Vince Noir from the Mighty Boosh.

[ToddAllenGates]

> kind of a Vince Noir from the Mighty Boosh

I'm one of those ignorant Americans who had never heard of Vince Noir before - but I've checking him out here on YouTube: thanks for the introduction!

[stevebritgimp]

:) I have a thing for introducing Americans to British comedy - it's all a bit weird. They're more electro-pop than metal, but do have a glam edge to them - you get where I'm coming from...

[nobatadared]

I have to say that was one of the most interesting tag videos I've ever watched. I would have never guessed that you were a musician (I also did not know you had two other channels, which I'm now subscribing to :) ).

[ToddAllenGates]

> I did not know you had two other channels, which I'm now subscribing to

I'm honored--thank you!

[DrFoolishit]

Your music is very good.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Your music is very good

Thank you -- but I have to say that it suits me better as my hobby than my living!

[Kloxboy]

That was awesome, Todd. Really enjoyed that.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Really enjoyed that

Good to hear--thanks!

[ReverendAtomSmasher]

I really enjoyed this video Todd. Very cool. I liked the insight into your life.

[ToddAllenGates]

> I liked the insight into your life

Thanks -- even though I usually tune into YouTube for specific info (and usually, on religion), I find that I like hearing about other people's lives too.

[CHAS1422]

Cool history! Most interesting tag video on utube I've seen so far.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Most interesting tag video on utube I've seen so far.

TOO kind, but thank you!

[Keylimedelight]

You are the cats god'am meow sir. Great interesting autobio peace. hard to do. Good job.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Great interesting autobio piece. Hard to do

Thanks--and this *was* hard to assemble, especially because all my 80s music and videos were on cassette, and I had to learn how to transfer them.

Plus I'm just not used to using movie-making software--for 95% of my videos, I do nothing but push RECORD on my Flip Video camcorder, and then STOP when I'm done--and then upload that file straight to YouTube. A lot of the editing techniques I used on this were brand new to me.

[TheUnmaskedMagician]

I used to have long hair too

great vid Todd

5 stars!!

[ToddAllenGates]

> I used to have long hair too

I feel it's just as well that I went bald: it makes it easy for me to stay faithful to my wife!

[MisterEvil1]

Dude! you put a real effort into reaching for your dreams. Something many people can not say about themselves.

[ToddAllenGates]

> you put a real effort into reaching for your dreams

Thanks . . . although I don't know how much the hair band dream was worth pursuing! I feel much more comfortable and "real" with my current pursuits in writing.

[freethinker3161]

i can't believe what a hair metal uncle tom you are. lololol. come on allen, you know once in a while, you jump in the car , pop in the crew, and freak out. lol. hair metal is my favorite area of rock.

[ToddAllenGates]

> i can't believe what a hair metal uncle tom you are

A *former* hair metal Uncle Tom---I don't exactly qualify to be in the club anymore!!

[proudfootz]

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

Your band was way beyond mine.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[AuntieDiluvian]

WOW Todd!

[ToddAllenGates]

> WOW

Haha--thanks!

[juggaloryan3]

Ha! Very cool! Thanks for sharing this. Raw Angel = AWESOME!

[ToddAllenGates]

> Raw Angel = AWESOME!

I didn't expect many people on this channel to actually like the band--but great to hear otherwise!

[ToddGates]

Just an FYI: I just posted some Raw Angel music on my "ToddGates" channel:

- "Looking for Love": /watch?v=N5XIsXvetdA

- a cover of Joplin's "Piece of My Heart": /watch?v=QdMu1aCSCn4&feature=r­elated

[Domzdream]

Thanks.

[ozmoroid]

It's time for a "lack of hair band" movement!

[deRoyLight]

haha. totally unexpected. plus5!

[ToddAllenGates]

> totally unexpected

Yes, I can see why people don't look at me and think ... "hair band material"!

[invisibletime]

Thanks Todd. Great stuff

i am on page 195 of your book dialogue

very comprehensive

thanks 4 all your vids 10*

Please keep it coming

[ToddAllenGates]

> i am on page 195 of your book dialogue

very comprehensive

Great to hear: thanks!

[KraisinsGhost]

I don't care what anyone says, I still love hair bands! Thanks for sharing!

[ToddAllenGates]

> I still love hair bands!

I like them mostly from a nostalgic point of view---they're much more fun from a safe distance!

[ToddGates]

> I still love hair bands!

Just an FYI: I just posted some Raw Angel music on my "ToddGates" channel:

- "Looking for Love": /watch?v=N5XIsXvetdA

- a cover of Joplin's "Piece of My Heart": /watch?v=QdMu1aCSCn4&feature=r­elated

[mysonabsalom]

HOT man. This is great.

[ToddAllenGates]

> This is great

Thank you Stephen!

[Largo64]

To me, Todd, you look like a YOUNG bald guy! Wow! What a tag video! You have a great family . . . and a helluva lot of talent! I really enjoyed this.

[ToddAllenGates]

> you look like a YOUNG bald guy!

I'm 47 -- that *used* to sound very old to me!

> Wow! What a tag video!

Thanks!

[PoisonedAntidote]

picard look > twisted sister look.

and that looking for love tune sounds good man, would not mind hearing the full thing.

[ToddAllenGates]

> that Looking For Love tune sounds good man, would not mind hearing the full thing

Thanks! Some day when I get the time, I might start a new channel and just post videos and songs of theirs.

[WineisyourFriend]

That may have been the most enjoyable tag vid I've ever watched. Thanks Todd. Great stuff. You know, Joe Satriani had the same hair transition you did. He chose to keep rockin, but shave it all off and go for the silver surfer look. Works for him. But I believe you made the right decision. I doubt that Satriani could write like you. When you find your real talent, you owe it to yourself and to your audience to pursue it. I dig your work. Please keep it coming.

[ToddAllenGates]

> That may have been the most enjoyable tag vid I've ever watched.

Thank you!

> When you find your real talent, you owe it to yourself to pursue it

Thanks ... and yes, as a musician I think the best I could have been was a competent side person -- not someone like Satriani (Hendrix, etc.) who was actually creating something new.

[TheNepets]

That takes me back to the glory days of the eighties when I too was a longhair. I was a deadhead with side of metal and punk thrown in. I remember being the only guy in the pit with longhair and wearing tie dies But alas somewhere along the way I also lost the ability to grow hair. I have yet to learn how to live competently but its near the top of my to-do list.

Steve

[ToddAllenGates]

> I also lost the ability to grow hair.

But it's so much less work being bald! I never have to worry anymore about how my hair looks if it gets wet, if I sleep on it funny, etc. Nowadays it never looks good, but it never looks worse.

> I have yet to learn how to live competently

Lots of different ways -- my path of a safe office job is boring in some ways but discovering writing was one of my big rewards.

[Itsdefault]

Your a man of many talents with a awsome weird really different past. Awsome vid.

[ToddAllenGates]

> a awsome weird really different past

Thanks -- and making this video reminded me of just how weird it was!

[brutus149]

Reminds me, I'm still glad that Hair Metal faded away.

[ToddAllenGates]

> I'm still glad that Hair Metal faded away

Likewise!! Even at the time, I felt much of it was predictable formula crap, and more about strutting than songwriting.

But I also knew that major labels were looking at this band, and I felt it was the best way to get my foot in the door for future music projects.

I'll also admit that some of it was fun: and I knew my days as a hair band member were limited and I had to go for the chance while I still had time (and hair follicles).