Hair Metal Mansion - Interview with Mickey Kravitz of Harlow

I recently had the honor of talking with Harlow frontman, Mickey Kravitz! Harlow was a greatly underrated band that was a part of the L.A. Sunset Strip scene in the 80's...they are now signed with Retrospect Records...and have an album out called, "Now and Then"! For more info on the band, and to hear some of their songs, check them out on Myspace;
http://www.myspace.com/harlowrox

And here's the interview;

Hair Metal Mansion: What influenced you to become a musician, and when did you first start singing?

Mickey Kravitz: The band "The Sweet" had a major influence on me, When I was about 11 or 12 years old I heard The Sweet and that changed my life, I first started playing the drums then at 14 and at 16 I gave that up and started singing.

HMM: When and how did Harlow first form?

MK: I was into all the glam bands like The Sweet, T-rex, etc... so growing up in Kansas City was a little different but I wanted to put together that type of band. It was in 1985 when I met a cover band in KC called the Bad Boys. They were looking for another singer to write original material with and we just hit it off.

HMM: Harlow started playing local parties and The Uptown Theater, a 1,500 seat venue. What was it like during that time?

MK: It was a great time, we were the only band in Kansas City that was really into the glam thing to the extent that we were. Many times we would be out somewhere with full make up, spiked heel boots etc. and fights would break out. I just think think the midwest really didn't get the joke.. Being in a glam band was, well first of course it was about the music, but also a sense of humor and getting a reaction. You always want to get something out of people with your music, look, etc.. without a reaction of some kind you just disappear.

HMM: You guys also had a reputation for throwing big parties, if you could, tell me one crazy story that stands out to you.

MK: the HARLOW house was well know for it's 200 people parties 3 or 4 nights a week. I remember the day we were moving in the house Mikes girlfriend at the time Diana came over because they were in a fight she started screaming at Mike and they took a butter knife out in the middle of the street and threaten to kill her self. all the neighbors were out in there front yards watching, then the police came and took her away. that was a great first impression to the neighbors.

HMM: Harlow then signed with Greenworld Records and released the debut album, "We Do What We Wanna Do". How did that come about, how did it feel to finally get a record deal and what was it like during that time?

MK: We were all teenagers and really didn't care that much we just wanted to play and party. I remember in 1986 Hyland and I flew out to LA to sign the contracts and meet up with a friend of mine Terry Love (johnny Crash) we were out all night parting and left a party about 8 am to go to the label as we were driving down Sunset and I saw all these people dressed up in line in front of one of the studios, we pulled over and went up to the front of the line. it was for a reincarnation of the All new Lets make a deal... if you know anything about that show people dress up in stupid costumes and stuff like that. now remember were were in a glam band so we had on full make up, girls spiked hill boots, etc. They thought we were dressed up...lol anyway we got on the show and I won a $3,700.00 kitchen set.

HMM: "Rock The Box" was added to the album as a bonus track, and actually got some radio airplay in the U.S. Tell me about that song, and what went in to recording it?

MK: Rock the box was written as an after thought after we had already recorded the record. One night we got a call from Mike Frasier the engineer at Chapman studios, he said the owner was out of town so come on and and let party and records something. We all went out to a club if KC and had a few drinks then brought about 30 people from the bar over to the studio so we could keep the party going. We recorded the song pretty much live then had all the people from the bar come in a record the chorus with us. That was a fun night.

HMM: Who was your favorite band to play with?

MK: wow, thats a hard one. Most of the time when your playing out here in LA, you might be on the same bill with 4 or 5 bands or even more. I have been on the same bill with lots of great band, GnR, poison, I even opened up for Suicidal Tendencies at a Ricky Rachman new years eve party. Most of the time you never even see the other bands.

HMM: In 1989 Harlow called it quits, what went on during that time, and what other projects did you start on?

MK: I think we all just got tired and wanted to try something else. Right after the break up of HARLOW, Hyland and I joined a band called Vandetta and played around for about a year and recorded a few songs then I joined a band called Baby Strange and played the strip for a couple years, we were basically the house band at the Whiskey for about a year then I formed a band called the Smash and again recorded and played Hollywood. Hyland went on to play and record with Grave Danger and DC 4. Gregg Hurla moved over to the country side of music. Mike and Matt moved back to Kansas City and put together a couple of projects.

HMM: What have you been up to all these years? Have you been involved with any other projects?

MK: yeah we all have still been involved with other projects, I own a studio here in Los Angeles and I was in the middle of recording a solo record when the harlow thing came back around. I also have been writing for a new Greek female singer ELECTRA she is an amazing talent. Hyland has been doing about the same thing, he writes for a couple artists as well he is writing with me for ELECTRA and he has been doing the solo thing. Mike and Matt live in Kansas City and have been working together on a couple projects. Our new bass player Yanni Barakos is always playing with someone here in Los Angeles.

HMM: How did the signing with Retrospect Records come about?

MK: Well in November of 2007 the band had been talking about getting together to write a few new songs and we had everything planed for mike and matt to come out to LA in early Feb. 2008. In the middle of Jan 2007 I got a call from Sam the owner of Retrospect Records asking if we might be interested in re-issuing the first record. I told Sam that we would be interested only if we could ad new songs as well. No one in the band was really into just re-releasing the first record, we all agreed that if it was going to be re-released it should have new material as well. Sam was totally into a new HARLOW record so it was really that easy. The guys flew out to LA we wrote the 5 new songs in 2 days and they flew back home. Hyland and I went into my studio and recorded scratch rhythm guitars and scratch vocals to a click track and then sent the hard drive back to KC. Then mike and matt went into a studio and recorded drums and some guitars, then sent the hard drive back to LA where Hyland, Yanni and I laid down all of our tracks. It came down to finding someone to mix the new songs so I contacted a friend of mine Richard the manager for Guns and Roses, he suggested Rae DiLeo (FILTER, HENRY ROLLINS, GRANDMASTER FLASH).

HMM: What was it like playing with Harlow again..this time at Rocklahoma?

MK: ROCKLAHOMA was a blast, Hyland, Yanni and I flew in to Kansas City about 4 days before the show to rehearse and had a blast. we ran into all kinds of friends that we hadnt seen in years.

HMM: You guys now have a new album out called, "Now and Then". Tell me about that.

MK: Well it's really a full record and it's out now at retrospect records. It has the 5 new songs and 7 songs from the Greenworld record release in 86. The first single "Fear on the radio" features Cherie Currie from (The Runaways) singing back up vocals and that was an honor to have such a legend recording with us. We also had Electra sing back ups on a couple of tracks.

HMM: What is on the horizon for you and Harlow?

MK: well we are waiting for a few things to line up right now, radio airplay here in america on regular fm radio and satellite radio. I heard that we have already been getting play on 25 or 30 internet station and regular airplay in Greece. we are also working on a new EP that will be released by summer 2009 before ROCKLAHOMA 2009.
You never know theses days what can happen the music industry is in a state of confusion but what ever happens HARLOW will still be writing, recording and playing.

Harlow - (now)