During an appearance on a video podcast hosted by Todd Kerns, the bassist of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS, former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe offered an update on the status of the long-in-the-works documentary about his life. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s gonna be finished hopefully by 2022. [It’s gonna be] the whole story of my life, pretty much, based around the 10 years [I spent] in New York. But it starts with the beginning of HANOI, and [it’s] really a documentary of my life and me. So that’s in the works. But it’s the kind of thing you only make once in your life, so I wanna make sure it’s [done properly].
“People always say, ‘What about making a movie with actors?’ It’s always kind of corny when people act as somebody,” he continued. “But after the documentary is made, then I don’t care anymore. But I wanna make it as great as possible. ‘Cause it’s a fascinating story, even if I say so myself.
“We already interviewed Slash and Duff [McKagan from GUNS N’ ROSES] and Chris Shiflett [FOO FIGHTERS] for the original version, but we’re gonna now start over and make it a documentary movie that’s not only about all my accomplishments. Of course, it’s great to have all these cool, great names say things about me that describe my character. But, really, make it a fascinating story, so people who do not give a shit about me or even rock and roll will be interested in watching.”
Even though HANOI ROCKS was formed in Finland, their trashy, hedonistic, decadent hard rock/pop-metal boogie influenced many Los Angeles acts, including GUNS N’ ROSES and MÖTLEY CRÜE.
HANOI ROCKS originally broke on to the hard rock scene in the first half of the 1980s, becoming one of the first Finnish bands to make an international impact. HANOI ROCKS‘s career was subsequently derailed after the 1984 death of drummer Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley, who was killed in a car accident caused by MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s Vince Neil. Internal tensions and the commercial disappointment that was 1985’s “Rock & Roll Divorce” led to Monroe leaving the band that year, thus putting an early end to HANOI ROCKS.
Monroe‘s latest solo album, “One Man Gang”, was released in October 2019 via Silver Lining Music. Recorded and mixed by Petri Majuri at E-Studio in Sipoo, Finland over three weeks in March 2018, the 12-song record was mixed that following autumn with Monroe and bandmates Rich Jones and Steve Conte on production duties.
The Monroe band’s all-star lineup features former HANOI ROCKS and NEW YORK DOLLS bass player Sami Yaffa, who has played with Michael since the ’80s, and drummer Karl Rockfist (who has played with notable acts such as DANZIG). On guitar are Rich Jones (formerly of the Ginger Wildheart band) and Steve Conte (best known as the guitarist who filled the void left by Johnny Thunders in the NEW YORK DOLLS, as well as playing guitar with many other name acts such as Suzi Quatro, Eric Burden and many more).
