Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, joined the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday (August 22) as they held their first of two scrimmages at SoFi Stadium, aiming to create competitive situations to help evaluate key position battles and get used to the new stadium. The Rams are conducting practices at the stadium in preparation for their September 13 opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Earlier today, Strauss uploaded a video of her performing a guitar rendition of the QUEEN classic “We Will Rock You” from a stage at the stadium, and she included the following message: “I’ve been keeping this hush hush for a while now because no one knew what was going to happen with the NFL season… but yesterday my hometown Rams had their first scrimmage and I GOT TO BREAK IN THE NEW STADIUM!! This was the first time an instrument was played live in this brand new place and I couldn’t think of a more fitting song to play.
“I’ll be at all the Rams home games this season setting the tone!! With no fans in the arena we are going to do everything we can to make it an awesome, high energy feel for the players and people watching at home! We have some fun stuff already cooked up for the first game. And yes I was totally giddy in this video and I don’t care how goofy it looks.
“Thank you to the Rams for this opportunity, Josh [Nita‘s longtime boyfriend Josh Villalta, who also plays drums in her solo band and manages her career] for always having the best ideas and clearest vision, and our good friend DDP for the introduction!! This is a dream!!”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL‘s regular-season games will be played in stadiums with few or no fans.
Strauss has been playing with Alice Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker’s former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.
Six years ago, Strauss was chosen by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS to be the official in-house guitarist for the L.A. Kiss arena football team, which was based out of the Honda Center in Anaheim.
I’ve been keeping this hush hush for a while now because no one knew what was going to happen with the NFL season… but yesterday my hometown Rams had their first scrimmage and I GOT TO BREAK IN THE NEW STADIUM!! This was the first time an instrument was played live in this brand new place and I couldn’t think of a more fitting song to play ?
I’ll be at all the Rams home games this season setting the tone!! With no fans in the arena we are going to do everything we can to make it an awesome, high energy feel for the players and people watching at home! We have some fun stuff already cooked up for the first game ???
And yes I was totally giddy in this video and I don’t care how goofy it looks ?
Thank you to the Rams for this opportunity, Josh for always having the best ideas and clearest vision, and our good friend DDP for the introduction!! This is a dream!!Posted by Nita Strauss on Sunday, August 23, 2020
