Music And Art Interviews recently spoke with drummer John O.Reilly, discussing his 15 years as drummer with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, his two albums that he released with Al Pitrelli and Randy Coven, recording demos with Yoko Ono for John Lennon's Double Fantasy album, passing on an audition with Wicked Lester, working with Ritchie Blackmore as a member of Rainbow, and his current gig as the drummer for holiday rock ensemble The Wizards Of Winter. An excerpt is available below.

John: "We ( J.F. Murphy And Salt) had a great manager - Lou Linet. One day, Lou took me aside and told me, 'I manage this other band that is looking for a drummer, and they checked you out at one of the soundchecks, and they would like you to come down and audition.' I asked him what they were like and he said, 'They are kind of like the New York Dolls-ish' and at that point I was such a musical snob being around these great musicians that this didn't really appeal to me. I asked him what the band was called, he says, 'Wicked Lester'. Lou was urging me on, saying 'I'm sure you're tired of being a roadie at this point, here's a chance to play drums.' I thought it over and decided to pass on the audition. 

Jump ahead many years later, I was recording at the Record Plant in Manhattan - this was 1980 or 1981 - and KISS were in one of the other studios there. I knew who KISS were and I had bought their solo records by that point. Gene Simmons comes walking up, and I said to him, 'Gene, I noticed that you thanked Lou Linet on the back of your solo album.' Gene responds, 'He was honorable man. An honorable man. How did you know him?' I explained that he managed the band that I was in, J.F. Murphy And Salt. Gene looks at me, and says, 'You were the drummer!' And then Paul Stanley came walking up and Gene says, 'This is that drummer from J.F. Murphy And Salt!' and Paul started humming the melody to one of our songs, and says, 'That song should've been a hit!' I was stunned and I said to both of them, 'I don't remember Lou Linet ever managing KISS.' And Gene says, 'Lou managed us when we were Wicked Lester.' I just went (jaw drops)! That was another career defining moment for me (laughs). I was like 'Oh. Ok. Oops!' (laughs)." 

Read the complete interview here.

Photo by Brian Reichow