In 1974, Lenny Haze founded and named the hard rock band known as Y&T; (formerly Yesterday & Today). The band's 1985 hit, "Summertime Girls", off their album Down For The Count, became the California act's most successful to date, reaching #55 on Billboard and #17 on the US mainstream rock charts. Many rock connoisseurs consider the group's early 80s albums, Earthshaker, Black Tiger and Mean Steak, as groundbreaking triumphs of US hard rock.

Haze’s forty year career includes performing with acts like Ronnie Montrose, Marty Balin and Ian Gillan (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath). Maximum Metal’s Eric Compton conducted a two-part interview with Lenny sharing his experiences. From his new band HazeXperience, drumming with Carmine Appice, touring with Ian Gillan to a rare poolside introduction to Dee Dee Ramone, Haze's passion for storytelling encompasses his experiences both as a professional and a fan.

Haze’s new act, HazeXperience, released a self-financed debut in 2012 entitled Not Purple. The band have showcased their blues based craft all over the West Coast and plan on releasing a follow-up live studio album later this year.

Lenny describes his band as a completely different take on his playing style: “This stuff has an English Blues base. By that I mean Humble Pie, early Rolling Stones, Spooky Tooth, Traffic, Cream, John Mayall. But then it has a heavy drive and the organ so you get Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Argent and even some Hendrix. Then it has some R&B; and some funk. It's all smashed into it. It is music to be played loud. Plus it is heavy, intense and has melodies.”

 

 

Will the follow-up material be similar in style to Not Purple? According to Haze this will another batch of tunes from musicians that are different than the studio line-up on the debut.

“It will be different from the Not Purple stuff because different people will be writing it, but I think it will be of the same roots pool as Not Purple. Everyone here listened and jammed to the same type of music as the recorded band. That said, we do the album as well as the recording band. I believe that if a recording company heard the songs and this new band and then discovered the album mixed and mastered by Tom Size, they would put it out. We haven't even marketed, promoted or done much. There wasn't a band that was ready to go play so we got it on a few places to buy it and we will be selling it ourselves at shows and on HazeXperience.com. If your readers take a listen they may be surprised.”

On his relationship with Y&T;’s Dave Meniketti: “Yeah, we speak and have business together. The HazeXperience guitarist needed some work done on his 77 Marshall Mk II. So I called Dave and asked him where he takes his Marshall. We had a nice conversation that went from baseball, Marshall repairs, how their touring was going, health questions, our wives. We even threatened to go to lunch soon which I think we will do. I am playing a gig close to his house with the HazeXperience and his buddy and engineer, Tom Size, is going to mix us that night. John Nymann was looking at playing a gig or two with us but the dates we were speaking about he will be doing out of town Y&T; gigs so scheduling conflicts are there. But yes Dave and I are cordial, friendly even. I see no reason why it would be any different. Other people caused the animosities anyway. David Meniketti is one of the most talented human beings on this planet. He has a distinct playing style on guitar that is his own. He can hold his own and not be playing catch up to anyone. I am very proud of my time and accomplishments with Y&T.; I have nothing but admiration for Dave, John, Mikey, and Brad. May they do great even better than ever. I really mean that. Now, as far as me playing even a song or two with Y&T; ever again, I don't know, but I don't think so. It isn't in me now. I'm past them and they're past me too. We have done that. New challenges lay ahead.”

A lot of hard rock fans know Haze for his contributions with Y&T.; However, he has pretty amazing things outside of that band, working with musicians like Ronnie Montrose, Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane/Starship), Jim Varney (Shrapnel Records) and the iconic Ian Gillan (Deep Purple/ex-Black Sabbath). In 1991 Gillan asked Haze to play drums on his Toolbox album.

Haze explains how the relationship with Ian Gillan began: “I got started in the band when Rock Justice had closed and I had just got home from retrieving my gear from the theatre. It was about 3PM and I was talking to my wife about how I needed to get a gig quickly because two weeks wasn't much salary. So, the phone rings. I get ‘Ello, it's C.T (producer Chris Tsangredis), how would you feel about coming to London and checking out this project I am starting?’

They wanted to use a different drummer than the usuals like Tommy Aldridge, Cozy (Powell) or any of the other usual suspects. I said, ‘sure, I will come and audition but for who?’ He says, ‘you already auditioned...I played 'Meanstreak' for him and he likes the way you play. You still using the 26 inch kick drum?’ I said yes and he responds, ‘Here, he wants to speak with you.’ So, I still don't know who it is and I get an immediate ‘did you really call John Koladner (Geffen Records A&R;) a liar?’. I said, ‘Well yeahuhh. Who is this?’ The voice on the other end says, ‘Ian Gillan, mate. How would you like to come to London and play drums on my album I am doing with C.T. here at Battery Studios?’

Ludwig as usual went the extra mile and paid to have a kit shipped from Chicago overnight to London and it was waiting for me when I got there. First thing I did when I got off the plane after I met Ian and got my per diem for the week was to go buy a hot dog. I loaded it up with onions and mustard. I take my first bite and a huge wad of onions and mustard drops on C.T.'s brand new Reebok's. We head to Ian's and I wasn't ready for this house. He had bought an old English Manor with a house that was the size of a hospital. But he sold that and turned the barn into his house. Not an American type barn but a 1609 barn made of huge wooden beams and stones. I even got to see a foxhunt with all the upper crust going through Ian's property with trumpets blaring. Between legs of the tour we went to his house for our days off.

I was home six weeks in two years and touring with Ian and the crew and band guys was family. It was amazing watching the Northern lights in Hammerfest, Norway. It is the city closest to the North Pole. Steve Morse played lead guitar and co-wrote the songs with Ian. He got fired at Christmas after the British part of the tour because he argued on the bus. Leslie West was on the record on a track. He and I had a confrontation or two and I do not know why. But he jammed a bunch of Mountain stuff with Bret and I. Loved that band. So did Ian but he couldn't refuse reuniting with the Purps. When I met Jon Lord he said ‘Ian didn't make him up. Lenny does exist.’ During an interview Ian was asked how many animals does he have at home. He responded, ‘Well I have four dogs, three cats, two fish and Lenny Haze.’

To read more of this comprehensive two-part interview, please click the following links:

Part 1

Part 2