In The Trenches with Ryan Roxie is a podcast hosted by Alice Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie. The show features in-depth conversations with the worlds hardest working musicians; the ones that grind, the ones that commit, the ones who make their dreams come true...in the trenches. The last show of 2020 features former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe, who makes his third appearance on the podcast.

A genuine rock star since birth, Michael Monroe innately knows exactly how to sing, swagger and walk the most glamorous and colorful of walks. One Man Gang, the former Hanoi Rocks frontman’s 2019 album, is all about the fun of Friday nights, seven days a week, letting your hair down (or up!) for a dirty, dangerous, damn good time, and embracing a total escape into the rock ‘n’ roll dream.

The album’s second single, “Last Train To Tokyo”, has the sort of sticky-yet-crispy riff that was designed to take over radios from Japan to Jamaica.  

“It’s a groovy, rockin’ track paying homage to Tokyo and Japan, one of the most rockin’ countries in the world” affirms Monroe. “In the ‘80s Hanoi Rocks had, and I have always had a very special relationship with Japan and it will always be one my favourite countries. Plus, they still live for rock ‘n’ roll as it should be celebrated, they still have physical product, they still make it crazy, exhausting and really exciting every time you go there, which I am really grateful for.”

The "Last Train To Tokyo" video was recorded in Japan and features footage from the band’s dynamic performances at the Summer Sonic 2019 festival in Osaka and Tokyo. Directed and edited by Toni Kristian Tikkanen, "Last Train To Tokyo" fully captures the vigour and rock ‘n’ roll essence of Michael Monroe, Rich Jones, Steve Conte, Sami Yaffa and Karl Rockfist.

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.

Guest appearances from Captain Sensible (lead guitar on “One Man Gang”), Nasty Suicide (lead guitar on “Wasted Years”), Eicca Toppinen (cello on “Low Life In High Places”) and Tero Saarti (trumpet on “Heaven Is A Free State”).

Tracklisting:

"One Man Gang"
"Last Train To Tokyo"
"Junk Planet"
"Midsummer Nights"
"The Pitfalls Of Being An Outsider"
"Wasted Years"
"In The Tall Grass"
"Black Ties And Red Tape"
"Hollywood Paranoia"
"Heaven Is A Free State"
"Helsinki Shakedown"
"Low Life In High Places"

"One Man Gang" lyric video: