Helix

Brian Vollmer is the only remaining member of Helix from the original six that initially gathered in that cramped practice hall on Margaret Avenue in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Brian has seen the band from it's inception, through it's ups and downs, through it's bad times and it's good times. These days Brian manages every aspect of the Helix organization from booking tours to distributing Helix merchandise. On top of all of this, Brian also operates a successful, elite Bel Canto vocal teaching business, performs classical music with symphony orchestras and spends time on his passion for architectural antiques. I caught up with Brian August 23rd to see what is new and exciting with Helix. There were quite a few things it seems.  Read on!!

Toe: What is new with you these days Brian? BV: Well, we played at the Sweden Rock Festival. We have not played in Sweden since the Ian Gillan tour in 1989. 26,000 people at the show. We are also looking into getting European management. Toe: How long has the current band lineup been in effect? (See lineup at www.planethelix.com) BV: Since November 2004. About 9 months now Toe: You have seen many changes in the band lineup over the years. Do you have a favorite lineup from any period of time? BV: In the early days, the band was like family. Not that it is not like that now. Paul (Hackman – guitar), Brent (Doerner – guitar) and I were the core from 1975 to 1988. Fritz (Greg Hinz – Drums) had a personality that drew people to him. He was like a mixture of John Belushi and David Lee Roth. The personality of the band is what made the band what it was, and what it is today. We are very accessible. Associating with people is what I do. I do not have a particular favorite lineup, but the band in the 80’s was together a long time. Toe: You’re a Woman Now, released in 1977 was a great tune. It amazes me that it did not take off here in Canada, like it did in Texas. BV: Texas was always a strong market. At that point we were touring in quite a few cities in the States. Then came the Texas Tour. 4 shows throughout Texas. They were playing the tune on the Amarillo College radio there. Chris Johnson was the program director. They even filmed the Amarillo show for us. I still have the tape somewhere. Joe Anthony (of KISS/KMAC) was responsible for getting a lot of music played in Texas. In the 50’s and 60’s he pushed for airtime for black artists, which at the time was controversial. He strongly supported Canadian rock. He was responsible for breaking out bands like Helix, Triumph, Roxy Music and bands like ACDC and Judas Priest. I call him the Godfather of Rock and Roll. He was one of the first DJ’s on ZROCK. Toe: Seeing I am a young punk of 34, my first big memory of Helix was the release of Razor’s Edge, when I was in about grade 7. What was it like at that time, when your career seemed to jump into the stratosphere? BV: Well, Canadian radio jumped on Rock You first. Heavy Metal Love from the No Rest for the Wicked album was doing well on MTV. Canadian radio was paranoid that the US market would jump on Razor’s Edge and leave them in the dust. So Canadian rock stations jumped on the single right away. At one point it was neck in neck for airplay with Ratt and Motley Crue. One night we are supporting Rush at a gig at Nassau Coliseum, and we were told “You just went Gold in Canada. We were all like “Fuck YEAH!!!” Then they said we were going to go platinum in a few weeks. We went Platinum a few weeks later. Then all of a sudden, we went from playing a few nights at a club here, opening a few gigs to headlining arenas. After 21 gigs in a row, everything starts to look like the inside of an arena. We went and played in Washington DC, and there were actually crowds lined up to get into the show. Toe: You are known for throwing everything into a live show. At least when I saw you back in the 80’s, you were throwing yourself off of anything that had height to it, flipping over risers, hanging in the PA cones. A total animal (and we ALL love it). Did you ever injure yourself seriously with your onstage antics? BV: Oh yeah (laughs) I hurt myself pretty good a couple of times. In 1996, I started getting pains in my arms. I went to the Doctor, Physio, Chiropractor and was dropping about 8 T3’s a day to mute the pain. I found out later that I had somehow wrecked my C6 vertebrae, and it was squeezing my sciatic nerve. I finally went to acupuncture sessions, and after many sessions, and many dollars, had it corrected. Toe: That’s just painful and nasty BV: Yeah. Then there was the time that we were playing a New Years Eve gig in Buffalo New York a couple of years back. I jumped on stage, and my knee bent out sideways, tearing my ACL. The pain was terrible, and we were only 6 tunes into the set. So, I used the mic stand for a crutch, and got through the rest of the show. There was a paramedic that was at the show, and he said “you ARE going to the hospital…right?” Nope…we finished the gig. So, after the show, out comes the venue owner bitching out Archie (Glen Gamble – Drums) that we did not go out for an encore. I was actually out signing autographs with my leg propped up on a chair when this was going on. What do you say to a guy like that? Toe: Well…I know what I would say! BV: (Laughs) yeah, so do I. Toe: Let’s talk a bit about www.planethelix.com Well done on the site. I love the fact that you can go to the site, get some news, listen to..get this. EVERY track you have put out, as well as view all of the videos you guys put out. I have never seen that on a site before. I have seen the odd mps or video clip, but not to this multitude. And, when I checked out the Rock You video…did I see boobs? Were there shirtless women in that video? I do not remember that from the 80’s. I was a teenager..I WOULD have remembered. BV: The songs and videos are there, so people can drop by, look and listen, and make a choice of what albums they would like to purchase, as well as DVD’s that we have released. The tracks and videos are not downloadable, just there to have a listen. The version of Rock You, was one made for Playboy TV. Yes, there were topless girls dancing around the fire There was the version you would have seen that was made for MTV/MuchMusic. It did not have that stuff in it. There were also 2 versions of Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’. Toe: Speaking of which, was that REALLY Traci Lords in that video? BV: Yeah, she was one of the random girls dancing in the video. We did not know who she was, or that she was 15. We did hear other girls on the set saying “there is the slut…the slut..she is the slut” and we were like “Who is the slut?” We got along with her OK though. You can read about it in my book!! Toe: Ahh yes, you have written a book. What can you tell us about it, and when will it be available? BV: Truth is stranger than fiction (laughs). The record company pissed off Mike Stone. So Capitol Records were going to make it up to him. So, off we go to the Million Dollar Saloon in Mississauga. They were throwing the food, the booze and the lap dances at us. I was not drinking at this time, so I was tired, bored and just wanted to get the fuck out of there. So, after a bit when everyone is good and pissed up, we take off for the offices of Capitol Records. So we get into the boardroom with 2 peelers, and Greg happens to pass out. So we find this roll of 2” analog recording tape, strip him down, and bind him up with it. Then we took him down to the foyer of Capitol Records and left him there for all to see. Fritz, winds up talking one of the strippers into the office of the President of Capitol Records, and screws her on his desk. There is tons more in the book. The book will hopefully be out in the next month and a half or so. I would like to get it out for the record fair I will be at in the end of October. Paul Suter may do the forward for the book. Toe: There seems to be a resurgence of roots rock music coming back. How is the business different for you now? BV: It has never really waned for me. Although I do not sell the number of albums as I did in the past, I am actually making better money. I do it myself, market myself, and there is no pressure. I can sell on my site, at gigs, on Ebay if I want. And the return comes back to me. I know that I am at least going to break even with a project, so really, I do not give a shit if it sells great or not. But, there is more than selling albums. There is licensing, soundtrack work etc. Toe: So what is in the short term, as well as the long term plans? BV: Short term, I want to get my book ready to ship. It has been 4 years in the making, and it will really help raise the profile of the band. Long term, I have been working on the next album with Ray Lyle. He co-wrote Wild in the Streets. We are getting geared up to tour next summer, and as well as getting hooked up with the European management, to get back into those markets again. Toe: Brian, this has been a pleasure, and I thank you for the great political conversation we got to have (that I am not sharing in this interview) and for being so candid, and friendly. You make interviewing easy!! I hope we can do this again, as there are about 20 topics I could not get to this time!!! www.Greentoe.net thanks you in a large way! Visit Brian at www.planethelix.com BV: This was fun, please feel free to get a hold of me for anything further!