The Starchild AKA Ash Brookes




1. Whose idea was it to stand on a street corner and have pictures taken long before you had costumes made? Was this an idea to drum up a bit of publicity?

After 21 years it's somewhat hard to recall exactly who said what in those early days, but I was always full of ideas. We needed to get our picture in the KISS Crazy fanzine to publicise what we were doing - the demo tape we were making to help fund the costumes we intended to have, meant we needed some band photos. The bands' name came out of the need for one - our costumes were going to be 77-era, so 'Love Gun' was suggested but since we didn't have any costumes but all could find a suit, 'DRESSED TO KILL' seemed apt. The street corner in question is in my home town, so I could perhaps take the credit for that.

2. How did Kerrang! become involved with reviewing the debut show at Crystals in 1991? Was it a surprise to see that you'd actually made it into that mag?

Carol Watkinson at KISS Crazy fanzine was friends with a number of the Kerrang! staff, people in bands, and other music journalists & photographers - Ginger from the Wildhearts was at our first show, as was Dante Bonutto - so she brought them all along, but I don't think we imagined we would actually 'make' Kerrang!. Then about a week after the show, Gary rang me to tell me to get Kerrang!. I duly did and on opening the first page, I saw a full length picture of Gary on the inside front cover (in colour), and then a few pages in discovered 2 pages of review interspersed with colour pictures - in those days, Kerrang was printed in both colour and black and white, so to get a colour pic was quite something! We were all stunned, and I still am - that was our FIRST show - some big signed bands werent getting THAT kind of coverage.

3. Cast your mind back to that debut night, how was everybody feeling whilst you were putting the make up on for the first show and how nervous were you?

I think we all were VERY nervous indeed. We were all fairly new to being in bands at that time anyway, but to be doing a tribute show where every move and sound would be scrutinised by KISS officianados was something else entirely. We'd spent a LOT on getting costumes and instruments, and whilst my Iceman was white, it was still a 70's Ibanez Iceman; and my outfit was about as close to a '77 costume as you could get, not some cheap throw-together plastic or tin studs covered mess like I've seen other tributes wear. As it was, I think we did pretty well, considering the guys who were doing the sound sabotaged the monitor mix - what we got during the show bore NO resemblance to what we got in soundcheck so the start of the second song was a bit interesting lol

4. Over the 21 year history of DTK, what has been your proudest moment?

I'd have to say hearing that Bill Aucoin was particularly complimentary of my performance at the Nottingham KISS expo, at which he was special guest, is my proudest moment. Without him there'd be no KISS and thus no DTK. He, above all people, would be 'qualified' to pass comment, bad or good; but to hear that he was very impressed still amazes me. Not only that, but he also offered to help us load the van after the show. We stood open mouthed...

5. What has made DTK stand out from all the other tribute bands?

Our attention to the finest of details - we've spent so much money on ensuring the outfits look identical to the real thing, on getting all the right instruments and backline; and just generally how we do things - we are pretty big KISS fans ourselves, so we know what we'd be looking for and where we'd pick holes if we were in the audience, so we are always at pains to make sure no (rhine)stone is left unturned where our look, sound, and 'delivery' is concerned.

6. Out of all the KISS members past and present, who has been the most enjoyable person to perform with at an Expo?

To single one out would be doing an injustice to others - I'd have to say that both Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick were great players and the delivery of the songs we did with them was amazing. On a more bittersweet note, sharing the stage with Mark St. John was great - his playing on Animalize was stunning, but no-one ever really speaks about him. His passing was (and is) a sad loss.

7. Tell us about your personal pre-show rituals.

Say "I can't believe we've got a gig to do today" at some point in the day. Look at the setlist prior to soundcheck and utter "oh, we're not doing (enter song title of choice here) are we?" Take T shirt off - difficult to take it off with a face full of makeup and not risk smudging some part of it lol. Shave face, put contact lenses in, and then blow nose - can't blow it with makeup on lol

8. Did you honestly believe you'd still be doing this 21 years later? What do you think is the secret to the bands' longevity?

We didn't really have any plan or timescale when we started, and we've pretty much gone from year to year and kept going due to the demand from venues and the people that want to keep coming to see us - which is VERY nice indeed! Our secret to longevity? I'm not sure there's a secret, but we must be doing something right to still get bookings, and for even more people to be coming to see us than ever.

9. If you had to choose one show as the ultimate, best ever DTK show, where was it, when was it and why?

It's hard to choose one out of a 21 year span - so many venues, and so many amazing crowds, especially in the last 2-3 years - but playing the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo in 1996 will always stand out - the biggest stage and venue we've ever played, and it was put on Japanese satellite tv.

10. What is your favourite song DTK play live?

Well, I don't know that I can point to one song in particular. whilst I enjoy playing all the songs in any given setlist, I really like playing less 'standard' songs like any Paul Stanley solo album songs, or songs like 'Flaming Youth', 'Who wants to be lonely', 'King of the mountain', 'Ive had enough (into the fire)' etc.

11. If money were no object and you could play anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?

I'd really like to play another show in Japan. It's now a distant memory, but we had an amazing time there in '96. This time however, I know there'd be no band members putting alcohol and partying as a higher priority than actually doing the show.

12. Lets have your technical specs :

Guitars: Gibson 1967 reissue V, Epiphone 1967 reissue V, Ibanez Iceman PS10 II, Silvertone Apocalypse Cracked Mirror, Silvertone Sovereign, Washburn PS500, Washburn PS600, Feline Hamer 'Explorer' replica. Equipment: Marshall JCM 900 50w 2 channel reverb, Marshall 1922 cab, Samson wireless system, Boss TU2.

13. What is your personally biggest most embarrassing moment ever in stage with DTK?

Well, that has to be the first time I ever tripped over on stage - in Munich at a KISS Expo in '95. About a 1/3rd way into show opener 'Detroit...' I was skipping backwards and fell on my back, but when you fall on your arse during a show, there's usually too much going on to even think about it, and you've still gotta hit the notes; then when the show is over you think to yourself 'oh god, I hope no one saw that'. lol

14. Are there any plans to do more Being Paul Stanley shows in the future?

Yes, if there are members available to be in the band (BIG hint to Danny...). It's tremendous fun, and I'd like to play alot more places in the UK, maybe as a double-up with Danny's band 'Rocket Ride'. I know that's a show I'd like to see if I were a gig-goer.

15. Finally, who, out of all the bands you've played alongside/had as support, would you say is your favourite?

We've had some great tributes and 'original' bands with us over the years, and it's too difficult to name one in particular - most have given their best and I salute each one of them. It would be easier to mention the few that sucked or were arseholes - I like bands with on-stage attitude, but delusions of grandeur off-stage doesn't impress anyone.

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