Metal band FireHouse is still on fire

Metal band FireHouse is still on fire

SINGAPORE - You are never too old to pull off the rock 'n' roll swag and strut.

Just ask veteran North Carolina glam metal band FireHouse, a quartet with a collective age of 200.

These guys, with their middle-aged flab and facial hair, are living proof that you don't need to be Justin Bieber or One Direction to be a babe magnet.

In an e-mail interview with The New Paper, frontman Carl 'C.J.' Snare, who turns 50 in December, said that at their raucous, exhilarating live gigs, they get their "fair share of bras and panties" thrown at them.

"There are young ladies who come up on stage to join us," he said.

"We have been asked to sign autographs on body parts... You get the picture."

Best known for their schmaltzy power ballads such as Love Of A Lifetime, When I Look Into Your Eyes and I Live My Life For You in the early 90s, FireHouse also include drummer Michael Foster, 49, guitarist Bill Leverty, 47, and bassist Allen McKenzie, 54.

In Singapore

They will be in town next month for a concert at Neverland II, St James Power Station.

Lest you think Snare is tooting his own horn, he has pictures to show he's not fibbing about all the attention he's getting from the fairer sex.

On his personal Facebook page, he teases fans with photos of scantily-clad women he has met through the course of his work in the US.

When quizzed about the band's memories of Singapore - they last played at Fort Canning Park in 2010 - his answers are comparatively mild.

"Singapore is definitely one of our favourite countries because the people are always so nice to us and they really like our music," he said.

"On our previous trip here, all of us enjoyed local food such as chilli crab and Tiger beer.

"And we enjoyed the wonderful new casino at Marina Bay Sands."

These days, FireHouse often get chucked under the retro tag, but Snare insists he is hardly bothered by it.

"People like to label things because it helps them categorise and organise things in their minds," he said.

"FireHouse are first and foremost an all-American rock 'n' roll outfit.

"It doesn't matter which decade we emerged from as we have always remained true to our roots."

He is aware that FireHouse's signature hits, Love Of A Lifetime and When I Look Into Your Eyes, have become immensely popular wedding anthems, and that many people have massacred the songs when they fail to match his super-high pitch.

Snare has a tiny piece of advice to grooms-to-be who yearn to serenade their brides with these tunes.

"Quite simply, remember to begin in a lower key. Deliver it with confidence and everything will be just fine."

keeyunt@sph.com.sg

WHAT
FireHouse Live in Singapore 2014

WHEN
Nov 2, 7pm

WHERE
Neverland II at St James Power Station

TICKETS
$88 from www.sistic.com.sg or call +65 6348 5555


This article was first published on October 23, 2014.
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