Michael Alago

Michael Alago has lived an incredible, miraculous life. His accomplishments as a young NYC Club fixture and an A&R Executive have impacted the entire modern musical landscape. His greatest successes in the Heavy Metal world include a major role in creating the Metallica juggernaut, signing Metal Church, and discovering White Zombie, but he’s also worked with such prestigious Metal/Punk artists as Flotsam and Jetsam, Mina Caputo, Swans, Phil Anselmo, and John Lydon (Johnny Rotten). His pro music career is just one piece of his fascinating journey; much of which has been documented in the documentary film, “Who the Fuck is That Guy?” and his new autobiography, “I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music, Signing Metallica, Beating Death.” I had the opportunity to speak with him on the phone as part of his promotion effort for the book. It was supposed to be an interview, but it ended up being a wonderful, memorable, touching conversation with an amazing person. (Note. This interview was recorded in February 2020, before COVID-19 panic had really, really struck in the United States.) Here are some of the highlights:

JACK MANGAN: We're honored today to talk to an industry legend. One of his most famous accomplishments in Metal is Metallica, and his hand in launching them into the stratosphere. Michael Alago, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today.

MICHAEL ALAGO: Oh, well greetings from New York City! And thank you for having me today, I totally appreciate it.

JACK: So you're still in New York. You never moved out to L.A. or anywhere out west?

MICHAEL: Oh my God, no. The West Coast will probably sink sooner than I even thought about moving. No, I'd always given thought to maybe moving to Provincetown, to Portland, OR, to South Beach, Miami, but I really am a New Yorker through and through. You know, I turned 60 this past October, and even though New York is very gentrified these days and homogenized, it still has great art galleries, museums, restaurants, music; so I don't know how I could ever even think about leaving.

JACK: You know, I talked recently Brian Pulido, the famous comic book artist, and he was telling me how he felt like the Village had become “all Gap Stores and sushi restaurants,” and I was wondering if you had the same experience.

MICHAEL: And nail salons! And Starbucks. You know, it's so wild. I've lived in Chelsea - - which is right above the West Village - - I've lived in my place for about 25 years now. And this neighborhood has gone from being funky and fabulous and gay bars, and small boutique-type shops to, right this minute in 2020, Chelsea does not even know what it is anymore. There are no bars that I've seen. There are lots of stores up on the avenue, 8th Ave specifically, that just say "Store for rent, store for rent," so I just feel like it's a crazy time in New York. Well, it's crazy time everywhere, but then specific to every big city getting gentrified, it's very homogenized these days.

JACK: Well hopefully something will emerge from this time.

MICHAEL: Yes, hopefully something will shake us up, so it can feel somewhat like old dirty New York.

JACK: Right! I've read your book and watched the documentary - -

MICHAEL: Cool! Thank you!

JACK: - - Your life story is fascinating - - with all that you've accomplished, but those are also great love letters to New York in the 70s and 80s.

MICHAEL: Oh, I appreciate you saying that.

JACK: So let's talk about your book, "I Am Michael Alago." One of the first things I noticed is that the book is really well written. Sometimes biographies and autobiographies are. . . you can tell that this person is not a writer. But this one was really well-written.

MICHAEL: Oh, I'm so glad you said that. You know, I have a bit of a scatterbrain, and you know, my brain has been polluted by drink and drugs, but I've been sober almost 13 years now. A lot of pulling that book together came from journals that I kept. I don't know how a young 14-15 year old kid from Brooklyn knew to keep journals. Now, there was nothing poetic, no creative writing in those journals back then, but what it was, was a list of "going to take the B train from Brooklyn to Manhattan," "There's 3 nights of the Dead Boys and The Damned at CBGB's, gotta go." If we're out really late, and we're drunk, we'll go to Milk Bar, Save the Robot, and some of our favorite after-hours places. So yeah, we pulled a lot of the information from my journals, my diaries, and kept them from when I was about 15 to present day. Now in present day, I wasn't as diligent as I was back in the day, but still, to have all that information, up til almost-present day, all of that jogged my memory from the things that I thought, "I don't even remember any of that." But then a sticker that's not glued on any more in the old journal drops out, and it belongs to this pornstar, Marc Stevens, and it's just a sticky label that he wrote his phone number on, and I put it in my journal. And memories were brought back because of those journals.

JACK: So it sounds like even for yourself, it was a journey of rediscovering, even more than just reminiscing.

MICHAEL: Yes, rediscovering. . . parts of it were very cathartic. Parts of it that I had to go back in time that were maybe not pleasant memories. I'm really grateful because I am clear and sober, I've dealt with a lot of past family issues and stuff. It's so great that you can reflect and know that "I'm not that same person anymore." I've learned to grow, and you know, just from being clean and sober, there was the old life of complete debauchery and insanity - - but I got the job done - - and then the new life where, you know, I wake up every morning clear and focused, and after my morning routine, my mind is so clear and filled. . . I don't know. . . with like, a goodness, that I feel like I can just take on the day. And that's how I feel about the book. You know, it was cathartic, and I'm glad I told all the stories that I told. Some of them, a lot of them, are music related, some of them are about alcoholism and recovery, and about HIV and health issues. I wanted it to appeal to a broad base of people. Because that's just how my life has always been. "A little of this, a little of that." And I felt like, just like the movie, when you tell the truth, no matter what audience you're talking to, they hopefully can relate to that and get something out of it that's positive for their own lives.

JACK: So after that chaotic life, what is a week in the life of Michael Alago like now?

MICHAEL: Oh, now? Right this minute? (laughs). Let's see, I go to 12-Step meetings every morning at 9am, Mon-Fri. I wake up in the morning and I have a routine; I make my bed, I make tea, I meditate for a few minutes, and I walk over to my 9am meeting. I come home and I am most of the day on Facebook and Instagram, posting items on music and art and theater and prayer and meditation and sobriety. I love New York, so I'm always going all the way to the west side in Chelsea to all the Blue Chip galleries to see art.
I'm taking lots of black-and-white pictures these days on my iPhone - - mostly musicians, of course sexy musicians, a lot of them with tattoos, who are not afraid to take off their shirts at least for me in their pictures. I love the iPhone because the Hipstamatic application has everything coming out in a square, and I love square. Just something about things popping up in a square that I relate to. And now because of the release of the book on March 25 I'm doing at least 2 or 3 interviews, phoners, a day. So that's what a day in the life is like. And then at night, I watch. . . I'm not big on a lot of the new shows that are on TV, so I watch a lot of Turner classic movies. I like Bill Maher on Friday nights, I like Oprah, yeah. . . so that's what my life is like these days. And I'm always going to concerts. Like yesterday, I went over to 7th St and Avenue A to A7 and there was a Hardcore Punk Rock show there. And I loved it because there were boys with no shirts on, and I pulled them out onto the street and said, "Listen, you have to let me take your picture." And they look at me like I'm crazy, like, "Who the fuck is that guy?" And then Drew or somebody explains, "Oh, that's Michael Alago, he's in the music industry, Metallica, yada yada yada, and then they're thrilled to have me take their picture." (laughs)

JACK: I've had some family in AA, so I have tons of respect for the program, and tons of respect for you for your journey there.

MICHAEL: Well, it's a very, very special place. And you know, if one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they can go to an AA or NA or GA for gambling. If you're ready for help, really and I know it's hard, all you have to do is ask for help, and there is someone out there to help. Sometimes it's embarrassing, sometimes it feels shameful, but you know what, when you're sick and tired of yourself, like I was sick and tired, you ask for help, and you are gonna get it. No matter what, you are gonna get it.

JACK: That's great. Can I put that in?

MICHAEL: Sure, of course! Thank you for asking, but anything we talk about is no secret. My life literally is an open book. I've never seen a closet in my life. I don't know where that came from, but I don't care. You know, I always thought, people are gonna like you or they're not gonna like you. It doesn't matter, like, for me, it never mattered about the sexuality part, because, I don't know, I was just always out there, I'm friendly, I love peo[ple in general, if you're cute, that helps. I don't know, I'm just Michael. (laughs) I don't know what else to say.

JACK: So who are you still in touch with from the crazy old days? Like, do you still talk to the guys from Metallica? Rob Zombie?

MICHAEL: Everybody has obviously their own lives and everyone's busy, so I see Metallica whenever they go on the road, and I usually go to their concerts, whether on the East Coast or West Coast, last year they were in London when I was in London, so I went to the show. . . So yes, I keep in touch with Cyndi Lauper, I keep in touch with Philip. . . Anselmo from Pantera, I keep in touch with Sean Yseult, bass player from White Zombie, so there's a bunch of people I still stay in touch with. Oh, and I've been friends with John Lydon for 39 years; we've never had a bad word, and we still speak to each other.

JACK: Yeah, he had a lot of great insights and kind words in the movie.

MICHAEL: Marvelous. He really is, he's a very special person.

JACK: Another shy person.

MICHAEL: Another shy human being, that's correct! You got that right.

JACK: I also like that you talk about in both stories about your great friendship with Kurt Vanderhoof of Metal Church and Mina Caputo from Life of Agony.

MICHAEL: Yes, Mina is extraordinary. We speak almost every morning on Facetime. We're always at bookstores together. Yeah, she's incredible. You know, we've known each other. . . over 20-something years now. And she's really a most dear person to me.
And I speak to Kurt Vanderhoof a bunch, but he's always creating and concocting, he's like the mad scientist. He's always in the recording studio doing something. And yeah, I totally adore him. We've known each other since about 1985 or 86, when I signed Metal Church to Elektra.

JACK: One thing I wanted to point out: In this book, you did not take the opportunity to talk shit. Obviously, you've dealt with people who were not kind in your life and professional career. . . I don't think you pulled any punches, but you also did not name names and call people out.

MICHAEL: Well, like I said, I like to tell the truth, people respond to the truth, and any negativities or bad relationships, I just thought, why bother? You know? It doesn't help the vibe, the feeling of the book and what I wanted to talk about, so I just left any negativity out. So yeah, I just don't talk shit about people, that's just not my style.

JACK: But now of course, let's talk a little bit about the Metal. Where did Metal fit for you, and where does it fit for you in your overall picture of everything you like?

MICHAEL: Well, I've always been a person who liked things very loud. I've appreciated bands like Swans because their music is very loud and very majestic. You know I just signed a band from south Florida to Century Media, and they're called Ether Coven . Their record is called, "Everything is Temporary Except Suffering," produced by Eric Rattan from Morbid Angel up in Tampa, FL, and the record is heavy as fuck. It is heavier than Metallica, it's heavier than Swans, and it is brutal, but it's a record, because these people are so smart, that it has this almost majestic feel to it as well.
I love Heavy Metal. I love the madness, I love the noise, I love the high energy. Sometimes I don't always listen to Metal at home, but if I'm ready to go out for the evening, I may throw "Reign in Blood" by Slayer onto my CD player - - yes I still listen to CDs - - and that will just get me going for the evening. So, you know, Heavy Metal has always been a part of my life since my teenage years, and will forever be part of my life. Like, this year on the final tour of Slayer, I must have went to 4 different gigs. Yeah, I'm just always out there listening to music, and I love Heavy Metal and there are a lot of new bands that are coming up that are dark and heavy, and I like things that are dark and heavy. You know, as well as Nina Simone, who I think was the greatest artist to ever walk the planet.

JACK: Yeah, and your story of working with Nina Simone was really fascinating. And this goes back to what I said earlier. Obviously, she was difficult to work with - - I mean, that that's just storied - - and you don't pull punches about that, but you're really kind and reverent, and all I get from that is love.

MICHAEL: Well, I totally love Nina Simone. (laughs) It's like when you say to somebody, "You're going to a desert island, what are the 5 records you're bringing with you?" And I think I would only bring Nina Simone records with me. I wouldn't bring any other type of music because I love her so much. For me, she's the greatest artist that has ever walked the planet. Her interpretations of Bob Dylan, of George Harrison, of Jacques Brel, is her own. Nina was somebody who when she sang a song knew how to get to the heart of the matter of the song. And if you didn't know any better, perhaps, you would say, "Wow, did she write this song?" Because she really was that brilliant. But yeah, Nina Simone I could listen to morning noon and night, she is my girl, I totally adore her, we had so much fun together, and I think me being much younger than her, I think she appreciated our friendship because she knew how much I loved and respected her as a woman and a musician.
For me, I like all kinds of music, so Nina defied what she was. Like, people say, "Oh, was she a Jazz artist?" Aye yai yai. If you ask me, I don't think she has anything to do with Jazz at all, because of the variety of songs that she pulled from. Same thing with me. I love Metal, I love Nina, there's a band I started listening to again called The The, Matt Johnson, you know, so my ears were always open, because I got to hear so many kinds of music as a young person. But in the end, once I heard Nina Simone, all bets were off, and she became, like "Oh my God, I love Nina Simone! And I miss her all the time, because we had a hoot when we were together.

JACK: Just a few more questions: a lot of people in the Metal World, they almost talk about the Grunge era like a recession, when everything Metal went underground. How did that affect you as someone who loves music, and also as a professional who was working with a lot of Heavy Metal artists? Or did it not?

MICHAEL: Well, I did go to Seattle a lot during the Grunge era. I don't feel like there was anything underground about that scene. . . Maybe it was for just a moment, but after that moment, it exploded. Whether we're talking about my favorite, Alice in Chains. . . Whether we were talking about Soundgarden, Tad, Nirvana. . . there were so many wonderful artists that came out of that period. But you know I wound up working with Metal Church - - not a Grunge artist, but a Heavy Metal artist. I admired all those great people who came out of that. Some I liked more than others - - like I just mentioned, Alice in Chains, but did it affect me? I don't know, I just went with the flow and continued doing my job as an A&R executive, and watched what happened with that scene.

JACK: Now, you touched on it a bit; you still are in the business, and that's great too, that you're still working with Century Media, Maria Ferrero. . .

MICHAEL: Well, I am in the business somewhat because of the book, "I Am Michael Alago," but I don't officially work at record companies anymore. People know where to find me, I only hope that I still know what greatness is, and that I know to help artists that I feel have that in them. You know, for 25 years I listened to boxes of cassettes that came into my office of unsigned singer-songwriters, groups. . . there was a lot of rotten stuff, and there was so much good music. But like I say all the time: “good don't cut it.” You know, if I signed every "good" artist, I would be over my head with music, I would probably bankrupt the company, so there was something in me that I knew I could only sign something that I felt was great. And I was very particular about artists that I discovered, or signed, or executive produced. I never gravitated toward music where other, A&R people were saying, "Oh, you know, that band is gonna be huge." Well if I didn't feel that band or their lyrics, how could I live with myself signing them? So, whether you asked me this or not (laughs), I was very particular about the artists that I worked with. And you know, you can't go wrong with Metallica, you can't go wrong with Cyndi, Nina, or John Lydon. You know?
So I feel like I was very blessed that we were both put into each other's lives, and it was always a give and take in the relationship, and I'm always filled with gratitude, A) that I woke up this morning, B) that I'm clean and sober, and C) that I can reflect on my life with gratitude. . . that people want to talk to me. There's a movie, there's a book, and all of that happens when you work hard, you achieve some kind of success, and you tell the truth. Because that's what it's all about. It's about being kind, telling the truth, and when you do that, it's like a domino effect, it just goes on and on to other people, and hopefully they're being kind and they're telling the truth, to hopefully create a better world. And I don't mean that to be like Pollyanna or corny or anything, but listen, there's so much shit going on in the world these days, I only want to put out goodness. Whether that goodness is about the music, about poetry, popular quotes. . . I'm grateful for everything.

Official Press Release: Official Press Release: http://www.adrenalinepr.com/available-today-i-am-michael-alago-a-music-industry-veterans-story-about-changing-the-landscape-of-heavy-metal-battling-addiction-and-beating-death/