Stevie Rachelle recalls how Atlantic Records scrapped Tuff’s debut video for “The All New Generation”
Stevie Rachelle recalls how Atlantic Records scrapped Tuff’s debut video for “The All New Generation”
Tuff lead vocalist Stevie Rachelle has just released the 14th instalment of his Tuff Diaries via Metal Sludge which details the band’s deals with Atlantic Records and Sony as well as recording their debut video. Rachelle reveals how Tuff were supposed to record their debut video for the single “The All New Generation” but Atlantic Records suddenly changed those plans to go with the ballad “I Hate Kissing You Goodbye.”
The following is an excerpt from the 14th instalment of the Tuff Diaries from the Metal Sludge website (with slight edits):
“Video Shoots
Friday May 17th 1991, Tuff was appearing at “Spring Fest” in Phoenix, Arizona.
This was a big 3-day event sponsored by the local rock station KUPD.
We played the first night, the lineup was Great White, Bang Tango, SouthGang, Tuff and Eyes which featured Jeff Scott Soto.
This was our first festival show since being signed and oddly, our record was released earlier in the week on May 14th.
We were super pumped for so many reasons.
This (Phoenix) was essentially Tuff home base for the other guys.
And add to that we had a film crew following us around all day shooting footage for our debut video “The All New Generation.”
This weekend was amazing and we hung out on Saturday as well.
We watched our friends in KingOfTheHill, Todd’s brother’s band Badlands and L.A. Guns headlined.
Funny looking back, on Sunday was more of a Metal Day and Pantera was on 3rd supporting local Phoenix bands Sacred Reich and headliner Flotsam And Jetsam.
Tickets were only $8.00 in advance or $ 10.00 at the gate.
Like so many previous shows in Arizona, the weekend was awesome and on Monday we headed back to Los Angeles.
Not more than a week or two passed and we got a surprise call, Atlantic wants to change the video last minute.
“Huh? What?” was pretty much all of our reactions.
Our manager called and told us that our ballad “I Hate Kissing You Goodbye” was blowing up and the label wanted to jump on it.
Our song was in heavy rotation and getting top phone requests on multiple radio stations.
This included; Chicago’s The Blaze, KBER in Salt Lake City and others on the East Coast like WAAF in Boston too.
So from May 17th to the first week of June all hell broke loose.
Video Shoot #2
It was now Tuesday June 11th and today is the date of our next video shoot.
Well, it was actually going to be the 2nd part of filming for “The All New Generation” but at the last minute, it was switched to the ballad.
Atlantic has officially scrapped our first single “The All New Generation” before it even got off the ground.
That’s correct.
We actually shot that footage for “The All New Generation” in Phoenix but it’s no longer of any use.
Ugh.
We were not happy as we didn’t want to start off with a ballad, but the truth is at this point, at our level, we really don’t have any say.
Oh well…
The facts are, the live footage from Phoenix was going to be the B-roll footage to another day where we’d have a big shoot for “The All New Generation.”
So imagine that big video set for “I Hate Kissing You Goobye” – only we were to be playing to “The All New Generation”.
But since the ballad was charting in some markets, the label chose to switch it.
Crazy to think, the label had already manufactured cassettes as well, known as cassingles that were set to be shipped to record stores.”
Tuff‘s “I Hate Kissing You Goodbye” video:
Tuff – I Hate Kissing You Goodbye
Another classic hair rock ballad brought to you by Froman. I’m such a softy.