What really happened after Vinnie Vincent Invasion fell apart? In this episode, Robert John Hadfield uncovers the fascinating story of how Slaughter rose from the ashes of one of hard rock's most notorious bands. Using rare magazine articles, newspaper reviews, and revealing quotes from Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, this deep dive explores the difficult final days of Vinnie Vincent's band, the creation of Stick It to Ya, and the remarkable turnaround that made Slaughter one of rock's biggest breakout acts of 1990.

Along the way, you'll hear the touching true story behind "Fly to the Angels," learn why "Burning Bridges" was such a personal statement, discover the surprising Texas connection between Blas Elias and Bobby Rock, and see how the same record label that dropped Vinnie Vincent helped launch Slaughter to multi-platinum success. It's an incredible chapter in the KISS family tree—and one of the most dramatic comeback stories of the glam metal era.

Timestamps

0:00 A brutal newspaper review of Vinnie Vincent Invasion
0:48 Slaughter trivia challenge
1:57 The connection between Slaughter and the KISS family tree
2:19 RIP Magazine's "Beyond the Pink Guitar" feature
3:27 Escaping Vinnie Vincent and starting over
5:19 Planning a new band during endless guitar solos
6:01 Paul Stanley's comments on Vinnie Vincent's live performances
7:14 The final days of Vinnie Vincent Invasion
8:07 The devastating Los Angeles Times concert review
10:02 Starting over after leaving the band
11:06 Auditioning musicians for Slaughter
12:27 How Tim Kelly and Blas Elias joined the band
13:43 Writing honest songs from real-life experiences
14:41 "Burning Bridges" and its message to Vinnie Vincent
15:11 Gene Simmons' story about Vinnie forgetting his wallet
16:15 Why the band felt they were burning bridges everywhere they played
17:10 Lessons learned opening for Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper
18:09 The emotional true story behind "Fly to the Angels"
19:43 Chrysalis Records chooses Slaughter over Vinnie Vincent
21:20 Slaughter's rapid rise with Stick It to Ya
22:52 Selling over 500,000 albums before playing a single concert
23:47 How grunge changed Slaughter's trajectory
24:48 Trivia answers: Dana Strum, Mark Slaughter, and Randy Rhoads
26:24 The first major band Slaughter opened for
26:55 Final thoughts and viewer discussion