TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon recently answered a number of fan-submitted questions during an appearance in the WRIF Virtual Rock Room. Asked if TESLA will ever work with former guitarist Tommy Skeoch again, Hannon said (see video below): “I have to tell you, I love Tommy Skeoch. I just did an online masterclass — the Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp — and I broke down ‘Modern Day Cowboy’ and how Tommy and myself collaborated and worked on that music together.
“When we were kids, Tommy Skeoch and myself, I was 16 and he was about 19 or 20,” he continued. “I used to really look up to him — I was a huge fan of his style, and still am, a great fan of his guitar playing. We were like best buds. And then we would collaborate and write songs like ‘Modern Day Cowboy’ or any of those TESLA songs, we’d write ’em together. But as time went on, man, the egos and the problems — myself included — throughout the years, the competition, it really drove a wedge between us. And the drugs and alcohol just really destroyed our relationship, I’ve just gotta be honest. We weren’t supposed to talk about this stuff, but now I figure it’s been long enough.
“I don’t see that TESLA will ever go back, because we love [Tommy‘s replacement] Dave Rude, and Dave has really been a great addition to the band. And it would be disrespectful to him to go backwards to a toxic thing, a relationship that really got very toxic.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that TESLA will work with Tommy again — ever,” Frank reiterated. “But I will say that myself, personally, I have always loved Tommy and I just wish him the best. I’m so glad that he’s still alive, and I know he’s got a new band out [RESIST & BITE] that put a song out called ‘The Myth I’m Livin”. It was kick-ass; it had Tommy‘s guitar. Look, I’m getting goosebumps right now. Every time I hear Tommy Skeoch play, it brings a smile to my face, ’cause he’s freakin’ awesome. As a musician, I have nothing but love and respect for the guy. But I don’t think TESLA will ever work with him again. But I do wish him the best.”
Skeoch left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues.
In a May 2020 interview with “The Classic Metal Show”, Skeoch was asked if he thinks people are now more aware of the “edge” that he brought to TESLA while he was a member of the Sacramento-based act, on and off, for two decades. “Absolutely. Oh, yeah,” he responded. “To me, it’s been apparent from the get-go, but even early on, on my Facebook pages, just everyone, all they ever say is, ‘We still love TESLA, but it’s just a different band. There’s no balls there now.’ And these are not my words, man. I wasn’t gonna say anything, ’cause it’s just not appropriate. But, yeah, I think it’s a different band, and maybe not for the best. That’s my opinion. Everyone has an opinion. If they wanna listen to some more loungey, more kind of pop, lighter music, they’re doing that now. And if people like that, then go for it. I like to rock hard.”
In a 2011 interview with Noisecreep, TESLA singer Jeff Keith stated about Skeoch: “Look, everyone in TESLA has been through their own substance-abuse issues. But Tommy got in too deep again. So the band told him that the only way we would be able to make this work is if he was clean and sober. I felt like we couldn’t ask him to do that if we weren’t going to commit to it too. So I was the first one to say that I wouldn’t drink, or do anything else, on the tour. The next thing you know, the other guys did the same thing. Troy [Luccketta, drums] has been clean and sober for over 20 years, so it wasn’t even an issue for him… Tommy couldn’t stay off the stuff he was doing. It broke my heart to see it, but we knew we had to replace him.”
Joining Skeoch in RESIST & BITE are ex-LYNCH MOB lead vocalist Nathan Utz, guitarist Steve Stokes, drummer David Parks and bassist Brian Powell.
