Neon nights

>> Dynasty do '80s hits better than the real thing

by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT

Self-proclaimed "wicked awesome rock sensation" Dynasty are full of contradictions. Supposedly they were big in the '80s, yet none of the five members appears to be over 25. They boast of past hits and yet play only covers live. Lead singer Toto, bass player Ron, model and keyboardist Tiffanee, lead guitarist Christopher Alexander McKaren III and drummer Bucky seem content in their cryogenically preserved, neon ghetto-blaster time warp. Their dramatic world of clashing egos, terry-cloth headbands and FM synth licks was recently captured in 8Bit Studio's Dynasty: The Movie, which will be screening at their show. We caught up with Toto, who was supposedly calling from a hotel room in Turkey (although the connection was so good, he could have been across town), in between shows on their latest "reunion world tour."



Mirror: What time is it in Istanbul?

Toto: (slurring, in a vaguely British accent) I don't know what time it is, I think it's still dark outside, we haven't opened the windows. We've played three shows here and I've never experienced such heat--it's positively dusty. It sticks to places I don't even want to talk about. When we play a song like "Sunglasses at Night" here, we don't know if people are going to loot or dance. Somehow our music speaks to these people.

M: But that's not actually your original music.

T: Well, technically, no. Corey Hart wrote the song. But when we had the pleasure of playing with him on the "Neon or Bust" tour a few years back, Corey heard our version, and right then and there he signed over the rights to it. He said "You know what? You do it better." And I said, "You're right."

M: Do you have any originals at all?

T: We've got a slew! There's "Neon Lights of My Love," a hit love song, or "Ghetto Blaster Woman," also a big hit. There's the wonderful and spooky "Someone's in the Bathroom." That one came about in Tokyo in '81, or maybe '85. It was 4 a.m. and Bucky walked into my room and just stood there, white as a sheet, at the foot of my bed. And I said, "Bucky, what's wrong?" And he said, whispering, very frightened, "There's someone in the bathroom!" We never did find out who it was.

M: Wow. What's the story behind the short film they made about you?

T: Originally it was supposed to be feature length. We had a deal with Paramount but Ron got into something called "the Internet" in the late '80s and he convinced us to cancel the Paramount thing and sign up with these 8bit Studio Internet people. Have you checked out the Internet? It's really something. But it wasn't easy to live a life in front of the camera. (shouting to the people in the background) I wanna play! I'm up! We're playing Hungry Hungry Hippos. Our DJ, Long Duk Dong, and I are the champs. We get into a rhythm and we just suck up all those balls. Once we were touring with Glass Tiger and they challenged us to a game and we shamed them! We haven't toured with them since.

Concert, movie screening and DJs at Le Swimming on Thursday, July 19, 10pm, $5, '80s costumes encouraged!