Girls Do Drum…. and This Goddess Hits Hard!

Have you ever wondered whether Athena (born Bass but often known as Lee) was the only chick on the strip in the 80’s not to fuck MOTLEY CRUE?

Well, the Answer is “Yes”, from the horses mouth….. So no more sleepless nights pondering that one.

Also, for the record Athena never had a bowl cut.  That is almost a certainty!

Athena does have shiny ball syndrome.

Get your filthy heads out of the gutters people that is not where this article is going…. Well maybe a touch?

Athena admits “I am so easily distracted.”

What a great thing then that the new show Athena will be co-starring in, Ex-Wives of Rock with Susan Blue Britt, Sharise Neil and Bobbie Brown, co-produced by Femme Fatale front woman Lorraine Lewis and Lisa Brucker, is fast paced and changing on a daily basis.  “No writers on this show,” the long legged blond share with Headbangerwoman just recently.  “It would have been impossible, there were so many different things happening every day.  Of course there are things I haven’t even seen yet.  There were days the others were there and I was not!”   Filming of the first season of the new and eagerly awaited show has now concluded.

Athena is a proud Mom to three children and though she filed on December 31st 2010, she is not yet divorced… that makes her the only ex-wife that does not have the all-important legal document, but it is fairly obvious that she is ecstatic to be well away from her former room-mate.

Her inclusion into Ex-Wives Of Rock, a show that will be brought to Canada by Slice and Tri Con, can only add to the entertainment.  Athena is well known for her energy.  “I am really very active, always on the go. But I’m also pretty good at lying around in my undies, watching movies and being a lazy-ass too when I can.”

This then could be a surprise that Athena only quit smoking in early 2012.  “I was starting to feel it, even walking up a few flights of stairs.  Of course watching my Mom sick for so long from smoking, finally made me make the decision to quit.  I wanted her to see that I could; that I had.  It was such a horrible way to die.  I will never ever watch anyone go through that again, OR let anyone who loves me watch that happen to me.   You know, I continued to smoke after I was sick with Breast Cancer, how fucking STUPID is that? That’s how EVIL it is.  We all seem to think we are indestructible and that it could never happen to us.”

When asked about the Sunset Strip and her personal experience Athena is very candid.  “When I was much younger I was out on the strip every night.  Because I was a musician I had like thirty big brothers from the other bands we played and hung out, it was great.  You really did not have to be all that tough.  It was not nearly as hard being a female musician as people made it out to be back then.  Of course I didn’t really hang out with my brothers girlfriends or band wives back then.  I didn’t need to though.  I was out there doing my own thing.  I didn’t meet the other cast members of the show until a little after the strip scene and they were pretty much already ex-wives, but we all knew each other for a long time before the show, so we fit in really well.  There was definitely no awkwardness on set.”

Athena is hoping for another season of the show and screening in the US too.  “I’m up for whatever life throws at me, BRING IT!  Once the show airs there will be much more going on.  My book is also being completed right now.  It was going to be titled Coming In Second, but it wasn’t about being second best, not about feeling sorry for myself because I was the younger child, less famous.  It was a personal thing.  I realised the public might not realise that, so I have changed it to Girls Don’t Play Drums.  My Mom would say it all the time when Tommy (Lee; Musician, DJ, Drummer for Motley Crue and Athena’s older brother by two years) and me were kids.  Boy’s drum, not girls!”  Seemingly not satisfied with a book and TV show Athena added, “I have a few really cool things I’ve been up to as well, but I have been focusing mostly on the show and my book, but I have some fun surprises coming soon too!”

Athena’s Mom may have been very smart, but fortunately she was wrong about her daughter not being a drummer!  Athena has been a part of many successful projects and was the first woman to be nominated best drummer at the LA music awards.  Recently she became affiliated with http://www.rockettdrumworks.com/ headed by Poison drummer Rikki Rockett.  The company makes made to order, finely crafted, handmade drum kits.  Each kit is made specific to requirements, each very individual. You can hear the pride in Athenas voice when the Rikki and his company are   mentioned.  “Rikki and I have been friends for a long time, he really is the best.  It is great how he has managed to have this amazing drum company while keeping up his touring schedule with Poison.  The company really is great.  Rikki has specialists for each particular job.  You can’t just pick them out and go home, they are custom.  That is what makes them better than the rest.”

With the entire hectic goings on in her already full and fast paced life, you will probably be surprised to know that Athena is also working out furiously in the gym to get the butt she always wanted.  Of course she already has the butt that many guys want…..

Catch up with Athena and her butt on Twitter @Athenamintpatty

Ex-Wives of Rock will air double episodes on Fridays @ 10pm starting August 31st on the Slice Network in Canada

Support Ex-Wives Of Rock by visiting here….    http://www.facebook.com/ExWivesOfRock

AND here….        https://twitter.com/ExWivesofRock

by Karen Graham and Athena