Rick Steier Opens Up About James Kottak’s Tragic Downfall

Such a sad and tragic story. You can only try and help so much. RIP James Kottak.

Thanks for interviewing him kingdom come was a great band with the great bands and it was awesome seeing them in warrant.

Of all of the drugs to take someone out, alcohol. The bottom of the barrel…alcohol. The legal drug. I have always found it crazy the most dangerous drug is the legal one. You could snort whatever all day long and you probably aren't going to crash your car or run over someone. A lot of things will actually make you a better driver. I know from years of experience. Even with nasty stuff like crank..it isn't the drug that makes you active crazy, it is the sleep deprivation. Tons of successful business people spend their entire careers sped up. There are tons of productive, normal junkies..I was one. You just have to have things under control in the sense and never run out. But you can't go to work drunk. Everyone would know and you can't really behave normally. Yet, it is the legal and socially acceptable drug. Very, very odd. I guess it has been socially acceptable for so long that ppl just accept it…plus, the governments around the world love the tax money.

❤❤❤

For those of us who have never had a problem with addiction, it’s such a ballbreaker. I had to completely walk away from a smokeshow once because she couldn’t stop H. For my sanity, I totally walked away.

I was there at Sweden Rock Festival. Or rather until after the second chorus in Living Out of Touch when I went to another stage to see Opeth instead. I couldn't listen to any more songs being played in half tempo. You immediately saw and heard that there was something wrong with Kottak.

I saw an old fried do the same in his early 40's. Eyes ALWAYS glassy, and toward the end the whites got off white as well. Basically pickling yourself

I saw Kingdome Come on one of their last tours with James. It’s was at Sellersville theater in Pa.

Oof. It never gets any easier hearing about end-stage addiction. 💔

I saw James with Kingdom Come at the Monsters of Rock show in Akron in 1988. I really enjoyed that KC record and thought that JK’s drumming was spectacular. Several years later, I saw James with the Scorpions at what was supposed to be their final tour. The show was excellent and James, of course, was great. It’s a shame that such a talent has left us so soon.

BTW, Rick was a terrific interview subject. He’s had an interesting career and we are so lucky that he is open to telling his story from his perspective.

Saw Kottak on the Pure Instanct tour with the Scorpions and his solo lit up the crowd. This was at the Rose Garden in Portland OR…Alice Cooper opened, and it was 1996. Scorps lit it up that night, and Kottak had the place chanting to his solo. Truly a fantastic talent, and he will be missed.
On a side note…people should know, Rick Steier is an amazing player as well, and his interview on this channel was so good. He talked about so many interesting facets of Kingdom Come, Wild Horses, Warrant, and Kottak's life. Make sure to watch it, and we truly hope he will come do a roundtable some day!