Las Vegas Weekly

Catching up with Franky Perez

The Vegas-scene veteran updates us on his latest happenings

Franky Perez performs at the Palms and Red Rock.

Vegas-based singer-songwriter Franky Perez had a minor hit with “Something Crazy,” from his 2003 major-label debut Poor Man’s Son. Since then, he’s played various roles in the music industry, working as a solo artist, musician for hire, producer, songwriter and mentor to rising acts. These days Perez is readying a new solo album and playing two weekly Vegas shows: mostly covers Sundays at the Palms and a mix of covers and originals Wednesdays at Red Rock.

On touring: I’ll always do national dates, and I do a lot of dates with [all-star jam band] Camp Freddy, but it would be great to get to a place to [only] tour without having to leave. Not because I don’t like touring—I actually love being on the road—but just because it’s literally a different audience every night.

On his stint as the singer in Velvet Revolver: When the first audition process came up for Velvet Revolver, I was introduced to Slash, and I wrote a couple of audition songs. They ended up loving it, and they brought me in. So I was an actual member of the band for probably a little less than six months. In those six months, we wrote, went in the studio, did a bunch of stuff. And for whatever reason, it just didn’t work out. Maybe I’m not the right singer for that band. Just because they consider me a good singer doesn’t mean I’m the right singer for that project.

On the status of System of a Down side project Scars on Broadway, in which he played guitar: The great thing about Scars is that even when Daron [Malakian] started the band and he brought us all in, there was a kind of thing where it was never going to be the number one priority. The band’s always going to exist. For example, we made the record, we did the tour, and then we took time off for Daron to handle some personal stuff, and then we came back out of nowhere and just did a gig. So we’ll always do gigs. And Daron writes every day. There’s never been the conversation that Scars is done.

On working with Vegas group Afghan Raiders: I’d heard so much about that band, and I went out and saw them at the Beauty Bar one night, and I was like, “This is phenomenal.” Mikey is a friggin’ star. I ended up working with them for a little bit and then introducing them to Velvet Hammer [Management], who ended up signing them, and now great things are happening for them.