Existence and Beyond: Anthony White on Generation Landslide, Cold Sweat, and a Lifetime in Rock

Existence and Beyond: Anthony White on Generation Landslide, Cold Sweat, and a Lifetime in Rock

Some musicians fade in and out of the scene, but Anthony White has never stopped moving. From his teenage years forming Xcursion with Mark Slaughter, to the hard‑charging days of Cold Sweat, to the modern grit of Generation Landslide, White’s career reads like a living timeline of American hard rock. With a new album Existence on the horizon, a fresh single making noise, and decades of stories that stretch from the Whisky to Japan to the Monsters of Rock Cruise, Anthony remains a lifer — a musician who plays because he has to, because it’s in his bones.

In this candid conversation, Anthony opens up about the Las Vegas scene, working with Ron Keel, surviving the Northridge earthquake, the evolution of tribute culture, and why original music still matters. It’s a journey through past, present, and future — all told with the honesty of someone who’s seen it, lived it, and refuses to stop.

We are here with Anthony from Generation Landslide, and we’re going to ask him a few questions. First off — where is Generation Landslide based, and what is your local music scene like these days?
The band is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The scene used to be better a while back, but little by little it’s gotten smaller, to be honest. Some clubs have closed, and it’s definitely more of a struggle now.

Yeah, you just lost one of the most famous clubs there — Vamped. Did you ever have the chance to play Vamped before it closed?
I did. We played there twice, and then one night when Ron Keel and his band were performing, they invited me up at the end to help sing “The Right to Rock.” So technically, I’ve been on that stage three times.

Speaking of Ron Keel — how did you wind up working with his label, RFK Media?
I’ve known Ron for a long time through Mark Ferrari and Cold Sweat. A few years back, near the end of making the first Generation Landslide record, we started talking. He told me he was forming a label, and I jumped at the chance to work with him.

Now you have a new album on the horizon called Existence. Is there an overall story or concept behind that title?
Yes and no. It’s a loose concept — mostly about social awareness. The cover ties into that. A lot of the songs share similar themes, so it’s conceptual in a way, but not a strict concept album. A little of both.

“Running Out of Time” is the single I’ve heard so far. Give me some background on that song and what inspired it.
That one ties directly into the album title and cover. Years ago, I lived in Los Angeles and went through the Northridge earthquake. It stuck with me. I always knew I’d write a song about it someday. So I tied that experience into the bigger idea of social awareness — how people treat the earth, how fragile everything is.

Select another song from the album and tell me what inspired the lyrics.
The first track is called “Are You Ready?” and it’s basically about what it’s like to be in a gang. I’ve never been in one, but I’ve always wondered what that mindset is. Movies like The Warriors made me think about it. It’s not “Are you ready to rock?” or “Are you ready to go out?” It’s “Are you prepared to die?” Because at any moment, you could. It’s a heavy one.

Well, the album title Existence is pretty heavy duty if you think about it.
It is. And when you really study the cover — a city at night funneling down into an hourglass — it’s about how everything could change. People should live life, enjoy life, have fun. That’s where I was going with it.

Generation Landslide has played out here in LA — I believe at the Whisky. What was that experience like, and are there chances you’ll be back soon?
Hopefully we’ll be back soon. We’ve played the Whisky two or three times with Generation Landslide. I played there way back with a band called Jaguar from LA, then with Cold Sweat, and I think with the KISS tribute band I was in too. It’s iconic. Who wouldn’t want to play the Whisky? I’ve enjoyed it every single time.

You come from quite a history of bands, and I wanted to go back to 1983–84 — the two Xcursion albums on Rampage Records. When you look back at those records now, what do you think of them in retrospect?
I kind of get a kick out of it. We were just kids — Mark Slaughter and I grew up together in high school and formed that band. We were serious, we wanted to make it, we thought we were going to be this and that. Looking back now, it was a growing experience. We had a lot of fun. I wouldn’t change it. We were teenagers — that’s what it was.

Earlier you mentioned being a founding member of Cold Sweat. That album recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. When you look back on that record and your time working with MCA, what comes to mind now?
I still like it. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the right push or the right circumstances — things were crazy back then. But I’ve always loved the record. I thought the band was great then, and I think the band is still great now. Thirty‑plus years later, we’re still doing festivals and Monsters of Rock cruises. I’m proud of that band and that record. I always will be.

Has there ever been talk of doing another Cold Sweat record? Is that something you’d want to do?
We actually did. Originally, we talked about making a second record back then — we had eight songs recorded, but never released them. So those songs sat there for years. In 2020, we played the Monsters of Rock Cruise and had the show recorded. We ended up putting out a second record on RFK Media called Unburied Alive. It has four songs from the old, unreleased second record and six live tracks from the first album.

More recently, we recorded a brand‑new song. And when we go on the next cruise — I want to say in May — they’re finally going to release that single. So yeah, we’re excited.

Cold Gin, the KISS Tribute Band — tell me about working with Tommy Thayer, and did KISS ever see you guys?
They did. KISS saw us a couple of times — two or three, I believe. We had the best time. We didn’t take it seriously, but at the same time we were serious about everything we did. We went to Japan. We did some of the KISS unplugged‑style shows across the country. I loved it. I didn’t want it to stop, but it eventually ran its course.

I think I actually saw Cool Gin at the Troubadour in the ’90s.
You probably did. We played everywhere. And if you watched us from the beginning, it’s funny — you’d see four guys enjoying KISS music, wearing KISS t‑shirts, just having fun. Then as time went on, it got closer… and closer… and closer… and before you knew it, it was full‑blown outfits, makeup, boots — every little thing you could think of. We just kept going.

When I saw you at the Troubadour, it was so packed you couldn’t even move. You could swear you were at an actual KISS show.
Yeah. I’ve seen videos from different places we played across the country, and it was the same thing. I never really paid attention to how many people were there — it was always just fun. Every single show, every single time, I tried to have the best time doing it.

Do you still keep in touch with Mark Slaughter?
I do. We speak a few times a year. The last time was maybe three or four months ago. And we’ll see each other next year because Slaughter is on the Monsters of Rock Cruise out of LA, and Cold Sweat is on it too. So we’ll get to hang out again.

Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects we haven’t talked about yet?
I am, but they’re just local things. I play bass in a cover band here, guitar in a southern rock band in Vegas, and drums in a Whitesnake tribute band based out of Los Angeles. I just keep myself busy playing whatever instrument I can, whenever anybody needs someone.

Cover bands seem to be where it’s at these days. Nobody’s making money on original music. Fair statement?
It is, and it’s sad and unfortunate. Not that I have a problem with cover or tribute bands — but original music has always been number one in my eyes. Things have changed so much, but I’m hopeful this record makes some noise and people get back into original music.

One more KISS question — how did the passing of Ace Frehley affect you? And did you ever see Ace live?
It did affect me. I saw Ace live a few times. Cold Sweat opened for him at The Palace — probably ’88 or ’89. I’ve met him a few times. I thought he was great. I’ll always remember that day. It was tough because I was a huge KISS fan as a kid and teenager, and it was hard to believe one of the members was gone.

Now you’ve got a new Generation Landslide album coming out soon. What’s next?
I’d like to find a booking agent and start playing everywhere. We’ll probably do a couple of videos. They’re doing one right now for “Running Out of Time” that should be out soon. The record comes out in a couple of weeks. And after that, I’ve already got half an album’s worth of material ready to go. I just keep writing and playing until I can’t do it any longer.

In Conclusion

Anthony White’s story is one of persistence — a musician who has weathered changing scenes, closed clubs, shifting eras, and the unpredictable tides of the industry. Yet through it all, he remains committed to the thing that started it all: original music. With Existence ready to make its mark and new material already in the pipeline, Generation Landslide is gearing up for a new chapter, fueled by decades of experience and the same fire that lit the fuse back in the Xcursion days.

If Anthony has proven anything, it’s that rock isn’t just a genre — it’s a lifetime. And he’s still living it.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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