Riki Rachtman recalls tumultuous life in new show

Former “Headbangers Ball” host Riki Rachtman was nervous when he booked his first one-man show, “One Foot in the Gutter.”

“When I thought of this show, I heard, ‘You’re going to do what? Who’s going to go?’” he said.

Now, he couldn’t be prouder of his show, which is selling out in the United States and Australia. A tour had been a long-standing dream.

“I always wanted to try it,” Rachtman said about the multimedia show that traces his childhood and career.

“I tried it on Sept. 11, in North Carolina. It was a pretty big venue and it sold out. It was the most fun I’ve ever done.”

Apparently, promoters thought the same. He was offered four more dates, which led to another 16, and then four in Australia. Rachtman has two “One Foot in the Gutter” shows in Arizona — Tucson on Aug. 8 and Tempe on Aug. 9.

“This is the first time heading to the West Coast, and I have a show in Hollywood,” he said.

In the two-hour show, Rachtman intersperses stories about the Hollywood scene, The Cathouse and “Headbangers Ball” with photos and videos.

“I talk about growing up in Hollywood, overcoming getting arrested and being flat broke after being on television, and working my way back,” he said.

“It’s weird for me to say this, but this show is hilarious. All the reviews say the show is hilarious. It’s very, very flattering. I talk about all of my jobs I’ve had — and I’ve had a lot of jobs. This is the one I’m most proud of.”

Rachtman was arrested in 1997 on suspicion of battery after punching another radio DJ, Douglas Steckler, in LA. He subsequently lost his job, went bankrupt and took a job selling cars because no one would hire him, he said.

“It was really tough,” he said. “It was quite a ways after MTV. I was doing radio. When you’re sort of a public figure, everyone expects you to be doing well and then when you have to get a regular job, it’s tough.

“I did spend a couple years selling cars. You always hear, ‘Never give up’ and ‘just keep on working.’ I never stopped.”

He looks back fondly on “Headbangers Ball,” an MTV show that debuted on April 18, 1987, to play heavy metal videos. But he does have some regrets.

“It was incredible,” he said. “But when I look back at it now, what I am a little bummed about it, I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have. I had all these great things happening. It was temporary and I should have appreciated it. I got to hang out with all these people.”

“Headbangers Ball” was canceled in 1995, with the advent of alt-rock, grunge, pop-punk and rap music. In March 2021, Rachtman’s “The Ball” debuted.

In June, he brought “One Foot in the Gutter” overseas to Australia — a country that didn’t even get MTV. The gigs were sold out.

“I walked out and asked the audience if they got ‘Headbangers Ball.’” They said, ‘No.’ So I asked why they were there,” he recalled.

“They said they heard all the stories about The Cathouse. One guy said he saw pictures in magazines of his favorite bands; I was in all the photos. He wondered, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’”

One of his favorite gigs was at The Machine Shop Concert Lounge in Flint, Michigan, which is known for its energetic shows.

“It was so loud, and people were so into it,” he said. “The place was rowdy. It was great. We all walked off the stage and thought, ‘This is amazing.’ The way they run that club and everybody who works there is amazing. The owner, Kevin (Zink), his reputation speaks for itself.”

Rachtman does alter his shows to reflect the city in which he’s performing. He discusses the bands he’s watched there, for example.

“I’ve traveled so many places that I have stories for each gig,” he said. “Every show presents itself differently. I keep, basically, the same format because of all the multimedia stuff. But the beginning and end are different. I don’t know where I’m going to go with each show.”

When he’s not on the road, he and his wife run apparel and coffee companies, both monikered Cathouse.

“We love doing Cathouse Coffee,” he said. “For the past year, most of my efforts have been put toward the show. There has been a lot of tweaking. The Hollywood show is the proving ground. I haven’t checked lately, but I’m sure by now it’s sold out. Every time I get on stage, it’s an adventure. I love it. This is more rewarding for me than anything I’ve ever done.”

Riki Rachtman: “One Foot in the Gutter”
WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8
WHERE: The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $25
INFO: www.luckymanonline.com

WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9
WHERE: Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe
COST: Tickets start at $25
INFO: www.luckymanonline.com

This article appears in Aug 3-9, 2023.