rockstar security guard sarge mcintyre

By Jay Oakley

Sarge! Thank you so much for taking some time to talk to me.

Yeah, no problem, man. I've been looking forward to it. Thank you for taking the time out, man.

Before we get right into everything, what do you have going on for Thanksgiving?

Yeah, just going to take it easy for a while. I'm going to spend some time with my daughter and watch the parade as usual, we do that every year. Of course, eat until I get sick, that's tradition, it's America, it's what you do, right?

Yeah, dude. So, one of the things that got us talking and led to us landing this interview is you just launched your own website (www.sargesecurity.com) and it seems to have really popped off for you. So, tell us about your plans for setting up the website, the launch of it and the reaction and the reception.

Yeah, man. It's been a whirlwind couple of days. The website's been something that has been talked about for a while. People have been stopping me, basically everywhere, at these events and wanting to get Sarge hoodies and buying merch and find out more about me. I'm the guy behind the scenes. I'm not really out there much as far as the merch guy or talking so much about me but I was talking to Ted Poley (Danger Danger) a little about it, we kind of strategized some planning here and it took about a year to get it done but better late then never. We launched the website this week and got some things in the merch store and some Sarge hoodies FINALLY that the folks have been asking about and some different jewelry and things like that. Some appearance dates and it's been crazy, man. The support and the feedback has just been INCREDIBLE. I mean, people from Germany and Sweden, Finland, Australia, Japan and it's surreal. It's mind-blowing.

I looked at your merch store myself and it looks like for this current, basic run or merch that you do have up, it focuses around Tshirts, tanks and hoodies. Is that correct?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. As far as clothing goes, we're going to expand, I've been inendated with requests for some female specific garments, I guess I could say, so we have some boy shorts maybe coming out, I've had some requests for T-backs and things like that. It's just crazy but we'll take all the feedback that we can. There's a form on there to contact us so we'll look at some feedback from folks and we'll get some ideas and we'll just see what evolves. It's just been launched this week but we'd love to hear what folks want and we'll definitely give them what they want.

So, we're going to transition from that into a little bit about Sarge. You're a metal guy. You've always been a metal guy. I've know you for quite a while now and that's always a common bond that we have but how did you get involved in metal? What spoke to you and how did you find that this was your preferred genre and the place you want to be?

The first CD that I can, consciously, remember listening to was Double Platinum from KISS. That was my first introduction to real music and I was hooked. I remember watching Night Tracks on TBS and watching all these videos and being just blown away. "Cum On Feel The Noize" by Quiet Riot and I was like, "Oh my God! What is this?!" and "Looks That Kill" by Mötley Crüe and was like, "What the hell! This is something I've never seen. I've never heard anything like this." So, I was into metal from a pretty young age. I've never really deviated from the Hair Metal genre so much. I can appreciate all music, all metal genres but Hair Metal in particular, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, Ratt, Danger Danger of course, Faster Pussycat. Anything, basically in the 80s, was what I was stuck in and even to this day that's what I spin. That's what I grew up with and it's continued on.

That's awesome, Sarge. When it came to security work was that directly what you went for?

I wasn't always strictly into metal as far as the security business goes. I had experience bouncing in the bar business but I actually got my start in the Celtic scene. I started off, God, about eight years ago with a band called Albannach. They're the number one, premier tribal pipes and drums band out of Scotland and they came over to tour the States every year and I got hooked up with them and we toured up and down the east coast. I say toured but, pretty much, I was the drunken guy the followed them up and down the east coats, I guess you could say. [Laughs] There was an unfortunate incident where a member of the band was assaulted and stabbed. He's fine, he was fine but it was a scary incident and it, kind of, fucked me up a little bit seeing that something like that could happen to a buddy of mine and someone I cared about so I really took a step back and talked to his family and I remember talking to his brother on the phone and telling him, "Hey man, I've got your brother's back. I'm going to take care of him." So, he rehabilitated, they went back out on tour and true to my word, I followed them around and I was at the side of the stage and SARGE was born. I became that guy that protected and made sure that we rallied the fans behind the idea that we were going to take care of them and that's where the Mighty Nach Army came from. I formed this little fan club of protection, kind of, a hedge around the artist and that was the formation of the early Sarge Security days.

Getting involved with that band and them being the top Celtic bands of that scene, you've always been very upfront about your heritage and where you're from and the lifestyle of yourself and you're family. Was your Scottish heritage what allowed you to hook up with them in the first place?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like a lot of folks, you go through that mindset of wanting to know where you came from. So, I did the whole ancestry deal and I knew that we were a, kind of, Scottish-Irish heritage with a name like McIntyre, So, it came to light that my family was from Scotland so I really got into the Scottish heritage and bought my first kilt which led to buying my second, third, forth and now I think I'm up to twelve different kilts. So, I attended my first Scottish festival back in early 2000, maybe, and I saw them and they blew me away. The music that they played was so intense and it just spoke to me and you felt it and it drew me in and at that very second I knew that that was where I needed to be, that was the music that spoke to my soul and the rest is history, man. I was hooked.

Are Albannach still active today?

Oh yeah, absolutely! I was just with them in Raleigh, North Carolina about a month ago. They're on tour constantly, you can check them out, there are links to their page on my website but it's www.albannachmusic.com. They're just an amazing, amazing band unlike anything you've experienced. You don't have to be Scottish to appreciate it. It's basically like war music. It's what the Scottish people would have listened to in order to hype themselves up to, basically, go and kick everyone else's ass.

Absolutely. One of the bands I definitely want to touch on that you had been working with for a long time because it's how you and I started bonding because it's how we really met and that's Liv and Sister Sin.

Yeah, that's right! You and I met on the final Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. I was tour managing for Sweden's-own Sister Sin, that's right.

Totally. They came through Baltimore years ago when they were touring the Now And Forever record on the Doro Pesch tour. Do you remember if you were with Sister Sin for that tour?

I wasn't their tour manager for that tour but I did catch them on a couple dates as a fan but they were absolutely one of the most amazing bands, not only amazing Swedish bands but one of the most amazing, truly unheralded bands on the scene at that time. Even now, if folks haven't heard of Sister Sin, they have an entire catalog of just under-heard music, truly.

For sure, Sarge. Their records are amazing and in particular their song "Chosen Few" just SPEAKS to me.

Oh yeah. I think True Sound Of The Underground is just a metal classic. I would truly put it up there in the top ten of all time classic masterpieces. Just amazing, amazing albums and I learned a lot on the tour I did with them. That was my first tour managing, be-all-end-all. I was driver, roadie, security, I did everything on that tour and it was fun, it was tough but made lifelong friends with those guys and Liv as well and I'll forever be thankful for the opportunities from them and Victory Records. It was just the most amazing summer of my life. It was so fun.

Absolutely and it is unfortunate that we have since lost that band. The band have decided to go their separate ways but it is worth giving love and support to the guys as well as Liv who did just put out her first solo record. (Follow Me)

Yeah, dude. I check in with the guys once in a while on Facebook. They all seem to be doing pretty well. They're all still hanging in there and looking good. I'm still much better looking then all of them. [Laughs] I am still using my flat-iron, Dave, so you can suck it. But, as far as Liv, Liv's new CD is brutal. I don't know if you've had a chance to listen to it but check it out. She's got a new band and they're absolutely slaying it, man. So, Liv definitely, if you get back to the States give me a call. They're just absolutely killing it.

So, going from that, we have to talk about you on the road. You've got to have some stories. So, tell me some good ones and tell me some bad ones.

[Laughs] Oh my God, I'll tell you what, some of the better stories that jump out would be this past year. It was one of the highlights of my career, getting to stand side-stage at Rocklahoma with Ratt. Having these legends, these guys hat I grew up idolizing and were such huge parts of my life, my musical life and people I admired and are now true friends of mine. But, I'm standing side-stage with these guys, just watching them blow away this huge crowd at Rocklahoma was just surreal. I was just the most amazing thing and I'll forever be grateful to those guys for letting me tag along this year and hopefully we have some plans in 2018. That was probably one of the best events that I can think of.

Probably one of the low-lights would have been on the Mayhem-fest tour. You don't realize how difficult it is to tour out here. Not everybody on tour gets a four-star hotel every night and a nice clean shower. Some of these bands out there were in a van and you're in a Wal-Mart parking lot or you're waking up in a truck stop travel plaza and you're washing your face in a bathroom there on the road and you might see a hotel twice a week, that's the reality of it sometimes and to those touring bands my hat's off to them. That's a tough life but it's dedication and it's a lifestyle and you've got to love what you do or you're not going to make it and I've seen some bands out there who really love what they do. God bless them, that's passion and that's what it's about.

Has there ever been somebody, whether they were a low-grade, medium or high-grade rockstar, that you did not gel with or was disrespectful to you or even just done something that you felt wasn't right? Has any of those unfavorable experiences from a person crossed your path?

That's a great question, Jay. I would say this. When I'm hired, I take my job very seriously. When I'm protecting a client, I'm protecting a client and I treat my clients as family. If I am asked to secure a green room, I'm going to secure the green room and when I am asked to have no one allowed entry I take that seriously. So, [Laughs] I guess the bottom line means No One. So, I don't care if you're an A-list celebrity, I don't care who you are, I don't care if you've got a pass, if I'm told no one gets in, no one's coming in. I've had some folks get a little bit upset about being denied entry but that' just the way it is. I follow the orders that I'm given, I follow the instructions I'm given and I always try to do it in a polite understanding way. Yeah know, we're all trying to do our job but the safety of my clients and the sanitation of the green room is always the utmost concern for me and, again, the safety of my clients is always the utmost concern for me. So, some people think that they have cart-blanch to go as they please and sometimes All Access doesn't always means All Access.

Absolutely. It doesn't get much clearer but it also doesn't get much more respectful then that. The fact of the matter is, the job is the job and there may be times where a lot is asked of you, there may be times where little is asked of you but, the fact of the matter is what's asked of you is what's asked of you.

Right. I remember, I was at a festival, I won't name names at all of course but I was at a festival and I was asked to clear an area on the side of the stage and there were some folks there from one of the opening bands that didn't really want to vacate the area. I asked them politely to leave and they weren't really happy about that but they left. When I'm asked to clear an area that's what we need to do and, again, I think most folks understand that security, we're not there to be asses. I think that some security gets a bad reputation sometimes and sometimes that's deserved. Most of us out here are a new breed. Folks like me, Jake Lawson and some of the other guys I've worked with. I'd say the key word is "respect." We respect the audience members, we respect our clients, we respect the artists and we simply ask for that same respect. As long as you respect us, we respect you and that's so you don't have a problem. Sometimes, some folks think that they are a little higher up and don't want to give the same respect and that's when you might have a little bumping of heads but not too often.

There is actually one incident I'd like to ask your opinion about and your experience with. It's nothing major and nothing violent but I think it would be an interesting story for you to tell to fans and to other press people who would be working not only your clients but any other clients. Your relationship with Mr. Ted Poley of Danger Danger is well documented. A longtime working relationship, friendship, all the way down to tattoos. There was a Go-Pro incident within the recent years and you and I talked privately about it when I was helping stage manage our good friend Brad Lee of Brad Lee Entertainment for Sleazy Slimey Sunday when Ted was headlining. You had told me about an incident with a Go-Pro and there were signs at the our venue and we didn't have to worry about that. What can you say about that incident because Ted has always been great with his fans, he puts on a great show and loves to go in the crowd. So, I'd love for you to speak a little bit about that and what equipment like that can mean positively and negatively for talent.

Yeah and I'm glad you said that, it's another great question. I'm not going to speak for all artists, I'm just going to speak from my vantage point and I don't even want to speak for Ted's so much but I'll speak to that particular incident. If you've got a Go-Pro and some folks you'll see with an iPad and I get it because you're there at the concert and folks want to have a little souvenir to take back home or whatever so they film a song or two or whatever. The biggest concern that I personally have is when you hold something up like that, you're sometimes blocking the views of the folks behind you that also paid good money to be there, so you have to have a little bit of respect for the folks behind you and YOU don't see them behind you, moving around or getting frustrated, I see that. So, that's when I might come up and ask you to put your Go-Pro down or your iPad down or whatever, just out of consideration for the folks behind you. Sometimes, folks with Go-Pros, especially on the little selfie-sticks or whatever will get a little bit aggressive and push those up to the stage and they'll get into the space of the artist and that's one when I've got to shut that down. You've got to have that area left to the artist. You just can't infringe on that free space so when I see folks take their cameras and, kind of, shove them into the space, like don't break the plane of the stage. Keep your cameras and your Go-Pros and you selfie-sticks and stuff like that, just keep them at a safe distance and, again, it goes to that word of "respect." The artist is up there trying to do their deal and when you have Go-Pro sticks and selfie-sticks jammed up there it's just not cool. Just respect their space and respect your neighbors behind you and it's all fine, well and good. Take out your phone, film a song, film a quick memento and put it away and enjoy the show. You're there, you're live.

Since we've talked about the people that you have worked with, let's talk about the people you'd like to work with. One of the pictures that you put up recently that made my little jealousy meter go off was you and Ace Frehley. Is there anyone that you are aiming for or would really dig to work with?

Ace was very cool. I've worked with Ace a couple times now. Always an amazing guy to work with. It was a dream to work with Stephen, Stephen Pearcy and Carlos Cavazo and, of course, the guys from Ratt were so amazing. Danger Danger and anyone I've worked with so far, it just seems like one dream after another being fulfilled but still yet, I would say, there's this little band, Beasto Blanco, I don't know if you've heard of them, I like this band and I think everybody knows that I fell in love with them on the Monsters of Rock cruise last year and maybe mini obsessed with them a little but great, great guys and girl. Love them to death and I'm hoping some things might work out in my favor and maybe I can work with them in the future but aside from that, maybe, Judas Priest would be a dream come true. Night Ranger has always been a favorite and they always put on an amazing show. I would have said Mötley Crüe back in the day. I think that would have been interesting. [Laughs] That would have helped me write my book pretty quickly with the escapades and the things I would see on that. Yeah, I would say Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe and Beasto Blanco would be a pretty good threesome. However, I'd love to work for Ozzy Osbourne. Especially with Zakk Wylde back with him, who I personally presented with his official Sarge Security Staff hoodie recently. Ozzy and Zakk back together, that would be incredible.

That would be pretty rad. Keep in mind that while Nikki (Sixx) has been taking time off because he had hip surgeries and it's the anniversary of his first book (The Heroin Diaries) and he's gotten really into his photography but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to work with Sixx: A.M..

No, absolutely. Let's not forget Poison as well. Poison would be pretty damn awesome.

For sure and Bret still has lots of girlfriends that come and crowd that stage whenever he plays live so I think that could definitley be some survices that you could be used for.

Yeah, I'll have to get Big John Murray to maybe put in a good word for me or something. Big John does have a Sarge Security hoodie so I don't know if that counts as an endorsement or not but maybe I'll send him a goodie pack and maybe beg or something.

Nice! That's actually a killer segway because I wanted to ask you if there are any bands out there right now that are newer or under-the-radar bands that you're really digging on? I was gonna bring up Beasto Blanco because I do think they are amazing and of course, Chuck Garric, is in no way a scrub or small time dude but a lot of people probably don't know that he has a band. Also, you and I were at a show recently and saw two very fun bands in 86 Bullets and Wildstreet.

Yeah, absolutely. That was a hell of a show. It was great to finally see Wildstreet. I was so excited to catch them finally at Rocklahoma and the tornado made it's yearly appearance on that very day so I missed them. So, I'm very thankful to Dave Dillman and D-Toxin Promotions for bringing Wildstreet to Maryland, it was really cool. And, of course, 86 Bullets always puts on a great show. That was fantastic.

Are there any smaller bands, like a Wildstreet, that have been living in your CD player lately?

Yeah, I'm blowing up PERMACRUSH. PERMACRUSH is like 1981 Mötley Crüe, Sunset Strip. Chris Crush is the extremely versital lead singer and I'm probably, mildly obsessed with them as well. When I hear something that grabs me, whether it's the hook or the melody or just the riff, whatever it is, my obsessive personality will put it on repeat and just listen to it over and over. PERMACRUSH has been on repeat since I got one of their CD's. Just an amazing band and they're regulars at The Whisky A Go Go and Erik Ferentinos from Stephen Pearcy's solo band jumps in on guitar every once in a while. Just an amazingly talented band, an amazingly talented singer but you have to check them out. They have a couple new songs out now "Baby" and "Superstar." Besides PERMACRUSH out of LA and Beasto Blanco I have to acknowledge Kickin Valentina. These guys are amazing. They just put out a new record, Imaginary Creatures, and they've been touring Europe. They are incredible.

The next thing we need to touch on is you, SARGE. Your look, your style, your kilts. The way that you present yourself when you are not only out in public but also working. So, talk a bit about your style, your attire and your logo that is out there. Talk about that and the designing of it. We have Sarge's Security Highland Enforcer.

Yeah, yeah. Well, again, the Sarge's Security pretty much started out with me attending the Highland Games and started working with Albannach and I was in a kilt. So, when I started working security I was, obviously, in a kilt so it just happened that when I started going to concerts in that same outfit, it looked kinda cool and I'm comfortable it a kilt. It's me, I feel natural so I would go to rock concerts in kilts. I remember going to a Blackguard concert, they're a Canadian metal band, I went to a Blackguard show in a kilt and was in the pit actually slamming in a kilt. It was pretty wild but I was just comfortable in a kilt, it felt great. So, I've worn a kilt forever at rock shows and everything else. It's been my look. It's comfort, it's heritage, it's just me, it's what I've always done and it's real. For me, I think its just the authenticity of it. I wanted to do something with Sarge Security that did reflect my heritage and did mean something to me. Since it started out in the Celtic industry and that was, pretty much, the influence I wanted to go with something that was a throwback and a knod to that heritage. So, it's the Rampant Lion on the logo, a Scottish influence, and, of course, the Highland Enforcer. My ancestors are from Oban, Scotland which is in the Highlands so you have the Highlands Enforcer there. There's some Viking influence in our family so that's where the Scottish Viking comes from, the Scottish Viking influence in the blood. Everything is real, everything is genuine. There's no image, made up image per say, it's me. What you see is what you get and I think that's why I connect so well with folks because it is real. There's no fake. What you see is what you get, for better or for worse.

How about something for the ladies. Should they be allowed to get close enough, what might be under that kilt?

[Laughs] Well, it's a Scottish-preserved mystery. But, I will answer with a G-rated answer. Boots, there are boots under my kilt, Jay. We'll just let that be a mystery that will be entrenched in the annalls of history.

Covered up by the fogs of Scotland.

[Laughs] There you go, exactly.

But, since we are on the topic of the ladies. Your private life has always been private, as it should be, but you did touch base on her earlier. You do have a very nice young lady in your life and that is your daughter. Talk about having her around, her support system and just having that lovely young lady in your life.

Yeah, that's awesome, man. I've got a ten year old daughter that keeps me grounded, that' for sure. She keeps me level headed. It's really amazing to be a father. It really changes your perspective on things. Just how you view the world and how you view people and even the level of understanding I have. Maybe that's why I'm so understanding of drunk people and irrational people because I'm used to dealing with kids. [Laughs] I don't know, it could be that. She definitely keeps me grounded and keeps me focused on what matters and keeps my head on straight. I know who I am, I know what's important and I just think that grounding influence always keeps you guided and put in the right direction. That matters, that matters, truly. It's an amazing thing, I love being a dad, I love having her around. It's tough to be on tour and be away from her but that's what Face Time is for and that's what the phone is for. I stay in contact with her as much as I can and get home as much as I can to see her and spend as much time with her as I can. Thanks to Carmen and 3D Rockstars, now she has a life-size Daddy, Sarge, that she can have on the wall so I'm right there in a full color, 3D display that she can look up at and that's, kind of, cool.

Do you think that having a daughter, having children makes you more focused, more aware of all of the surroundings when you are working? Because, a lot of your clients, if not not all of your clients are family men and women.

It definitely does. You have to be alert [Laughs] and it's one of those things that all parents can understand that you're used to hearing some noise when they're playing and then it gets quiet and you're like, "Uh oh!" It's kind of the same way in this business. If it sounds a little quiet in the green room behind me I go, "Uh oh! What's going on?" So, it's kinda the same. Being a parent and working security does have a lot of similarities. It's a care-giver role and it teaches you the caring nature.

And, of course, protection. You would always want to protect your clients the same way you'd want to protect your daughter.

Absolutely, absolutely.

Since we are in the holiday season with Thanksgiving and then Christmas but that leads right into 2018 so let's give everyone something to look forward to. Whatever it is that you can announce, what does Sarge have going in 2018?

I would say, look to the website. look to www.sargesecurity.com and follow the announcements and appearances page. I've got several dates up there so every so often you'll see that change and you'll see some additions appear. I've got some things locked in for now. I'm definitely going to be on the Monsters of Rock cruise coming up in February, that's always going to be a great time. I'm folowing up that with 80s In The Park, that's going to be a fantastic time down in Cocoa Beach, Florida in February. Ted Poley's going to be live, just kicking ass as usual. I'm hearing some rumors of maybe some rodents coming out of the cellar for a couple of dates next year so we'll have to see. There's definitely some big things happening. I really can't talk about it but you're definitley going to be seeing me criss-crossing the nation with some pretty familiar faces. I'm stoked, Jay. I just can't wait to get back out and have some fun spend some time with the folks. Let's party, let's hang out, let's have a good time and let's rock and roll together, man.

Do you know if we're going to get Sarge at M3 since I live outside of Baltimore?

I can tell you 100%, I will be at M3, yes.

Awesome, man. Sarge, thank you so much. As always, my standard is that all that matters is how you felt about your interview. That you felt respected, liked your questions and how they were conducted.

You absolutely were amazing, dude. Seriously, the best interviews are the ones that don't feel like interviews, just like conversations with your buddies. I'm familiar with your interview style, I'm a fan of yours, a fan of your website. I've read your interviews and that's why I'm honored you chose to do the interview with me. I appreciate it, thank you so much. It's a true honor to be interviewed by you.

The honor is mine. Thank you so much. You've always been so genuine, treated me like family and I can't wait for us to hook up again soon.

Definitely, be on the lookout, you have a hoodie coming, brother. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and take care, Jay.