May 18, 2001 14:19

RETURN OF THE ROCKS

Guitarist Andy McCoy and singer Mike Monroe are to play a festival in Finland, and they'll be playing old Hanoi tracks...

The two key figures in HANOI ROCKS - the 80s glam-metal rockers who were a huge influence on acts such as GUNS N'ROSES and MANIC STREET PREACHERS - are to relaunch a version of the band at a festival in their native Finland in July.

Guitarist Andy McCoy and singer Mike Monroe will be performing Hanoi Rocks classics, in addition to new material that they have been writing together under the moniker Mike Monroe & Andy McCoy - Hanoi Revisited. They also plan to record the new material.

Hanoi Rocks, who formed in 1980, split in 1985, following the death of drummer Razzle in a car crash. The car was being driven by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil, who later faced manslaughter charges.

McCoy and fellow original guitarist Nasty Suicide later joined forces for The Cherry Bombz, while Monroe reunited with original bassist Sam Yaffa and Suicide for a group called Demolition 23 in the mid-90s.

McCoy and Monroe's first gig together will take place at Ruisrock Festival in Turku, Finland, on July 8.