Christopher Wicks has dabbled in songwriting for decades and even started a band, The Glorious.
Now, Wicks – who runs downtown L.A. men’s and women’s clothing company Defiance USA, which includes brands English Laundry and English Rose – is fulfilling a lifelong dream: He’s recording a rock ’n’ roll album.
Wicks, 59, recruited friends and fellow rockers Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, Billy Duffy of the Cult and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols to help him produce “Stories From a Fractured Youth,” an album of rock songs inspired by his life in the 1960s and ’70s.
“I’ve been writing lyrics and singing since I was a teenager,” Wicks said. “I had a group of musicians look at my stuff and play my stuff and we decided to go ahead and make an album. They reassured me that the album was worthy.”
Wicks staged a listening party at English Laundry’s Beverly Hills store last month to give people a sense of the album, which will be released next month.
While Wicks plans to tour in support of the album, he isn’t quitting his day job just yet.
“I’m blessed that I can go to work and do a job that I love,” he said. “I’m even more blessed that in the evenings I can rock out with my band.”
Paintball Alternative
Don’t look for attorney Chauncey Swalwell on the basketball court soon.
He might be paintballing instead.
Five years ago, the partner at Strook & Strook & Lavan LLP collided with a 9-year-old on a basketball court during a charity fundraiser, sending Swalwell to the operating room and leaving him on crutches for three months. Later, Swalwell needed more surgery.
“Sometimes, being a Westside dad can be more dangerous than it looks,” he said.
Swalwell said his knee is about recovered, but hasn’t done much dribble-driving. Instead, his Brentwood School fundraising activity has been limited to paintball.
“Paintballing has its own potential hazards, including for brittle knees,” he said. “But as always, I’m happy to sacrifice the body for a good cause.”
Courting Reunion
Noah Nazzaro’s family is scattered across the East Coast and Eastern Europe, and it’s fallen on him to try to relocate everyone to Los Angeles.
One plan is simple: get his brother-in-law, a forward for a Ukraine basketball team, a gig with a pro team, preferably the Los Angeles Clippers.
Nazzaro, an account executive for CoStar Group, a real estate service firm, has gotten leads through clients and their tenants. They’ve advised him to get an appointment with the Clippers owner, billionaire Donald Sterling. He’s also received help and encouragement from sports marketing and sports agency tenants.
“It’s a New Year’s resolution,” says Nazzaro. “I want my family to move out here. And if he gets on the team, they can.”
Staff reporters Alexa Hyland and Max Zimbert contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
